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Bellflower adopts California fire code, authorizes subpoenas to L.A. County Fire Department
Summary
The Bellflower City Council voted to reaffirm use of the California Fire Code instead of the Los Angeles County code and approved measures to seek information from the county fire department, including legislative subpoenas, after months of disagreement over which code should apply locally.
The Bellflower City Council on Monday adopted an urgency ordinance reaffirming the city’s use of the California Fire Code instead of the Los Angeles County fire code and approved steps to seek information from the County Fire Department, including authorization for legislative subpoenas.
City Attorney staff framed the change as an implementation of the charter voters approved in November. “This is an action taken after the city charter was adopted,” the City Attorney said, adding the subpoenas would help “understand exactly why [the county fire department] is taking the position that the city council is not authorized to adopt its own regulations with regard to fire.”
The city manager and other staff told the council the California Fire Code is intended to streamline permitting and avoid duplicative county requirements that can slow housing and commercial projects. “The council determined in 2019 that we should adopt actually the California fire code as opposed to the LA County fire code here,” the city manager said, noting the 2019 action was intended to expedite development.
The council considered two related items together: an urgency ordinance (No. 1438) to reaffirm adoption of the state code and an associated ordinance (No. 1439) introduced by title, plus a resolution (No. 2503) tied to enforcement and implementation. Mayor Pro Tem Sonny Santaynez made the motion to adopt the urgency ordinance, introduce the second ordinance by title, and adopt the resolution; Councilmember Dan Coops seconded. The roll call vote was unanimous.
Council members emphasized the change is meant to reduce permit delays rather than create gaps in safety oversight. Staff said applicants may still follow county standards voluntarily, but the city will formally use the California standard to speed approvals. The council also directed the city attorney to pursue explanatory information from the county fire department and to seek opinions from state agencies as needed.
The ordinances and resolution take effect as provided by law; staff said a routine code update cycle will return to council later this year to adopt the next statewide edition.
A separate but related administrative process — seeking documents and testimony from the county fire department — was authorized alongside the code action to clarify legal positions and to buttress the city’s ability to enforce its chosen code.
