Williamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities.

Full Bill Text

Amended IN Senate September 09, 2025 Amended IN Senate July 22, 2025 Amended IN Assembly May 23, 2025 Amended IN Assembly May 05, 2025 Amended IN Assembly March 20, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1156 Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks February 20, 2025 An act to amend Sections 51190, 51191, 51191.1, 51191.2, 51191.3, 51191.4, 51191.5, 51192, and 51192.1 of, to add Section 51191.5.5 to, to repeal Section 51192.2 of, and to repeal and add Section 51255.1 of, the Government Code, and to amend Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code, relating to solar-use easements. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1156, as amended, Wicks. Solar-use easements: suspension of Williamson Act contracts: terms of easement: termination. The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land to agricultural use if the land is located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county, as specified. The act authorizes the parties to mutually agree to rescind the contract in order to simultaneously enter into a solar-use easement if approved by the Department of Conservation, as specified. Existing law defines the term “solar-use easement” for these purposes to mean any right or interest acquired by a county, or city in a parcel or parcels determined to be eligible, as provided, where the deed or other instrument granting the right or interest imposes certain restrictions that effectively restrict the use of the land to photovoltaic solar facilities for the purpose of providing for the collection and distribution of solar energy and certain other incidental or subordinate uses or other alternative renewable energy facilities. This bill would revise the definition of the term “solar-use easement” to, among other changes, expand the authorized uses of the land under the easement to include solar energy storage and appurtenant renewable energy facilities. The bill would revise the conditions under which the land subject to a Williamson Act contract may be subject to a solar-use easement, as described above, to instead require the conversion of the Williamson Act contract into a solar-use easement for the term of the solar-use easement, rather than the rescission of the contract, if the Department of Conservation determines that the parcel is eligible to be placed in the easement, as specified. Under existing law, the Department of Conservation, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, and upon a request from a city or county, may determine that a parcel is eligible for rescission of a Williamson Act contract for placement into a solar-use easement, as provided. Existing law requires that the parcel meet certain criteria in order to be eligible under these provisions, including that the land meet 1 of 2 specified alternative criteria relating to the use of the land for agricultural purposes and the parcel not be located on lands designated as prime farmland, unique farmland, or farmland of statewide importance, unless the Department of Conservation, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, determines that circumstances exist that limit the use of the parcel for agricultural activities, as specified. Existing law authorizes a city or county to enter into an agreement with a landowner to use lands determined to be eligible in a solar-use easement pursuant to these provisions. This bill would revise these provisions to require, rather than authorize, the Department of Conservation to make a determination on whether a parcel is eligible for conversion, as described above, upon the request of the landowner, instead of a request from a county or city, and would require the department to additionally make that determination in consultation with any applicable groundwater sustainability agency or services. The bill would revise the criteria for a parcel to be deemed eligible under these provisions by (1) additionally authorizing land that has insufficient surface water or groundwater available that results in significantly reduced agricultural production activities, as specified; (2) with respect to the exception to the requirement that the land not be located on lands designated as prime farmland, unique farmland, or farmland of statewide importance, as described above, specifying that the circumstances under which the use of the parcel for agricultural activities may be determined to be limited includes insufficient water supplies; and (3) additionally requiring that the land meet certain additional requirements relating to the land’s historical use as cropland and whether it is encumbered by a conservation easement or enrolled in a land conservation program, as specified. The bill would also require the Department of Conservation to issue its determination of eligibility within 120 days following submission of a completed application package, as specified, and would deem any application not rejected within this 120-day period to be approved. The bill, at least 14 days prior to the meeting at which the city or county decides whether to enter into the agreement, would require the landowner to notify any relevant workforce in writing of its intent to enter into a solar-use easement, as specified. Existing law authorizes a county or city to require a solar-use easement deed or restriction to contain any restrictions, conditions, or covenants as are necessary or desirable to restrict the use of the land to photovoltaic solar facilities. Under existing law, these restrictions, conditions, or covenants may include, among other things, mitigation measures on the land that is subject to the solar-use easement and mitigation measures beyond the land that is subject to the solar-use easement. For term easements or self-renewing easements, existing law requires that the restrictions, conditions, or covenants include a requirement for the landowner to post a performance bond or other securities to fund the restoration of the land that is subject to the easement to the conditions that existed before the approval or acceptance of the easement by the time the easement is extinguished. This bill would require that the mitigation measures on land that is subject to a solar-use easement, as described above, have an essential nexus and be roughly proportional to the impact to be mitigated, and would delete the above-described provision relating to mitigation measures beyond the land that is subject to a solar-use easement. The bill would delete the above-described requirement that a landowner post a performance bond or other securities in relation to a term easement or self-renewing easement. The bill would additionally permit the county or city to require a solar-use easement deed or restriction to include a provision for termination of the easement under prescribed circumstances. The bill would require a city or county to require, as a condition of entering into a solar-use easement, that the photovoltaic solar facility enter into a community benefits agreement with the city or county, as specified. The bill would provide that these restrictions or requirements do not otherwise limit the authority of a city or county, as specified. Existing law, during the term of a solar-use easement, prohibits the approval of any land use on the land covered by the easement and the issuance of a building permit for a structure that would violate the easement. Existing law requires the county or city to seek an injunction against any construction or other development or activity that would violate the easement and, if the county or city fails to do so or if the county or city engages in specified activity in violation of the easement, authorizes a person or entity to seek an injunction. Existing law authorizes a court to award a plaintiff who prevails in an action under these provisions the costs of their litigation, including reasonable attorney’s fees. This bill would additionally prohibit the issuance of a construction notice to proceed that would violate the easement. The bill would also remove the above-described authorization of a person or entity to seek the injunction. The bill would also delete the authority of the court to award litigation costs to a prevailing plaintiff. Existing law authorizes a solar-use easement to be extinguished by nonrenewal, termination, or returning the land to the previous Williamson Act contract. If the landowner or the county or city desires in any year not to renew the solar-use easement on all or a portion of a parcel, existing law requires that party to serve written notice of nonrenewal of the easement, as specified. If the county, city, or the landowner serves notice of intent in any year not to renew the solar-use easement, existing law provides that the existing solar-use easement remains in effect for the balance of the period remaining since the original execution or the last renewal of the solar-use easement, as the case may be. The bill would additionally authorize the termination of a solar-use easement by mutual consent, and would make various conforming changes in that regard. The bill would also revise the above-described provisions relating to service of written notice to instead only require a landowner to issue that notice any time they desire not to renew an annually self-renewing solar-use-easement, and to allow a city or county to serve the notice under prescribed circumstances, and make conforming changes. The bill would delete the above-described provisions relating to the remaining effect of the easement following service of a notice of intent. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA exempts from its provisions various activities, including ministerial projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies. This bill would exempt entry into or recordation of a solar-use easement under the above-described provisions from CEQA, but would specify that its provisions do not exempt a photovoltaic solar facility from CEQA. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code proposed by either AB 149 and SB 149 to be operative only if this bill and either AB 149 or SB 149 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) California has set an ambitious path to achieve a zero net carbon economy by 2045. The 2022 State Air Resource Board Scoping Plan calls for California to cut air pollution by 71 percent and reduce fossil fuel consumption by 86 percent. (b) The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018 (Senate Bill 100, Chapter 312 of the Statutes of 2018) updated the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program to ensure that by 2030 at least 60 percent of California’s electricity is renewable and for California to provide 100 percent of its retail sales from zero emission sources by 2045. (c) Central to this effort is the significant acceleration of renewable energy deployment, particularly utility-scale solar, which state planners expect should grow by 20,000 megawatts by 2035, with a total of at least 62,000 megawatts added to the grid by 2045 to meet the state’s decarbonization goals. (d) Concurrently, the state has established a “30X30” plan to conserve 30 percent of land and water from development. (e) California has similarly adopted a policy to protect and sustainably manage groundwater resources in the state. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code) mandates that local water management agencies bring groundwater use to sustainable levels by the early 2040s. (f) It is estimated that 1,000,000 acres of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley, alone, are expected to be fallowed by 2040. (g) California farmers may require new revenue tools to maintain water-fallowed areas of their farms; the temporary use of land for solar projects is one revenue tool to preserve the state’s farms. (h) There is value in incentivizing solar in least-conflict areas while facilitating achievement of our state’s renewable mandates. (i) A suspension of the Williamson Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 51200) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code) for solar use will result in local revenue benefits attributable to a higher rate of property tax on the land and taxation of any new property improvement. (j) An exception to Williamson Act suspension, which allows temporary use of land for solar, may be even more beneficial to local communities if combined with a community benefit agreement with local community groups, uniquely deployed only in conjunction with a Williamson Act suspension. (k) In requiring community benefit agreements specifically in conjunction with a Williamson Act suspension, it is not the intent of the Legislature to create a new, universal tool for land use policy. SEC. 2. Section 51190 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51190. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “City” means any city or city and county. (b) “Landowner” includes a lessee or trustee, if the expiration of the lease or trust occurs at a time later than the expiration of the restriction of the use of the land to photovoltaic solar facilities or any extension of the restriction. (c) “Solar-use easement” means any right or interest acquired by a city or county for a term of years, or annually self-renewing as provided in Section 51191.2, in a parcel or parcels determined by the Department of Conservation pursuant to Section 51191 to be eligible, where the deed or other instrument granting the right or interest imposes restrictions that, through limitation of future use, will effectively restrict the use of the land to photovoltaic solar facilities for the purpose of providing for the collection, storage, and distribution of solar energy for the generation of electricity, and any other incidental or subordinate agricultural or open-space uses, or other alternative or appurtenant renewable energy facilities. A solar-use easement shall not permit any land located in the easement to be used for any other use allowed in commercial, industrial, or residential zones. A solar-use easement shall contain a covenant with the city or county running with the land for a term of years that the landowner shall not construct or permit the construction of improvements except those for which the right is expressly reserved in the instrument provided that those reservations would not be inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter and which would not be incompatible with the sole use of the property for solar photovoltaic and appurtenant clean energy facilities, during which time the provisions of any contract entered into under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 51200) binding all or a portion of the land that is under the solar-use easement and that meets the criteria set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 51191 would be inoperative, and the land would be enforceably restricted pursuant to this chapter. SEC. 3. Section 51191 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191. (a) For purposes of this chapter, and for purposes of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 51200), the Department of Conservation, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, and any applicable groundwater sustainability agency or services, upon a request from a landowner shall make a determination, based on substantial evidence, on whether a parcel or parcels is eligible for conversion of an agricultural land conservation contract under Section 51255.1 into a solar-use easement if all of the following criteria are met: (1) The land meets one or more of the following criteria: (A) The land consists predominately of soils with significantly reduced agricultural productivity for agricultural activities due to chemical or physical limitations, topography, drainage, flooding, adverse soil conditions, or other physical reasons. (B) The land has severely adverse soil conditions that are detrimental to continued agricultural activities and production. Severely adverse soil conditions may include, but are not limited to, contamination by salts or selenium, or other naturally occurring contaminants. (C) The land has or will have insufficient surface water or groundwater available that results in significantly reduced agricultural production for agricultural activities. Insufficient surface or groundwater conditions shall meet all of the following: (i) The land is located within a groundwater basin designated as high priority in the most recent Bulletin 118 by the Department of Water Resources. (ii) Water deliveries to the parcel or parcels have been reduced or curtailed by a water district or governmental agency by a substantial amount for multiple consecutive years due to drought or other shortages, resulting in significantly reduced water availability for the parcel or parcels. (2) The land meets all of the following criteria: (A) The parcel or parcels have an average grade of less than 10 percent and have been historically used primarily as irrigated cropland rather than having been historically used primarily as unirrigated grazing land. (B) The parcel or parcels are not encumbered by a conservation easement or enrolled in a land conservation program, the primary purpose of which is the protection of resources other than agriculture, such as recreation, grazing, open space, or biological resources. (C) The parcel or parcels are not located on lands designated as prime farmland, unique farmland, or farmland of statewide importance, as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the Natural Resources Agency, unless the Department of Conservation, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, determines that a parcel or parcels are eligible to be placed in a solar-use easement based on the information provided in subdivision (b) that demonstrates that circumstances exist that limit the use of the parcel for agricultural activities, including insufficient water supplies. For purposes of this section, the important farmland designations shall not be changed solely due to irrigation status. (b) To assist in the determination described in this section, the city or county