The purpose of this chapter is to promote and encourage the
use of electric vehicles by adopting an ordinance in compliance with
Assembly Bill 1236 (Chapter 598, Statutes 2015, California Government
Code Section 65850.7) that expedites and streamlines the 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.
(§ 2, Ord. 877, eff. December 14, 2017)
means the City of Ojai Building Official.
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 the ordinance
codified in this chapter, and delivers electricity from a source outside
an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.
means the utilization of one or more of the following:
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.
(§ 2, Ord. 877, eff. December 14, 2017)
(a)
Checklist. The Building Official shall implement an expedited
and 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 and 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. Applicants shall pay a permit fee as required by the City
Council by resolution.
(b)
Specific, adverse impact verification. Prior to submitting
an application for processing, the applicant shall verify that the
installation of an electric vehicle charging station will not have
any 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; and areas of
charging station equipment and vehicle parking.
(c)
Permit application processing. Upon confirmation by the
Building Official that the permit application and supporting documentation
satisfies the requirements in the City's adopted checklist, the Building
Official shall deem the permit application complete and it will be
promptly processed in accord 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.
(d)
Electronic submittal and signature. Consistent with Government
Code Section 65850.7, the Building Official shall allow for electronic
submittal of permit applications and shall also accept electronic
signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in
lieu of a wet signature by any applicant.
(§ 2, Ord. 877, eff. December 14, 2017)
(a)
Use permit required. It is the intent of this chapter 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 on local, State,
or Federal public health or safety requirements, the City may require
the applicant to apply for a use permit.
(b)
User permit conditions. If the Building Official issues
an electric vehicle charging station use permit, the permit may include
conditions designed to mitigate any specific, adverse impact upon
public health and safety at the lowest possible cost. A feasible method
to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact includes,
but is not limited to, any cost-effective method, condition, or mitigation
imposed by the City on another similarly situated application in a
prior successful application for a permit.
(c)
Denial of use permit. If an electric vehicle charging station
use permit is required, the Building Official may only deny an application
for the electric vehicle charging station use permit if the Building
Official makes written findings based upon substantial evidence in
the record that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse
impact upon public health or safety and there is no feasible method
to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the adverse impact. The findings
shall include the basis for the rejection of the potential feasible
alternative for preventing the adverse impact.
(d)
Appeal. The Building Official's decision may be appealed to the Building Appeals Board in accordance with Section 9-1.215 of the Ojai Municipal Code.
(e)
Prohibition. In the technical review of a charging station,
consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7(h), 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.
(§ 2, Ord. 877, eff. December 14, 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.
(§ 2, Ord. 877, eff. December 14, 2017)
