CA SB 489

Title: Local agency formation commissions: written policies and procedures: Permit Streamlining Act: housing development projects.
Author: Jesse Arreguín

Summary
SB 489, as amended, Arreguín. Local agency formation commissions: written policies and procedures: Permit Streamlining Act: housing development projects. (1) The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 governs the procedures for the formation and change of organization of cities and special districts and establishes a local agency formation commission in each county consisting of members appointed as provided. The act expresses the intent of the Legislature that each local agency formation commission, by January 1, 2002, establish written policies and procedures and exercise its powers in a way that encourages and provides planned, well-ordered, efficient urban development patterns, as specified. The act requires these written policies and procedures to include forms to be used for various submittals to the commission, as provided. The act requires each commission to provide access to notices and other information to the public on an internet website, as specified, including notice of all public hearings and commission meetings.This bill would require that each local agency formation commission establish the written policies and procedures described above. The bill would require that the written policies and procedures include any forms necessary for a complete application to the commission concerning a proposed change of organization or reorganization. The bill would require each commission to provide access to its written policies and procedures to the public, including any forms necessary for a complete application for a change of organization or reorganization, through its internet website.(2) The Permit Streamlining Act requires a public agency to compile a list of the information required from an applicant for a development project, as provided. The act defines various terms for its purposes, including, among others, a “development project,” which is generally defined as any project undertaken for the purpose of development, excluding ministerial projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies, except that the act includes in the definition of “development project” projects that require an entitlement from a local agency, regardless of whether the process for permitting that entitlement is discretionary or ministerial.This bill would revise the definition of “development project” for purposes of the act to instead include a housing development project, as defined by specified other law that includes in that definition, notwithstanding the above-described exclusion for ministerial projects, projects that involve no discretionary approvals and projects that involve both discretionary and nondiscretionary approvals. The bill would also require a public agency, for each approval issued in connection with a housing development project, to publish online the above-described list, including the criteria that the public agency will apply in order to determine the completeness of the development application and the name of the approval, as provided.(3) By increasing the duties of local agency formation commissions in establishing and publishing written policies and procedures and of local planning officials in reviewing permit applications for housing development projects, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Status
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Bill Documents
CA SB 489 - 07/17/25 - Amended Assembly
07/17/25 - CA SB 489 (07/17/25 - Amended Assembly)