Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff warns SB9/SB330 and ADU changes reduce local discretion; Pismo Beach to add objective design standards
Summary
Planning staff briefed council on recent state housing laws — including ADU changes, SB9 lot splits and SB330/SB35 streamlining — saying the laws shorten review timelines and limit discretionary control. Staff recommended adopting clear objective design standards and updating the zoning code to preserve local priorities.
PISMO BEACH — Planning staff used the council’s Feb. 6 goal‑setting meeting to deliver a comprehensive update on a wave of state housing laws that staff said limit local discretionary review and require municipalities to adopt objective, predictable development standards.
Staff explained recent changes to accessory dwelling unit rules, new multifamily ADU allowances, SB 9 (urban lot splits and two‑unit developments), and SB 330/SB 35 provisions that streamline approvals and protect housing inventory from down‑zoning. Among the practical impacts: reduced ability to impose discretionary design review, shortened time frames for completeness checks (ADU completeness review now 15 days in some instances), and automatic approval mechanics if jurisdictions miss ministerial review deadlines.
“State law is pushing housing by right and takes away discretionary authority on many housing types,” a staff presenter said. The briefing noted that in many cases parking replacement rules for ADU garage conversions were preempted statewide, although Coastal Act rules continue to require replacement parking on the city’s coastal side in some circumstances.
Staff recommended several protective steps the city can take within the new legal framework: adopt robust objective design standards (standalone chapter in the zoning code), add minimum density standards where appropriate, update impact fees and infrastructure planning to reflect true build‑out potential, and improve the city’s online planning tools to guide applicants.
Council members pressed staff about enforcement and tenant protections when redevelopment affects occupied affordable units; staff described required tenant‑protection provisions under SB 330 — including right‑to‑return options and replacement obligations for demolished protected units — and said the city will improve outreach and process guidance for tenants in projects that trigger those rules.
What happens next: Staff is updating the draft zoning code and plans to add a stand‑alone objective design chapter, revise ADU pages and forms on the city website, and incorporate new assumptions into capital and infrastructure planning. Council asked staff to continue outreach and return with specific zoning language and impact‑fee updates.
