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CC: ACTION ITEM - Discussion and Direction Regarding a Potential Local Amendment to the California Building Code and the California Fire Code that Would Allow a Single Exit Stairway in Residential Buildings up to Six Stories in Height.
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Meeting Date: September 8, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Timothy Koutsouros, Building Official, Planning and Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-5802
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/04/2025)
Department Approval: Mark Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (8/29/25) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding a potential local amendment to the California Building Code and the California Fire Code that would allow a single exit stairway in residential buildings up to six stories in height. Residential buildings could include mixed-use buildings that are predominately residential uses.
BACKGROUND
On August 11, 2025, the City Council reached a unanimous consensus to agendize a discussion on single exit stairways in residential buildings. Staff has further reviewed the topic and is providing the following information for discussion purposes.
The International Building Code (IBC) serves as the model code nationwide that various jurisdictions amend and adopt. California agencies amend the IBC, creating the California Building Standards Code (CBSC). The City has the authority to amend the CBSC at the local level. These local amendments must establish more, not less, restrictive building standards that are reasonably necessary due to local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions.
The current City amended and adopted CBSC (2022), and the 2025 CBSC that goes into effect January 1, 2026, allows for single exit stairway buildings up to three stories with a maximum of four dwelling units per story, as specified in the California Building Code (CBC) and the California Fire Code (CFC), section 1006.3.4.
Those buildings with more than three stories must have at least two separate exits, each located at a different part of the building, and are typically connected by a corridor. In reviewing other jurisdictions, Seattle, New York City, Austin, and Honolulu have adopted regulations for single exit stairway buildings that allow story limits greater than three stories, up to six stories, where enhanced building safety standards are provided.
Assembly Bill 835 (AB 835)
AB 835 was signed into law in October 2023. It directs the State Fire Marshal to research standards for single exit, single stairway apartment houses with more than two dwelling units in structures above three stories and to compile a report by January 1, 2026. The report will be provided to the Senate Committee on Governmental Organization, the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management, the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, and the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC). The CBSC then administers the adoption of any proposed building standards from the State Fire Marshal by conducting public comment periods, hearings, and meetings.
Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130)
AB 130 was signed into law in June 2025. It introduces significant reforms aimed at streamlining housing development and infrastructure projects in California. The bill prohibits state agencies and local cities from making amendments to the provisions published in the CBSC from October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, that affect residential units, with limited exceptions.
Essentially, it freezes any local changes, including single exit stairway and energy reach code updates, to state codes for the next six years. At the state level, an exemption allows the State Fire Marshal to adopt single exit stairway standards based on the research of AB 835. At the local level, there is an exemption that will enable amendments that are substantially equivalent to amendments that were previously filed by the City and in effect as of September 30, 2025.
Other Jurisdictions
The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety issued a revised report on proposed amendments to the Los Angeles Building Code regarding single exits and single exit stairways for multifamily residential buildings up to six stories tall. https://cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2025/25-0247_rpt_dbs_8-07-25.pdf
The revised report recommended that the City Council direct the department to prepare and submit a draft ordinance "to amend the applicable provisions of the Los Angeles Building Codes and Fire Codes in order to permit the use of a single exit in residential apartment buildings up to six stories in height using the City of Seattle's policies as a model." The recommendation was amended to consult with the State Fire Marshal and approved 13-1 at the August 20, 2025, Los Angeles City Council meeting. The next step is for staff to present a proposed ordinance to the council for consideration prior to October 1, 2025.
The City of Santa Monica is taking a different approach, considering a case-by-case administrative process and publishing it in an Information Bulletin (Attachment 1). The bulletin describes the administrative process for an alternative material and design allowed under CBC Section 104.2.3 and CFC Section 104.2.3. The project architect will submit the request based on the equivalency of proposed life safety measures, which will then be reviewed and either approved, approved with conditions, or denied by the Building Official and Fire Marshal.
Should the City Council direct staff to prepare an urgency ordinance prior to October 1, 2025, staff will continue to research and provide information on other cities that have adopted single stair ordinances.
Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) and the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles (AIA LA)
On May 14, 2025, the LCI held a policy discussion on reforming the single exit stairway code with the City Council Housing and Homeless Subcommittee. LCI indicated that without reforming the single exit stairway code, it is difficult to make small lot housing viable due to the high costs and limitations of traditional design standards. According to LCI, the single exit stairway will help make narrow lots suitable for mid-rise housing, allowing for high-quality, larger units with air, light, and shared green spaces. During the subcommittee meeting, the Fire Department expressed concerns about fire safety and access utilizing single exit stairway designs.
