Department of Building Inspection

Code Advisory Committee

CODE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

DATE: June 21, 2000 (Wednesday)

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

LOCATION: 1660 Mission Street, Room 2001

This Committee meets regularly every third Wednesday of the month at 1660 Mission Street, Room 2001. If you wish to be placed on a mailing list for agendas, please call (415) 558-6205.

Note: Public comment is welcome and will be heard during each item. Reference documents relating to agenda are available for review at the 1650 Mission Street, Suite 302. For information, please call Alan Tokugawa at (415) 558-6004.

draft MINUTES

Others present

Laurence Kornfield, Chief Bldg. Inspector, TSD

Hanson Tom, DBI Plan Check Manager

1.0 Call to Order and Roll Call

Call to Order at 9:45 A.M. A quorum was present. Sign-in sheet to be updated (delete Michael Ma, no longer a member).

2.0 Approval of minutes of prior Code Advisory Committee (CAC) the Regular Meeting of May 17, 2000.

Motion to approve. (Freund, Lerner). Unanimously passed.

3.0 Report and discussion on possible revision of the City Planning Code to allow required second means of egress from a residential occupancy to encroach on required rear yard area.

L. Kornfield reported that a possible revision of the Planning Code is being developed by outside parties. This revision will allow a required second means of egress to extend into required rear yard areas. TSD will report on the progress of this at future meetings.

4.0 Report, discussion and possible action on proposed Administrative Bulletin regarding Investigative Fee for Work Without Permit. The possible action will be to refer to committee, or recommend further action on this proposed Bulletin, or take other action as appropriate.

Following an introduction by L. Kornfield, there ensued a general discussion of this new bulletin, which was prepared at the request of the BIC. Possible additional cases were raised by Z. Nathan regarding voluntary submittal of plans for work w/o permit. Is there a penalty for such voluntary compliance to legalize previously done work w/o permits? Yes, penalties still apply, per L. Kornfield and others. Further general discussion. This bulletin was referred to the Administrative and General Design subcommittee for review.

5.0 Discussion and possible action regarding minor revisions to Administrative Bulletin AB-019 Local Equivalency for Approval of Fire Escapes as a Required Means of Egress. The possible action will be to recommend modifications to this Bulletin based on Fire Department comments. (10 minutes)

Proposed revision of approved bulletin

San Francisco Fire Department requests a change in the language of the proposed bulletin to prohibit the use of fire escapes as means of required egress for new R-1 buildings. Per Jerry Cunningham, fire escapes are specifically not permitted for new buildings in the IBC. The current code allows case-by-case use of fire escapes for both existing and new buildings, per L. Kornfield. General approval to amend the proposed bulletin to restrict fire escapes so that none may be used for new R-1 occupancies. Copy of the revised bulletin will be provided to the CAC for information only; no further action is required.

6.0 Report, discussion, and possible action on a proposed Administrative Bulletin regarding the application of the California State Historical Building Code. The possible action will be to refer to CAC committee or recommend other action on this Bulletin.

This bulletin is under development by L. Kornfield. This will be addressed by TSD at a future meeting.

7.0 Subcommittee Reports:

a. Housing Code Subcommittee:

Subcommittee Chair: Jim Reed

Subcommittee Member: Jerry Cunningham, P.E.

Report by J. Cunningham.

Report by J. Cunningham about possible conflicts between the San Francisco Housing Code, the San Francisco Building Code and various State laws.. The San Francisco Housing Code is in many sections a repeat of the various California State laws and regulations regarding housing that have been promulgated by the State office of Housing and Community Development. J. Cunningham asked the Housing Inspection Division at the subcommittee meeting to identify those portions of the SF Housing Code that are simply repeats of State laws or regulations, which would then be "off the table" when reviewing SF housing regulations and the SF Housing Code. Then, the subcommittee would consider the various specific SF amendments.

J. Cunningham noted that the Web site for the Building Standards Commission notes that local housing code regulations are subject to the same restrictions as the California Building Code with respect to a basis of climate, topography, and geology, and with findings to be provided to the State. L. Kornfield indicated that is not quite the interpretation DBI has been provided by the City Attorney’s Office, and he will provide written materials from the State or a copy of City Attorney opinions regarding whether housing code regulations may be less restrictive than State law. C. Breidinger asks if HIS is doing a review of the state versus local codes. Noelke attended committee meeting from HIS.

b. Fire & Life Safety Subcommittee:

Subcommittee Chair: Jerry Cunningham, P.E.

