City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: January 12, 2026
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-154 Repealing Chapter 11.04 and Adopting New Chapter 11.04 - Building Codes
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading, read by title only and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025- 154, An Ordinance of the City Council Of the City of Gonzales Repealing Chapter 11.04 of the Gonzales City Code Entitled ‘California Building Codes’, and adopting a New Chapter 11.04 Entitled “California Building Codes” and adopting by Reference the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Codes:
‘California Administrative Code’ (Part 1),‘California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2 (Part 2), -with exceptions, and Appendix Chapters H, I and J, ‘California Residential Code’(Part 2.5) - Appendix Chapters BF and CI’, ‘California Electrical Code’ (Part 3), ‘California Mechanical Code’ (Part 4), ‘California Plumbing Code’ (Part 5), ‘California Energy Code’ (Part 6), ‘California Wildland-Urban Interface Code’ (Part 7), ‘California Historical Building Code’ (Part 8), ‘California Fire Code (Part 9) – with exceptions and all appendix Chapters’, ‘California Existing Building Code’ (Part 10), ‘California Green Building Standards Code’ (Part 11), ‘California Referenced Standards Code, (Part 12), and adopting the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code and the ‘1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings.’
BACKGROUND
On December 8, 2025, the City Council introduced, waived the first reading, and read by title only Ordinance 2025-154. Staff also presented a staff report and PowerPoint presentation. Public Notice announced the consideration and adoption of this ordinance was published December 31, 2025. The Ordinance will take effect locally 30 days after adoption, although the new building codes took effect state-wide on January 1, 2026, without the local adjustments.
AGENDA
ITEM
9 The California Building Standards, comprised of codes regulating building, fire, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical conditions, are updated and revised every three years by the State of California. In January 2025, the State adopted the 2025 edition of the California Building Standard Codes (CBSC). The codes were then published on July 1, 2025, and will become effective January 1, 2026, at which time all local jurisdictions are mandated to begin enforcement of these new codes and standards, regardless of action by the City Council.
The City’s contract Building Official has been monitoring the State adoption of these codes and is recommending several amendments to these building standards as identified in the attached ordinance.
The majority of these amendments are being carried forward from the current Gonzales Building Code or are being implemented to be consistent across jurisdictions in Monterey County, through meetings with the local chapter of the International Code Council (ICC) and fire districts throughout the County.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
The new codes contain twelve (12) parts that incorporate the latest national standards in the International Building, Residential, and Fire Codes, National Electrical Code, and the Uniform Mechanical and Plumbing Codes. The new CBSC gives high priority to maintaining elevated levels of fire and emergency safety standards throughout the state. Access for persons with disabilities remains a high priority in California, and the standards include federal Department of Justice certification requirements, which ensure compliance with federal regulations. Additionally, the standards incorporate the latest seismic safety standards ensuring that buildings will be designed and constructed utilizing the latest technology to reduce loss in the event of an earthquake.
Key elements of the new codes include California’s ongoing commitment to being a leader in energy efficiency. Among these changes include the ability to construct homes and business that are solely electric if equipped with a solar photovoltaic system. Other changes include making heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) systems more energy efficient, and new requirements for non-residential buildings and battery energy storage system ready for new residential construction.
A new Part 7 California Wildland-Urban Interface code was created by relocating chapters, sections and language from other parts of Title 24.
In accordance with state law, local jurisdictions, through amendments, incorporate additional regulations that can address special circumstances in the community, based on geographical, topographical, environmental or climatic conditions, provided those changes and modifications are not less restrictive than the State Codes. Amendments to the new CBSC must be adopted by the local jurisdiction and submitted to the State Building Standards Commission prior to enactment. Accordingly, the City’s Building Official, upon evaluation of both the new CBSC, State Law and building code amendments currently in effect, is proposing several local administrative amendments to the CBSC. All of the amendments are supported by findings identified in the first part of the proposed ordinance.
The California Fire Code has been incorporated into the attached ordinance and is the source of the majority of proposed amendments. The City’s Fire Chief is recommending several local amendments to the model California Fire Code in order to maintain the high level of fire protection the City currently provides, including continuing the requirement for fire sprinklers in new commercial and residential occupancies. Again, these amendments are being carried forward from the existing Gonzales Building Code or are being implemented to be consistent across jurisdictions in Monterey County.
Environmental Review. Adoption of the proposed ordinance is exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3) General Rule as there is no possibility that the proposed action would have a significant effect on the environment.
ALTERNATIVES
• Propose alternative language.
• Continue the item and provide direction to staff.
BUDGET IMPACT
$2000 for purchase of the 2025 California Code Books once adopted by the City (Fund 1400).
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council waive reading, read by title only and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025- 154, An Ordinance of the City Council Of the City of Gonzales Repealing Chapter 11.04 of the Gonzales City Code Entitled ‘California Building Codes’, and adopting a New Chapter 11.04 Entitled “California Building Codes” and adopting by Reference the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Codes:
‘California Administrative Code’ (Part 1),‘California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2 (Part 2), -with exceptions, and Appendix Chapters H, I and J, ‘California Residential Code’(Part 2.5) - Appendix Chapters BF and CI’, ‘California Electrical Code’ (Part 3), ‘California Mechanical Code’ (Part 4), ‘California Plumbing Code’ (Part 5), ‘California Energy Code’ (Part 6), ‘California Wildland-Urban Interface Code’ (Part 7), ‘California Historical Building Code’ (Part 8), ‘California Fire Code (Part 9) – with exceptions and all appendix Chapters’, ‘California Existing Building Code’ (Part 10), ‘California Green Building Standards Code’ (Part 11), ‘California Referenced Standards Code, (Part 12), and adopting the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code and the ‘1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings.’
Attachments:
1. Public Notice
2. Ordinance No. 2025-154