A. The building division will administratively approve an application to install electric vehicle charging stations through issuance of a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit.

B. It is the intent of this chapter to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by removing obstacles to permitting for charging stations so long as the action does not supersede the building official’s authority to address higher priority life-safety situations. If the building official makes written findings based on substantial evidence that the electric vehicle charging station could have a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety, the city may require the applicant to apply for a use permit. The building official shall be the appropriate authority and shall have the power to issue a use permit for an electric vehicle charging station. The building official may not deny an application for a use permit for an electric vehicle charging station unless he or she makes written findings based upon substantial evidence that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact. Such findings shall include the basis for the rejection of the potential feasible alternative for preventing the adverse impact.

C. In the technical review of a charging station, consistent with Government Code Section 65850.7, the building official shall not condition the approval for any electric vehicle charging station permit on the approval of such a system by an association, as that term is defined in Civil Code Section 4080.

D. Decisions regarding an electric vehicle charging station system permit application may be appealed to the planning commission pursuant to Chapter 17.56, or any successor chapter. (Ord. 2017-04 § 2 (Exh. A), 2017)