Ordinance on Fire Resistance Voted Down

LAGUNA BEACH â€”  The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday not to change the city’s building codes--at least for now--to make most new homes more fire resistant.

Council members said they had too many unanswered questions and worried that this would prove an extra burden on the fire victims trying to rebuild their homes. The council sent a proposed ordinance back to the staff, the Planning Commission and the Design Review Board for more work.

The ordinance, crafted by a task force formed after the Oct. 27 wildfire that destroyed or damaged more than 400 homes, had already been revised to assuage the fears of Canyon Acres residents who worried that their community would lose its rustic charm as homes are rebuilt. They argued those who couldn’t afford the permitted materials might end up with less expensive options described as “concrete boxes and stucco boxes.�

In response to such concerns, officials say the revised ordinance essentially would allow people to rebuild as they like as long as they’re willing to pay the additional price for fire-retardant materials.

The ordinance would allow wood shake and shingle roofs, previously banned in hazardous fire areas, if they are properly treated for fire resistance. It also divides the city into special zones with the tightest requirements applying to areas that border wild lands.

Some residents have said they may have trouble getting insurance if areas of the city are labeled as hazardous fire areas. City officials say they have taken steps to avoid such potentially damaging labels.