CaliforniaCalifornia law limits when added height counts as a significant environmental impact
For projects meeting every condition, the law bars environmental review from treating effects of added building height alone as significant impacts.
What it does
The law bars treating effects of added building height alone as significant environmental impacts for projects meeting every condition. Examples include noise, shadows, and effects that could attract wildlife.
The act requires no state reimbursement for its mandated program. It says local agencies and school districts can levy enough charges, fees, or assessments to cover the cost.
Argument forFor projects meeting every condition, excluding height-related effects alone from significance findings could simplify environmental review while leaving other project impacts in review.
Argument againstNearby people or wildlife could still experience noise, shadows, or other height-related effects that would not count as significant when height alone causes them.
More detail
The law bars treating environmental effects associated with increased building height alone as significant when a project meets all specified conditions. The rule applies only to effects associated with increased building height alone, including effects on air circulation, noise, light, shadows, or wildlife. The project's use and density must be analyzed in a certified environmental impact report. The project must be on a previously graded infill site, have no sensitive biological resources physically present, and not be an industrial use project. The project must be consistent with local airport land use plans. The chaptered act adds this rule to CEQA; the supplied text gives no separate effective date.
The act does not require state reimbursement for costs it imposes on local agencies or school districts. This applies to local agencies and school districts carrying out the required program. The act states that local agencies and school districts have authority to collect enough in charges, fees, or assessments to pay for the required program.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 29Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 788, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 29Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 8Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 30Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB958 Weber Pierson Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 958 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Ward. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 55. Noes 5. Page 6526.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 19Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 19Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 10Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 6Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 5From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 29
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 22June 22 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
- Jun 15From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.Major
- Jun 1Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.Minor
- May 26In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB958 Weber Pierson. Result: pass.Upper
- May 26Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 4443.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 12Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 11From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.Minor
- May 4Set for hearing May 11.
- Apr 30May 4 hearing postponed by committee.
- Apr 24Set for hearing May 4.
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4013.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 16From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Major
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3899.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Local Government]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Set for hearing April 22 in L. GOV. pending receipt.
- Apr 9Set for hearing April 15.
- Apr 8Re-referred to Coms. on E.Q. and L. GOV.Minor
- Mar 24From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Major
- Feb 11Referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Feb 3From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 5.
- Feb 2Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
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