AB 970 — Planning and zoning: electric vehicle charging stations: permit application: approval.

Summary

Existing law requires a city, county, or city and county to administratively approve an application to install an electric vehicle charging station through the issuance of a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit subject to a limited review by the building official of that city, county, or city and county. Existing law allows the building official to require the applicant to apply for a use permit if the official finds that the station could have a specific adverse impact upon the public health or safety and prohibits the city, county, or city and county from denying the application for a use permit to install an electric vehicle charging station unless it makes written findings that the proposed installation would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific, adverse impact. Existing law requires every city, county, and city and county to create an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations and to adopt a checklist pursuant to which an application that satisfies the information requirements in that checklist shall be deemed complete and therefore eligible for expedited review. This bill would clarify that these provisions apply to all cities, including charter cities. This bill would require an application to install an electric vehicle charging station to be deemed complete if, either 5 business days or 10 business days after the application was submitted, depending on the number of electric vehicle charging stations proposed in the application, the city, county, or city and county has not deemed the application to be incomplete or issued a written correction notice detailing all deficiencies in the application, as specified. The bill would require an application to install an electric vehicle charging station to be deemed approved if 20 business days or 40 business days after the application was deemed complete, depending on the number of electric vehicle charging stations proposed in the application, (1) the city, county, or city and county has not approved the application, (2) the building official has not made a finding that the proposed installation could have an adverse impact upon the public health or safety or required the applicant to apply for a use permit, (3) the building official has not denied the permit, and (4) an appeal has not been made to the planning commission of the city, county, or city and county, as specified. The bill would provide that these requirements do not expand or restrict the role or responsibility of a local publicly owned electric utility in providing new electric service to an electric vehicle charging station in a manner consistent with safety, reliability, and engineering requirements. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to reduce the number of required parking spaces to accommodate the electric vehicle charging station, as specified. This bill's provisions would become operative on January 1, 2022, but for every city, county, or city and county with a population of less than 200,000 residents, the bill's provisions would apply beginning on January 1, 2023. 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.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/08/21 - Chaptered Current pdf October 08, 2021
• Enrolled 09/09/21 - Enrolled pdf September 09, 2021
• Amended 07/13/21 - Amended Senate pdf July 13, 2021
• Amended 05/10/21 - Amended Assembly pdf May 10, 2021
• Amended 04/27/21 - Amended Assembly pdf April 27, 2021
• Introduced 02/18/21 - Introduced pdf February 18, 2021
• AB970 View text html

Action History

1. October 08, 2021

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 710, Statutes of 2021.

2. October 08, 2021

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 13, 2021

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

4. September 07, 2021

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 59. Noes 11. Page 2832.).

5. September 02, 2021

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 4 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

6. September 02, 2021

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 2359.).

7. July 13, 2021

   Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.

8. July 12, 2021

   From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (July 8).

9. June 16, 2021

   Referred to Com. on GOV. & F.

10. June 02, 2021

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

11. June 01, 2021

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 8. Page 1711.)

12. May 11, 2021

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

13. May 10, 2021

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

14. May 06, 2021

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (May 5).

15. April 28, 2021

    Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

16. April 27, 2021

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.

17. March 04, 2021

    Referred to Com. on L. GOV.

18. February 19, 2021

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

19. February 18, 2021

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• McCarty · Primary
• Chiu · Cosponsor
• Ting · Cosponsor

Votes

Subjects