Planning and zoning: density bonus: floor area ratio bonus.

The Planning and Zoning Law requires, when an applicant proposes a housing development within the jurisdiction of a local government, that the city, county, or city and county provide the developer with a density bonus and other incentives or concessions for the production of lower income housing units or for the donation of land within the development if the developer, among other things, agrees to construct a specified percentage of units for very low, low-, or moderate-income households or qualifying residents. That law also authorizes a city council or county board of supervisors to establish a procedure by ordinance to grant the developer of a commercial or industrial project that meets specified criteria a density bonus, defined for this purpose as a floor area ratio bonus over the otherwise maximum allowable density permitted, when the developer has set aside a specified area to be used for a child care facility, as provided. This bill would authorize a city council or county board of supervisors to establish a procedure by ordinance to grant a developer of an eligible housing development, upon the request of the developer, a floor area ratio bonus, calculated as provided, in lieu of a density bonus awarded on the basis of dwelling units per acre. The bill would define "eligible housing development" as a development that meets specified criteria related to residential use or mixed use, location, zoning, replacement of units, and affordability. The bill would prohibit the city council or county board of supervisors from imposing any parking requirement on an eligible housing development in excess of specified ratios. The bill would require a city or county that adopts a floor area ratio bonus ordinance to allow an applicant seeking to develop an eligible residential development to calculate impact fees based on square feet, instead of on a per unit basis. The bill would also authorize an applicant for a floor area ratio bonus to submit a proposal for specified additional incentives or concessions, as provided.