CITY OF HAWAIIAN GARDENS
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item #A1
DATE: November 12, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Ernesto Marquez, City Manager
BY: Elise McCaleb, Community Development Director
Dennis Tarango, Building Official
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation to hold a Public Hearing and conduct the second reading of Ordinance No. 2025-621, amending Title 15 of the Hawaiian Gardens Municipal Code, adopting by reference the 2025 California Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Residential Codes.
SUMMARY
Every three years, the California Building Standards Commission updates the California Building Standards Codes (Title 24, California Code of Regulations). The 2025 edition was published on July 1, 2025, and becomes effective statewide on January 1, 2026.
The City of Hawaiian Gardens, as a local jurisdiction, is required to adopt these codes by reference, with any desired local amendments based on specific local conditions, before they take effect. The proposed ordinance repeals and replaces existing Title 15 chapters to adopt the latest codes with administrative and safety-related amendments.
DISCUSSION
The State of California adopts and publishes State Building Codes and mandates they become effective throughout the State 180 days after publication. The 2025 codes will become effective on January 1, 2026.
State law, however, also permits local jurisdictions to make modifications, referred to as “local amendments,” that may be more, but in no event less, restrictive than those requirements adopted by the State. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code sections 17958.5 and 17958.7, cities may adopt local amendments to the California Building Standards Code which are either administrative or required by the city’s unique geological, climatic, and/or topographical conditions.
2025 Building Codes
November 12, 2025
The City is proposing minor amendments to the California Codes, most of all of which are administrative in nature and Title 15 Chapters 15.04 through 15.014 is organized as the following:
• Administration of Building Codes (15.04)
• Building Code (15.06)
• Electrical Code (15.08)
• Mechanical Code (15.10)
• Plumbing Code (15.12)
• Residential Code (15.14)
Administration of Building Codes: Establishes uniform permitting, fee, expiration, refund, and enforcement provisions consistent with current practices.
Local Amendments: Reflect regional seismic hazards and clarify design professional requirements for multi-story wood-frame structures in Seismic Design Categories D0–E.
Uniform Enforcement: Aligns penalty, severability, and conflict clauses across all technical codes for consistency and clarity.
No Entitlement Creation: Clarifies that adoption of technical codes does not override zoning or land use restrictions in the Municipal Code.
California Codes can be viewed online at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/BSC/Codes
ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION
Adoption of this Ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance may have a significant effect on the environment pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). The adoption of the proposed ordinance is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The adoption of the proposed Ordinance does not have such potential, and therefore is not a project subject to CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact to the City will be the cost to acquire two (2) sets of code books. One set is for the City Clerk and one set is for the Building Department. The estimated cost is $3,000. As required by Government Code Section 50022.6, at least one copy of each model Code to be adopted and/or amended must be on file with the City Clerk and/or Building Department at least 15 days before the date of the hearing at which the Ordinance is to be considered for adoption.
2025 Building Codes
November 12, 2025
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve Recommendation.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Ordinance No: 2025-621