The Laguna Niguel City Council voted Dec. 2 to adopt ordinances incorporating the 2025 California building and fire codes, including local amendments and two recommended changes from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA).

Deputy Director John Morgan told the council the state’s updated code cycle mainly includes administrative refinements, increased energy efficiency measures, expanded EV infrastructure requirements and a new wildland-urban interface code. "These new codes will become effective statewide on 01/01/2026," Morgan said.

Staff told the council that most local amendments are carry-forwards already codified in Laguna Niguel’s municipal code and are administrative or life-safety focused. Examples to be continued include swimming pool barrier rules, automatic fire sprinkler thresholds for homes over 5,000 square feet, and foundation and footing standards tied to local soil conditions. OCFA recommended two specific revised local amendments related to high-pile compost storage and shutoff valves for private fire-protection systems; staff included those recommendations in the package for adoption.

The council opened and closed the public hearing on the ordinances with no extended public testimony. Council member Ray Genoway moved to approve the staff recommendation; Council member Otto seconded. The mayor called for a vote, and the motion carried.

The ordinances adopt the 2025 state codes by reference, incorporate the city’s prior local amendments, and approve the two OCFA-recommended language changes. According to staff, the statewide effective date is Jan. 1, 2026, after which the updated standards will apply to new construction and projects subject to state code requirements.

What happens next: the adopted ordinances will be codified in the city municipal code and applied to permitting and plan review consistent with the state effective date. The council did not provide a recorded roll-call tally in the meeting transcript; the clerk recorded the motion as "carries."