Land Use and Development Projects

This page describes CARB's recommendations for and role in local land use and development projects that may have the potential to significantly impact cumulative GHG emissions, as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). It complements other efforts at CARB to provide comments on CEQA documents.

The 2022 Scoping Plan emphasizes that local government actions play an important role in helping California meet its GHG emission reduction targets. Local actions affect how communities grow, how infrastructure is provided, and the character of residential and commercial development, thereby influencing GHG emissions. CARB assists local jurisdictions with planning for sustainable growth that supports California’s climate objectives through the CEQA process.

CEQA Review

CEQA requires that projects analyze cumulative impacts on climate change and consistency with State plans, including the Scoping Plan.

The table below, based on Appendix D of the 2022 Scoping Plan, identifies “key project attributes” that can be incorporated to help advance each of the three priority areas for residential and mixed-use development. These recommendations are not mandatory, but indicate best available practices for aligning with the Scoping Plan. Residential and mixed-use projects that include all project attributes from the table are able to demonstrate consistency with the Scoping Plan. To help ensure that local lead agencies are making accurate and proper determinations regarding consistency with these project attributes, CARB may review and comment on GHG analyses in the CEQA documents for certain residential and mixed-use projects and plans. As part of its process as a reviewing agency under CEQA, CARB examines how these key project attributes are incorporated into a given project.

Key Residential and Mixed-Use Project Attributes that Reduce GHGs

Priority Areas	Key Project Attribute
Zero-Emission Transportation	Provides ZEV charging or refueling infrastructure that, at minimum, meets the most ambitious voluntary standard in the California Green Building Standards Code at the time of project approval.
VMT Reduction	1. Is located on infill sites that are surrounded by existing urban uses, and reuses or redevelops previously undeveloped or underutilized land that is presently served by existing utilities and essential public services (e.g., transit, streets, water, sewer). 2. Does not result in the loss or conversion of natural and working lands. 3. Consists of transit-supportive densities (minimum of 20 residential dwelling units per acre), or is in proximity to existing transit stops (within a half mile), or satisfies more detailed and stringent criteria specified in the region’s Sustainable Communities Strategy. 4. Reduces parking requirements by: a) Eliminating parking requirements or including maximum allowable parking ratios (i.e., the ratio of parking spaces to residential units or square feet); b) Providing residential parking supply at a ratio of less than one parking space per dwelling unit; or c) For multifamily residential development, requiring parking costs to be unbundled from costs to rent or own a residential unit. 5. At least 20% of units included are affordable to lower-income residents. 6. Results in no net loss of existing affordable units.
Building Decarbonization	Uses zero-emission appliances without any natural gas connections and does not use propane or other fossil fuels for space heating, water, heating, or indoor cooking.

Priority Areas

Key Project Attribute

Zero-Emission Transportation

Provides ZEV charging or refueling infrastructure that, at minimum, meets the most ambitious voluntary standard in the California Green Building Standards Code at the time of project approval.

VMT Reduction

1. Is located on infill sites that are surrounded by existing urban uses, and reuses or redevelops previously undeveloped or underutilized land that is presently served by existing utilities and essential public services (e.g., transit, streets, water, sewer).

2. Does not result in the loss or conversion of natural and working lands.

3. Consists of transit-supportive densities (minimum of 20 residential dwelling units per acre), or is in proximity to existing transit stops (within a half mile), or satisfies more detailed and stringent criteria specified in the region’s Sustainable Communities Strategy.

4. Reduces parking requirements by: a) Eliminating parking requirements or including maximum allowable parking ratios (i.e., the ratio of parking spaces to residential units or square feet); b) Providing residential parking supply at a ratio of less than one parking space per dwelling unit; or c) For multifamily residential development, requiring parking costs to be unbundled from costs to rent or own a residential unit.

5. At least 20% of units included are affordable to lower-income residents.

6. Results in no net loss of existing affordable units.

Building Decarbonization

Uses zero-emission appliances without any natural gas connections and does not use propane or other fossil fuels for space heating, water, heating, or indoor cooking.

Various programs within CARB similarly review proposed projects of other types and prepare comment letters under CEQA, including comments on transportation projects, freight facilities, and projects in communities designated under the AB 617 program.

CARB’s Local Planning Section comments on CEQA documents for projects such as residential and mixed-use developments, local Climate Action Plans, specific plans and general plan updates. Select recent comment letters regarding CAPs can be found below:

January 4, 2024: CARB comment letter on San Diego County’s Climate Action Plan
May 15, 2023: CARB comment letter on Los Angeles County’s Climate Action Plan

Mitigating GHG Impacts from Local Land Use Actions

During our CEQA review, CARB also considers whether significant GHG impacts have been adequately mitigated consistent with the Scoping Plan's recommended mitigation hierarchy, which prioritizes on-site and local mitigation. To learn more about CARB’s efforts to encourage the mitigation of GHG emissions during the CEQA process, visit our GHG mitigation page.

CARB may also comment on other aspects of a project’s CEQA analysis. This can include comments on the analysis of criteria air pollutants, toxic air contaminants, or whether a project’s transportation-related impacts are consistent with statewide VMT and GHG reduction goals.

Additional CEQA Resources for Local Jurisdictions and CEQA Practitioners

The California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) publishes CEQA Guidelines. These guidelines are administrative regulations governing the implementation of CEQA for new projects. The LCI's website. Section 15183.5 of the guidelines explains streamlining opportunities for the analysis of GHG emissions.
California air districts work collectively through the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA). CAPCOA has published several documents that can be of use to CEQA practitioners when conducting air quality and GHG analyses for CEQA projects, such as the Handbook for Analyzing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities, and Advancing Health and Equity.
Many local air districts in California publish guidance for evaluating air quality and GHG impacts from land use projects. When beginning a CEQA analysis, CARB recommends checking for local air district guidance.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment publishes risk assessment guidelines for the Air Toxics “Hot Spot” program.
CARB’s Transportation and Toxics Division provides guidance on identifying, assessing, and reducing health risks from toxic air contaminants.

Financial Resources

CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan highlights the link between housing, transportation, and achieving the State’s GHG reduction targets. California has established funding programs to provide local jurisdictions with financial support for projects and planning efforts that integrate transportation, housing and climate goals, including:

Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program
Regional Early Action Planning Grants Program 2.0.
Sustainable Community-based Transportation Equity Investments (Planning and Capacity Building, Clean Mobility Options, Clean Mobility in Schools, and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project)
Transformative Climate Communities
Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program
Low Carbon Transit Operations Program
California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program
Solutions for Congested Corridors Program
Local Transportation Climate Adaption Program

These are just a sampling of some of the many State programs that are available to support this important work. Additional programs may be found via California Climate Investments and HCD’s Active Programs.

California Air Resources Board