Regional planning: standardized spatial planning datasets.
SB 1423
California Bills
20250SB__142395AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-20 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-03-25 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-04-23 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-06-10 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-06-22 2025 SB AMD Introduced by Senator Stern LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Stern
An act to add
Section 65040.18 to, and to add
Article 15 (commencing with
Section 65770) to
Chapter of Division of Title of, the Government Code, relating to land use. land use Regional planning: standardized spatial planning datasets. Existing law establishes the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in the Governor’s office for the purpose of serving the Governor and the Governor’s cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research and constituting the comprehensive state planning agency.
This bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2027, to compile, standardize, maintain, and make publicly available through a consolidated online platform a core set of statewide standardized spatial planning datasets, as defined. The bill would require the datasets to include specified categories of information, including hazardous risk data, natural resource sensitivity data, and agricultural value data, as provided.
The bill would also require the office, on or before January 1, 2028, to develop and provide guidance for agencies to inform how to use and integrate the datasets in regional planning processes and products. The bill would require the office to update those datasets at least every years, as provided. This bill would permit state, regional, and local governments to consider use of the standardized spatial planning datasets published by the office in the development and production of land use and infrastructure plans, as specified.
The bill would require the office to provide technical assistance, upon request, for use of the data from these provisions. The bill would specify that it does not create new regulatory requirements, regulate land use or zoning, establish land use designations, or preempt the local land use authority of cities and counties. 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.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.</xhtml:p>"?> MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (
a) Climate change is intensifying wildfire, flood, drought, and sea level rise risks across California. Sound land use planning that accounts for these risks is essential to protect the lives, property, and fiscal health of Californians. (
b) California has invested substantially in publicly available spatial data and planning tools to support land use decision making. The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, in coordination with state agencies, maintains datasets and mapping tools that provide critical information on hazards, environmental resources, infrastructure, and land use conditions. (
c) Standardizing statewide spatial planning data will make planning decisions and their outcomes more consistent with the state’s planning priorities, such as those specified in
Section 65041.1 of the Government Code, promote transparency and consistency across plans and documents, reduce costs, promote efficiencies, and support more resilient and equitable communities. (
d) Standardized spatial planning datasets are intended as tools to inform and guide future planning decisions and to support voluntary data-informed planning across state, regional, and local agencies.
SEC.
Section 65040.18 is added to the Government Code , to read: 65040.18. (
a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Consolidated online platform” means a publicly accessible online portal maintained or designated by the office that provides access to standardized spatial planning datasets as a decision support tool. (2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Regional planning agency” means a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, or county authorized under state law to develop regional land use strategies, transportation plans, or infrastructure plans.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)</xhtml:p>"?> (2) “Standardized spatial planning dataset” means geospatial data layers that have been compiled, standardized, and published by the office pursuant to this section. (
b) On or before July 1, 2027, the office shall compile, standardize, maintain, and make publicly available through a consolidated online platform a core set of statewide standardized spatial planning datasets. (
c) The standardized spatial planning datasets shall include the following categories of information:
(1) Hazard risk data, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (
A) State and local responsibility area high and very high fire hazard severity zones as determined by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (
B) One-hundred-year and 500-year flood plains as designated by relevant state and federal agencies. (
C) Coastal and inland areas subject to sea level rise inundation risk as identified by the Ocean Protection Council.
(2) Natural resource sensitivity data, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (
A) Wetlands and riparian areas as mapped by relevant state and federal agencies. (
B) Biological resource areas that contain, support, or are necessary to sustain important biological or ecological resources, including species biodiversity, significant habitats and wildlife corridors as determined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Natural Resources Agency. (
C) Legally protected lands and lands under a conservation easement.
(3) Agricultural value data, including, but not limited to, both of the following: (
A) Prime and unique farmlands and farmland of statewide and local importance as classified by the Department of Conservation. (
B) Lands subject to Williamson Act contracts pursuant to
Chapter 7 (commencing with
Section 51200) of Part of Division of Title 5. (
d) On or before January 1, 2028, the office shall develop and provide guidance for agencies to inform them on how to use and integrate standardized spatial planning datasets in regional planning processes and products. (
e) The office shall update the standardized spatial planning datasets as new or revised data becomes available from the originating state or federal source agencies, but no less frequently than every three years.
SEC.
Article 15 (commencing with
Section 65770) is added to
Chapter of Division of Title of the Government Code , to read: 15. Regional Use of Standardized Spatial Planning Documents <caml:Num>65770.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_6F28A6E7-E3CB-41B5-AB59-EF90F5898087"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>For purposes of this section, “regional planning agency” means a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, or county authorized under state law to develop regional land use strategies, transportation plans, or infrastructure plans.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection>"?> 65770. (
a) State, regional, and local governments may consider use of the standardized spatial planning datasets published by the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation pursuant to
Section 65040.18 in the development and production of land use and infrastructure plans, including, but not limited to: (1)<span class="EnSpace"/>Regional land use strategies.</p>"?>
(1) General plans pursuant to
Section 65300.
(2) Regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies prepared pursuant to
Section 65080. (3)<span class="EnSpace"/>Regional infrastructure plans.</p><xhtml:p>(4)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Any other applicable regional planning documents as determined by the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in consultation with regional planning agencies.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A regional planning agency shall, as part of the adoption or amendment of any regional planning document subject to subdivision (a), do all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Map and disclose how the standardized spatial planning datasets were used in the development of the planning document.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Identify areas of elevated hazard risk, natural resource sensitivity, or land use conflict based on the standardized spatial planning datasets.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Document how the identified areas of elevated risk, sensitivity, or conflict were considered in determining planning priorities and outcomes.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A regional planning agency shall apply a planning prioritization approach that does all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Prioritizes the avoidance of directing growth or significant new infrastructure into areas identified in the standardized spatial planning datasets as posing high hazard risk, significant natural resource sensitivity, or significant agricultural value, where feasible.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Encourages minimization of growth in areas identified by paragraph (1) where avoidance is determined not to be feasible.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Encourages and supports mitigation strategies.</xhtml:p>"?>
(3) Regional housing needs allocations processes pursuant to
Section 65584.
(4) Climate action plans. (d)</xhtml:p>"?> (
b) In addition to subdivision (a), nothing in this
section or in
Section 65040.18 shall restrict agencies from using more precise or current data that are available at the regional or local level, including data developed through natural community conservation plans or other regional conservation initiatives, to inform and refine planning processes or decisions. (
c) Nothing in this
section or in
Section 65040.18 creates new regulatory requirements, regulates land use or zoning, establishes land use designations, or preempts the local land use authority of cities and counties. (e)</xhtml:p>"?> (
d) The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation shall provide technical assistance for use of data pursuant to this
section upon request. <caml:Num>65772.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_BB11D9F8-8BC4-4035-A2AC-79BAB4158541"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>This
article does not apply to the adoption or amendment of a regional planning document for a community with a density greater than unit per acre or as otherwise determined by the Office of Land Use and Climate and Innovation.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection>"?> <caml:Num>SEC. 4.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to