shall require the landowner to provide to the Department of Conservation the following information to the extent applicable: (1) A written narrative demonstrating that even under the best currently available management practices, continued commercially viable agricultural practices would be substantially limited due to the soil’s reduced agricultural productivity from chemical or physical limitations. (2) A recent soil test demonstrating that the characteristics of the soil significantly reduce its commercial agricultural productivity. (3) An analysis of water availability demonstrating the insufficiency of water supplies for continued commercially viable agricultural production, including insufficiency based on planned consolidation of water resources on more productive parcels. (4) An analysis of water quality demonstrating that continued commercial agricultural production would, under the best currently available management practices, be significantly reduced. (5) Crop and yield information for the past six years. (c) (1) The landowner shall provide the Department of Conservation with a proposed management plan describing: (A) How the soil will be managed during the life of the easement. (B) How impacts to adjacent agricultural operations will be minimized. (C) How the land will be restored to its previous general condition, as it existed at the time of project approval, upon the termination of the easement. (2) If the Department of Conservation determines, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, and applicable groundwater sustainability agency or agencies, pursuant to subdivision (a), that lands are subject to this section, the city or county shall require implementation of the management plan, which shall include any recommendations provided by the Department of Conservation, as part of any project approval. (d) A determination of eligibility by the Department of Conservation pursuant to this section shall not be subject to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. This subdivision shall not be interpreted to exempt the photovoltaic solar facility from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. (e) (1) The Department of Conservation shall issue its determination of eligibility within 120 days following submission of a completed application package. Any application not rejected within this 120-day period shall be deemed approved. (2) Within 30 days of receiving the application package, the Department of Conservation shall review the application for completeness and identify any materials required to make the application complete. If no determination of completeness is made within 30 days, the application shall be deemed complete. The Department of Conservation shall not request additional materials beyond those identified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c). (f) The Department of Conservation may establish a fee to be paid by the landowner to recover the estimated costs incurred by the department in participating in the consultation described in this section. SEC. 4. Section 51191.1 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191.1. (a) Any city or county may, upon request from a landowner and a determination of eligibility in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 51191, enter into an agreement with a landowner pursuant to Section 51255.1 to use lands determined to be eligible pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 51191 in a solar-use easement in the manner provided in this chapter. (b) At least 14 days prior to the meeting at which the city or county decides whether to enter into the agreement, the landowner shall notify any relevant workforce in writing of its intent to enter into a solar-use easement, including the time and location of the meeting for the city or county to take action on entering into an agreement. SEC. 5. Section 51191.2 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191.2. The execution and acceptance of a deed or other instrument described in subdivision (c) of Section 51190 shall constitute an enforceable restriction of those lands for solar photovoltaic and appurtenant clean energy facilities. Any term easement and covenant under this chapter shall run for a term of not less than 20 years unless a shorter term is requested by the landowner, in which case the term may be not less than 10 years. A solar-use easement for a term of years may provide that on the anniversary date of the acceptance of the solar-use easement, or on any other annual date as specified by the deed or other instrument described in subdivision (c) of Section 51190, a year shall be added automatically to the initial term unless a notice of nonrenewal is served as provided in Section 51192. SEC. 6. Section 51191.3 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191.3. (a) A city or county may require a deed or other instrument described in subdivision (c) of Section 51190 to contain any restrictions, conditions, or covenants as are necessary or desirable to restrict the use of the land to photovoltaic solar and appurtenant facilities. (b) The deed or restriction may include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Mitigation measures identified on the land that is subject to the solar-use easement. Any mitigation measure imposed under this paragraph shall have an essential nexus between the measure and the impact to be mitigated. Each measure shall be roughly proportional to the impact being mitigated. (2) If deemed necessary by the city or county to ensure that decommissioning requirements are met, the provision for financial assurances, such as performance bonds, letters of credit, a corporate guarantee, or other securities to fund, upon the cessation of the solar photovoltaic use, the restoration of the land that is subject to the easement to the conditions that existed before the approval or acceptance of that easement by the time that the easement terminates. However, any decommissioning requirement shall not be in addition to other state or local requirements that ensure decommissioning of