TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Kelvin Parker, Community Development Director
DATE:October 7, 2025
SUBJECT: 2025 California Building Standards Code with Local Amendments (MCA-2025-70002)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Read ordinance in title only, further reading to be waived, and if no objection, introduce ordinance to approve MCA-2025–70002 amending the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code (TOMC) by repealing sections 8-1.01 through 8-1.25, 8-1.27 and chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14, 16, and 17 of Title 8, readopting the latest version of the State Codes subject to local amendments, and to adopt chapters 18 and 19 of Title 8, thereby updating those construction standards to comply with the 2025 California Code of Regulations Title 24 and the California Health and Safety Code (California State Building Code).
2. Find that is not a project as defined under California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: No
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. Minimal staff time to process the amendment and provide public notices which are included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 General Fund Budget.
BACKGROUND:
The California State Building Code, which includes administrative and technical provisions, regulates the design, construction, occupancy, use, and maintenance of structures, buildings, and related equipment. The essential purpose of the California State Building Code is to protect and promote public health, safety, and welfare through adopted building construction and maintenance standards. These codes are administered through the Building Division of the Community Development Department.
2025 California Building Code (MCA-2025-70002)
October 7, 2025
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The California State Building Code is updated on a triennial basis by the California Building Standards Commission (Commission). The previous code adoption occurred in 2023.
The publication of new Building Standards Codes occurs every three years and the codes are required to be adopted and enforced within six months by local jurisdictions. Local agencies possess authority to adopt more restrictive amendments to the California Building Standards Code to provide mitigating minimum standards for local hazards relative to local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions when findings support and substantiate the need for such greater restriction of construction standards. TOMC Title 8 contains such amendments and the findings to support them.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Table 1, below, identifies the 19 topics covered by the City’s Building Regulations, and the 12 Chapters that are proposed for amendment.
Table 1: Thousand Oaks Building Regulations1
Chapter Topic Amendment
Proposed
1 Building Code
2 Capital Improvement Fees
3 Building Numbering
4 Code Administration
5 International Property Maintenance Code
6 Mechanical Code
7 California Residential Code
8 Plumbing Code
9 Signs
10 Electrical Code
11 Hours for Construction Activities
12 Reports of Residential Records
13 Consumer Information: New Residential
Subdivision Sales
14 Energy Code
15 Disabled Access Appeals and Advisory Board
16 Green Building Standards
17 Existing Building Code
18 Wildland-Urban Interface Code
19 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
1 Contained in Title 8 of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code 2025 California Building Code (MCA-2025-70002)
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The attached ordinance (Attachment #1) is formatted to repeal specific Chapters in the existing Building Regulations of the TOMC and adopt the most recent edition of the California State Building Code, including the 2025 California Administrative Code, Building Code, Residential Code, Fire Code, Existing Building Code, Historical Building Code, Mechanical Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Energy Code, Green Building Standards, Referenced Standards Code, Wildland- Urban Interface Code, the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, and the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.
Adoption of the ordinance incorporates the latest edition of these codes into the TOMC and thereby conforms to the mandate in the California Health and Safety Code that requires every city and county to adopt the same construction standards.
The effective date of the 2025 California State Building Code is January 1, 2026.
A copy of the relevant Codes is available for review in the Building Division’s Offices.
Local Amendment Process
In accordance with State statute, local agencies are permitted to amend the California State Building Code when such amendment is demonstrated and found to be reasonably necessary and warranted in response to certain local conditions. These conditions are narrowly defined as unique climatic, geological, and topographical conditions. City Council must explicitly find these amendments necessary and warranted based upon such aforesaid requirements. The explicit findings, as indicated in the preamble to the attached ordinance, must be available as a public record and a copy thereof inclusive of amendments shall be filed with the California Building Standards Commission and the California Department of Housing and Community Development 30 days prior to such adoption.
The amendments incorporated in the ordinance reflect unique local conditions and contain such items as fire-resistant roof construction materials to reduce potential damage from wildfires, footing/foundation provisions to resist local geological conditions with expansive soil and seismic instability situations, and additional construction reinforcement materials to resist local topographical conditions with steep terrain and landslide occurrences.
