A. Adoption: The 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code is hereby adopted by reference.
B. Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) charging stations includes the assigned paved space(s) where (re)charging port(s) are specifically designed and built to supply EVs with electrical KW power at variable tenures for augmenting, supplementing, or boosting EVs with an increased electrical charge-up; such an EVSE station, unless exempted by the regulatory provisions of SB 1001 (Section 1, Subtitle A, title 14, Occupations Code, Chapter 2311), will comply with the following criteria:
1. Electrical permit(s) shall be required prior to the installation of any EVSE ports where the fee imposed shall be pursuant to Section 9-1-3 (F) of Alamo’s Code of Ordinances. Master Electricians shall perform the work involved to safely install and activate the port’s charging equipment; and this Code alerts the provider that, when applicable, each commercial EVSE charging station is required to be registered with the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation pursuant to Section 2311.0204 of the statute cited in ‘B’ above.
2. The EVSE’s specifications shall reflect the KW capacity per port and overall power generated by the model when all stations are activated. Furthermore, the fees, surcharges (if any) shall also be disclosed on the EVSE or the provider’s webpage in compliance to Section 2311.0304 of the aforementioned statute.
3. Unless installed with an electrical disconnect or with any evolving technology that has the same safety disconnect effect, the EVSE shall be equipped with an independent T-pole which may necessitate a separate meter for a given amount of EV ports pursuant to the design of KW generated for the series of installed ports.
4. The EVSE’s ports shall be on a paved parking space or paved driveway to be used by the owner(s) and/or their authorized guest(s).
5. The EVSE ports shall be approved by the Fire Marshal’s Office in specific regard to the port’s distance to area building structures, gasoline pumps, and other (potentially explosive) fire-risk criteria. Also, in compliance with the specific intent of Section 2311.0306 of the above-noted statute, the EVSE shall be repaired and maintained in a viable and safe manner. Any EVSE that is deemed to pose a safety risk shall be impeded/locked from being accessible by the general public; it is expected that the EVSE owner/operator shall then alert the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation of its inactive status and the reason for it being disabled. Furthermore, such a dormant EVSE shall not be re-activated for further use until the EVSE has been repaired in compliance to the manufacture’s specifications and any other local and state mandates. Electrical permits may be required prior to the reparatory measures, dependent on the involved work to be completed.
6. The EVSE station shall be located in a manner to not impede the traffic flow of the paved parking lot’s designed traffic circulation pattern.
7. It shall be the private property owner’s responsibility to resolve any trespassing issues wherein complimentary or residentially private EVSE’s ports are located.
8. If signage is displayed alerting passersby that an EVSE station is present at any given premises, such accessory sign shall be limited to one per street side and be no larger than 24" x 24" where the bottom of said sign shall be no higher than 8" from the paved/ground surface. If the sign is affixed to a building or solid buffer, there is no height restriction. There shall be no EVSE signage on private residential premises regardless of its zoning district.
9. Any EVSE station shall comply with all regulations from the adopted version of the IBC, NEC, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and/or other relevant code that pertain to EVSE charging ports. Should the above provisions conflict with any ‘updated’ EVSE regulations in subsequent versions of such applicable codes, the most restrictive shall govern.
10. NOTE: an EVSE charging port may be evident on private residential premises subject to all provisions above except for subsections 3, 5, 6, and 8.
(Ord. 02-02-19, 2-19-2019; amd. Ord. 55-08-22, 8-16-2022; Ord. 65-11-2023, 6-11-2023)