Tim Grayson

Existing law, the Subdivision Map Act, (act) vests the authority to regulate and control the design and improvement of subdivisions in the legislative body of a local agency and sets forth procedures governing the processing, approval, conditional approval or disapproval, and filing of tentative maps, among other maps. Existing law requires a vesting tentative map to be filed and processed in the same manner as a tentative map, except as specified.

The act generally requires a subdivider to file a tentative map with the local agency, as specified, and the local agency, in turn, to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove the map within a specified time period. Under existing law, an approved tentative map expires 24 months after its approval or conditional approval. Existing law authorizes the approval or conditional approval to be extended up to 24 months pursuant to local ordinance, and by 48 months, as provided, if the subdivider is required to expend more than a certain amount of money to construct, improve, or finance the construction or improvement of public improvements outside the property boundaries of the tentative map, as provided. Existing law prohibits those extensions from extending the tentative map more than 10 years from its approval or conditional approval, except as specified.

This bill would extend the initial expiration period of an approved or conditionally approved tentative map to 8 years, except as provided. The bill would remove the authorization to extend the approval or conditional approval by 48 months if the subdivider is required to expend more than a certain amount of money to construct, improve, or finance the construction or improvement of public improvements outside the property boundaries of the tentative map.

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.

By adding to the duties of local planning officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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.