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MAD
MAD ACTION ALERT! It's time to focus on the worst bill of all – CA Senate Bill 1120!
We need your help -- before Tuesday August 11 -- to call Members of the State Assembly "Local Government Committee" and urge them to vote "NO" on Senate Bill-1120. In our opinion, this bill will destroy single-family neighborhoods like ours.
The State Assembly Local Government Committee will vote on this bill on Tuesday, August 11th.
PLEASE OPPOSE SENATE BILL 1120 (Atkins, Caballero, Rubio, and Wiener) “Subdivisions: tentative maps”
SB-1120 eliminates single-family zoning and requires cities and counties to permit ministerially either or both of the following in single-family zones, as long as they meet specified conditions:
- A housing development of up to two units (a duplex).
- The subdivision of a parcel into two equal parcels (urban lot split).
To use this bill, the subject parcel would need to be zoned for residential uses and in a single-family zoning district. Certain hazardous, protected parcels or currently occupied parcels could not take advantage of this bill. Projects could not result in the demolition of 25% or more of existing exterior walls unless the site has not been occupied by a tenant in the last three years; a parcel smaller than 1,200 square feet; nor provide short-term rentals. Review in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) would not be required. Objective requirements may be applied, provided the requirements do not prohibit the project.
SB-1120 would let developers buy up single-family lots as small as 2,400 sq. ft., subdivide each lot into two 1,200 sq. ft. lots and then build 2 homes on each lot. The result would be four homes, where there used to be only one. Garages and yards are not required. Rear and side setbacks are limited to just 4 feet.
SB-1120 significantly lowers parking requirements to just one space per home and totally eliminates parking requirements on parcels located within one-half mile walking distance of either a "high-quality transit corridor" or a "major transit stop". It also eliminates parking requirements if there is a car share vehicle located within one block of the parcel.
A "high-quality transit corridor" means a corridor with fixed route bus service with service intervals no longer than 15 minutes during peak commute hours [such as Sir Francis Drake Blvd.]
A “Major transit stop” means a site containing an existing rail transit station, a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.
SB-1120 allows a local government to adopt ordinances to implement its duplex and urban lot split provisions and provides that the adoption of such ordinances are not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
SB-1120 disclaims the state's responsibility for providing reimbursement by citing local governments’ authority to charge for the costs of implementing the bill's provisions
Reasons to Oppose SB-1120
- Increasing housing density is the wrong solution to meet our affordable housing needs;
- SB-1120 would eliminate single-family zoning and destroy single-family neighborhoods, which are greatly treasured and should be protected;
- Reducing local control of land use is the wrong solution to meet our affordable housing needs;
- Streamlining the permit review process for housing development threatens democracy, public engagement, and high-quality development;
- SB-1120 wrongly assumes that residents who live near bus stops don’t need vehicles and therefore don’t need parking spaces;
- SB-1120 would jeopardize high fire hazard areas with clogged evacuation routes by severely reducing or eliminating off-street parking;
- SB-1120 increases traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions;
- SB-1120 would increase the risk of significant adverse impacts;
- SB-1120 would create unfunded mandates; and
- Weakening the California Environmental Quality Act is misguided.
TAKE ACTION: Call Members of the Assembly Committee on Local Government before Tuesday, August 11th and urge them to vote “NO” on SB-1120.
Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (Dem) (Chair): (916) 319-2004
Assembly Member Tom Lackey (Rep) (Vice-Chair): (916) 319-2036
Assembly Member Richard Bloom (Dem): (916) 319-2050
Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath (Dem): (916) 319-2076
Assembly Member James Ramos (Dem): (916) 319-2040
Assembly Member Luz Rivas (Dem): (916) 319-2039
Assembly Member Robert Rivas (Dem): (916) 319-2030
Assembly Member Randy Voepel (Rep): (916) 319-2071, or email Adam Boman - adam.boman@asm.ca.gov
Call Marin's representatives and urge them to oppose this bill too:
Assembly Member Marc Levine: (916) 319-2010 or (415) 479-4920
Senator Mike McGuire: (916) 651-4002 or (415) 479-6612
SAMPLE SCRIPT:
“Hello. My name is ______. I’m calling to urge __________ to vote “NO” on Senate Bill 1120. This bill would destroy single-family neighborhoods, which are cherished and should be protected. The bill ignores significant adverse impacts and doesn’t provide any affordable housing. SB-1120 is poor housing policy.”
Thank you in advance for taking action. If we all work together on this, we can make a difference!
Thank you to Sharon Rushton for compiling and composing the information above.