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Commission recommends ordinance 18-84 to align local zoning with state SB 9 and related housing laws
Summary
The commission voted 4-1 to recommend City Council adopt Ordinance 18-84, which amends Gardena’s zoning and subdivision chapters to implement state two-unit/urban lot split and supporting housing provisions; the vote was 4-1 with Commissioner Langley dissenting.
The Gardena Environmental Planning Commission on May 6 recommended the City Council adopt Ordinance 18-84 to amend multiple chapters of the Gardena Municipal Code to implement state laws governing two-unit housing, urban lot splits and supporting housing developments, including requirements tied to SB 9 and subsequent state bills.
Staff explained the ordinance would amend objective design standards, create procedural timelines consistent with state rules (including a 60-day review and decision timeframe for SB 9 applications), and update definitions for low-barrier navigation centers and supporting housing to reflect recent state amendments. The staff presentation cited SB 9 as taking effect Jan. 1, 2022, and referred to subsequent state bills and technical changes that require local code alignment.
Key staff points included a 60-day deadline for the city to issue a decision on SB 9 applications, a requirement that the city return a complete list of defects if an application is denied within that period, and that any application not acted on within the 60 days would be deemed approved. Staff also described AB 18 01 provisions expanding the definition of supporting housing to include transitional housing for youth and young adults and allowing administrative office space up to 25% of floor area in certain supporting-housing developments.
Commissioners discussed practical impacts in densely built Gardena—staff noted many state allowances (for example, up to eight ADUs on multifamily lots) may be infeasible in the city due to lot sizes and building footprints. No public speakers addressed the item. Following the hearing, the commission moved to adopt Resolution PC 8-25 recommending City Council adopt Ordinance 18-84. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 4-1 (Commissioner Langley: no; all others: yes).
Staff recommended the ordinance be transmitted to the City Council for adoption; because these changes implement state law, staff said the city must follow the updated statutory requirements even when local conditions make some allowances impractical.
