Staff Report
PREPARED BY: ROBERT GRAY
Senior Building Inspector
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, Community Development
Director, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/05/2017
ITEM NO: 10
DATE: AUGUST 31, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 6 OF THE TOWN CODE
ESTABLISHING AN EXPEDITED, STREAMLINED PERMITTING PROCESS FOR
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT
CODE SECTION 65850.7.
RECOMMENDATION:
After opening and closing the Public Hearing, it is recommended that the Town Council move to
introduce the Ordinance (Attachment 1) by title only amending Chapter 6 of the Town Code
establishing an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations,
as required by Government Code Section 65850.7.
BACKGROUND:
In 2015, the State of California adopted Assembly Bill 1236 (2015, Chiu, codified as Government
Code Section 65850.7), which requires local jurisdictions with a population less than 200,000
residents to adopt an ordinance to create an expedited, streamlined permitting process for
electric vehicle charging stations on or before September 30, 2017. An electric vehicle charging
station is any level of electric vehicle supply equipment station which delivers electricity from a
source outside an electric vehicle into a plug-in electric vehicle.
Assembly Bill 1236 also requires the Town to adopt a checklist which will be used to determine
eligibility for expedited review. The checklist must contain objective requirements for the
installation of an electric vehicle charging station and a process for electronic submittal of
permit applications. The content of the checklist requires the permit applicant to check the
features of the existing electrical service, such as rating in amperes, system voltage, connected
or calculated load, spare capacity in amperes, voltage and ampere rating of the electric vehicle
supply equipment, circuit rating of the electric vehicle supply equipment, location of the
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SUBJECT: EXPEDITED, STREAMLINED ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS
AUGUST 31, 2017
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BACKGROUND (Continued):
electric vehicle supply equipment, if ventilation is/or is not required, and clearances of the
charging equipment to comply with all applicable building and fire safety laws.
The checklist also assists the applicant in confirming that the location of the electric vehicle
supply equipment will comply with any vehicle clearance requirements in the Town’s Zoning
Ordinance. Section 65850.7 requires that the Town’s checklist may be based on the “Plug-In
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero-Emission Vehicles in California:
Community Readiness Guidebook” of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed Ordinance establishing an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric
vehicle charging stations is included in Attachment 1.
Concurrent with Council’s consideration of the proposed Ordinance, staff is taking other
measures to meet all of the requirements of Assembly Bill 1236 by September 30, 2017. This
includes finalizing the application checklist in conjunction with the “Plug-In Electric Vehicle
Infrastructure Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community
Readiness Guidebook,” measures for electrical compliance, and standard items for fire
prevention safety. Both Building and Fire inspection staff are also developing procedures for
expedient and thorough inspection of the electric vehicle charging stations.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the Council introduce the proposed Ordinance (Attachment 1) to
establish an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations.
Most of the procedures, such as electronic submittal of plans are currently in place and comply
with the requirements of the Assembly Bill and implementation of an expedited, streamlined
process will be available to permit applicants by September 30, 2017.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
It has been determined that there is no possibility that this project will have a significant impact
on the environment; therefore, the project is not subject to the California Environmental
Quality Act [Section 15061 (b)(3)].
FISCAL IMPACT AND BUDGET ACTIONS:
None.
Attachment:
1. Draft ordinance