The Solana Beach City Council approved a resolution July 15 to accept an annual fire inspections report required by state law.
“The Solana Beach Fire Department performs the mandated inspections, as well as inspections of local businesses, as part of the Department’s annual fire inspection program,” according to a council agenda report. “The Fire Department completed 100% of the state-mandated annual inspections within the calendar year 2025.”
The state law requiring the report was signed in 2018, and requires that the report “shall occur when the administering authority discusses its annual budget, or at another time determined by the administering authority,” according to the agenda report.
“Fire Department personnel conducting business inspections in Solana Beach focus on ensuring compliance with the California Fire Code and all applicable Fire Safe regulations to protect life and property,” according to a council agenda report. “These inspections typically assess several key areas. First, means of egress are checked to ensure exit doors are unobstructed, clearly marked, and operable without keys or special knowledge. Exit signs must be illuminated and exit pathways must remain clear. Fire extinguishers are also reviewed to confirm they are present, properly mounted, accessible, of the correct type, and have current inspection tags.”
Councilmember David Zito credited city personnel with completing the report covering a year when the city of Encinitas announced its exit from a fire services agreement that covered Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar, leaving the latter two cities to come up with their own plan.
“Clearly it’s been a tricky year with the transition that has been ongoing with Encinitas pulling a funny trick on us last summer where we had to figure out how to transition the whole department,” Zito said.