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8A Page 13 'State Budgef Continued from Page 1... The final vote on both measures was 26-14, with all Democrats and one Republican (Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria) in support. All other Republicans were opposed. Only one more Republican vote was needed to pass the proposals. It is unclear as to when the Senate will reconvene. The Assembly, after passing the budget bills and trailer bills on July 20, departed for a month-long legislative recess. League staff will be monitoring budget advances and will issue a more detailed update on the League Web site as information becomes available. Once a budget is passed, the next edition of Priority Focus following the budget's passage will contain a detailed rundown on the impacts It has on cities. 'AB 414' Contlnued from Page 1... AS 414 makes technical changes to how local agencies can accommodate their fair share of housing on non-residentially zoned parcels. The bill would also impose the same conditions for all local agencies regardless of size, circumstance, or performance, on how to count sites for housing designated on non-residential land. Earlier versions of AS 414 had only applied to vacant parcels zoned for non-residential uses. The amendments taken in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on July 9, however, expanded the scope of the bill to all non-residentially zoned parcels. This bill would lead to the following three problems: . Makes Inflll Zoning More Difficult. AS 414 would make zoning more difficult for built-out communities that do not know which parcels may actually become available for housing during the planning period. Rather than encourage infill housing, AS 414 will constrict cities' ability to designate commercial sites as housing sites, and remove cities' incentives for aI/owing housing in commercial areas. This bill would require cities to pre-zone non-vacant lands or commercial areas before they become available. . Chills Development in Mixed Use Neighborhoods. The measure creates an exception for mixed use buildings, but not mixed use zoning. A vibrant mixed use neighborhood consists of more than just buildings that have restaurants on the ground floor and apartments above; they include a mix of housing-only buildings, commercial-only buildings, and shared-use buildings. The challenge in creating these areas is giving the marf<:et flexibility to detennine where each type of use will fit in. AS 414's parcel-by-parcel approach would chill development in mixed use developments. . Creates Disincentives for Mixed Use Zoning. If AS 414 is passed, local agencies would only receive credit for one housing unit for every two that they zone in mixed arid multi-use zones. With this kind of disincentive, local agencies will be less likely to create mixed use zones in direct opposition what infill development and smart growth is trying to achieve. Take Action The League recommends that cities send letters to their state senators requesting a "no" vote on the Senate floor to AS 414. For a sample letter, look up AB 414 using the League's bill search tool at www.cacities.oralbillsearch. The bill will be on the Senate floor when the Legislature reconvenes after the legislative recess. 2