HB 2180 Amends building codes to include charging stations for electric cars

VOTE:NO
Signed into Law by Gov Brown on 06-03-21
Status (overview) of bill:https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Measures/Overview/HB2180

This bill requires Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) to amend state building code to require that new construction of certain commercial, residential, and mixed-use buildings include provisions for electrical service capacity for at least 20% of parking spaces. The act would allow municipalities to adopt a local percentage of parking space requirements higher than state building code requirements.

Personal Choice and Responsibility
We are already seeing empty parking spots reserved for electric vehicles (EV) pushing handicapped parking further away from buildings and easy access. EV’s are purchased by semi-wealthy pushing low-income to the back row. This goes against the equity pledge of the majority party.

Limited Government
The Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) adopted Electric Vehicle Ready Parking standards in 2017. The standards require newly constructed parking facilities in certain occupancies with 50 or more open parking spaces to have conduit run from the service to at least five percent of the open parking spaces. The conduit must be sized to fit wiring for at least a level 2 charger (40 amp). The EV Ready Parking standards are required in the cities of Portland, Eugene, Salem, and Gresham. HB 2180 would require building code to require at least 20% for new constructed privately owned commercial buildings, multifamily residential buildings with five or more residential dwelling units, and mixed-use buildings consisting of privately owned commercial space and five or more residential dwelling units to provide electrical vehicle charging infrastructure, and allow municipalities to adopt building codes that require a higher percentage of parking spaces to provide electric vehicle charging. Authorizes municipalities, by ordinance, rule or process concerning land use, to require that each newly constructed building include provisions for electrical service capacity to accommodate more than 20% of vehicle parking spaces in the garage or parking area for the building. Requires director to make code amendments effective July 1, 2022.

Local Control
There needs to be local control to judge the demand of the area.