Ryan Lampkin, the city’s sustainability analyst, told the Encinitas Environmental Commission that the city readopted several local “reach codes” to align with the 2025 statewide building-code cycle and to preserve locally adopted efficiency standards where allowed.

Lampkin said buildings account for nearly 40% of Encinitas’ greenhouse-gas emissions and described reach codes the city readopted, including electric-readiness requirements for single-family homes with gas furnaces (preparing exterior pads and condensate drainage for future heat-pump replacement), a retrofit energy-efficiency requirement for additions and alterations with a permit valuation of $50,000 or greater, EV‑ready provisions for newly constructed single-family homes with garages, and a graywater pre‑plumbing requirement for new single-family homes.

The presentation focused on how Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130), enacted June 30, 2025, imposes a moratorium on adopting new residential reach codes between Oct. 1, 2025, and June 1, 2031, with limited exceptions. Lampkin said the city’s September 24 council action readopted existing reach codes where possible under the new cycle so that the city retains prior measures where allowed. He also explained that the California Energy Commission must approve energy‑efficiency reach codes; the city has submitted an application and is awaiting the CEC’s decision before some measures can be fully enforced.

Commissioners asked whether AB 130 bans all residential reach codes and how readoption works; Lampkin and staff answered that exceptions exist if a reach code is substantially equivalent to a previously adopted code or if adoption is tied to an approved greenhouse‑gas plan such as the city’s climate action plan. Lampkin noted that the statewide 2025 code now requires heat‑pump water heaters and heat‑pump HVAC for new construction, which may encourage developers to go all‑electric even without new local reach codes.

Lampkin also identified two reach-code measures still awaiting cost‑effectiveness review: a high‑performance energy‑efficiency requirement (adopted in 2024) and a requirement that major remodels (examples cited at roughly $1 million valuation or higher) to certain multifamily or nonresidential buildings include on‑site solar PV. Those two measures remain on hold pending energy‑commission cost‑effectiveness findings.

The presentation concluded with a description of implementation: applicants complete the city’s Climate Action Plan checklist with permit applications; plan reviewers and up to three site inspections during construction verify compliance; staff will compile data and an annual CAP monitoring report to track progress.

The commission did not take formal action on reach codes at this meeting; staff said they will return with additional details and any CEC determinations for future commission input and council consideration.