HomeMy WebLinkAboutNS-2274 - Amending Article I of Chapter 14 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code to Adopt the 1994 Edition of the Uniform Fire Code with Amendments137
REL: 11/20/95
ORDINANCE NO. NS-2274
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA
AMENDING ARTICLE I OF CHAPTER 14 OF THE
SANTA ANA MUNICIPAL CODE, TO ADOPT THE
1994 EDITION OF THE UNIFORM FIRE CODE
WITH AMENDMENTS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: That section 14-1 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-1. Adoption of the Uniform Fire Code, 1994 Edition.
There is hereby adopted by the city of Santa Ana that certain
code known as the "Uniform Fire Code, 1994 Edition," and the whole
thereof including the Appendices therein, and the accompanying
Uniform Fire Code Standards, save and except such portions as are
hereinafter deleted or amended, of which code not less than one (1)
copy has been and is now on file in the office of the clerk of the
council of the City of Santa Ana. The said code is adopted and
incorporated as fully as if set forth at length herein and, subject
to all amendments se~ forth in this article, shall be in effect
within the City of Santa Ana from the effective date of this
article. Any provision of this article amending the Uniform Fire
Code shall be construed as amending the 1994 Edition thereof
including such provisions enacted prior to this adoption of the
said 1994 Edition and not thereafter repealed. The said Uniform
Fire Code, 1994 Edition, as thus amended, together with all other
provisions of this article, shall be known as the "Fire Code of the
city of Santa Ana."
SECTION 2: That section 14-3 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
Bec. 14-3.
Penalties.
No person shall violate any of the provisions or fail to
comply with any of the requirements of this article. Except as
otherwise provided herein, any person who shall violate any of the
provisions of this article hereby adopted or fail to comply
therewith, or who shall violate or fail to comply with any order
made under this article, or who shall build in violation of any
detailed statement of specifications or plans submitted and
approved hereunder or any certificate or permit issued hereunder,
or who shall fail to comply with such an order within the time
fixed herein shall severally for each and every violation and
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noncompliance, respectively, be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable
by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by
imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine
and imprisonment. The imposition of one penalty for any violation
shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue; and all
such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations
or defects within a reasonable time; and when not otherwise
specified, each day prohibited conditions are maintained shall
constitute a separate offense. The application of the above penalty
shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited
conditions.
SECTION 3: That the Santa Ana Municipal Code is hereby
amended by adding a section, to be numbered 14-10, which said
section reads as follows:
Sec. 14-10. Historioal property
(a) This section applies only to buildings, or portions
thereof, which have been designated as historical property pursuant
to section 30-1 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, and which would
require either the installation of an automatic sprinkler system,
or the installation of one or more fire hydrants with appurtenant
water supply, or both, in order to comply with the Uniform Fire
Code as amended by this article, by reason of the additions,
alterations or repairs or changes of occupancy proposed for such
building.
(b) An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed in any
portion of such building which is to be used as a place of public
assemblage or a Group H occupancy, as defined in the building code
of the city of Santa Ana.
(c) Subject to the overriding requirement of paragraph (b) of
this subsection, changes to buildings within the scope of this
section shall be subject to approval on the following standard:
Installations of automatic sprinkler systems or fire hydrants shall
be required only to the extent necessary to avoid an increase in
the risk of fire occurring, the danger to life in the event of
fire, or the difficulty of fire suppression or to avoid a prolonga-
tion of any especially hazardous situation. The need of such
installations or alternative fire protection requirements shall be
evaluated in view of any modifications in building safety standards
due to application of the state historical buildings code, and the
fire marshal shall coordinate his review with that of the building
official in this regard. The fire marshal may impose alternative
fire protection requirements on building changes within the scope
of this section as appropriate to maintain this standard and shall
waive any requirement of this section which is inconsistent
therewith.
(d) The fire marshal shall give priority to building changes
ORDINANCE NS-2274 14 1
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within the scope of this section which are submitted for his review
by the community redevelopment agency.
SECTION 4: That section 14-18 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-18. Appeals (Section 103).
Subsection 103.1.4 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended to read
as follows:
The planning commission shall have the power and be
required to hear appeals regarding the fire marshal's denial
of, or refusal to grant, any application for a permit required
under any provision of the fire code, the determination of the
suitability of alternative materials and types of construc-
tion, and the reasonable interpretation of the provisions of
the fire code in the event of a dispute occurring in the
permit application process. Any such appeal shall be filed
with the secretary for the planning commission.
