The Planning Commission on May 9 voted to recommend that the City Council adopt an implementation ordinance for Senate Bill 9, a State law that addresses urban lot splits.
The draft ordinance is scheduled for introduction by the City Council on June 5.
As reviewed by the Planning Commission, the draft ordinance would amend the Del Mar Municipal Code and the State-approved Local Coastal Plan to provide objective development and design standards for SB 9-related construction and subdivisions.
After a lengthy discussion, commissioners agreed to include an additional recommendation to include an affordability component in the regulations for SB 9 dwellings. Affordability requirements would be implemented with future amendments to Del Mar's inclusionary housing regulations.
Enacted in January 2022 in response to the housing crisis, SB 9 allows for multiple units and lot splits on property zoned for a single dwelling — all without a public hearing.
Under SB 9, qualifying properties can be developed with up to four units on a lot zoned for a single dwelling unit. Developers can subdivide a lot zoned for one dwelling lot into two parcels to accommodate up to two residential structures on each new parcel.
While State regulations prohibit discretionary review of SB 9 applications, they do allow Del Mar to apply objective standards to its ordinance. With those standards, the draft ordinance seeks to mitigate SB 9’s impacts to maintain community character in neighborhoods zoned for one dwelling per lot.
Members of the public are encouraged to review the draft ordinance and fact sheet on the SB 9 webpage.
Staff contact: Matt Bator, Principal Planner, 858-755-9313 ext. 1158 or mbator@delmar.ca.us
Open SB 9 webpage
Open Planning Commission agenda