Item No. 8
STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 23, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dr. Sean M. Moore, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Ana V. Sauseda, Director of General Services/City Clerk 4tll 7 SUBJECT: Approval of Letter to Sacramento or adoption of Resolution No. 2026-05, Seeking Legislative Relief and the Restoration of Local Land Use Authority RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve the draft letter pushing back against Sacramento housing mandates and consideration of joining coalitions dedicated to that goal; or
2. Adopt Resolution 2026-05, formally petitioning the State of California to provide legislative relief and return local land use controls to jurisdictions with state -certified Housing Elements; or
3. Provide further direction to staff.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
At the February 9, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting, Deputy Mayor Beaver requested that staff return to Council with a letter pushing back against Sacramento housing mandates and consideration of joining coalitions dedicated to that goal. A draft letter is attached as Attachment 1 for Council consideration. Upon further reflection of this request and based on past practice in Yucaipa, staff is also presenting Council with the option to adopt a Resolution instead.
Option 1:
The draft letter meets the request of Deputy Mayor Beaver. 02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Option 2:
Option 2 sends a stronger message, and a resolution is precedented as the Council adopted one in 2021 when it joined the coalition California Cities for Local Control ( https://localcontrolca.comn .
On February 8, 2021, the City Council took aposition to oppose the relentless erosion of local control by adopting Resolution 2021-06, warning that Sacramento's barrage of housing mandates was a direct assault on the unique character of the Yucaipa community. The City also joined California Cities for Local Control, a coalition of California cities fighting against onerous state housing mandates and advocating for greater local land use control.
Since that time, the City complied with state law and adopted a Housing Element that earned state certification. Despite securing a state -certified Housing Element, the barrage of local control -eroding housing mandates continued, imposing density in a manner that bypasses local safety and planning standards.
The catalyst for this potential action is the RM-24 multifamily project at 2nd Street and County Line Road. Originally discussed as a 172-unit, two-story development, it has now mutated into a 258-unit, three-story project. Under state law, this increase is considered "by -right," meaning the State has legally bound the City Council, preventing it from re -notifying residents, holding additional public hearings, or reducing density to mitigate impacts.
The proposed resolution seeks to address the paradoxical situation where the State requires a city to adopt a rigid, certified housing plan but then provides legal mechanisms for developers to essentially ignore that plan's density limits.
Regional Misalignment of State Solutions
The California housing crisis is not a monolithic issue, yet Sacramento continues to push one -size - fits -all solutions. The factors contributing to the housing shortage in coastal urban centers are largely driven by a massive imbalance between job growth and housing production. Conversely, in inland communities like Yucaipa, the challenges are rooted in infrastructure constraints, topographical challenges, and public safety.
Imposing high -density urban infill mandates on a rural -suburban community located in a Wildland- Urban Interface (WUI) ignores the physical reality of the land. Solutions designed for the Bay Area or Los Angeles do not translate to the San Bernardino foothills. By applying the same mandates to Yucaipa, the State is forcing irresponsible density into regions that lack the transit infrastructure and fiscal resources to sustain it.
Negative Impacts on the Yucaipa Community
The imposition of these singular and onerous mandates has resulted in direct, negative impacts on our residents, as evidenced by recent project proposals:
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Infrastructure Overload. The transition from 172 to 258 units creates a density spike that exacerbates demand on local roads and infrastructure.
Public Safety and Evacuation. High -density bonuses in fire -prone regions create dangerous bottlenecks. In the event of a wildfire, density spikes could catastrophically hinder evacuation efforts.
Erosion of Public Trust. During recent public testimony, residents expressed significant anger regarding inadequate parking and the lack of re -notification as projects grew in scale. When the State allows developers to bypass local hearings, the public feels silenced, and the Council is left to manage the resulting community discord without the tools to fix the underlying problem.
The resolution formally requests that the State honor HCD certification by ensuring that once a city has a state -approved plan, it retains the authority to cap density at the levels established in that plan, preventing "stacking" density bonuses from creating unfunded mandates and safety hazards.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommendations do not result in a fiscal impact.
Attachment(s):
1. Draft Letter
2. Resolution No. 2026-05
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
ATTACHMENT 1
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
CITY�OF�,
February 23, 2026
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
10210 Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: The Erosion of Local Land Use Control and Demand for Deterministic Determination Dear Governor Newsom,
The City of Yucaipa is a special place, and its residents chose to live here specifically for its rural and small-town charm. However, state housing laws have been assaulting our rural way of life for several years, and we have reached a breaking point.
Californians choose to incorporate cities to control their local destinies and gain autonomy. Land -use control gives local residents the ability to design communities that fit the local geography, both in how they look and adapt to natural risks and hazards. Yucaipa sits at the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, and our geography places us in significant fire danger. Our development pattern is inspired by our ranching and agricultural history.
In good faith, the City of Yucaipa complied with State law, developed a robust Housing Element compatible with our unique community, and received certification from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Yet, the reward for our compliance has been punitive.
While we have planned for adequate housing to meet RHNA allocations, the goalposts continue to move. Laws like SB 330 and the State Density Bonus Law (SDBL) create a bait -and -switch that makes local planning impossible:
• Unplanned Density. Developers are now leveraging SDBL bonuses to drive actual densities to higher than what we authorized in our certified Housing Element.
Infrastructure Strain. Large housing projects with densities exceeding our plans strain our local infrastructure. These bonus units exceed the physical capacity of our roads and sewers, yet provide insufficient compensation for necessary upgrades. • Public Safety Risks. In our High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, one -size -fits -all density is a liability. Increased density without planned infrastructure compromises evacuation routes and emergency response times in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI).
City of Yucaipa
34272 Yucaipa Blvd, Yucaipa, CA 92399
909-797-2489
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Restoring the Integrity of the Planning Process
As the State usurps our local control, residents turn to their local representatives with blame and scorn. We are the ones accessible to them in the grocery store and the council chambers, yet we are being stripped of the tools to address their legitimate concerns. We are forced to implement unpopular, monolithic laws that ignore the specific geography and safety needs of our community.
We demand relief, a restoration of local control to determine our own destiny.
For jurisdictions that act in good faith, we propose a reward: Once a city's Housing Element is certified by HCD, that city should be exempt from mandatory State Density Bonuses that exceed the maximum densities established in that certified plan for the remainder of that R14NA cycle.
This change would restore the integrity of the planning process, ensure that infrastructure planning remains viable, and return a modicum of local control to the people of California in their respective local jurisdictions.
We have done what you asked. It is time for the State to respect the plans it mandated we create.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Sean Moore, City Manager, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Chris Venable, Mayor
CC: Gustavo Velasquez, Director, California Department of Housing and Community Development
Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, California State Senate, District 23 Assemblyman Greg Wallis, California State Assembly, District 47 City of Yucaipa
34272 Yucaipa Blvd, Yucaipa, CA 92399
909-797-2489
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
ATTACHMENT 2
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
RESOLUTION NO.2026-05
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YUCAIPA,
CALIFORNIA, DEFENDING RURAL COMMUNITY CHARACTER,
DENOUNCING THE EROSION OF MUNICIPAL AUTONOMY, AND
DEMANDING AN IMMEDIATE RETURN OF LOCAL CONTROL OVER
HOUSING AND PUBLIC SAFETY
WHEREAS, local land use control is a driving motivation for many California residents in their decision to incorporate a city because local governments are best equipped to plan for and approve development adapted to and compatible with the local sensitivities of a community; and WHEREAS, a chronic housing shortage has propelled California into a housing crisis, the severity of this crisis varies by region, with major and urban coastal areas facing greater acute affordability challenges compared to more inland and rural communities; and WHEREAS, while no region of the state is completely immune to the housing crisis, the issues and impacts are not uniform and necessitate solutions adapted to the unique challenges of each community; and
WHEREAS, the California State Legislature and Governor Newsom continue to press one -size -fits -all solutions that not only fail to solve the problem but also cause disruptions and harm to local communities; and
WHEREAS, state -mandated density bonuses and SB 330 effectively override locally adopted and state -certified Housing Elements, creating a paradox where the State mandates a plan and then immediately authorizes developers to ignore it; and WHEREAS, Yucaipa sits in a High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and unplanned density spikes in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) introduce significant public safety risks, including compromised emergency evacuation routes; and
WHEREAS, the Yucaipa City Council adopted Resolution 2021-06 opposing the constant barrage of housing mandates and asking for a sensible return of local control.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YUCAIPA HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Yucaipa City Council restates and reiterates its position in Resolution 2021-06 (Exhibit A), opposing the barrage of state housing mandates eroding local land use control.
Section 2. That the impacts of state housing mandates, specifically mandatory density bonuses, are having negative and disruptive impacts on the residents, infrastructure, and rural character of Yucaipa.
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Section 3. That the City of Yucaipa formally calls upon the State of California to honor any jurisdiction with an HCD-certified Housing Element by granting a reprieve from mandatory density bonuses for the remainder of that planning cycle.
Section 4. That the City Manager is directed to identify coalitions fighting for greater local land use controls and register the City of Yucaipa as a member and participant in efforts defending municipal autonomy.
Section 5. That the Yucaipa City Council invites other cities throughout the Inland Empire and the State of California to join them in this stand to restore the integrity of local governance.
Section 6. That the City Clerk shall transmit a copy of this Resolution to Governor Gavin Newsom, Director of HCD, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Assemblyman Greg Wallis, and the League of California Cities.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 23rd day of February, 2026.
Chris Venable, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ana V. Sauseda, MMC
Director of General Services/City Clerk
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Exhibit A
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
RESOLUTION 2021-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YUCAIPA
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ACTIONS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN
LOCAL DEMOCRACY, AUTHORITY, AND CONTROL AS RELATED
TO LOCAL ZONING AND HOUSING
WHEREAS, the legislature of the State of California each year proposes, passes, and the Governor has signed into law a number of bills addressing a range of housing issues; and WHEREAS, the legislature of the State of California does not allow sufficient time between each legislative cycle to determine if the legislation is successful in bringing about the change for the State of California's housing issues; and WHEREAS, the majority of these bills usurp the authority of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves the land use policies and practices that best suit each city and its residents and instead impose mandates that do not take into account the needs and differences of jurisdictions throughout the State of California; and
WHEREAS, the ability of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves which projects require review beyond a ministerial approval; what parking requirements are appropriate for various neighborhoods within their jurisdiction; what plans and programs are suitable and practical for each community rather than having these decisions imposed upon cities without regard to the circumstances of each individual city; and what zoning should be allowed for residential properties is a matter of great import to the City of Yucaipa among other items related to local zoning and housing issues; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Yucaipa feels strongly that our local government is best able to assess the needs of our community and objects to the proliferation of State legislation that deprives us of that ability;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Yucaipa resolves as follows:
Section 1. The City of Yucaipa is opposed to the current practice of the legislature of the State of California of continually proposing and passing multitudes of bills that directly impact and interfere with the ability of cities to control their own destiny through use of the zoning authority that has been granted to them.
Section 2. The City of Yucaipa will explore various ways to protect the ability of cities to retain local control over zoning as each individual city within the State of California is best suited to determine how the zoning in their city should be allocated in order to meet the housing needs of the community.
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda
Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause this resolution and his/her certification to be entered in the Book of Resolution of the Council of this City.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council held on this 8th day of February 2021.
ATTEST:
a
JENNIFER C WFORD, CITY LERK
02/23/2026 City Council Agenda