Land use: development project review.

Blanca Rubio’s measure shifts the timetable for responsible agencies reviewing a subset of development projects to a 45‑day clock, measured from the lead agency’s approval date or from when the completed application is accepted as complete, with coauthors Ward and Wicks joining the effort. The longer 180‑day framework remains in place for the lead‑agency path, and the accelerated deadline applies to projects described in the cross‑references to the broader development‑review framework.

Key mechanisms and details include a 45‑day requirement for the specified projects, subject to important exceptions: for projects described in the cross‑references where the responsible agency is the California Coastal Commission or the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the timeline remains 90 days; similarly, for projects reviewed by the State Water Resources Control Board or a Regional Water Quality Control Board involving certain federal requirements, the timeline is preserved at 90 days. The bill also reiterates that when the lead agency’s disapproval becomes final, applications filed with responsible agencies are deemed withdrawn.

The bill’s findings assert that the change addresses a statewide concern and applies to all cities, including charter cities, and it includes a no‑reimbursement provision, stating local agencies would fund the changes through existing authorities to levy charges or fees. This framework suggests a potential local fiscal impact tied to the tighter review deadlines, while maintaining the 180‑day clock for the lead‑agency path and preserving longer review windows for the CCC/BCDC and for certain SWRCB/RWQCB actions.

Implementation would require responsible agencies to adjust workflows to meet the 45‑day deadline, with careful tracking of the date of lead approval and the date a complete application is accepted. The text does not specify penalties or remedies for failure to meet deadlines, nor does it spell out an explicit effective date within the contained provisions. The measure reflects a statewide policy adjustment within the Permit Streamlining Act’s structure, aligning the timeline for certain local reviews with a more expedited schedule while preserving established timelines for other agencies and project categories.