Hillsborough Municipal Code Ch. 15.10 Energy Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), adopted December 9, 2025, in effect repealed Ch. 15.10 and enacted a new Ch. 15.10 as set out herein and as may later be amended. Former Ch. 15.10 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 690, adopted December 13, 2010; Ord. No. 712, adopted November 12, 2013; Ord. No. 742, adopted November 14, 2016; Ord. No. 758, adopted November 12, 2019; Ord. No. 786, adopted November 28, 2022; and Ord. No. 788, adopted January 9, 2023.

The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the installation of mandatory features and devices in residential buildings, including installation of said features and devices especially in those portions of the ceiling, walls and floors separating the conditioned spaces from the unconditioned spaces, and to regulate the alteration, repair, and maintenance of heating, cooling, and air conditioning appliances and related piping, venting, duct-work, and safety devices, including design and materials, and to provide for inspections, issuance of permits, collection of fees, and imposition of penalties for violations, and to adopt uniform rules, regulations, and standards in respect thereto.

Sections within this chapter may include both local amendments to Title 24 as adopted therein and local development standards related to construction in the town that are not part of Title 24.

(Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), 12-9-2025)

A. The rules, regulations, and standards printed in the California Energy Code, 2025 Edition, as contained in the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24 part 6), 2025 Edition, (hereinafter referred to as the "Energy Code") (including the Appendix thereto) are hereby adopted as the rules, regulations, and standards for the town as to all matters contained therein, except as otherwise provided herein.

B. One copy of the Energy Code shall at all times be kept on file at the town's building department. The copy shall be accompanied by copies of this chapter (as well as any additional, subsequent amendments) to show the town's amendments to the Energy Code.

C. In the event there is any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this code and the Energy Code when applied to any particular case, that requirement which establishes the higher degree of safety shall be complied with unless otherwise specifically stated in this code.

D. No provision of the California Energy Code, as amended hereby, shall be deemed to supersede any other provision of this code.

E. Any section within 15.10 that modifies the 2025 California Energy Code shall include the code section being changed or modified and language which describes the nature of the change or modification. Sections that do not include such reference or language are local development standards and are not amendments to Title 24.

(Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), 12-9-2025)

A. The fee schedule for a permit shall be as established by resolution or ordinance adopted by the city council, plus any additional fees which may be established or mandated by state or federal law or city ordinance the applicable permit fees will be kept in master fee schedule.

B. The value to be used in computing the electrical permit fee, the plan review fee and other fees shall be the total value of all construction work for which the permit is issued as well as all finish work, and any other permanent construction or equipment.

C. A fee for each permit shall be paid as required, in accordance with Table No. 1-A in the town master fee schedule, including subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3). The fee schedule is located in the town's master fee schedule.

1. Whenever a permit fee is required by this ordinance to be paid prior to starting work and such work is started prior to obtaining a permit, the scheduled fee shall be the applicable permit fee as set forth in Table No. 1-A found in the master fee schedule, plus an additional amount of up to ten times the applicable permit fee. The exact amount shall be set by the building official in the amount that will, in his or her good faith estimate, recover the cost of town staff time expended to deal with the problems caused by the unpermitted work.

2. If a stop work order is issued, it may not be lifted until a permit reactivation fee has been paid in an amount not less than two hundred fifty dollars up to one thousand dollars, the exact amount to be set by the building official in the amount that will, in his or her good faith estimate, recover the cost of town staff time expended to deal with the problems involved in the issuance of the stop work order.

3. A document imaging charge may be charged upon submission of every application for a permit. The applicable fee shall be found in the master fee schedule.

(Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), 12-9-2025)

A. When, in the judgment of the building department, it is reasonably necessary to amend the provisions of the California Energy Code due to local climatic, geological, topographical, or other statutorily permissible conditions, the building official shall prepare and submit the proposed amendments to the city council for consideration at the next regularly scheduled city council meeting. Before adopting any changes or modifications in the requirements contained in the provisions published in the California Energy Code, or in any other regulations adopted hereunder, the city council shall make an express finding that such modifications or changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, topographical, or other statutorily permissible conditions. Such finding shall be made available as a public record. Upon approval by the city council and filing of the city council's findings with the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) or other governing body, such amendments shall be added to and become a part of the provisions of this chapter.

B. From October 1, 2025, through June 1, 2031, the town is limited in its ability to modify provisions related to residential units. Allowable findings for modifications during this time are limited to:

1. Modifications previously adopted and filed with the CBSC before September 30, 2025;

2. Administrative changes related to administration of the code;

3. Emergency health and safety measures as deemed by the CBSC;

4. Needed to implement a greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy as outlined in a general plan adopted before June 10, 2025; or

5. Related to fire home hardening.

(Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), 12-9-2025)

As successive editions of the California Energy Code are promulgated and incorporated by reference in the California Building Standards Code, the building department, under the guidance and direction of the building official, shall review the provisions of the new code in order to determine whether they are consistent with the provisions of the California Energy Code then in force as modified by the provisions of this chapter. The building official shall submit a list of recommendations with respect to such changes (if any) to the city council. Upon review and adoption by the city council, according to the procedure set above, such revised version of the California Energy Code, together with all amendments thereto which are recommended by the building official and/or required by the provisions of this chapter, shall govern all buildings and construction within town limits.

(Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), 12-9-2025)