Calif. housing bill narrowed before first legislative debate
By Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times
Ahead of its first legislative committee hearing scheduled for next week, a Bay Area lawmaker has narrowed his bill aimed at building more housing near transit across California.
Under the newly amended Senate Bill 827 from Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, cities would be allowed to restrict building heights to four or five stories, down from a maximum eight stories, within a half-mile of rail and ferry stops. Wiener also limited changes surrounding bus stops. The new version of the bill wouldn’t mandate height increases around bus stops, instead allowing for increased density and lower parking requirements. It would also only apply at bus stops with frequent service throughout the day, rather than just during rush hour.