California Subdivision Map Act (Part 5)
66478.2. The Legislature finds and declares that the public natural resources of this state are limited in quantity and that the population of this state has grown at a rapid rate and will continue to do so, thus increasing the need for utilization of public natural resources. The increase in population has also increased demand for private property adjacent to public natural resources through real estate subdivision developments which resulted in diminishing public access to public natural resources.
66478.3. The Legislature further finds and declares that it is essential to the health and well-being of all citizens of this state that public access to public natural resources be increased. It is the intent of the Legislature to increase public access to public natural resources.
66478.4. (a) No local agency shall approve either a tentative or a final map of any proposed subdivision to be fronted upon a public waterway, river, or stream which does not provide, or have available, reasonable public access by fee or easement from a public highway to that portion of the bank of the river or stream bordering or lying within the proposed subdivision. (b) Reasonable public access shall be determined by the local agency in which the proposed subdivision is to be located. In making the determination of what shall be reasonable access, the local agency shall consider all of the following: (1) That access may be by highway, foot trail, bike trail, horse trail, or any other means of travel. (2) The size of the subdivision. (3) The type of riverbank and the various appropriate recreational, educational, and scientific uses, including, but not limited to, swimming, diving, boating, fishing, water skiing, scientific collection, and teaching. (4) The likelihood of trespass on private property and reasonable means of avoiding these trespasses. (c) A public waterway, river, or stream for the purposes of Sections 66477.2, 66478.4, 66478.5 and 66478.6 means those waterways, rivers and streams defined in Sections 100 through 106 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, any stream declared to be a public highway for fishing pursuant to Sections 25660 through 25662 of the Government Code, the rivers listed in Section 1505 of the Fish and Game Code as spawning areas, all waterways, rivers and streams downstream from any state or federal salmon or steelhead fish hatcheries.
66478.5. (a) No local agency shall approve either a tentative or a final map of any proposed subdivision to be fronted upon a public waterway, river, or stream which does not provide for a dedication of a public easement along a portion of the bank of the river or stream bordering or lying within the proposed subdivision. (b) The extent, width and character of the public easement shall be reasonably defined to achieve reasonable public use of the public waterway, river, or stream consistent with public safety. The reasonableness and extent of the easement shall be determined by the local agency in which the proposed subdivision is to be located. In making the determination for reasonably defining the extent, width, and character of the public easement, the local agency shall consider all of the following: (1) That the easement may be for a foot trail, bicycle trail, or horse trail. (2) The size of the subdivision. (3) The type of riverbank and the various appropriate recreational, educational and scientific uses including, but not limited to, swimming, diving, boating, fishing, water skiing, scientific collection and teaching. (4) The likelihood of trespass on private property and reasonable means of avoiding these trespasses.
66478.6. Any public access route or routes and any easement along the bank of a public waterway, river, or stream provided by the subdivider shall be expressly designated on the tentative or final map, and this map shall expressly designate the governmental entity to which the route or routes are dedicated and its acceptance of the dedication.
66478.7. Nothing in this article shall be construed to limit any powers or duties in connection with or affect the operation of beaches or parks in this state or to limit or decrease the authority, powers, or duties of any public agency or entity.
66478.8. Nothing in Sections 66478.1 to 66478.10, inclusive, of this article shall require a local agency to disapprove either a tentative or final map solely on the basis that the reasonable public access otherwise required by this article is not provided through or across the subdivision itself, if the local agency makes a finding that the reasonable public access is otherwise available within a reasonable distance from the subdivision and identifies the location of the reasonable public access. The finding shall be set forth on the face of the tentative or final map.
66478.9. Nothing in Section 66478.5 shall apply to the site of electric power generating facilities.
66478.10. Nothing in Sections 66478.1 through 66478.10 of this article shall apply to industrial subdivisions.
66478.11. (a) No local agency shall approve either the tentative or the final map of any subdivision fronting upon the coastline or shoreline which subdivision does not provide or have available reasonable public access by fee or easement from public highways to land below the ordinary high water mark on any ocean coastline or bay shoreline within or at a reasonable distance from the subdivision. Any public access route or routes provided by the subdivider shall be expressly designated on the tentative or final map, and the map shall expressly designate the governmental entity to which the route or routes are dedicated. (b) Reasonable public access, as used in subdivision (a), shall be determined by the local agency in which the subdivision lies. (c) In making the determination of what shall be reasonable public access, the local agency shall consider: (1) That access may be by highway, foot trail, bike trail, horse trail, or any other means of travel. (2) The size of the subdivision. (3) The type of coastline or shoreline and the various appropriate recreational, educational, and scientific uses, including, but not limited to, diving, sunbathing, surfing, walking, swimming, fishing, beachcombing, taking of shellfish and scientific exploration. (4) The likelihood of trespass on private property and reasonable means of avoiding the trespass. (d) Nothing in this section shall require a local agency to disapprove either a tentative or final map solely on the basis that the reasonable public access otherwise required by this section is not provided through or across the subdivision itself, if the local agency makes a finding that the reasonable public access is otherwise available within a reasonable distance from the subdivision and identifies the location of the reasonable public access. The finding shall be set forth on the face of the tentative or final map. (e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the final map of any subdivision the tentative map of which has been approved by a local agency prior to the effective date of this section. (f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the final or tentative map of any subdivision which is in compliance with the plan of any planned development or any planned community which has been approved by a local agency prior to December 31, 1968. The exclusion provided by this subdivision shall be in addition to the exclusion provided by subdivision (e). (g) Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the subdivider to improve any access route or routes which are primarily for the benefit of nonresidents of the subdivision area. (h) Any access route or routes provided by the subdivider pursuant to this section may be conveyed or transferred to any state or local agency by the governmental entity to which the route or routes have been dedicated, at any future time, by mutual consent of such governmental entity and the particular state or local agency. The conveyance or transfer shall be recorded by the recipient state or local agency in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the route or routes are located.
