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HomeMy WebLinkAbout71.112 ORDINANCE NO. 71. 112 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA AMENDING THE 1991 EDITION OF THE UNIFORM FIRE CODE BY AMENDING SECTION 79.708 CONCERNING TESTING OF UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PIPING. The City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby ordains as follows: SECTION 1: Section 16-20.310 in Article 16-20 of the City Code is amended to read as follows: 16.20,310 Section 79,708, last paragraph is amended to read as follows: Testing: Existing piping shall be tested as described above when the Chief has reasonable cause to believe that a leak exists. Piping that could contain flammable or combustible liquids or vapors shall not be tested pneumatically unless an inert gas is used to purge and test the piping. (Such test shall be at the expense of the owner or operator. See Section 79,605(c).) FINDINGS OF FACT AND NEED FOR CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE UNIFORM FIRE CODE, 1991 EDITION, BECAUSE OF LOCAL CONDITIONS The City Of Saratoga has determined and finds that the attached changes or modifications to the Uniform Fire Code, 1991 Edition, are reasonably necessary because of local climactic, geological, and topographical conditions. Climatic; Local climatic conditions can affect the acceleration, intensity, and size of fire in the community. The City of Saratoga experiences years with little rainfall and frequent periods of low humidity and high temperatures. This combination can create extremely hazardous fire conditions particularly in the Hillside areas of the community. Prevailing winds in this area are from the Northwest with velocities generally in the 5 mph to 15 mph range and may gust up to 30 mph. These winds can have a great impact particularly during the summer months when such winds may carry burning brands and embers from grass or structure fires great distances, spreading the fire beyond the point of origin. Geological; The City of Saratoga iS situated on and adjacent to active earthquake faults. Namely the San Andteas fault, which is capable of producing substantial seismic events, aS well as secondary faults known as the Berrocal and Shannon fault systems. Upon the occurrence of a major seismic event emergency response resources would be substantially stressed and, therefore, would have to be prioritized to mitigate the greatest threats to public safety. The likely result of t~is situation would be that fire and other emergency resources will be unavailable for responses to individual single family residences. Some of the variables that would impact and tend tO intensify the overall situation would be: (1) The extent of damage to the water systems; (2) The extent of isolation of areas due to bridge and/or freeway overpass collapse; (3) The extent of roadway damage and/or amount of debris blocking the roadways. TopographiC; The City of Saratoga is located on the West side of the Santa Clara Valley and portions of the community exist both on the valley floor and in the hillside areas. The hillside, or urban/wildland interface areas, contain numerous residential developments constructed in canyons and on steep slopes. Due to the nature of the topography in this area roadways are narrow and steep and often are dead end with no secondary means of access or egress. The areas can pose difficulties for emergency vehicle access as well as problems associated with evacuations in the event Of a wildland fire, major earthquake or other disaster. SECTION 2: If any section, sub-section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held by a court of competent jurisdication to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, sub-section, sentence, clause and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, sub-sections, sentences, clauses or phrases be held invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION 3: This ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days after date of its passage and adoption. The above and foregoing ordinance was regularly introduced and after the waiting time required by law was thereafter passed and adopted this 4~h day of November , 19 92 by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers Kohler and Monia and Vice Mayor Tucker NOES: None ABSENT: C0unci]member Burger and Mayor Anderson ABSTAIN: None ..~~,/~Q ~~ _~ MA R ATTEST:~_~ CL~K~ ' "' The above and foregoing is atrue and correct CITY copy of Ordinance 22/,//'~ which has been pu~cor~g to law. b~pdty ~itv Cler~ ~7"