TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Carrie Tai, Community Development Director
Ryan Heise, Building Official
Susan Yuzuki, Plan Check Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Introduction of an Ordinance Establishing an Expedited Permitting Process for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations as Required by California Government Code Section 65850.7 and Making a Determination Under the California Environmental Quality Act (Community Development Director Tai).
INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NO. 20-0017
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 20-0017 establishing an expedited permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations, as required by Government Code Section 65850.7.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
In 2015, the State of California adopted Assembly Bill 1236 (2015, Chiu, codified as Government Code Section 65850.7), which requires local jurisdictions with a population fewer than 200,000 residents to, in consultation with the local fire department, adopt an ordinance to create an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Section 65850.7 requires that, in developing an expedited permitting process, the City adopt a checklist of requirements with which a permit application for an EV charging station will be eligible for expedited review and a method for electronic submittal of permit applications.
DISCUSSION:
An EV charging station is any level of electric vehicle supply equipment that delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle. The proposed checklist will require the permit applicant to document the features of the existing electrical service such as rating in amperes, system voltage, connected or calculated load, spare capacity in amperes, voltage and ampere rating of the electric vehicle supply equipment, circuit rating of the electric vehicle supply equipment, location of the electric vehicle supply equipment, if ventilation is or is not required, and clearances of the charging equipment to comply with all applicable building and fire safety laws. The checklist also assists the applicant in confirming that the location of the EV supply equipment will comply with any vehicle clearance requirements in the City’s Zoning Code. As recommended by Section 65850.7, the City’s checklist is based on the “Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook <https://opr.ca.gov/docs/ZEV_Guidebook.pdf>” published by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
Section 65850.7 (h) states that approval of a permit for EV charging equipment cannot be conditioned on the granting of permission by a common interest association (“homeowner’s association”) as defined in California Civil Code Section 4080.
Most of the procedures, such as electronic submittal of plans, are currently in place and comply with the requirements of the Assembly Bill. EV charging permit applications and plans are accepted through the City’s online Citizen Self-Service portal. Plan review for these projects is conducted on an accelerated schedule by the various City Divisions.
The Ordinance formalizes the City’s process for expedited review of EV charging systems with completed checklists meeting the specified criteria. In addition, the Ordinance requires that the systems comply with the standards contained in the California Electrical Code, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, and rules of the Public Utilities Commission or Southern California Edison regarding safety and reliability. The Ordinance also mandates that systems meet electrical load and equipment anchorage requirements.
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.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved as to legal form the Ordinance.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Ordinance No. 20-0017
2. Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook