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Council introduces ordinances to adopt 2025 California building and fire codes with local amendments
Summary
Council introduced two ordinances to repeal and replace Titles 14 and 15 of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards (Title 24) and 2025 Fire Code, ratify Southern Marin Fire District adoption, and set a Dec. 8 public hearing; the package includes findings to justify local amendments and an estimated $18–20k consultant/legal cost to complete adoption work.
Planning and Building Director Patrick Kelly presented a package of ordinances to readopt local versions of state building and fire standards for 2025. "The item before you is the recommended adoption of the 2025 California Building Code of Regulations, also known as Title 24," Kelly said, explaining the triannual update and options for local amendments where climatic, geological or topographic conditions justify them.
The proposal includes two ordinances: Ordinance 13,63 to repeal and replace Title 14 (building and construction) and incorporate the 2025 California Building Standards, including administrative, residential, structural, mechanical, plumbing, energy and the Wildland-Urban Interface sections; and Ordinance 13,64 to repeal and replace Title 15 (fire code) and ratify Southern Marin Fire District's adoption of the 2025 California Fire Code and the 2025 Wildland Urban Interface Code. Kelly said the draft retains Mill Valley's more stringent local amendments where justified and adds administrative updates to align permitting practices with current processes.
Fire Division Chief Fred Hilliard described enforcement details: most citations are administrative and the fire district already enforces defensible-space and vegetation requirements in the city. "99% of it is administrative citations," Hilliard said, adding that felony arrests would follow standard penal-code procedures in extreme cases. Kelly and staff estimated consultant and code-book costs and legal review in the vicinity of $18,000–$20,000 to finalize the ordinances.
Council moved to introduce both ordinances, approve related findings, and set a second-reading/public hearing for Dec. 8, 2025. The roll-call first-reading introduction passed with all councilmembers voting yes. The action does not finalize adoption; staff will return with the public hearing, supporting findings, and a finalized ordinance package on Dec. 8.
