Resolution No. 8519- RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, OPPOSING SENATE BILL 79 (WIENER)

 

Staff Recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 8519 Opposing SB 79 (Wiener)
 

Sacramento has introduced yet another bill that seeks to take away local agencies’ authority to control local land use.  Senate Bill 79 would allow streamlined and subject to ministerial approval of residential developments within certain distances from different types of transit-oriented development stops (TOD Stop). The bill would override any local zoning laws and lay out a various height limits, density and floor are ratio for different types of TOD Stops under a new Chapter 4.1.5 of the Government Code (Sections 65912.155 et seq.). 

SB 79 affects residential developments at TOD Stops. By definition, TOD Stops means a transit-oriented development stop served by rail transit. For the City of Hawthorne, there are a few limited rail transit stops, namely at 105 fwy and Crenshaw Blvd., 105 fwy and Hawthorne Blvd. and on Marine Ave (between 405 fwy and Aviation). 

SB 79 breaks down the TOD Stops into 3 separate tiers based on the frequency of the commuter rails that makes the stop, with tier 1 being the busiest.  The ministerially approved developments is broken down as follows:

 

• Tier 1:  Within ¼ mile:  Height – 75 ft., 120 or more units per acre, floor area ratio of up to 3.5 (living areas to lot size).

            Within ½ mile:  Height – 65 ft., 100 or more units per acre, floor area ratio of up to 3.
 

• Tier 2:  Within ¼ mile:  Height – 65 ft., 100 or more units per acre, floor area ratio of 3.

                        Within ½ mile:  Height – 55 ft., 80 or more units per acre, floor area ratio of 2.5.
 

• Tier 3:  Within ¼ mile:  Height – 55 ft., 80 or more units per acre, floor area ratio of 2.5.

                        Within ½ mile:  Height – 45 ft., 60 or more units per acre, floor area ration of 2.
 

• If lot is adjacent to Tier 1-3, increase Height limit by 20 ft., increase 40 units per acre and add floor area ratio by 1.

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72 hours posted notice pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act