ORDINANCE NO. 1439 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 15 OF THE PALM DESERT MUNICIPAL CODE, TO ADOPT THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING STANDARDS CODE WITH APPENDICES AND LOCAL AMENDMENTS WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 50022.1 et seq. the City of Palm Desert ("City") may adopt by reference the 2025 California Building Standards Code; and WHEREAS, California Health & Safety Code Sections 17958.5 and 18941.5 authorize cities to adopt the codes contained in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations with changes and modifications determined to be reasonably necessary because of local climatic, topographic, or geologic conditions; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 50022.1 and California Health & Safety Code Section 17958.5 and 18941.5, the City is considering the adoption of an ordinance, which proposes the adoption by reference of the 2025 California Building Standards Code with the proposed amendments as provided therein; and WHEREAS, the City desires to adopt the 2025 California Building Standards Code, with necessary amendments to assure Title 15 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code is tailored to the particular needs of the City as required by local climatic, topographic, and geologic conditions and assure that a maximum level of building and fire protection is provided to residents, businesses, and other occupants; and WHEREAS, extreme temperatures, high winds, and the City's physical proximity to known active earthquake faults are some of the local conditions necessitating these modifications, while other modifications are reasonably necessary to safeguard life and property within the City or are administrative; and WHEREAS, the City held a public hearing on January 8, 2026, at which time all interested persons had the opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter of adopting the California Building Standards Code as amended herein; and WHEREAS, the City published notice of the aforementioned public hearing pursuant to California Government Code Section 6066 on December 22, 2025, and December 29, 2025; and WHEREAS, any and all other legal prerequisites relating to the adoption of this Ordinance have occurred. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Recitals. The above recitals are true and correct and hereby incorporated into this Ordinance. SECTION 2. Authority. The City Council enacts this Ordinance under the authority granted to the City as follows: (A) California Government Code Section 50022 et seq. authorizes the City to adopt by reference the California Building Standards Code and authorizes the City to adopt other uniform codes by reference; and (B) California Health & Safety Code Section 17958.7 and 18941.5 authorize the City to adopt the California Building Standards Code with modifications determined to be reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions. SECTION 3. Findings. The City Council hereby finds that the proposed amendments to the 2025 California Building Standards Code are more restrictive than the standards adopted by the California Building Standards Commission, and are reasonably necessary because of local climatic, geological, or topographic conditions, based on the express findings and determinations, marked in relation to the respective amendments provided in this ordinance, described in Exhibit A attached hereto, and hereby adopted by the City Council as the findings to support the modifications to the California Building Standards Code. In addition, the City Council finds that the changes or modifications are substantially equivalent to changes or modifications that were previously filed by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert and were in effect as of September 30, 2025, and/or relate to home hardening. SECTION 4. Repeal and Recast. Title 15, Building and Construction, of the Palm Desert Municipal Code is hereby amended, repealed, and recast in its entirety, as provided in Exhibit B, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 5. Repeal of Conflicting Ordinances. All former ordinances or portions of ordinances conflicting or inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance, and any other ordinance in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. SECTION 6. Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance are severable, and the invalidity, unenforceability, or unconstitutionality of any section, portion, or part of this Ordinance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the Ordinance. SECTION 7. CEQA. The City Council hereby finds and determines that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this Ordinance may have a significant adverse effect on the environment, since it adopts updated building and safety standards, which the City had previously adopted in substantial form. Thus, the adoption of this Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. SECTION 8. Publication. Within fifteen (15) days after its passage and adoption, the City Clerk shall cause a copy of this Ordinance to be published or posted in accordance with the provisions of Government Code Section 36933. SECTION 9. Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect thirty days after its adoption. ADOPTED ON JANUARY 8, 2026. EVAN TRUBEE, MAYOR ATTEST: ANTHONY J. MEJIA CITY CLERK I, Anthony J. Mejia, City Clerk of the City of Palm Desert, California, do hereby certify that Ordinance No. 1439 is a full, true, and correct copy, and was introduced at a regular meeting of the Palm Desert City Council on December 11, 2025, and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on January 8, 2026, by the following vote: AYES: HARNIK, NESTANDE, PRADETTO, QUINTANILLA, AND TRUBEE NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE RECUSED: NONE /s/ ANTHONY J. MEJIA, CITY CLERK Exhibits are available for viewing with the City Clerk's office at 73510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, California or by request: cityclerk@palmdesert.gov January 16 2026 LYRK0440630