Sonora Municipal Code § 15.11 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

The purpose of this chapter is to promote and encourage the use of electric vehicles by creating an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations while promoting public health and safety and preventing specific adverse impacts in the installation and use of such charging stations. This chapter is also purposed to comply with California Government Code Section 65850.7, as may be amended from time to time.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

"Building official" may mean building inspector for the City of Sonora.

"Electric vehicle charging station" or "charging station" means any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station that is designed and built in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, as it reads on the effective date of this chapter, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.

"Electronic submittal" means the utilization of one or more of the following:

A. Electronic mail or email.

B. The internet.

C. Facsimile.

"A feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact" includes, but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, conditions, or mitigation imposed by the city on another similarly situated application in a prior successful application for a permit.

"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.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

Consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, as may be amended from time to time, the community development director shall implement an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations, and adopt a checklist of all requirements with which electric vehicle charging stations shall comply with in order to be eligible for expedited review. The expedited, streamlined permitting process and checklist may refer to the recommendations contained in the most current version of the "Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist" of the "Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook" as published by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. The city's adopted checklist shall be published on the city's website.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

A. Prior to submitting an application for processing, the applicant shall verify that the installation of an electric vehicle charging station will not have specific, adverse impact to public health and safety and building occupants. Verification by the applicant includes but is not limited to: electrical system capacity and loads; electrical system wiring, bonding and overcurrent protection; building infrastructure affected by charging station equipment and associated conduits; areas of charging station equipment and vehicle parking.

B. A permit application that satisfies the information requirements in the city's adopted checklist shall be deemed complete and be promptly processed. Upon confirmation by the building official that the permit application and supporting documents meets the requirements of the city adopted checklist, and is consistent with all applicable laws and health and safety standards, the building official shall, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, approve the application and issue all necessary permits. Such approval does not authorize an applicant to energize or utilize the electric vehicle charging station until approval is granted by the city. If the building official determines that the permit application is incomplete, he or she shall issue a written correction notice to the applicant, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance.

C. Consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, the building official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this article and associated supporting documentations. In accepting such permit applications, the building official shall also accept electronic signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in lieu of a wet signature by any applicant.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

A. It is the intent of this article to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by removing obstacles to permitting for charging stations so long as the action does not supersede the building official's authority to address higher priority life-safety situations. If the building official makes a finding based on substantial evidence that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety, as defined in this chapter, the city may require the applicant to apply for a use permit following the procedures included within Chapter 17.62 of the Sonora Municipal Code.

B. The Sonora Planning Commission may not deny an application for a use permit to install an electric vehicle charging station unless it makes written findings, based upon substantial evidence in the record, that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact. The findings shall include the basis for the rejection of potential feasible alternatives of preventing the adverse impact.

C. Any conditions imposed by the building official or Sonora Planning Commission shall be designed to mitigate the specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety at the lowest cost possible.

D. In the technical review of a charging station, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, the building official shall not condition the approval for any electric vehicle charging station permit on the approval of such a system by an association, as that term is defined by Civil Code Section 4080.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

A. Electric vehicle charging station equipment shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code, the Society of Automotive Engineers, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and accredited testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, and rules of the public utilities commission or a municipal electric utility company regarding safety and reliability.

B. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations and associated wiring, bonding, disconnecting means and overcurrent protective devices shall meet the requirements of Article 625 and all applicable provisions of the California Electrical Code.

C. Installation of electric vehicle charging stations shall be incorporated into the load calculations of all new or existing electrical services and shall meet the requirements of the California Electrical Code. Electric vehicle charging equipment shall be considered a continuous load.

D. Anchorage of either floor-mounted or wall-mounted electric vehicle charging stations shall meet the requirements of the California Building or Residential Code as applicable per occupancy, and the provisions of the manufacturer's installation instructions. Mounting of charging stations shall not adversely affect building elements.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

Any provision of the City of Sonora or appendices thereto, inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, to the extent of such inconsistencies and no further, are hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to effect the provisions of this chapter.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this chapter is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of any competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter. The city council hereby declares that it would have passed this chapter, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the chapter would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)

Any person having any record title or legal interest in the building may appeal any action or decision of the building official under this title to the Sonora Planning Commission by filing a written appeal at the office of the community development department within thirty calendar days from the date of that action or decision of the building official.

(Adopted by Ord. 840 on 8/21/2017)