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 transit-rich area.
An urban infill site.
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.
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.
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to either of the following:
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.
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.
A legislative body shall comply with all of the following when adopting a zoning ordinance pursuant to subdivision (a):
The zoning ordinance shall include a declaration that the zoning ordinance is adopted pursuant to this section.
The zoning ordinance shall clearly demarcate the areas that are zoned pursuant to this section.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The creation of up to two accessory dwelling units and two junior accessory dwelling units per parcel pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 66314) and Article 3 (commencing with Section 66333) of Chapter 13 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).
A project may not be divided into smaller projects in order to exclude the project from the prohibition in this subdivision.
An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall not reduce the density of any parcel subject to the ordinance.
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.
For purposes of this section:
“High-quality bus corridor” means a corridor with fixed route bus service that meets all of the following criteria:
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.
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.
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.
“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.
“Urban infill site” means a site that satisfies all of the following:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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