SB 10

Planning and zoning: housing development: density.Ch. 163, Stats. 2021 · chaptered 2021-09-16 · Later amended

Key provisions · Claude summary of the digest, not bill text

Allowed local governments to adopt ordinances zoning parcels in transit-rich areas or urban infill sites for up to 10 units per parcel, with the ordinance exempt from CEQA, through January 1, 2029.

Up to 10 units. Authorized a local government, notwithstanding local zoning restrictions, to adopt an ordinance zoning any parcel in a transit-rich area or urban infill site for up to 10 residential units, at a height specified in the ordinance. Prohibited adopting such ordinances on or after January 1, 2029.
CEQA exemption. Provided that the ordinance, and related general plan or zoning amendments for consistency, are not a project under CEQA.
Ordinance requirements. Required the ordinance to clearly demarcate covered areas and the legislative body to find it consistent with the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing, and required a 2/3 vote if it supersedes a zoning restriction established by local initiative.
Limits. Barred the ordinance from superseding voter-approved restrictions designating public land as open space or parks, barred reducing density on covered parcels, and barred ministerial or by-right approval or CEQA exemption for projects of 10 or more units on those parcels, except as specified.

Paraphrased from the Legislative Counsel’s Digest. Check the bill text before relying on it.

ClaudeGreen text is a summary heading written by Claude to help navigate. It is not statute text; the statute text is in black.

SEC. 1In the navigator:§ 65913.5 changes

Section 65913.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:

§ 65913.5Enacted by this bill: all text is new

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any local restrictions on adopting zoning ordinances enacted by the jurisdiction that limit the legislative body’s ability to adopt zoning ordinances, including, subject to the requirements of paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), restrictions enacted by local initiative, a local government may adopt an ordinance to zone a parcel for up to 10 units of residential density per parcel, at a height specified by the local government in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in one of the following:

(A) A transit-rich area.

(B) An urban infill site.

(2) A local government shall not adopt an ordinance pursuant to this subdivision on or after January 1, 2029. However, the operative date of an ordinance adopted under this subdivision may extend beyond January 1, 2029.

(3) An ordinance adopted in accordance with this subdivision, and any resolution to amend the jurisdiction’s General Plan, ordinance, or other local regulation adopted to be consistent with that zoning ordinance, shall not constitute a “project” for purposes of Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to either of the following:

(A) Parcels located within a very high fire hazard severity zone, as determined by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 51178, or within a high or very high fire hazard severity zone as indicated on maps adopted by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Section 4202 of the Public Resources Code. This paragraph does not apply to sites that have adopted fire hazard mitigation measures pursuant to existing building standards or state fire mitigation measures applicable to the development.

(B) Any local restriction enacted or approved by a local initiative that designates publicly owned land as open-space land, as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 65560, or for park or recreational purposes.

(b) A legislative body shall comply with all of the following when adopting a zoning ordinance pursuant to subdivision (a):

(1) The zoning ordinance shall include a declaration that the zoning ordinance is adopted pursuant to this section.

(2) The zoning ordinance shall clearly demarcate the areas that are zoned pursuant to this section.

(3) The legislative body shall make a finding that the increased density authorized by the ordinance is consistent with the city or county’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing pursuant to Section 8899.50.

(4) If the ordinance supersedes any zoning restriction established by a local initiative, the ordinance shall only take effect if adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of the legislative body.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding any other law that allows ministerial or by right approval of a development project or that grants an exemption from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code, a residential or mixed-use residential project consisting of more than 10 new residential units on one or more parcels that are zoned pursuant to an ordinance adopted under this section shall not be approved ministerially or by right and shall not be exempt from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(2) This subdivision shall not apply to a project located on a parcel or parcels that are zoned pursuant to an ordinance adopted under this section, but subsequently rezoned without regard to this section. A subsequent ordinance adopted to rezone the parcel or parcels shall not be exempt from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. Any environmental review conducted to adopt the subsequent ordinance shall consider the change in the zoning applicable to the parcel or parcels before they were zoned or rezoned pursuant to the ordinance adopted under this section.

