Berkeley Calls For Strict Balcony Code After Deadly June Collapse

BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- The Berkeley City Council will vote Tuesday on new regulations for balconies following last month's collapse that killed six people.

The changes include a requirement that balconies are built with steel or rot-resistant timber. In addition, every existing balcony in the city would be inspected within six months.

"And some of this may require more staffing and more inspections," said Berkeley Councilmember Jesse Arreguin. "Which would be supported by fees that we have for building inspections or housing inspections."

The California building standards commission has to approve any changes that Berkeley makes to its code.

MORE: Woman Whose 21st Birthday Party Ended In Deadly Berkeley Balcony Collapse Emerges From Coma

The company involved in Berkeley had paid millions of dollars in settlements in the past three years.

After June's balcony collapse, state lawmakers proposed requiring construction firms to tell regulators about any convictions or settlements due to fraud or negligence.

However, on Tuesday the Assembly Business and Professions Committee rejected such a bill on a 7-3 vote.   Committee members who support the bill's intent appear to want more time to craft the bill's language over concerns about collecting settlement data without knowing how it would be used.