Council introduces 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments; county agencies aligned

Corte Madera’s Town Council introduced an ordinance Oct. 7 to adopt the 2025 California Fire Code (which incorporates the 2024 International Fire Code with California amendments) and to carry forward local fire‑safety amendments that reflect local topography and hazards.

Fire Chief Ruben Martin and county fire staff summarized the triennial code cycle and explained that local fire agencies used a coordinated countywide process to develop proposed local amendments. Martin said the 2024/2025 cycle moved some content — notably defensible‑space and WUI provisions — into a new Part 7 of the California code that will be adopted separately as the Wildland‑Urban Interface Code. He noted that the local fire agencies aimed to align requirements across jurisdictions in Marin County.

Chief Martin and staff highlighted local measures that differ from state minima and that the town enforces, including a long‑standing county approach that requires fire sprinklers for new construction and requires installation of sprinklers when a renovation rises to the local threshold for a “substantial remodel” (the town’s local standard, discussed on record as meeting or exceeding a 50% threshold). Chief Martin said county agencies have consistently moved first on progressive local requirements, citing PV/solar standards as an example of local leadership.

The proposed fire code ordinance also clarifies access standards such as when a private route is treated as a driveway (serving two dwelling units or fewer) versus a roadway requiring 20‑foot apparatus access. Martin explained that new subdivisions, SB 9 splits and other lot‑split scenarios will typically be required to provide standard 20‑foot access or use an alternate‑methods review to propose mitigations.

The council moved to introduce the ordinance and set the required adoption hearing; the motion passed on a unanimous roll‑call vote (Andrews, Beckman, Casiza, Vice Mayor Thomas and Mayor Ravazio voted yes). Martin noted that the state code will be in effect Jan. 1, 2026 regardless of local action, but that failing to adopt local amendments would limit the town to enforcing only statewide standards.

What to watch: the ordinance preserves locally stricter requirements (for example, retrofit sprinklers triggered by substantial remodels and minimum access widths) that the chief described as important tools for local fire mitigation. Staff said the county’s fire agencies coordinated extensively to align proposed local amendments.