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Rohnert Park council introduces 2025 building code update, sets Oct. 28 hearing
Summary
City staff asked the council to introduce an ordinance adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments; council set a second reading and potential adoption for Oct. 28, 2025 and discussed outreach and limits on inspector discretion.
Rohnert Park’s City Council on Oct. 14 introduced an ordinance to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code, including limited local amendments, and set Oct. 28, 2025 for a required second reading and public hearing so the code can take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Ellie Giudice, the city’s director of development services, said the California Building Standards Commission issued the triannual update and the city must adopt the changes by reference for them to take effect locally. Staff proposed local amendments to preserve notices of violation postings and to clarify enforcement around the location of fire hydrants and connections so the local fire marshal can implement requirements consistently. Giudice told council the statewide code becomes effective Jan. 1, 2026 and local amendments must be submitted to the state at least 30 days before that effective date.
Several councilmembers and members of the public raised concerns about the compressed schedule between the introduction and the Oct. 28 hearing. Councilmember Elward asked whether the city had sufficient time to notify constituents; Giudice and staff said statutory notice requirements were being met and that additional outreach via the city PIO, building association contacts and postings at the city offices would take place. The city attorney described the two-reading process as typical for code adoptions and said the adopted ordinance was being found exempt from CEQA review under section 15061(b)(3) as a routine governmental activity.
Councilmember Rodriguez moved to introduce the ordinance by title, waive first reading, find the item exempt under CEQA, and set Oct. 28 as the date for the second reading; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote reported as 4-0.
Next steps: staff will post notices, conduct targeted outreach to contractors and affected stakeholders during the coming two weeks, and return Oct. 28 for the second reading and possible adoption.
