Assembly BillChaptered/SignedPublic Resources
AB 357: Coastal resources: coastal development permit application: higher education housing project.
What AB 357 does, verified December 7, 2025
This bill aims to amend the Public Resources Code to promote coastal development efficiency. It allows universities and colleges to submit long-range land use development plans, which can replace project-by-project reviews for public works projects. The plan can be amended to remove conditions set by the Coastal Commission, but only if the amendment is deemed "de minimis" by the executive director. The bill also gives the executive director the authority to determine if an amendment is de minimis and provides procedures for approval. Additionally, it requires the Coastal Commission to track and publish public works plans, amendments, and notices of development submitted by universities and colleges on its website.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 256, Statutes of 2025. (2025-09-12)Alert me
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| Oct. 03, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 256, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 03, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 24, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Sep. 12, 2025 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3372.). |
| Sep. 12, 2025 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3372.). |
Latest bill textChaptered version, October 3, 2025 · 1,253 words
Assembly Bill No. 357
CHAPTER 256
An act to amend Section 30605 of, and to add Sections 30605.1 and 30605.2 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources.
[ Approved by Governor October 03, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 03, 2025. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 357, Alvarez. Coastal resources: coastal development permit application: higher education housing project.
The California Coastal Act of 1976, which is administered by the California Coastal Commission, requires a person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone to obtain a coastal development permit. The act provides for the submission and approval of long-range land use development plans as an alternative to project-by-project review to promote greater efficiency for the planning of public works or state university or college or private university development projects and provides for amendments to those plans. The act places limits on the conditions the commission may impose on projects contained in a plan that has been certified by the commission. The act authorizes the commission to, after a public hearing, by regulation, adopt procedures for the issuance by the executive director of the commission of waivers from coastal development permit requirements for any development that is de minimis, as specified.
This bill would require the commission to defer to the state university or college or private university in determining the number of vehicle parking spaces necessary for residents of student, faculty, or staff housing facilities, as provided. The bill would authorize the executive director to determine that a proposed amendment to a public works plan or long-range development plan is de minimis and would provide the procedures for the determination and approval of amendments that are de minimis. The bill would require the commission to track and publish on a public portion of its internet website any public works plans or long-range development plans, amendments to public works plans or long-range development plans, and notices of impending development submitted by a state university or college or private university to the commission for approval, as specified.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 30605 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:30605.
(a) To promote greater efficiency for the planning of any public works or state university or college or private university development projects, and as an alternative to project-by-project review, public works plans or state university or college or private university long-range development plans may be submitted to the commission for review in the same manner prescribed for the review of local coastal programs as set forth in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 30500).(b) If a public works plan or long-range development plan is submitted before certification of the local coastal programs for the jurisdictions affected by the proposed plan, the commission shall certify whether the proposed plan is consistent with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 30200).
(c) The commission shall, by regulation, provide for the submission and distribution to the public, before public hearings on a proposed public works plan or long-range development plan, detailed environmental information sufficient to enable the commission to determine the consistency of the plan with the policies of this division.
(d) If a public works plan is submitted after the certification of local coastal programs, the plan shall be certified by the commission only if it finds, after full consultation with the affected local governments, that the proposed plan is in conformity with certified local coastal programs in jurisdictions affected by the proposed public works.
(e) Each state university or college or private university shall coordinate and consult with local government in the preparation of long-range development plans so as to be consistent, to the fullest extent feasible, with the appropriate local coastal program.
(f) Where a public works plan or long-range development plan has been certified by the commission, any subsequent review by the commission of a specific project contained in the certified plan shall be limited to imposing conditions consistent with Sections 30607 and 30607.1.
(g) (1) When considering the certification of, or an amendment to, a long-range development plan, the commission shall prioritize the provision of active transportation and public transportation facilities over vehicle parking spaces.
(2) For student, faculty, or staff housing facilities proposed for inclusion in a long-range development plan, or subject to commission review under a long-range development plan, the commission shall defer to the state university or college or private university in determining the number of vehicle parking spaces necessary for residents of those facilities.
(h) A certified long-range development plan may be amended by the state university or college or private university, but no amendment shall take effect until it has been certified by the commission. Any proposed amendment shall be submitted to, and processed by, the commission in the same manner as prescribed for amendment of a local coastal program.
SEC. 2.
Section 30605.1 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:30605.1.
(a) The executive director of the commission may determine that a proposed amendment to a public works plan or long-range development plan submitted by a state university or college or private university is de minimis if the executive director determines that the proposed amendment would have no impact, either individually or cumulatively, on coastal resources and is consistent with the policies of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 30200).(b) (1) The executive director shall make a determination as to whether the proposed amendment is de minimis within 10 working days of the date of a complete submittal by the state university or college or private university. If the proposed amendment is determined to be de minimis, the proposed amendment shall be noticed in the agenda of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the commission.
(2) If three members of the commission object to the executive director’s determination that the proposed amendment is de minimis, the proposed amendment shall be set for public hearing in accordance with the procedures specified by regulation for amendments to public works plans and long-range development plans or, at the request of the state university or college or private university, be returned to the state university or college or private university. If the proposed amendment is set for public hearing, any applicable time requirements shall commence from the date on which the objection to the de minimis determination was made.
(3) If three or more members of the commission do not object to the de minimis determination, the amendment shall become part of the certified public works plan or long-range development plan upon adjournment of the commission meeting on that date.
SEC. 3.
Section 30605.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:30605.2.
The commission shall track and publish on a public portion of its internet website any public works plans or long-range development plans, amendments to public works plans or long-range development plans, and notices of impending development submitted by a state university or college or private university to the commission for approval. Information provided to the public shall include at least a description of the plan, plan amendment, or notice of impending development, the status of the plan, plan amendment, or notice of impending development in the approval process, any conditions imposed by the commission for approval of the plan, plan amendment, or notice of impending development, and the length of time to approval or denial of the plan, plan amendment, or notice of impending development. Information on the internet website shall be updated no less than monthly.Text of AB 357 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions