REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Introduce an Ordinance Amending Chapters 16.42 (Energy Code) and 16.43 (Green Building) of Title 16 (Buildings and Construction) of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code with Local Amendments to the 2022 California Energy and Green Building Standards Codes to add Reach Code Provisions for Existing Single Family Residential Remodels, Additions and Alterations, and Find that the Action is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061, 15305 and 15308
Report
BACKGROUND
The State Legislature passed Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130), a bill that includes a temporary halt to local jurisdiction amendments to State building codes for residential construction, with limited exceptions, including life and safety requirements. The restriction is in place between October 1, 2025, through June 30, 2031. Historically, the updated State codes are published every three years and can be amended by local jurisdictions, with findings related to local conditions, up to the new codes' effective date of December 31, the year in which it is published. However, pursuant to AB 130, the residential code amendments cannot occur on or after October 1, 2025, and the following six years, unless they relate to life and safety issues or fall into other narrow categories.
One of the exceptions to the restriction on local amendments in AB 130 applies to existing residential amendments to previous codes which can effectively 'roll over' to the new 2025 residential code as long as the previous amendments have not been substantially revised for this new code.
The proposed ordinance applies to the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code and the 2022 California Energy Code. The same amendments will then be included in the local amendments to the 2025 State residential building code, which would be permissible because they will be substantially consistent with previous changes.
EXISTING POLICY
GENERAL PLAN
Chapter 2 ...
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