SCAG released its official SB 79 transit map today, and West Hollywood’s three planned K-Line station areas aren’t on it. That covers Santa Monica and San Vicente, Santa Monica and Fairfax, and Santa Monica and La Brea. The City won’t face the law’s upzoning requirements on July 1. For now.
The map includes bus rapid transit stops alongside rail lines, but not standard bus service. West Hollywood has no operating BRT lines. Regular bus routes on Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard don’t meet the qualifying threshold under the law. We’ve asked the City to confirm this.
The Southern California Association of Governments based the map on transit that’s actually operating. The K Line hasn’t opened yet and won’t for a while — the current projected service is decades away. SCAG’s read of the statute was that unbuilt stations don’t count, and it stuck to that position even though the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s own advisory guidance pointed in a broader direction. HCD’s guidance wasn’t mandatory. So SCAG didn’t follow it.
WEHOonline reported a couple of weeks ago that SCAG’s draft methodology was heading this direction. Today made it official.
There are still steps before this is locked in. The map goes before the SCAG Regional Council at a special meeting later this month for formal adoption, and the agency’s Community, Economic, and Human Development Committee takes up the methodology first at a Thursday, June 4 meeting. HCD could still push back before the June vote — it’s the enforcement authority under SB 79 and its own guidance was broader than what SCAG adopted. Whether it picks that fight is still an open question.
West Hollywood City Council meets June 15, which is the last scheduled meeting before July 1. Residents who’ve been pushing the City to file a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan say they’re planning to show up. If the last meeting is any indication, passions are certain to run hot.
What It Means — And What It Doesn’t
West Hollywood gets a reprieve. The upzoning isn’t coming July 1. Vice Mayor Danny Hang who argued West Hollywood wouldn’t be impacted by SB 79 on July 1 was right — at least for now. The map backs him up. But the reprieve isn’t a permanent exemption. It’s a gap between when the law takes effect and when West Hollywood’s stations eventually land on it.
West Hollywood City Council candidate Kody Christiansen said the map doesn’t change what residents need to do. “Good news for now — but we still need to show up on the 15th and demand a plan,” Christiansen said.
The TODAP question doesn’t go away because of today’s map. Eventually the K Line gets built, West Hollywood shows up on the next version of this list, and SB 79 applies. Beverly Hills filed its TODAP in January and West Hollywood hasn’t filed anything. A TODAP takes years to put together, and starting after the map arrives is already starting late.
The WeHo Heights Neighborhood Association sent a separate letter to the City Council asking for a TODAP to protect its hillside streets from upzoning regardless of where the K-Line map puts West Hollywood. Those streets are in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone with steep, narrow roads that fit one fire engine. Their case isn’t built on the K-Line at all.
When they do, the numbers are significant. Near a Tier 2 light rail stop, SB 79 sets a minimum height floor of 55 feet within a half mile and 65 feet within a quarter mile. Developers can build by right — no public hearing, no council vote. Stack that with State Density Bonus Law and the ceilings go higher still. On a 4,000 square foot lot, that can mean 26 units or more. No parking required. Setbacks as narrow as three or four feet. ZIP, the City’s Zoning Improvement Program, can’t override any of it where state law applies. Nick Maricich, the City’s Director of Community Development, confirmed that to WEHOonline earlier this year. ZIP shapes what the City can control. SB 79 shapes what it can’t. The question of where those lines fall — and whether West Hollywood has a TODAP in place before they do — is what June 15 is about.
Related Coverage
West Hollywood May Dodge SB 79 on July 1 After SCAG Draft Map Released
West Hollywood SB 79 Town Hall: Residents Demand City Act Before July 1
Under California’s SB 79 (effective July 1,2026), a TOD zone is defined as sites within a half-mile of a “TOD stop,” which explicitly includes:
High-frequency commuter rail and
High-frequency bus routes like on Santa Monica Blvd sunset Blvd..!
Hi, Mike – we have a question out to the City on what if any impact bus routes will have. Will keep you posted.
Hi Brian ! I was doing some research on Google and found that High-frequency bus routes are included..!
Thanks, Mike. SB 79 does apply to bus rapid transit stops, but not standard bus service. West Hollywood has no qualifying BRT lines, which is why the City isn’t on SCAG’s official map. We’re confirming to make sure nothing slips through and will update if needed. Always appreciate the eagle eye – it helps to keep us honest and everyone best informed.
Brian, I believe it requires a dedicated bus lane to qualify. SMB does not.
Exactly. SB79 does NOT apply to West Hollywood as it stands today
10-4 That sounds about right..!
Boy, you are keen on imposing illegal rules on West Hollywood. We’ve seen your trolling comments below. Your interests don’t align with our City but with developers. You should be ashamed of yourself
I’am not a developer,so I’am not imposing any illegal rules..Tolling..? Your the one with multiple parrot accounts on this website..You should be ashamed of your multiple personalities..! 🤪
No one said you are a developer. You are clearly aligned with developers instead of with West Hollywood residents. The fact that you “googled” bus routes to try to find a way for SB79 to apply to West Hollywood laves no doubt. SB79 as it stands today doesn’t apply to WeHo, Let it go and defend our City from corrupt developers.
