Agenda Item: 7
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: May 12, 2026
SUBJECT: STATE LEGISLATION: ASSEMBLY BILL 748 AND ASSEMBLY BILL 1621
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Masis Hagobian
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Oppose AB 748 (Harabedian), and AB 1621 (Wilson).
2. Transmit position statements to the authors of the bills, Santa Clarita’s state legislative delegation, appropriate legislative committees, Governor Newsom, and other stakeholder organizations.
BACKGROUND
The following items were presented to the City Council Legislative Committee on April 28, 2026. Included as part of this report is a brief summary of each item and its current status in the legislative process.
The recommendation to oppose Assembly Bill 748 and Assembly Bill 1621 and the feedback received by the City Council Legislative Committee on these two bills is consistent with the City of Santa Clarita 2026 Executive and Legislative Platform. Specifically, Component 1 under the “State” section advises that the City Council, “Oppose legislation that would interfere with, limit, or eliminate the decision-making authority of municipalities in the area of local land use.”
Assembly Bill 748
Introduced by Assembly Member John Harabedian (D-41-Pasadena), Assembly Bill 748 requires cities and counties to develop a program for the preapproval of a single-family or multifamily residential housing plan by July 1, 2027, for large jurisdictions and January 1, 2029, for small jurisdictions.
The bill would require cities and counties to post preapproved plans on the local government’s website and ministerially - without discretionary review - approve or deny a housing project application that utilizes a preapproved plan within 30 days. The lot of the proposed project must meet the soil conditions, topography, flood zone, zoning regulations, and design review standards for which the preapproved housing plan was designed and the application is consistent with the current triennial California Building Standards Code rulemaking cycle.
The City currently has policies and standards in reviewing housing projects to ensure that the use of the project, when considered on the basis of the suitability of the proposed site, is arranged to ensure the protection of public health, safety, and general welfare. The City’s review is also intended to facilitate the provision of utility services and other public facilities, commensurate with anticipated population and dwelling unit densities, promote the City’s historical and natural resources such as oak trees, river areas, and ridgelines, is in conformity with good zoning practice, and prevent adverse effects on neighboring property.
In requiring local governments to accept preapproved plans and approve or deny project applications within 30 days, Assembly Bill 748 upends the City’s ability to maintain due diligence when reviewing a housing project application and determining the suitability of the project as it relates to the desired project location. The City, not unlike areas within the author’s district, is predominantly located within California’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). As the legislation lacks an exemption to areas within an FHSZ, Assembly Bill 748 poses significant constraints to the City’s review in determining project suitability and taking into consideration potential risk to health and safety in these areas.
This is the author’s second attempt at this legislation. Assembly Bill 1206, failed to pass last year, as it was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file. The City Council voted on April 22, 2025, to oppose Assembly Bill 1206.
Assembly Bill 748 passed the Assembly (75-0-5) on January 26, 2026, and is pending committee assignment in the Senate. Assembly Member Schiavo voted in favor of the bill on the Assembly Floor.
Supporters:
California Home Building Alliance
Opponents:
Unknown at this time.
Assembly Bill 1621
Introduced by Assembly Member Lori Wilson (D-11-Suisin City), Assembly Bill 1621 establishes new requirements for the review and appeal of local building permit applications for residential projects.
Specifically, Assembly Bill 1621 limits the number of plan-checks to two rounds for a local building permit related to a residential project, unless written findings are made based on
substantial evidence in the record that additional reviews are necessary to address an adverse impact on public health or safety.
Additionally, this bill prohibits a local government from requiring corrective action following an inspection if the findings were not required as part the original or previously approved plan, unless written findings are made based on substantial evidence in the record that both (a) a reasonable person could not interpret the previously approved plan as being compliant with the applicable building standards and (b) the deviation is necessary to address an adverse impact on public health or safety.
Assembly Bill 1621 also makes the following changes to the process and requirements that apply if a postentitlement phase building permit is determined to be incomplete or denied, or determined to be noncompliant:
• Removes the authority of a state or local agency to provide that the right of appeal is to the director of the agency and for the local agency to provide the option to appeal to the Planning Commission; and
• Reduces the amount of time within which a local agency must provide a final written determination after receipt of an applicant’s written appeal, as follows:
o With respect to a post-entitlement phase building permit concerning a residential project with 25 units or fewer, a local agency must provide a final written determination no later than 30 business days (instead of 60 business days) after receipt of the applicant’s written appeal; and
o With respect to a postentitlement phase building permit concerning a residential project with 26 units or more, a local agency shall provide a final written determination no later than 45 business days (instead of 90 business days) after receipt of the applicant’s written appeal.
The City’s plan check review is conducted in an effort to ensure that construction is done in compliance with state building codes and local ordinances. These standards are intended to protect the integrity of buildings and the welfare of the community.
Typically, building permits go through an extensive review process, assessing the viability of the plans and the project’s impact to public health and safety, in addition to other goals, including air quality regulations, capacity of public utilities, and parking. This affords the City’s Building & Safety division the ability to review residential projects based on unique community circumstances and needs, and ensures that a site has adequate access to services and resources to support residential use and sustain the proposed residential density.
Assembly Bill 1621 passed the Assembly Committee on Appropriations (13-0-2) on April 22, 2026, and is pending a vote on the Assembly Floor, as of the development of this report.
Supporters:
California Building Industry Association (Sponsor)
California Apartment Association
California Association of Realtors
California Business Roundtable
California Chamber of Commerce
California YIMBY
Opponents:
California State Association of Counties (Unless Amended) League of California Cities (Unless Amended)
Rural County Representatives of California (Unless Amended)
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this item.
ATTACHMENTS
Assembly BIll 748 - Bill Text
Assembly Bill 1621 - Bill Text