Ordinances & Standards

Ordinances and standards are adopted by the Fire Protection District's Board of Directors. These policies have been designed to protect life, environment and property from fire and other natural and human-caused disasters.

Fire Rebuild Conceptual Policy (pdf)

Fire Prevention Requirements "At a Glance" (pdf) – provides a quick run-down of some of our most common fire prevention issues. For more detailed information about fire prevention requirements, please refer to our specific Fire District Ordinances and Standards listed below.

• Fees
• Fire Code
• Ignition-Resistive Construction
• Knox® Switch
• Outdoors
• Roadways/Driveways
• Sprinklers, Fire
• Vegetation
• Wildland/Urban Interface
• Contact Us

Fees

• Ordinance 2005-001 (pdf) – describes a) the procedures for the establishment, collection and management of fire prevention fees, and b) a description of fees.
• Fee Schedule page

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Fire Code

• Ordinance 2008-02 (pdf) – defines local amendments made to the Uniform Fire Code, 2008 Edition. Anyone building or remodeling within the District must comply with these requirements.
• Code Amendments (pdf) – Amendements to the county building, electircal, plumbing, mechanical, and fire codes.

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Ignition-Resistant Construction

• Roofing Requirements (pdf) – defines acceptable roofing materials for new construction, additions, remodels and re-roofing projects.
• Ignition Resistant Eave Construction (pdf) – outlines guidelines for eave construction and materials. Please note: Residents served by the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District are subject to the "Enhanced" fire-resistive construction requirements.
• Approved ignition-resistant materials:
  • TimberTech
  • Trex Fire Defense

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Knox® Switch

• Knox® Switch Requirements – all automatic gates across fire access roadways, including driveways, must be equipped with an approved emergency key-operated switch overriding all command functions to open the gate. Automatic gates must meet RSF Fire District policies, deemed necessary by the Chief for rapid, reliable access. Complete Knox® Switch District requirements are available on pages 8 and 9 of Ordinance 03-01 listed above. Click here for a list of Knox® Key Switch Installers.
• ATTENTION KNOX APPLICANTS:
  Please mail completed applications to:
  
  Knox Company
  1601 W. Deer Valley Road
  Phoenix, AZ 85027
  
  Faxed applications will not be accepted under any circumstances. If you have questions or concerns about this policy, please contact the Fire Marshal at 858-756-6040. Thank you for your cooperation.
• For further information on our Knox requirements, click here.

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Outdoors

• Outdoor Propane Heaters (pdf) – defines requirements for the use, placement of, safety and maintenance of outdoor propane heaters.
• Propane Tank Requirements (pdf) – outline California Fire Code requirements for propane tank use.
• Application for Tent or Canopy Permit

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Roadways/Driveways

• Fire Access Road Requirements (Includes driveways & roadways) – Outlines fire district requirements for fire access road width, as well as additional requirements for district-approved turn arounds and turn outs.

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Sprinklers, Fire

• UNDER CONSTRUCTION ! Fire Sprinkler Standards - General (pdf) – outlines the Fire District's Residential Fire Sprinkler Policies regarding design criteria and plans submittal, as well as water source, riser and alarm bell information.
• Fire Sprinkler Standards - NFPA 13D (pdf) – outlines local sprinkler requirements supplementing NFPA's Sprinkler Standard #13D.
• Fire Sprinkler Inspection Guidelines (pdf) – outlines the process for requesting an inspection from the time of initial request through completion.
• Sprinkler Contractors Phone List (pdf) – list of sprinkler contractors who have done work in Rancho Santa Fe.

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Vegetation

• Ordinance 2004-002 (pdf) – defines vegetation management requirements, as well as the abatement of weeds, brush, and other potential fire hazards.
• Palm Tree Requirements 2008 (pdf)
• Vegetation Management Contractor List (pdf) – list of vegetation management contractors who have done work in Rancho Santa Fe.

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Wildland/Urban Interface

• Ordinance 2008-01(replacing Ordinance 2004-003) (pdf) – relates to adopting the International Urban-Wildland Interface Code, 2006 edition, regulating and governing the mitigation of hazard to life and property from the intrusion of fire from wildland exposures, fire from adjacent structures and prevention of structure fires from spreading to wildland fuels in the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District.
• County Wildland Fire Protection Plan (pdf)
• Wildland/Urban Interface Development Standard Guidelines (pdf)
• Wildland/Urban Interface Development Standards, June 1997 Revision (pdf)
  Outlines acceptable planning, construction and fuel modification plans for hazardous wildland fire severity areas.
• Wildland Fire Protection Plan Expectations (pdf)

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Contact Us

For answers to your basic questions about our ordinances and standards, please contact us via email at Ask-FireMarshal@rsf-fire.org. If more in depth information is needed please call us 858-756-5971 and make an appointment. Thank you.

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