DATE: November 1, 2022
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT
Title
Reach Code: Introduction of Reach Code Ordinance: 1) Addressing New Building Electrification; 2) Addressing Electric Vehicle Charging Requirements; and 3) Repealing Current Reach Code (Ordinance 20-05)
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) and introduces the Reach Code ordinance (Attachment III) to modify the California Green Building Standards Code. The ordinance includes: 1) electrification requirements for new buildings; 2) amendments to the Off-Street Parking Regulations to add electric vehicle charging requirements; and 3) repeal of the current Reach Code (Ordinance 20-05).
SUMMARY
Hayward’s current Reach Code will expire on December 31, 2022. To continue the current requirements that prohibit or limit the use of natural gas in new buildings and to continue to require electric vehicle charging infrastructure beyond what is required in the State building code, new ordinances will need to be adopted. The recommended ordinances, to be effective on January 1, 2023, would require:
• All new residential buildings, including mixed-use buildings, to be all electric.
• All new non-residential buildings for which natural gas infrastructure is installed, but must be “electric ready”, meaning they have the wiring, electrical capacity and space needed to be converted to an all-electric building in the future.
• All new buildings and modifications to existing buildings resulting in new parking spaces must have electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure installed above and beyond that required by the California Green Building Standards Code.
On June 14, 2022, Council considered potential elements that may be included in a new Reach Code. On October 6, 2022, the two draft Reach Code ordinances were considered and recommended by the Council Sustainability Committee (CSC).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Resolution
Attachment III Draft Ordinance