June 23, 2026
The Honorable Juan Carrillo
Chair, Assembly Local Government Committee
1020 N Street, Room 157
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 1117 (Cervantes) Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units - Oppose Dear Chair Carrillo,
The City of San Marcos respectfully opposes SB 1117 (Cervantes), which would limit the amount of impact fees a local government could charge on an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) larger than 750 square feet.
Cities understand the importance of increasing housing opportunities and recognize the role ADUs play in helping address California’s housing shortage. However, local governments are also responsible for ensuring that communities have the infrastructure and public services necessary to support additional residential development. Roads, water and sewer systems, parks, fire protection, and other essential public facilities must be adequately funded to serve both existing and future residents. Under existing law, the Mitigation Fee Act already strictly regulates development impact fees by requiring local agencies to demonstrate a clear nexus between the fee charged and the impacts created by development. These fees are not arbitrary and may only cover the reasonable cost of providing necessary public infrastructure and services. SB 1117 would undermine this framework by imposing an artificial cap on fees regardless of actual infrastructure costs or local community needs.
For the City of San Marcos, this measure could significantly reduce funding available for critical public improvements and services needed to accommodate additional housing growth. Reduced fee revenue may limit the City’s ability to maintain infrastructure, expand public safety services, improve parks, and address increased demand on local utilities. This is particularly concerning as cities continue working to meet ambitious state housing production goals while balancing the fiscal realities of maintaining safe and livable communities. Additionally, limiting local governments’ ability to collect appropriate mitigation fees may create challenges in addressing environmental impacts associated with new development and could expose local agencies to increased legal and fiscal uncertainty.
For these reasons, the City of San Marcos respectfully opposes SB 1117 (Cervantes).
Sincerely,
Rebecca D. Jones
Mayor
2 City Council
[email protected]