BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 710
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 710 (Skinner)
As Amended April 25, 2011
Majority vote
HOUSING 7-0 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 8-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Torres, Atkins, Bradford, |Ayes:|Smyth, Alejo, Bradford, |
| |Cedillo, Hueso, Jeffries, | |Campos, Davis, Hueso, |
| |Miller | |Knight, Norby |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, | | |
| |Blumenfield, Bradford, | | |
| |Charles Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, | | |
| |Hall, Hill, Lara, | | |
| |Mitchell, Nielsen, Smyth, | | |
| |Solorio, Wagner | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Establishes minimum parking standards for new
transit-oriented development. Specifically, this bill :
1)Prohibits a city, county, or city and county, including a
charter city, from requiring a minimum parking standard
greater than one parking space per thousand square feet of
nonresidential improvements and one parking space per unit of
residential improvements for any new development project,
including changes of use that incorporate existing building
improvements, in transit intensive areas.
2)Specifies that the minimum parking standards only apply if the
proposed project and immediately adjoining properties are not
designated for development or redevelopment at a floor area
ratio below 0.75.
3)Allows a jurisdiction to require higher minimum standards for
new development if it makes written findings based upon
substantial evidence in the record, including a parking
AB 710
Page 2
utilization study completed within the last 24 months, that
shows existing publicly available parking that includes all
publicly owned on-street and off-street spaces and privately
owned off-street spaces accessible to the general public,
within one-quarter mile of the project site, but excluding any
spaces on exclusively residential streets, have a peak
occupancy that exceeds 85% at any point during the study
period.
4)Defines "transit intensive area" as an area that is within
one-half mile of a major transit stop or high-quality transit
corridor included in a regional transportation plan.
5)Defines "major transit stop" as 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
period.
6)Defines a "high-quality transit corridor" as a corridor with
fixed route bus service with service intervals no longer than
15 minutes during peak commute hours.
7)Specifies that a project is considered to be within one-half
mile of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor
if all parcels within the project have no more than 25% of
their area farther than one-half mile from the stop or
corridor and if not more than 10% of the residential units or
100 units, whichever is less, in the project are farther than
one-half mile from the stop or corridor.
8)Includes findings related to the need to reduce excessive
minimum parking standards to support infill and
transit-oriented development.
9)Includes within the definition of "sustainable communities"
for purposes of the Strategic Growth Council those communities
that incentivize infill development.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : SB 375 (Steinberg), Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008,
AB 710
Page 3
aims to help California achieve its greenhouse gas reduction
objectives by promoting more efficient land use and development
patterns. SB 375 lays out ambitious goals for the state, but it
is widely acknowledged that achieving those goals will require
policy changes at the state, regional, and local levels.
This bill addresses one impediment to achieving the goals of SB
375 (Steinberg) by mandating low minimum parking
requirements-one space per housing unit or one space per 1,000
square feet of commercial development-in transit-intensive areas
that are slated for high-density development. This bill allows
a jurisdiction to impose higher minimum parking standards if a
recent parking utilization study shows that existing parking
spaces in the area around the proposed project site are already
heavily utilized. Under existing law, cities and counties could
require the project developer to pay the cost of preparing a
parking study. Nothing in this bill precludes a jurisdiction
from allowing additional parking in a transit-intensive area if
the developer and the jurisdiction agree that additional parking
makes sense for the project.
According to the sponsor, the California Infill Builders
Association, excessive minimum parking requirements can add 10
to 20% to the cost of projects in existing developed areas,
making some projects financially infeasible. The sponsor argues
that increases in public transportation options and the
development of more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods reduce
the demand for parking. Reducing minimum parking requirements
for projects in developed areas and allowing builders and the
market to decide how much parking is needed can ensure
sufficient amounts of parking while significantly reducing the
cost of development and increasing housing affordability.
Analysis Prepared by : Anya Lawler / H. & C.D. / (916)
319-2085
FN: 0000768