California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 93


Introduced by Assembly Member Holden

June 30, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 93—Relative to fire safety.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 93, as introduced, Holden. Fire safety: municipal ordinances.

This measure would encourage all California municipalities to reexamine regulations surrounding mandatory fire suppression ordinances.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, The first automatic sprinkler system was patented
2in England in 1723 and the first fire sprinkler system was
3developed in the United States in 1874.

4WHEREAS, Fire suppression technology was first used in
5residential construction in the state in 1932 when the Union Oil
6Company constructed homes for employees in Santa Paula,
7California; and

8WHEREAS, The City of San Clemente, California was the first
9city in the nation to adopt an ordinance requiring all new residential
10dwellings to contain fire sprinklers; and

11WHEREAS, Senate Bill 2579 was introduced in the California
12State Senate in 1986 and would have required fire sprinklers in all
13residential buildings; and

14WHEREAS, In January 1988, the California State Fire Marshall
15published California’s minimum design and installation standards
16for fire suppression systems; and

P2    1WHEREAS, On May 4, 1988, several floors of the First
2Interstate Tower, a downtown Los Angeles high-rise office tower
3built without fire sprinklers, ignited killing one and injuring 40
4others. Subsequent reports indicated a working fire suppression
5system would have lessened the fire’s damage; and

6WHEREAS, Following the First Interstate Tower fire, the City
7of Los Angeles mandated automatic fire suppression systems in
8all buildings over seven stories; and

9WHEREAS, Buildings should be provided with built-in fire
10suppression systems to offset the negative impact of excessive
11response times; and

12WHEREAS, On April 7, 2015, a massive fire burned through
13a six floor office building in Los Angeles, a building that was
14exempted from mandatory fire suppression regulations because of
15its age and size; now, therefore, be it

16Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
17thereof concurring,
That the Legislature encourages all California
18municipalities to reexamine regulations surrounding mandatory
19fire suppression ordinances; and be it further

20Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
21of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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