HomeMy WebLinkAboutDiamond Bar SB 9 Veto Letter 9-3-2021
City of Diamond Bar
21810 Copley Drive | Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4178
(909) 839-7000 | Fax (909) 861-3117
www.DiamondBarCA.gov
Nancy A. Lyons
Mayor
Ruth M. Low
Mayor Pro Tem
Andrew Chou
Council Member
Stan Liu
Council Member
Steve Tye
Council Member
September 3, 2021
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
First Floor, State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
leg.unit@gov.ca.gov
RE: VETO REQUEST SB 9 (Atkins) Increased Density in Single-Family Zones
Dear Governor Newsom:
The City of Diamond Bar writes to request your VETO on SB 9 (Atkins). SB 9 would require
nearly all cities, regardless of existing circumstances, to ministerially approve, without
condition or discretion, a housing development containing up to four units on a parcel
that was otherwise designated for one single-family home. Additionally, SB 9 would
require local governments to ministerially approve an urban lot split, creating two
independent lots that may be sold separately.
Housing affordability and homelessness are among the most critical issues facing
California cities. Cities lay the groundwork for housing production by planning and
zoning new projects in their communities based on extensive public input and
engagement, state housing laws, and the needs of the building industry. Importantly,
cities are currently updating housing plans to identify sites for more than two million
additional housing units.
SB 9 does not guarantee the construction of affordable housing nor will it spur
additional housing development 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 that are certified
by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Policy makers must avoid pushing new, unproven policies that would undermine local
planning, change the rules mid-stream, or conflict with the myriad of new housing laws
recently passed that cities are now implementing.
For these reasons, the City of Diamond Bar strongly urges you to VETO SB 9.
Sincerely,
Nancy Lyons
Mayor, Diamond Bar
VETO SB 9 (Atkins)
September 3, 2021
Page 2
cc. Senator Josh Newman, 29th District
Assembly Member Phillip Chen, 55th District
Ronda Paschal, Deputy Legislative Secretary, Office of Governor Newsom
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org
City Council
Joe A. Gonsalves & Son
California Contract Cities Association
President Becky Shevlin, San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Executive Director Marisa Creter, San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
City Manager Dan Fox
Community Development Director Greg Gubman