16.06 — 2025 CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE,

16.06.020 2025 California Residential Code Appendix Chapters adopted.

• Editor’s Note: Prior ordinance history: Ordinance No. 5566.

16.06.010 2025 California Residential Code adopted and amended.

The California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, Title 24, Part 2.5 of the California Code of Regulations, together with those omissions, amendments, exceptions and additions thereto, is adopted and hereby incorporated in this chapter by reference and made a part hereof the same as if fully set forth herein.

Unless superseded and expressly repealed, references in City of Palo Alto forms, documents and regulations to the chapters and sections of the former California Code of Regulations, Title 24, 2019, shall be construed to apply to the corresponding provisions contained within the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, 2025. Ordinance No. 5566 of the City of Palo Alto and all other ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby suspended and expressly repealed.

Wherever the phrases "California Residential Code" or "Residential Code" are used in this code or any ordinance of the city, such phrases shall be deemed and construed to refer and apply to the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, Title 24, Part 2.5 of the California Code of Regulations, as adopted by this chapter.

One copy of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, has been filed for use and examination of the public in the Office of the Building Official of the City of Palo Alto.

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

The provisions of this chapter shall constitute local amendments to the cross-referenced provisions of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, and shall be deemed to replace the cross-referenced sections of said Code with the respective provisions set forth in this chapter. Where used in this Chapter 16.06, ellipses shall indicate text of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, that has been adopted without amendment but is omitted for brevity.

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

16.06.020 2025 California Residential Code Appendix Chapters adopted.

The following Appendix Chapters of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, are adopted and hereby incorporated in this chapter by reference and made a part hereof the same as if fully set forth herein:

A. Appendix BF - Patio Covers

B. Appendix BO - Existing Building and Structures

C. Appendix BG - Sound Transmission

D. Appendix CI - Swimming Pool Safety Act

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

The provisions of this chapter contain cross-references to the provisions of the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, in order to facilitate reference and comparison to those provisions.

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

Chapter 1, Division II of the 2025 California Residential Code is replaced in its entirety by Chapter 1, Division II of the 2025 California Building Code as amended by Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 16.04.

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

Section R202 of the California Residential Code is amended to include the following definitions:

SUPERFICIAL FLOOR AREA. "Superficial floor area" is the net floor area within the enclosing walls of the room in which the ceiling height is not less than seven feet six inches, excluding built-in equipment such as wardrobes, cabinets, kitchen units, or fixtures which are not readily removable.

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

Table 301.2 of the California Residential Code is amended to read:

TABLE R301.2

CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DESIGN CRITERIA

WIND DESIGN SUBJECT TO DAMAGE FROM

GROUND SNOW SEISMIC DESIGN LOAD Topographic CATEGORY Speed (mph) Weathering Frost line depth Termite effects

0 92 No D0 thru E Negligible 5" Very High

ICE BARRIER WINTER DESIGN TEMP. UNDERLAYMENT FLOOD HAZARDS MEAN ANNUAL TEMP. AIR FREEZING INDEX (°F) REQUIRED (°F)

40 No See Footnotes p thru r 0 55

p The of Palo Alto entered National Flood Insurance Program in 1979.

q The effective date of the current Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Map is May 18, 2009.

r The panel numbers and dates of all currently effective FIRMs and FBFMs: 06085CIND0A, 06085C0010H, 06085C0015H through 06085C0019H, 06085C0030H, 06085C0036H, 06085C0038H, 06085C0180H, 06085C0185H (May 18, 2009 for all).

(Ord. 5676 § 1 (part), 2025)

Section R301.2.2.6 of the California Residential Code is amended as follows:

The seismic provisions of this code shall not be used for structures, or portions thereof, located in Seismic Design Categories C, D0, D1 and D2 and considered to be irregular in accordance with this section. A building or portion of a building shall be considered to be irregular where one or more of the conditions defined in Items 1 through 8 occur. Irregular structures, or irregular portions of structures, shall be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice to the extent the irregular features affect the performance of the remaining structural system. Where the forces associated with the irregularity are resisted by a structural system designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice, the remainder of the building shall be permitted to be designed using the provisions of this code.

1. Shear wall or braced wall offsets out of plane.Conditions where exterior shear wall lines or braced wall panels are not in one plane vertically from the foundation to the uppermost story in which they are required.

2. Lateral Support of roofs and floors. Conditions where a section of floor or roof is not laterally supported by shear walls or braced wall lines on all edges.

Exception: Portions of floors that do not support shear walls, braced wall panels above, or roofs shall be permitted to extend not more than 6 feet (1,829 mm) beyond a shear wall or braced wall line.

3. Shear wall or braced wall offsets in plane.Conditions where the end of a braced wall panel occurs over an opening in the wall below.

4. Floor and roof opening. Conditions where an opening in a floor or roof exceeds the lesser of 12 feet (3,658 mm) or 50% of the least floor or roof dimension.

5. Floor level offset. Conditions where portions of a floor level are vertically offset.

6. Perpendicular shear wall and wall bracing. Conditions where shear walls and braced wall lines do not occur in two perpendicular directions.

7. Wall bracing in stories containing masonry or concrete construction. Conditions where stories above grade plane are partially or completely braced by wood wall framing in accordance with Section R602 or cold-formed steel wall framing in accordance with Section R603 include masonry or concrete construction. Where this irregularity applies, the entire story shall be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice.

Exceptions: Fireplaces, chimneys and masonry veneer in accordance with this code.

8. Hillside light-frame construction. Conditions in which all of the following apply: