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Ordinance Fact Sheet
May 18,2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Attorney/City Prosecutor Department
SUBJECT: AN UNCODIFIED INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF PASADENA TO DELAY EFFECTUATION OF THE ABUNDANT
AND AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR TRANSIT ACT (SENATE BILL
79) FOR CERTAIN SITES MEETING MINIMUM DENSITY
THRESHOLDS AND/OR CONTAINING A LOCALLY DESIGNATED
HISTORIC RESOURCE
TITLE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE
AN UNCODIFIED INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PASADENA
TO DELAY EFFECTUATION OF THE ABUNDANT AND AFFORDABLE HOMES NEAR TRANSIT ACT (SENATE BILL 79) FOR CERTAIN SITES MEETING
MINIMUM DENSITY THRESHOLDS AND/OR CONTAINING A LOCALLY
DESIGNATED HISTORIC RESOURCE
PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE
As directed by the City Council on May 18, 2026, this ordinance excludes certain sites from Senate Bill (SB) 79 until one year following the adoption of the seventh revision of the housing element. This ordinance excludes specified (1) sites with historic resource designated as of January 1, 2025, on a local register and (2) sites in transit- oriented development zones in which at least 33 percent of sites in the relevant transit- oriented development zone have permitted density and residential floor area ratios of not less than 50 percent of the standards specified under Government Code 65912.157, subdivision (a) and which includes sites with densities that cumulatively allow for at least 75 percent of the aggregate density for the transit-oriented development zone specified under this subdivision.
MEETING OF
05/18/2026
AGENDA ITEM NO.16
Senate Bill 79 - Urgency
May 18, 2026
REASONS WHY LEGISLATION IS NEEDED
SB 79 was approved by the Governor on October 10, 2025, and provisions of the law begin to apply to certain local agencies on July 1 , 2026. Among other things, SB 79 provides that a housing development project within a specified distance from a transit oriented development stop shall be an allowed use on any site zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial development, if the project complies with certain requirements.
For qualifying projects, local agencies may not impose height limits, density standards, or other local development standards to limit floor area ratios except as permitted by SB 79. SB 79 provides that the requirements of the bill articulated in Government Code Section 65912.157 shall not apply to qualifying sites for which a local agency has adopted an ordinance indicating the site's exclusion.
The City is required to adopt an ordinance if it wishes to temporarily exclude qualifying sites from Section 65912.157. If the City does not adopt an ordinance, Section 65912.157 will apply to all sites specified by SB 79.
This ordinance is an interim urgency ordinance that is effective upon publication. An accompanying non-urgency ordinance will also go into effect upon publication, however, City staff are presenting both an urgency and non-urgency ordinance to avoid doubt about the effective date of this ordinance. This ordinance incorporates urgency findings and also is based on the findings presented by staff to City Council on May 18, 2026 for adoption.
PROG RAMS. DEPARTMENTS OR GROUPS AFFECTED
Planning will implement this ordinance.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Pursuant to Government Code Section 65912.160(c)(2), this ordinance shall not be considered a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act. ///
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Senate Bill 79 - Urgency
May 18, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this ordinance amendment.
Respectfully submitted,
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Prepared by:
Caroline K. Monroy
Assistant City Attorney
Concurred by:
Michele Beal Bagneris
City Attorney
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MATTHEW E/HAWKESWORTH
Interim City Manager
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