Chapter 15.65
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
Sections:
Article I. Definitions and General Provisions
15.65.020 Residential installations.
15.65.030 Commercial installations.
Article II. Prohibitions
15.65.050 Unauthorized appliances prohibited.
15.65.080 Burning solid waste – Limitations – Specifications.
Article I. Definitions and General Provisions
15.65.010 Definitions.
The definitions set forth in this article shall govern the application and interpretation of this chapter.
(a) “Bay Area Air Quality Management District (“BAAQMD”)” means the air quality agency for the San Francisco Bay Area established pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 40200.
(b) “EPA” means United States Environmental Protection Agency.
(c) “EPA certified wood heater” means any wood heater that meets the standards in Title 40, Chapter 1, Subchapter C, Part 60, Subpart AAA, Section 60.530 et seq. of the Code of Federal Regulations in effect at the time of installation and is certified and labeled pursuant to those regulations.
(d) “Fireplace” means any permanently installed masonry or factory-build wood burning appliance, except a pellet-fueled wood heater, designed to be used with an air-to-fuel ratio greater than or equal to thirty-five (35) to one.
(e) “Gas fireplace” means a fireplace or any other listed gas appliance as defined in the Uniform Mechanical Code designed to burn natural gas in a manner that simulates the appearance of a wood burning fireplace and does not burn anything other than natural gas.
(f) “Paints” means all exterior and interior house and trim paints, enamels, varnishes, lacquers, stains, primers, sealers, under coatings, roof coatings, wood preservatives, shellacs, and other paints or paint-like products.
(g) “Paint solvents” means all original solvents sold or used to thin paints or to clean up painting equipment.
(h) “Pellet-fueled wood heater” means any wood burning appliance that operates exclusively on wood pellets.
(i) “Solid fuel” means wood or any other nongaseous or nonliquid fuel.
(j) “Treated wood” means wood of any species that has been chemically impregnated, painted or similarly modified to improve resistance to insects or weathering.
(k) “Waste petroleum products” means any petroleum product other than gaseous fuels that has been refined from crude oil, and has been used, and as a result of use, has been contaminated with physical or chemical impurities.
(l) “Wood burning appliance” means fireplace, wood heater, or pellet-fired wood heater or any similar device burning any solid fuel used for aesthetic or space-heating purposes. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.020 Residential installations.
All wood burning appliances installed in new residential units or wood burning appliances being added to existing residential units shall comply with this chapter. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.030 Commercial installations.
All wood burning appliances installed in new commercial buildings or wood burning appliances being added to existing commercial buildings shall comply with this chapter. Commercial buildings shall include, but not be limited to, hotels and restaurants. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.040 Gas fireplaces.
Gas fireplaces shall be exempt from this chapter. However, the conversion of a gas fireplace to burn wood shall constitute the installation of a wood burning appliance and shall be subject to the requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
Article II. Prohibitions
15.65.050 Unauthorized appliances prohibited.
Except as provided elsewhere in this chapter, any new commercial or residential wood burning appliance installed must be one of the following:
(a) A pellet-fueled wood heater;
(b) An EPA certified wood heater;
(c) A fireplace certified by EPA or a fireplace certified by an EPA-accredited laboratory as being compliant with the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District standards for fireplaces, using that district’s testing protocol for fireplaces;
(d) New fireplaces in newly built or existing residential, commercial or other nonresidential structures that replace lawful fireplaces which exist at the time when an application is approved for construction of new fireplaces;
(e) Outdoor fireplaces which are not attached to a structure; or
(f) Wood burning appliances which are primarily used for the preparation of food. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.060 Certification.
Any person who plans to install a wood burning appliance must obtain a building permit and submit documentation to the Building Department demonstrating that the appliance is a pellet-fueled wood heater, an EPA certified wood heater or a fireplace certified by EPA or a fireplace certified by an EPA-accredited laboratory as being compliant with the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District standards for fireplaces, using that district’s testing protocol for fireplaces. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.070 Prohibited fuels.
The following fuels are prohibited from use in a wood burning appliance:
(a) Any treated wood, plastic products, rubber products, glossy or colored papers and particle board;
(b) Any solid, semi-solid and liquid wastes generated from residential, commercial and industrial sources, including trash, refuse, rubbish, industrial wastes, asphaltic products, manure, vegetable or animal solids and semi-solid wastes, or other discarded solid and semi-solid wastes;
(c) Waste petroleum products;
(d) Paints or paint solvents;
(e) Coal; and/or
(f) Salt water driftwood. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).
15.65.080 Burning solid waste – Limitations – Specifications.
No person shall burn any solid waste within the limits of the City except in accordance with and subject to the following limitations and conditions:
(a) No person shall burn any garbage, or any rubbish that originates from any industrial or commercial establishment or any hospital, clinic, medical or dental office or medical laboratory, except in accordance with SCCC Title 15.
(b) No person shall create or cause the emission of noxious or offensive odors, dense smoke, or any private or public nuisance by burning any solid waste.
(c) No fire shall be kindled or maintained by any person within or upon any public street, way, road, alley, waterway, or other public property or place, except by a member of the Fire Department acting under the direction of the Fire Chief or a designee of the Fire Chief.
(d) No person shall burn any solid waste within or upon any premises except for the burning of fuel in wood burning appliances, which is not prohibited under this chapter.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Fire Marshal of the Fire Department may issue a permit for the burning of a bonfire or other fire in an outdoor location pursuant to Chapter 15.60 SCCC. (Ord. 1767 § 2, 5-21-02).