HomeMy WebLinkAboutCONSTRUCTION SAFEGUARDS AND BARRIERS(05/21/25)
CITY OF PALM DESERT
Building & Safety Division
73510 Fred Waring, Palm Desert, CA (760) 776-6420
www.palmdesert.gov
To: All Permit Holders
From: Jason Finley, Chief Building Official
Date: December 4, 2025
Subject: Assembly Bill 130 (AB130) Model Home Design Exception
On June 30, 2025, California enacted a moratorium on state and local building standards for residential units,
effective October 1, 2025, and set to end on June 1, 2031.
The moratorium on residential building standards applies to “residential units,” a term not currently defined
in statutes or regulations. The California Building and Standards Commission has interpreted this to all
Residential Group R occupancies, as listed in Section 310 of the California Building Code (Part 2 of Title 24),
as well as detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, as listed in the California Residential
Code (Part 2.5 of Title 24). Specifically, the residential Group R occupancies listed in Section 310 of the CBC
would include Residential Groups R-1, R-2, R-2.1, R2.2, R-3, R-3.1, and R-4.
Model Home Design Exception
AB130 says that “state and local building standards in effect at the time an application for a building permit
is submitted, for a residential dwelling based on a model home design approved under those standards, shall
apply to all future residential dwellings based on that approved model home design in the same jurisdiction,
unless the model home design substantially changes at a later date or 10 years have passed since the
building permit for the model home design was approved by the jurisdiction, whichever comes first.”
The Model Home Design Exception does not include language regarding other occupancies or ancillary
structures and uses (e.g., patio covers, swimming pools, walls, and fences). The City’s interpretation (until
the Commission provides a more definitive stance) is that these ancillary structures and uses will be reviewed
and issued under the most current model code in effect at the time of application.
For Palm Desert, this means that all current building applications, plan reviews, and approved model home
designs—commonly referred to as “Master Plans”—for Group R Occupancy developments will remain
governed by their approved model code series for a period of 10 years or until significant changes are made.
If you have questions, please contact the Building and Safety Division at (760)776-6420 or
building@palmdesert.gov.