YUBA CITY — The City Council introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2025 California Fire Code, with staff recommending carrying forward existing local fire prevention amendments.

Kaylee Bartlett, a fire safety inspector with the Yuba City Fire Department, told the council this is a routine triannual code adoption and said the department is proposing no additional new local amendments for this cycle beyond carrying forward current local requirements. She summarized local amendments the department intends to retain, including the city's longstanding requirement for fire protection in commercial buildings of 3,600 square feet or larger and permitting requirements for certain events and security gates. Bartlett said the city has no properties at present that fall under the newly consolidated wildland-urban interface code.

Bartlett also noted state-level changes in this cycle, including occupancy classification adjustments for lithium-ion battery facilities and new guidance for safe storage of battery types. She told the council that much of the code work is editorial or relocations into different sections, and that there are local fiscal impacts tied to any adopted amended portions of the code we must carry forward.

The mayor opened the public hearing; there were no public comments. The council moved, seconded and voted to introduce the ordinance repealing and reenacting chapter 5 of Title 4 of the Yuba City Municipal Code regarding fire prevention, and to waive the first reading. The motion carried by voice vote.

Staff recommended the city proceed with the ordinance introduction and noted the adopted city provisions and state-mandated sections may have local fiscal impacts that the city will continue to track.