Santa Clarita, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

Chapter 17.68, Transfer Development Rights, Density Bonus, and Cluster Developments, implements the state density bonus law locally. Section 17.68.030(A) states that a density bonus is available consistent with Government Code Section 65915, and any applicant must apply on a form approved by the Director at the time of submitting the underlying entitlement application. That application must describe how the project meets the Section 65915 criteria, identify any requested concessions and whether the applicant is requesting a parking reduction, explain why the concessions are necessary for affordable housing costs, and show where the bonus units will be located within the project.

Section 17.68.030(B) then requires the Director to condition approval on an instrument recorded against the project's title, enforceable directly by the Director, to keep the bonus units affordable. That instrument can be an equity-sharing agreement, an affordability covenant, a deed of trust, a development agreement, or a combination, so long as it does not unreasonably restrict title or make the project economically infeasible. Separately, Section 17.03.030(A)(2)(b) sets a rounding rule specific to these projects: while ordinary dwelling-unit calculations round fractions down, a fractional density bonus unit under Section 65915 rounds up to the next whole unit, which can add an extra unit compared to a standard density calculation.