Morgan Miller Blair

With the realization that recovery of the new housing market will be slow, a bill is quickly making its way through the California Legislature that would add an additional two years to existing tentative subdivision and parcel maps.

Assembly Bill 333, sponsored by the California Building Industry Association (CBIA), was unanimously approved last week by the Assembly Committee on Local Government.  AB 333 extends for 24 months the life of existing and unexpired tentative subdivision maps, vesting tentative maps and parcel maps that would otherwise expire before January 1, 2012.  This extension would allow developers with approved projects to avoid going through the entitlement process again for projects delayed as a result of the economic downturn. 

The measure includes an urgency clause, putting it on a legislative fast track that could result in a vote during the summer.  If passed and signed by the Governor, the bill would take immediate effect.  The next stop for AB 333 will be the Assembly Committee on Appropriations Committee where its fiscal impact will be evaluated.  The CBIA estimates that there are approximately 1,800 tentative tract maps representing 250,000 housing units that would be affected by the provisions of AB 333.

Last July, the Legislature passed SB 1185 which extended the life of unexpired tentative and parcel maps by one year and gave local governments the discretion to grant an additional year to the life of a map.  During past market downturns, the Legislature adopted similar measures to extend the life of approved maps.