SECTION 5: That the Santa Ana Municipal Code is hereby
amended by adding a section, to be numbered 14-24, which said
section reads as follows:
Sec. 14-24
Required markings for fire apparatus acoess roads
(Sectlon 901).
(a) subsection 901.4.1 of the Uniform fire code is amended to
read as follows:
901.4.1 General (a) Required markings. Any owner or occupant
of a private parking area, including, but not limited to,
private streets or roadways, driveways, off-street parking
facilities, alleys, parking lots and any other nonpublic place
where vehicles of any type or kind are intended to be or are
often found, must:
(1) Post emergency fire lane signs as directed in subsection
(b), or
(2)
Paint appropriate curbs or pavement in red paint pursuant
to subsection (c) and as directed by the fire chief or
his designated representative.
(b) Signs. The fire chief or his designated representa-
tive may direct the owner or occupant of the area described in
subsection (a) as to the location that said signs must be
posted by said owner or occupant. If not so directed, the said
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ORDinAnCe. S-2274
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owner or occupant must post signs in an obvious, conspicuous
location immediately adjacent to, and visible from, the
designated fire lane clearly stating in letters not less than
one (1) inch in height that the area is a fire lane.
(c) Paint. Ail painting to be performed as described in
subsection (ba) shall consist of outlining or painting the
designated fire lane in red and, in contrasting color, marking
the place with the words "FIRE LANE" which are clearly visible
from a vehicle, or by painting a red curb or red paint on the
edge of the roadway upon which is clearly marked the words
"FIRE LANE."
(b) Paragraphs 901.4.2 and 901.4.3 of the Uniform Fire Code
are deleted.
SECTION 6: That section 14-25 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
sac. 14-25. Access roadways for apparatus (Section 902).
(a) Subsection 902.2.1 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Required construction. Every building or portions of
buildings hereafter constructed shall have fire apparatus
access roadways. Such access roadways shall provide two (2)
separate but interconnected means of ingress and egress.
Access shall be at least twenty (20) feet in clear width. A
forty-foot outside and twenty-foot inside radius shall be
provided wherever they make a turn. The total width shall be
continuously paved to accommodate forty thousand (40,000)
pounds and shall not exceed the angle of departure (eight (8)
degrees or fourteen (14) per cent) for fire apparatus on any
slope. Access roadways shall have a vertical clearance of not
less than thirteen (13) feet six (6) inches above the finished
driveway surface.
EXCEPTIONS:
When buildings are completely protected with an approved automatic
fire sprinkler system, the provisions of this Section may be
modified.
When access roadways cannot be installed due to topography,
waterways, nonnegotiable grades or other similar conditions, the
chief may require additional fire protection as specified in Section
10.301(b).
When there are not more than two (2) Group R, Division 3 or Group M
Occupancies, the requirements of this section may be modified,
provided, in the opinion of the chief, firefighting or rescue
operations would not be impaired.
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(b) Extent. The access roadway shall be extended to
within one hundred fifty (150) feet of all portions of the
exterior walls of the first story of any building. Where the
access roadway cannot be provided, approved fire protection
system or systems shall be provided as required and approved
by the fire marshal.
(c) Fire protection alternate. Where fire protection
systems approved by the fire marshal are provided, the above
required clearance may be modified.
(d) Oversizing. The fire marshal shall have the authority
to require an increase in the minimum access width where such
width is not adequate for fire or rescue operations.
(e) Bridges. Where a bridge is required to be used as
access under this section, it shall be constructed and
maintained in accordance with the applicable sections of the
building code and using design live loading sufficient to
carry the imposed loads of the fire apparatus.
(b) Subsection 902.2.2 of the Uniform Fire Code is deleted.
(c) Subsection 902.2.4.1 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended
to read as follows:
902.2.4.1 Obstruction of emergency access lanes.
(a) Obstructing emergency access lane.
(1)
The required width of any fire apparatus access road
shall not be obstructed in any manner. Minimum required
widths and clearances established under this section
shall be maintained at all times.
(2)
No person shall cause or permit any vehicle, including,
but not limited to, automobile, motorcycle, truck,
bicycle or any other vehicle in his control or ownership,
to be stopped in an area designated for emergency
vehicles.
(3)
This section applies to all nonemergency vehicles
whatsoever, attended or unattended, stopped for any
length of time except when necessary to avoid conflict
with other traffic or in compliance with directions of a
police officer or fireman.
Any vehicle found in violation of this section may be
towed at the owner's or operator's expense at the request
of any Santa Ana police officer, parking control officer,
California Highway Patrol officer, Orange County deputy
ORDINANCE NS-2274
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147
sheriff or any fire department personnel described in
section 1-18 of this Code.
