1 Attachment 2: Summary of EV Charging Reach Code Ordinances by the California Energy Codes and Standards Program for the City of Cotati, 4/12/23 The California Energy Codes and Standards Program conducted a limited investigation into 44 local EV charging reach code ordinances. These results have not been independently verified; refer to the ordinances to confirm details. The findings are presented below.
Note: Cotati has adopted 2022 CALGreen Tier 1 Standards related to EV Charging.
Single Family
Nearly all of the reach code ordinances examined include additional requirements for single family buildings, with roughly half adopting CALGreen Tier 1 (including Cotati, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Marin County, and San Rafael) and another half extending some EV requirements to a second parking space.
Table 1: Single Family EV Reach Code Ordinance Requirements Requirement Included in
Ordinances
Tier 1 – 1st space Level 2 EV Ready 19
Custom: 1st space Level 2 Ready
2nd space Level 1 EV Capable 17
Custom: 1st space Level 2 Ready
2nd space Level 1 EV Ready 5
Total 41
No requirements above State minimum 3
Other Occupancies (Multifamily, Nonresidential)
Nearly all the reach code ordinances examined include additional requirements for multifamily buildings, with a majority requiring 100% of spaces to either have installed chargers, or to be EV Ready or EV Capable. Offices and other nonresidential building requirements are commonly included. Fewer jurisdictions include requirements for hotel and motel developments.
The values in Table 2 below represent the number of ordinances that include the particular requirements. The percentages in the column headings represent the total number of spaces that are required to be EV Capable, EV Ready or have chargers installed within each occupancy.
Table 2: Multifamily, Hotel, Motel, and Nonresidential EV Reach Code Ordinance Requirements Occupancy Less than
50% of
spaces
>50 but
<100%
of spaces
100% of spaces
or 1/unit
Total None
Multifamily 3 11 28 42 2
Hotels/Motels 11 19 2 32 12
Offices 20 19 39 5
Nonresidential 32 5 1 38 6
Multifamily
• Almost all EV ordinances include requirements for multifamily projects • Most have custom requirements (not CALGreen Tiers)
o Over half require 100% of the spaces to have some combination of Level 2 chargers installed, EV Ready spaces and EV Capable spaces o Most of the other half have requirements that affect at least 50% of the spaces 2 • Some have upgraded Low Power Level 2 EV Ready spaces to full Level 2 EV Ready spaces
• Some have exclusions/reductions for affordable or public housing Table 3 below compares multifamily mandatory code requirements and voluntary tiers to a select sample of local reach codes, including those with the most extensive requirements (Los Altos and Solana Beach) and those from North Bay jurisdictions (Corte Madera, Fairfax, Marin County, and San Rafael).
Table 3: New Multifamily EV Charging—Sample Reach Codes Size Measure CALGreen
Mandatory
CALGreen Voluntary Existing Reach Codes
Tier 1 Tier 2 Los Altos & Solana
Beach North Bay
Small
(<20 units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10% 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40% 35%
Level 2 EV Ready 75%
Level 2 Chargers 25% 10%
Total 35% 35% 40% 100% 55%
Large
(20+ units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10% 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40% 35%
Level 2 EV Ready 75%
Level 2 Chargers 5% 10% 15% 25% 10%
Total 40% 45% 55% 100% 55%
Office Buildings
• Almost all EV ordinances include requirements for office building projects • Many ordinances treat office projects differently than other nonresidential projects • Most have custom requirements (not CALGreen Tiers)
o Almost half require more than 50% of the spaces to have some combination of Level 2 chargers installed, EV Ready spaces and EV Capable spaces • One (Los Altos), affects 100% of the parking spaces
Table 4 below compares office building mandatory code requirements and voluntary tiers to a select sample of local reach codes, including Los Altos, which has the most extensive requirements, and those from North Bay jurisdictions (Corte Madera, Fairfax, Marin County, and San Rafael).
Table 4: New Office EV Charging—Sample Jurisdictions
Measure CALGreen
Mandatory
CALGreen Voluntary Existing Reach Codes
Tier 1 Tier 2 Los Altos North Bay (Tier 1)
Level 2 EV Capable 15% 20% 30% 30% 20%
Level 1 EV Ready 20%
Level 2 Chargers 5% 10% 15% 50% 10%
Total 20% 30% 45% 100% 30%
Minimum Level 2
EV Capable 0 2 3 0 2
Other Nonresidential
• Almost all EV ordinances include requirements for nonresidential projects • Most have custom requirements (not CALGreen Tiers)
3 o Most require less than 50% of the spaces to have some combination of Level 2 chargers installed, EV Ready spaces and EV Capable spaces o The other few have requirements that affect 50% to 78% of the spaces o One (Los Altos), affects 100% of the spaces
Table 5 below compares nonresidential mandatory code requirements and voluntary tiers to a select sample of local reach codes, including those with among the most extensive requirements (Burbank and Santa Clara), and those from North Bay jurisdictions (Corte Madera, Fairfax, Marin County, and San Rafael).
