San Clemente Municipal Code Ch. 15.12 Electrical Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 1636, § 2, adopted November 15, 2016, repealed the former Ch. 15.12, §§ 15.12.010, 15.12.020, and enacted a new Ch. 15.12 as set out herein. The former Ch. 15.12 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from No. 1572, § 2, adopted November 19, 2013. See also the Code Comparative Table and Disposition List.

The City Council of the City of San Clemente hereby adopts by reference California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 3, known and designated as the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition based on the National Electrical Code (NEC), 2023 Edition, as published by the National Fire Protection Association with the modifications set forth below for the purpose of prescribing regulations for the installation, arrangement, alteration, repairing, replacement, remodeling, or use and other operation of electrical wiring, connections, fixtures and other electrical appliances on premises within the City. The provisions of this code shall constitute the electrical code regulations of the City. The California Electrical Code is on file for public examination in the City's Building Division office.

(Ord. No. 1636, § 2, 11-15-2016; Ord. No. 1683, § 7, 12-3-2019; Ord. No. 1738, § 6, 12-6-2022; Ord. No. 1796, § 7, 11-4-2025)

A. .....A new Section 90.0 of Article 90 of the California Electrical Code is hereby added to read in its entirety as follows:

90.0 Administration and Fees.

Administrative provisions contained in Division II of Chapter 1 of the California Building Code and California Residential Code, as amended by the City of San Clemente, shall apply to the California Electrical Code, as adopted and amended by the City of San Clemente.

B. .....A new Subdivision (L) is hereby added to Section 300.5 of Article 300 of Chapter 3 of the California Electrical Code to read in its entirety as follows:

(L) Underground utilities required. Overhead wiring shall not be installed outside on private property. The building official, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a building permit, shall require all utility services located within any lot to be installed underground if:

(a) The property is to be developed with a new or relocated main building

For purposes of this section, "main building" shall mean a building in which is conducted the principal use of the lot or building site on which such building is located.

The owner or developer of the property shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of this section and shall provide all the necessary facilities on the property to receive such services from the supplying utilities. If the building official determines that application of this requirement causes extraordinary hardship, the building official may modify or delay the position of the undergrounding requirement upon approval of property owner's application therefore. If the building official determines to delay the installation of the requirement, he may require a recorded agreement guaranteeing the future performance of the work, together with adequate performance security in the form of a cash, surety bond, or letter of credit.

For purposes of this section, appurtenances and associated equipment, such as, but not limited to, surface-mounted transformers, pedestal-mounted terminal boxes and meter cabinets, and concealed ducts in an underground system may be placed above ground.

(Ord. No. 1636, § 2, 11-15-2016; Ord. No. 1683, § 7, 12-3-2019; Ord. No. 1796, § 7, 11-4-2025)