Bellflower adopts 2025 building code updates, including energy and wildfire provisions

The Bellflower City Council on Sept. 22 adopted an urgency ordinance (No. 14‑50) and a companion ordinance (No. 14‑49) to bring the city’s municipal code into alignment with the 2025 editions of California’s building, residential, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy and fire codes. The ordinances include several local amendments aimed at addressing Bellflower’s site‑specific conditions.

Alan Cook, the city’s building official, briefed the council during a second‑reading presentation and said the 2025 code cycle requires jurisdictions to adopt or amend local modifications and submit them to the state by a statutory deadline. If adopted, the updated provisions will take effect Jan. 1, 2026. Cook summarized key local changes: a permanent requirement to address seismic hazards related to soil liquefaction; a prescriptive soils‑investigation threshold of 750 square feet for residential projects that are one story or more; a local requirement limiting minimum roof cover classification to Type B materials in several code sections; a new standalone wildland‑urban interface chapter in the municipal code; and energy code updates that require pool heaters to be solar or heat‑pump units and require outdoor pool covers. Cook also said new commercial kitchen provisions require electric‑ready wiring for new commercial kitchens.

Council members asked several technical questions about the city’s ability to modify state requirements. City Attorney (Mister Berger) and Cook explained that some administrative amendments are available locally, but substantive energy and mechanical requirements are set by the state and cannot be locally amended. On liquefaction Cook said the city chose a 750 square‑foot threshold (higher than the state’s 500 square‑foot trigger) to allow a prescriptive foundation method as an option for smaller projects, which officials said addresses local ADU building trends and reduces the need for geotechnical reports for smaller footprints while still protecting structural safety.

Council member Sanchez asked whether existing two‑story homes adding less than the threshold would be exempt; Cook and legal staff said that a two‑story addition would generally trigger a soils report because of the increased foundation loads, while one‑story additions under 750 square feet may use the prescriptive alternative. The building official said the change reflects Bellflower’s liquefaction data and common construction practice and that staff believes the 750‑square‑foot approach provides an appropriate balance between safety and permitting efficiency.

Alan Cook warned the council the energy provisions — including the shift away from gas pool heaters and the requirement for commercial kitchens to be electric‑ready — will generate constituent inquiries and could raise cost concerns for businesses. The council approved the urgency ordinance by a 5‑0 roll call (Mayor Pro Tem Santinez motioned; Council member Coops seconded). Cook said a copy of the updated code text was available for review.