AB 2097 is a 2022 California law that bars cities and counties from imposing or enforcing minimum parking requirements on most development within a half mile of a major transit stop.
Key provisions
- A major transit stop includes rail stations and bus routes meeting a frequency test; a 2024 amendment loosened the bus test to routes running every 20 minutes at peak.
- A city can reinstate minimums only with written findings of a substantial negative impact, and cannot do so at all for housing with at least 20 percent affordable units or fewer than 20 homes.
- It does not cancel requirements for EV charging or accessible spaces.
- When a developer builds parking voluntarily, the city may require that those spaces include car-share stalls, be shared with the public, or be priced.
What it leaves open
- AB 2097 removes the mandate but does not say what a building should provide instead, such as pick-up and drop-off space, car share or fleet charging.
Related terms: Parking Minimums, Density Bonus Law, Unbundled Parking, Transit-Oriented Development.