Subdivision Map Act: map expiration dates.

(1) The Subdivision Map Act vests the authority to regulate and control the design and improvement of subdivisions in the legislative body of a local agency, and sets forth procedures governing the local agency's processing, approval, conditional approval or disapproval, and filing of tentative, final, and parcel maps, and the modification thereof. The act generally requires a subdivider to file a tentative map or vesting tentative map with the local agency, as specified, and the local agency, in turn, to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the map within a specified time period. The act requires an approved tentative map or vesting tentative map to expire 24 months after its approval, or after an additional period of time prescribed by local ordinance, not to exceed 12 months. However, the act extends the expiration date of certain approved tentative maps and vesting tentative maps, as specified. This bill would extend by 24 months the expiration date of any approved tentative map or vesting tentative map that was approved on or after January 1, 2002, and not later than July 11, 2013, within a county that meets certain criteria, except as specified. The bill would additionally require the extension of an approved or conditionally approved tentative map or vesting tentative map, or parcel map for which a tentative map or vesting tentative map was approved on or before December 31, 2001, upon application by the subdivider at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the map, as specified. By adding to the procedures that local agency officials must follow, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The Permit Streamlining Act prohibits a local agency, after its approval of a tentative map for a subdivision of single- or multiple-family residential units, from requiring conformance with, or the performance of, any conditions that the local agency could have lawfully imposed as a condition to the previously approved tentative or parcel map, as a condition to the issuance of any building permit or equivalent permit upon approval of that subdivision, during a 5-year period following the recordation of the final map or parcel map for that subdivision. The act also prohibits a local agency from refusing to issue a building permit or equivalent permit for a subdivider's failure to conform with or perform those conditions. However, the act also provides that this 5-year period is a 3-year period for a tentative map extended pursuant to a specified provision of law, and the local agency is not prohibited from levying a fee, or imposing a condition that requires the payment of a fee upon the issuance of a building permit, with respect to the underlying units. This bill would provide that a tentative map extended pursuant to its provisions is also subject to the truncated 3-year period described above, and that the local agency is not prohibited from levying a fee, as specified, or imposing a condition that requires the payment of a fee upon the issuance of a building permit, with respect to the underlying units. By adding to the procedures that local agency officials must follow, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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. (4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.