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 commonly share studies and that Silicon Valley Clean Energy has assisted Mountain View in prior cycles.

Staff described the four reach-code concepts in detail. The AC-to-heat-pump item would require a heat-pump space conditioner when a resident replaces or installs cooling equipment, or alternatively allow retention of conventional AC if the owner completes other energy measures (attic insulation, improved duct sealing). Hagan said the measure would require amending both the energy code and the California Green Building Standards Code (Part 11) and therefore a cost‑effectiveness study and Energy Commission approval.

The expanded electric-readiness (prewiring) proposal would lower the threshold from the city’s current “new construction and 50% major remodels” standard to capture smaller renovations and individual appliance replacements. Staff explained the approach would require reserving panel space, extending conduit within three feet of the appliance and installing either a 240‑volt circuit or an empty conduit. Hagan said the city is exploring alternative calculation methods that pair load‑management or prescription measures to avoid costly electrical panel upsizing.

The FlexPath or energy‑performance option would create a points‑based menu of measures above state minimums; projects meeting the points threshold would comply without mandating specific all‑electric equipment. Staff characterized FlexPath as technically complicated and noted a cost‑effectiveness study would be required; San Jose and a few other Bay Area cities have implemented similar approaches.

Finally, staff proposed a voluntary zoning incentive that would allow additional floor area in return for all‑electric construction. Because zoning lives in the municipal zoning code rather than the building code, Hagan said the incentive would not be subject to the state pause discussed below and could proceed on a separate schedule, with Planning Commission and City Council review.

Regulatory context dominated the discussion. Hagan reviewed Assembly Bill “AB 306” (as presented to the committee), which, in its then‑current form, would prohibit local amendments that affect residential development unless narrowly qualified, effectively pausing many local reach-code changes through June 1, 2031 (staff used a conservative interpretation centered on a September 30 deadline introduced in late amendments). Hagan described a compressed timetable caused by the bill being added to a state budget vehicle that could accelerate final approval. She said the city would need, at a minimum, adopted ordinances submitted and accepted in writing by the state by that conservative September 30 cutoff to retain the ability to implement new local requirements now.

Committee members pressed staff on sequencing, enforcement and public outreach. Several members favored prioritizing the AC‑to‑heat‑pump requirement and an expanded prewiring requirement as the most likely to be technically implementable within the constrained timeline. Council members suggested using the zoning incentive concept as a longer‑term measure that could adopt a points structure informed by FlexPath but handled outside the building-code cycle. Member comments repeatedly emphasized public education and targeted outreach to help homeowners understand insulation, heat‑pump benefits and incentives.

No formal council action occurred at the meeting. Hagan said staff planned two council hearings in September if the timetable required it and that, if the state deadline proved unattainable, Mountain View would still adopt a 2025 code update later in the year that aligns with the state baseline but without new local requirements.

Ending: Staff said they expect to receive the 2025 state code package imminently and will work with Silicon Valley Clean Energy and technical consultants over July and August to prepare drafts for Council consideration in September; final state acceptance would be required before any local amendments are enforceable.