State lawmakers’ push toward electric vehicles (EVs) has stripped local control over where charging stations are placed within their own communities.

Cities in California are mandated to allow EV charging stations without much control over placement, City Attorney Tom Remlinger told the Ceres City Council last week. The state also is forcing cities – and Ceres officials acquiesced – to adopt an ordinance to streamline permits for EV charging stations.

“The state Legislature has declared electric vehicles and their charging stations a matter of statewide concern,” said Remlinger, “and so has therefore required that every city and county pass an ordinance that streamlines the permitting for these residential and commercial charging station

Specifically the local laws are required to limit the power of building inspectors to only in instances where there is a “specific threat to public health and safety.”

In other words, Remlinger said, “If you submit an application that’s complete, you’ll be approved absent, some exigent circumstances.”

The required ordinance requires the city to offer an online application and checklist, whereby individuals can fill out, and that’ll be submitted electronically to the building inspector, and then the building inspector has a limited time to review and deem it complete and approve it.

Ceres has a number of EV charging stations, including those at the Ceres Community Center, Woodspring Inn & Suites, Panda Express and the Ceres Grub Hub.

California’s policy direction is for all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the state to be zero-emission by 2035. That includes battery EVs and qualifying plug-in hybrids under the applicable rules.