66478.12. (a) No local agency shall approve either the tentative or the final map of any subdivision fronting upon any lake or reservoir which is owned in part or entirely by any public agency including the state, which subdivision does not provide or have available reasonable access by fee or easement from public highways to any water of the lake or reservoir upon which the subdivision borders either within the subdivision or a reasonable distance from the subdivision. Any public access route or routes provided by the subdivider shall be expressly designated on the tentative or final map, and the map shall expressly designate the governmental entity to which the route or routes are dedicated and its acceptance of the dedication. (b) Reasonable access, as used in subdivision (a), shall be determined by the local agency in which the subdivision lies. (c) In making the determination of what shall be reasonable access, the local agency shall consider: (1) That access may be by highway, foot trail, bike trail, horse trail, or any other means of travel. (2) The size of the subdivision. (3) The type of shoreline and the various appropriate recreational, educational, and scientific uses, including, but not limited to, swimming, diving, boating, fishing, water skiing, scientific exploration, and teaching. (4) The likelihood of trespass on private property and reasonable means of avoiding the trespasses. (d) Nothing in this section shall require a local agency to disapprove either a tentative or final map solely on the basis that the reasonable access otherwise required by this section is not provided through or across the subdivision itself, if the local agency makes a finding that the reasonable access is otherwise available within a reasonable distance from the subdivision and identifies the location of the reasonable public access. The finding shall be set forth on the face of the tentative or final map. (e) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the final map of any subdivision the tentative map of which has been approved by a local agency prior to the effective date of this section. (f) Any access route or routes provided by the subdivider pursuant to this section may be conveyed or transferred to any state or local agency by the governmental entity to which the route or routes have been dedicated, at any future time, by mutual consent of the governmental entity and the particular state or local agency. The conveyance or transfer shall be recorded by the recipient state or local agency in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the route or routes are located.
66478.13. No local agency shall issue any permit or grant any approval necessary to develop any real property which is excluded from regulation under this division as a subdivision pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 66426 because such property is in excess of 40 acres and was created as such a parcel after December 31, 1969, when such property fronts on the coastline or a shoreline, unless it finds that reasonable public access has been provided from public highways to land below the ordinary high-water mark or any ocean coastline or bay shoreline or any water of a lake or reservoir upon which the real property fronts. “Reasonable public access” as used in this section shall be determined by the local agency in which the real property lies. In making such determination the local agency shall use the same criteria as those set forth in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 66478.11 and subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 66478.12.
66478.14. Nothing in this article shall be construed as requiring the subdivider to improve any route or routes which are primarily for the benefit of nonresidents of the subdivision area or nonowners of the real property in question.
66479. There may be imposed by local ordinance a requirement that areas of real property within the subdivision be reserved for parks, recreational facilities, fire stations, libraries, or other public uses, subject to the following conditions: (a) The requirement is based upon an adopted specific plan or an adopted general plan containing policies and standards for those uses, and the required reservations are in accordance with those policies and standards. (b) The ordinance has been in effect for a period of at least 30 days prior to the filing of the tentative map. (c) The reserved area is of such size and shape as to permit the balance of the property within which the reservation is located to develop in an orderly and efficient manner. (d) The amount of land reserved will not make development of the remaining land held by the subdivider economically unfeasible. The reserved area shall conform to the adopted specific or general plan and shall be in such multiples of streets and parcels as to permit an efficient division of the reserved area in the event that it is not acquired within the prescribed period; in such event, the subdivider shall make those changes as are necessary to permit the reserved area to be developed for the intended purpose consistent with good subdividing practices.
66480. The public agency for whose benefit an area has been reserved shall at the time of approval of the final map or parcel map enter into a binding agreement to acquire such reserved area within two years after the completion and acceptance of all improvements, unless such period of time is extended by mutual agreement. The purchase price shall be the market value thereof at the time of the filing of the tentative map plus the taxes against such reserved area from the date of the reservation and any other costs incurred by the subdivider in the maintenance of such reserved area, including interest costs incurred on any loan covering such reserved area.
66481. If the public agency for whose benefit an area has been reserved does not enter into such a binding agreement, the reservation of such area shall automatically terminate.
66482. The authority granted by this article is additional to all other authority granted by law to local agencies relating to subdivisions and shall in no way be construed as a limitation on or diminution of any such authority.
