The Cathedral City Council on Oct. 22 introduced and voted to adopt an ordinance that updates the city’s building and fire codes to align with the 2025 California Building Standards Code and to add local amendments for life-safety and fire-protection standards.

Jeremy Frey, the city’s chief building official, told the council that cities are required to adopt the state’s triennial building-code updates and that local governments may add more stringent measures when supported by findings tied to climatic, topographic or geologic conditions. Frey said the state code becomes effective Jan. 1, 2026, and the local ordinance would be filed with the California Building Standards Commission after second reading.

Among the identified local amendments were an increase in the height exemption for fences to 42 inches (updating a local threshold), the removal of a retaining-wall exemption so that any retaining wall of a specified height would require a permit, and more stringent fire apparatus turning-radius requirements. The staff report and draft ordinance included findings required by the California Health and Safety Code to justify local changes.

Council members asked several technical questions. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Gregory asked whether the code’s roof-material language could be broadened beyond specific references to clay or concrete tiles so that other Class A fire-resistant materials (for example, certain metal systems or other rated assemblies) could be permitted. Building staff said the planning/zoning code contains aesthetic language and that the building code itself recognizes several Class A materials; staff agreed to research options and return with clarification at second reading.

Fire Marshal Lynn Pivaroff described a proposed prohibition on sky lanterns (sometimes called Chinese or wishing lanterns), calling them “a hot air balloon without any monitoring” with an open flame that can strike trees or other targets when it lands. The council discussed allowing a written exemption request to the fire chief but staff said no requests had been received and the fire code generally prohibits them.

Councilmember Gregory moved to adopt the CEQA finding of no significant effect and introduce the ordinance; the motion was seconded and passed on a unanimous vote. Staff will file the adopted ordinance with the California Building Standards Commission and bring back any necessary clarifications on specific amendments at second reading.