A community in the Pacific Ocean, recently affected by wildfires, experienced a political win on Tuesday when Governor Gavin Newsom agreed to issue an executive order that removes certain fire zones from the City Densification Act.
This situation centers around SB 9, a law from 2021 designed to facilitate homebuilding by allowing homeowners to subdivide their properties and build accessory dwelling units, often referred to as “granny flats.”
Initially, this well-meaning law was embraced by property owners. However, following the fires, it became a concern for many, particularly for developers who worried about purchasing burned lots, leading to the construction of multi-family homes that could alter the character of the area and result in increased traffic.
Residents organized using WhatsApp, social media, and local associations, sending over 20,000 letters to government officials urging them to halt SB 9 in fire-prone regions. Traci Park, a Los Angeles City Council member, highlighted the overcrowding during evacuations caused by the Palisades fire back in January.
Mayor Karen Bass also released a statement on Tuesday advocating for SB 9 to be excluded from application in the Palisades area.
Los Angeles Times reported that the governor’s response to the push was positive:
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to issue an executive order on Wednesday that would permit local governments in Los Angeles to impose restrictions on development in wildland areas, thus exempting them from certain provisions of the Landmark Housing Act.
This proposed order would enable the city and the county of Malibu to limit construction sanctioned by Senate Bill 9, which allows property owners to build up to four units on lots previously designated for single-family homes.
Areas affected include Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu and Altadena, all of which were hit by the fires earlier this year and have been classified by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention as having a “very high fire hazard severity zone.”
It seems Newsom might have been looking to alleviate some of the concerns that arose earlier this month.