66483. There may be imposed by local ordinance a requirement for the payment of fees for purposes of defraying the actual or estimated costs of constructing planned drainage facilities for the removal of surface and storm waters from local or neighborhood drainage areas and of constructing planned sanitary sewer facilities for local sanitary sewer areas, subject to the following conditions: (a) The ordinance has been in effect for a period of at least 30 days prior to the filing of the tentative map or parcel map if no tentative map is required. (b) The ordinance refers to a drainage or sanitary sewer plan adopted for a particular drainage or sanitary sewer area which contains an estimate of the total costs of constructing the local drainage or sanitary sewer facilities required by the plan, and a map of such area showing its boundaries and the location of such facilities. (c) The drainage or sanitary sewer plan, in the case of a city situated in a county having a countywide general drainage or sanitary sewer plan, has been determined by resolution of the legislative body of the county to be in conformity with such a county plan; or in the case of a city situated in a county not having such a plan but in a district having such a plan, has been determined by resolution of the legislaive body of the district to be in conformity with the district general plan; or in the case of a city situated in a county having such a plan and in a district having such a plan, has been determined by resolution of the legislative body of the county to be in conformity with such a plan and by resolution of the legislative body of the district to be in conformity with the district general plan. (d) The costs, whether actual or estimated, are based upon findings by the legislative body which has adopted the local plan, that subdivision and development of property within the planned local drainage area or local sanitary sewer area will require construction of the facilities described in the drainage or sewer plan, and that the fees are fairly apportioned within such areas either on the basis of benefits conferred on property proposed for subdivision or on the need for such facilities created by the proposed subdivision and development of other property within such areas. (e) The fee as to any property proposed for subdivision within such a local area does not exceed the pro rata share of the amount of the total actual or estimated costs of all facilities within such area which would be assessable on such property if such costs were apportioned uniformly on a per-acre basis. (f) The drainage or sanitary sewer facilities planned are in addition to existing facilities serving the area at the time of the adoption of such a plan for the area. Such fees shall be paid to the local public agencies which provide drainage or sanitary sewer facilities, and shall be deposited by such agencies into a “planned local drainage facilities fund” and a “planned local sanitary sewer fund,” respectively. Separate funds shall be established for each local drainage and sanitary sewer area. Moneys in such funds shall be expended solely for the construction or reimbursement for construction of local drainage or sanitary sewer facilities within the area from which the fees comprising the fund were collected, or to reimburse the local agency for the cost of engineering and administrative services to form the district and design and construct the facilities. The local ordinance may provide for the acceptance of considerations in lieu of the payment of fees. A local agency imposing or requesting the imposition of, fees pursuant to this section, including the agencies providing the facilities, may advance money from its general fund to pay the costs of constructing such facilities within a local drainage or sanitary sewer area and reimburse the general fund for such advances from the planned local drainage or sanitary sewer facilities fund for the local drainage or sanitary sewer area in which the drainage or sanitary sewer facilities were constructed. A local agency receiving fees pursuant to this section may incur an indebtedness for the construction of drainage or sanitary sewer facilities within a local drainage or sanitary sewer area; provided that the sole security for repayment of such indebtedness shall be moneys in the planned local drainage or sanitary sewer facilities fund.
66483.1. After completion of the facilities and the payment of all claims from any “planned local drainage facilities fund” or any “planned local sanitary sewer fund,” the legislative body of a county or city shall determine by resolution the amount of the surplus, if any, remaining in any of those funds. Any surplus shall be used, in those amounts as the legislative body may determine, for one or more of the following purposes: (a) For transfer to the general fund of the county or city, provided that the amount of the transfer shall not exceed 5 percent of the total amount expended from the particular fund, and provided that the funds transferred are used to support the operation and maintenance of those facilities for which the fees were collected; (b) For the construction of additional or modified facilities within the particular drainage or sanitary sewer area; or (c) As a refund in the manner provided in Section 66483.2.
66483.2. Any surplus remaining shall be refunded as follows: (a) There shall be refunded to the current owners of property for which a fee was previously collected, the balance of such moneys in the same proportion which each individual fee collected bears to the total of all individual fees collected from the particular drainage or sewer area; (b) Where property for which a fee was previously collected has subsequently been subdivided into more than one lot, each current owner of a lot shall share in the refund payable to the owners of the property for which a fee was previously collected in the same proportion which the area of each individual lot bears to the total area of the property for which a fee was previously collected; and (c) There shall be transferred to the general fund of the county or city any remaining portion of the surplus which has not been paid to or claimed by the persons entitled thereto within two years from the date either of the completion of the improvements, or the adoption by the legislative body of a resolution declaring a surplus, whichever is later to occur.
