New state law prohibits local jurisdictions from adopting more stringent energy codes for new residential construction, but Foster City still plans to explore reach codes for commercial development.
Over the last several years, most jurisdictions in San Mateo County baked all-electric standards into their energy codes for new buildings, sometimes referred to as reach codes, which go beyond state-level mandates. While Foster City considered implementing such codes, it tabled the discussion last year, in part due to a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision — which put many jurisdictions’ reach codes in jeopardy — and also due to what some of its leaders said were infrastructure and cost barriers that make sweeping mandates practically untenable.
The council decided to wait until the statewide energy codes go into effect in January 2026, which sets more stringent standards than the 2022 version, requiring electric heat pump water heaters for new single-family homes and individual units in multifamily residential buildings.
But due to the recently passed Assembly Bill 130, local jurisdictions are now prohibited from adopting their own reach codes until 2031. Proponents of the legislation say the new law would stimulate housing production and lower costs for developers, especially in areas such as Southern California that are trying to recover from the devastating wildfires earlier this year.
“Basically it's a moratorium on local building code updates applying to all residential units,” Community Development Director Sofia Mangalam said.
Mayor Stacy Jimenez said she is in support of exploring reach codes for commercial construction, and while the city can’t adopt such regulations for residential construction, she said she hopes there can be more incentives for developers to adopt electric standards anyway.
“Just because we don't demand reach codes and demand electrification, it doesn’t mean that it can’t happen and it doesn't mean that we as a city can’t encourage it,” Jimenez said. “I would also look to beef up the carrots. Where can we encourage our homeowners to switch out their water heaters for heat pumps?”
The City Council unanimously supported commercial reach codes, which will likely be re-visited in the next four to six months, according to a staff report.
(2) comments
Hey Foster City, be sure to budget for higher legal costs if you push forward with your virtue-signaling commercial reach codes. And don’t count on commercial building developers continuing to develop in Foster City. Unless of course, you’re going to use taxpayer money to subsidize these commercial developers. That’ll be an incentive for developers – to the detriment of FC taxpayers.
Another sure way to keep further commercial development in FC. These folks are too indoctrinated and oblivious to run a city, but FC residents get the government that they deserve.
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