Senate BillPassed first houseGovernment
SB 322: Urban equestrian inclusion zones.
What SB 322 does, verified December 7, 2025
The bill aims to establish urban equestrian inclusion zones, allowing cities and counties to enter into voluntary contracts with landowners to restrict land use for equestrian activities. This is done to promote the development of equestrian activities, such as horse riding and horse breeding, while also addressing the issue of vacant and blighted land. The bill prohibits new contracts or renewals of existing contracts after January 1, 2029. The bill also includes findings that changes proposed by the bill address a matter of statewide concern, making it applicable to all cities, including charter cities.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. (2025-08-29)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Aug. 29, 2025 | August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. |
| Aug. 20, 2025 | August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| Aug. 20, 2025 | August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. |
| Jul. 03, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 24, 2025 | From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV. |
Latest bill textAmended version, June 24, 2025 · 1,095 words
| Amended IN Assembly June 24, 2025 |
| Amended IN Senate April 21, 2025 |
| Amended IN Senate March 24, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 322
| Introduced by Senator Menjivar |
February 11, 2025 |
An act to amend Section 66300 of, and to add Chapter 6.4 (commencing with Section 51043) to Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of of, the Government Code, relating to local government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 322, as amended, Menjivar. Urban equestrian initiative inclusion zones.
Existing law, the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act, authorizes, under specified conditions, a city, county, or city and county to establish by ordinance an urban agriculture incentive zone for the purpose of entering into voluntary contracts with landowners to enforceably restrict the use of vacant, unimproved, or otherwise blighted lands for small-scale production of agricultural crops and animal husbandry. Existing law prohibits a city, county, or city and county from entering into a new contract or renewing an existing contract under these provisions after January 1, 2029.
This bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county, under specified conditions, to establish by ordinance an urban equestrian incentive inclusion zone within its boundaries for the purpose of entering into enforceable contracts, as described, with landowners, on a voluntary basis, for restricting land use for equestrian activities, as defined. The bill would prohibit a city, county, or city and county from entering into a new contract or renewing an existing contract under these provisions after January 1, 2029.
Existing law, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019, prohibits certain counties and cities from enacting a development policy, standard, or condition that would have any of specified effects, including reducing the intensity of land use within an existing general plan land use designation, specific plan land use designation, or zoning district in effect at the time of the proposed change, below what was allowed under the land use designation or zoning ordinances of the county or city, as in effect on January 1, 2018, except as specified. Existing law defines “reducing the intensity of land use” for these purposes.
This bill would include entering into enforceable contracts with landowners for restricting land use for equestrian activities within the definition of “reducing the intensity of land use.”
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 6.4 (commencing with Section 51043) is added to Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code, to read: CHAPTER 6.4. Urban Equestrian Incentive Inclusion Zones
51043.
(a) (1) (A)(ii)
(B)
The boundaries(iii)
(C)
The boundaries shall not include any parcels included in the sites inventory pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 65583.(B)A city, county, or city and county may, after a public hearing, establish by ordinance an urban equestrian incentive zone within its boundaries for the purpose of entering into enforceable contracts with landowners, on a voluntary basis, for the use of vacant, unimproved, blighted lands and properties with existing facilities used for equestrian activities.
(D) The boundaries shall only include parcels that currently contain, and have contained on an ongoing basis since January 1, 2020, an equestrian activity use.
(E) Entering into enforceable contracts with landowners for restricting land use for equestrian activities shall be considered a reduction in the intensity of land use pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 66300 and shall require compliance with subdivision (h) of Section 66300.
(2) Following the adoption of the ordinance pursuant to paragraph (1), a city, county, or city and county that has established an urban equestrian incentive inclusion zone within its boundaries may adopt rules and regulations consistent with the city, county, or city and county’s general plan, zoning, and other land use standards, for the implementation and administration of the urban equestrian incentive inclusion zone and of contracts related to that urban equestrian incentive inclusion zone.
(3) The city, county, or city and county may impose a fee upon contracting landowners for the reasonable costs of implementing and administering contracts.
(b) (1) Following the adoption of the ordinance as required by subdivision (a), a city, county, or city and county may enter into a contract with a landowner to enforceably restrict the use of the land subject to the contract to uses consistent with urban equestrian activities and local jurisdiction requirements for public health and safety.
(2) A contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following provisions:
(A) An initial term of not less than five years.
(B) A restriction on property, or combination of contiguous properties that is at least 0.1 acres, and not more than three acres.
(C) A requirement that the entire property, or combination of contiguous properties, subject to the contract shall be dedicated toward equestrian activity use.
(D) A prohibition against any dwellings, except a livestock caretaker’s dwelling, on the property while under contract.
(c) A contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall not prohibit the use of structures that support equestrian activities, including, but not limited to, stables, barns, covered or uncovered riding areas, feed or hay barns, tool equipment sheds, tack rooms, and instructional space.
(d) (1) A city, county, or city and county shall not enter into a new contract or renew an existing contract pursuant to this chapter after January 1, 2029.
(2) A contract entered into pursuant to this chapter on or before January 1, 2029, shall be valid and enforceable for the duration of the contract.
(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Equestrian activities” means any activity involving equine.
(2) “Equestrian activity use” means land or structures where equine activities take place.
Text of SB 322 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions