DATE:
September 9, 2025
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Community Development, Fire
TITLE: 2025 Building Codes Update
(Second Reading)
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt an Ordinance of the City of Mountain View Amending the Mountain View City Code to Delete Chapter 8, Article VIII (Floodplain Management), in its Entirety and Adopt a New Chapter 48 (Floodplain Management), And Finding that the Amendments are Exempt from Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 1 to the Council Report). (First reading: 7 - 0)
2. Adopt an Ordinance of the City of Mountain View Adopting the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code with Local Amendments, Amending the Mountain View City Code to Delete Chapter 8, Article V (2021 International Property Maintenance Code) in its Entirety a nd Adopt a New Article VI (Property Maintenance Code) in Chapter 25 (Neighborhood Preservation) to Locate With Other Similar City Regulations, and Finding that the Amendments are Exempt from Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 2 to the Council report). (First reading: 7 - 0)
3. Adopt an Ordinance of the City of Mountain View Amending Chapter 24 (Hazardous Materials) of the Mountain View City Code to Streamline Content and Make Other Clarifying Amendments, and Finding that the Amendments are Exempt from Review under the California Envi ronmental Quality Act, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 3 to the Council Report). (First reading: 7 - 0)
4. Adopt an Ordinance of the City of Mountain View (1) Repealing Local Amendments to the 2022 California Building Standards Code, (2) Adopting Local Amendments to the 2025 California Building Standards Code, Including the 2025 California Energy Code , (3) Amending Chapters 8 (Buildings) and City Code 14 (Fire Prevention) of the Mountain View Municipal Code to Comply with Changes to State Law, (4) Adopting Findings to Support the Local Amendments, and (5) Finding this Ordinance is Exempt from Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 4 to the Council Report). (First reading: 7 - 0)
2025 Building Codes Update (Second Reading)
September 9, 2025
SUMMARY
On August 26, 2025, the City Council introduced ordinances to:
• Create a new Chapter 48 (Floodplain Management), by removing the current regulations from Chapter 8 to a new chapter in the City Code for easier access (see Attachment 1);
• Amend Chapter 25 (Neighborhood Preservation) to adopt the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code and locate it with similar provisions related to the maintenance of existing buildings (see Attachment 2);
• Amend Chapter 24 (Hazardous Materials) to streamline provisions and remove certain Toxic Gas regulations that are governed under State or Federal regulations (see Attachment 3); and
• Repeal and adopt a new Chapter 8 (Buildings) and Chapter 14 (Fire Prevention) of the City Code to align with the 2025 California Building Standards Codes, which consists of Building, Fire, Residential, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, Green Building, Historical, Existing Building, and other international and uniform referenced standards , including the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings ; and introduce new 2025 Reach Code provisions related to heat pump space conditioning for single-family residential, new electric prewiring requirements for all gas or propane appliances installed (new or replacements) in all existing buildings, and new bird -safe design requirements (see Attachment 4).
Amendments to the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code
Based on feedback from the public received before and at the August 26, 2025 meeting , the Council unanimously directed staff to make additional local amendments to Chapter 8 (Buildings) of the City Code, located in Attachment 4 Exhibit B, to add further refinements to the bird- safe design requirements (as part of Appendix A5.107 of the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code). Specifically, the following amendments were identified:
• Remove interior-applied film as a compliance measure for glazing; • Remove netting from the list of potential compliance measures; • Remove the dimensional threshold for passageways, skyways, skywalks, or other building connectors that require glazing treatment (e.g. any width applies); and • Modify the types of special architectural features that require glazing treatment to add the following:
o Atriums (open and enclosed),
o Glass adjacent to courtyards,
2025 Building Codes Update (Second Reading)
September 9, 2025
o Three floors of glass adjacent to any green roof or partial green roof, and o Any stand -alone accessory or ancillary structure, such as, but not limited to, gazebos, ticket booths, bus shelters, or any free -standing clear, transparent or highly reflective structure or installation.
Staff has made the necessary modifications to the code to include these changes. For ease of review, these amendments have been drafted in red text and located as a separate Attachment 5 to this report . However, the amendments are formally included in Attachment 4 Exhibit B to this report.
Effective Dates
This is the second reading of these Ordinances. If approved, the Ordinances, including the specific City Code Chapter updates, will go into effect per Table 1. Chapters 8 and 14 have extended effective dates to align with the 2025 California Building Standards Code effective date of January 1, 2026 and to allow time for necessary State agency approvals.
Table 1: Ordinance Effective Dates by City Code Chapter Effective October 9, 2025 (30 days) Effective January 1, 2026 • New Chapter 48 (Floodplain
Management) – Attachment 1
• Chapter 25 (Neighborhood Preservation)
– Attachment 2
• Chapter 24 (Hazardous Materials) –
Attachment 3
• Chapter 8 (Buildings) – Attachment 4
• Chapter 14 (Fire Prevention) –
Attachment 4
FISCAL IMPACT – None.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
2025 Building Codes Update (Second Reading)
September 9, 2025
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
☒ General policy and legislative actions
For more information about the Levine Act, please see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html.
NEXT STEPS
If approved by Council on September 9, 2025 , staff will submit the following to State Agencies for acceptance and approval:
1. Submit a letter with executed copies of the Ordinance in Attachment 4, which include the City’s local amendments to the 2025 California Building Standards Code, to the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) for their review and acceptance. A City must receive written acceptance from the CBSC of any filed local amendments to deem them “accepted” and for a city to begin implementation and enforcement of th ose local amendments. [Note, in accordance with AB 130, staff is striving to obtain written CBSC acceptance by no later than September 30, 2025].
2. Submit a formal application to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for review of local amendments related to energy efficiency standards in the 2025 California Building Standards Code for the AC-to-heat pump requirement for existing single -family residential development. The application will include a copy of the executed Ordinance in Attachment 4, as well as a copy of the Cost Effectiveness Study referenced in the Ordinance. Staff must receive written approval of the City’s application by the CEC prior to being able to implement and enforce the new 2025 code provisions . This review may take up to four months, but is not subject to the AB 130 deadline.
2025 Building Codes Update (Second Reading)
September 9, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICING
Agenda posting. The ordinance was published at least two days prior to adoption in accordance with City Charter Section 522. An email notification was sent through the City’s email subscription list regarding this meeting date for members of the public interested in building code amendments.
Prepared by:
Nena Bizjak
Chief Building Official
Lindsay Hagan
Assistant Community Development Director
Approved by:
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
Attachments: 1. Ordinance for a new Chapter 48 (Floodplain Management)
2. Ordinance for Chapter 25 (Neighborhood Preservation) amendments
3. Ordinance for Chapter 24 (Hazardous Materials) amendments
4. Ordinance for Chapters 8 (Buildings) and 14 (Fire Prevention)
5. Redlined Excerpt from Attachment 4