Santa Rosa, CA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- SRCC §§ 18-42.4.106.5, 18-42.4.106.5.1
- Base code adopted
- 2025 Cal. Green Building Standards Code, Title 24 Pt. 11
- Mandate
- All new low-rise residential must be all-electric
- Exemptions
- Attached ADUs, disaster rebuilds, stranded utility cost
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2022-015 § 12
Summary
Santa Rosa adopts the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code and goes further for housing: every newly constructed low-rise residential building in the city must be all-electric, with narrow exemptions for attached ADUs and disaster rebuilds.
4.106.5.1. New construction (low-rise residential). All newly constructed buildings shall be all-electric buildings. Exemptions: 1. Attached Accessory Dwelling Units 2. Reconstructed buildings lost in a disaster or calamity 3. New construction where existing utility infrastructure would have to be removed at the owner's expense.
Full Breakdown
' prefix. 1. ' The second is the operative rule: 'All newly constructed buildings shall be all-electric buildings,' with only three exemptions: attached accessory dwelling units, buildings reconstructed after being lost in a disaster or calamity, and new construction where removing existing utility infrastructure would cost the property owner money. 202 defines the terms precisely: an 'all-electric building' contains no combustion equipment or plumbing for combustion equipment serving space heating (including fireplaces), water heating (including pools and spas), cooking appliances (including barbeques), or clothes drying anywhere within the building or its property lines, and must instead use electric heating appliances.
'Combustion equipment' is defined as any equipment or appliance for space heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, or lighting that burns fuel gas. Both operative sections were added by Ordinance 2022-015 Section 12, making Santa Rosa one of the North Bay cities requiring all-electric new residential construction rather than merely encouraging it.
Violations & Fines
Noncombliant new construction cannot obtain final building inspection sign-off; the Building Official withholds the certificate of occupancy until gas infrastructure and combustion appliances are removed or the project qualifies for one of the three narrow exemptions. Persistent violations are enforced through the standard Title 18 penalty provisions, which apply the misdemeanor and civil penalty schedule set out in California Government Code Section 36900 for building code violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install a gas stove in a newly built Santa Rosa home?
Are accessory dwelling units exempt from the all-electric rule?
Does the all-electric rule cover pools and spas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Rosa
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Rosa to another location·View the California building safety overview
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