The Tulare County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2025 California Building Code series, including new wildland‑urban interface (WUI) and fire code provisions, and set the ordinance for adoption at the board’s Dec. 9 meeting.

County fire and building officials told the board the state cycle includes stronger WUI protections and new energy and electrification standards. Hector Ramos, building and housing manager for Tulare County’s Resource Management Agency, said the updates increase electrification recommendations for new construction, require more EV‑charging infrastructure, and expand CalGreen sustainability measures intended to boost energy efficiency and water conservation.

Kevin Riggi, Tulare County Fire Marshal, said the county plans a local amendment requiring sprinklers in newly constructed manufactured and pre‑manufactured homes located on private property outside HCD‑regulated mobile home parks. “There’s NFPA data that says 97% of fires would stay in its incipient stage if it was sprinklered,” Riggi said, arguing the measure targets the county’s highest fire‑fatality risk.

Board members pressed staff on how electri­fication rules apply to major remodels, the limits of local authority to permit gas appliances, and whether the state’s AB 130 moratorium (effective Oct. 1, 2025) affects the county’s ability to adopt local residential amendments. Staff said the 2025 codes were adopted prior to AB 130 and will apply statewide on Jan. 1, 2026, while the moratorium limits new local amendments to broad residential standards through 2031.

Supervisor Makari moved to introduce the ordinance and set the adoption vote for Dec. 9; Supervisor Valero seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

What’s next: The board set the ordinance for second reading and adoption on Dec. 9, 2025; staff were directed to publish a summary of the ordinance before that meeting as required by law.