1 SB 79 EXCLUSIONORDINANCE
METHODOLOGY
June 17, 2026
2 SB 79 Exclusion OrdinanceAnalysis Methodology
The “Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act”, signed into law as Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), pursuant to California Government Code Sections (GCS) 65912.155 through 65912.162, will go into effect July 1, 2026. SB 79 establishes guaranteed development standards which supersede local zoning and General Plan land use regulations for qualified housing projects within a half mile of specified transit-oriented development (TOD) stops (known as the TOD zone). These development incentives apply to any site within the TOD Zone that is zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial development (GCS 65912.157(a)).
SB 79 allows cities to temporarily exclude TOD sites and zones meeting specified criteria from SB 79 development standards until one year after the adoption of the 7th Cycle Housing Element. The City of Santa Monica has developed a model to understand the composition of sites within eligible TOD zones and determine if they meet the criteria for temporary exclusion from SB 79. The following documentation describes the methodology, including assumptions, that was used to identify sites meeting the temporary exclusion criteria outlined in SB 79.
SB 79 Map Development
Pursuant to SB 79, applicability is based on a site’s proximity to a qualifying transit-oriented development (TOD) stop, which are classified as either a Tier 1 TOD stop or Tier 2 TOD stop.
Under the bill, Heavy Rail Transit and Very High Frequency Commuter Rail qualify as Tier 1 TOD stops. Light Rail Transit and High Frequency Commuter Rail qualify as Tier 2 TOD stops.
Tier 2 TOD stops also include a Major Transit Stop that is served by Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or bus service with a stop adjacent to a full-time dedicated bus lane or operation in a separate dedicated right-of-way, with an average service interval of 15-minutes or less during the combined morning and afternoon peak periods.
SB 79 requires SCAG to create amap identifying and classifying Tier 1 and Tier 2 TOD Stops and TOD Zones within the Los Angeles region. Pursuant to SB 79, this map has the rebuttal presumption of validity. On June 1, 2026, SCAG releasedits draft SB 79 map on-linefor initial public review and is currently targeting adoption by the Regional Council of Governments on July 2, 2026. SCAG’s draft SB 79 map can be viewed online at this link.
As of the date of this report, SCAG’s draft SB 79 map identifies the Metro E Light Rail stations and the bus stop at Lincoln Boulevard/Pico Boulevard as Tier 2 TOD stops. Since the release of SCAG’s SB 79 draft map on June 1, 2026, the City has been in discussions with SCAG regarding the draft map. In a follow up discussion with SCAG on June 5, 2026, City staff notified SCAG that the bus lane on Lincoln Boulevard operates as a dedicated transit 3 lane only during the peak commute hours. The lane does not operate full time, which would disqualify the Lincoln Boulevard/Pico Boulevard bus stop as a Tier 2 TOD stop.
Furthermore, City staff and SCAG discussed the potential addition of three bus stops in Downtown Santa Monica that may potentially be eligible as Tier 2 TOD stops. These bus stops appear to meet the definition of a Major Transit Stop and are located adjacent to full-time bus lanes, with average service intervals of at least 15-minutes combined during the peak periods. These stops include (1) Santa Monica Eastbound & 4th Street and (2) Santa Monica Eastbound & 3rd Street; and (3) Broadway Westbound and Ocean Avenue.
Additional revisions to SCAG’s map, including removal of the Lincoln/Pico bus stop and the addition of the three bus stops are anticipated prior to its consideration and final adoption by the Regional Council on July 2, 2026.
For a conservative approach, staff has revised its own draft SB 79 map to include the three bus stops as additional potential TOD stops. The potential SB 79 TOD Stops and associated TOD Zones identified by City staff are available online at the City’s SB 79 webpage https://www.santamonica.gov/sb79-transit-oriented-development.
In anticipation of the SB 79 upcoming effective date of July 1, 2026, the City is proceeding with its analysis based on a local SB 79 map that conservatively assumes the inclusion of the three bus stops as potential Tier 2 TOD stops. As noted previously, the City understands that SCAG’s SB 79 map is in draft form at this time and subject to further revisions. As such, the SB 79 analysis included herein is tentative and subject to change pending publication of SCAG’s final map and future additional guidance from HCD.
Model Overview
The following section describes the methodology and assumptions that were developed to determine whether TOD sites meet the criteria for temporary exclusion. SB 79 does not provide a definition for “site”; therefore, for the purposes of the City’s analysis, a “site” is interpreted to be an individual parcel. For each TOD site, the model (1) calculates the local capacity based on existing zoning; (2) calculates the capacity permitted by the development standards set forth by SB 79 (SB 79 capacity); and (3) analyzes whetherthe site meets any of the temporary exclusion criteria set forth in Government Code Section 65912.161(b)(1).
SB 79 requires capacity to be calculated based on density and residential floor area ratio (FAR) standards. The model calculates the maximum capacity of each parcel, expressed as both the maximum number of units and maximum residential floor area that could be developed under the applicable standards. These calculations represent theoretical buildout capacity (assuming that every site will be developed to the maximum permitted density and FAR). External factors such as market conditions, development feasibility, or 4 the likelihood that will occur on a particular parcel are not incorporated into the model since such factors are not required to be considered under SB 79.
The steps utilized in the model to determine whether sites meet the temporary exclusion criteria pursuant to GCS 65912.161(b), are illustrated in the flowchart below.
Step 1: Identifying SB 79 Sites
As described above, SB 79 applies only to sites that are zoned for residential, mixed, or commercial uses. Therefore, sites zoned for Open Space (OS) and Public Land (PL) have been excluded from the SB 79 modeling and capacity calculation as they do not allow residential, mixed, or commercial uses.
GCS 65912.157(h)(1) states a proposed development may not utilize the provisions of SB 79 if it would require the demolition of more than two housing units subject to Rent Control or price control that have been occupied in the last seven years. As confirmed by HCD, this disqualifier is a project level exemption due to the demolition provision, rather than a site level criterion that can qualify for a statutory exemption. Therefore, the model includes sites that have affordable housing and rent-controlled units. This approach acknowledges that qualifying projects on sites with more than two rent-controlled or affordable units 5 would be permitted to utilize SB 79 development standards, provided they do not result in the demolition of such units.
Step 2: Calculating Local Capacity
To calculate local capacity of an eligible TOD site, the model first identifies the zoning district designation and applies the appropriate local development standards (density and FAR) to the individual parcel. Per confirmation with HCD, the calculation of local capacity excludes State housing laws that could provide for additional density such as State Density Bonus, Senate Bill (SB) 9, SB 1123, and accessory dwelling units.
Table 1 shows the local development standards by zoning district for Residentially Zoned Parcels in the City of Santa Monica. For residentially zoned parcels, local capacity was calculated by multiplying the applicable FAR by the parcel size to determine the base maximum residential floor area. To determine the maximum units on a residential parcel, the City’s maximum density standard (units/sf) associated with that parcel’s zoning district was multiplied by the parcel size.
Table 1: Local Development Standards for Residential Zoned Parcels Zoning District Permitted Density
(unit per parcel SF)
Permitted
Density (in
units per
acre
FAR Height
R1 1 unit per parcel 1 0.55 28 ft
R2 1 / 1,500 29 1.00 30 ft
R3 1 / 1,250 35 1.50 40 ft
R4 1 / 900 48 2.00 45 ft
OP1 1 / parcel 6 1.00 20 ft
OP2 1 / 2,000 22 1.00 23 ft
OP3 1 / 1,500 29 1.00 23 ft
OP4 1 / 1,250 35 1.50 35 ft
OPD 2 units per parcel 12 1.00 23 ft
