Housing development: approvals.

(1) The Planning and Zoning law requires a proposed housing development containing no more than 2 residential units within a single-family residential zone to be considered ministerially, without discretionary review or hearing, if the proposed housing development meets certain requirements, including that the proposed housing development does not allow for the demolition of more than 25% of the existing exterior structural walls, except as provided. Existing law authorizes a local agency to impose objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards, as defined, except as specified, on the proposed housing development. Existing law authorizes a local agency to deny a proposed housing development if specified conditions are met, including that the building official makes a written finding that the proposed housing development project would have a specific, adverse impact upon public health and safety or the physical environment, as provided. This bill would remove the requirement that a proposed housing development does not allow for the demolition of more than 25% of the existing exterior structural walls to be considered ministerially. The bill would prohibit a local agency from imposing objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards that do not apply uniformly to development within the underlying zone, but would specify that these provisions do not prohibit a local agency from adopting or imposing objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards on the development if the standards are more permissive than applicable standards within the underlying zone. The bill would remove the authorization for a local agency to deny a proposed housing development if the building official makes a written finding that the proposed housing development project would have a specific, adverse impact upon the physical environment. The bill would require the local agency to consider and approve or deny the proposed housing development application within 60 days from the date the local agency receives the completed application, and would deem the application approved after that time. The bill would require a permitting agency, if it denies an application, to provide a full set of comments to the applicant with a list of items that are defective or deficient and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant. (2) 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 of those maps. Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially approve a parcel map for an urban lot split that meets certain requirements. Existing law authorizes a local agency to impose objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards, as defined, except as specified. Existing law authorizes a local agency to deny an urban lot split if specified conditions are met, including that the building official makes a written finding that the proposed housing development project would have a specific, adverse impact upon public health and safety or the physical environment, as provided. This bill would specify that objective zoning standards, objective subdivision standards, and objective design standards imposed by a local agency must be related to the design or improvements of a parcel. This bill would remove the authorization for a local agency to deny a proposed housing development if the building official makes a written finding that the proposed housing development project would have a specific, adverse impact upon the physical environment. The bill would require the local agency to consider and approve or deny the proposed housing development application within 60 days from the date the local agency receives the completed application, and would deem the application approved after that time. The bill would require a permitting agency, if it denies an application, to provide a full set of comments to the applicant with a list of items that are defective or deficient and a description of how the application can be remedied by the applicant. (3) This bill would make additional nonsubstantive and conforming changes to these provisions. (4) The bill would include findings related to changes proposed by this bill and would amend certain findings in existing law to state that the provisions address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. (5) By increasing the duties of local agencies with respect to land use regulations, the 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.