I’am aligned with the inevitable changes that are going to happen,rather than going against the grain..! I’ve been in West Hollywood since 1987,and have seen it change,but i’am not paranoid don’t let change mentally shock you,because SB 79 is still in the works..!
Change is only inevitable if you don’t allow space for choices and democratic input. If you’ve been in WeHo since 1987, what’s in your opinion the benefit of SB79?: 7 story buildings of luxury apartments with no parking replacing homes and rent control apartments . Who would benefit from it besides developers and the 1%? WeHo has over 11% of rental vacancy rates. There’s no housing crisis but an affordable housing crisis which Council has zero intention to resolve., SB79 without an alternative TODAP plan would destroy the city with no impact on affordability. Uncontrolled Build build build doesn’t solve… Read more »
A TODAP plan is not guaranteed,just brace yourself for the inevitable..!
LA, Beverly Hills and Culver City have a TODAP plan. Weho doesn’t because of its alliance with developers. Your comment leaves no doubt that you are aligned with developers. You ignore all my reasoning and claim that it is inevitable. It isn’t. Brace yourself. for a democratic process ,which you seem to be against. You should be ashamed of yourselfi
Google: Single-family residential zones in West Hollywood will still be affected by SB 79 even if a Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan (TODAP) is adopted. While a TODAP allows the city to reduce density by up to 50% and redirect a portion of the increased density to non-residential or mixed-use zones, it does not exempt single-family areas from the state’s baseline mandates,same with Beverly hills..! I’am aligned with the developers,because it’s inevitable,and no !..it’s Not Democratic to be against housing..! BTW Steve Hilton proposes restructuring or eliminating rent control to incentivize construction, arguing that such regulations reduce the incentive for builders… Read more »
I’m glad you’re getting your information from Google. You finally admitted you are aligned with developers and eliminating rent-control buildings. Do you think that any developer will buy an expensive lot in a west hollywood residential area and they will build affordable housing?? Not a chance. It will be ultra expensive apartments with no parking spaces. How is that a good idea? How is that, in your words, democratic? How is that helping people who can’t afford to rent an apartment today? WeHo has currently a vacancy rate of 13% because of the high rents. Why are you supporting over-densification without… Read more »
Developers have been buying expensive lots in a west hollywood residential areas,and making their money back,at the same time,they get grants from the state,to build affordable housing..! This is just one of the many projects that have been completed or are still in the works: Lexington Gardens (1201 N. Detroit Street) is also nearing completion, offering 47 affordable studio apartments for residents with special needs,55 and older,including those with developmental disabilities or chronic homelessness..! I told you it’s inevitable..Stop running from change it’ll make you more Bonkers ! ! ! 🤣
Don’t let up! Byers, Erickson, and Solomon will be furious about this and will push their up-zoning agenda even harder.
Right result. SB79 mandates radical wholesale rezoning around mass transit stops, the least we can do is make sure those stops are real before letting Sacramento rewrite our local zoning.
I’m glad SCAG exercised greater discretion than HCD advised on qualifying planned transit stops – a responsible guardrail against overdevelopment well before that transit exists. The most shocking moment from the last council meeting was Councilmember Byers: “I don’t understand the concern of having a 7-story apartment building…all across the city…I believe our zoning improvement program allows us to go above and beyond…” No mention of fire hazard zones. No acknowledgement of the neighborhood character that makes West Hollywood a prime place to live. No reckoning with the parking crisis these developments and street redesigns are accelerating years before meaningful… Read more »
Agree 100%. We have to assume the proposed K Line extension stops will eventually get approved and appear on the SB79 map, so we can’t stop pushing to get a common sense TODAP in place before that happens so that the added housing goes where it can be most effective.
All good points, Kyle Brazeal. For those who might not already be aware, Kyle is an outstanding candidate for West Hollywood City Council. I appreciate that he has shown up, both up in person and in this forum, to speak truth to power and to advocate for West Hollywood residents. Best of luck Kyle, and keep up the good work!
THANKS FOR THE GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say I have a bit more respect for Vice Mayor Hang who said he wanted to see the maps before voting on SB 79. That turned out to be a prudent decision. Chelsea Byers will be bitterly disappointed that WeHo won’t be required to allow 6 story buildings in R-1 zones in the immediate future.
Unfortunately Steve they’re still going to push ZIP upzoning. We can’t stop pushing to get rid of Byers and Erickson. Bad luck that Hang hasn’t got it their political careers are doomed because of the way we were spoken to at the last meeting. Danny, please meet and work with us.
Amen! You are preaching to the converted!
We got the maps and while those three stations are not currently in the mix for SB79 a lot can change at any time and eventually when and if those stations are built a TODAP now is absolutely critical. Hang showed no smarts in delaying based on a need for maps; it was merely some performative gesture with no effect on reality. The time is now for TODAP.
YES! We show up on June 15th and make our voices heard … AGAIN. Louder this time, if we must. We want a plan. It seems like common sense to me that we should make a plan on where all the new housing goes … why not make a creative plan and keep some sense of control over our city’s future? Like Councilmember Meister said at the last meeting … “If you relinquish local control to this state, when you have an opportunity to maintain some of that control, there’s no point in being a council member.” Come on, Council.… Read more »
Thank you Kody Christiansen for advocating for West Hollywood residents, and for amplifying the wisdom of the sadly soon to depart Lauren Meister. I can only hope you take her spot on the City Council come November.