Park Impact Fees Reform

SB 315 will address the abuse of local parks fees by jurisdictions that use exorbitant fees to impede or otherwise drive up the cost of new homes.  The bill imposes reasonable limits on park fees for infill housing and establishes better oversight and accountability for the application of these fees.

Home builders in California face many financial barriers to housing construction, from exorbitant local development fees to high interest rates and rising labor and materials costs. Local development fees, including impact fees, services fees, and in-lieu fees, can reach $150,000 per home – and are often higher. Local fees charged “for parks or recreational purposes,” or “parks fees,” are often among the highest of these additional charges.

SB 315 will cap or waive parks fees for certain developments, encouraging new homes in infill areas with access to existing parks and related resources. SB 315 will also ensure that parks fees benefit from recent reforms to increase fee transparency, accountability, and flexibility, by requiring them to comply with the reporting standards of the Mitigation Fee Act.

Updates

  • SB 315 was introduced on February 11, 2025.

Author

  • Tim Grayson (SD 9)

Sponsors

  • California YIMBY
  • SPUR

Resources