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Planning commission recommends adopting California Fire Code and Green Building Standards into county code
Summary
Commissioners recommended the Board adopt updates to Trinity County Code to include the California Fire Code and California Green Building Standards (both Title 24 elements) and associated program elements; staff said updates also allow conformity with the state landscape water-efficiency standard.
The Trinity County Planning Commission on April 24 recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt amendments to Trinity County Code to incorporate the California Fire Code and the California Green Building Standards Code (both components of Title 24).
Senior building inspector Cody Smith told commissioners the amendments bring county code into conformance with state codes and add provisions such as demolition-material recycling and other green-building practices. Smith said much of the residential fire-safety material is already embedded in the local code but that the change bolsters enforcement for commercial and construction projects.
Senior planner Bella Hedke noted the update also enables the county to adopt the Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), which the county is currently out of compliance with; she said a bare-bones compliance report had been submitted to the state and adopting the code updates would close that compliance gap.
Commissioners asked whether the updates conflict with the county's limited-density owner-built rural dwelling process; Smith said he had reviewed the provisions and did not find conflicts and that the new code sections would build on existing local rules rather than undermine them. Bella Hedke added that the county may need to consider adding the California Historical Building Code at a later date.
The commission voted to adopt Resolution PC 2025-07 recommending the Board of Supervisors include the California Fire Code and California Green Building Standards in the county code; commissioners requested that where the new requirements intersect with firewise landscaping and MWELO, county counsel and staff review conflicts and clarify which standards govern in cases of tension.
Public comment was brief and supportive of the code updates. Tom Balanco told the commission he welcomed the trend of staff bringing code changes forward and said the updates were necessary. The commission closed the item and asked staff to forward the resolution and analysis to the Board of Supervisors.