For non-residentially zoned parcels, local capacity was calculated by multiplying the local maximum FAR by the parcel size to determine the maximum residential floor area. The City does not have density limitations for the non-residential zoning districts; rather, FAR is considered the limiting factor. Therefore, to calculate the base number of maximum residential units that could be yielded under local zoning, the model divides the maximum residential floor area by an assumed average unit size of 700 sf (consistent with recent projects). Table 2 shows the development standards by zoning district for NonResidentially Zoned Parcels. 6 Table 2: Local Development Standards for Non-Residential Zoned Parcels Zoning District FAR Height
Downtown
BC (Promenade) 3.00 65 ft
BC (2nd and 4th Streets) 3.50 65 ft
LT (East) 3.00 65 ft
LT (West) 3.00 65 ft
NV 4.00 84 ft
OT 3.00 65 ft
TA 4.00 84 ft
WT 3.25 70 ft
Mixed-Use and Commercial
MUBL (N. of I-10) 3.25 70 ft
MUBL (Pico) 2.00 45 ft
MUBL (Pico W. of Lincoln) 2.50 55 ft
MUBL (Lincoln and Main St) 2.50 55 ft
MUB 3.25 70 ft
GC (SMB) 3.25 70 ft
GC (Lincoln) 2.50 55 ft
GC (Pico) 2.00 45 ft
NC 2.25 50 ft
NC (Main, Ocean Park, Montana) 2.50 55 ft
OF 2.00 47 ft
Employment Districts
IC 3.00 65 ft
OC 2.75 60 ft
HMU 2.50 70 ft
Bergamot Districts
BTV 4.00 84 ft
MUC (North of Pennsylvania or South of Expo Bike Path) 3.25 70 ft MUC 4.00 84 ft
CCS 2.50 55 ft
CCS (North of Nebraska Ave. South of Pennsylvania Ave., and West of Berkeley St.)
3.25 70 ft
CAC* 2.50 55 ft
Step 3: Calculating SB 79 Capacity
As previously discussed, Santa Monica only has Tier 2 TOD stops – therefore, only SB 79’s Tier 2 TOD development standards (shown in Table 3) are applicable, pursuant to Government Code Section 65912.157(a). To calculate the capacity permitted by SB 79, the 7 model identified a parcel’s distance to the TOD stop (200 feet, ¼ mile, or ½ mile) and applied the appropriate SB 79 density and FAR standards. The maximum allowable units is calculated by dividing the parcel area by the applicable SB 79 density standard, and maximum residential floor area is calculated by multiplying parcel area by the applicable SB 79 FAR standard.
Table 3: SB 79 Tier 2 Minimum Development Standards
Tier 2 TOD Zone
Distance
Density
(units per acre)
FAR Height
200 Feet 140 units 4.0 85 feet
¼ Mile 100 units 3.0 65 feet
½ Mile 800 units 2.5 55 feet
Step 4: Analysis of Temporary Exclusion Eligibility
After local capacity and SB 79 capacity (in terms of maximum units and maximum residential floor area) are calculated, the parcel’s characteristics are compared relative to the criteria established in GCS 65912.161(b)(1) to determine if the site is eligible for temporary exclusion. Depending on the criteria, analysis of temporarily exclusion eligibility is conducted at either the individual site level or the TOD zone site level as described below.
As shown in Table 4 below, the City does not have any SB 79 TOD sites that are in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, in an area vulnerable to sea level rise, in a low-resource area, or identified in a local TOD alternative plan. Therefore, the City’s Exclusion Ordinance is focused on the three types of sites shown in the rows highlighted in green.
Table 4: SB 79 Temporary Exclusion Criteria
Government Code
Section (GCS)
Temporary Exclusion Criteria Level of
Analysis
Local
Applicability?
65912.161(b)(1)(A) A site which permits density and residential FAR at no less than 50% of the standards
specified under subdivision (a) of Section
65912.157.
Individual
Site
Yes
65912.161(b)(1)(B)(i) A site in a TOD zone in which at least 33% of sites in the relevant TOD zone have
permitted density and residential FAR no
less than 50% of the standards specified
under subdivision (a) of Section 65912.157
and which includes sites with densities that
cumulatively allow for at least 75% of the
aggregate density for the TOD zone
TOD
zone
Yes
8 specified under subdivision (a) of Section
65912.157.
65912.161(b)(1)(B)(ii) A site in a TOD zone that is primarily composed of a low-resource area which
includes sites with densities that
cumulatively allow for at least 40% of the
aggregate density for the TOD zone
specified under subdivision (a) of Section
65912.157.
