Introduced by:
ORDINANCE NO.
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
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 79, The Abundant and Affordable Homes near Transit Act (SB 79) was signed into taw by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 10, 2025 and certain provisions apply to local agencies beginning July 1, 2026; and WHEREAS, SB 79 amends the Government Code to add Chapter 4.1.5, including Sections 65912.155, 65912.156, 65912.157, 65912.158, 65912.159, 65912.160, 65912.161, and 65912.162 to the Government Code; and WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65912.161 (b) permits the City to adopt an ordinance in accordance with Section 65912.160 to delay effectuation of SB 79 on certain sites within Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones, including historic sites designated as of January 1, 2025 on a local register as well as sites within the Memorial Park, Del Mar, and Lake Stations meeting specific density thresholds in accordance with Section 65912.161(b)(1)(B) until one year following the adoption of the seventh revision of the Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, under Government Code Section 65858, the City Council may adopt by a four-fifths vote an interim zoning ordinance to protect the public health, safety, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that there is a local emergency due to pending application of SB 79 that requires the City Council to promulgate this ordinance to protect peace, health and safety, and there is a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety and welfare. SB 79 applies uniformly around eligible transit stations, to sites which contain a significant number of historic resources on the local, state, and national register, without additional study of potential adverse changes in the significance of a historical resource. In addition, many of the eligible sites are bordered XCN275PBOD1P3Y
1 by or within the 1-210 freeway right-of-way, and no additional study has been conducted of existing or potential public health or hazards related to increased housing near a freeway, appropriate infrastructure capacity analysis, or accounting for the provision of additional public service capacity such as fire, police, school, and library sen/ices. The Land Use and Housing Elements of the City's General Plan encourages preservation and enhancement of Pasadena's cultural and historic buildings, landscapes, streets and districts as valued assets and important representations of its past and a source of community identity, and social, ecological, and economic vitality, encourage and prioritize the siting of medium and high-density residential and mixed-use development near transit stations as well as in areas with superior access to jobs, neighborhood services, and amenities. Adoption of this Urgency Ordinance would avoid a threat to public health, safety and welfare, and provide more time to evaluate plan options as permitted by SB 79 and consider approaches to address public health, safety, and welfare concerns in alignment with SB 79 and the City's General Plan; and WHEREAS, this Uncodified Interim Urgency Ordinance would temporarily delay implementation of SB 79 for a period of 45 days for the following sites: 1 ) Within all six Transit Oriented Development Zones (TOD Zones within one-half mile of Metro A Line stations): Sites with historic resources designated as of January 1, 2025, in a local register; and 2) within the Memorial Park, Del Mar, and Lake Station TOD zones: a) Sites with historic resources designated as of January 1, 2025 on the state register (this would include sites designated at the national level as they are protected together), b) Sites zoned Multi-Family Residential (RM-12, -16, -32, and -48) and Single-Family Residential (RS); and c) Sites located within specific plan areas that have a density of 48 du/ac or less; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has directed the Director of the Planning and Community Development Department to indicate on the City's public zoning map which sites are and are not covered by Section 65912.157; and WHEREAS, the City's adopted General Plan Land Use Element includes goals and policies designed to encourage high-density residential and mixed-use development near existing transit stops such as the Metro A-Line stations; and 2 XCN275PBOD1P3Y
WHEREAS, the City's adopted Specific Plans implement the vision of the General Plan by establishing development standards that permit high-density residential and mixed-use development in appropriately studied locations near transit stops in a manner that allows for increased housing supply while protecting historic resources as part of a holistic approach to community planning; and
WHEREAS, the City is separately investigating the requirements for adoption of a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan, as permitted by California Government Code Section 65912.161; and
WHEREAS, on these bases, the City Council finds that delaying effectuation for the above-mentioned sites will benefit the City as a whole.
NOW, THEREFORE, the People of the City of Pasadena ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. This ordinance, due to its length and corresponding cost of publication, will be published by title and summary as permitted in Section 508 of the Pasadena City Charter. The approved summary of this ordinance is as follows:
"Summary
This proposed uncodified ordinance would delay effectuation of The Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act (SB 79) for properties within one-half mile of an existing Metro A-Line station that either contain a locally designated historic resource and/or meet specific density thresholds as outlined within SB 79. The proposed uncodified ordinance amends the Zoning Code of the City of Pasadena in order to identify the above-mentioned sites as ineligible for the provisions of SB 79 until one year following the adoption of the seventh revision of the Housing Element.
Ordinance No. _shall take effect upon publication."
SECTION 2. The following sites are excluded from Government Code Section 65912.157 until one year following the adoption of the seventh revision of the housing element:
1) Within all six Transit Oriented Development Zones (TOD Zones within one- half mile of Metro A Line stations): Sites with historic resources designated as of January 1, 2025, in a local register; and
2) Within the Memorial Park, Del Mar, and Lake Station TOD zones:
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a) Sites with historic resources designated as of January 1 , 2025 on the state register (this would include sites designated at the national level as they are protected together)
b) Sites zoned Multi-Family Residential (RM-12, -16, -32, and -48) and Single-Family Residential (RS)
c) Sites located within specific plan areas that have a density of 48 du/ac or less.
SECTION 3. The Director of the Planning and Community Development Department is directed to indicate on the City's public zoning map which sites are and are not covered by Government Code Section 65912.157.
SECTION 4. In accordance with Senate Bill 79, the City hereby adopts Government Code Section 65912.156, subdivision (m) and Government Code Section 65912.157, subdivision (a).
SECTION 5. The City Council finds that there is a local emergency due to pending application of Senate Bill 79 that requires the City Council to promulgate this ordinance to protect peace, health and safety, and there is a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety and welfare. SB 79 applies uniformly around eligible transit stations, to sites which contain a significant number of historic resources on the local, state, and national register, without additional study of potential adverse changes in the significance of a historical resource. In addition, many of the eligible sites are bordered by or within the 1-210 freeway right-of-way, and no additional study has been conducted of existing or potential public health or hazards related to increased housing near a freeway, appropriate infrastructure capacity analysis, or accounting for the provision of additional public service capacity such as fire, police, school, and library services. The Land Use and Housing Elements of the City's General Plan encourages preservation and enhancement of Pasadena's cultural and historic buildings, landscapes, streets and districts as valued assets and important representations of its past and a source of community identity, and social, ecological, and economic vitality, encourage and prioritize the siting of medium and high-density residential and mixed- use development near transit stations as well as in areas with superior access to jobs, neighborhood services, and amenities. Adoption of this Urgency Ordinance would avoid 4 XCN275PBOD1P3Y
a threat to public health, safety and welfare, and provide more time to evaluate plan options as permitted by SB 79 and consider approaches to address public health, safety, and welfare concerns in alignment with SB 79 and the City's General Plan; and SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify the adoption of this ordinance and shall cause this ordinance to be published by title and summary.
SECTION 7. If any subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this section, and each and every subsection, sentence, clause and phrase thereof not declared invalid or unconstitutional, without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
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5 SECTION 8. This ordinance shall take effect upon publication, and shall be of no further force and effect 45 days from its date of adoption unless extended by the City Council.
Signed and approved this _day of_, 2026.
Victor Gordo
Mayor of the City of Pasadena
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing ordinance was adopted by the City Council of the City of Pasadena at its meeting held this _day of_2026, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Date Published:
Approved as to form:
Mark Jomsky
City Clerk
Caroline Monroy
Assistant City Attorney
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