Title GOV — California Gov. Code

A petition for annexation of territory to a city shall be signed by either of the following: (a) Not less than 5 percent of the number of registered voters residing within the territory proposed to be annexed as shown on the county register of voters. (b) Not less than 5 percent …

A petition for detachment of territory from a city shall be signed by either of the following: (a) Not less than 25 percent of the registered voters residing within the territory proposed to be detached, as shown on the county register of voters. (b) Not less than 25 percent of t…

The commission shall not approve or conditionally approve any proposal that includes a disincorporation, unless, based on the entire record, the commission makes all of the following determinations: (a) The proposed disincorporation is consistent with the intent of this division …

There is in each city and county a planning agency with the powers necessary to carry out the purposes of this title. The legislative body of each city and county shall by ordinance assign the functions of the planning agency to a planning department, one or more planning commiss…

(a) The legislative body may create one or more planning commissions each of which shall report directly to the legislative body. The legislative body shall specify the membership of the commission or commissions. In any event, each planning commission shall consist of at least f…

The Hoopa Valley Business Council, as the governing body of the Hoopa Valley Indian Tribe, may participate as a legislative body, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 65101 on the Humboldt County Association of Governments and shall be deemed to be a public agency, pursuant to …

A legislative body may establish for its planning agency any rules, procedures, or standards which do not conflict with state or federal laws.

Each planning agency shall perform all of the following functions: (a) Prepare, periodically review, and revise, as necessary, the general plan. (b) Implement the general plan through actions including, but not limited to, the administration of specific plans and zoning and subdi…

(a) In compliance with Section 65102, a local planning agency shall ensure architectural drawings that contain protected information are made available to the public in a manner that does not facilitate their copying, as provided in this section. (b) A local planning agency may m…

The legislative body shall provide the funds, equipment, and accommodations necessary or appropriate for the work of the planning agency. If the legislative body, including that of a charter city, establishes any fees to support the work of the planning agency, the fees shall not…

In the performance of their functions, planning agency personnel may enter upon any land and make examinations and surveys, provided that the entries, examinations, and surveys do not interfere with the use of the land by those persons lawfully entitled to the possession thereof.

Upon request all public officials shall furnish to the planning agency within a reasonable time any available information as may be required for the work of the planning agency.

Any action brought in the superior court relating to this chapter may be subject to a mediation proceeding conducted pursuant to Chapter 9.3 (commencing with Section 66030).

(a) A city with a population in excess of three million may establish a Long Range Planning Trust Fund in accordance with subdivision (b) to consist of those moneys that are voluntarily paid by an assessee of real property on the property tax bill in an amount equal to one dollar…

Each planning agency shall prepare and the legislative body of each county and city shall adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and of any land outside its boundaries which in the planning agency’s judgment bears relatio…

(a) For the purposes of this article, a “200-year flood plain” is an area that has a 1 in 200 chance of flooding in any given year, based on hydrological modeling and other engineering criteria accepted by the Department of Water Resources. (b) For the purposes of this article, a…

(a) In construing the provisions of this article, the Legislature intends that the general plan and elements and parts thereof comprise an integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of policies for the adopting agency. (b) The Legislature intends that the provisio…

The Legislature finds that the diversity of the state’s communities and their residents requires planning agencies and legislative bodies to implement this article in ways that accommodate local conditions and circumstances, while meeting its minimum requirements.

The Legislature recognizes that the capacity of California cities and counties to respond to state planning laws varies due to the legal differences between cities and counties, both charter and general law, and to differences among them in physical size and characteristics, popu…

(a) The general plan shall be so prepared that all or individual elements of it may be adopted by the legislative body, and so that it may be adopted by the legislative body for all or part of the territory of the county or city and any other territory outside its boundaries that…

The adoption of the general plan or any part or element thereof or the adoption of any amendment to such plan or any part or element thereof is a legislative act which shall be reviewable pursuant to Section 1085 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

The general plan shall consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals. The plan shall include the following elements: (a) A land use element that designates the pr…

(a) Upon the next update of one or more elements described in Section 65302, on or after January 1, 2028, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the hazard of extreme heat. (1) A city or county that has adopted an extreme heat action plan or othe…

(a) A county or city that is located in a warehouse concentration region, as defined in Section 65098, shall update its circulation element, as required by subdivision (b) of Section 65302, to do all of the following on or before January 1, 2026: (1) Identify and establish specif…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The San Joaquin Valley has a serious air pollution problem that will take the cooperation of land use and transportation planning agencies, transit operators, the development community, the San Joaquin Valley Air Po…

