Photos of projects plan checked or inspected by Willdan

News for California Building Departments
Issue 12, October - December 2006

Issue 13, Jan - Mar 2007
Issue 14, Apr - Jun 2007
Issue 15, Jul - Sep 2007
Issue 16, Oct - Dec 2007
Issue 17, Jan - Mar 2008
Issue 18, Apr - Jun 2008
Issue 19, Jul - Sep 2008
Issue 20, Oct - Dec 2008

Important Dates

Oct 2-6, 2006	CALBO Education Week at Concord, CA	See CALBO’s website for details and registration
Nov 1-3 , 2006	CALBO Reinforced Concrete Academy, Roseville, CA	See CALBO’s website for details and registration
Nov 7-10, 2006	CC Training Seminars at Fremont, CA	See ICC website for details and registration
Nov 13-17, 2006	CALBO Education Week at Ontario, CA	See CALBO’s website for details and registration
Nov 14-17, 2006	CC Training Seminars at Fremont, CA	See ICC website for details and registration
Nov 15 , 2006	Building Standards Commission hearing	Watch for an agenda at the BSC website
Dec 4-7, 2006	IAMPO Training Seminars on the 2006 UPC and UMC at Ontario CA.	See IAMPO's website for details.
Dec 13-15 , 2006	CALBO Reinforced Concrete Academy, Glendale, CA	See CALBO’s website for details and registration

What's Up With The State?

The California Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) is working with CALBO to reduce consumer problems related to unlicensed contractors. Local building departments are encouraged to verify contractor license numbers at the CSLB website and to report unlicensed activities. In turn the CSLB will investigate under its "rapid response" program. Also available on the CSLB website is a "Building Official" page specifically developed for the local building department. It provides the answers to numerous questions about licensing requirements, exemptions and limitations, and how to file complaints, and contact information for the various CSLB offices.
HCD has begun public meetings to develop improvements to the factory-built housing regulations the California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Chapter 3. The regulations govern manufacturers, inspection agencies, and establish construction standards for factory-built housing and building component systems (not manufactured homes). Two meetings were held in July; one in Southern California and one in Northern California. Additional meetings are likely.
The new Chapter 11A of the 2001 California Building Code, developed by HCD and adopted by the Building Standards Commission at the May 16, 2006 hearing has still not been published. If you have the ICC subscription service with your California Building Code, you should receive it following the publication date. The effective date is expected to be May 1, 2007. This is an amendment to the 2001 California Building Code and it will replace the current Chapter 11A for multifamily dwelling accessibility.
At the July 17, 2006 hearing of the Building Standards Commission (BSC), a timeline for the 2006 Code Adoption Cycle was provided. It shows the various steps toward adoption of the 2006 model codes, including the 2006 International Building Code. The schedule establishes January 1, 2008, as the target effective date for the next new editions for the Parts of the California Code of Regulations Title 24 based on model codes. The BSC plans to make the timeline available on their website. The California Energy Commission has issued their August 2006 newsletter called the Blueprint. Issue #85, provides updated information about online training and their Hotline services.

2006 Legislation of Interest to Building Departments

In the last few days of September 2006 the Governor acted upon several bills proposing state laws that would impact building codes and or the operations of building departments. Those that have been approved are:

Senate Bill 1 (Chapter 132, Statutes of 2006) has passed and will be law on January 1, 2007. It is to promote solar generated electricity in residential dwellings. Builders of more than 50 new single-family homes in a single subdivision must include solar energy as a standard option beginning January 1, 2011. The bill also directs the California Public Utilities Commission to fund an incentive program to reward consumers for installing solar energy systems.
AB1231, (Chapter 644, Statutes of 2006) removes the sunset date and extends the mobilehome park inspection program to 2012 along with related fees to support the inspection program.
AB1953 (Chapter 853, Statutes of 2006) has passed and will change the means for measuring lead content in plumbing materials.
AB2977 (Chapter 478, Statutes of 2006) has passed and amends provisions of the Health and Safety Code establishing new child safety standards for residential swimming pools and spas. On and after January 1, 2007, when a permit is issued for construction of a new swimming pool or spa at a single family home, or for remodeling of an existing pool or spa at a single family home, the pool or spa shall be equipped with at least one of seven specified drowning prevention safety features.

See these bills at the state's legislative website. Bills that we followed this year that have been vetoed by the Governor include:

AB1469 proposing continuing education requirements for managers of mobilehome parks.
AB2496 proposing a lower per flush volumes for toilets and urinals.
AB2836 proposing fire sprinkler systems in small residential care facilities for the elderly.

Did You Know?

Have you tried to determine how many units of an apartment building must be accessible and adaptable? The provisions of the 2001 California Building Code (CBC), Chapter 11A, are somewhat difficult to decipher but the answer is all of them on the ground floor. All dwelling units of a privately funded multifamily dwelling (defined in CBC section 101.17.9.1) which includes apartments with three or more dwelling units and condominiums with four or more dwelling units, located on the ground floor (defined in CBC section 1102A.7-G), must be served by an accessible route of travel, be accessible within the dwelling unit, and be adaptable. The term “ground floor” is somewhat misleading. A floor at finish grade, and the first floor above other occupancies like retail or garage space, and any floor served by a ramp, elevator or lift, are all considered ground floors for purposes of accessibility and adaptability. So, all dwelling units on a ground floor must be accessible and adaptable.

CBC section 1119A provides an exception for projects with specific site conditions. When one of three specific site conditions exists, the accessible route of travel is not required and the number of adaptable units on a ground floor without an accessible route of travel may be reduced to 20%.
Accessibility within a dwelling unit means that a 36” wide path of travel is available throughout the dwelling, except at the 32” doorways. The minimum 36” path must include the route to all the bathroom fixtures. Yes, that includes the route past the toilet on the way to the bathtub!

In May 2006, the Building Standards Commission approved a new Chapter 11A, completely rewritten by the Department of Housing and Community Development following numerous public meetings. The redesigned Chapter 11A should be effective in May 2007. It is a much-improved regulation. Watch for a notice of its effective date.

Other News
The ICC and IAPMO have announced the end of the effort to develop a single plumbing and a single mechanical code bringing the ICC and IAPMO codes together in a joint publication. An impasse developed because there were insurmountable differences between each organization's rules for code development. The project appears to be dead for the foreseeable future.	CALBO is developing a new multifamily dwelling accessibility study guide based on the new Chapter 11A of the California Building Code becoming effective most likely in May 2007. The new study guide will replace CALBO's "A Guide To California Multi-Family Disabled Access Regulations" booklet published in January 1997.	On and after January 1, 2007, all C-39 roofing contractors must have workers' compensation insurance whether they have employees or not. See Business and Professions Code section 7125 as amended by AB 881 (Chapter 38 of the 2006 Statutes).