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by surfmike 15 days ago
A big reform passed in 2025: https://calmatters.org/housing/2025/06/ceqa-urban-developmen...
4 comments

Also AB 2503:

> expand that exemption from CEQA to include a public project for the institution or increase of other passenger rail service, which will be exclusively used by zero-emission trains, located entirely within existing rail rights-of-way or existing highway rights-of-way.

Exemptions for favored things. Should do a full reform.
Directionally correct, but doesn't go far enough.
Is there any serious argument against repealing CEQA? NEPA exists. As do public lands.
Unfortunately it does not works as intended all the times. From what I have personally observed, everything falls down to the city planners on the interpretation of the code changes.
I'm confused; AB2503 does specify some building standard changes ... to be studied and then adopted by 2032.

We're talking about how it exempts many things from CEQA litigation. Since it's been less than a year, I'm not sure how well we can gauge its effectiveness.

This is from my own personal experience for normal housing project. The city officials works as conservatively to safeguard themselves.