Temple City adopts 2025 California building standards, keeps limited local administrative rules

Temple City’s City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 25-1085 on Dec. 2 to amend Title 7 of the Temple City Municipal Code and adopt by reference the 2025 California Building Standards (Title 24) with limited local administrative amendments.

Community Development Director Mr. Reamers told the council the state’s triennial update to the building standards aims “to improve safety, to improve sustainability, and to improve building performance across the state,” and staff recommended adopting the state codes while keeping only administrative local amendments that address how the city administers permits and related processes. He said recent state legislation places a moratorium on new residential code changes, limiting cities’ ability to adopt standards stricter than the state for residential construction.

Council members questioned staff about specific local amendments and how the moratorium affects local authority. Mr. Reamers explained that the city’s amendments are primarily administrative—defining what requires a permit and streamlining local processes—rather than imposing more stringent technical requirements. The staff presentation noted that LA County’s amendments (targeted at hillsides, wildlands and high-wind areas) were not adopted because those conditions do not apply here.

Council members also asked about historical-building provisions and the Mills Act. Staff said Temple City does not currently have a historic preservation ordinance or an adopted historic district that would trigger routine use of the historical building code; the Mills Act program would require a separate local ordinance to make it available to property owners.

The council opened and closed the public hearing with no public commenters, moved to waive further reading and adopt the ordinance, and approved the measure in a unanimous roll-call vote: Council members Chavez, Chen and Yu and Mayor Pro Tem Man and Mayor Sternquist all voted yes. The ordinance number adopted was 25-1085. The staff report said the local changes are administrative in nature; no effective date beyond adoption was specified in the meeting record.

The action updates City Code to reflect the state’s 2025 building, residential, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy, historical building, existing building and green building standards and incorporates the local administrative refinements staff described. Council direction: staff may provide follow-up detail on the moratorium’s sunset or statutory scope upon request.