Senate Bill 684 (SB 684) is California law that took effect on July 1, 2024. It allows a streamlined ministerial approval process for a parcel map or a tentative and final map for a subdivision resulting in 10 or fewer parcels and corresponding housing development projects of 10 or fewer units. No public hearings will be required for projects eligible for SB 684 streamlining and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will also not apply.
Key Provisions
Lots proposed to be subdivided pursuant to SB 684 must be less than 5 acres and zoned for multi-family residential development. This includes all zones listed under “Multiple Residential” in the Department’s Generalized Summary of Zoning Regulations as well as C and P zones.
The bill includes several other site eligibility requirements as well as demolition protections and exclusions for environmentally sensitive areas.
Note: Included below is a partial list of provisions. Please consult the memorandum for detailed instructions.
SB 684 projects cannot result in the demolition or alteration of any of the following:
- - Housing that is subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance, or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to persons and families of low, very low, or extremely low income;
- - Housing that is subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO);
- - Housing that has been occupied by a tenant in the last five years prior to the application (including vacant sites).
SB 684 projects cannot be located on a site that is any of the following:
- - Prime farmland or farmland of statewide importance;
- - Wetlands;
- - Very high fire hazard severity zones;
- - Land identified for conservation in an adopted natural community conservation plan;
- - Habitat for protected species;
- - Lands under a conservation easement.
SB 684 projects cannot be located on the following types of sites unless the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) verifies that certain conditions or standards have been met:
- - Hazardous waste sites;
- - Regulatory floodways;
- - Special flood hazard areas;
- - Earthquake fault zones.
Application of Objective Standards
SB 684 includes development and subdivision standards that apply to all eligible projects and would supersede any conflicting local standards. It also specifies the local objective subdivision, zoning, and design standards that may be applied to subdivisions of land. However, SB 684 requires that housing development projects on newly created lots comply with all applicable objective zoning, subdivision, and design standards which aren’t explicitly precluded by the law.
Note: Included below is a partial list of provisions. Please consult the memorandum for detailed instructions.
SB 684 projects must meet the following standards:
- - Be constructed on fee simple ownership lots or part of a common interest development, housing cooperative, or community land trust;
- - Have a maximum average total floor space among the proposed units of 1,750 net habitable square feet.
- - Newly created small lots must have a minimum lot size of 600 square feet;
The City cannot impose any objective standard that would:
- - Physically precludes development of a project built to a density of 30 units per acre (1,452 square feet per dwelling unit);
- - Require side or rear yard setbacks from the original property line beyond 4 feet;
- - Impose building separation requirements between units beyond the CA Building Code;
- - Require more than 1 automobile parking space per unit or any parking spaces if the site is within ½ mile of a major transit stop or car share vehicle;
- - Mandate minimum size, width, or depth requirements for newly created lots that are at least 600 square feet.
The City may impose the following objective standards:
- - Right-of-way dedications and off-site improvements;
- - Lot access requirements;
- - Front yard setbacks from the original lot line.
The City will impose the height and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) requirements from the site’s underlying zone.
Small Lot Subdivision (SLS) Ordinance & SB 684
A development proponent submitting a Small Lot Subdivision eligible for SB 684 may choose to opt into the SLS Ordinance and be subject to all applicable provisions and review processes that are not explicitly preempted by SB 684. These include provisions allowing lot access to be provided via an alley or access easement and the issuance of building permits before the final map has been recorded. Development proponents that do not opt into or are ineligible for the SLS Ordinance will not be subject to its provisions and review processes.
SB 684 Implementation Memo
Please refer to the SB 684 Implementation Memorandum for more information on the law and general filing instructions to assist developers with their application.
For more detailed information on filing an application, please review the Preliminary Parcel Map Filing Instructions and Checklist (CP13-1801) or the Tentative Tract Map Filing Instructions and Checklist (CP-6110) depending on the size of the project. Both forms include updates relevant to SB 684. They can be found at the Department’s Forms webpage.
Access the Implementation Memo Here
Project Eligibility
To assess whether a parcel is eligible to qualify under SB 684, consult the Department’s Zone Information and Map Access System (ZIMAS) ― the City’s web-based zoning information tool. Enter the address in the pop-up window, click the "Planning and Zoning" menu on the left side of the screen, and then scroll down to the "SB 684 Eligibility" field and click on the hyperlink.
