REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL October 25, 2018 FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, Director Development and Resource Management Department BY: MIKE SANCHEZ, Assistant Director Development and Resource Management Department SUBJECT: ..Title Action relating to amending and adding Building Regulations in the Fresno Municipal Code 1. ***BILL (Intro. 10/25/18) (For adoption 11/1/18) - Adopting findings related to California Building Code Chapter 12 to Section 11-1102 of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to amendments to the California Building Code regarding efficiency units. ..Body RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Adoption of Ordinance Bill adopting findings related to related to related to California Building Code Chapter 12 to Section 11-1102 of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to amendments to the California Building Code regarding efficiency units. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There exist numerous older buildings, many of which have been designed as historic within the city limits, especially the downtown Core Area. There have several private interests in developing these taller, architecturally significant structures. The City of Fresno's General Plan, Downtown Community Plan, Fulton Corridor Specific Plan and Development Code all contain policies and standards that promote the reuse of these buildings. In efforts to implement these policies there will be a need to amend Chapter 12 of the Municipal Code to be consistent with the City Development Code. More specifically, it is recommended that the addition of Section 1102 to Chapter 12 of the Fresno Municipal Code to reference Section 1208.4 of the California Building Code regarding efficiency units. The proposed amendment will reduce the minimum square footage from 220 square feet to 150 square feet in a single room occupancy unit (efficiency Unit) BACKGROUND There exist numerous older buildings, many of which have been designed as historic within the city limits, especially the downtown Core Area. There have several private interests in developing these taller, architecturally significant structures. The City of Fresno's General Plan, Downtown Community Plan, Fulton Corridor Specific Plan and Development Code all contain policies and standards that promote the reuse of these buildings. In efforts to implement these policies there will be a need to amend Chapter 12 of the Municipal Code to be consistent with the City Development Code. More specifically, it is recommended that the addition of Section 1102 to Chapter 12 of the Fresno Municipal Code to reference Section 1208.4 of the California Building Code regarding efficiency units. The proposed amendment will reduce the minimum square footage from 220 square feet to 150 square feet in a single room occupancy unit (efficiency Unit). The proposed modification to Section 1208.4 of the California Building Code decreasing the minimum square footage of a living room area from 220 square feet to 150 square feet in a single room occupancy unit (Efficiency Unit) is reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. The local architectural conditions of existing buildings and recent General Plan, Downtown Community Plan, Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, and Development Code policies and regulations that promote rehabilitation and active reuse of such buildings make it reasonably necessary to adopt this amendment to the California Building Code ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS This is not a project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented because this item is an amendment to an existing contract. FISCAL IMPACT No additional General Fund appropriations are required for this ordinance. Attachments: Ordinance Bill