Board advances overhaul of San Francisco fire code; removes longstanding air‑replenishment mandate

The board approved on first reading an ordinance repealing the current San Francisco fire code and replacing it with the 2013 California Fire Code together with portions of the 2012 International Fire Code and local amendments; the ordinance will take effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Supervisors described the package as a routine triennial update recommended by the Fire Department and the Fire Commission, but discussion focused on two specific concerns: the removal of a long‑standing local requirement for firefighter air‑replenishment systems in taller buildings and reaffirming a pedestrian‑safety amendment that allows narrow curb extensions ("bulbouts") to count toward minimum roadway width when they meet certain standards.

Air‑replenishment requirement

Sponsor remarks explained the ordinance removes a prior local requirement (in place since Feb. 2004) that buildings taller than 80 feet install and maintain a firefighter air‑replenishment system when a specialized fire service elevator is not provided. The Fire Department, the Fire Marshal and the Fire Commission told supervisors they no longer wish to require the system and that recent improvements in elevator and breathing‑air technology influenced that recommendation. Several supervisors, including Supervisor Kim, said they had questions but ultimately were satisfied after technical briefings and stakeholder outreach.

Pedestrian safety and curb extensions

Supervisor Scott Wiener and others emphasized a separate concern: preserving a June amendment the board previously adopted to permit certain bulbouts and sidewalk extensions to count toward the 20‑foot minimum width requirement for public roadways so long as they met size and obstruction limits and could support emergency vehicle passage. Wiener said the modification is critical to pedestrian safety goals in the mayor’s pedestrian safety plan and the city's "Better Streets" approach and that the board had restored the provision after the Fire Commission initially proposed stripping it out.

What happened next

After debate and brief technical amendments, supervisors took the item on first reading by the "same house, same call" procedure. Supporters thanked Fire Chief Hayes White, Fire Marshal Michi Wong and others for briefings and outreach.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified by their titles as recorded in the meeting transcript.