(b) Infraction violations. Any violation of this subsection
902.2.4.1 shall be deemed an infraction.
SECTION 7: That section 14-27 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-27. Fire flow requirements (Section 903).
(a) Subsection 903.2 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended to
read as follows:
903.2 Required Water Supply for Fire Protection No building
shall hereafter be constructed which would require a fire flow
of more than five thousand five hundred (5,500) gallons per
minute. No existing building shall be added to, altered, or
changed in the character of its occupancy so as to increase
its required fire flow above five thousand five hundred
(5,500) gallons per minute. No existing building which
currently requires a fire flow of more than five thousand five
hundred (5,500) gallons per minute shall be added to, altered,
or changed in the character of its occupancy if such addition,
alteration, or change would increase the fire flow required
for such building.
No building shall hereafter be constructed, and no
additions, alterations, or repairs shall be made to an
existing building within any twelve-month period which exceed
twenty-five (25) per cent of its value, and no existing
building shall be changed in the character of its occupancy so
as to increase the fire flow required for such building,
unless fire hydrants and appurtenant water supply capable of
delivering the fire flow that will be required for such
building, with a residual pressure measured at the hydrant
outlet of not less than twenty (20) pounds per square inch
during times of average daily consumption, are located in
accordance with the following distance limitations:
In any case where this requirement applies solely by
reason of additions, alterations, or repairs to an
existing building; and in the case of new construction of
a building designed for Group R, Division 3 occupancy, as
defined in the building code of the City of Santa Ana, or
building or structure accessory thereto: the required
hydrant or hydrants must be located within five hundred
(500) feet of all portions of the exterior walls of the
building or be protected. Such required hydrant or
hydrants may be located either on a public street or on
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ORDINANCE NS-2274
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the site of the premises to be protected.
In all other cases: The required hydrant or hydrants
shall be located on the site of the premises to be
protected, except that any required hydrant may be
located on a public street if such location is within one
hundred fifty (150) feet of all portions of the exterior
walls of the building to be protected.
Where more than one fire hydrant is located on the site
of the premises to be protected, or where a combination of
hydrants located on such site and a public street are used to
meet the distance requirements, the required fire flow in
gallons per minute may be divided between such hydrants
provided:
That the combination of hydrants will deliver the
required flow, and
That no single hydrant has a flow of less than one
thousand five hundred (1,500) gallons per minute
with a residual pressure measured at the hydrant
outlet of not less than twenty (20) pounds per
square inch during times of average daily consump-
tion.
Water supply may consist of reservoirs, pressure tanks,
elevated tanks, water mains, or other fixed system capable of
supplying the required fire flow, subject to the approval of
the fire marshal. The precise location, number and type of
fire hydrants connected to a water supply to be provided in
accordance with this subsection shall be subject to the
approval of the fire marshal. All hydrants shall be accessible
to the fire department apparatus by roadways meeting the
requirements of Section 902.
No use of an existing building, or any portion thereof,
for either a place of assemblage or a Group H occupancy, as
defined in subsections 1003.2.2 and 1003.2.5, shall be
initiated or expanded unless the building as a whole will
comply with the requirements of this subsection 903.2 such as
would apply to the new construction of such building for the
same uses.
For purposes of this section, an existing building or
structure shall be deemed to have a value equal to the current
cost of construction of a building or structure of the same
size and type of construction. In determining such value, the
fire marshal shall be guided by the most recent building
valuation data published by the International Conference of
Building officials.
ORDINANCE NS-2274 151
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In determining the fire flow requirements for any
building, structure, or fire area, the fire marshal shall
proceed in accordance with the standards set forth in that
certain "Santa Ana Fire Department Guide for Determination of
Fire Flows," of which not less than one (1) copy is on file in
the office of the clerk of the council of the City of Santa
Ana.
(b) Subsection 903.3 of the Uniform Fire Code is deleted.
SECTION 9: That the Santa Ana Municipal Code is hereby
amended by adding a section, to be numbered 14-29, which said
section reads as follows:
seo. 14-29. Building height regulation (Section 904).
Section 904 is added to the Uniform Fire Code, to read as
follows:
SECTION--904 BUILDING HEIGHT.
