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Monte Sereno council introduces ordinance to adopt state building code, keeps local reach-code EV requirements
Summary
Council introduced and waived first reading of Ordinance NS-248 to adopt Title 24 (California Building Standards) with locally maintained structural and fire-code amendments, an expansion of exterior home-hardening citywide, and retention of local reach-code EV charger requirements for new construction.
The City of Monte Sereno City Council on Nov. 4 introduced Ordinance NS-248 to adopt the updated Title 24 building standards and local amendments, and waived the ordinance’s first reading.
A staff member summarized the ordinance and recommended introduction, telling the council: "So every 3 years, the California Building Standards Commission adopts updated billing codes, and each jurisdiction within the state of California is required to enforce those codes." The staff presentation explained that AB 130 limits the scope of local amendments for residential construction but that Monte Sereno proposes to carry forward several longstanding structural and fire-code amendments and to expand exterior home-hardening requirements citywide to address wildfire risk.
The draft ordinance retains reach-code requirements for new construction that go beyond state minimums — including additional EV charging infrastructure and a hot-water recirculating requirement — while removing the city’s prior indoor-gas-appliance prohibition after a Ninth Circuit decision. On reach codes and EV chargers, a council member asked directly about the local numerical requirement, saying, "I was also kinda curious about our requirement of 2 EV chargers inside and 1 EV charger outside." Staff replied that the chargers can share a circuit, that typical installations are 220-volt and 40-amp or less, and that retrofitting later is considerably more expensive than installing the circuit during new construction.
After questions and brief public comment (no speakers opposed in chamber or online), a motion to introduce and waive the first reading of Ordinance NS-248 was made and approved by the council. The council recorded an affirmative vote and the ordinance will return for formal adoption on a future agenda under the normal ordinance-adoption schedule.
Why this matters: The ordinance updates Monte Sereno’s local code to match the state’s three-year cycle while preserving local amendments that city staff deem necessary for local fire, structural and energy considerations. Expanding home-hardening citywide could increase resiliency to wildfire risks; retaining EV charging requirements aims to future-proof new homes but attracted questions about cost and implementation.
What’s next: The ordinance will be scheduled for a subsequent meeting for final adoption; staff will provide any additional clarifications requested by council members.
