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CC - PUBLIC HEARING: (1) Introduction of an Ordinance: (A) Repealing and Replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.100, of Chapter 15.02, “Adoption of State Codes”, (B) Repealing and Replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.1100, of Chapter 15.02, “Local Amendments to the Green Building Standards Code, Building Code and Residential Building Code, to Establish Reach Code Standards” and (C) Adopting by Reference the 2025 California Administrative Code, 2025 California Building Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Residential Building Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Electrical Code, 2025 California Mechanical Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Plumbing Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Energy Code, 2025 California Wildland Urban Interface Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Historical Building Code, 2025 California Existing Building Code with Local Amendments, 2025 California Green Building Standards Code with Local Amendments, and 2025 California Reference Standards Code; 2024 International Property Maintenance Code with Local Amendments; and (2) Adoption of a Resolution of Express Findings Pertaining to Local Climatic, Geological, or Topographical Conditions.
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Meeting Date: October 13, 2025
Contact Person/Dept.: Tim Koutsouros, Building Official/Planning and Development Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5802
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/08/2025)
Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning and Development Director (9/26/2025) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council:
(1) Introduce an ordinance: (A) repealing and replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.100, of Chapter 15.02, “Adoption of State Codes”, (B) repealing and replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.1100, of Chapter 15.02, “Local Amendments to the Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), California Building Code (CBC) and Residential Building Code (CRC), to Establish Reach Code Standards” and (C) adopting by reference the 2025 California Administrative Code (CAC), 2025 CBC with local amendments, 2025 CRC with local amendments, 2025 California Electrical Code (CEC), 2025 California Mechanical Code (CMC) with local amendments, 2025 California Plumbing Code (CPC) with local amendments, 2025 California Energy Code (Energy Code), 2025 California Wildland Urban Interface Code with local amendments (CWUIC), 2025 California Historical Building Code (CHC), 2025 California Existing Building Code (CEBC) with local amendments, 2025 CALGreen with local amendments, and 2025 California Reference Standards Code (CRSC); 2024 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with local amendments; and (2) Adopt a Resolution of Express Findings Pertaining to Local Climatic, Geological, or Topographical Conditions.
PROCEDURE
1. The Mayor seeks a motion to receive and file the affidavit for publishing a legal notice and correspondence received in response to the public hearing notice.
2. The Mayor calls for a staff report and the City Council may pose questions to staff.
3. The Mayor seeks a motion to open the public hearing and invites public comments.
4. The Mayor seeks a motion to close the public hearing.
5. Based on public comment and staff research, the City Council discusses the proposed recommendation and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
On July 1, 2025, the International Code Council published the adopted triennial edition of the California Building Standards Code, Title 24, California Code of Regulations (CBSC). The CBSC includes the following building safety standards: CAC, CBC, CEC, CMC, CPC, Energy Code, CHC, CEBC, CRC, CALGreen, CRSC, and the newly established California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (CWUIC).
The CBSC establishes minimum statewide construction standards effective January 1, 2026. These standards will apply in all California jurisdictions as of that date, regardless of whether they have been adopted locally. Under California Health and Safety Code Section 18938.5, all permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, must comply with the 2025 CBSC.
Cities may adopt local amendments to the CBSC if supported by findings based on climatic, topographical, geological, or environmental conditions. The environmental findings pertain to CALGreen amendments. Administrative amendments necessary to carry out procedures related to civil, administrative, or criminal procedures and remedies available for enforcing code violations may be enacted without meeting these findings.
Local amendments to the CBSC must be more restrictive than the standard provisions. Such local amendments are then filed with the California Building Standards Commission (BSC).
On June 30, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 130 into law to promote faster and more affordable housing and infrastructure development. The bill aims to help control costs by freezing new residential building standards for six years starting October 1, 2025. There are limited exceptions, such as emergency and fire updates; however, it permits changes or modifications that are substantially equivalent to those previously filed with the BSC.
The CWUIC, although a new standard, contains existing provisions. The CWUIC provisions address fire spread, accessibility, defensible space, and water supply for buildings constructed in proximity to wildland areas. The new CWUIC, consolidates and relocates existing chapters, sections, and language from several parts of Title 24. including CBC Chapter 7A, CRC Section R337, and the California Fire Code Chapter 49.
DISCUSSION
The Building Safety Division is proposing several local amendments to the 2025 CBSC for adoption. The local amendments will affect the construction of new buildings, alterations, and additions to existing structures and are generally not retroactive to existing buildings.
In accordance with the AB 130 CBSC freeze exception 1, the proposed amendments are substantially equivalent to changes or modifications that the City previously filed with the BSC during the adoption of the 2022 CBSC and as a result of the single staircase reform item adopted on September 29, 2025. Therefore, the proposed local amendments are permitted to be carried over to the 2025 CBSC.
The continuation of previously adopted local amendments ensures that life safety remains protected. The existing local amendments were part of a regional approach by the Los Angeles Building Code Chapter of the International Code Council, representing 89 jurisdictions, aimed at improving building seismic performance following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and achieving regional standard uniformity. It also includes changes to materials requirements, construction quality control, and potential hazard mitigation, such as the installation of a seismic gas shutoff valve. In addition to seismic safety performance enhancements, there are existing sustainable local amendments aimed at reducing water consumption and retention, light pollution, and the spread of fire.
There are also minor proposed editorial and administrative updates to the 2025 CBSC. The proposed 2025 updates include:
• Administrative revisions to align with updated code numbering.
• Removal of the Intermodal Shipping Container amendment (now included in the base CBSC).
• Extension of plan check validity from 3 months to 1 year and permit validity from 6 months to 1 year, providing applicants with more flexibility to secure financing, choose a contractor and gather supplies, while reducing the risk of expiration.
• Removal of water retention requirements for ADUs and JADUs to streamline approvals.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2025-10-13_Proposed Ordinance
2. 2025-10-13_Resolution of Express Findings
3. 2025-10-13_Chapter 15.02: Buildings, Structures and Equipment Track Changes
4. 2025-10-13_Building Code Public Hearing Notice
MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Introduce an ordinance: (A) repealing and replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.100, of Chapter 15.02, “Adoption of State Codes”, (B) repealing and replacing Culver City Municipal Code Subchapter 15.02.1100, of Chapter 15.02, “Local Amendments to CALGreen, CBC and CRC, to Establish Reach Code Standards” and (C) adopting by reference the 2025 CAC 2025 CBC with local amendments, 2025 CRC with local amendments, 2025 CEC, 2025 CMC with local amendments, 2025 CPC with local amendments, 2025 Energy Code, 2025 CWUIC with local amendments, 2025 CHC Code, 2025 CEBC with local amendments, 2025 CALGreen with local amendments, and 2025 CRSC; 2024 IPMC with local amendments; and
2. Adopt a Resolution of Express Findings Pertaining to Local Climatic, Geological, or Topographical Conditions.