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Cotati Council authorizes mayor to sign letter opposing AB 306, citing code-update moratorium concerns
Summary
The City Council voted 5-0 to authorize the mayor to sign a letter opposing Assembly Bill 306, which would pause local and state building code updates through 2031. Staff and speakers said the bill would impede adoption of efficiency 'reach codes,' online permitting and hazard-mitigation code revisions.
The Cotati City Council voted unanimously to authorize the mayor to sign and transmit a letter opposing Assembly Bill 306, a proposal that would bar local governments and the state building standards commission from adopting new building standards for residential units through 2031.
City staff told the council the bill would prevent local adoption of “reach codes” — locally adopted, more stringent energy or electrification standards that go beyond state baseline codes — and could hinder the city’s move to electronic permitting and other permit-process improvements. The staff report recommended opposing the bill to preserve the city’s ability to update codes to meet climate and safety goals.
Representatives from climate and building-safety organizations spoke during public comment in favor of opposition. Laurie Ann Barber, representing the Climate Center, told the council: “A moratorium on new state and local building codes for both new and existing housing would not enhance affordability, but would take away a key tool for local governments to streamline processes, ensure public safety, address energy security and affordability, and to achieve their climate commitments.”
Council members said they sympathize with the housing-sector argument for predictability, but several said the six-year pause in updates proposed in the bill is too long and could prevent adoption of cost-saving electrical code changes and measures that protect against natural-hazard losses. Council Member Sparks suggested a shorter moratorium would be more defensible; Council Member Harvey expressed concern about the length of the proposed pause.
After discussion, a motion to authorize the mayor to sign and transmit a letter opposing AB 306 was made and approved 5-0.
The signed letter will be transmitted to the city’s legislative contacts and filed with the bill record; staff did not specify a resolution number or additional local endorsements at the time of the vote.
