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AMEND SECTIONS OF TITLE 15 OF THE STOCKTON MUNICIPAL CODE BY INCORPORATING THE 2025 EDITION OF CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 24, INCLUDING APPLICABLE APPENDICES (CALIFORNIA MODEL BUILDING AND FIRE CODES)
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance amending Title 15 of the Stockton Municipal Code (SMC), specifically, Chapters 15.04, 15.08, 15.10, 15.12, 15.16, 15.20, 15.36, 15.40, 15.64, 15.72, 15.82, and 15.86 to incorporate the 2025 Edition of the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, as amended.
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Summary
In accordance with State law, local jurisdictions are mandated to adopt and enforce the most recent model building and fire codes published by the California Building Standards Commission, effective January 1, 2026. The building and fire codes are modified every three (3) years. City staff received and reviewed the California amended code books in August 2025 and developed the proposed local code amendments in conformance with these model codes.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt and incorporate the latest version of the California Model Building and Fire Codes (California Code of Regulations, 2025 Edition), as amended, into Title 15 of the SMC (Attachment A - California Building and Fire Code - Redline). The proposed amendments to the SMC include updating outdated code references, amending the model codes for local conditions, clarifying code requirements for electrical installations, and amending the building and fire code for local fire sprinkler and alarm requirements.
DISCUSSION
Background
The California Administrative Code, California Code of Regulations, Title 24 requires that all local jurisdictions enforce and adopt the State model codes in accordance with the requirements of the California Building Standards Commission. Local jurisdictions can make amendments to the codes that are more restrictive, but not less restrictive than the model codes based on topographic, geological, and climatic conditions. Accordingly, it is recommended that the City Council adopt local code amendments to facilitate the implementation of the State codes.
The California Building Standards Commission promulgates, amends, and publishes new editions of the various model codes reflecting changing technology, best practices and products in the construction industry. The Commission updated and published revised construction regulations in July 2025, and these regulations will be effective statewide on January 1, 2026. Local jurisdictions must review, and if necessary, amend their municipal codes to conform with State regulations within six (6) months following the publication date of the amended State model codes (January 2026).
By order of the California State Legislature, the California Building Standards Commission is required to adopt, amend, and repeal regulations in the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, also referred to as the California Building Standards Code or Administrative Code. The California Legislature delegates, through the California Building Standards Commission, to various state agencies, boards, commissions and departments, the responsibility to create building regulations to implement the State statutes. Agencies contributing to collaborative efforts to develop the California Building Standards Code consist of the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Division of the State Architect, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Department of Health Care Access and Information, the California Energy Commission and the Commission’s Code Advisory Committees.
The California Building Standards Code is modeled after the International Building Codes developed by the International Code Council (ICC), with amendments made by the California Building Standards Commission. These codes are triennially adopted. The adoption process goes through extensive hearings with input by all parties, public and private, that have any concerns with the built environment. Those hearings are conducted during the development of the International Code and again at the State level. Accordingly, representatives of the building trades, developers, architects, engineers, and the general public have had opportunities to review and provide input to the California Building Standards Commission prior to their adoption of the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards in the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, which is adopted by the State Legislature.
Additionally, Assembly Bill (AB) 130 adopted on June 30, 2025, amended California Health and Safety Code Section 17958.5 imposing a temporary moratorium, from October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, on the adoption of new or more restrictive residential building standards at the state and local levels with exceptions for previously filed local amendments and for emergency standards. This legislation prohibits the City from adopting a change or modification to the California Building Standards Code related to residential units for local conditions unless the proposed changes or modifications are substantially equivalent to changes or modifications that were previously filed by the governing body and were in effect as of September 30, 2025. The local amendments in this ordinance are substantially equivalent to the local amendments that were previously filed by the City and in effect as of January 1, 2023, pursuant to California Health and Safety Code section 17958.5(c)(1).
Present Situation
The City is required to adopt and enforce the most recent model building and fire codes. City staff received and reviewed the final model code books in August 2025 and developed the proposed local code amendments. Adoption of the proposed ordinance will bring the City into compliance with this requirement. The proposed adoptions to the SMC are primarily procedural and renumbering.
The State requirements are effective statewide January 1, 2026.The purpose and effect of the new State-mandated building and fire codes is to improve public health and safety. The State’s construction and fire codes can be amended by local enforcement jurisdictions to mitigate climatic, topographical, and geological conditions that are unique to the local jurisdiction. Such local amendments relative to building standards require express findings and justifications as to the local climatic, topographical, or geological condition to be mitigated. Adoption of the proposed ordinance includes the required express findings necessary to make the local amendments enforceable. Local amendments of an administrative nature do not require express findings.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the proposed ordinance incorporating and amending the latest version of the California Model Building and Fire Codes (2025 Editions of the California Code of Regulations), as amended, into Title 15 of the SMC as specified in Attachment A.
Attachment A outlines the detailed amendments to Title 15 including administrative amendments and amendments necessary to mitigate local climatic, topographical, and geological conditions. A summary of the proposed substantive amendments to the SMC are provided hereafter.
SMC Title 15, Chapter 15.04:
• Various administrative and numerical amendments relative to permits, inspections, and fees to align with the administrative requirements of the 2025 Editions of the California Code of Regulations.
SMC Title 15, Chapter 15.08:
• Adopt the 2025 Edition of the California Building Code with Appendices F (Rodent Proofing), G (Flood Resistant Construction), H (Signs), I (Patio Covers), J (Grading), K (Group R-3 and Group R-3.1 Occupancies Protected by the Facilities of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan), P (Sleeping Lofts), and Q (Emergency Housing) with amendments.
• Amend Section 15.08.070 Fire protection systems to align the California Building Code with the requirements identified in the California Fire Code amendments relative to fire sprinkler and fire alarm requirements.
• Amend Section 15.08.090 Address identification amending the premise identification requirements of the California Building Code to ensure adequate premise identification for emergency response.
SMC Title 15, Chapter 15.10:
• Adopt the 2025 Edition of the California Residential Code with Appendices BB (Tiny Houses), BF (Patio Covers), BG (Sound Transmission), BH (Automatic Vehicular Gates), BO (Existing Buildings and Structures), CI (Swimming Pool Safety Act), CJ (Emergency Housing), and CK (Areas Protected by the Facilities of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan) with amendments.
• Amend Section 15.10.040 Amendments to align the California Residential Code with the requirements identified in the California Fire Code amendments related to fire sprinkler systems.
SMC Title 15, Chapter 15.12:
• Adopt the 2025 Edition of the California Fire Code with Appendices B (Fire-Flow Requirements for Buildings), BB (Fire-Flow Requirements for School Buildings), C (Fire Hydrant Locations and Distribution), CC (Fire Hydrant Locations and Distribution for Schools), D (Fire Apparatus Access Roads), E (Hazard Categories), F (Hazard Ranking), G (Cryogenic Fluids), H (Hazardous Materials Management Plans and Inventory), I (Fire Protection Systems - Noncompliant Conditions), J (Building Information Sign), K (Construction Requirements for Existing Ambulatory Care Facilities), L (Requirements for Fire Fighter Air Replenishment Systems), M (High-Rise Building Retroactive Automatic Sprinkler Requirement), N (Indoor Trade Shows and Exhibitions), O (Valet Trash and Recycling Collection in Group R-2 Occupancies), P (Temporary Haunted Houses, Ghost Walks and Similar Amusement Uses), and Q (Community Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Hazard Evaluation Framework) with amendments.
• The appendices proposed for adoption provide for detailed fire and life safety requirements for specific events and situations not otherwise covered in the base code requirements.
• Various other administrative and local code amendments relative to operational fire permit requirements for certain business types and fire sprinkler and fire alarm requirements for new and existing buildings.
• Sections 15.12.050 through 15.12.110 are not changed and contain substantially the same amendments to the 2025 California Fire Code as previously approved by Council for the 2022 California Fire Code adoption.
SMC Title 15, Chapters 15.16 through 15.86:
• Adopt the 2025 Edition of the California Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, Electrical Code, Existing Building Code, Green Building Standards Code, Historical Building Code, Energy Code, and 2024 Edition of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with minor administrative and local amendments.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Funds to purchase the necessary code books and training were approved in the FY 2025-26 Annual Budget for the Community Development Department in Account Nos. 5530-000-650006-220-221-20-55-000-000 (Development Services Building Division - Library Materials) and 5530-000-660001-220-221-20-55-000-000 (Development Services Building Division - Training). There is no other financial impact on City departments or the general fund.
Attachment A - California Building and Fire Code - Redline