Submitted By: City Clerk
Prepared By: Laura Campagnolo, City Clerk
Subject:
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CITY POSITION ON RESOLUTION BEING CONSIDERED BY THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES (“CAL CITIES”) AT THE 2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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Summary:
At the August 4, 2026, regular meeting of the San Clemente City Council, Councilmember Enmeier was selected to serve as the City’s voting delegate at the 2026 Annual General Assembly Meeting of the League of California Cities. At that same meeting, the City Council appointed Mayor Pro Tem Knoblock to serve as the City’s alternate voting delegate. The League of California Cities Conference will be held September 23-25, 2026, in Anaheim and the General Assembly Meeting will take place on September 25, 2026.
The League will consider adopting the following resolution at its General Assembly Meeting:
A RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CALLING FOR A WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OR OTHER FORM OF INITIATIVE TO ENSURE FINAL LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER HOUSING AND LAND USE DECISIONS.
A copy of the 2026 Annual Conference Resolution Packet, that includes background information and League staff analysis on the subject resolution, is included in this report as Attachment 1.
Background:
California cities are responsible for planning for residential growth, adopting general plans and zoning regulations, reviewing development proposals, and providing or coordinating the infrastructure and public services needed to support new housing. Since 2010, the State has enacted more than 500 housing-related laws that have increasingly shifted housing and land use authority away from local governments. These laws have expanded by-right development, limited locally adopted standards and review processes, and established enforcement mechanisms, including the builder’s remedy, that can override local plans and zoning. At the same time, State policies have continued to increase development capacity without always accounting for local infrastructure, public services, fiscal conditions, safety considerations, water availability, wildfire exposure, environmental constraints, and other community-specific factors. As a result, cities may be required to accommodate additional housing while having limited authority or resources to address the infrastructure and service demands associated with that growth.
Local elected officials are directly accountable to residents for balancing housing production with infrastructure capacity, public safety, environmental protection, fiscal sustainability, and other community needs. Cities throughout California-including urban and rural, coastal and inland, and small and large communities-have expressed concerns regarding the continued erosion of local decision-making authority and have sought greater responsiveness from State policymakers. The proposed resolution calls for the League of California Cities to establish a statewide working group to evaluate a potential constitutional amendment or other legislative, policy, or ballot-based strategies to restore and strengthen local authority over housing and land use decisions. The working group would seek to develop a more balanced framework that maintains the State’s role in establishing broad housing goals and enforcing constitutional, civil rights, fair housing, building, life-safety, and environmental requirements, while restoring meaningful local authority for cities to determine how statewide housing objectives are implemented based on local conditions and community needs.
Discussion:
The City Council should consider whether to support or oppose the proposed Resolution at the League of California Cities Annual Conference General Assembly on September 25, 2026.
Council Options:
• Support the proposed League of California Cities Resolution.
• Do not support the proposed League of California Cities Resolution.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
This is not a “project” under CEQA.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with supporting or opposing the proposed Resolution.
Potential Action(s):
recommendation
Determine whether or not to support the following Resolution at the League of California Cities General Assembly Meeting on September 25, 2026:
A RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CALLING FOR A WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OR OTHER FORM OF INITIATIVE TO ENSURE FINAL LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER HOUSING AND LAND USE DECISIONS.
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Attachment:
1. League of California Cities 2026 Resolution Packet
Notification:
None.