By Jorge Casuso
May 28, 2025 -- A bill that makes it faster and easier to build taller residential buildings near transit stops by overriding local zoning restrictions is on its way to a full vote of the State Senate.
Senate Bill 79, which has the City Council's support, was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee by a 4 to 2 vote Friday and must be passed by the Senate by June 6.
The bill -- which will largely impact the city's residential districts -- has met stiff opposition from residents in Santa Monica and other affected cities.
Sponsored by State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill allows new residential buildings of up to seven stories near rail lines and stops on major bus lines.
Residential buildings up to half a mile of major stops can be up to four stories and will be green-lighted under a streamlined permitting process, according to Wiener.
"Overly restrictive zoning laws prevent millions of Californians from living near public transit, making train and bus systems impractical for many," Wiener's office said in a statement Friday.
SB 79 "will address our housing shortage to lower costs while making public transportation feasible for millions of families to use."
The bill also allows local transit agencies "to develop at the same or greater density on land they own," which will "provide urgently needed financial support for public transit."
"Many transit agencies (are) facing major budget shortfalls across California due to slowly recovering ridership and the state’s low level of support for public transit," Wiener's office said.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has three Expo light rail stations in Santa Monica, while the Big Blue Bus has lines with major stops that crisscross the 8.3 square-mile city.
While more quickly boosting housing production, SB 79 effectively limits the ability of local governments to "deny or downsize" the projects, according to City planning staff.
The bill's effect would be mainly felt in Santa Monica's residential zoning districts, which currently have density limitations that are significantly lower than those proposed by SB 79, staff said.
Santa Monica and West Hollywood were the only two of more than 90 California cities that supported the bill, with the Council voting 6 to 1 on May 13 to send a letter to the Senate.
Councilmember Jesse Zwick, who led the effort to weigh in on the legislation, is listed as a sponsor of the bill. “More housing creates more affordability,” Zwick told the Council.