California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: day care center: zoning.

The CEQA exemption for day care centers now applies to any project 'in a residential area' rather than only those on a parcel 'zoned exclusively for residential use.' This removes the exclusive-zoning requirement and makes it easier for day care centers to qualify for the exemption from environmental impact review.

The CEQA exemption for family daycare homes (as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78) located on residentially zoned parcels was removed entirely. Only day care centers remain eligible for the exemption.

The remaining day care center exemption now requires the project to be both 'located on a parcel of land zoned exclusively for residential use' AND 'in a residential area,' adding an additional geographic condition beyond zoning alone.

The day care center exemption is reversed: it now applies to day care centers located on parcels zoned exclusively for residential use, instead of the prior version which exempted those NOT in residential areas.

Exemptions for rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers (under 50,000 square feet) are removed from the bill entirely.

Exemption for nonprofit food banks or food pantries on industrially zoned sites is removed from the bill entirely.

Exemption for advanced manufacturing facilities on industrially zoned sites is removed from the bill entirely.

Assembly Member Wicks is added as principal coauthor, indicating cross-chamber sponsorship for the revised bill.

Family daycare homes now must be located on a parcel zoned exclusively for residential use to qualify for the CEQA exemption. The prior Senate version had no zoning requirement for family daycare homes.

The bill now adds a new Section 21080.68 to the Public Resources Code instead of amending the existing Section 21080.69, making it a standalone provision rather than part of a broader exemptions section.

All amendments to Government Code Sections 25131, 36934, and 65860 were deleted. These provisions had changed ordinance passage timing from 'introduction' to 'publication,' removed read-in-full requirements, and created a streamlined ministerial rezoning process for zoning consistency with general plans.

A new Public Resources Code Section 21080.68 was added, creating a CEQA exemption for projects consisting exclusively of a day care center or family daycare home located on a parcel zoned exclusively for residential use. This reverses the prior version's approach, which had exempted day care centers NOT in residential areas.

The bill title and digest were updated to reflect that it now only amends/adds to the Public Resources Code (environmental quality) rather than also amending Government Code provisions on local government ordinances and zoning.

A new buffer restriction was added: the CEQA exemption does not apply to projects located within 3,200 feet of a facility that actively extracts or refines oil or natural gas.

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires fiscal committee approval, likely due to the new state-mandated local program duties on lead agencies.

New Section 1 amending Public Resources Code Section 21080.69 adds CEQA exemptions for specific project types: day care centers (with modified location criteria), family daycare homes, rural health clinics under 50,000 square feet, nonprofit food banks/pantries on industrial-zoned sites, and advanced manufacturing facilities on industrial-zoned sites.

The CEQA exemption for day care centers was narrowed from 'not located in a residential area' to 'not located on a parcel of land zoned exclusively for residential use,' using more precise zoning terminology that could affect which projects qualify for the exemption.

A new CEQA exemption was added for projects consisting exclusively of a family daycare home as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 1596.78, allowing small in-home day care operations to proceed without environmental review.

The bill now imposes a state-mandated local program (changed from 'no' to 'yes') because the CEQA exemption provisions require lead agencies to determine applicability of the exemptions. A no-reimbursement provision was added stating local agencies can levy service charges, fees, or assessments to cover mandated costs.

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes,' and Senator Perez was added as co-author. The bill title was expanded to reference the Public Resources Code amendment.

Sections 25131 and 36934: Removed requirements that ordinances be passed only at regular or adjourned regular meetings, removed all reading-in-full and title-reading provisions, removed the rule that altered ordinances require a new five-day waiting period, and changed the five-day clock to run from publication rather than introduction.

Section 65860(c)(4): Replaced a simple one-sentence authorization for streamlined ministerial approval with a detailed framework requiring the legislative body to adopt a policy via resolution or ordinance at a regular public meeting delegating authority to a city manager, county administrator, planning director, or equivalent position.

Section 65860(c)(4)(A): Added two conditions that must be met for streamlined ministerial approval - (i) the general plan must identify the zoning category for affected parcels and the rezoning must implement those categories, and (ii) natural and protected lands must be excluded from the rezoning.

Section 65860(c)(4)(B): Added four categorical exclusions where the streamlined process cannot be used - industrial rezonings (nonindustrial to industrial or less intensive to more intensive), construction within natural and protected lands, changes with significant environmental impact subject to CEQA, and any change that would modify a zoning category, definition, or standard.

Section 65860(c)(4)(C): Added a new definition of 'natural and protected lands' encompassing state parks, wilderness areas, marine protected areas, the National Park System, national recreation areas, national monuments, national wild and scenic rivers, ecological reserves and wildlife management areas, hazardous waste sites (with narrow exceptions for closure letters or suitability determinations), regulatory floodways (unless no-rise certification is received), and lands under conservation easement.