Council exempts hospital from EV REACH rules, approves second reading of code amendment

The Goleta City Council enacted an amendment to its EV REACH code to exempt alteration projects in the city’s Hospital Overlay District from electric-vehicle readiness requirements when hospitals renovate.

Staff said the amendment implements council direction given when the EV REACH code was adopted and that Cottage Health’s hospital contacts supported the exception. The ordinance explicitly amends Title 15, Chapter 15.12 of the Goleta Municipal Code to exempt hospital alteration projects in the Hospital Overlay District (identified in Chapter 17.18) from the REACH code’s requirements for nonresidential new construction.

At the public hearing for the second reading staff summarized the item, noting the council had approved the first reading at a prior meeting and that there were no public speakers for the second reading. Council Member Kyriaco disclosed a board affiliation with the Cottage Health foundation for transparency; the city attorney advised the disclosure did not prohibit participation.

Council voted to conduct the second reading by title only, waive further reading, find the amendment exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and direct staff to file a notice of exemption within five business days. The roll-call vote was unanimous: Smith — yes; Kiriakou — aye; Reyes Martin — aye; Mayor Pro Tempore Casden — aye; Mayor Perotti — aye.

The ordinance change applies to future hospital alteration projects in the mapped Hospital Overlay District; it does not change building code requirements for other nonresidential or residential projects and staff said the exemption was narrowly tailored to the single hospital property within city limits.