Mountain View staff outline 2025 reach-code options as state pause looms

Mountain View planning staff on June 26 presented four primary reach-code options for the 2025 triennial building-code update and said a fast-moving state bill could prevent adoption of many local amendments unless the city meets a September 30 submission-and-acceptance deadline.

The options staff described include: requiring heat-pump space conditioning when replacing or adding air-conditioning systems (an “AC-to-heat-pump” path); expanding “electric readiness” or prewiring requirements for smaller renovations and appliance replacements; offering an energy-performance or “FlexPath” menu of compliance options above state code; and a voluntary zoning floor-area incentive for applicants who build all‑electric. Lindsay Hagan, assistant community development director, told the committee, “It’s a pretty tall order” to complete technical work, outreach and state approvals in the truncated timeline.

The discussion matters because local reach codes are the primary tool Mountain View uses to push residential electrification and other efficiency measures beyond the statewide California Building Standards Code (Title 24). Hagan said state law requires local amendments to the energy code (Part 6 of Title 24) to be supported by a cost‑effectiveness study and accepted by the California Energy Commission. She said cities…