Hillsborough Municipal Code Ch. 15.16 Plumbing Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 799, § 3(Exh. A), adopted December 9, 2025, in effect repealed Ch. 15.16 and enacted a new Ch. 15.16 as set out herein and as may later be amended. Former Ch. 15.16 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, repair, and maintenance of all plumbing fixtures, appliances, and systems (including, but not limited to, water supply, domestic water piping, sanitary drains, wastes, vents, and drainage of other concentrations of water or wastes), swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs, including design and materials, and to provide for inspections, violations, and adopting uniform rules, regulations, and standards in respect thereto.

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

A. The rules, regulations and standards printed in the California Plumbing Code, 2025 Edition (including the Appendix thereto) contained in the California Building Standards Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24 Part 5), 2025 Edition, (hereinafter referred to as the "Plumbing Code") are hereby adopted as the rules, regulations, and standards for the town as to all matters contained therein except as herein otherwise provided.

B. One copy of the Plumbing 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 amendments to the Plumbing Code.

C. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this code and the Plumbing 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 Plumbing Code, as amended hereby, shall be deemed to supersede any other provision of this code.

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

The Plumbing Code adopted by this chapter is hereby amended, in its application to the town as set forth in Sections 15.16.040 through 15.16.085.

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

Section 104.5 is replaced in its entirety to read as follows:

104.5 Schedule of permit and penalty fees.

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 as set forth in Table No. 1-A. The table will be kept in the Master Fee Schedule.

B. The value to be used in computing the plumbing 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, plumbing, and any other permanent construction or equipment.

C. A fee for each permit shall be paid as required, in accordance with the Hillsborough Master Fee Schedule, including subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3). The fee schedule is located in the Town of Hillsborough'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 plumbing permit. The applicable fee shall be found in the master fee schedule.

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

Section 606.6 is amended by adding the following at the end of the first sentence to read as follows:

606.6 Accessible.

The supply piping to a single family residence, and the buildings accessory thereto, shall have a shut-off valve on the discharge side of the meter within one foot of the meter box.

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

A. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

"Backwater protection" means an IAMPO-approved backwater valve (commonly known as a backflow device), ejector or pumps system, clean out with pressure relief device, valve, or combination of two or more of these devices that is approved by the building official and intended to prevent sewage from back flowing into a structure.

"Drainage unit fixture" means a drainage unit fixture listed in the California Plumbing Code.

"Inadequate height differential" means that the flood level rim of a drainage unit fixture on a property's sanitary sewage drainage system is below the nearest upstream manhole or flushing inlet cover on the sanitary sewer main serving the fixture's drainage piping.

"Licensed professional" means a person authorized under California law to render an applicable certification to the property owner and the town regarding a specific question under this section.

"Sewage relief valve" means a device permanently installed on a building sewer lateral in such manner to allow sewage backflow to relieve to grade outside the building.

B. Backwater Protection Required Prior to Receiving a Plumbing Permit. When an application is submitted for a plumbing permit the applicant must certify the presence of backwater protection due to an inadequate height differential, or indicate exemption from the need for backwater protection because no inadequate height differential exists, as determined by a licensed professional or the building official.

C. Backwater Protection Installation Required. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, all properties with drainage unit fixtures at an inadequate height differential shall have backwater protection installed.

D. Ongoing Responsibility. Once installed, a property owner shall ensure that backwater protection is maintained, so as to be fully operable in the sewer lateral(s) serving the property owner's real property whenever an inadequate height differential exists on the property.

E. Proof of Previous Installation. A property owner may file a certification from a licensed professional demonstrating that backwater protection as approved by the building official has been installed on the property's sewage drainage system and is fully operable. This certification is subject to confirmation by the town.

F. Maintenance. Property owners are solely responsible for ensuring that backwater protection is properly maintained and functioning at all times. Backwater protection is subject to inspection by the town at any reasonable time.

(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 Plumbing 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 Plumbing Code, or in any other regulations adopted hereunder, the city council shall make an express finding that such modification or changes are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, topographical or other statutorily permissible conditions. Such findings 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 Plumbing 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 version(s) of such code(s) in order to determine whether they are consistent with the provisions of the California Plumbing 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 out at Section 15.16.100, such revised version of the California Plumbing Code 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)