Ordinance No. 1302ORDINANCE NO. 1302
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON
AMENDING VERNON MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 8.04.010 OF
CHAPTER 8.04 (FIRE CODE) TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY’S CHIEF
BUILDING OFFICIAL, OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, TO
ENFORCE THE FIRE CODE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CALIFORNIA
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 13869.7(h)(1)(B)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. This ordinance was assessed in accordance with the authority and
criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA
Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. The City Council finds that this
ordinance is not subject to CEQA because the adoption of this ordinance is not a “project”
pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
SECTION 2. Findings.
A. The City of Vernon receives fire services provided by the Los Angeles County
Consolidated Fire Protection District (LA County Fire), along with 60 other contract cities
and all unincorporated areas within Los Angeles County. In addition to suppression and
prevention services, LA County Fire also reviews building plans on the City’s behalf to
help ensure compliance with applicable law.
B. Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) Section 8.04.010 adopts the 2020 Los Angeles
County Fire Code by reference. This is accomplished pursuant to Health and Safety Code
Sections 17958 and 13869.7 which authorizes the City to adopt, modify, or reject
ordinances adopted by LA County Fire including without limitation, building standards.
The City has opted to adopt LA County Fire regulations in order to assist in LA County
Fire in providing uniform building plan review to cities receiving services from LA County
Fire.
C. Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(h)(1)(B) provides that “A city… that
ratifies an ordinance relating to fire and panic safety … shall delegate the enforcement of
the ordinance to … the chief building official of the city … or his or her authorized
representative.”
D. The authorization delegated to the City’s Chief Building Official to enforce the Fire
Code is not explicitly stated in VMC Section 8.04.010. While such authority is implied, it
is in the public interest to demonstrate clear compliance with Health and Safety Code
Section 13869.7 to ensure continued enforcement of the City’s building, fire and other
uniform codes.
E. The City Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the public to
immediately implement these proposed amendments and has concurrently introduced an
Ordinance No. 1302
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_______________________
urgency ordinance to avoid threat to the public welfare, ambiguities, lapse in enforcement,
or uncertainty in the law.
SECTION 3. Section 8.04.010 (D) is hereby added to the VMC, as follows:
“D. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(h)(1)(B), the City’s Chief
Building Official, or authorized representative, is authorized to enforce the Fire Code.”
SECTION 4. Any provision of the Vernon Municipal Code or appendices thereto
inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance, to the extent of such inconsistencies
and no further, is repealed or modified to that extent necessary to affect the provisions of
this ordinance.
SECTION 5. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or
portion thereof, of this ordinance is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council declares that it would have adopted
this ordinance, and each section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or
portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections,
paragraphs, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions thereof, be declared invalid or
unconstitutional. To this end, the provisions of this ordinance are declared to be
severable.
SECTION 6. The Deputy City Clerk shall certify the adoption and publish this
ordinance as required by law.
SECTION 7. This ordinance shall become effective after the thirtieth day following
its adoption.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED August 6, 2024.
JUDITH MERLO, Mayor
ATTEST:
YONNIE PARKER, Deputy City Clerk
(seal)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH N. MOUSSA, City Attorney
Ordinance No. 1302
Page 3 of 3
_______________________
I CERTIFY THAT THE FOREGOING ORDINANCE NO. 1302 was passed and adopted
by the City Council of the City of Vernon at the regular meeting on August 6, 2024, by the
following vote:
AYES: 5 Council Members: Larios, Lopez, Rivera, Ybarra, Merlo
NOES: 0
ABSENT: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
________________________________
YONNIE PARKER, Deputy City Clerk
(seal)
City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: July 16, 2024
From: Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works
Department: Public Works
Submitted by: Daniel S. Wall, P.E., Director of Public Works
Subject
Authorize the City's Chief Building Official, or authorized representative, to enforce the Fire Code
Recommendation
A. Find that the proposed action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) review, because it is a general policy and procedure making activity that will not result
in direct physical changes or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical changes in the
environment, and therefore does not constitute a "project" as defined by CEQA Guidelines
Section 15378;
B. Adopt Urgency Ordinance No. 1301 amending Vernon Municipal Code Section 8.04.010 to
authorize the City's Chief Building Official, or authorized representative, to enforce the Fire Code
in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(h)(1)(B);
C. Introduce Ordinance No. 1302 amending Vernon Municipal Code Section 8.04.010 to
authorize the City's Chief Building Official, or authorized representative, to enforce the Fire Code
in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 13869.7(h)(1)(B); and
D. Direct staff to schedule second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 1302 for the August
6, 2024 City Council meeting.