TOD
zone
No
65912.161(b)(1)(B)(iii) A site in an area designated as low resource on the most recently adopted version of the
opportunity area maps published by the
TCAC/HCD, and within a jurisdiction that
cumulatively allows for at least 50% of the
total capacity for units and floor area as
specified under subdivision (a) of Section
65912.157.
Individual
Site
No
65912.161(b)(1)(C) A site that is covered by a local TOD alternative plan adopted by a local
government
Individual
Site
No
65912.161(b)(1)(D) Sites within a VHFHSZ as determined by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
pursuant to Section 5118, or within the state
responsibility area, as defined in Section
4102 of the Public Resources Code.
Individual
Site
No
65912.161(b)(1)(E) Sites vulnerable to one foot of sea level rise (SLR), as determined by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
the Ocean Protection Council, the United
States Geological Survey, the University of
California, or a local government’s coastal
hazards vulnerability assessment.
Individual
Site
No
65912.161(b)(1)(F) Sites with a historic resource designated as of January 1, 2025, on a local register.
Individual
Site
Yes
Step 4a: Site Level Exclusion Analysis
Sites Meeting 50% of Density and FAR permitted by SB 79 (GCS 65912.161(b)(1)(A)) To identify sites eligible for temporary exclusion because the local zoning permits at least 50 percent of the density and FAR afforded by SB 79, the model calculates whether the maximum units and the maximum residential area (sf) under local zoningare greater than or equal to 50 percent of SB 79 guaranteed density and floor area. If both are true, then the 9 site is eligible for temporary exclusion under this criterion. If one or none are true, then the site is not eligible for temporary exclusion under this criterion.
Sites Designated as a Local Historic Register Before January 1, 2025 (GSC 65912.161(b)(1)(F))
Sites designated as a historic resource on a local register prior to January 1, 2025 are considered eligible for temporary exclusion. For the City of Santa Monica, these are sites with Landmarks designated before January 1, 2025. The model identifies sites with Landmarks designated before January 1, 2025, and considers these eligible for temporary exclusion from SB 79.
Site Analysis Example
The illustration below provides an example of a site-specific analysis (Steps 1 through 4a) for a non-residentially zoned parcel, including how local capacity and SB 79 capacity are calculated and a comparison against the temporary exclusion criteria.
Site Information
Parcel Area 73,619 SF
Zoning District MUB
Qualifying TOD Station 17th Street
Distance to TOD Station ¼ Mile
Local Standards
Base FAR 3.25
Base Density No Maximum Density
Base Height 70 feet
SB 79 Tier Standards Tier 2
Guaranteed Density 100 du per acre (1 unit per 436 SF
parcel area)
Guaranteed FAR 3.00
Guaranteed Height 65 feet
Calculating Local Capacity
Parcel Area (sf) x (BASE FAR) =
Maximum Residential Floor Area
73,619 x 3.25
= 239,262 SF
(Base Density)
Maximum Units
=239,262 SF / 700 SF
342 Units
Calculating SB 79 Capacity
(Parcel Area x Tier FAR)
Maximum Residential Floor Area
73,619 x 3.00 (rounded up)
= 239,262 SF
(Parcel Area/Tier Density)
Maximum Units
73,619/436 (rounded up)
=169 Units
Site Specific Temporary Exclusion Criteria
10 If the site meets at least one temporary exclusion criterion below, the site is eligible for temporary exclusion.
Site is/has: Does Example Site Qualify?
At least 50% capacity of SB 79 (density and
residential FAR)
Yes. Both the site’s local maximum
units and the local FAR exceed the
50% threshold allowed by SB 79.
Local historic resource designated as of Jan. 1,
2025
No. This site does not contain a local
historic resource designated as of
Jan. 1, 2025.
Step 4b: TOD Zone Exclusion Analysis
TOD Zones Permitting Half of the Density and Floor Area of SB 79 [GCS (65912.161(b)(1)(B)(i)]
A site in a TOD zone (as well as the whole TOD zone) may be temporarily excluded from the provisions of SB 79 if it meets both criteria: (1) at least 33 percent of sites in the TOD zone permit at least 50 percent of the density and residential floor area ratio standards of SB 79, and (2) the TOD zone includes sites that cumulatively allow at least 75 percent of the aggregate density provided by SB 79.
To determine whether 33 percent of sites in a TOD zone permits at least 50 percent of SB 79 density and residential FAR standards, the total count of sites permitting at least 50 percent of SB 79 density and FAR is divided by the count of sites eligible for SB 79 in the TOD zone. If the result is greater than or equal to 33 percent, the TOD zone meets the first criterion.
Next, the model calculates the total local capacity and total SB 79 capacity within the entire TOD zone by summing individual site capacity (in units). If the total maximum number of units allowed at the local level for the TOD zone is greater than or equal to 75 percent of the total number of units permitted by SB 79, then the TOD zone is considered eligible for temporary exclusion under GCS 65912.161(b)(1)(B)(i).
Table 5 provides a summary of the TOD Zone analysis and results of the temporary exclusion analysis.
11 Table 5 – TOD Zone Exclusion Analysis
TOD Zone Name1
Local and SB 79 Capacity
Summary of Sites
Eligible for Temporary
Exclusion
TOD Zone Temporary Exclusion
Criteria (GCS
65912.161(b)(1)(B)(i))
Min 33% Min 75%
TOD
Sites
Eligible
for SB
793
Total
Land
Area
(Acres)
Local Max
Residential
Floor Area
Local
Max
Units
SB 79 Max
Residential
Floor Area
SB 79
Max
Units
Sites 2
with
>=50% SB
79 Capacity
Landmark
Sites
% of Sites
with
>=50% SB
79 capacity
% of SB
79 capacity
Meets
Both
Exclusion
Criteria?
Downtown Station 1,020 310 33,956,557 47,311 36,273,144 27,115 641 32 63% 174% Yes 17th St/SMC Station 1,274 365 37,277,023 47,833 42,385,627 31,615 591 4 46% 151% Yes Bergamot Station 1,046 423 43,399,883 57,154 50,341,196 37,762 366 0 35% 151% Yes Expo/Bundy Station 381 100 7,948,950 10,096 11,116,506 8,208 74 0 19% 123% No Santa Monica
Eastbound/4th St
896 286 32,917,112 43,583 33,377,983 24,932 563 36 63% 175% Yes Santa Monica
Eastbound/3rd St
753 253 29,604,190 39,928 29,372,331 21,919 512 36 68% 182% Yes Broadway
Westbound/Ocean Ave
537 204 24,464,250 34,201 23,772,581 17,743 436 31 81% 193% Yes 1 Many parcels fall within multiple TOD zones - as a result of this overlap, the sum of parcels across the TOD zones does not equal the overall total number of parcels that are affected by SB 79. 2 Parcels with 50% of SB 79 standards include commercial zoned parcels and R4 zoned parcels. 3 Excludes parcels zoned open space and public lands.
12 Summary of Sites Eligible for Temporary Exclusion Criteria (GCS 65912.161(b)(1)) The City’s SB 79 modeling results to determine eligibility of sites for temporary exclusion per the criteria are summarized in Table 6. It should be noted that sites may be counted as eligible for more than one temporary exclusion criterion and be accounted for in multiple categories.
Table 6: Temporary ExclusionSummary of Results
Government Code
Statute
Temporary Exclusion Criteria Summary of Results
65912.161(b)(1)(A) A site which permits density and
residential FAR at no less than 50% of
the standards specified under
subdivision (a) of Section 65912.157.
All of the City’s non-residentially
zoned parcels and R4 zoned
parcels meet this criteria.
65912.161(b)(1)(B)(i) A site in a TOD zone in which at least 33% of sites in the relevant TOD zone
have permitted density and
residential FAR no less than 50% of
the standards specified under
subdivision (a) of Section 65912.157
and which includes sites with
densities that cumulatively allow for
at least 75% of the aggregate density
for the TOD zone specified under
subdivision (a) of Section 65912.157.
All the City’s TOD Zones meet
this criteria, except for the
Expo/Bundy TOD zone.
65912.161(b)(1)(F) Sites with a historic resource
designated as of January 1, 2025, on a
local register.
A total of 44 parcels across the
City’s TOD zones are identified
with designated Landmarks.
Most of these are in the City’s
Downtown TOD zone.