Justifications for Local Amendments
Administrative amendments to the California State Building Code are required for administrative and ministerial clarification, and do not adversely void, nullify, modify, or diminish Building Standards pursuant to California Health and Safety 2025 California Building Code (MCA-2025-70002)
October 7, 2025
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Code Sections 17958, 17958.5, and 17958.7. These Amendments establish standards for the effective administration, regulation, and enforcement of building laws, regulations, codes, and standards throughout the City.
In addition, the following are specific justifications for local amendment to Title 24 California Code of Regulations:
1) Local Climatic Conditions: Thousand Oaks experiences unique local climatic conditions and local weather phenomenon. For example, typically from September to May, the strong, hot, and dry “Santa Ana” winds may result in wind-driven wildfire or non-wildfire events. These climatic conditions warrant departure from the California State Building Code regulations and introduction of more stringent construction regulations to limit potential fire damage and to establish specific fire construction, reconstruction, and repair criteria.
2) Local Geological Conditions: Thousand Oaks has unique local geological conditions. The City is located within a seismically active zone, which may result in earthquake hazards. Proximate and potentially active faults include the Boney Mountain Fault, Sycamore Canyon Fault, and Simi-Santa Rosa Valley Fault. The City also possesses poor soil quality, from sandy to rocky soil, including expansive (shrink/swell) soil, which may produce embankment failure, hydro- compaction/hydro-collapse, subsidence, and settlement. These geological conditions warrant departure from the California Building Code regulations and introduction of more stringent construction regulations to limit potential seismic and potentially damaging soil conditions, and to establish specific seismic and soil construction, reconstruction, repair, and reinforcement criteria. 3) Local Topography: Thousand Oaks has unique local topography. The City’s topography includes considerable steep terrain, which can contribute to wildfire risk. The City possesses several flood hazard areas subject to periodic inundation, which may result in life and property loss or destruction, sanitation, and other health, safety, and welfare hazards. Seasonal rains may oversaturate the soil, causing periodic landslides, mudslides, rockslides, rockfalls, and debris flow and creating detrimental effects on in-ground structures. These topographical conditions warrant departure from the California Building Code regulations and introduction of more stringent construction regulations to limit potential damage, and to establish specific topographical construction, reconstruction, and repair criteria.
2025 California Building Code (MCA-2025-70002)
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Local Amendments
All local amendments to the 2025 California Building Standards Code are presented within the attached ordinance.
The following are the substantive changes proposed in the current update:
1) California Wildland-Urban Interface Code: The City is adopting and amending the standards for construction in high fire hazard areas. This is a new, separate code to replace chapters that were previously included in the California Building Code (Chapter 7A) and the California Residential Code (Section R337). 2) International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC): The City is adopting and amending the standards for construction of swimming pools and spas. The 2024 ISPSC establishes minimum regulations for the design, construction, and safety of public and residential pools, spas, and hot tubs. The code incorporates both prescriptive and performance-based provisions to ensure consistency, enhance public safety, and support effective enforcement of modern standards. 3) Tiny Houses: The City is adopting optional construction standards for tiny houses that have been published by the State as a precautionary preparation for affordable housing purposes.
4) Cleanup and Update of Security Provisions: The Security Provisions previously adopted as building standards were outdated and superseded within the latest versions of the building code; therefore, these provisions were removed and defaulted to State code requirements.
5) Adoption of the State’s 2025 Code Edition: The 2025 edition of the following California State Building Code is adopted, as mandated by the State, and with local amendments based on local climate, topography, and geology. Local administrative provisions and enforcement procedures are included. Unless otherwise specified, these amendments do not include substantive local technical amendments.
In summary, adoption of the attached ordinance enables the City to comply with State statutes and Codes, as well as to enact administrative provisions, enforcement procedures, and technical amendments warranted by local climatic, geological, and topographical conditions.
2025 California Building Code (MCA-2025-70002)
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Community Outreach
Staff provided copies of the draft ordinance to the Ventura County Fire District and Building Industry Association Ventura County Chapter. Staff have received no comments to date.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goal:
F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
PREPARED BY: Teo Francu, Building Official
Attachment:
Attachment #1 – Ordinance
cdd:450-15\H:\COMMON\City Council\CC Agenda Items\2025\10072025\Building Code Update\Staff Report.docx/pz (FILE ID: MCA 25-70002)