SB 79 was signed by the Governor on October 10, 2025 and takes effect July 1, 2026. The new law is intended to facilitate transit-oriented housing development by establishing new development standards near qualifying transit facilities such as the proposed stations along the BRT Project. As a result, SB 79 densities along the BRT, particularly along Olive Avenue, would present significant challenges related to development intensity, utilities, infrastructure, capacity and environmental review, and may introduce additional complexity to ongoing local planning efforts. Newly imposed impacts will result in significant environmental concerns that need to be analyzed and considered under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

View the SCAG Map of SB 79 TOD Stops, Zones, and Tiers Map at this link (external site)
SCAG SB 79 Map of Transit Oriented Development Stops, Zones, and Tiers

SB 79

SCAG Litigation Latest Updates

August 2026

Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Area Zoning (SB 79) As Mapped by Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Which Add Density and Increase Height Limits Around Designated Stops in the City of Burbank

NOP of Draft EIR (PDF)

June 2026 - SCAG Draft Maps Released

On June 1, 2026, SCAG released its SB 79 maps for Los Angeles County including the City of Burbank. It also released an SB 79 methodology document.

SCAG Maps (Link)
SCAG Methodology (PDF)

March 2026 - SCAG Correspondence

SB 79 tasks the Southern California Association of Governments with drawing maps around eligible TOD stops to identify where SB 79 densities apply. SCAG has indicated that it intends to present final maps for approval by the SCAG Regional Council in June 2026. Staff believes that SCAG’s approval of SB 79 maps that impart new residential densities with the potential for environmental impacts is an action subject to CEQA, and communicated this position via letter sent March 3, 2026. The City’s proposal to Metro could substantially lessen the land use impacts caused by SB 79’s application to the BRT.

City of Burbank Letter to SCAG (PDF)

January 2026 – City Council Information Report

On January 27, 2026 the Council received a report on SB 79 with some of the above information as well as staff recommendations for pursuit of SB 79 policy clarifications and a legislative clean-up

Senate Bill 79 and Relevance to BRT Project – January 27, 2026 City Council Staff Report (PDF)