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Town discussion: restricting electric vehicle charging in underground garages vs. state code
Summary
Meeting participants debated whether Elmsford should locally restrict EV charging in underground parking, saying state building code permits such installations but some local projects have been required to place chargers outside because of safety concerns and building-specific conditions.
Town meeting discussion focused on whether to allow electric vehicle charging stations in underground parking garages for new projects and how local policy interacts with state building code.
The issue matters for developers and residents because some speakers said EV owners prefer to charge at home, and prohibiting chargers in underground garages could affect where people park or whether chargers are practical for certain units.
Participants described an example where project applicants were instructed to place chargers outside rather than in an underground garage. Speakers said the town’s building department and the project team implemented that requirement after consultants and local safety reviewers raised concerns about charging installations beneath structures. One meeting participant characterized the state building code as allowing such installations but said municipalities may adopt stricter local requirements; another warned that making local rules more restrictive typically requires data and calculations to justify departures from statewide norms.
The fire chief was referenced during the discussion as a stakeholder to be brought "up to speed" on technical evaluations; speakers emphasized coordinating with fire and building officials. The transcript also included technical references to updated separation and rating requirements for older complexes that affected how staff evaluated charger placement.
No formal change to town code was proposed or voted on in the provided segments. Staff suggested two near-term actions discussed informally: (1) when reviewing site plans, staff would try to dissuade applicants from locating chargers in underground garages where site-specific conditions make above-grade placement preferable; and (2) the town could consider drafting a local policy or standard if the board directs staff to pursue that route, but speakers cautioned such a policy could require state-level review and supporting technical data before ratification.
The meeting record shows practical, site-by-site approaches in the short term and flagged the challenge of adopting a more restrictive local standard without objective data to justify it.
