CHAPTER 4.4. Interagency Referrals [65919. - 65919.11.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 4.4.
in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919. Section 65919.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Affected city” means a city within whose planning review area an affected territory is located. (b) “Affected territory” means an area of land located in the unincorporated portion of a county that is the subject of one or more proposed actions. (c) “Proposed action” means a proposal to adopt or amend all or part of a general or specific plan or to adopt or amend a zoning ordinance, but does not include action taken by an ordinance that became effective immediately pursuant to subdivision (b) or (d) of Section 25123 or pursuant to Section 65858. (d) “Planning review area” means the territory included in a general plan or in any specific plan of a city or county. A planning review area in the case of a city shall not extend beyond whichever of the following includes the largest area and, in the case of a county, shall not extend beyond the territory described in paragraph (2) or (3), whichever includes the largest area: (1) The area included within the sphere of influence of the city. (2) A radius of one mile outside the boundary of the city which area shall not include any territory within the sphere of influence of another city. (3) An area that is agreed upon and designated by a county and a city within the county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.1. Section 65919.1.

A county and a city may agree upon a procedure for referral by the county to the city or by the city to the county of proposed actions and for comment upon those proposals. In the absence of that agreement, the procedures prescribed by this chapter shall be followed.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.2. Section 65919.2.

A city which desires referrals from a county or a county which desires referrals from a city pursuant to this chapter shall file with the county or the city, as the case may be, a map or other appropriate document which indicates the portion of the county or the city, as the case may be, in its planning review area.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.3. Section 65919.3.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 65919.10, before the board of supervisors acts on a proposed action, the county shall refer the proposed action to each affected city, and before the city council acts on a proposed action, the city shall refer the proposed action to the county, in accordance with the procedure set forth in Sections 65919.4 and 65919.5.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.4. Section 65919.4.

(a) Not later than the date the county notices the public hearing on a proposed action before the county planning commission, the county shall notify an affected city of the nature of the proposed action. (b) Not later than the date the city notices the public hearing on a proposed action before the city planning commission, the city shall notify the county of the nature of the proposed action. (c) The information in the notification shall not be less than the information contained in the notice of public hearing. The notification required by this section and by Section 65919.8 shall be given by first-class mail or by hand delivery. The notice shall also indicate the earliest date on which the board of supervisors or city council, as the case may be, can act on the proposed action or the modification to the proposed action.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.5. Section 65919.5.

The board of supervisors or city council to which the proposed action is referred pursuant to Section 65919.3 shall have 45 days from the date the county or city, as the case may be, mails or delivers the proposed action, or such longer time as the county or city, as the case may be, specifies or allows at the request of the affected city or county, as the case may be, to review and to comment and to make recommendations on the consistency of the proposed action with applicable general and specific plans and zoning ordinances of the affected city or county. If the affected city or county does not provide the comments and recommendations to the referring county or city within the 45-day period, or such longer time as the referring county or city has specified or allowed at the request of the affected city or county, the board of supervisors or city council may act without considering those comments. If the affected city or county provides the comments and recommendations prior to the time that the planning commission acts on the proposed action, the planning commission shall also consider the comments and recommendations.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.6. Section 65919.6.

Before acting upon a proposed action, the county shall consider comments and recommendations received from each affected city and the city shall consider comments and recommendations received from the county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.7. Section 65919.7.

If the board of supervisors or city council modifies and refers a proposed action back to the planning commission pursuant to Section 65356 or 65857, the board of supervisors or city council, as the case may be, shall at the same time refer the modification to the proposed action to each affected city or county in accordance with Sections 65919.8 and 65919.9.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.8. Section 65919.8.

The referral shall reasonably describe the modification to the proposed action. Any city or county to which the modification is referred shall have 25 days from the date of the referral, or such longer time as the referring county or city specifies or allows at the request of the affected city or county, to review and to comment and to make recommendations on the consistency of the proposed action with applicable general and specific plans and zoning ordinances of the affected city or county. If the affected city or county does not provide the comments and recommendations to the referring county or city within the 25-day period, or such longer time as the referring county or city has specified or allowed at the request of the affected city or county, the board of supervisors or city council may act without considering those comments. If the affected city or county provides the comments and recommendations prior to the time that the planning commission acts on the proposed action, the planning commission shall also consider the comments and recommendations. If the planning commission fails to act, the modification may become effective pursuant to Section 65356 or 65857, without consideration of the comments and recommendations.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.9. Section 65919.9.

Prior to acting on the modification, the board of supervisors shall consider the comments and recommendations received from each affected city and the city council shall consider the comments and recommendations from the county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 65919.10. Section 65919.10.

If the proposed action is a change in a zoning ordinance, the county or city need not refer the zoning proposal to an affected city or county, as the case may be, if the zoning proposal is consistent with the general plan and the general plan proposal was referred and acted upon pursuant to this chapter.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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