Bill Text: CA AB1851 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Religious institution affiliated housing development projects: parking requirements.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-09-28 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 196, Statutes of 2020. [AB1851 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB1851-Chaptered.html
Assembly Bill
No. 1851
CHAPTER 196
An act to add Section 65913.6 to the Government Code, relating to land use.
[
Approved by
Governor
September 28, 2020.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 28, 2020.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1851, Wicks.
Religious institution affiliated housing development projects: parking requirements.
Existing law provides for various incentives intended to facilitate and expedite the construction of affordable housing, including the Density Bonus Law, which 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.
This bill would prohibit a local agency from requiring the replacement of religious-use parking spaces that a developer of a religious institution affiliated housing development
project proposes to eliminate as part of that housing development project. The bill would prohibit the number of religious-use parking spaces requested to be eliminated from exceeding 50% of the number that are available at the time the request is made. The bill would prohibit a local agency from requiring the curing of any preexisting deficit of the number of religious-use parking spaces as a condition of approval of a religious institution affiliated housing development project. The bill would require a local agency to allow the number of religious-use parking spaces that will be available after completion of a religious institution affiliated housing development project to count toward the number of parking spaces otherwise required for approval. The bill would prohibit a local agency from denying a housing development project proposed by a religious institution, or a developer working with a religious institution, solely on the basis that the project will reduce the total number of parking spaces
available at the place of worship provided that the total reduction does not exceed 50% of existing parking spaces. The bill would authorize a local agency to require up to one parking space per unit for a religious institution affiliated housing development project. The 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 cities, including charter cities.
By adding to the duties of local planning 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.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 65913.6 is added to the Government Code, to read:65913.6.
(a) For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions shall apply:(1) “Housing development project” means a housing development project as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 65589.5.
(2) “Local agency” means any county, city, or city and county, including a charter city, or city and county.
(3) “Place of worship” means a property owned or operated by a religious institution, that is used for the purpose of regular assembly by members of the institution.
(4) “Religious institution” means an institution owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a bona fide church, religious denomination, or religious organization composed of multidenominational members of the same well-recognized religion, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 9110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
(5) “Religious institution affiliated housing development project” means a housing development project that meets all of the following criteria:
(A) The housing development project is located on one or more contiguous parcels that are each owned entirely, whether directly or through a wholly owned company or corporation, by a religious institution.
(B) The housing development project qualifies as being near colocated religious-use parking by being any of the following:
(i) Located on one or more parcels that collectively contain religious-use parking.
(ii) Located adjacent to a parcel owned by the religious institution that contains religious-use parking.
(iii) Located on one or more parcels separated by no more than 0.1 miles from a parcel owned by the religious institution that contains religious-use parking.
(C) The housing development project qualifies for a density bonus under Section 65915.
(6) “Religious-use parking spaces” means existing parking spaces that are required under the local agency’s parking requirements for places of worship.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance, a local agency shall not require the replacement of religious-use parking spaces that a developer of a religious institution affiliated housing development project proposes to eliminate as part of that housing development project pursuant to this section.
(2) The number of religious-use parking spaces requested to be eliminated by a developer of a religious institution affiliated housing development project pursuant to this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the number of religious-use parking spaces that are available at the time the request
is made.
(3) The elimination of religious-use parking spaces pursuant to a religious institution affiliated housing development project that has been approved by a local agency does not constitute a concession pursuant to Section 65915.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance, a local agency shall not require the curing of any preexisting deficit of the number of religious-use parking spaces as a condition of approval of a religious institution affiliated housing development project.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance, a local agency shall allow the number of religious-use parking spaces that will be available after completion of a religious institution affiliated housing development project to count toward the
number of parking spaces otherwise required for approval of the housing development project under any other law or ordinance.
(e) Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance, a local agency shall not deny a proposed religious institution affiliated housing development project
solely on the basis that the project will reduce the total number of parking spaces available at the place of worship provided that the total reduction does not exceed 50 percent of existing parking spaces.
(f) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, except as provided in paragraph (3), the reduction in parking spaces authorized in this section shall not reduce the minimum parking standards that a local agency may require of a religious institution affiliated housing development project below one space per unit.
(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, a local agency shall not be required to allow the remaining religious-use parking spaces to
count toward the number of parking spaces otherwise required for approval of the housing development project as provided in subdivision (d) to the extent that the application of subdivision (d) would prohibit a local agency from requiring up to one parking space per unit.
(3) This subdivision shall not apply to a religious institution affiliated housing development project if either of the following is true:
(A) The parcel is located within one-half mile walking distance of public transit. For the purposes of this paragraph, “public transit” means either a high-quality transit corridor as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code or a major transit stop as defined in Section 21064.3 of the Public Resources Code.
(B) There is a car share vehicle located within one block of the parcel.
(g) The Legislature finds and declares that the provision of adequate housing, in light of the severe shortage of housing at all income levels in this state, is a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair as that term is used in Section 5 of Article XI of the California Constitution, and therefore this section applies to all cities, including charter cities.
