Bill Text: CA AB987 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Transit village development districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 354, Statutes of 2010. [AB987 Detail]
Download: California-2009-AB987-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 987 CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 354 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2010 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 23, 2010 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 18, 2010 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 20, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 4, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 14, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ma FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act to amend Sections 65460.1, 65460.2, and 65460.4 of the Government Code, relating to transit village development planning. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 987, Ma. Transit village development districts. (1) Existing law, the Transit Village Development Planning Act of 1994, authorizes a city or county to create a transit village plan for a transit village development district. A transit village development district is required to include all land within not less than 1/4 mile of the exterior boundary of the parcel on which is located a transit station, as defined. This bill would recast the area included in a transit village development district to include all land within not more than 1/2 mile of the main entrance of a transit station and make additional legislative findings. The bill also would make technical, nonsubstantive changes. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes in Section 65460.2 of the Government Code, proposed by AB 2509, to be operative only if AB 2509 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, and this bill is chaptered last. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 65460.1 of the Government Code is amended to read: 65460.1. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: (1) Federal, state, and local governments in California are investing in new and expanded transit systems in areas throughout the state, including Los Angeles County, the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego County, Santa Clara County, and Sacramento County. (2) This public investment in transit is unrivaled in the state's history and represents well over ten billion dollars ($10,000,000,000) in planned investment alone. (3) Recent studies of transit ridership in California indicate that persons who live within a one-half-mile radius of transit stations utilize the transit system in far greater numbers than does the general public living elsewhere. (4) The greater use of public transit facilitated by the development of transit villages improves local street, road, and highway congestion by providing viable alternatives to automobile use. (5) The development of transit village development districts can improve environmental conditions by increasing the use of public transit, facilitating the creation of and improvement to walkable, mixed-use communities, and decreasing automobile use. (6) The development of transit village development districts throughout the state should be environmentally conscious and sustainable, and related construction should meet or exceed the requirements of the California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, or its successor code. (7) Only a few transit stations in California have any concentration of housing proximate to the station. (8) Interest in clustering housing and commercial development around transit stations, called transit villages, has gained momentum in recent years. (b) For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply: (1) "Bus hub" means an intersection of three or more bus routes, with a minimum route headway of 10 minutes during peak hours. (2) "Bus transfer station" means an arrival, departure, or transfer point for the area's intercity, intraregional, or interregional bus service having permanent investment in multiple bus docking facilities, ticketing services, and passenger shelters. (3) "District" means a transit village development district as defined in Section 65460.4. (4) "Peak hours" means the time between 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., inclusive, and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., inclusive, Monday through Friday. (5) "Transit station" means a rail or light-rail station, ferry terminal, bus hub, or bus transfer station. SEC. 2. Section 65460.2 of the Government Code is amended to read: 65460.2. A city or county may prepare a transit village plan for a transit village development district that addresses the following characteristics: (a) A neighborhood centered around a transit station that is planned and designed so that residents, workers, shoppers, and others find it convenient and attractive to patronize transit. (b) A mix of housing types, including apartments, within not more than one-half mile of the main entrance of the transit station. (c) Other land uses, including a retail district oriented to the transit station and civic uses, including day care centers and libraries. (d) Pedestrian and bicycle access to the transit station, with attractively designed and landscaped pathways. (e) A transit system that should encourage and facilitate intermodal service, and access by modes other than single occupant vehicles. (f) Demonstrable public benefits beyond the increase in transit usage, including any five of the following: (1) Relief of traffic congestion. (2) Improved air quality. (3) Increased transit revenue yields. (4) Increased stock of affordable housing. (5) Redevelopment of depressed and marginal inner-city neighborhoods. (6) Live-travel options for transit-needy groups. (7) Promotion of infill development and preservation of natural resources. (8) Promotion of a safe, attractive, pedestrian-friendly environment around transit stations. (9) Reduction of the need for additional travel by providing for the sale of goods and services at transit stations. (10) Promotion of job opportunities. (11) Improved cost-effectiveness through the use of the existing infrastructure. (12) Increased sales and property tax revenue. (13) Reduction in energy consumption. (g) Sites where a density bonus of at least 25 percent may be granted pursuant to specified performance standards. (h) Other provisions that may be necessary, based on the report prepared pursuant to subdivision (b) of former Section 14045, as enacted by Section 3 of Chapter 1304 of the Statutes of 1990. SEC. 2.5. Section 65460.2 of the Government Code is amended to read: 65460.2. A city or county may prepare a transit village plan for a transit village development district that addresses the following characteristics: (a) A neighborhood centered around a transit station that is planned and designed so that residents, workers, shoppers, and others find it convenient and attractive to patronize transit. (b) A mix of housing types, including apartments, within not more than one-half mile of the main entrance of the transit station. (c) Other land uses, including a retail district oriented to the transit station and civic uses, including day care centers and libraries. (d) Pedestrian and bicycle access to the transit station, with attractively designed and landscaped pathways. (e) A transit system that should encourage and facilitate intermodal service, and access by modes other than single occupant vehicles. (f) Demonstrable public benefits beyond the increase in transit usage, including any five of the following: (1) Relief of traffic congestion. (2) Improved air quality. (3) Increased transit revenue yields. (4) Increased stock of affordable housing. (5) Redevelopment of depressed and marginal inner-city neighborhoods. (6) Live-travel options for transit-needy groups. (7) Promotion of infill development and preservation of natural resources. (8) Promotion of a safe, attractive, pedestrian-friendly environment around transit stations. (9) Reduction of the need for additional travel by providing for the sale of goods and services at transit stations. (10) Promotion of job opportunities. (11) Improved cost-effectiveness through the use of the existing infrastructure. (12) Increased sales and property tax revenue. (13) Reduction in energy consumption. (14) Promote economic development and job creation. (g) Sites where a density bonus of at least 25 percent may be granted pursuant to specified performance standards. (h) Other land uses, including educational facilities, that provide direct linkages for people traveling to and from primary and secondary education schools, community colleges, and universities. (i) Other provisions that may be necessary, based on the report prepared pursuant to subdivision (b) of former Section 14045, as enacted by Section 3 of Chapter 1304 of the Statutes of 1990. SEC. 3. Section 65460.4 of the Government Code is amended to read: 65460.4. A transit village development district shall include all land within not more than one-half mile of the main entrance of a transit station designated by the legislative body of a city, county, or city and county that has jurisdiction over the station area. SEC. 4. Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 65460.2 of the Government Code proposed by both this bill and AB 2509. It shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2011, (2) each bill amends Section 65460.2 of the Government Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after AB 2509, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.