Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Ch. 1.10 California Green Building Standards Code

(a) The 2022 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, a portion of the California Building Standards Code, as defined in the California State Health and Safety Code Section 18901 et seq., (hereinafter referred to as "CALGreen"), and any rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto are hereby adopted and incorporated by reference herein.

(b) Appendix Chapter A4, Section A4.106.8, Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging for New Construction, is adopted.

(c) One copy of the CALGreen shall be kept on file at the Town of Los Altos Hills.

(d) The requirements of this chapter may be adjusted or waived if the property owner demonstrates that applying this chapter would take property in violation of the United States and/or California Constitutions, or would violate applicable Federal law.

(§ 1, Ord. 558, eff. February 15, 2015; § 1, Ord. 568, eff. March 16, 2017; § 1, Ord. 585, eff. January 18, 2020; Ord. 611, eff. 3/16/2024)

The Green Building Standards Code is amended as follows:

(a) Chapter 2, Definitions, is amended by adding with the following definitions to read:

ADDITION.

An extension or increase in floor area of an existing building or structure.

ALTERATION OR ALTER.

Any construction or renovation to an existing structure other than repair for the purpose of maintenance or addition.

NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx).

The sum of nitrogen oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), collectively expressed as nitrogen dioxide.

NOx EMITTING EQUIPMENT.

Any equipment or appliance used for space heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying and/or lighting that emits more than 0.0 nanograms of nitrogen oxides expressed as NOx per joule of heat and/or light output.

REPAIR.

Reconstruction, replacement, or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance or to correct damage, as defined in the California Existing Building Code.

SUBSTANTIALLY ALTERED STRUCTURE.

Any structure that is voluntarily altered such that more than 50% of the structure's permitted floor area is altered, or more than 50% of the permitted exterior wall area is altered, or 50% of the structure's combined wall and floor area is altered, or more than 50% of existing structure's permitted floor area is added.

TECHNICALLY INFEASIBLE.

With respect to an alteration of a building or a facility, there is a low probability of successfully completing the alteration because existing building or site constraints prevent the modification or addition of elements, spaces, or features that would fully and strictly comply with the minimum requirements for new construction and are necessary for compliance. Examples include, but are not limited to, utility conflicts, service capacity constraints, or construction limitations due to environmental conditions.

ZERO-NOx EMISSION BUILDING.

A building with zero NOx emissions that utilizes zero NOx equipment or appliances.

ZERO-NOx EMITTING EQUIPMENT.

Any equipment or appliance that emits no more than 0.0 nanograms of nitrogen oxides (expressed as NOx) per joule of heat and/or light output. Equipment and appliance uses include, but are not limited to, space heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, and lighting.

(b) Chapter 4, Residential Mandatory Measures, is amended by amending the following sections to read: