Planning and zoning: permits.

The Planning and Zoning Law provides for the adoption and administration of zoning laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations by counties and cities, including a general plan of a county or city. Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a county or city to adopt ordinances that regulate the use of buildings, structures, and land for industry, business, residences, open space, including agriculture, recreation, enjoyment of scenic beauty, use of natural resources, and other purposes, and regulate the location, height, bulk, number of stores, and size of buildings and structures, and the size and use of lots. The Permit Streamlining Act establishes procedures for the application for a development project. Existing law requires a public agency to notify applicants for development permits of specified information, including the time limits established for the review and approval of development permits. This bill would, among other things, require all grading, foundation, building, and use permits required by a city, county, or city and county with a population greater than 15,000 for a development project that creates, or results in an increase of, not more than 50 residential dwelling units or guest rooms to be ministerially approved, conditionally approved, or denied by a director of the lead planning agency, or a designee, in accordance with this bill. The bill would require the director or designee to make certain findings before approving these permits. The bill would authorize the director or designee, in approving a site plan application for a development project, to condition, modify, or both the development project, or select an alternative project, as the director deems necessary to implement the general and specific plans and to mitigate the significant adverse effects of the development project on the environment and surrounding areas. The bill would require the director or designee to establish administrative methods, guidelines, procedures, and forms as may be necessary to expeditiously review and render a decision prior to processing a site plan application for a development project. The bill would require the director or designee, upon a finding that the development project may have a significant effect on neighboring properties, to set the site plan application for a public hearing. The bill would require the director or designee to approve, conditionally approve, or deny a site plan application for a development project and issue a notice of determination to the applicant within a specified time period and would authorize an appeal to the area planning commission not more 15 days from the issuance of the notice of determination. By increasing the duties of local officials, 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.