CENTRAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION (831) 479-6843
STANDARD DETAILS & SPECIFICATIONS
Sec No.
FPB-59
Rev. Date 05/13/13
Eff. Date
Subject: Access Road Requirements
05/13/13
Approved By
Page
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Jeanette Devery
Fire Marshal
of
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These are the basic requirements for access roads in the Central Fire Protection District. Access roads
shall be maintained to these standards at all times.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of these requirements is to guarantee sufficient access for fire department apparatus and
other emergency vehicles. It also ensures adequate room for these vehicles to be safely turned around.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Fire apparatus roads shall be provided for every facility, building or portion of a building constructed
or moved into or within the Central Fire jurisdiction when any portion of the building is located more
than 150 feet from fire apparatus access as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the
building or facility.
a. When buildings are completely protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system the
provision of this section maybe modified by the Chief.
b. When access roads cannot be installed due to topography, waterways, on negotiable grades or
other similar conditions, the Chief is authorized to require additional fire protections as specified in the
Uniform Fire Code.
c. When there are not more than two Group R, Division 3, or Group U occupancies, the
requirements of this section may be modified if in the opinion of the Chief, fire fighting or rescue
operations would not impaired.
2. More than one fire apparatus road shall be required when it is determined by the Chief that access by
a single road may be impaired by vehicle congestion, condition of terrain, climatic conditions or other
factors that could limit access.
3. Access roads shall be in place before framing construction can begin or construction shall be stopped.
4. For access roads to special uses such as high-piled storage, open yard storage, hazardous materials,
refer to the Uniform Fire Code.
5. Access for any new dwelling unit or other structure used for human occupancy, including a single
family dwelling on an existing parcel of record, shall be in the duly recorded form of a deeded access or
an access recognized by court order.
6. All access road and bridge improvements required under this standard shall be made prior to permit
approval or as an condition of permit approval.
ACCESS ROAD SPECIFICATIONS:
1. Minimum Street Widths.
a. 1 and 2 Dwelling Units: 12 feet curb-to-curb, no parking; turn-around if over 150 feet.
b. 3 to 5 Units: 20 feet curb-to-curb; sufficient off-street parking must be provided and fire lanes
must be posted.
c. 6+ Units: 24 feet curb-to-curb; sufficient off-street parking must be provided and fire lanes
must be posted. 30 feet curb-to-curb; parking on one side only.
d. Subdivision: 30 feet, parking on one side. 36 feet curb-to-curb; minimum subdivision allows
for parking both sides and two-way traffic.
 Widths shall be increased when in the opinion of the Chief, widths are not adequate to provide fire
apparatus access.
 Where it is environmental inadvisable to meet these criteria, due to excessive grading, tree removal or
other environmental impacts, a twelve foot wide, all-weather surface access road with 12 foot wide
(24 foot total width including road) by 35 foot turnouts located every 500 feet may be provided with
the approval of the Fire Chief.
 Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations requires that access roads from every state governed
building to a public street shall be an all-weather hard surface (suitable for use by fire apparatus) road
way not less than 20 foot in width. Such roadways shall be maintained only as access to a public
street.
 Obstruction of the road widths as required above, including the parking of vehicles shall be
prohibited as required by the Uniform Fire Code.
2. Turns.
a. No roadway shall have an inside turning radius of less than 50 feet.
b. Roadways with a radius curvature of 50 to 99 feet shall require an additional 4 feet of road
width.
c. Roadways with a radius curvature of 100 to 200 feet shall require an additional 2 feet or road
width.
3. Vertical Clearance.
a. All access roads shall have an obstructed vertical clearance of 13 feet and 6 inches.
1) Upon approval of the Chief, vertical clearance maybe reduced, provided such reduction
does not impair access by fire apparatus and approved signs are installed and maintained indicating the
established vertical clearances.
2) Vertical clearance shall be increased when, in the opinion of the Chief, vertical clearances
are not adequate to provide fire apparatus clearance.
4. Surface, Grade and Drainage.
a. Access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the loads imposed by fire apparatus.
b. Access road surfaces shall be all-weather, which means a minimum of six inches of compacted
aggregate base rock, Class 2 or equivalent, certified by a licensed engineer to 95 percent compaction and
shall be maintained.
SUBJECT: Access Road Requirements
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c. Where the grade of the access road exceeds 15 percent, the base rock shall be overlain by 2
inches of asphaltic concrete, type B or equivalent, and shall be maintained.
d. Maximum grade of the access road shall not exceed 20 percent, with grades greater than 15
percent not allowed for distances of more than 200 feet at a time.
e. Drainage details shall conform to current engineering practices, including erosion control
measures.
5. Dead Ends.
a. For information on turnaround requirements see FPO-015.
BRIDGES:
1. Bridges shall be as wide as the road being serviced, meet a minimum load of bearing capacity of 25
tons and have guard rails. Guard rails shall not reduce the required minimum road width.
2. Width requirements may be modified only by the Chief.
3. The bridge capacity shall be posted and shall be certified every 5 years by a licensed engineer.
4. Bridges served by 12 foot access roads shall be provided with turnouts at each bridge approach.
GATES:
1. Gates shall be a minimum of 2 feet wider than the access road or driveway they serve.
2. Overhead gate structures shall have a minimum of 15 foot vertical clearance.
3. Mechanically-operated gates shall have a Knox switch provided for fire department access.
4. Manual gates shall have a fire department lock installed for fire department access.
BARRICADES:
1. The Chief is authorized to require the installation and maintenance of gates or other approved
barricades across roads, trails, or other accessways, not including public streets, alleys, or highways.
2. When required, gates and barricades shall be secured in an approved manner. When required to be
secured roads, trails and other access ways shall not be used unless authorized by the owner and the
Chief.
3. Trespassing upon roads, trails and other access ways which have been closed and obstructed in the
manner prescribed in this section is prohibited.
EXCEPTION: Persons authorized by the Chief and public officers acting within the scope of their
duties
4. Vehicles shall not be parked in a manner that obstructs the entrance to roads, trails, or other access
ways which have been closed and obstructed in the manner prescribed by this section.
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IDENTIFYING FIRE LANES:
1. When required by the Fire District, approved fire lane designations shall be provided by the following
methods:
a. A sign posted immediately adjacent to, and every 150 feet there after, and visible from the
designated place clearly stating, in letters not less than one inch in height, that the place is a fire lane.
(This is only allowed if the roadway is NOT paved.)
b. By outlining or painting the place in red and in white letters marking the place with the words
"No Parking, Fire Lane," which are clearly visible from the vehicle, or;
c. By a red curb or red paint on the edge of the roadway on which is clearly marked in white
letters with the words "No Parking, Fire Lane." When the words are painted on a curb they shall be
on the face of the curb.
MAINTENANCE.
1. All private access roads driveways, turnarounds, gates, and bridges are the responsibility of the
owner(s) of record and shall be maintained to ensure the fire department safe and expedient passage at
all times.
2. To ensure maintenance of private access roads, driveways, turnarounds, gates, and bridges, the
owner(s) of parcels where new development is proposed shall participate in an existing road
maintenance group. For those without an existing agreements, the formation of such an agreement shall
be required.
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