No building shall hereafter be constructed which exceeds
fifty-five (55) feet in height, measured from the pavement
surface of fire department vehicular access to the top of the
floor surface of the highest story designed for human occupan-
cy, unless either:
(a)
The building complies with all the standards and regula-
tions adopted pursuant to Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division
12 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of Califor-
nia for a new highrise structure, as defined in Section
13210 of the said Health and Safety Code; or
(b)
The building is accessible to fire department laddering
equipment and overhead hose streams on at least two (2)
sides, the height of which do not exceed the laddering
capability of the fire department.
SECTION 10: That section 14-30 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
14-30.
Installations of automatio sprinkler systems (Seo-
tion 1003).
(a) Subsection 1003.1.1 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended
by adding to said subsection the following paragraph:
Ail sprinkler systems shall have the Fire Department
pumper connection located at the property line, on the address
side of the building as close as practical to the public
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ORDINANCE NS-2274 153
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hydrant.
(b) Subsection 1003.2.3 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended
to read as follows:
1003.2.3 Places of Publlo Assemblage
An automatic sprinkler system must be installed in any
portion of a building, whether newly constructed or preexist-
ing, in or into which the following use is initiated or
expanded: A place of public assemblage which provides for
the gathering together of one hundred (100) or more persons,
for such purposes as deliberation, education, instruction,
worship activities, entertainment, amusement, or the awaiting
of transportation, or in a dining or drinking establishment.
(c) Subsection 1003.2.5 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended
to read as follows:
1003.2.5 Group H Oeoupaneies
An automatic sprinkler system must be installed in any
portion of a building, whether newly constructed or preexist-
ing, in or into which the following use is initiated or
expanded: A Group H occupancy, as defined in the building
code of the city of Santa Ana.
(d) Subsection 1003.2.9 is added to the Uniform Fire Code, to
read as follows:
1003.2.9 Special Hazards.
An automatic sprinkler system must be installed in
buildings hereafter constructed, or when additions, alter-
ations, or repairs are such as to require the building to
comply with all the requirements of the building code of the
city of Santa Ana for new buildings, in either of the follow-
ing circumstances:
(a)
The building would require a fire flow of more than
three thousand five hundred (3,500) gallons per
minute if such system were not installed;
(b)
The building exceeds two (2) stories in height,
unless the building is designed for Group R occu-
pancies, as defined in the building code of the
City of Santa Ana, or is a building or structure
accessory thereto.
EXCEPTION: Open, freestanding parking structures, whether
or not such structures exceed two (2) stories in height,
constructed of noncombustible materials above grade, and
ORDINANCE NS-2274
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155
meeting all of the provisions of the building code of the
city of Santa Ana and National Fire Protection Associa-
tion Standard 88A, need not be provided with automatic
fire sprinklers unless such sprinklers would be required
due to the area and height limitations of the building
code of the City of Santa Ana, Table No. 7A, Chapter 38,
or the estimated fire flow exceeds five thousand five
hundred (5,500) gallons per minute. Where a conflict
exists between the building code of the City of Santa Ana
and National Fire Protection ~ssociation Standard No.
88A, the more restrictive requirements shall apply.
SECTION 11: That sections 14-31, 14-32, 14-33 and 14-34 of
the Santa Ana Municipal Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 12: That section 14-38 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-38. Accidental alarms (section 1302).
Subsection 1302.4 is added to the Uniform Fire Code, to read
as follows:
1302.4 Accidental Alarms
(a) As used herein, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
"accidental alarm" means an alarm, message, signal, or notice
received by the fire department as a result of the failure of
a fire alarm system to function properly.
"manually activated alarm system" means a non-residential
alarm system which is activated while the business is open
and/or occupied and activated by the deliberate acts of an
employee, or a residential alarm system designed to be
activated by a tenant from within a residential unit. It does
not include manual pull stations activated from areas accessi-
ble to the public.
"automatic alarm system" means an alarm system other than a
manually activated alarm system. It does not include manual
pull stations activated from areas accessible to the public.
(b) When accidental alarms are received by the fire
department, the fire chief is authorized to demand that the
user of the responsible fire alarm system correct, replace, or
disconnect such system.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of
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ORDINANCE NS-2274
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157
this section, any person having an alarm system which results
in a fire department response in which the alarm proves to be
an accidental alarm shall pay a penalty assessment fee to the
city as follows:
(1) Accidental alarms received by the city fire depart-
ment from automatic alarm systems which are in
excess of the maximum allowable number, as set
forth in paragraph (3) of this subsection, shall
result in an automatic alarm penalty assessment in
such amount as shall be set by resolution of the
city council.
(2) Alarms from manually activated alarm systems which
are in excess of the maximum allowable number of
false alarms, as set forth in paragraph (3) of this
subsection, shall result in a manually activated
alarm penalty assessment in such amount as shall be
set by resolution of the city council.