Table 5: New Nonresidential Other EV Charging—Sample Jurisdictions Measure CALGreen
Mandatory
CALGreen Voluntary Existing Reach Codes
Tier 1 Tier 2 Burbank Santa Clara North Bay
(Tier 1)
Level 2 EV
Capable 15% 20% 30% 45% 35% 20%
Level 2 Chargers 5% 10% 15% 33% 35% 10%
Total 20% 30% 45% 78% 70% 30%
Minimum Level 2
EV Capable 0 2 3 3 1 2
Hotels and Motels
• About one third of the EV ordinances do not have requirements for hotels and motels • Most of the others have custom requirements (not CALGreen Tiers) o Of those with requirements, the majority require more than 50% of the spaces to have some combination of Level 2 chargers installed, EV Ready spaces, and EV Capable spaces
Table 6 below compares hotel and motel mandatory code requirements and voluntary tiers to a select sample of local reach codes, including those with the most extensive requirements (Los Altos and Solana Beach) and those from North Bay jurisdictions (Corte Madera, Marin County, and San Rafael).
Table 6: New Hotel/Motel EV Charging—Sample Jurisdictions Size Measure CALGreen
Mandatory
CALGreen Voluntary Existing Reach Codes
Tier 1 Tier 2 Los Altos &
Solana Beach North Bay
Small
(<20 units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10% 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40% 35%
Level 2 EV Ready 75%
Level 2 Chargers 25% 10%
Total 35% 35% 40% 100% 55%
Large
(20+ units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10% 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40% 35%
Level 2 EV Ready 75%
Level 2 Chargers 5% 10% 15% 25% 10%
Total 40% 45% 55% 100% 55%
4 Other EV Charging Ordinance Provisions
Other notable features in some of the ordinances include the following:
• Several extend requirements to specific additions or alterations to existing parking facilities, such as the addition of spaces, electrical modifications/upgrades, repaving, scope/valuation of renovation
• At least two jurisdictions have provisions for e-bike charging • One has requirements for DC Fast Chargers (100 or more spaces only) • At least one jurisdiction (San Francisco) includes disclosure requirements for EV Capable spaces to tenants
• Several collapse the large and small building categories for multifamily and hotels/motels • Some upgrade Lower Power Level 2 Receptacles to full power Level 2 receptacles • Many rely on existing language in state code to accommodate capacity reduction through automated load management systems (ALMS)
• Some provide exceptions or reductions for affordable or public housing • Some have minimum requirements for common/guest spaces Table 7 below summarizes EV requirements for certain additions and alterations.
Table 7: Summary of Reach Code Provisions Related to Additions/Alterations and EV Charging CALGreen Mandatory Existing Reach Codes
Multifamily
• 10% Level 2 EV Capable when spaces are
added, or electrical systems or lighting are
added or altered
Other Occupancies
• Intervening cycle proposal to extend to
nonresidential
Requirements triggered by some form of additions or
alterations
Single Family – Included in at least 11 local codes
• Most common - New spaces and panel upgrades
to be EV Capable or Ready
Other Occupancies
• Triggers
• Extend/adjust CALGreen triggers
(electrical modifications, new spaces) to
additional requirements
• Resurfacing, recurbing
• Substantial project (size/valuation)
• Multifamily -- At least 13 local codes
• Hotels/Motels -- At least 7 local codes
• Offices -- At least 10 local codes
• Other Nonresidential - At least 10 local codes
Proposed Changes to State Requirements
The State is now considering substantial changes to EV charger requirements that may go into effect on July 1, 2024. The proposed changes are summarized in Tables 8 and 9 below.
Table 8: Summary of Intervening Cycle Update for EV Charging Residential Nonresidential
Single Family
• No proposed changes (other than
clarifications)
Multifamily/Hotels/Motels
• Collapses small and large categories
• Increases requirements
• Specifies receptacle types and
minimum number of J1772 chargers
• Clarifies ADA requirements
• Clarifies signage
New Construction
• Extends off street medium and heavy duty to offices and manufacturing facilities
• Sets 1 EVSE minimum for Tiers 1 & 2
• Allows two Low Power Level 2 Receptacles to replace
one EV Capable space
• Various clarifications, including enumeration of power requirements
• Clarifies signage
Existing Facilities
• Extends to projects that increase the power
supply, including addition of PV
5 Table 9: Summary of Intervening Cycle Update for EV Charging for Multifamily, Hotels and Motels Size Measure CALGreen CALGreen Voluntary
Existing Mandatory Tier 1 Tier 2
Small (<20 units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40%
Large (> 20 units)
Level 2 EV Capable 10%
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 25% 35% 40%
Level 2 Chargers 5% 10% 15%
Proposed Mandatory Tier 1 Tier 2
All sizes
Low Power Level 2
Receptacles 40% 50% 55%
Level 2 Chargers 10% 15% 20%
Alternate for Multifamily
1 Low Power
L2 Receptacle per
unit plus 10% EVSE
1 Low Power
L2 Receptacle per
unit plus 20% EVSE