66484. (a) A local ordinance may require the payment of a fee as a condition of approval of a final map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for purposes of defraying the actual or estimated cost of constructing bridges over waterways, railways, freeways, and canyons, or constructing major thoroughfares. The ordinance may require payment of fees pursuant to this section if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The ordinance refers to the circulation element of the general plan and, in the case of bridges, to the transportation or flood control provisions thereof which identify railways, freeways, streams, or canyons for which bridge crossings are required on the general plan or local roads and in the case of major thoroughfares, to the provisions of the circulation element which identify those major thoroughfares whose primary purpose is to carry through traffic and provide a network connecting to the state highway system, if the circulation element, transportation or flood control provisions have been adopted by the local agency 30 days prior to the filing of a map or application for a building permit. (2) The ordinance provides that there will be a public hearing held by the governing body for each area benefited. Notice shall be given pursuant to Section 65091 and shall include preliminary information related to the boundaries of the area of benefit, estimated cost, and the method of fee apportionment. The area of benefit may include land or improvements in addition to the land or improvements which are the subject of any map or building permit application considered at the proceedings. (3) The ordinance provides that at the public hearing, the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs, whether actual or estimated, and a fair method of allocation of costs to the area of benefit and fee apportionment are established. The method of fee apportionment, in the case of major thoroughfares, shall not provide for higher fees on land which abuts the proposed improvement except where the abutting property is provided direct usable access to the major thoroughfare. A description of the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs, whether actual or estimated, and the method of fee apportionment established at the hearing shall be incorporated in a resolution of the governing body, a certified copy of which shall be recorded by the governing body conducting the hearing with the recorder of the county in which the area of benefit is located. The apportioned fees shall be applicable to all property within the area of benefit and shall be payable as a condition of approval of a final map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for the property or portions of the property. Where the area of benefit includes lands not subject to the payment of fees pursuant to this section, the governing agency shall make provision for payment of the share of improvement costs apportioned to those lands from other sources. (4) The ordinance provides that payment of fees shall not be required unless the major thoroughfares are in addition to, or a reconstruction of, any existing major thoroughfares serving the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit. (5) The ordinance provides that payment of fees shall not be required unless the planned bridge facility is an original bridge serving the area or an addition to any existing bridge facility serving the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit. The fees shall not be expended to reimburse the cost of existing bridge facility construction. (6) The ordinance provides that if, within the time when protests may be filed under the provisions of the ordinance, there is a written protest, filed with the clerk of the legislative body, by the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited by the improvement, and sufficient protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the area represented to less than one-half of that to be benefited, then the proposed proceedings shall be abandoned, and the legislative body shall not, for one year from the filing of that written protest, commence or carry on any proceedings for the same improvement or acquisition under the provisions of this section. (b) Any protest may be withdrawn by the owner protesting, in writing, at any time prior to the conclusion of a public hearing held pursuant to the ordinance. (c) If any majority protest is directed against only a portion of the improvement then all further proceedings under the provisions of this section to construct that portion of the improvement so protested against shall be barred for a period of one year, but the legislative body may commence new proceedings not including any part of the improvement or acquisition so protested against. Nothing in this section prohibits a legislative body, within that one-year period, from commencing and carrying on new proceedings for the construction of a portion of the improvement so protested against if it finds, by the affirmative vote of four-fifths of its members, that the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited are in favor of going forward with that portion of the improvement or acquisition. (d) Nothing in this section precludes the processing and recordation of maps in accordance with other provisions of this division if the proceedings are abandoned. (e) Fees paid pursuant to an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a planned bridge facility or major thoroughfare fund. A fund shall be established for each planned bridge facility project or each planned major thoroughfare project. If the benefit area is one in which more than one bridge is required to be constructed, a fund may be so established covering all of the bridge projects in the benefit area. Money in the fund shall be expended solely for the construction or reimbursement for construction of the improvement serving the area to be benefited and from which the fees comprising the fund were collected, or to reimburse the local agency for the cost of constructing the improvement. (f) An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may provide for the acceptance of considerations in lieu of the payment of fees. (g) A local agency imposing fees pursuant to this section may advance money from its general fund or road fund to pay the cost of constructing the improvements and may reimburse the general fund or road fund for any advances from planned bridge facility or major thoroughfares funds established to finance the construction of those improvements. (h) A local agency imposing fees pursuant to this section may incur an interest-bearing indebtedness for the construction of bridge facilities or major thoroughfares. However, the sole security for repayment of that indebtedness shall be moneys in planned bridge facility or major thoroughfares funds. (i) The term “construction” as used in this section includes design, acquisition of right-of-way, administration of construction contracts, and actual construction. (j) The term “construction,” as used in this section, with respect to the unincorporated area of San Diego County only, includes design, acquisition of rights-of-way, and actual construction, including, but not limited to, all direct and indirect environmental, engineering, accounting, legal, administration of construction contracts, and other services necessary therefor. The term “construction,” with respect to the unincorporated area of San Diego County only, also includes reasonable administrative expenses, not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in any calendar year after January 1, 1986, as adjusted annually for any increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for all Urban Consumers, San Diego, California (1967 = 100), as published by the United States Department of Commerce for the purpose of constructing bridges and major thoroughfares. “Administrative expenses” means those office, personnel, and other customary and normal expenses associated with the direct management and administration of the agency, but not including costs of construction. (k) Nothing in this section precludes a county or city from providing funds for the construction of bridge facilities or major thoroughfares to defray costs not allocated to the area of benefit.
