Chula Vista City Council
November 4, 2025

Local Adoption of the 2025 CA
Building and Fire Codes
1 City Council
Item 7.1
November 4, 2025
Adoption Process

 Part 1 California Administrative Code (CAC)
 Part 2 California Building Code (CBC)
 Part 2.5 California Residential Code (CRC)
 Part 3 California Electrical Code (CEC)
 Part 4 California Mechanical Code (CMC)
 Part 5 California Plumbing Code (CPC)
 Part 6 California Energy Code (CEEC)
 Part 7 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code
 Part 8 California Historical Building Code (CHBC)
 Part 9 California Fire Code (CFC)
 Part 10 California Existing Building Code (CEBC)
 Part 11 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen)  Part 12 California Referenced Standards Code
CCR Title 24 – California Building Standards Code
Local Adoption & Assembly Bill 130
Assembly Bill 130
 Restricts local amendments to Residential Building Standards between October 1, 2025 – June 1, 2031
 Substantially Equivalent to change previously filed
 Related to Home Hardening
 Emergency Standards
 Necessary to Align with General Plan
 Administrative Changes
Local Adoption
 Local Amendments must be more restrictive
 Local Amendments based on:
 Geological, Topographic, Climatic, Environmental Conditions  Local Ordinances filed with the CA Building Standards Commission Administrative Amendments
 15.06 Administrative Provisions for the Technical Building Codes No Amendments
 15.10 Referenced Standards Code
 15.14 Existing Building Code
 15.16 Mechanical Code
Re-Adoption of Existing Amendments
 15.12 Green Building Standards Code
 15.24 Electrical Code
 15.28 Plumbing Code
 15.36 Fire Code
Update Referenced Appendices and Sections to Align with 2025 Code  15.08 Building Code
 15.09 Residential Code
Proposed Local Amendments

15.38 Wildland-Urban Interface Code
 Amendments added definitions for the Moderate Fire Hazard Severity Zone (MFHSZ) & Special Designated Vegetation Management Area (SDVMA)
 Ch. 5 "Home Hardening" requirements amended to apply to both MFHSZ & SDVMA, which aligns with the Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Ordinance

15.26 Energy Code
 Relocation of 15.26.050 - Mandatory benchmarking and
conservation requirements for multifamily and commercial buildings, to

15.62  Next phases of requirements need clarification
Proposed Local Amendments
CVMC Chapter 15.62

15.62 Mandatory benchmarking and conservation requirements for multifamily and commercial buildings
Background: AB 802 (2015)
 Buildings 50,000 sf or larger must benchmark and publicly disclose energy performance beginning 2018
CV Ordinance 3498 (2021)
 Supports 2017 Climate Action Plan goals
 Extends benchmarking to 20,000 sf or larger beginning 2022  Requires improvements as early as 2028
Key updates
 Extends compliance deadlines
 Requires multifamily to either install measures OR perform audits/retro- commission (previously required both)
 Eliminates a recurring audit/retro-commissioning requirement (once only)  Clarifies data verification process
 Clarifies that fines assessed monthly and adds exception for "good faith" efforts  Aligns audit specification to ASHRAE Level 2

RECOMMENDATION
Place ordinances on first reading amending Chula Vista Municipal Code Chapters

15.06 (Administrative Provisions for the Technical Building Codes), 15.08 (Building Code), 15.09 (Residential Code), 15.10 (Referenced Standards Code), 15.12 (Green Building Standards), 15.14 (Existing Building Code), 15.16 (Mechanical Code), 15.24 (Electrical Code and Regulations), 15.26 (Energy Code), 15.28 (Plumbing Code), 15.36 (Fire Code), 15.38 (Wildland-Urban Interface Code), and 15.62 (Energy Benchmarking and Conservation Requirements for Multifamily and Commercial Buildings). (First Reading)