TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: David Chantarangsu, AICP, Development Services Director
PREPARED BY: Andrew Krogh, Building Official
SUBJECT:
title
First Reading of Ordinance for Adoption of the 2025 California Building Standards Code
end
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Conduct the first reading and introduce Ordinance No. 625-25 entitled: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Murrieta, California, Adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code; and
Schedule a Public Hearing to conduct the second reading of Ordinance No. 625-25 for the November 18, 2025, City Council Meeting.
body
PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On November 1, 2022, the City Council introduced and conducted the first reading of Ordinance No. 583-22 approving amendments to the Murrieta Municipal Code thereby adopting the 2022 California Building Standards Code, with minor local amendments (Vote: 5-0).
On November 15, 2022, the City Council conducted the second reading and adopted Ordinance No. 583-22 approving amendments to the Murrieta Municipal Code thereby adopting the 2022 California Building Standards Code, with minor local amendments (Vote: 4-0-1).
CITY COUNCIL GOAL
Maintain a high performing organization that values fiscal sustainability, transparency, accountability and organizational efficiency.
BACKGROUND
The California Building Standards Commission is the State agency responsible for establishing and updating the building standards and codes for new construction in California. The model codes that make up the California Building Standards Code - California Code of Regulations Title 24 (CBSC) include the following:
• International Building Code;
• National Electrical Code;
• International Residential Code;
• Uniform Mechanical Code; and
• Uniform Plumbing Code.
The model building codes are updated every three years with the requirement that local jurisdictions enforce the State adopted codes as the minimum standard for construction. The current 2025 CBSC was published July 1, 2025, with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Under State law, the CBSC applies throughout the State and to all building occupancies, whether or not the local government has an adopted ordinance.
The State allows local amendments to the code when findings can be made that such code changes are necessary to address locally unique topographical, geological, climatic, and environmental conditions. The decision-making authority (i.e., City Council) must approve the amendments and required findings to justify the local amendments before they can be enforced. In no circumstance can a local amendment be less restrictive than State code.
Proposed Local Code Amendments
The action being considered is to formally adopt the 2025 CBSC along with one local administrative amendment. The proposed amendment is minor in scope, administrative in nature, and renews the City’s approach to utilizing a Construction Advisory Board of Appeals if a dispute ever arises concerning the application of the standard codes by the City’s Building Official. The local amendment also updates the members of the Construction Advisory Board of Appeals as set forth in Section 15.04.120 of the Murrieta Municipal Code. To the best of staff’s knowledge, no appeal has ever occurred, but it is still a best practice to have an appeals board made up of professionals in the field of building and safety to consider such appeals in the event one is ever filed.
The public hearing for the adoption of the updated codes will take place at the City Council meeting of November 18, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
The proposed project involves the adoption of the California Building Standards Code, with amendments as described in this staff report. The code amendments do not result in any physical changes to the environment, there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment, and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3). Furthermore, the proposed project involves the adoption of State building codes and standards that are applied to ministerial permits. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.1 and Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code, CEQA does not apply to those projects over which public agencies exercise only ministerial authority.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Ordinance No. 625-25