66484.3. (a) Notwithstanding Section 53077.5, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange and the city council or councils of any city or cities in that county may, by ordinance, require the payment of a fee as a condition of approval of a final map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for purposes of defraying the actual or estimated cost of constructing bridges over waterways, railways, freeways, and canyons, or constructing major thoroughfares. (b) The local ordinance may require payment of fees pursuant to this section if: (1) The ordinance refers to the circulation element of the general plan and, in the case of bridges, to the transportation provisions or flood control provisions of the general plan which identify railways, freeways, streams, or canyons for which bridge crossings are required on the general plan or local roads, and in the case of major thoroughfares, to the provisions of the circulation element which identify those major thoroughfares whose primary purpose is to carry through traffic and provide a network connecting to or which is part of the state highway system, and the circulation element, transportation provisions, or flood control provisions have been adopted by the local agency 30 days prior to the filing of a map or application for a building permit. Bridges which are part of a major thoroughfare need not be separately identified in the transportation or flood control provisions of the general plan. (2) The ordinance provides that there will be a public hearing held by the governing body for each area benefited. Notice shall be given pursuant to Section 65905. In addition to the requirements of Section 65905, the notice shall contain preliminary information related to the boundaries of the area of benefit, estimated cost, and the method of fee apportionment. The area of benefit may include land or improvements in addition to the land or improvements which are the subject of any map or building permit application considered at the proceedings. (3) The ordinance provides that at the public hearing, the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs, whether actual or estimated, and a fair method of allocation of costs to the area of benefit and fee apportionment are established. The method of fee apportionment, in the case of major thoroughfares, shall not provide for higher fees on land which abuts the proposed improvement except where the abutting property is provided direct usable access to the major thoroughfare. A description of the boundaries of the area of benefit, the costs, whether actual or estimated, and the method of fee apportionment established at the hearing shall be incorporated in a resolution of the governing body, a certified copy of which shall be recorded by the governing body conducting the hearing with the recorder of the County of Orange. The resolution may subsequently be modified in any respect by the governing body. Modifications shall be adopted in the same manner as the original resolution, except that the resolution of a city or county which has entered into a joint exercise of powers agreement pursuant to subdivision (f), relating to constructing bridges over waterways, railways, freeways, and canyons or constructing major thoroughfares by the joint powers agency, may be modified by the joint powers agency following public notice and a public hearing, if the joint powers agency has complied with all applicable laws, including Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 66000) of Division 1. Any modification shall be subject to the protest procedures prescribed by paragraph (6). The resolution may provide for automatic periodic adjustment of fees based upon the California Construction Cost Index prepared and published by the Department of Transportation, without further action of the governing body, including, but not limited to, public notice or hearing. The apportioned fees shall be applicable to all property within the area of benefit and shall be payable as a condition of approval of a final map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for any of the property or portions of the property. Where the area of benefit includes lands not subject to the payment of fees pursuant to this section, the governing body shall make provision for payment of the share of improvement costs apportioned to those lands from other sources, but those sources need not be identified at the time of the adoption of the resolution. (4) The ordinance provides that payment of fees shall not be required unless the major thoroughfares are in addition to, or a reconstruction or widening of, any existing major thoroughfares serving the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit. (5) The ordinance provides that payment of fees shall not be required unless the planned bridge facility is an original bridge serving the area or an addition to any existing bridge facility serving the area at the time of the adoption of the boundaries of the area of benefit. Fees imposed pursuant to this section shall not be expended to reimburse the cost of existing bridge facility construction, unless these costs are incurred in connection with the construction of an addition to an existing bridge for which fees may be required. (6) The ordinance provides that if, within the time when protests may be filed under its provisions, there is a written protest, filed with the clerk of the legislative body, by the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited by the improvement, and sufficient protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the area represented to less than one-half of that to be benefited, then the proposed proceedings shall be abandoned, and the legislative body shall not, for one year from the filing of that written protest, commence or carry on any proceedings for the same improvement or acquisition under this section, unless the protests are overruled by an affirmative vote of four-fifths of the legislative body. Nothing in this section shall preclude the processing and recordation of maps in accordance with other provisions of this division if proceedings are abandoned. Any protests may be withdrawn in writing by the owner who filed the protest, at any time prior to the conclusion of a public hearing held pursuant to the ordinance. If any majority protest is directed against only a portion of the improvement then all further proceedings under the provisions of this section to construct that portion of the improvement so protested against shall be barred for a period of one year, but the legislative body shall not be barred from commencing new proceedings not including any part of the improvement or acquisition so protested against. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the legislative body, within the one-year period, from commencing and carrying on new proceedings for the construction of a portion of the improvement so protested against if it finds, by the affirmative vote of four-fifths of its members, that the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited are in favor of going forward with that portion of the improvement or acquisition. If the provisions of this paragraph (6), or provisions implementing this paragraph contained in any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section, are held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions of this section or of the ordinance adopted pursuant thereto, which can be given effect without the invalid provision, and to this end the provisions of this section and of an ordinance adopted pursuant thereto are severable. (c) Fees paid pursuant to an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a planned bridge facility or major thoroughfare fund. A fund shall be established for each planned bridge facility project or each planned major thoroughfare project. If the benefit area is one in which more than one bridge or major thoroughfare is required to be constructed, a fund may be so established covering all of the bridge or major thoroughfare projects in the benefit area. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (g), moneys in the fund shall be expended solely for the construction or reimbursement for construction of the improvement serving the area to be benefited and from which the fees comprising the fund were collected, or to reimburse the county or a city for the cost of constructing the improvement. (d) An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may provide for the acceptance of considerations in lieu of the payment of fees. (e) The county or a city imposing fees pursuant to this section may advance money from its general fund or road fund to pay the cost of constructing the improvements and may reimburse the general fund or road fund from planned bridge facilities or major thoroughfares funds established to finance the construction of the improvements. (f) The county or a city imposing fees pursuant to this section may incur an interest-bearing indebtedness for the construction of bridge facilities or major thoroughfares. The sole security for repayment of the indebtedness shall be moneys in planned bridge facilities or major thoroughfares funds. A city or county imposing fees pursuant to this section may enter into joint exercise of powers agreements with other local agencies imposing fees pursuant to this section, for the purpose of, among others, jointly exercising as a duly authorized original power established by this section, in addition to those through a joint exercise of powers agreement, those powers authorized