Quimby Act.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific information on the public reporting requirements for collected fees.

Quimby Act

The Quimby Act updates rules about requiring land dedication or fees from developers to build parks in new subdivisions and sets limits on these requirements for infill housing near existing parks.

What This Bill Does

• Allows cities and counties to require developers to give land or pay fees to create parks when they make new subdivisions if certain rules are followed.
• Limits the amount of land that can be required from a developer based on how many people will live in the subdivision, aiming for at least 3 acres of park space per 1,000 residents.
• Adds limits for infill housing projects: no more than 25% of the total land area can be taken as fees or dedicated land if it's within half a mile of an existing park.
• Requires cities and counties to put collected fees into special accounts and share information about these funds with the public each year.

Who It Names or Affects

• Developers who want to build new subdivisions or infill housing projects
• Local government officials responsible for approving development plans

Terms To Know

Infill Housing

New homes built in already developed urban areas, often to make better use of existing space.

Subdivision Map Act

A set of laws that control how land is divided into smaller lots for sale or development.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a developer cannot meet the park requirements.
• It's unclear how existing parks will be used to determine limits on new developments nearby.
• There are no details about how local governments must report collected fees publicly.

Official Summary Text

SB 315, as amended, Grayson.
Quimby Act.
The Quimby Act, which is within the Subdivision Map Act, authorizes the legislative body of a city or county to require the dedication of land or to impose fees for park or recreational purposes as a condition to the approval of a tentative map or parcel subdivision map if specified requirements are met.
The act provides that the dedication of land, or the payment of fees, or both, shall not exceed the proportionate amount necessary to provide 3 acres of park area per 1,000 persons residing within a subdivision subject to the act, except as specified.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to this provision.
This bill would additionally prohibit the proportion of the land to be dedicated, or the amount of any fee to be paid in lieu thereof, or both, from exceeding 25% of the total acreage of the subdivision, if the proposed subdivision is for infill housing. The bill would also prohibit the legislative body of a city or county from requiring the dedication of land or the payment of fees in lieu thereof, if the proposed subdivision is for infill housing and the subdivision is located within
1
/
2
mile of an existing park.
The Mitigation Fee Act, among other things, requires a local agency that imposes a fee as a condition of approval of a development project to deposit the fee in a separate capital facilities account or fund, and
to make certain information about the account or fund available to the public annually, as specified. The Mitigation Fee Act generally excepts fees imposed pursuant to the Quimby Act from its provisions.
This bill would, notwithstanding that exception, require fees collected pursuant to the Quimby Act to comply with the requirement to deposit the fee in a separate capital facilities account or fund and to comply with the public reporting requirements described above. By increasing the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal
affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF