Attachment A
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATION OF
SANTA MARIA CENSUS TRACTS FOR
OPPORTUNITY ZONES 2.0
WHEREAS, the federal Opportunity Zone program was established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, allowing state governors to designate qualifying Census tracts to enable investors to receive tax deferrals, reductions, and waivers in return for investment in economically distressed areas, with the goal of catalyzing economic growth; and
WHEREAS, the continuation of a modified version of the program, known as Opportunity Zones 2.0, was authorized in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025, with the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO -Biz) collecting recommendations for Census tract designations under Opportunity Zones 2.0 through July 25, 2026; and
WHEREAS, GO-Biz is seeking the designation of Census tracts optimally positioned to attract strategic investment to fuel economic growth, with a f ocus on:
advancing California Jobs First regional plans and the Statewide Economic Blueprint; attracting private investment in affordable housing aligned with Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goals; inclusion of shovel -ready sites as defined by the GO-Biz Business Ready Sites tool; and demonstration of public investment within the Census tract; and
WHEREAS, staff has evaluated eligible Census tracts and recommends the following eight tracts as most competitive for designation under Opportunity Zon es 2.0, encompassing downtown revitalization efforts and industrial sites with job creation potential: 06083002408, 06083002304, 06083002406, 06083002410, 06083002407, 06083002405, 06083002206, and 06083002103; and
WHEREAS, following Council approval, st aff will submit the City’s recommendations to GO-Biz for consideration, with GO-Biz submitting recommendations to the U.S. Department of the Treasury in September 2026, and new designations anticipated to take effect January 1, 2027; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Maria determined that the proposed action is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3), no environmental review is required.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
Attachment A
SECTION 1 . The City Council hereby approves the recommendation of the following Census tracts for designation under Opportunity Zones 2.0: 06083002408 , 06083002304, 06083002406, 06083002410, 06083002407, 06083002405, 06083002206, and 06083002103; and
SECTION 2. The Community Development Director, or designee , is hereby authorized to submit the recommended Census tracts to the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO -Biz) for consideration under Opportunity Zones 2.0, and to execute any documents necessary to effectuate said submission; and
SECTION 3. The Chief Deputy City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Chief Deputy City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, held this 7th day of July 2026.
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
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Department Director
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City Manager