the facility. Salvage value shall not be precluded from the calculation of the cost of decommissioning. (3) Provision for termination of the easement if the governmental authorization allowing the facilities to be constructed expires without being exercised and the project is not built. (4) Provision for necessary amendments by the parties, including, but not limited to, amendments to adjust the boundaries of the easement if the facilities constructed are less extensive than originally anticipated, provided that the amendments are consistent with the provisions of this chapter. (c) The Department of Conservation may adopt regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Division 3 of Title 2) to implement this section. (d) This section does not supersede or limit the authority of a city or county to require measures to ensure that activities on the restricted land do not interfere with activities on adjacent land and vice versa, such as maintenance of adequate fencing, or otherwise impair a city’s or a county’s authority under Section 7 of Article XI of the California Constitution. SEC. 7. Section 51191.4 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191.4. A deed or other instrument described in subdivision (c) of Section 51190 shall not be effective until it has been approved and accepted by resolution of the governing body of the city or county accepts the deed or instrument. SEC. 8. Section 51191.5 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51191.5. (a) During the term of the solar-use easement, the city or county shall not approve any land use on land covered by a solar easement that is inconsistent with the easement, and no building permit or construction notice to proceed may be issued for any structure that would violate the easement. The county or city shall seek, by appropriate proceedings, an injunction against any threatened construction or other development or activity on the land that would violate the easement and shall seek a mandatory injunction requiring the removal of any structure erected in violation of the easement. (b) Nothing in this chapter shall limit the power of the state or any county, city, school district, or any other local public district, agency, or entity, or any other person authorized by law, to acquire land subject to a solar-use easement by eminent domain. SEC. 9. Section 51191.5.5 is added to the Government Code, to read: 51191.5.5. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Community benefits agreement” means a legally binding and enforceable agreement between the developer of the photovoltaic solar facility and the city or county in which the photovoltaic solar facility is located for the developer of the photovoltaic solar facility to provide community benefits to the local community. (2) “Community benefits” pursuant to this subdivision means any of the following: (A) Job creation and training programs for local residents or farm workers. (B) Financial contributions that benefit farm youth training programs or agricultural trade programs. (C) Financial contributions to community projects for groundwater recharge or water conservation programs. (D) Financial contributions that benefit land preservation. (E) Financial contributions to agricultural innovation research. (F) Financial contributions that benefit workers displaced by water scarcity impacting agricultural jobs. (G) Financial contributions for community improvements or amenities including, but not limited to, park and playground equipment, urban greening or enhanced safety crossing, and paving roads and bike paths. (3) “Local community” means the city or county in which the photovoltaic solar facility is located or a workforce development and training organization, labor union, land trust, community foundation, state agricultural extension service providing local assistance to growers, or local governmental agency or local nonprofit with responsibilities covering topics in paragraph (2). (b) A city or county shall require, as a condition of entering into a solar-use easement, that the photovoltaic solar facility enter into a community benefits agreement with the city or county. (c) The community benefits agreement shall ensure the following: (1) That community benefits provided pursuant to this section supplement, but do not supplant, resources the developer is required to provide pursuant to any other law. (2) That benefits begin to be provided to the local community no later than the start of construction of the solar and appurtenant facilities. (d) This section does not limit the authority or remedies of a city or county under any other provision of law, including, but not limited to, Section 7 of Article XI of the California Constitution. (e) (1) To inform the agreements set forth in subdivision (a), the developer of the photovoltaic solar facility shall engage in meaningful outreach and engagement as follows: (A) Notice shall consist of: (i) A mail notification to landowners adjacent to the boundary of the proposed solar-use easement site. (ii) Circulating a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the local jurisdiction notifying the public of the proposed solar-use easement, describing the proposed community benefit agreements pursuant to this section, along with providing the time, location, and agenda for the public meeting. (B) The public meeting may be consolidated with another administrative meeting or hearing on the project and shall: (i) Be located within the jurisdiction of the solar-use easement. (ii) Solicit input on the proposed community benefit agreements pursuant to this section. (2) Nothing in this subdivision shall limit the developer from further engagement with residents of communities near the project site for purposes of developing the community benefit agreement. SEC. 10. Section 51192 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51192. (a) A solar-use easement may be extinguished on all or a portion of the parcel only by nonrenewal, termination, by mutual consent, or by returning the land to its previous contract pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 51240) of Chapter 7. (b) If the landowner desires in any year not to renew an annually self-renewing solar-use easement on all or a portion of the parcel, the landowner shall serve written notice of nonrenewal of the easement upon the other party at least 90 days in advance of the annual renewal date of the solar-use easement. Unless written notice is served at least 90 days in advance of the renewal date, the solar-use easement shall be considered valid and, as the case may be, renewed as provided in Section 51191.2. (c) (1) A city or county may serve written notice of nonrenewal for an annually self-renewing solar-use easement under any of the following circumstances: (A) If the city or county makes a formal finding of either of the following after notice and a public hearing: (i) The landowner has materially failed to comply with the terms and conditions of the solar-use easement. (ii) The solar photovoltaic or appurtenant facilities have been operated in a manner that constitutes a continuing or repeated legal nuisance. (B) At the end of the photovoltaic solar facility’s operating life, as set forth in the application for entry into a solar-use easement or otherwise determined based upon substantial evidence. (2) If notice of nonrenewal is served pursuant to this subdivision, the solar-use easement shall not thereafter be considered renewed, as provided in Section 51191.2, in any year during the remainder of the term of the solar-use easement. SEC. 11. Section 51192.1 of the Government Code is amended to read: 51192.1. In the case of a solar-use easement that is extinguished with respect to any land because of a notice of nonrenewal pursuant to Section 51192, or due to termination or mutual consent, or as the result of an adjustment to the boundaries of the easement pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 51191.3, the landowner shall restore the land that is subject to the easement to the conditions that existed before the approval of the easement by the time the easement is extinguished, and the provisions of any preexisting contract entered into under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 51200) shall once again be operative and in full force and effect. SEC. 12. Section 51192.2 of the Government Code is repealed. SEC. 13. Section 51255.1 of the Government Code is repealed. SEC. 14. Section 51255.1 is added to the Government Code, to read: 51255.1. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the provisions of any contract under this chapter affecting a parcel or parcels of land that, upon review, are determined by the Department of Conservation to be eligible to be placed in a solar-use easement pursuant to Chapter 6.9 (commencing with Section 51190) and for which a solar-use easement has been entered into by a local government shall be inoperative for the term of the solar-use easement, and the land shall be enforceably restricted pursuant to Chapter 6.9 (commencing with Section 51190). This conversion shall occur notwithstanding the prior serving of a notice of nonrenewal. (b) Nothing in this section limits the ability of the parties to a contract to seek nonrenewal, or petition for cancellation or termination of a contract pursuant to this chapter. This section is provided in addition to, not in replacement of, other methods for contract termination, Williamson Act compliance, or a county or city finding that a solar facility is a compatible use pursuant to this chapter. SEC. 15. Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 21080. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, this division shall apply to discretionary projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies, including, but not limited to, the enactment and amendment of zoning ordinances, the issuance of zoning variances, the issuance of conditional use permits, and the approval of tentative subdivision maps unless the project is exempt from this division. (b) This division does not apply to any of the following activities: (1) Ministerial projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies. (2) Emergency repairs to public service facilities necessary to maintain service. (3) Projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster in a disaster-stricken area in which a state of emergency has been proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (4) Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. (5) Projects that a public agency rejects or disapproves. (6) Actions undertaken by a public agency relating to any thermal powerplant site or facility, including the expenditure, obligation, or encumbrance of funds by a public agency for planning, engineering, or design purposes, or for the conditional sale or purchase of equipment, fuel, water (except groundwater), steam, or power for a thermal powerplant, if the powerplant site and related facility will be the subject of an environmental impact report, negative declaration, or other document, prepared pursuant to a regulatory program certified pursuant to Section 21080.5, which will be prepared by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, by the Public Utilities Commission, or by the city or county in which the powerplant and related facility would be located if the environmental impact report, negative declaration, or document includes the environmental impact, if any, of the action described in this paragraph. (7) Activities or approvals necessary to the bidding for, hosting or staging of, and funding or carrying out of, an Olympic Games under the authority of the International Olympic Committee, except for the construction of facilities necessary for the Olympic Games. (8) The establishment, modification, structuring, restructuring, or approval of rates, tolls, fares, or other charges by public agencies that the public agency finds are for the purpose of: (A) meeting operating expenses, including employee wage rates and fringe benefits; (B) purchasing or leasing supplies, equipment, or materials; (C) meeting financial reserve needs and