Big Bear Lake adopts 2025 California Building Standards Code; council cites snow-load and EV-charging impacts

Big Bear Lake's City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to incorporate the 2025 edition of the California Building Standards Code into city regulations, a move staff said is necessary for the new codes to take effect locally on Jan. 1, 2026.

Andrew Mellon and Dan Chudi of Willdan Engineering told the council the statewide code cycle applies to cities across California and must be adopted to preserve existing local amendments. Chudi highlighted several changes the council should note: expanded electric-vehicle (EV) charger requirements for new construction (with a case-by-case exception where utilities cannot provide adequate power), stricter wildfire and vegetation-management standards, strengthened indoor-ventilation requirements for apartment buildings, expanded bicycle parking for apartments and hotels, and a revised, site-specific snow-load methodology that will raise engineering loads in many mountain communities.

"The mandated date for enforcement of the 2025 editions of the codes is 01/01/2026," Chudi said. On snow loads, he said the new methodology uses 30 years of recent data and computer modeling; as a result, "the new code significantly increases the 100 pound per square foot snow load that has been previously utilized in the city," which could require larger structural members.

Council members asked whether the snow-load changes would materially raise construction costs. Chudi said the structural elements (shear walls, beams) would be most affected and that "you will see an increase" though he could not provide a contractor-level cost estimate. Council members and staff said the city previously petitioned the California Building Standards Commission for an alternative approach on snow loads, but that request was declined.

The ordinance also carried forward the city's local amendments so no new residential amendments were proposed that would conflict with Assembly Bill 130's moratorium on certain local residential changes. The council conducted a public hearing, took testimony and voted by roll call to adopt the ordinance.

What happens next: Staff will file a notice of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act as recommended and will coordinate with the Big Bear Fire Authority as it finalizes the local fire-code adoption that will later be ratified by the council.