STATEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2026, 9:00 AM

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER

BOARD CHAMBER, ROOM 310

1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY

SAN DIEGO, CA 92101

REGULAR SESSION – Regular Meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m.

PRESENT: Directors Terra Lawson-Remer, Chair; Monica Montgomery Steppe, Vice-Chair;

Paloma Aguirre, Chair Pro Tem; Joel Anderson; Jim Desmond; also, Andrew Potter, Clerk of the

Board of Directors.

Non Agenda Public Communication: Opportunity for individuals to speak to the Board on any

subject matter within the Board’s jurisdiction but not an item on the agenda. In accordance with

the Board’s Rules of Procedure, individuals may only speak at one Non-Agenda Public

Communication session per meeting. The speaker may select which session (General Legislative

or Land Use Legislative Session) to address the Board for Non-Agenda Public Communication at

their convenience.

Approval of the Statement of Proceedings/Minutes for the meeting of December 9, 2025.

ACTION:

ON MOTION of Director Aguirre, seconded by Director Anderson, the Board of Directors of the

San Diego County Fire Protection District approved the Statement of Proceedings/Minutes for

the meeting of December 9, 2025.

Agenda Items

Agenda #

Subject

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 02)

SUBJECT:

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

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

On February 10, 2026:

1. Find that the proposed actions are not projects as defined in the Public Resources Code

section 21065 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378,

or alternatively, exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) for

the reasons stated in the Notice of Exemption.

2. Find that the San Diego County Fire Protection Districts’ amendments to the California

Building Standards are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or

topographical, or topographical conditions, pursuant to Health and Safety Code section

13869.7.

3. Approve the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading), titled:

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REENACTING THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE

CODE FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

4. Approve the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading), titled:

AN ORDINANCE ENACTING THE 2026 WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE

FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

If, on February 10, 2026, the Board of Directors takes the actions recommended in Items

1-4 above, then, on March 3, 2026:

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 02)

ACTION:

ON MOTION of Director Aguirre, seconded by Director Desmond, the Board of Directors of the

San Diego County Fire Protection District took the following actions:

1. Found that the proposed actions are not projects as defined in the Public Resources Code

section 21065 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15378, or

alternatively, exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) for the

reasons stated in the Notice of Exemption.

2. Found that the San Diego County Fire Protection Districts’ amendments to the California

Building Standards are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or

topographical, or topographical conditions, pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 13869.7.

3. Approved the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading), titled:

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REENACTING THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE CODE

FOR THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

4. Approved the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading), titled:

AN ORDINANCE ENACTING THE 2026 WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE CODE FOR

THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

5. Directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to work with staff and County Counsel and

the stakeholder working group to return back within 90 days on the feasibility and options to

incorporate minimum workforce safety standards for BESS. Report should include the

feasibility of:

o minimum workforce safety standards for all stages of the BESS lifecycle by requiring a

certified electrician perform all electrical work involving the installation, assembly, testing,

commissioning, maintenance, repair, retrofitting, and decommissioning of a BESS facility or

Energy Storage Management System (ESMS).

o require a minimum percentage of the onsite certified electricians performing electrical work

involving the installation, assembly, testing, commissioning, maintenance, repair, retrofitting,

and decommissioning of a BESS facility or ESMS be certified in Energy Storage and Microgrid

Training and Certification (ESAMTAC).

6. Took action to further consider and adopt the Ordinances on March 3, 2026.

The Board of Directors of the San Diego County Fire Protection District recessed at 4:44 p.m.

ANDREW POTTER

Clerk of the Board of Directors of the

San Diego County Fire Protection District

Notes By: Vizcarra

NOTE: This Statement of Proceedings sets forth all actions taken by the San Diego County Fire

Protection District on the matters stated, but not necessarily the chronological sequence in which the

matters were taken up.