Board adopts 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments

The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 9 to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24) and a set of limited local amendments intended to improve consistency, clarify permit-expiration rules and strengthen fire- and life-safety requirements in the wildland-urban interface.

Chief Building Official Dave Giudice and Fire Marshal Jason Downs described the notable changes in the statewide code cycle, including the creation of a standalone California Wildland Urban Interface Code (Title 24 Part 7), new requirements tied to battery-storage safety and upgraded requirements for fire-alarm and egress systems in certain commercial contexts. Locally, staff proposed extending permit-expiration windows (giving applicants more time to complete projects in the wake of supply-chain and post-fire delays), aligning local fire-hydrant and water-supply requirements with County Fire Marshal development guidelines and lowering the sprinkler-threshold for certain commercial buildings to 1,000 square feet to improve firefighter safety.

Staff said the amendments do not add undue regulatory burden but aim to harmonize local practice with the updated statewide code and rescue reliability in fire incidents. The board adopted the ordinance and the supporting resolution; the adoption will apply to applications received after Jan. 1, 2026, per the statewide schedule.

Supervisor Alessio asked staff to coordinate closely with city jurisdictions to ensure alignment; staff confirmed ongoing coordination with local fire-prevention officers and neighboring jurisdictions. The board approved the ordinance and the accompanying findings resolution unanimously.