Kingsburg Municipal Code Ch. 15.10 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

The purpose of this chapter is to promote and encourage the use of electric vehicles by creating an expedited and streamlined permitting process the installation of electric vehicle charging stations while promoting public health and safety and preventing specific adverse impacts from the installation and use of such charging stations.

(Ord. No. 2024-04, § 4, 9-4-2024)

A. "Electric vehicle charging station" or "charging station" means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, as amended from time to time and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.

B. "Specific, adverse impact" means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified, and written public health or safety standards, policies, or conditions as they existed on the date the application filed with the City of Kingsburg for installation of a electric vehicle charging station was deemed complete.

C. "Electronic submittal" means the utilization of one or more of the following:

1. Electronic mail or email.

2. The internet.

3. Facsimile.

D. "A feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact" means, but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation imposed by a city, county or city and county on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit.

(Ord. No. 2024-04, § 4, 9-4-2024)

Consistent with the goals and intent of Government Code Section 65850.7, the city hereby implements an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations, and adopts a checklist of all requirements with which electric vehicle charging stations shall comply with to be eligible for expedited review. The expedited and streamlined permitting process and checklist may refer to the recommendations contained in the most current version of the "Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist" of the "Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook" as published by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. The adopted checklist shall be published on the city's website.

(Ord. No. 2024-04, § 4, 9-4-2024)

A. Any person wishing to install an electric vehicle charging station shall file an application, in the form provided by the city, for a permit to install an electric vehicle charging station. A completed city checklist for permitting electric vehicle service equipment ("checklist") shall accompany the application.

B. An application that provides the information required by the city's adopted checklist shall be deemed complete and be promptly processed. If the building official determines the permit application is incomplete, he or she shall issue a written correction notice to the applicant, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance. Upon confirmation by the building official that the permit application and supporting documents meets the requirements of the city adopted checklist and is consistent with all applicable laws and health and safety standards, the building official shall, in accordance with Government Code Section 65850.7, approve the application and issue all necessary permits for installation of the electric vehicle charging station identified in the application. Such approval does not authorize an applicant to energize or utilize the electric vehicle charging station until approval is granted by the city building division.

C. The review of an application to install an electric vehicle charging station shall be limited to the building official's review of whether the application meets all health and safety requirements of local, state, and federal law and the provisions of this chapter. However, if the building official makes a finding, based on substantial evidence, that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, the building official may require the applicant to apply for a conditional use permit in accordance of with the provisions of Section 17.68 of Title 17 of this code.

D. The building official may not deny a use permit to install an electric vehicle charging station unless it makes written findings based upon substantial evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact. The findings shall include the basis for the rejection of potential feasible alternatives of preventing the adverse impact. Any decision by the building official may be appealed to the city's planning commission in accordance with the provisions of Section 17.80.060 of the municipal code.

E. In accordance with Government Code Section 65850.7, the City shall allow electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this ordinance and associated supporting documentations for installation of electric vehicle charging stations. In accepting such applications, the city shall also accept electronic signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in lieu of a wet signature by any applicant.

The building official shall not condition the approval for any application for a electric vehicle charging station on the approval of such a system by a common interest development management association, as that term is defined by California Civil Code Section 4080.

(Ord. No. 2024-04, § 4, 9-4-2024)

A. Electric vehicle charging station equipment shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, and where applicable, rules of the public utilities commission regarding safety and reliability.

B. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations and associated wiring, bonding, disconnecting means and overcurrent protective devices shall meet the requirements of Article 625 and all applicable provisions of the California Electrical Code.

C. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations shall be incorporated into the load calculations of all new or existing electrical services and shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code. Electric vehicle charging equipment shall be considered a continuous load.

D. Anchorage of either floor-mounted or wall-mounted electric vehicle charging stations shall meet the requirements of the California Building or Residential Code, and the provisions of the manufacturer's installation instructions. Mounting of charging stations shall not adversely affect building elements.

(Ord. No. 2024-04, § 4, 9-4-2024)