California Transit Village Development Planning

California has numerous formal acts in statute. Government Code Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 3, Article 8.5 provides the Transit Village Development Planning Act of 1994, which is contained in Sections 65460 to 65460.11. Article 8.5 was added in 1994 by Chapter 780. Section 65460 names the act.

Section 65460.1 provides eight legislative findings and declarations, including that federal, state and local governments in California are investing in new and expanded transit systems in areas throughout the state, including Los Angeles County, the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego County, Santa Clara County, and Sacramento County. Moreover, the greater use of public transit facilitated by the development of transit villages by providing viable alternatives to automobile use.

In addition, the following terms are defined: “bus hub”; “bus transfer station”; “district”; “peak hours”; and, “transit station.”

Section 65460.2 authorizes a city or county to prepare a transit village plan for a transit village development district that addresses eight specified characteristics. Section 65460/3 provides that, in order to increase transit ridership and to reduce vehicle traffic on the highways, local, regional, and state plans should direct new development close to the transit stations. Moreover, these entities should provide financial incentives to implement these plans.

Section 65460/4 requires a transit village development district to include all land within not more than one-half mile of the main entrance of a transit station designated by the legislative body of a city, county, or city and county that has jurisdiction over the station area. Section 65460.5 requires a city or county establishing a district and preparing a plan pursuant to this article to be eligible for available transportation funding.

Section 65460.6 authorizes an agency responsible for the preparation and adoption of the congestion management program to exclude district impacts from the determination of conformance with level of service standards. Section 65460.7 requires a transit village plan to be prepared, adopted, and amended in the same manner as a general plan.

Section 65460.8 prohibits a transit village plan from being adopted or amended unless the proposed plan or amendment is consistent with the general plan. Section 76560/9 prohibits a local public works project from being approved, not a tentative map or parcel, from being covered by a transit village plan unless it is consistent with the adopted transit village plan.

Section 65460/10 allows a city, county, or city and county to require a developer to enter into a development agreement to implement a density bonus specified in the transit village plan.