§ 1952.7 – Tenant Installations of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

(a)

1. Any term in a lease that is executed, renewed, or extended on or after January 1, 2015, that conveys any possessory interest in commercial property that either prohibits or unreasonably restricts the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station in a parking space associated with the commercial property, or that is otherwise in conflict with the provisions of this section, is void and unenforceable.
2. This subdivision does not apply to provisions that impose reasonable restrictions on the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. However, it is the policy of the state to promote, encourage, and remove obstacles to the use of electric vehicle charging stations.
3. This subdivision shall not grant the holder of a possessory interest under the lease described in paragraph (1) the right to install electric vehicle charging stations in more parking spaces than are allotted to the leaseholder in his or her lease, or, if no parking spaces are allotted, a number of parking spaces determined by multiplying the total number of parking spaces located at the commercial property by a fraction, the denominator of which is the total rentable square feet at the property, and the numerator of which is the number of total square feet rented by the leaseholder.
4. If the installation of an electric vehicle charging station has the effect of granting the leaseholder a reserved parking space and a reserved parking space is not allotted to the leaseholder in the lease, the owner of the commercial property may charge a reasonable monthly rental amount for the parking space.

(b) This section shall not apply to any of the following:

1. A commercial property where charging stations already exist for use by tenants in a ratio that is equal to or greater than 2 available parking spaces for every 100 parking spaces at the commercial property.
2. A commercial property where there are less than 50 parking spaces.

(c) For purposes of this section:

1. “Electric vehicle charging station” or “charging station” means a station that is designed in compliance with Article 625 of the California Electrical Code, as it reads on the effective date of this section, and delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into one or more electric vehicles.
2. “Reasonable costs” includes, but is not limited to, costs associated with those items specified in the “Permitting Checklist” of the “Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook” published by the Office of Planning and Research.
3. “Reasonable restrictions” or “reasonable standards” are restrictions or standards that do not significantly increase the cost of the electric vehicle charging station or its installation or significantly decrease the charging station’s efficiency or specified performance.

(d) An electric vehicle charging station shall meet applicable health and safety standards and requirements imposed by state and local authorities as well as all other applicable zoning, land use, or other ordinances, or land use permit requirements.

(e) If lessor approval is required for the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station, the application for approval shall not be willfully avoided or delayed. The approval or denial of an application shall be in writing.

(f) An electric vehicle charging station installed by a lessee shall satisfy the following provisions:

1. If lessor approval is required, the lessee first shall obtain approval from the lessor to install the electric vehicle charging station and the lessor shall approve the installation if the lessee complies with the applicable provisions of the lease consistent with the provisions of this section and agrees in writing to do all of the following:
   1. Comply with the lessor’s reasonable standards for the installation of the charging station.
   2. Engage a licensed contractor to install the charging station.
   3. Within 14 days of approval, provide a certificate of insurance that names the lessor as an additional insured under the lessee’s insurance policy in the amount set forth in paragraph (3).
2. The lessee shall be responsible for all of the following:
   1. Costs for damage to property and the charging station resulting from the installation, maintenance, repair, removal, or replacement of the charging station.
   2. Costs for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of the charging station.
   3. The cost of electricity associated with the charging station.
3. The lessee at all times, shall maintain a lessee liability coverage policy in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000), and shall name the lessor as a named additional insured under the policy with a right to notice of cancellation and property insurance covering any damage or destruction caused by the charging station, naming the lessor as its interests may appear.

(g) A lessor may, in its sole discretion, create a new parking space where one did not previously exist to facilitate the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, in compliance with all applicable laws.

(h) Any installation by a lessor or a lessee of an electric vehicle charging station in a common interest development is also subject to all of the requirements of subdivision (f) of Section 4745.

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