COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

MEETING AGENDA

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026, 9:00 AM

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER

BOARD CHAMBER, ROOM 310

1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY

SAN DIEGO, CA 92101

Roll Call

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Approval of the Statement of Proceedings/Minutes for the meeting of February 10, 2026.

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Agenda Items

CONSENT AGENDA

All agenda items listed under this section are considered to be routine and will be acted upon with

one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Board of

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considered separately in its normal sequence.

Agenda #

Subject

SECOND CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES:

ADOPTING ORDINANCES RATIFYING THE 2026 CONSOLIDATED FIRE

CODE, REPEALING THE 2023 CONSOLIDATED FIRE CODE, ADOPTING AND

RATIFYING THE 2026 WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE, AND

RELATED CEQA EXEMPTION (2/10/26 - FIRST READING - 3/3/26 - SECOND

READING UNLESS ORDINANCE IS MODIFIED ON SECOND READING

(RELATES TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEM 04)

FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 SECOND QUARTER SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE

PROTECTION DISTRICT OPERATIONAL PLAN STATUS REPORT AND

BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

(4 VOTES)

SUBJECT:

SECOND CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES:

ADOPTING ORDINANCES RATIFYING THE 2026 CONSOLIDATED

FIRE CODE, REPEALING THE 2023 CONSOLIDATED FIRE CODE,

ADOPTING AND RATIFYING THE 2026 WILDLAND-URBAN

INTERFACE CODE, AND RELATED CEQA EXEMPTION (2/10/26 -

FIRST READING - 3/3/26 - SECOND READING UNLESS ORDINANCE

IS MODIFIED ON SECOND READING (DISTRICTS: 1, 2, AND 5)

OVERVIEW

On February 10, 2026 (FP01), the Board of Directors took action to further consider and adopt

the Ordinances on March 3, 2026.

Every three years, the State of California repeals, revises, and republishes the California

Building Code Standards Code in its entirety, and in doing so, adopts and publishes amendments

to the California Fire Code. Counties and fire protection districts may adopt the California Fire

Code by reference or establish more restrictive standards if such changes are reasonably

necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions.

On March 14, 2023 (1), the County of San Diego (County) enacted the previous version of the

California Fire Code into the County’s Code of Regulatory Ordinances (Consolidated Fire

Code). As part of today’s proposed actions, the Board of Supervisors would repeal the existing

Consolidated Fire Code and reenact the updated Consolidated Fire Code, and the San Diego

County Fire Protection District (SDCFPD) Board of Directors would adopt the updated 2025

California Fire Code with modifications, which shall be enforced as the 2026 San Diego County

Consolidated Fire Code (2026 Consolidated Fire Code) by SDCFPD. In addition, as part of

today’s proposed actions, the SDCFPD Board of Directors would adopt the new 2025 California

Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code with modifications, which shall be enforced as the 2026

San Diego County WUI Code (2026 WUI Code) by SDCFPD. The WUI Code includes chapters

related to the home hardening from the previous building code and defensible space from the

previous fire code.

There are 11 fire districts and one water district that provide fire services within the geographical

area of the county, including the SDCFPD. In addition to the modifications by the SDCFPD, the

2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code contain modifications that other districts

deem necessary because of local conditions. There are 19 changes to the 2026 Consolidated Fire

Code and 22 to the 2026 WUI Code proposed by the fire marshals of the unincorporated fire

districts. The fire code standards in today’s proposed ordinances increase protection of structures

and property against wildfire-related damage and loss through progressive requirements that go

beyond those required by the State. Key changes include increasing the sizes of water tanks that

are used as an alternative to fire hydrants, increasing the size of unhabitable residential structures

that require sprinkler systems, adding home hardening requirements, and adding defensible

space enforcement requirements on one acre or less vacant properties.

The 10 other local fire districts and the one water district have already adopted the 2026

Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code. To take effect within the fire districts, the

2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code must be either ratified, modified, or

denied by the Board of Supervisors. One of today’s actions is for the Board of Supervisors to

ratify the 2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code.

Today’s request is for the Board of Directors of the SDCFPD and the Board of Supervisors to

find this project exempt from CEQA and for the Board of Directors of the SDCFPD to consider

and approve ordinances adopting the 2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code for

applicability within the SDCFPD. Today’s action would also repeal the Consolidated Fire Code

that was adopted in 2023 and request the County Board of Supervisors to consider and approve

ordinances adopting the 2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code to the San Diego

County Code of Regulatory Ordinances and to approve ordinances ratifying the 2026

Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 WUI Code, so they are effective within all local fire

districts. If the ordinances for the Board of Directors and the Board of Supervisors are approved

today, they will be scheduled for adoption on March 3, 2026. If any of the proposed ordinances

are altered on March 3, 2026, then on that date a subsequent meeting date will be selected for

adoption

Acting as the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Fire Protection District:

RECOMMENDATION(S)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION

DISTRICT

1. Consider and adopt (second reading unless ordinance is modified on second reading):

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REENACTING THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE CODE

FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

2. If adopted, direct the Clerk of the Board to provide a certified copy of the adopted

Ordinance Repealing and Reenacting the Consolidated Fire Code for the San Diego County

Fire Protection District.