in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 31100) of Division 17 of the Streets and Highways Code for the purpose of constructing bridge facilities and major thoroughfares in lieu of a tunnel and appurtenant facilities, and, notwithstanding Section 31200 of the Streets and Highways Code, may acquire by dedication, gift, purchase, or eminent domain, any franchise, rights, privileges, easements, or other interest in property, either real or personal, necessary therefor on segments of the state highway system, including, but not limited to, those segments of the state highway system eligible for federal participation pursuant to Title 23 of the United States Code. An entity constructing bridge facilities and major thoroughfares pursuant to this section shall design and construct the bridge facilities and major thoroughfares to the standards and specifications of the Department of Transportation then in effect, and may, at any time, transfer all or a portion of the bridge facilities and major thoroughfares to the state subject to the terms and conditions as shall be satisfactory to the Director of the Department of Transportation. Any of these bridge facilities and major thoroughfares shall be designated as a portion of the state highway system prior to its transfer. The participants in a joint exercise of powers agreement may also exercise as a duly authorized original power established by this section the power to establish and collect toll charges only for paying for the costs of construction of the major thoroughfare for which the toll is charged and for the costs of collecting the tolls, except that a joint powers agency, which is the lending agency, may, notwithstanding subdivision (c), make toll revenues and fees imposed pursuant to this section available to another joint powers agency, which is the borrowing agency, established for the purpose of designing, financing, and constructing coordinated and interrelated major thoroughfares, in the form of a subordinated loan, to pay for the cost of construction and toll collection of major thoroughfares other than the major thoroughfares for which the toll or fee is charged, if the lending agency has complied with all applicable laws, including Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 66000) of Division 1, and if the borrowing agency is required to pay interest on the loan to the lending agency at a rate equal to the interest rate charged on funds loaned from the Pooled Money Investment Account. Prior to executing the loan, the lending agency shall make all of the following findings: (1) The major thoroughfare for which the toll or fee is charged will benefit from the construction of the major thoroughfare to be constructed by the borrowing agency or will benefit financially by a sharing of revenues with the borrowing agency. (2) The lending agency will possess adequate financial resources to fund all costs of construction of existing and future projects that it plans to undertake prior to the final maturity of the loan, after funding the loan, and taking into consideration its then existing funds, its present and future obligations, and the revenues and fees it expects to receive. (3) The funding of the loan will not materially impair its financial condition or operations during the term of the loan. Major thoroughfares from which tolls are charged shall utilize the toll collection equipment most capable of moving vehicles expeditiously and efficiently, and which is best suited for that purpose, as determined by the participants in the joint exercise of powers agreement. However, in no event shall the powers authorized in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 31100) of Division 17 of the Streets and Highways Code be exercised unless a resolution is first adopted by the legislative body of the agency finding that adequate funding for the portion of the cost of constructing those bridge facilities and major thoroughfares not funded by the development fees collected by the agency is not available from any federal, state, or other source. Any major thoroughfare constructed and operated as a toll road pursuant to this section shall only be constructed parallel to other public thoroughfares and highways. (g) The term “construction,” as used in this section, includes design, acquisition of rights-of-way, and actual construction, including, but not limited to, all direct and indirect environmental, engineering, accounting, legal, administration of construction contracts, and other services necessary therefor. The term “construction” also includes reasonable general agency administrative expenses, not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in any calendar year after January 1, 1986, as adjusted annually for any increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for all Urban Consumers, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California (1967=100), as published by the United States Department of Commerce, by each agency created pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1 for the purpose of constructing bridges and major thoroughfares. “General agency administrative expenses” means those office, personnel, and other customary and normal expenses associated with the direct management and administration of the agency, but not including costs of construction. (h) Fees paid pursuant to an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may be utilized to defray all direct and indirect financing costs related to the construction of the bridges and major thoroughfares by the joint powers agency. Because the financing costs of bridges and major thoroughfares for which a toll charge shall be established or collected represent a necessary element of the total cost of those bridges and major thoroughfares, the joint powers agency constructing those facilities may include a charge for financing costs in the calculation of the fee rate. The charge shall be based on the estimated financing cost of any eligible portion of the bridges and major thoroughfares for which tolls shall be collected. The eligible portion shall be any or all portions of the major thoroughfare for which a viable financial plan has been adopted by the joint powers agency on the basis of revenues reasonably expected by the joint powers agency to be available to the thoroughfare, after consultation with representatives of the fee payers. For purposes of calculating the charge, financing costs shall include only reasonable allowances for payments and charges for principal, interest, and premium on indebtedness, letter of credit fees and charges, remarketing fees and charges, underwriters’ discount, and other costs of issuance, less net earnings on bridge and major thoroughfare funds by the joint powers agency prior to the opening of the facility to traffic after giving effect to any payments from the fund to preserve the federal income tax exemption on the indebtedness. For purposes of calculating the charge for financing costs in the calculation of the fee rate only, financing costs shall not include any allowance for the cost of any interest paid on indebtedness with regard to each eligible portion after the estimated opening of the portion to traffic as established by the joint powers agency. Any and all challenges to any financial plan or financing costs adopted or calculated pursuant to this section shall be governed by subdivision (k). (i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the County of Orange or any city within that county from providing funds for the construction of bridge facilities or major thoroughfares to defray costs not allocated to the area of benefit. (j) Any city within the County of Orange may require the payment of fees in accordance with this section as to any property in an area of benefit within the city’s boundaries, for facilities shown on its general plan or the county’s general plan, whether the facilities are situated within or outside the boundaries of the city, and the county may expend fees for facilities or portions thereof located within cities in the county. (k) The validity of any fee required pursuant to this section shall not be contested in any action or proceeding unless commenced within 60 days after recordation of the resolution described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). The provisions of Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 860) of Title 10 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall be applicable to any such action or proceeding. This subdivision shall also apply to modifications of fee programs. (l) If the County of Orange and any city within that county have entered into a joint powers agreement for the purpose of constructing the bridges and major thoroughfares referred to in Sections 50029 and 66484.3, and if a proposed change of organization or reorganization includes any territory of an area of benefit established pursuant to Sections 50029 and 66484.3, within a successor local agency, the local agency shall not take any action that would impair, delay, frustrate, obstruct, or otherwise impede the construction of the bridges and major thoroughfares referred to in this section. (m) Nothing in this section prohibits the succession of all powers, obligations, liabilities, and duties of any joint powers agency created pursuant to subdivision (l) to an entity with comprehensive countywide transportation planning and operating authority which is statutorily created in the County of Orange and which is statutorily authorized to assume those powers, obligations, liabilities, and duties.