Subcommittee Members: Charles Breidinger, P.E., Carolynn Abst

1.) Discussion and possible action regarding the requirement for a second means of egress from floors within Group R (residential) Occupancies which are more than 25 feet above grade at any point (San Francisco Building Code Section 1004.2.3.2, Exception 7.) The possible action will be to make a recommendation to the Building Inspection Commission regarding the continuance of this requirement, or take other action as appropriate.

Report by J. Cunningham.

Discussion of current code requirements for a second means of egress from floors in Group R occupancies which are more than 25 feet above grade at any point. The CAC considered deletion of this local amendment during last code revision cycle, but SFFD favored retaining the provision. Now, SFFD agrees with the Code Advisory Committee that this amendment is not necessary or appropriate and safe exiting is dealt with in other code sections and under other authority. General discussion. Motion to delete this amendment, SFBC 1004.2.3.2, Exception 7. (Freund, Nathan) Unanimously passed. TSD to prepare this code change for Director’s review and necessary further action.

2.) Discussion and possible action regarding review of IBC 2000 (International Building Code) with respect to requirements of Chapter 10 of the 1998 California Building Code and 1998 San Francisco Building Code Amendments. The possible action will be for the full Committee to recommend a methodology for subcommittees and the full Committee to follow when reviewing the IBC 2000, or take other action as appropriate.

IBC 2000 review methodology considered. General discussion. TSD is shortly hiring a new staff person, a Code Analyst to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Richard Young, who will assist TSD in doing the comparisons between SF and State codes and IBC 2000. CAC members requested that TSD provide such comparison and analysis for their review, rather than having the CAC do the actual analysis and comparison. Per L. Kornfield, that is TSD’s intent.

c. Administrative & General Design Subcommittee

Subcommittee Chair: Arnold Lerner, AIA

Subcommittee Members: Zachary Nathan, AIA, Frederic Freund, Tony Sanchez-Corea, Dorie Lee

1.) Discussion and possible action on recommendation of this subcommittee regarding Administrative Bulletin AB-035, Procedure for Assigning Street Numbers (Addresses.)

2.) Discussion and possible action on recommendation of this subcommittee regarding Administrative Bulletin AB-042, Board of Examiners, Request for Variance, New Materials, or Alternate Methods of Construction.

3.) Discussion and possible action on recommendation of this subcommittee regarding Administrative Bulletin AB-028, Pre-Application Plan Review Proceedings.

Report by A. Lerner.

Review and report on recommendation on Administrative Bulletins recently considered by committee, including Street Address Numbering, Board of Examiners processes, and Preapplication Review procedures. Some general discussion about preapplication meeting minutes. No specific action taken.

d. Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Subcommittee:

Subcommittee Chair: Charles Breidinger, P.E.

Subcommittee Member: Jim Reed

No report.

e. Structural Subcommittee:

Subcommittee Chair: James Guthrie, S.E.

Subcommittee Member: Andy Forrest, P.E.

No report.

f. Disability Access Subcommittee

Subcommittee Chair: (To be selected)

Subcommittee Members: Arnie Lerner, AIA., Zachary Nathan, AIA

No report.

8.0 Secretary’s report on upcoming events and tasks for the CAC.

No report.

9.0 Committee Member’s and Staff’s identification agenda items for the next meeting, as well as current agenda items to be continued to another CAC regular meeting or special meeting, or a subcommittee meeting. CAC discussion and possible action regarding administrative issues related to building codes.

Discussion of building code provisions about signs which TSD recommends be transferred to Planning Code.

IBC review process and schedule to be discussed.

Hallway ventilation to be reconsidered.

Subcommittee election or appointment of chairpersons to be agendized.

10.0 Public Comment on items not on this agenda but within the jurisdiction of the Code Advisory Committee. Comment time is limited to 3 minutes or at the call of the Chair.

No public comment.

11.0 Adjournment.

Meeting adjourned at 10:51 A.M.

Minutes prepared by L. Kornfield