On April 22, 2025, LCI also joined the regular meeting of the Advisory Committee on Housing and Homelessness and made a public comment regarding policy to encourage the production of housing. The comment included a single exit stairway reform similar to LCI's presentation to the Housing and Homeless Subcommittee. Discussion ensued between LCI and staff regarding the necessity of code examination and support for future discussion with the committee for LCI's initiative.
On August 19, 2025, LCI provided a policy explainer document titled "Single Staircase Reform: A Simple Building Code Change with Big Impact" (Attachment 2).
Similarly, AIA LA indicates that single stair reform is a step towards increasing housing affordability. https://www.aialosangeles.org/home/advocacy-reports/the-advocacy-report-april-8-2025/.
DISCUSSION
Single exit stairway residential building standards potentially expand the opportunity for more housing on small, narrow lots and mid-rise residential opportunities, in addition to construction cost savings, and more flexible residential design options that improve affordability. However, their design raises concerns about fire safety and building codes, leading to discussions about their viability and safety.
On February 25, 2025, the International Association of Fire Fighters issued a position statement https://www.iaff.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Single-Exit-Position-Stmt-FINAL-1.pdf in opposition to efforts for single exit stairway design. It urged that the change should be deferred to the model code process for a more thoroughly evaluated process.
The organization has concerns with active system enhancements that require owners to perform maintenance, to ensure the systems are operational and function appropriately in case of an emergency. In addition, it raises concerns regarding redundancy and the evacuation of occupants, which coincide with fire department operations, both placing demand on a single exit stairway. It also raises concerns with alternative egress strategies such as window evacuations, which pose a substantial risk to occupants and firefighters.
To accommodate a single exit stairway design, Seattle amended the Washington State Building Standard Codes with enhancements to the means of egress and fire safety systems; a summary is as follows (Attachment 3):
* Building is six stories maximum
* Single exit stairway serving a maximum of 5 residential stories
* Four dwelling units max per floor
* The building is one-hour fire-resistant construction
* The building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system
* Limit travel distance to 20 feet, from a dwelling unit to an exit stairway
* Pressurize interior stairways, passageways, and elevator hoist ways
* Limit unprotected openings into the stairway
* If the building is mixed-use and has other types of businesses like retail or office, those areas cannot be connected to the residential floors or the single exit stairway.
The Pew Research Center also studied the single exit stairway design in modern buildings and relevant international comparisons. On February 27, 2025, the center published its report. (https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway-apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record). The report indicates that small single stairway housing has a strong safety record and that policymakers could increase the supply of multi-family housing by revising building standards.
The report states that "single stairway buildings are at least as safe as dual-staircase buildings when they are constructed with modern fire-safe materials and systems, such as sprinklers, smoke detectors, and fire-rated assemblies; are limited in height, have a limited floor plate, with restrictions on total floor area, unit count, or travel distances to exits; and have a protected stairway, including self-closing doors and a smoke-control system."
In accordance with AB 130, local amendment freeze exception, a local modification to the CBSC must be in effect by September 30, 2025. Given the timeline for an effective amendment, if the City decides to pursue an ordinance, it will need to be in the form of an urgency ordinance, which would be presented to the City Council at its September 29th meeting. An urgency ordinance requires a 4/5 vote and takes effect immediately after adoption and filing with the California Building Standards Commission.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact on the discussion of the issue. If implemented, staff time will be necessary to implement and enforce the ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2025-09-08_ATT_1 Santa Monica Single Exit IB 8-10-25
2. 2025-09-08_ATT_2 Policy Explainer Single Staircase Reform
3. 2025-09-08_ATT_3 Seattle Ordinance Single Exit Stairway
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Discuss a potential local amendment to the California Building Code and the California Fire Code that would allow a single exit stairway in residential buildings up to six stories in height; and
2. If desired, direct staff to prepare an ordinance similar to the City of Seattle's ordinance; or
3. If desired, direct staff to prepare an information bulletin similar to the City of Santa Monica; or
4. If desired, direct staff to monitor the State Fire Marshal research per AB 835 and report back to City Council; and
5. Provide other direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.