(a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) “Community” means an inhabited area within a city or county that is comprised of no less than 10 dwellings adjacent or in close proximity to one another. (2) “Disadvantaged unincorporated comm…

(a) On or after January 1, 2027, but no later than January 1, 2030, each city, county, or city and county shall prepare and adopt an electrification plan, decarbonization plan, community energy plan, or other similar plan, or integrate a plan into the next adoption or revision of…

(a) Upon the next revision of a local hazard mitigation plan, adopted in accordance with the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), on or after January 1, 2022, or, if a local jurisdiction has not adopted a local hazard mitigation plan, beginning on or befo…

Upon the adoption, or revision, of a city or county’s general plan, on or after January 1, 1996, the city or county shall utilize as a source document any urban water management plan submitted to the city or county by a water agency.

(a) The general plan, and any applicable specific plan prepared pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 65450), shall be consistent with the plan adopted or amended pursuant to Section 21675 of the Public Utilities Code. (b) The general plan, and any applicable specific pl…

The text and diagrams in the land use element that address the location and extent of land uses, and the zoning ordinances that implement these provisions, may also express community intentions regarding urban form and design. These expressions may differentiate neighborhoods, di…

(a) At least 45 days prior to adoption or amendment of the safety element, each county and city shall submit to the California Geological Survey of the Department of Conservation one copy of a draft of the safety element or amendment and any technical studies used for developing …

(a) A city, county, or a city and county may adopt with its safety element pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 65302 a local hazard mitigation plan (HMP) specified in the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390). The hazard mitigation plan shall include all…

(a) For the purposes of complying with Section 65302.5, each county or city located within the boundaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Drainage District, as set forth in Section 8501 of the Water Code, shall submit the draft element of, or draft amendment to, the safety elem…

If a county or city, including a charter city, adopts or amends a mandatory general plan element which operates to limit the number of housing units which may be constructed on an annual basis, such adoption or amendment shall contain findings which justify reducing the housing o…

(a) Within 24 months of July 2, 2013, each city and county within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley shall amend its general plan to contain all of the following: (1) (A) The data and analysis contained in the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan pursuant to Section 9612 of the Wa…

The general plan may include any other elements or address any other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the county or city.

The Department of Water Resources or the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, as appropriate, and the Department of Fish and Game may develop site design and planning policies to assist local agencies which request help in implementing the general plan guidelines for meeting fl…

Cities and counties shall prepare, adopt, and amend general plans and elements of those general plans in the manner provided in this article.

Before the adoption or any substantial amendment of a city’s or county’s general plan, the planning agency shall review and consider all of the following: (a) An adoption of, or update to, a groundwater sustainability plan or groundwater management plan pursuant to Part 2.74 (com…

During the preparation or amendment of the general plan, the planning agency shall provide opportunities for the involvement of citizens, California Native American Indian tribes, public agencies, public utility companies, and civic, education, and other community groups, through…

(a) Before a legislative body takes action to adopt or substantially amend a general plan, the planning agency shall refer the proposed action to all of the following entities: (1) A city or county, within or abutting the area covered by the proposal, and any special district tha…

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to foster improved communication and coordination between cities, counties, and school districts related to planning for school siting. (b) Following notification by a local planning agency pursuant to paragraph (2)…

(a) (1) Prior to the adoption or any amendment of a city or county’s general plan, proposed on or after March 1, 2005, the city or county shall conduct consultations with California Native American tribes that are on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Com…

For purposes of Section 65351, 65352.3, and 65562.5, “consultation” means the meaningful and timely process of seeking, discussing, and considering carefully the views of others, in a manner that is cognizant of all parties’ cultural values and, where feasible, seeking agreement.…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is vital that there be close coordination and consultation between California’s water supply or management agencies and California’s land use approval agencies to ensure that proper water supply and management planning occurs to acco…

(a) When the city or county has a planning commission authorized by local ordinance or resolution to review and recommend action on a proposed general plan or proposed amendments to the general plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing before approving a recomme…

The planning commission shall make a written recommendation on the adoption or amendment of a general plan. A recommendation for approval shall be made by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the total membership of the commission. The planning commission shall sen…

(a) A city or county with a planning agency, other than the legislative body itself, which has the authority to consider and recommend the approval, conditional approval, or disapproval of a proposed amendment to a general plan, shall establish procedures for any interested party…

Prior to adopting or amending a general plan, the legislative body shall hold at least one public hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be given pursuant to Section 65090.