California Mechanical Code | California Plumbing Code

ORDINANCE NO:

The Board of Supervisors or the County of Alameda ordains as follows:

SECTION 1

Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 17958.7 the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County hereby finds that it is reasonably necessary to modify the requirements of the California Building Standards Code due to local climatic, geographical, or topographical conditions. It is generally accepted that Alameda County will experience moderate and severe earthquakes in the foreseeable future. These earthquakes will pose a serious threat to life and property. In order to mitigate the potential hazard of fire resulting from gas piping damaged by seismic movement, the instal1ation of Excess Flow Devices (non-motion sensitive) shall be required in all new construction and in certain remodeling in accordance with Alameda County ordinance. The full text of the express legislative findings of the County of Alameda in support of requiring the installation of Excess Flow Devices is on file and available for review in the office of the Building Official for the County of Alameda and with the California Building Standards Commission.

Based on the foregoing, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Alameda hereby ordain that Article II of Chapter 15.20, Title 15 of the General Ordinance Code of the County of Alameda shall be amended by adding Section 15.20.080 as Follows:

CHAPTER 15.20

EXCESS FLOW GAS SHUT-OFF DEVICES

Section 15.20.080   §1312.13 - Excess Flow Gas Shut-Off Device Required

Section 1312.13 of the 1998 California Mechanical Code shall be amended to read as follows:

Section 1312.13 Valves

Valves used in connection with gas piping shall be approved types and shall be accessible. The installation of Excess Flow Gas Shut-Off Valves (non-motion sensitive) shall be required in all new construction and in certain remodeling.       

Section 1312.13.1            Definitions:

a) "Downstream. of the gas utility" shall refer to all customer owned piping.

b) "Excessive Flow Gas Shut-Off Device" shall mean' those valves or devices that are not actuated by motion, but are activated by the rupture of pipes inside a structure thereby increasing fuel demand and causing a pressure surge.

i) The design of these devices shall include a proven method to automatically provide for expedient and safe gas shutoff in an emergency.

ii) The design of the device shall provide a capability for ease of consumer or owner resetting.

iii) The operational and functional design of the device shall be certified by one of the following: the Independent Laboratory or the International Approval Services (lAS), Underwriter's Laboratory (UL), International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), American Gas Association or any other recognized listing and testing agency.

c) "Gas shut-off Device" "shall refer to an Excess Flow Gas Shutoff Device.

d) "Major remodeling" shall mean any re-modeling. alteration or addition to a structure that:

i) involves fuel gas piping in the alteration and exceeds $5,000.00 in valuation or

ii) does not involve fuel gas piping and exceeds $50.000.00 in valuation.

e) "Residential building" shall mean any single-family dwelling duplexes, apartment building, condominium, townhouse, lodging house, congregate residence, hotel or motel.

f)            "Upstream of Gas Utility' Meter^" shall refer to all gas piping installed by the utility up to and including the meter and the utility's bypass toe at the connection to the customer's own piping.

Section 1312.13.2 Scope:

An approved Excess Flow Gas Shutoff Device (non motion-sensitive) shall be installed downstream of the gas utility meter on each fuel gas line where the gas line serves the following building or structures:

a)         Any building or structure (commercial, industrial, or residential) containing fuel gas piping for which a building permit is first issued on or after sixty (60) days from the passage of the ordinance; or

b)         Any existing residential, commercial or industrial building or structure which is altered or added to; and

c)         Such a building or structure 'lets fuel gas piping supplying the existing building or structure or the addition to the building or structure and

(1)        In the event fuel gas piping is involved in the alteration or addition, the value of such alteration/addition is more than $5,000;

(2)        In the event fuel gas piping is not involved in the alteration or addition, the value of such alteration/addition is more than $50,000.00 and a building permit for the work is first issued on or after sixty days from the effective date of this section.

d)         With respect to residential building, alterations or additions to an individual condominium or apartment unit shall not require a Gas shut-off Device to be installed for all gas piping serving that building.

e)                   With respect to commercial or industrial building alterations or additions to individual units or tenant spaces shall require a Gas Shutoff device to be installed for all gas piping serving that commercial or industrial building.

Section 1312.13.3            Exception:

a)         A Gas Shut-Off Device is not required to be installed downstream of the gas utility meter where:

i)          A Gas Shut-Off Device has been installed by the gas utility or a contractor authorized by the gas utility, and

ii)          Such, installation is upstream of the gas utility meter and downstream of the gas utility meter service regulator, and

iii)         Such installation is in accordance with this section and with the manufacturer's specifications.

b)         Gas Shut-Off Devices installed on a building or structure prior to sixty days from the effective date of this section are exempt from the requirements of this section provided they remain installed on the building or structure and are maintained for the life of the building of structure.

c)         Gas Shut-Off Devices installed on a gas distribution system owned or operated by a public utility shall not be subject to the requirements of this section.

d)         A Gas Shut-Off valve shall not be required where the gas piping system contained in the building or structure is designed to withstand seismic effects or earthquakes.

A Gas-Shut-Off valve shall not be required for mechanical or process equipment used in manufacturing.

Section 1312.13.4            General Requirements:

Gas Shut-Off Devices installed shall comply with the following requirements:

a)         Be installed by a contractor licensed in the appropriate classification by the State of California and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

b)         Be listed by an approved listing and testing agency such as IAS, IAMPO, UL, AGA or the office of the State Architect.

c)         have a thirty (30) year warranty, which warrants that the valve or device is free from defects, and will continue to properly operate for thirty (30) years from the date of installation.

c)         Where Gas-Shut-Off Devices are installed as required by this Section, they shall be maintained for the life of the building or structure or be replaced with a valve or device complying with the requirements of this section

Section 1312.13.5            List of Approved Valves and Devices:

The Building Inspection Department of the County of Alameda shall maintain a list of all Excess Flow Gas Shut-Off devices (non-motion sensitive), which are approved (by a nationally recognized testing and listing agency) for installation in the State of California.

Section 1312.13.6       Approval of Devices:

As testing and other data become available, the Building Official may approve or reject any type of device proposed for installation in a specific project.

SECTION II

This ordinance shall take effect and be in force the later of the following: a) the filing with the California Building Standards Commission by the County of Alameda Of its express findings of local conditions necessitating the adoption of the within ordinance or b) thirty (30) days from and after the date of passage and before the expiration of fifteen (15) days alter its passage it shall be published once with the names of the members voting for and against the same in the Inter-City Express, a newspaper published in the County of Alameda.

Adopted by the board of Supervisors of the County of AIameda, State of California, on the day of May 2001, by the following called Vote:

Approved as to form:

RICHARD IS. WINNIE
County Counsel

By:

Deputy County Counsel