requirements; (D) obtaining funds for capital projects necessary to maintain service within existing service areas; or (E) obtaining funds necessary to maintain those intracity transfers as are authorized by city charter. The public agency shall incorporate written findings in the record of any proceeding in which an exemption under this paragraph is claimed setting forth with specificity the basis for the claim of exemption. (9) All classes of projects designated pursuant to Section 21084. (10) A project for the institution or increase of passenger or commuter services on rail or highway rights-of-way already in use, including modernization of existing stations and parking facilities. For purposes of this paragraph, “highway” has the same meaning as defined in Section 360 of the Vehicle Code. (11) A project for the institution or increase of passenger or commuter service on high-occupancy vehicle lanes already in use, including the modernization of existing stations and parking facilities. (12) Facility extensions not to exceed four miles in length that are required for the transfer of passengers from or to exclusive public mass transit guideway or busway public transit services. (13) A project for the development of a regional transportation improvement program, the state transportation improvement program, or a congestion management program prepared pursuant to Section 65089 of the Government Code. (14) A project or portion of a project located in another state that will be subject to environmental impact review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.) or similar state laws of that state. Any emissions or discharges that would have a significant effect on the environment in this state are subject to this division. (15) Projects undertaken by a local agency to implement a rule or regulation imposed by a state agency, board, or commission under a certified regulatory program pursuant to Section 21080.5. Any site-specific effect of the project that was not analyzed as a significant effect on the environment in the plan or other written documentation required by Section 21080.5 is subject to this division. (16) Approval by the Department of Pesticide Regulation of a pesticide emergency exemption pursuant to Section 136p of Title 7 of the United States Code. (17) The entry into or recordation of a solar-use easement pursuant to Chapter 6.9 (commencing with Section 51190) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code. (c) If a lead agency determines that a proposed project, not otherwise exempt from this division, would not have a significant effect on the environment, the lead agency shall adopt a negative declaration to that effect. The negative declaration shall be prepared for the proposed project in either of the following circumstances: (1) There is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the lead agency, that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. (2) An initial study identifies potentially significant effects on the environment, but: (A) revisions in the project plans or proposals made by, or agreed to by, the applicant before the proposed negative declaration and initial study are released for public review would avoid the effects or mitigate the effects to a point where clearly no significant effect on the environment would occur; and (B) there is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the lead agency, that the project, as revised, may have a significant effect on the environment. (d) If there is substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the lead agency, that the project may have a significant effect on the environment, an environmental impact report shall be prepared. (e) (1) For purposes of this section and this division, substantial evidence includes fact, a reasonable assumption predicated upon fact, or expert opinion supported by fact. (2) Substantial evidence is not argument, speculation, unsubstantiated opinion or narrative, evidence that is clearly inaccurate or erroneous, or evidence of social or economic impacts that do not contribute to, or are not caused by, physical impacts on the environment. (f) As a result of the public review process for a mitigated negative declaration, including administrative decisions and public hearings, the lead agency may conclude that certain mitigation measures identified pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) are infeasible or otherwise undesirable. In those circumstances, the lead agency, before approving the project, may delete those mitigation measures and substitute for them other mitigation measures that the lead agency finds, after holding a public hearing on the matter, are equivalent or more effective in mitigating significant effects on the environment to a less than significant level and that do not cause any potentially significant effect on the environment. If those new mitigation measures are made conditions of project approval or are otherwise made part of the project approval, the deletion of the former measures and the substitution of the new mitigation measures shall not constitute an action or circumstance requiring recirculation of the mitigated negative declaration. (g) This section does not preclude a project applicant or any other person from challenging, in an administrative or judicial proceeding, the legality of a condition of project approval imposed by the lead agency. If, however, any condition of project approval set aside by either an administrative body or court was necessary to avoid or lessen the likelihood of the occurrence of a significant effect on the environment, the lead agency’s approval of the negative declaration and project shall be invalid and a new environmental review process shall be conducted before the project can be reapproved, unless the lead agency substitutes a new condition that the lead agency finds, after holding a public hearing on the matter, is equivalent to, or more effective in, lessening or avoiding significant effects on the environment and that does not cause any potentially significant effect on the environment. SEC. 15.5. Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 21080. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, this division shall apply to discretionary projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies, including, but not limited to, the enactment and amendment of zoning ordinances, the issuance of zoning variances, the issuance of conditional use permits, and the approval of tentative subdivision maps unless the project is exempt from this division. (b) This division does not apply to any of the following activities: (1) Ministerial projects proposed to be carried out or approved by public agencies. (2) Emergency repairs to public service facilities necessary to maintain service. (3) Projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a public agency to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster in a disaster-stricken area in which a state of emergency has been proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (4) Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. (5) Projects that a public agency rejects or disapproves. (6) Actions undertaken by a public agency relating to any thermal powerplant site or facility, including the expenditure, obligation, or encumbrance of funds by a public agency for planning, engineering, or design purposes, or for the conditional sale or purchase of equipment, fuel, water (except groundwater), steam, or power for a thermal powerplant, if the powerplant site and related facility will be the subject of an environmental impact report, negative declaration, or other document, prepared pursuant to a regulatory program certified pursuant to Section 21080.5, which will be prepared by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, by the Public Utilities Commission, or by the city or county in which the powerplant and related facility would be located if the environmental impact report, negative declaration, or document includes the environmental impact, if any, of the action described in this paragraph. (7) (A) Activities or approvals necessary to the bidding for, for the bidding, hosting or staging of, and funding or carrying out of, an Olympic Games and a Paralympic Games under the authority of the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee, except for the construction of facilities necessary for the Olympic Games. Games or Paralympic Games. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the division does not apply to the construction of temporary facilities for the 2028 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. For purposes of this subparagraph, “temporary facility” means a facility that will be completely removed and the area restored to a clean and safe condition within six months after the end of the 2028 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. (C) Any confirmed changes to the locations of the competition venues of the 2028 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games venue plan, pursuant to the host city contract and games agreement with the City of Los Angeles, shall be noticed publicly on the organizing committee’s official internet website and shall be noticed in a newspaper or other medium of general circulation in the local jurisdiction notifying the public of the change in location of the venue. (D) This paragraph does not limit any other applicable statute or regulation governing impacts from temporary facilities to, among others, sensitive wildlife habitats, including, but not limited to, riparian lands, wetlands, bays, estuaries, marshes, and habitats for endangered, rare, and threatened species. (8) The establishment, modification, structuring, restructuring, or approval of rates, tolls, fares, or other charges by public agencies that the public agency finds are for the purpose of: (A) meeting operating expenses, including employee wage rates and fringe benefits; (B) purchasing or leasing supplies, equipment, or materials; (C) meeting financial reserve needs and requirements; (D) obtaining funds for capital projects necessary to maintain service within existing service areas; or (E) obtaining funds necessary to maintain those intracity transfers as are authorized by city charter. The public agency shall incorporate written findings in the record of any proceeding in which an exemption under this paragraph is claimed setting forth with specificity the basis for the claim of exemption. (9) All classes of projects designated pursuant to Section 21084. (10) A project for the institution or increase of passenger or commuter services on rail or highway rights-of-way already in use, including modernization of existing stations and parking facilities. For purposes of this paragraph, “highway” has the same meaning as defined in Section 360 of the Vehicle Code. (11) A project for the institution or increase of passenger or commuter service on high-occupancy vehicle lanes already in use, including the modernization of existing stations and parking facilities. (12) Facility extensions not to exceed four miles in length that are required for the transfer of passengers from or to exclusive public mass transit guideway or busway public transit services. (13) A project for the development of a regional transportation improvement program, the state transportation improvement program, or a congestion management program prepared pursuant to Section 65089 of the Government Code. (14) A project or portion of a project located in another state that will be subject to environmental impact review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.) or similar state laws of that state. Any emissions or discharges that would have a significant effect on the environment in this state are subject to this division. (15) Projects undertaken by a local agency to implement a rule or regulation imposed by a state agency, board, or commission under a certified regulatory program pursuant to Section 21080.5. Any site-specific effect of the project that was not analyzed as a significant effect on the environment in the plan or other written documentation required by Section 210