Agda Pkt 2026.07.13 Joint SA PFA

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Page 2 of 18 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org jurisdictions to streamline project approvals, increase permitted residential density and provide exemptions from certain environmental review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Consistent with this broader legislative trend, Senate Bill 79 (the Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act)1 became effective on July 1, 2026. SB 79 aims to increase housing availability and affordability near transit stations. Specifically, SB 79 requires housing to be allowed by right on sites zoned for residential, mixed-use, or commercial uses if the site is located within 0.5 miles of a qualifying transit stop and it meets certain criteria, including provision of affordable units and compliance with various labor requirements. Further, it establishes standards for height, density, and floor area ratio which may supersede local standards, depending on location. SB 79 does not make projects eligible for ministerial review2 nor does it amend or otherwise affect CEQA requirements. As such, proposed SB 79 housing developments may be processed through local jurisdictions’ standard review process and must undergo CEQA review.3 SB 79 Baseline Development Standard Obligations SB 79 establishes development standards for height, density, and floor area ratio for qualifying housing projects located within 0.5 mile of a qualifying transit-oriented development stop4. The allowed project height and density are determined by two factors: 1.The level of transit service provided at the qualifying transit stop, and; 2.A site’s distance from a designated pedestrian access point at that transit stop. Under SB 79, qualifying transit stops are categorized into two tiers5 based on the frequency and type of transit service provided. Redwood City contains one qualifying Tier 1 transit stop (the Redwood City Caltrain Station) and does not have any Tier 2 stops. The law further provides distinct development standards for projects within varying distances from the transit stop’s pedestrian access points: within 200 feet, within 0.25 miles, and within 0.5 miles. The required development standards for each “zone” are summarized in Table 1. The zones around the Redwood City Caltrain Station are depicted in Figure 1. 1 Government Code Section 65912.155 2 Projects subject to ministerial review are approved at an administrative level, involve little or no discretion by the review authority, and are not subject to environmental review under CEQA. 3 SB 79 projects may qualify for review pursuant to other state laws that provide for streamlined approval or CEQA processes concurrently (e.g. SB 35 or SB 423). 4 “Transit-oriented development stop” is defined in Government Code Section 65912.156 (p). 5 “Tier 1 TOD Stop” means a TOD stop within an urban transit county that is served by heavy rail transit or very high-frequency commuter rail; “Tier 2 TOD stop” means a TOD stop within an urban transit county (excluding a Tier 1 TOD stop) served by light rail transit, by high-frequency commuter rail, or by bus rapid transit (as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21060.2(a)(1)). An “urban transit county” means a county with more than 15 passenger rail stations. For the Bay Area this includes the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Alameda. Applicable transit stops include BART, Caltrain, Muni Metro, VTA light rail stops, and AC Transit/Muni bus rapid transit stops. 8.A. - Page 2 of 97 220