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Rohnert Park council adopts 2025 California building standards with local amendments
Summary
The council waived a second reading and adopted an ordinance updating Title 15 to reference the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments; motion carried 4–0 with one member absent after staff described outreach and the need to adopt before Jan. 1, 2026.
The Rohnert Park City Council on Oct. 28 voted to waive a second reading and adopt an ordinance updating the municipal building and safety codes to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code with local amendments.
City staff told the council the update is routine and required to be completed before Jan. 1, 2026, and outlined outreach that included social media posts, flyers at city facilities, two notices in the Community Voice, and direct notice to the North Coast Builders Exchange. The staff report also acknowledged the retirement of the development services director, Alli Judishes, and noted Mario Landeros will serve as interim director.
A member of the public, Steve Keith, spoke during the public hearing to raise concerns about discretionary enforcement in code administration, noting instances where neighbors received different directions about solar installations and asking how discretion is applied. "That's sort of what I was talking about…what we mean by discretion," he said, asking whether code language allows variability in enforcement. City staff and Fire Marshall Aaron Hall responded that some discretion may exist where state law allows it and that a three‑member Building Board of Appeals exists to address disputes.
Council then moved to waive the second reading and adopt the ordinance. The clerk recorded a vote of 4–0 in favor with Council Member Rodriguez absent.
What this means: Rohnert Park will apply the 2025 model codes (building, residential, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy, existing building, green building standards, fire code and a new wildland‑urban interface chapter) with the city’s listed local amendments; contractors were reminded that such triennial code updates are routine. Staff said they will continue to accept comments while the formal adoption window remains open through the effective process, and the Building Board of Appeals will hear disputes on code interpretation or enforcement.