3. Consider and adopt (second reading unless ordinance is modified on second reading):

AN ORDINANCE ENACTING THE 2026 WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE

FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

4. If adopted, direct the Clerk of the Board to provide a certified copy of the adopted Ordinance

Enacting the 2026 Wildland-Urban Interface Code for the San Diego County Fire Protection

District.

EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT

One aspect of fire prevention is ensuring fire codes are updated and clear to provide specific

direction to customers and residents. The proposed actions will provide better direction, ensuring

good customer service and equitable safety for all the residents of our county. In addition, the

San Diego County Fire Protection District (SDCFPD) recognizes the systematic impacts that

inequitable policies may create for residents of the County of San Diego. More than 80% of the

SDCFPD’s jurisdictional area qualifies as a disadvantaged unincorporated community, based on

a 2020 San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) report on funding,

administrative, and performance of the former County Service Area No. 135 (now SDCFPD).

Residents in the SDCFPD are more likely to be older, experience negative health conditions, and

live in isolated communities that are further away from a fire response. By strengthening the fire

code in our region, these actions enhance the outcomes for some of the region’s most vulnerable

residents.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT

The proposed actions related to the 2026 Consolidated Fire Code and the 2026 Wildland Urban

Interface (2026 WUI) Code will contribute to the County of San Diego’s sustainability goal to

protect the health and well-being of everyone in the region and advocating for environmental

justice for communities that have been disproportionately impacted. Partnering with the other

local unincorporated fire districts to provide one fire code will support the safety and

sustainability of communities by ensuring that codes are imposed consistently to build, enhance,

and maintain resiliency.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact associated with these recommendations. There will be no change in net

General Fund cost and no additional staff years.

BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT

N/A

(RELATES TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEM 04)

DISCUSSION ITEMS

SUBJECT:

FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 SECOND QUARTER SAN DIEGO COUNTY

FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OPERATIONAL PLAN STATUS

REPORT AND BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS (DISTRICTS: ALL)

OVERVIEW

This item recommends budget adjustment in the San Diego County Fire Protection District as

part of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Second Quarter Operational Plan budget adjustments.

RECOMMENDATION(S)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

1. Increase the San Diego County Fire Protection District (SDCFPD) budget by $6,000,000 for

the purchase of three Type 1 fire engines, two ambulances, one water tender, two patrol

vehicles, five pickup trucks and various fire equipment, based on SDCFPD fund balance.

· Establish appropriations of $6,000,000 in the SDCFPD, Operating Transfer Out, to

support the purchase of three Type 1 fire engines, two ambulances, one water tender,

two patrol vehicles, five pickup trucks and various fire equipment, based on

SDCFPD fund balance. (4 VOTES)

2. Increase the SDCFPD budget by $2,000,000 to provide funding for completing construction

of the San County Diego Fire Training Tower.

· Establish appropriations of $2,000,000 in the SDCFPD Fire Mitigation, Operating

Transfer Out, to provide additional funding for Capital Project 1026822, San Diego

County Fire Training Tower, based on available SDCFPD Fire Mitigation fund

balance. (4 VOTES)

EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT

The recommended actions are intended to provide resources to address inequities in County of

San Diego (County) services and to identify disparities, develop meaningful outcomes, and

create a County government culture of equity, belonging, and racial justice.

SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT

Today’s actions support the sustainability measures across the County considering the

environment, economy, health/wellbeing, and/or social aspects of the community by aligning the

County’s available resources with services to maintain fiscal stability and ensure long-term

solvency.

FISCAL IMPACT

Funds associated with today’s recommendations are not included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26

Operational Plan in the San Diego County Fire Protection District (SDCFPD). If approved, this

action will result in cost of $6,000,000 for the purchase of three Type 1 fire engines, two

ambulances, one water tender, two patrol vehicles, five pickup trucks and various fire equipment

and cost of $2,000,000 to provide funding for completing construction of the San Diego County

Fire Training Tower. The funding sources are SDCFPD fund balance and SDCFPD Fire

Mitigation fund balance . There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional

staff years.

BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT

N/A