National City Municipal Code Ch. 15.82 Expedited Permit Processing for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations that complies with AB 1236 (Chapter 598, Statutes 2015, California Government Code Section 65850.7) in order to achieve timely and cost-effective installations of electric vehicle charging stations. This chapter encourages the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by removing unreasonable barriers, minimizing costs to applicants and the city, and facilitating the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. This chapter allows the city to achieve those goals while protecting the public health and safety.

(Ord. No. 2017-2430, § 2, 2-7-2017)

The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:

A. "A feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact" means any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation imposed by the city on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit.

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

C. "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 was deemed complete.

(Ord. No. 2017-2430, § 2, 2-7-2017)

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to adopt an expedited permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations pursuant to Government Code 65850.7(g).

B. Permitting. Applicants desiring to qualify for the expedited review shall submit an application to the city, in a form approved by the city's building official. The building official is authorized to administratively act on such applications pursuant to this section. Decisions of the building official may be appealed to the planning commission.

C. Checklists. The city building official is authorized and directed to develop checklists of all requirements with which electric vehicle charging stations shall comply to be eligible for expedited review. An application that satisfies the requirements of the eligibility checklists, as determined by the building official, shall be deemed complete and eligible for the expedited permitting process. The checklist and required permitting documentation shall be published on the city's website. Electronic submittal of permit applications and electronic signatures shall be accepted. Upon receipt of an incomplete application, the building official shall issue a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible.

D. Issuance of Permits. Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and that the electric vehicle charging stations substantially conform to all applicable local, state, and federal health and safety requirements, the building official shall administratively approve the application and issue required permits.

E. Use Permit. If the building official makes a finding, based on substantial evidence, that the proposed project could have a specific, adverse impact on the public health and safety, the building official may require the applicant to apply for a conditional use permit.

F. Conditions. Any conditions imposed on an application to install an electric vehicle charging station shall be designed to mitigate the specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety at the lowest cost possible.

G. Denial. The city may deny an application if it makes written findings based on substantial evidence in the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact on the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact.

H. Prioritization. The city may establish a process to prioritize competing applications for expedited permits.

(Ord. No. 2017-2430, § 2, 2-7-2017)

Permit fees for eligible electric vehicle charging stations shall be as specified in the master fee schedule of the city of National City.

(Ord. No. 2017-2430, § 2, 2-7-2017)