HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 79 (Wiener) Transit-oriented Development - City of SLO - Letter of OPPOSITIONCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114, slocity.org
April 3, 2025
The Honorable Scott Wiener
Senator, California State Senate
1021 O St, Suite 8620
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SB 79 (Wiener) Transit-oriented Development
Notice of Opposition
Dear Senator Wiener,
The City of San Luis Obispo writes to express our strong opposition to your SB 79 (Wiener), which
would disregard state-certified housing elements and bestow land use authority to transit agencies
without any requirement that developers build housing, let alone affordable housing.
SB 79 doubles down on the recent trend of the state overriding its own mandated local housing
elements. This latest overreaching effort forces cities to approve transit-oriented development
projects near specified transit stops — up to seven stories high and a density of 120 homes per acre
— without regard to the community's needs, environmental review, or public input.
The bill's broad applicability could have significant implications for our city, particularly as we work
to enhance regional transit connections and explore higher-capacity transit infrastructure to support
climate and housing goals. Moreover, SB 79 undermines our ability to engage the community through
our robust public planning processes, which are foundational to the character and success of San Luis
Obispo. Our community values thoughtful, locally tailored planning — especially around sensitive
issues like height, density, and design. The City has invested significant time and resources in
developing a certified Housing Element and implementing zoning reforms to increase housing
production in targeted areas, including around transit corridors. These efforts should not be
disregarded or overridden by a one-size-fits-all state mandate.
Most alarmingly, SB 79 defies cities’ general plans and provides transit agencies unlimited land use
authority on property they own or have a permanent easement, regardless of the distance from a
transit stop. Transit agencies would have the power to determine all aspects of the development
including height, density, and design, without any regard to local zoning or planning.
This broad new authority extends to both residential and commercial development. Transit agencies
could pursue entirely commercial projects — even directly at transit stops — without adding a single
new home, let alone affordable housing — all while continuing to argue that more housing is needed
near transit.
City of San Luis Obispo appreciates and respects your desire to pursue a housing production proposal.
However, as currently drafted, SB 79 will not spur much-needed housing construction in a manner
that supports local flexibility, decision-making, and community input. State-driven ministerial or by-
right housing approval processes fail to recognize the extensive public engagement associated with
developing and adopting zoning ordinances and housing elements.
California will never produce the number of homes needed with an increasingly state-driven, by-right
housing approval process. What we really need is a sustainable state investment that matches the
scale of this decades-in-the-making crisis. For these reasons, the City of San Luis Obispo strongly
opposes SB 79.
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
Cc: Assemblymember Dawn Addis
Senator John Laird
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org