Santa Clara County Municipal Code § 5.106 Additions, Deletions, and Amendments to 2025 California Green Building Standards Code

Office buildings. For any new nonresidential building designated primarily for office use:

1. When 10 or more parking spaces are constructed, 20 percent of the available parking spaces on site shall be equipped with Level 2 EVCS.

2. An additional 30 percent shall be at least EV Capable.

Notes:

1. Calculations for the required minimum number of spaces equipped with Level 2 EVCS, Level 1 EV Ready spaces, and EV Capable spaces shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

2. Construction plans and specifications shall demonstrate that all raceways shall be a minimum of 1 inch and sufficient for installation of spaces.

3. Electrical calculations shall substantiate the design of the electrical system, to include the rating of equipment and any on-site distribution transformers. The electrical system shall have sufficient capacity to simultaneously charge EVs at all required EV spaces, including Level 1 EV Ready and EV Capable spaces. Service panels or subpanels shall have sufficient capacity to accommodate the required number of dedicated branch circuits for the future installation of the EVSE.

4. ALMS may be installed to increase the number of EV chargers or the amperage or voltage beyond the minimum requirements in this code. This option does not allow for installing less electrical panel capacity than would be required without ALMS.

(c) Section 5.106.5.3.2 (Electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS)) is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Nonresidential non-office buildings. For any new nonresidential building that is not designated primarily for office use (such as retail or institutional uses):

1. When 10 or more parking spaces are constructed to serve the building, a minimum of 10 percent of the available parking spaces onsite shall be equipped with Level 2 EVCS.

2. Calculations for the required minimum number of spaces equipped with Level 2 EVCS shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

(d) Section 5.106.5.3.3 (Use of automatic load management systems (ALMS)) is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Notes:

1. The California Department of Transportation adopts and publishes the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (California MUTCD) to provide uniform standards and specifications for all official traffic control devices in California. Refer to this manual for Zero Emission Vehicle Signs and Pavement Markings. [https://dot.ca.gov/programs/safety-programs/ev-signs]

2. See California Vehicle Code section 22511 for EV charging spaces signage in off-street parking facilities and for use of EV charging spaces.

3. The Governor's Office of Planning and Research published a Zero-Emission Vehicle Community Readiness Guidebook which provides helpful information for local governments, residents and businesses.

4. California Building Code section 11B-812 requires that a facility providing EVCS for public and common use also provide one or more accessible EVCS as specified in Table 11B-228.3.2.1.

5. It is encouraged that where shared parking is provided, EV Ready spaces are designated with signage as "EV preferred."

(e) A new section, Section 5.106.5.3.7 (Identification), is added to read as follows:

Identification. The raceway termination location shall be permanently and visibly marked as "EV Ready."

(f) Anew section, Section 5.303.3.5 (Commercial laundry systems), is added to read as follows: