Sunnyvale City Council
September 30, 2025

Ordinance to amend the
2025 California Building Codes
through local amendments
Suzanne Park
Chief Building Official
Community Development Department
2City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 2025 State Adopted Codes
• Building Code
• Residential Code
• Electrical Code
• Mechanical Code
• Plumbing Code
• Existing Building Code
• Historical Building Code
• Energy Code
• Green Building Standards Code
• Wildland-Urban Interface Code
• Property Maintenance Code
• Fire Code
3City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 Code Development Process
The City
amends state
code
2025 Code published
by the State
California
approves City
amendments
Code is
enforced
• July 1, 2025
 Building
 Mechanical
 Electrical
 Plumbing
 Residential
 Energy
 Green Building
• Sept. 30, 2025
1st reading for City
amendments to the
various codes.
• Energy Commission
and the Building
Standards
Commission
approval required
• January 1, 2026
Enforcement
begins
4City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 Significant City Amendments
5City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 • Administrative
 Property Addressing
 Permit activities, exemptions, and extensions
 Time limits on building permits and plan checks
 Violation protocols
 Document storage
 Definition of ‘Newly Constructed Building’
Amendments to All Codes
6City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 Significant Amendments to the Building Code
Special Inspection
Requirements - Fire-
resistive construction
Fire Extinguishing and Fire
Protection sections are
referred to the Fire Code
Increased Fire-retardant
roof covering
7City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 Significant Amendments to the Residential Code
Definition of a
Townhome
Fire-Resistive
Construction
between
Townhomes
Fire-Sprinkler
Requirements for
Residential
Buildings
Wind and
Earthquake
Resistant Wall
Construction
Increased Fire-
Retardant Roof
Covering
Swimming Pool
Safety
Requirements
8City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 New Electric Readiness Reach Code
AC to Heat Pump Reach Code
2020 EV Charger Reach Code Coordination with 2025
California Green Building Code
Significant Amendments to the Energy and Green Building Codes 9City of Sunnyvale – Building Code Amendments – September 2025 Staff Recommendation
Introduction of Ordinance:
1) Amending Various Sections of Title 16 (Buildings and Construction) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code to Adopt by Reference the 2025 California Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Building Standards Administrative, Energy, Historical Building, Existing Building, Wildland-Urban Interface, Green Building Standards Code, and the International Property Maintenance Code, with Local Amendments and Related Findings
2) Finding the Action is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act