66484.5. (a) The legislative body of a local agency may adopt an ordinance requiring the payment of a fee as a condition of approval of a subdivision requiring a final or parcel map, or as a condition of issuing a building permit in an area of benefit under a groundwater recharge facility plan adopted as provided in this section, for the purpose of constructing recharge facilities for the replenishment of the underground water supply in that area of benefit. The ordinance may require payment of fees pursuant to this section if, at the time of payment, all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) A groundwater recharge facility plan for the area to be benefited has been adopted by the legislative body of the local agency. The legislative body shall not adopt the plan until it has given notice to, and consulted with, the water agency then obligated to furnish water to the area to be benefited and the water agency has formally and in writing approved the plan. (2) The ordinance has been in effect for a period of at least 30 days prior to the filing of the tentative map, parcel map if no tentative map is required, or the application for a building permit. (3) The ordinance provides that before any groundwater recharge facility plan is adopted there will be a public hearing held by the legislative body for the proposed area of benefit. Notice of the hearing on a proposed area of benefit shall be given pursuant to Section 65091 and shall include preliminary information concerning the groundwater recharge facility plan, including the proposed boundaries of the area of benefit, the availability of surface water, the planned facilities for the area of benefit, estimated costs, and the proposed method of fee apportionment. Written notice of the public hearing shall be given by personal service or mail to the water agency responsible for furnishing water to the area of benefit involved in the hearing prior to or at the time notice is given by mail or by publication and posting. The proposal contained in the mailed, published, or posted notice shall be jointly prepared and agreed upon by the local agency and the water agency before that notice is given. The water agency may participate in the hearings. (4) The ordinance provides that the groundwater recharge facility plan shall be established at the public hearing and, if approved, adopted by the legislative body. The plan shall include the boundaries of the area of benefit, the availability of surface water, the planned facilities for the area of benefit and the estimated cost thereof, a fair method of allocating the costs within the area of benefit, and the apportionment of fees within the area. The plan, as adopted by the local agency and approved by the water agency, shall be incorporated in a resolution of the legislative body and a certified copy of the plan shall be recorded with the county recorder. The apportioned fees shall be applicable to all property within the area of benefit and shall be payable as a condition of approval of a final map or a parcel map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for the property or portions of the property. Where the area of benefit includes lands not otherwise subject to the payment of fees pursuant to this section, the legislative body shall make provision for payment of the share of improvement costs apportioned to that land by other means. (5) The ordinance provides that if, within the time when protests may be filed under the provisions of the ordinance, there is a written protest, filed with the clerk of the legislative body, by the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited by the improvement, and sufficient protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the area represented to less than one-half of the property to be benefited, then the proposed proceedings shall be abandoned, and the legislative body shall not, for one year from the filing of that written protest, commence or carry on any proceedings for the same improvement or acquisition under the provisions of this section. (b) Any protests may be withdrawn in writing by the owner who made the protest, at any time prior to the conclusion of a public hearing held pursuant to the ordinance. (c) If any majority protest is directed against only a portion of the improvement, then all further proceedings under this section as to that portion of the improvement so protested against shall be barred for a period of one year. The legislative body, however, may commence new proceedings which do not include the area, acquisitions, or improvements which were the subject of the successful protest. Nothing in this section prohibits the legislative body, within that one-year period, from commencing and carrying on new proceedings for that portion of the improvement so protested against if it finds, by the affirmative vote of four-fifths of its members, that the owners of more than one-half of the area of the property to be benefited are in favor of going forward with that portion of the improvement or acquisition. (d) Nothing in this section precludes the processing and recordation of maps in accordance with other provisions of this division if proceedings are abandoned. (e) Subsequent to the adoption of a plan, the local agency may itself construct, operate, and maintain the groundwater recharge facilities, or it may designate the water agency furnishing the water or designate or create another agency to do all or any one of these things as authorized by law. In the event any agency other than the local agency adopting such ordinances is so designated, the services so rendered shall be pursuant to a written agreement entered into between the local agency and the other agency. (f) Fees paid pursuant to an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a planned recharge facility fund. A fund shall be established for each area of benefit. Money in the fund shall be expended solely for the construction or reimbursement for construction of the improvement serving the area to be benefited. The fees shall not be expended to reimburse the cost of recharge facilities in existence prior to the adoption of the groundwater recharge facility plan for that area. (g) An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section may provide for the acceptance of considerations in lieu of the payment of fees. (h) A local agency imposing fees pursuant to this section may advance money from its general fund to pay the cost of constructing the improvements and may reimburse the general fund for those advances from planned recharge facility funds collected to finance the construction of these improvements. (i) A local agency imposing fees pursuant to this section may incur an interest-bearing indebtedness for the construction of recharge facilities. However, the sole security for repayment of that indebtedness shall be money in planned recharge facility funds. (j) Recharge facilities shall not be constructed unless the water agency approves the design of the facilities to be constructed and has reached an agreement with the local agency establishing the terms and conditions under which the water will be furnished. If the water agency finds that the facilities have been constructed in accordance with the approved design, the agency shall furnish water for the groundwater recharge facilities. (k) If the water agency is an irrigation district or other entity obligated by law to apportion water among the landowners within the area of benefit, the water agency shall receive credit upon the obligation for any water delivered for groundwater recharge under the agreement and shall be relieved of any further obligation to deliver the amount of water for which it has received such credit to the landowners or lands within that area. (l) Nothing contained in this section entitles a local agency to collect a fee from a landowner who presently receives and continues to receive and use the landowner’s pro rata share of surface water from the agency responsible for that area or from a landowner who has not applied for approval of a final or parcel map or a building permit. (m) A credit for fees paid as authorized by this section shall be applied against any assessment levied by the local agency to construct the planned recharge facilities. (n) The term “construction,” as used in this section, includes design, acquisition of land or easements, administration of construction contracts, and actual construction. (o) The term “water agency,” as used in this section, means the public or other entity that will furnish water for the operation and use of a recharge facility under a groundwater recharge facility plan adopted by a local agency pursuant to this section. (p) Nothing in this section precludes a county or city from providing funds for the construction of recharge facilities to defray costs not allocated to the area of benefit.
