Housing development: Camp Fire Housing Assistance Act of 2019.

Existing law authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a development permit that is subject to a streamlined, ministerial approval process and not subject to a conditional use permit if the development satisfies specified objective planning standards, including that the development is a multifamily housing development that contains 2 or more residential units. This bill would authorize a development proponent to submit an application for a residential development, or mixed-use development that includes residential units with a specified percentage of space designated for residential use, within the territorial boundaries or a specialized residential planning area identified in the general plan of, and adjacent to existing urban development within, specified cities that is subject to a similar streamlined, ministerial approval process and not subject to a conditional use permit if the development satisfies specified objective planning standards. The bill would require a local government to notify the development proponent in writing if the local government determines that the development conflicts with any of those objective standards by a specified time; otherwise, the development is deemed to comply with those standards. The bill would provide that if a local government approves a project pursuant to that process, that approval will not expire if that project includes investment in housing affordability, and would otherwise provide that the approval of a project expires automatically after 3 years, unless that project qualifies for a one-time, one-year extension of that approval. The bill would prohibit a city from imposing any automobile parking standards on a development subject to these provisions if the development is located within 12 mile of a high-quality bus corridor, as defined, or major transit stop, as defined. The bill would provide that approval pursuant to its provisions would remain valid for 3 years and remain valid thereafter so long as vertical construction of the development has begun and is in progress, and would authorize a discretionary one-year extension, as provided. The bill would require a local government to file a notice of any approval of a development under these provisions with the Office of Planning and Research. The bill would prohibit a local government from adopting any requirement that applies to a project solely or partially on the basis that the project receives ministerial or streamlined approval pursuant to these provisions, except as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2026. This bill would include findings that the changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all of the specified cities, including charter cities. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects. By establishing a streamlined, ministerial approval process for certain housing developments, this bill would expand the exemption for the ministerial approval of projects under CEQA. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the cities specified in the bill. By imposing new duties on specified local agencies with respect to the streamlined, ministerial approval process described above, 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.