The purpose of this document is to provide information about general Fire Code requirements for new commercial buildings constructed within the unincorporated areas of Stanislaus County.  It is intended to be general information only and may not address every situation that could arise.  Contact the Office of the Fire Marshal at 552-3700 or your local fire department if you have questions or need additional information.

Fire Fees

Two types of fees are collected during development.  The first are Fire Protection Facility Fees that are collected to finance fire protection facilities and to assure that new development pays its fair share of facility costs.  These fees differ based on the fire district that the project is located in (not all fire districts have Fire Protection Facility Fees) and the size and type of building being constructed.  These fees are collected at the time that the Building Permit is issued.  Stanislaus County passes the collected fees on to the fire districts.

The second fee is for providing required services directly related to the project.  Many projects require plan checks and inspections by the Office of the Fire Marshal.  Fees for these services are based on the costs for providing the service.  Fire Marshal plan check fees are $110.00 per hour.  The fee for inspecting new projects is based on the size and occupancy classification of the building.  These fees are also collected at the time that the building permit is issued.

Separate plan submittals are required for private water mains, automatic fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and other special fire suppression systems.  Plan check fees for these systems are $110.00 per hour.  Inspection fees are based on the type and size of the system or project.  These systems require separate plan submittals directly to the Fire Marshals Office at 3705 Oakdale Road in Modesto; a $110.00 deposit is required at the time that plans are submitted with the full balance due at the time that approved plans are picked up.

Access Requirements

All newly constructed buildings are required to have fire access roadways within 150’ of all portions of the building.  However, this distance may be increased if the building is equipped with automatic fire sprinklers, or some other approved means of fire protection or no more than two R-3 or U occupancies are served.  Access roadways must meet the following criteria:

• Must have an unobstructed with of at least 20’.
• Must have an unobstructed height of at least 13’ 6”.
• Must be capable of supporting vehicles weighing at least 75,000 pounds in all weather.
• May not exceed 10% grade unless approved by the Fire Chief.
• Dead end roadways longer that 750’ are not permitted unless approved by the Fire Chief.
• Dead end roadways longer than 150’ must have approved turnarounds. The minimum turning radius for a turnaround is 50’ outside and 30’ inside measured from the center of the roadway.
• Must include KNOX key boxes or other approved means for entering gated areas.  KNOX key box applications must be obtained from your local fire department.

Address and building numbers shall be visible from the street or road fronting the building and be at least 4” high with a stroke of .5 inch.

Fire Flow or On-Site Water Requirements

Fire Flow Requirements (areas with municipal water systems)

Use the following table to calculate minimum required fire flow and flow duration for structures located in areas served by municipal water systems. 

Minimum Required Fire Flow and Flow Duration

Refer to CFC Appendix B for larger structures.

This flow may be reduced up to 75% if building has an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, however the required flow shall not be less than 1500 gpm.

Fire Hydrants shall meet the following requirements:

Number and Distribution of Fire Hydrants

Refer to CFC Appendix C for buildings with larger fire flows.

An approved on-site water supply for fire suppression is required for many new projects located in rural areas where municipal water systems do not exist.  This water supply must be accessible from an approved access roadway that is at least 20’ wide with a vertical clearance of 13’6”.  On-site water supplies may include tanks, cisterns, swimming pools, and ponds, but must be accessible and available year around.  A dry fire hydrant or other approved access must be located not less than 50’ or more than 150’ from the building being protected.  Structures requiring less than 4,000 gallons, pole barns, and one and two family residences equipped with approved automatic sprinkler systems are exempt from providing on-site storage.  Required on-site water supplies for other structures equipped with automatic fire sprinkler systems may be reduced by up to 75%.   

Because of the expense that may be associated with providing an approved water supply it is strongly recommended that the proposed water supply be approved by the Office of the Fire Marshal and local fire department prior to submitting plans.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard #1142 is used to calculate the amount of on-site water supply that is required for structures where no municipal water supply is available.  The following formula is used:

                                                Volume of structure (in cubic feet)
Gallons of on-site water    =             ———————————————     X              Construction Classification
                                                Occupancy Hazard Classification

Volume of Structure = Total volume of structure in cubic feet

Occupancy Hazard Classification

• 3 for severe hazard uses such as hay storage, wood storage and manufacturing
• 4 for high hazard uses such as feed stores, repair garages, warehouses and stores
• 5 for moderate hazard uses such as farm storage, restaurants, and unoccupied buildings
• 6 for low hazard uses such as churches, offices, service stations, stables
• 7 for light hazard uses such as homes, schools, offices

Construction Classification

• Type II (metal or non combustible) = .75
• Type V (wood and wood frame) = 1.5

The required water supply may be increased by up to 50% for structures within 50’ of a property line or other buildings.

Automatic Fire Sprinklers

Automatic fire sprinklers are required when:

• Required by the California Fire Code.
• The structure is over 5,000 square feet (except for S-2 occupancies).
• The structure contains 5 or more dwelling units under one roof.
• The structure contains residential units with a floor area that is 30’ above ground level or 3 or more stories in height.
• Required by Conditions of Approval issued by the Department of Planning and Community Development.