At the July 7, 2025 Planning Commission meeting, staff presented proposed zoning code amendments (ZCA25-0002) to implement Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) provisions for two‑unit housing developments and urban lot splits and recommended the commission forward a resolution recommending City Council adopt the amendments.

Senior Planner Monique Garibay summarized the state timeline and local actions: “Senate Bill 9 … was passed by the state legislature and approved by Governor Newsom on 09/16/2021,” she said, and staff noted SB 9 took effect January 1, 2022. Staff briefed the commission on the city’s prior responses: an urgency ordinance creating objective standards, a petition filed by the city challenging applicability to charter cities, a trial court ruling in the city’s favor, and the later enactment of SB 450, which made SB 9 provisions applicable to charter cities.

Staff described the draft changes to city chapters 17 and 18: revisions to mirror state language for very high fire severity zones, floodplain/floodway, hazardous waste sites, and habitat conservation; a prohibition on use of certain SB 9 exemptions if the owner withdrew rental housing within 15 years before an application; removal of a local demolition threshold that previously prevented use of SB 9 where more than 25% of an existing structure was proposed to be demolished; added time limits for processing applications; and a narrowed standard allowing a building official to make findings for health and safety reasons only. Staff recommended ZCA25-0002 and said the ordinance is exempt under Government Code sections 65582.2(k) and 66411.7(n).

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the effect of the governor signing SB 450 after local petition litigation; staff explained that the state clarified SB 9 applies to charter cities and that, as a result, Whittier must update its code to comply. No members of the public spoke on the item.

The commission passed a motion to recommend City Council adopt ZCA25-0002; roll call was unanimous. Staff said the adopted urgency ordinance and the code updates together provide objective standards for ministerial review of SB 9 projects and urban lot splits, and that the amendments incorporate state‑level restrictions and procedural time limits into local code.

The commission packet contained a redline/strikeout version showing proposed edits and a clean version for review. Staff noted some items raised by Housing and Community Development (HCD) guidance may require further technical clarification but recommended forwarding the ordinance to council for adoption.