Background
The California Health and Safety Code mandates the appointment of a Fire Code enforcement
officer by the City. This officer can either be the City's Chief Building Official or the Los Angeles
County Fire Chief. The Los Angeles County Fire Department serves 60 contract cities and all
unincorporated areas within the County; thus, its extensive coverage may impact customer
service for our local development community. In contrast, the City's Chief Building Official
possesses deep knowledge of our local development landscape. Currently responsible for
enforcing all aspects of the uniform codes outlined in the Vernon Municipal Code (VMC) except
for the Fire Code, appointing the City's Chief Building Official, or authorized representative, as
the Fire Code enforcement officer would streamline the development process in Vernon and
provide our business community with a competitive advantage.
To avoid ambiguities, interruption in the enforcement of these codes, and to prevent any
uncertainty in the development community, it is critical that the VMC be amended immediately.
This necessitates adoption of both an urgency and regular ordinance.
Adoption of the proposed Urgency Ordinance No. 1301 requires a favorable vote by a four-fifths
vote of the City Council. Urgency Ordinance No. 1301 would take effect immediately upon
adoption.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
1. Urgency Ordinance No. 1301
2. Ordinance No. 1302
CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER SERVICE BUREAU
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D A I L Y J O U R N A L C O R P O R A T I O N
To the right is a copy of the notice you sent to us for publication in the
HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN. Please read this notice carefully and call us
with any corrections. The Proof of Publication will be filed with the County
Clerk, if required, and mailed to you after the last date below. Publication
date(s) for this notice is (are):
Mailing Address : 915 E 1ST ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
Telephone (800) 788-7840 / Fax (800) 464-2839
Visit us @ www.LegalAdstore.com
YONNIE PARKER
CITY OF VERNON CITY CLERK
4305 SANTA FE AVE
VERNON, CA 90058
ORD ORDINANCE PUBLICATION
Ordinance No. 1302 Adoption Summary
08/08/2024
Notice Type:
Ad Description
COPY OF NOTICE
3840903
!A000006835582!
An invoice will be sent after the last date of publication. If you prepaid this
order in full, you will not receive an invoice.
CITY OF VERNON
NOTICE OF ADOPTION
SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE No.1302
Ordinance No.1302,amends Vernon Municipal
Code Section 8.04.010 to authorize the City's
Building Official,or designee,to enforce the Fire
Code under California Health and Safety Code
13869.7(h)(1)(B).
Ordinance No.1302 was introduced by the
Vernon City Council at its Regular meeting on
July 16,2024,and adopted on August 6,2024,by
the following vote:
AYES:Larios,Lopez,Rivera,Ybarra,Merlo
NOES:None
ABSENT:None
ABSTAIN:None
The full text of Ordinance No.1302 is on file in
the City Clerk Department and accessible on the
City's website at www.cityofvernon.org.
Posted:Tuesday,August 6,2024
8/8/24
PRE-3840903#
HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN
CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER SERVICE BUREAU
PRE#
D A I L Y J O U R N A L C O R P O R A T I O N
To the right is a copy of the notice you sent to us for publication in the
HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN. Please read this notice carefully and call us
with any corrections. The Proof of Publication will be filed with the County
Clerk, if required, and mailed to you after the last date below. Publication
date(s) for this notice is (are):
Mailing Address : 915 E 1ST ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
Telephone (800) 788-7840 / Fax (800) 464-2839
Visit us @ www.LegalAdstore.com
YONNIE PARKER
CITY OF VERNON CITY CLERK
4305 SANTA FE AVE
VERNON, CA 90058
ORD ORDINANCE PUBLICATION
Ordinance No. 1302 Introduction Summary
07/25/2024
Notice Type:
Ad Description
COPY OF NOTICE
3834146
!A000006818087!
An invoice will be sent after the last date of publication. If you prepaid this
order in full, you will not receive an invoice.
CITY OF VERNON
NOTICE OF INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE No.1302
Ordinance No.1302,amends Vernon Municipal
Code Section 8.04.010 to authorize the City's
Building Official,or designee,to enforce the Fire
Code under California Health and Safety Code
13869.7(h)(1)(B).
Ordinance No.1302 was introduced by the
Vernon City Council at its Regular meeting on
July 16,2024.Second reading and adoption of
the ordinance is scheduled for the Regular City
Council Meeting on August 6,2024,at City Hall,
4305 Santa Fe Avenue,Vernon,California.
The full text of Ordinance No.1302 is on file in
the City Clerk Department and accessible on the
City's website at www.cityofvernon.org.
Posted:Tuesday,July 16,2024
Publish:Thursday,July 25,2024
7/25/24
PRE-3834146#
HUNTINGTON PARK BULLETIN