TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Masa Alkire, Community Development Director
Ryan Heise, Building Official
Jesse Alexander, Fire Chief
Kevin Shin, Fire Marshal
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of the Introduction of two Ordinances to Amend Title 9 and Chapter 3.16 of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code and to Adopt the Most Recent California Building Standards Code by Reference (2025 California Building Code; 2025 California Residential Code; 2025 California Fire Code; 2025 California Electrical Code; 2025 California Plumbing Code; 2025 California Green Building Standards Code; 2025 California Energy Code; 2025 California Mechanical Code; 2025 California Existing Building Code; 2025 California Historical Building Code; 2025 California Administrative Code; 2025 California Referenced Standards Code) and to Adopt Associated Local Amendments (No Budget Impact) (Community Development Alkire and Fire Department Alexander).
A) INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NOS. 25-0009 AND 25-0010
B) SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 18, 2025
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council introduce Ordinance Nos. 25-0009 and 25-0010 and set a public hearing for November 18, 2025.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The California Building Standards Code adoption cycle is a routine rule-making process that occurs every three years in which various State agencies adopt building standards based on model codes. The last complete set of the California Building Standards Code was adopted by the State in 2022 and became effective on January 1, 2023. State law requires local governments to enforce the California Building Standards Code.
On June 30, 2025, California enacted Assembly Bill (AB) 130, which includes provisions that prohibit cities and counties from modifying residential building standards except under very specific circumstances. AB 130 states that from October 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, amendments at the local level may not be adopted that affect residential development. Local amendments that are adopted as of that date may continue to be adopted under the forthcoming adoption of the 2025 editions of the California Codes.
On July 1, 2025, the California Building Standards Commission published the most recent edition of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, known as the California Building Standards Code, which go into effect on January 1, 2026. The City must adopt these codes with any local amendments before January 1, 2026. The California Building Standards Codes include the 2025 California Building, Residential, Fire, Electrical, Plumbing, Green Building Standards, Energy, Mechanical, Existing, Historical, Administrative, and Reference Standards codes.
DISCUSSION:
The State of California has adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Codes that must in turn, be adopted or utilized by each city or county. Pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 18941.5, the City is able to amend certain provisions due to the unique climatic, geological, and topographical conditions, provided findings of necessity can be made. The administrative sections of the California Building Standards Code do not require justification through findings.
Notable changes between the 2022 and 2025 California Building Standards Codes have improved the safety and energy efficiency in buildings and provided standardized requirements for new building components. The updated California Building Standards Codes have updated and clarified existing code language to account for current industry standards.
Staff is proposing the adoption of the new California Building Standards Codes along with local code amendments, consistent with the current Manhattan Beach Municipal Codes (MBMC) and past practice. The draft Ordinance No. 25-0009 and Ordinance No. 25-0010 are attached. Consistent with the prior amendments adopted by the City, key amendments to our local codes are as follows:
1. Continue to limit the maximum duration of construction permits to four years for construction projects, whereas the State provision has no definite limit, in order to minimize neighborhood construction impacts and to ensure that new construction is consistent with the most current Building Standards Codes (MBMC Chapter 9.01 Building Code, Administrative,
MBMC Chapter 9.02 Existing Building Code, Administrative,
MBMC Chapter 9.03 Residential Code, Administrative).
2. Continue to clarify when fire sprinklers are required for all structures (MBMC 9.01.080, 9.03.060, and 3.16.020 Fire Sprinkler Requirements, Climatic and Topographical conditions)
3. Continue to prohibit the use of wood shakes and wood shingles for new roof or re-roof materials due to fire safety concerns (MBMC 9.01.090 Roofing and re-roofing, Climatic condition).
4. Continue the current requirements for undergrounding or stubbing out of utilities for major remodels and new construction to accommodate possible future utility undergrounding (MBMC 9.12.040 Services undergrounding, Administrative).
5. Continue to allow non-corrosive plastic building materials in residential plumbing construction due to our environmental condition as it increases durability (MBMC 9.32.030 ABS and PVC Installation, Climatic condition).
6. No modifications to the requirements of sustainable building measures regarding material conservation and waste management diversion to match current Green Building Standards (MBMC 5.26.020 Diversion requirement for waste generated by construction and demolition, Administrative).
7. No modifications to the local municipal code amendments adopted by City Council on September 16, 2025.
8. Removal of the local fire code amendment for the definition of high-rise building of 55 feet to be consistent with State Building Code definition of high-rise building.
The majority of the local amendments are carried forward from the previous joint effort by 89 jurisdictions within Los Angeles County to develop the Los Angeles Regional Uniform Code Program to clarify and update the structural requirements due to potential hazards specific to our community. The amendments include additional structural engineering design-related provisions for earthquake, wind, and other geologic, topographic, or climatic concerns.
According to California Health and Safety Code Section 17958.7, the City Council must find specific, local needs to support amendments that are more restrictive than the State-adopted model codes. These findings for the Building Code amendments are attached here in draft form and both building and Fire code findings will be included in the two resolutions that will accompany the ordinances at second reading. If the City Council adopts the two ordinances and resolutions, all documents will be filed with the California Building Standards Commission.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
An email was distributed to the City’s Construction Community distribution list notifying the recipients of this item and the City Council meeting date. A public hearing is also required before final adoption of the Ordinances. (California Government Code 50022.3, 50022.4) Staff is recommending that the City Council set that hearing to occur on November 18, 2025. Notice of the public hearing will be published for two successive weeks in the Beach Reporter (California Government Code 50022.3, 6066).
The notice would inform the public that certified copies of the Ordinances and the referenced Codes are on file for review with the City Clerk for at least 15 days before the public hearing, as required by Government Code 50022.6.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council’s consideration of the two ordinances amending Title 9 (Building Regulations) and Chapter 3.16 (Fire Code) of the Manhattan Beach Municipal Code has been determined to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the common sense exemption (formerly the “general rule”) that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question can have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA, as is the case with this item, which imposes limitations on activities in the City, and will thereby serve to eliminate potentially significant adverse environmental impacts.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance No. 25-0009
2. Resolution No. 25-0118
3. Ordinance No. 25-0010