BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                   SB 968|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 968
          Author:   Torlakson (D)
          Amended:  5/5/05
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE FLOOR VOTE  :  4/28/05, 36-0
          Aanestad, Ackerman, Alarcon, Alquist, Ashburn, Battin,  
            Bowen, Campbell, Cedillo, Chesbro, Cox, Denham, Ducheny,  
            Dunn, Dutton, Figueroa, Hollingsworth, Kehoe, Kuehl,  
            Lowenthal, Machado, Maldonado, Margett, McC.intock,  
            Migden, Morrow, Murray, Perata, Poochigian, Romero,  
            Runner, Scott, Simitian, Soto, Torlakson, Vincent
           NO VOTE RECORDED  :  Escutia, Florez, Ortiz, Speier


           SUBJECT  :    Land use planning:  general plans

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill renames the circulation element of the  
          general plan as the transportation element.

           Senate Floor Amendment  of 5/5/05 deleted the previous  
          version of the bill which required cities and counties to  
          identify sufficient land for housing to accommodate each  
          jurisdiction's housing needs through the end of the general  
          plan.  In addition, the amendments added language to rename  
          the circulation element of the general plan as the  
          transportation element.

           Note  :  The new provisions of this bill are nearly identical  
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          to SB 927 (Lowenthal), which the Senate passed 36-0 on  
          4/28/05 (See SB 927 vote above).

           ANALYSIS  :    The Planning and Zoning Law requires cities  
          and counties to prepare and adopt a general plan to guide  
          the future growth of a community.  Every general plan must  
          contain seven elements:  land use, circulation, housing,  
          conservation, open-space, noise, and safety.  

          A land use element shall designate the proposed general  
          distribution and location of the uses of land for housing,  
          business, industry, open space, education, and public  
          facilities.  The land use element shall also include the  
          standards of population density and building intensity  
          recommended for the various districts covered by the plan.

          A housing element must identify and analyze existing and  
          projected housing needs, identify adequate sites with  
          appropriate zoning to meet the housing needs of all income  
          segments of the community, and ensure that regulatory  
          systems provide opportunities for, and do not unduly  
          constrain, housing development.  Housing elements generally  
          cover a five-year period.  The quantity of housing for  
          which a community must identify sites is determined through  
          the Regional Housing Needs Assessment process.

          This bill renames the circulation element of the general  
          plan as the "transportation element".

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  No    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/6/05)

          California Building Industry Association 
          Homeownership Advancement Foundation 
          League of California Cities 


          JJA:do  5/10/05   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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