(3) The creation of up to two accessory dwelling units and two junior accessory dwelling units per parcel pursuant to Sections 65852.2 and 65852.22 of the Government Code shall not count towards the total number of units of a residential or mixed-use residential project when determining if the project may be approved ministerially or by right under paragraph (1).

(4) A project may not be divided into smaller projects in order to exclude the project from the prohibition in this subdivision.

(d) (1) An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall not reduce the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance.

(2) A legislative body that adopts a zoning ordinance pursuant to this section shall not subsequently reduce the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance.

(e) For purposes of this section:

(1) “High-quality bus corridor” means a corridor with fixed route bus service that meets all of the following criteria:

(A) It has average service intervals of no more than 15 minutes during the three peak hours between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., inclusive, and the three peak hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., inclusive, on Monday through Friday.

(B) It has average service intervals of no more than 20 minutes during the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., inclusive, on Monday through Friday.

(C) It has average intervals of no more than 30 minutes during the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., inclusive, on Saturday and Sunday.

(2) “Transit-rich area” means a parcel within one-half mile of a major transit stop, as defined in Section 21064.3 of the Public Resources Code, or a parcel on a high-quality bus corridor.

(3) “Urban infill site” means a site that satisfies all of the following:

(A) A site that is a legal parcel or parcels located in a city if, and only if, the city boundaries include some portion of either an urbanized area or urban cluster, as designated by the United States Census Bureau, or, for unincorporated areas, a legal parcel or parcels wholly within the boundaries of an urbanized area or urban cluster, as designated by the United States Census Bureau.

(B) A site in which at least 75 percent of the perimeter of the site adjoins parcels that are developed with urban uses. For the purposes of this section, parcels that are only separated by a street or highway shall be considered to be adjoined.

(C) A site that is zoned for residential use or residential mixed-use development, or has a general plan designation that allows residential use or a mix of residential and nonresidential uses, with at least two-thirds of the square footage of the development designated for residential use.

(f) The Legislature finds and declares that provision of adequate housing, in light of the severe shortage of housing at all income levels in this state, is a matter of statewide concern and is not a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution. Therefore, this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.

Source: LegiScan API, chaptered text of SB 10 (2021-2022 Session).

Bill text is the chaptered version from LegiScan (California Legislature); spacing is normalized. Code section text in a bill is the text that bill chaptered, not necessarily the law in effect today. Not legal advice.

Legislative Counsel’s Digest, from the chaptered bill.

The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. Existing law requires an attached housing development to be a permitted use, not subject to a conditional use permit, on any parcel zoned for multifamily housing if at least certain percentages of the units are available at affordable housing costs to very low income, lower income, and moderate-income households for at least 30 years and if the project meets specified conditions relating to location and being subject to a discretionary decision other than a conditional use permit. Existing law provides for various incentives intended to facilitate and expedite the construction of affordable housing.

This bill would, notwithstanding any local restrictions on adopting zoning ordinances, authorize a local government to adopt an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to 10 units of residential density per parcel, at a height specified in the ordinance, if the parcel is located in a transit-rich area or an urban infill site, as those terms are defined. The bill would prohibit a local government from adopting an ordinance pursuant to these provisions on or after January 1, 2029. The bill would specify that an ordinance adopted under these provisions, and any resolution to amend the jurisdiction’s General Plan, ordinance, or other local regulation adopted to be consistent with that ordinance, is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act. The bill would prohibit an ordinance adopted under these provisions from superceding a local restriction enacted or approved by a local initiative that designates publicly owned land as open-space land or for park or recreational purposes.

The bill would impose specified requirements on a zoning ordinance adopted under these provisions, including a requirement that the zoning ordinance clearly demarcate the areas that are subject to the ordinance and that the legislative body make a finding that the ordinance is consistent with the city or county’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. The bill would require an ordinance to be adopted by a 2/3 vote of the members of the legislative body if the ordinance supersedes any zoning restriction established by local initiative.

The bill would prohibit an ordinance adopted under these provisions from reducing the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance and would prohibit a legislative body from subsequently reducing the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance. The bill would prohibit a residential or mixed-use residential project consisting of 10 or more units that is located on a parcel zoned pursuant to these provisions from being approved ministerially or by right or from being exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, except as specified.

This bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.

Authors: Scott Wiener (D), Toni Atkins (D), Anna Caballero (D), Robert Rivas (D), Nancy Skinner (D), Buffy Wicks (D)

Bill on leginfo ↗ LegiScan ↗

Votes 9

Date	House	Motion	Yes	No	NV	Result
2021-08-30	Senate	Unfinished Business SB10 Wiener et al. Concurrence	28	6	0	Passed
2021-08-23	Assembly	SB 10 Wiener Senate Third Reading By Chiu	44	12	0	Passed
2021-06-30	Assembly	Do pass as amended	6	1	1	Passed
2021-06-22	Assembly	Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]	6	1	1	Passed
2021-06-02	Senate	Senate 3rd Reading SB10 Wiener et al	27	7	6	Passed
2021-05-20	Senate	Do pass	6	1	0	Passed
2021-05-10	Senate	Placed on suspense file	7	0	0	Passed
2021-04-22	Senate	Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]	4	1	0	Passed
2021-03-18	Senate	Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Governance and Finance]	7	1	1	Passed

Status history 35

Date	House	Action
2021-09-16		Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 163, Statutes of 2021.
2021-09-16		Approved by the Governor.
2021-09-03		Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2021-08-30	Senate	Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 6. Page 2210.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
2021-08-26	Senate	In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2021-08-23	Assembly	Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 44. Noes 12. Page 2475.) Ordered to the Senate.
2021-07-06	Assembly	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2021-07-05	Assembly	Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2021-07-01	Assembly	From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (June 30).
2021-06-24	Assembly	Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2021-06-23	Assembly	From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (June 22).
2021-06-14	Assembly	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
2021-06-10	Assembly	Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and L. GOV.
2021-06-02	Assembly	In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2021-06-02	Senate	Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 27. Noes 7. Page 1393.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2021-05-27	Senate	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2021-05-26	Senate	Ordered to second reading.
2021-05-26	Senate	Read third time and amended.
2021-05-20	Senate	Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2021-05-20	Senate	From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1. Page 1178.) (May 20).
2021-05-14	Senate	Set for hearing May 20.
2021-05-10	Senate	May 10 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.
2021-04-30	Senate	Set for hearing May 10.
2021-04-27	Senate	Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2021-04-26	Senate	From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1. Page 895.) (April 22).
2021-04-13	Senate	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.
2021-04-13	Senate	Set for hearing April 22.
2021-03-22	Senate	Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.
2021-03-18	Senate	From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on GOV. & F. (Ayes 7. Noes 1. Page 552.) (March 18).
2021-02-24	Senate	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.
2021-02-24	Senate	Set for hearing March 18.
2021-01-28	Senate	Referral to Com. on E.Q. rescinded because of the limitations placed on committee hearings due to ongoing health and safety risks of the COVID-19 virus.
2021-01-28	Senate	Referred to Coms. on HOUSING, GOV. & F., and EQ.
2020-12-08	Senate	From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 7.
2020-12-07	Senate	Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Versions

Introduced 2020-12-07 · Amended 2021-02-24 · Amended 2021-03-22 · Amended 2021-04-13 · Amended 2021-04-27 · Amended 2021-05-26 · Amended 2021-06-14 · Amended 2021-06-24 · Amended 2021-07-05 · Enrolled 2021-09-01 · Chaptered 2021-09-16