66485. There may be imposed by local ordinance a requirement that improvements installed by the subdivider for the benefit of the subdivision shall contain supplemental size, capacity, number, or length for the benefit of property not within the subdivision, and that those improvements be dedicated to the public. Supplemental length may include minimum sized offsite sewer lines necessary to reach a sewer outlet in existence at that time.
66486. In the event of the installation of improvements required by an ordinance adopted pursuant to Section 66485, the local agency shall enter into an agreement with the subdivider to reimburse the subdivider for that portion of the cost of those improvements, including an amount attributable to interest, in excess of the construction required for the subdivision.
66487. In order to pay the costs as required by the reimbursement agreement, the local agency may: (a) Collect from other persons, including public agencies, using such improvements for the benefit of real property not within the subdivision, a reasonable charge for such use. (b) Contribute to the subdivider that part of the cost of the improvements that is attributable to the benefit of real property outside the subdivision and levy a charge upon the real property benefited to reimburse itself for such cost, together with interest thereon, if any, paid to the subdivider. (c) Establish and maintain local benefit districts for the levy and collection of such charge or costs from the property benefited.
66488. Any local agency within a local drainage or sanitary sewer area may adopt the plan and map designated in Section 66483 and impose a reasonable charge on property within the area which, in the opinion of the legislative body, is benefited by such drainage or sanitary sewer facilities. The charge collected must be paid to the local agency or subdivider constructing such drainage or sanitary sewer facilities, and any local agency within the drainage or sanitary sewer area may enter into a reimbursement agreement with the subdivider.
66489. Any local agency may establish an area of benefit pursuant to Section 66484 and may impose a reasonable charge on property within the area which in the opinion of the legislative body, is benefited by the construction of the bridge or major thoroughfare. The charge collected shall be paid to the local agency or subdivider constructing the bridge, and any local agency having jurisdiction over any property which, in the opinion of the legislative body, is benefited by the construction of the bridge or major thoroughfare may enter into a reimbursement agreement with the subdivider.
66490. A preliminary soils report, prepared by a civil engineer registered in this state, and based upon adequate test borings, shall be required for every subdivision for which a final map is required by this division and may be required by local ordinance for other subdivisions.
66491. With respect to the soils report, a local ordinance may provide that: (a) The preliminary soils report may be waived if the local agency determines that, due to the knowledge it has as to the soils qualities of the soils of the subdivision, no preliminary analysis is necessary. (b) The preliminary soils report may be submitted to the city engineer or county engineer for review. The city engineer or county engineer may review the preliminary soils report and may require additional information or reject the report if it is found to be incomplete, inaccurate, or unsatisfactory. (c) If the preliminary soils report indicates the presence of critically expansive soils or other soils problems which, if not corrected, would lead to structural defects, a soils investigation of each lot in the subdivision may be required. (d) If the preliminary soils report indicates the presence of rocks or liquids containing deleterious chemicals which, if not corrected, could cause construction materials such as concrete, steel, and ductile or cast iron to corrode or deteriorate, a soils investigation of each potentially affected lot in the subdivision may be required. (e) Any soils investigation required pursuant to this section shall be done by a civil engineer registered in this state, who shall recommend the corrective action which is likely to prevent structural damage to each structure proposed to be constructed in the area where the soils problem exists. (f) The local agency may approve the subdivision or portion thereof where soils problems described in subdivision (c) or (d) exist if it determines that the recommended action is likely to prevent structural damage to each structure to be constructed, and as a condition to the issuance of any building permit may require that the approved recommended action be incorporated in the construction of each structure.
66492. Prior to the filing of the final map or parcel map with the legislative body, the subdivider shall, in accordance with procedures established by the county, file with the county recorder of the county in which any part of the subdivision is located, a certificate or statement from the official computing redemptions in any public agency in which any part of the subdivision is located, showing that, according to the records of that office, there are no liens against the subdivision or any part thereof for unpaid, state, county, municipal or local taxes or special assessments collected as taxes, except taxes or special assessments not yet payable. This section shall not be applicable to amending maps filed in accordance with the provisions of Section 66469.
