AB 1737: Local government: zoning and planning.

The Planning and Zoning Law authorizes a development proponent to submit an application for a housing development that meets specified objective standards and affordability and site criteria, including being located within a zone where office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use, and would make the development a use by right that is subject to one of 2 streamlined ministerial review processes.

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 does not apply to the approval of ministerial projects.

This bill would authorize an entity to submit an application for a health facility that will provide reproductive health services if the proposed health facility meets certain requirements, including, among others, that the proposed health facility is located on a legal parcel or group of parcels that is more than 50 miles from the nearest health facility that provides reproductive health services. The bill would make the licensed health facility subject to a streamlined ministerial review process and a use by right, thereby exempting the approval of development projects subject to that approval process from CEQA.

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.