Central Fire District adopted by local ordinance the 2018 edition of the International Fire Code with California amendments. In November 2019, the District’s Board of Directors adopted Ordinance 2019-1. Ordinance 2019-1 is a combination of the California Fire Code and District amendments. The Ordinance shows which sections of the California Fire Code were adopted and any changes that were made. 

In addition, the District has adopted a set of Fire Prevention Standards published by the Santa Cruz County Fire Prevention Officers association. These regulations are used to enforce fire and life safety codes during occupancy inspections and building construction. 

Code Adoption Process:  Every three years, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) updates the Building Standards Code. During each code cycle, the District is required to update their local codes and adopt the current model code with amendments, and the California Fire Code as published by the CBSC. 

Prior to 2022, a resolution and ordinance were first approved at the Fire District level, after a Public Hearing, and then sent to the Board of Supervisors for ratification.  

As of 2022, the process has been simplified to allow a county-wide Ordinance to be approved by the Board of Supervisors, to approve the updated 2022 edition of the International Fire Code with California Amendments for use in Fire Districts throughout Santa Cruz County. Once a decision is made by the Board of Supervisors, a letter is sent from the County Clerk's office to Fire Districts in Santa Cruz County regarding actions taken. If approved, the Ordinance, findings and Board of Supervisors letter to HCD are field with the Building and Standards Commission,  as well as the Office of the State Fire Marshal.  In January of the following year, the California Fire Code and locally amended code will take effect.

Below is Ordinance 2023-01, as adopted at the March 9, 2023 Board of Directors Meeting.  For questions regarding the recent changes, please call our Community Risk Reduction Division at (831) 685-6698, or email Fire Marshal Mike DeMars at mike.demars@centralfiresc.org.