The Lake Forest City Council on Nov. 18 adopted the 2025 California Building Standards Code, commonly known as Title 24, and approved local amendments intended to reflect the city’s fire risk, topography and implementation needs.

Senior planner Ron Santos told the council the state requires jurisdictions to begin enforcing the 2025 codes on Jan. 1, 2026, and that local adoption is necessary to incorporate changes specific to Lake Forest. "The State requires all jurisdictions to begin enforcing the 2025 codes on 01/01/2026," Santos said in presenting the staff recommendation.

Staff described the local amendments as more stringent than the state baseline in some areas. Notable changes include restoring the building official’s authority to extend plan-check and permit expirations; adding a requirement that fuel modification plans in wildfire risk areas be reviewed and approved by the Orange County Fire Authority under their vegetation-management guidelines; updating tent-lighting rules to align with the state energy code; and repealing the city’s obsolete 1997 sign code.

The report noted the new California Wildland Urban Interface code division and recommended that all new construction in very-high fire hazard severity zones include an OCFA-approved vegetation-management plan consistent with guideline C05. John Bowden, an OCFA fire-safety engineer in attendance, was available to answer technical questions.

No public comment was recorded on the item. After discussion, council voted to adopt the draft ordinance, enabling the local amendments to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

The action implements policies adopted in the city’s 2020 general plan public safety element and the 2024 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, and aligns local practice with OCFA recommendations. The council’s adoption preserves the city’s authority over inspections, fees, penalties and code enforcement while restoring consistency with the state code for plan-check timelines.