Corte Madera staff told the Climate Action Committee on July 16 that the Legislature added a provision to the budget trailer bill that prevents local jurisdictions from adopting changes to the state building code for up to six years. Staff said the change was inserted into AB 130 and applies statewide.
Staff member Phoebe said, “That bill would prohibit changes to the building code for 6 years” and that the town previously submitted a letter of opposition. She said the provision ended up in the budget trailer bill and “was signed into law.”
The committee’s staff explained why the law matters locally: California updates its base building code every three years and cities often adopt more stringent local ‘reach’ codes to require things such as additional EV charging readiness or energy-efficiency measures. The new law includes an exception allowing jurisdictions to readopt local amendments that are “substantially similar” so those elements may be carried forward into the next code cycle.
Phoebe said the state’s 2025 base code has advanced in several areas, noting that the state code “is very strong” and now uses heat pumps as the baseline for space and water heating. She added that many reach-code requirements the town had adopted are now matched or exceeded by the state base code and that only a few local provisions go beyond it.
Staff also warned committees and councils against rushing to adopt new local amendments before the statutory deadline. Phoebe explained the effective timeline was altered in the final law and that the moratorium language lists an October 1 start, but local adoption also requires state approval, which can take months. “We don’t feel that there’s enough time to adopt any changes before that deadline,” she said.
The committee was told staff will return with a detailed list of which local reach-code elements staff recommends re-adopting under the “substantially similar” exemption and with more guidance after state agencies issue interpretations. Staff said the town is likely to move forward with 2025 code adoption in September but will bring specific recommendations to the August meeting.
Why this matters: local reach codes are one of the primary levers towns use to require EV readiness, improve home heating efficiency and cut greenhouse-gas emissions. The new state-level pause on code changes temporarily limits local discretion, but staff said existing local measures that meet the “substantially similar” test can be carried forward.
Staff noted a related option some jurisdictions are exploring: where a general plan explicitly references reach codes, that general-plan language may allow further local action. Staff said their attorney is reviewing the town’s general plan for that possibility. Staff emphasized that more detail and a staff recommendation will be presented at the next meeting.