TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Alan Velasco, Fire Chief
1. Subject
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Annual Fire Inspection Report for State-mandated inspections pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4
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2. Summary
In accordance with Senate Bill 1205 and Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4, the Orange City Fire Department must complete and report on annual State mandated inspections. This resolution formally acknowledges receipt of the Orange City Fire Department’s Report regarding completion of certain state mandated annual inspections.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 11727. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange acknowledging receipt of the Orange City Fire Department’s report regarding completion of certain State-mandated annual inspections.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The City collected approximately $104,346 in fee revenue for the State mandated inspections during the reporting period. Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3, these fees are authorized to recover the costs of conducting the required annual inspections.
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 1: Maintain Strong Emergency and Public Safety Services.
6. Discussion and Background
California Health and Safety Code Section 13146 requires the Orange City Fire Department (Department) to conduct annual inspections of buildings used as public and private schools, as well as hotels, motels, lodging houses, and apartment houses. These inspections are intended to ensure the safety of building occupants by evaluating structural features, fire protection systems, and operational measures designed to protect against fire, smoke, and panic during emergencies.
Senate Bill 1205 (SB 1205), signed into law in September 2018 and effective January 1, 2019, added Section 13146.4 to the Health and Safety Code. This statute establishes the requirements for State mandated inspections and requires all fire departments in California to directly report the number of mandated school and residential inspections completed in the previous calendar year. This annual reporting requirement strengthens transparency and accountability by creating a clear communication channel between fire departments and their legislative authorities.
For the 2025 calendar year, the Department contacted all management‑occupied sites by phone, email, or in person to schedule required inspections. Smaller apartment complexes without onsite management were automatically inspected as part of routine operations. Because most building exteriors are generally accessible and the mandate does not require inspection of individual dwelling units, the Department was able to complete the majority of required evaluations efficiently.
The Department completed 1,007 of the 1,013 State mandated annual inspections. The six remaining sites were not completed due to access or operational limitations and were prioritized for early completion in the following calendar year. In addition to the mandated inspections, the Department conducted 3,394 life‑safety inspections not required under Section 13146.4. These inspections included mid‑ and high‑rise buildings, assembly occupancies, manufacturing facilities, hazardous materials sites, institutional facilities, mercantile occupancies, vegetation management areas, and storage occupancies.
Following each inspection, the Department generated either a completion notice or an outstanding‑violations report and mailed or emailed it to the responsible parties. Any sites not inspected-representing less than one percent of the total-are actively tracked to ensure completion early in the following calendar year. In many cases, sites inspected in the first quarter for the previous year will receive a second inspection during the current year to maintain their designated annual inspection schedule. At this time, no penalties are imposed by the State for failing to complete all inspections within the calendar year; however, the Department remains committed to meeting or exceeding compliance expectations.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1: Resolution No. 11727
• Attachment 2: California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.2
• Attachment 3: California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.3
• Attachment 4: California Health and Safety Code Section 13146.4