Council committee approves ordinance to allow single-stair apartment buildings up to six stories with safety conditions

The Planning and Land Use Management Committee approved a draft ordinance on a motion to allow single-exit, single-stair apartment buildings up to six stories, provided specified life-safety enhancements are in place and the ordinance becomes operative only if the state amends the California Building Code or the California Building Standards Commission approves the provisions and the city amends its fire code.

Committee members and city departments said the change aims to unlock housing on small parcels while adding measures fire officials say balance some risks. The committee voted to adopt the draft ordinance as amended; the roll call was Bloomfield: aye, Hutt: no, Nazarian: aye, Lee: aye, Raman: yes (4–1).

City Department of Building and Safety manager Rudy Arias described the core technical elements proposed for inclusion in the California Building Code: a new section allowing single-exit, single-stair R-2 apartment buildings up to six stories, limits of four dwelling units per floor, NFPA 13 sprinklers throughout, pressurized interior stairs where provided, maximum 125-foot travel distance to…