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Home My WebLink About2008-08-26 - ORDINANCES - EMERGENCY KEY SYSTEM SAFEORDINANCE NO. 08-10 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING CHAPTER 9.70 OF TITLE 9 (HEALTH AND SAFETY) OF THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE REQUIRING STRUCTURES AND MULTI -UNIT SECURED COMMUNITIES TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY KEY SYSTEM INSTALLED ON THE PREMISES FOR FIRE SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PURPOSES THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. FINDINGS. The City Council finds that: (a) The health, safety, and welfare of the Citizens of the City of Santa Clarita are promoted by requiring certain structures and communities to have a key access system installed on the exterior of the structure or gated community to aid the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department - Santa Clarita Valley Station in gaining access to the structure or gated communities when responding to calls for emergency service. (b) The key access system is being adopted nationally and will operate on a master key basis that will expedite entry into a structure or gated community during an emergency. (c) The key access system will eliminate forced entries into structures or gated communities thereby avoiding costly and time-consuming efforts in gaining access to locked structures and gated communities during an emergency. (d) The City of Santa Clarita is authorized to pass this Ordinance pursuant to its police power and its home rule power. (e) For all of these reasons, the provisions of this chapter are essential to protect the public health, safety and welfare. (Ord. 94-8,6/14/94). SECTION 2. ADOPTION OF CHAPTER 9.70. Chapter 9.70 of Title 9 of the City of Santa Clarita Municipal Code is adopted to read as follows: "CHAPTER 9.70 EMERGENCY KEY ACCESS SYSTEM Section 9.70.010 Purpose and intent. Section 9.70.020 Definitions, Section 9,70.030 Emergency key (e-key) system. Section 9.70.040 New and existing structures and communities. Section 9.70.050 Penalties. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN: Section 9.70.010. Purpose and intent. The purposes of this chapter include protection of the public health, safety, and general welfare by ensuring quick public safety access to properties in times of emergency. Section 9.70.020. Definitions. (a) "Responsible party" means the person(s) charged with the responsibility for occupancy, building, business owner, or Homeowners' Association Board of Directors. (b) "Key access system" means a UL "Listed" box or key panel, size and style approved by the Fire Chief and Chief of Police, that meets the requirements and uses the same security key code adopted by the Fire Department and Sheriff's Department, respectively. (c) "Security padlock" means a padlock approved by the Fire Chief and Chief of Police that utilizes the approved security key code adopted by the Fire Department and Sheriff's Department respectively. Section 9.70.030. Emergency key (e-key) system. The following structures and communities shall be equipped with a key lock box or key access switch at or near the main entrance or such other location required by the fire chief or Sheriff's Unit Commander that permits access to the location by both the fire and law enforcement personnel: (a) Commercial or industrial structures protected by an automatic alarm system or automatic suppression system, or such structures that are secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency. (b) Multi -family residential structures that have restricted access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living units. (c) Multi -family gated communities that have restricted access through locked gates and have a common corridor or corridors for access to the residences. (d) Gated communities with single family residential structures, multi -family residential structures, or both single family and multi -family residential structures, with restricted N 1 access through locked gates. (e) Governmental structures and nursing care facilities. Section 9.70.040. New and Existing Structures and Communities. (a) All newly constructed structures and communities subject to this section shall have the Emergency Key System installed and operational prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit. All structures and communities in existence on the effective date for this section and subject to this section shall have one year from the effective date of this section to have an Emergency Key System installed and operational. (b) The Fire Chief and Chief of Police shall designate the type of key lock system(s) to be implemented within the City and shall have the authority to require all applicable structures and multi -family communities to use the designated system. (c) The Emergency Key Systems are designated as two separate key systems that provide for both fire and law enforcement access and require the installation of two separate lock boxes or keyed access panels at the location to provide emergency access. (d) The Responsible Party of a structure or community required to have the Emergency Key System shall, at all times, keep a key in the lock box that will allow for access the structure or community. (e) Governmental structures and multi -family gated communities that have restricted access through locked gates which use a padlock device for securing any date or entrance may opt to use the approved security padlock device or install a Key Access System as listed in Section 9.70.030. (f) All costs for the purchase, installation and maintenance of the Emergency Key System shall be carried by the Responsible Party. (g) The Fire Chief and Chief of Police shall be authorized to implement rules and regulations for the use of the Emergency Key System. Section 9.70.050. Penalties. (a) Any Responsible Party, who owns, manages or operates a structure or community subject to this section, in violation any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, unless a designated public officer or employee issues a citation charging the offense as an infraction. (b) Each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense. 3 SECTION 3. SEVERABILITY. If any one or more of the terms, provisions or sections of this Ordinance shall to any extent by judged invalid, unenforceable and/or voidable for any reason whatsoever by a court of competent jurisdictions, then each and all of the remaining terms, provisions and sections of this Ordinance shall not be affected thereby and shall be valid and enforceable. SECTION 4. NON -EXCLUSIVITY. Nothing in this Ordinance shall limit or preclude the enforcement of other applicable laws. SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its enactment in accord with California law. SECTION 6. PUBLISHING. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published as required by law. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 26th day of August, 2008. ATTEST: CITY CLERK 1 M 1 1 1 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, Sharon L. Dawson, MMC, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 08-10 was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 8th day of July, 2008. That thereafter, said Ordinance was duly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 26th day of August, 2008, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Weste, McLean, Ender, Kellar NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Ferry AND I FURTHER CERTIFY that the foregoing is the original of Ordinance No. 08-10 and was published in The Signal newspaper in accordance with State Law (G.C. 402606). )/" o-<) Q"-� CITY CLERK Trio y Dated STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) CERTIFICATION OF CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original Ordinance No. 08-10, adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, CA on August 26, 2008, which is now on file in my office. Witness my hand and seal of the City of Santa Clarita, California, this day of , 20 . Sharon L. Dawson, MMC City Clerk By Susan Caputo Deputy City Clerk 1 1