Ventura Municipal Code § 12.125.020 Amendments

6 Editor’s note(s): Ord. No. 2019-014, adopted October 7, 2019, amended Chapter 12.125 in its entirety. Former Chapter 12.125 pertained to the same subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 2013-015, adopted December 9, 2013; and Ord. No. 2016-012, adopted October 17, 2016.

Cross reference(s) – Public utilities, Title 22.

State law reference(s) – Authority of city to regulate electrical wiring, Gov. Code Section 38660.

Pursuant to California Government Code Sections 50022.1 to 50022.8, inclusive, Part 3 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, known as the California Electrical Code, 2025 Edition (“CEC”), including Annex C, is adopted by reference, subject to the amendments, additions and deletions set forth in this chapter. One true copy of the California Electrical Code is on file in the office of the building official and is available for public inspection as required by law. (Ord. No. 2019-014, § 2, 10-7-19; Ord. No. 2022-016, § 2, 11-28-22; Ord. No. 2025-008, § 2, 11-18-25)

A. The city council finds and determines that local climatic and geological conditions exist as follows: The city has moist coastal air and some corrosive native soil.

B. The CEC is therefore modified, amended, added to, and changed based on the foregoing findings as further set forth below:

1. CEC Article 89.108.4.1.1 is added to read as follows:

A separate electrical permit shall be required for the removal and reconstruction of any existing roof top solar photovoltaic system at the same address location. The system shall be reconstructed without modification to the original AHJ approved plan.

2. CEC Article 90.1 (D) is added to read as follows:

90.1 (D) 2024 NFPA-70E Section 120.1 et. Seq., and OSHA 1910.147 et. seq. -

All line side connections shall first be made electrically SAFE or in the OFF and DE-ENERGIZED condition. This rule applies to both service equipment and distribution equipment. A written service equipment outage schedule from the serving utility shall be provided to the AHJ for all connections ahead of the service main disconnect. For building electrical distribution system connections all equipment shall be locked out/tagged out prior to commencement of any work. It may be determined by the AHJ to provide a recognized, listed, and experienced third-party evaluation written report for any or all equipment that has been modified beyond the manufacturer’s intended use.

Exception: Work performed by qualified utility personnel on equipment under their specific control.

3. CEC Article 230.70 (D) is added to read as follows:

230.70 (D) Multi-meter installations. Electrical service systems of 480 volts or 277/480 volts with provisions for more than one meter shall have a single service disconnecting means for all live parts downstream of the utility connection.

4. CEC Article 680.22 (F) is added to read as follows:

680.22 (F) Pool Shell, Lighting, Receptacles, and Equipment Including Covers, Heaters and Circulating Pumps. When there is a modification, addition, or repair of any of the equipment listed above, all GFCI protection provisions shall be field tested and verified to be in working order or replaced prior to final inspection. This applies to both residential and commercial pools and spas.

5. CEC Article 680.26 (D) is added to read as follows:

680.26 (D) Equipotential bonding. When there is a modification, addition, or repair of any pool shell, pool slide, hand rail, ladder, diving board, deck insert, pool cover, pool heater, pool pump, pool light, or surface deck within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the pool water’s edge, all provisions for Pool Equipotential Bonding shall be field-verified to be in good working condition or made to be in good working order prior to final inspection.

6. CEC Article 705.12 (C) is amended to read as follows:

705.12 (C) Suitable for Backfeed. Circuit breakers, if back-fed, shall be suitable for such operations. Quad (space-saving) circuit breakers with a PV system backfeed of more than 20 amps shall not be permitted.

Informational Note: Fused disconnects, unless otherwise marked, are suitable for backfeeding.

(Ord. No. 2019-014, § 2, 10-7-19; Ord. No. 2022-016, § 2, 11-28-22; Ord. No. 2025-008, § 2, 11-18-25)