HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-25-7484 (EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 79 (WIENER))Page 1 of 2 RES-25-7484
CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH
RESOLUTION NO. RES-25 7484
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH,
CALIFORNIA, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 79 (WIENER)
WHEREAS, The legislature of the State of California each year proposes,
passes, and has signed into law a number of bills addressing a range of housing
issues; and
WHEREAS, the legislature of the State of California does not allow sufficient
time between each legislative cycle to determine if the legislation is successful in
bringing about the change for the State of California’s housing issues; and
WHEREAS, the majority of these bills usurp the authority of local jurisdictions
to determine for themselves the land use policies and practices that best suit
each city and its residents and instead impose mandates that do not take into
account the needs and differences of jurisdictions throughout the State of
California; and
WHEREAS, the ability of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves which
projects require review beyond a ministerial approval; what parking requirements
are appropriate for various neighborhoods within their jurisdiction; what plans and
programs are suitable and practical for each community rather than having
these decisions imposed upon cities without regard to the circumstances of each
individual city; and what zoning should be allowed for properties in the Coastal
Zone is a matter of great importance of the City of Hermosa Beach among other
items related to local zoning and housing issues;
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach feels strongly that
our local government is best able to assess the needs of our community and
objects to the proliferation of State legislation that deprives us of that ability;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH,
CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
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Page 2 of 2 RES-25-7484
SECTION 2. The City of Hermosa Beach is opposed to the current practice
of the legislature of the State of California of continually proposing and passing
multitudes of bills that directly impact and interfere with the ability of cities to
control their own destiny through use of the zoning authority that has been
granted to them.
SECTION 3. The City of Hermosa Beach will explore various ways to protect
the ability of cities to retain local control over zoning as each individual city within
the State of California is best suited to determine how the zoning in their city
should be allocated in order to meet the housing needs of the community-
particularly in the Coastal Zone where coastal resources must be protected.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall email a copy of this adopted resolution to
the League of California Cities at cityletters@calcities.org.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED on this 8th day of April 2025.
Mayor Dean Francois
PRESIDENT of the City Council and MAYOR of the City of Hermosa Beach, CA
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Myra Maravilla
City Clerk
Patrick Donegan
City Attorney
1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 |hermosabeach.gov |HermosaBchCityHermosaBeachCity
April 9, 2025
The Honorable Scott Wiener
Senator, California State Senate
1021 O St, Suite 8620
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 79 (Wiener) Transit-oriented Development
Notice of Opposition
Dear Senator Wiener,
The City of Hermosa Beach writes to express our opposition to your SB 79 (Wiener), which
would disregard state-certified housing elements and bestow land use authority to transit
agencies without any requirement that developers build housing, let alone affordable
housing.
SB 79 doubles down on the recent trend of the state overriding its own mandated local
housing elements. This latest overreaching effort forces cities to approve transit-oriented
development projects near specified transit stops — up to seven stories high and a density
of 120 homes per acre — without regard to the community's needs, environmental review,
or public input.
Most alarmingly, SB 79 defies cities’ general plans and provides transit agencies unlimited
land use authority on property they own or have a permanent easement, regardless of
the distance from a transit stop. Transit agencies would have the power to determine all
aspects of the development including height, density, and design, without any regard to
local zoning or planning.
This broad new authority applies to both residential and commercial development. Transit
agencies could develop 100% commercial projects — even at transit stops — and not
provide a single new home, while simultaneously making the argument that more housing
must be constructed around transit stops.
City of Hermosa Beach appreciates and respects your desire to pursue a housing
production proposal. However, as currently drafted, SB 79 will not spur much-needed
housing construction in a manner that supports local flexibility, decision-making, and
community input. State-driven ministerial or by-right housing approval processes fail to
recognize the extensive public engagement associated with developing and adopting
zoning ordinances and housing elements.
California will never produce the number of homes needed with an increasingly state-
driven, by-right housing approval process. What we really need is a sustainable state
1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 | hermosabeach.gov | HermosaBchCity HermosaBeachCity
Page 2
investment that matches the scale of this decades-in-the-making crisis. For these reasons,
the City of Hermosa Beach strongly opposes SB 79.
Sincerely,
Dean Francois, Mayor
City of Hermosa Beach
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
) City of Hermosa Beach
April , 2025
Certification of Council Action
RESOLUTION NO. RES-25-7484
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA
BEACH, CALIFORNIA, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 79
(WIENER)
I, Myra Maravilla, City Clerk of the City of Hermosa Beach do hereby certify that
the above and foregoing Resolution No. RES-25-7484 was duly approved and
adopted by the City Council of said City at its regular meeting thereof held
on the 8th day of April 2025, and passed by the following vote:
AYES: MAYOR FRANCOIS, MAYOR PRO TEMPORE SAEMANN,
COUNCILMEMBERS JACKSON, AND KEEGAN
NOES: COUNCILMEMBER DETOY
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
________________________________
Myra Maravilla
City Clerk