(3) Penalty assessments shall be made for accidental
alarms which number more than one (1) in any thir-
ty-day period; or more than two (2) within any
ninety-day period; or more than three (3) within
any one-year period.
(d) Commencing with the date of a new alarm installation
and continuing until the date six (6) months thereafter, or
until there have been three accidental alarms from such new
alarm installation, whichever first occurs, subsection (c) of
this section shall not apply to accidental alarms from such
new alarm installation.
(e) The fire chief reserves the right to discontinue
response by fire department personnel to any location of a
silent or audible alarm when:
(1) The alarm user has been given written notice and
assessed six (6) penalty assessments within a
one-year period; or
(2) The alarm user has failed to pay any such penalty
assessment.
Reinstatement may occur when the alarm user has taken steps to
eliminate or correct the problem(s) and has documented the
corrective action in writing to the fire chief.
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SECTION 13: That section 14-40 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-40. Building maintenance and housekeeping (Section
1115).
The Uniform Fire Code is amended by adding Section 1115
thereto, to read as follows:
SECTION 1114--BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND HOUSEKEEPING
1114.1 Building Maintenance. Ail buildings and premises
shall be maintained in good repair, free from any condition
that presents a fire hazard or any condition which would add
to or contribute to the rapid spread of fire.
1114.2 Housekeeping. Ail buildings and premises shall be
maintained in good repair and in a clean and orderly manner.
Provisions shall be made for the proper storage and disposal
of waste materials and rubbish consistent with the following:
(a)
Ail basements, cellars, floors, closets, attics and
other similar places not open to continuous obser-
vation, shall be kept free from combustible litter
and rubbish at all times.
(b)
Ail combustible waste material and rubbish shall be
stored in approved noncombustible containers or
receptacles, or consistent with approved fire
prevention practice, until such time as such waste
material is removed from the premises or otherwise
properly disposed of. All such waste containers,
other than convenience waste receptacles emptied at
the close of each day, shall be provided with
tightfitting, noncombustible covers.
SECTION 14: That section 14-48 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-48. Fireworks (Section 7802).
Subsection 7802.3 of the Uniform Fire Code is amended to read
as follows:
7802.3 Prohibition. The storage, use and handling of
fireworks is prohibited.
is
EXCEPTIONS: 1. Storage and handling of fireworks
allowed as set forth in Article 77.
2. The use of fireworks for display is allowed as set
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ORDINANCE N$-2274 ~
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forth in Section 7802.4.
3. The use of State Fire Marshal approved Safe-and-Sane
Fireworks is allowed as regulated by Article II (commencing
with section 14-51) of Chapter 14 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code.
SECTION 15: That section 14-49 of the Santa Ana Municipal
Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14-49. Deletions from Uniform Fire code.
The following parts of the Uniform Fire Code are hereby
deleted:
Appendix II-C
Appendix III-A;
Appendix III-B;
Appendix VI-C.
SECTION : If any section, subsection, sentence, clause,
phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held to be
invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of
competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity
of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council of
the City of Santa Ana hereby declares that it would have adopted
this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause,
phrase or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or
more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or
portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION : Neither the adoption of this ordinance nor the
repeal hereby of any ordinance shall in any manner affect the
prosecution for violation of ordinances, which violations were
committed prior to the effective date hereof, nor be construed as
affecting any of the provisions of such ordinance relating to the
collection of any such license or penalty or the penal provision
applicable to any violation thereof, nor to affect the validity of
any bond or cash deposit in lieu thereof, required to be posted,
filed or deposited pursuant to any ordinance and all rights and
obligations thereunder appertaining shall continue in full force
and effect.
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ORDINANCE NS-2274
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ADOPTED this
ATTEST:
~ce C. Guy ~
C~l~rk of the Council
18th day of December , 1995.
COUNCILMEMBERS:
Pulido Aye
Richardson Aye
Espinoza Abstained
Lutz Ay~
McGuigan Aye
Mills Ah~nt
Moreno ABsent
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY & PUBLICATION
State of California
County of Orange
I, JANICE C, GUY, Clerk of the Council, do hereby certify the attached Ordinance
/O ,$- ~7~-/' to be the original ordinance adopted by the City Council of the City
of Santa Aha on /~. _/~0_ ~;.~" ; and that said ordinance was published in accordance
with the Charter of the City of Santa Ana.
Date: ! /~ / ~ d~ 14
/ / ·
ity of Santa Aha