California Code of Regulations
Title 2 - Administration
Division 6 - Fair Political Practices Commission
Chapter 7 - Conflicts of Interest
Article 1 - Conflicts of Interest; General Prohibition
Section 18702.2 - Materiality Standard: Financial Interest in Real Property

Universal Citation: 2 CA Code of Regs 18702.2

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) The reasonably foreseeable financial effect of a governmental decision on a parcel of real property in which an official has a financial interest, other than a leasehold interest, is material whenever the governmental decision:

(1) Involves the adoption of or amendment to a development plan or criteria applying to the parcel;

(2) Determines the parcel's zoning or rezoning, other than a zoning decision applicable to all properties designated in that category; annexation or de-annexation; inclusion in or exclusion from any city, county, district, or local government subdivision or other boundaries, other than elective district boundaries;

(3) Would impose, repeal, or modify any taxes, fees, or assessments that apply to the parcel;

(4) Authorizes the sale, purchase, or lease of the parcel;

(5) Involves the issuance, denial or revocation of a license, permit or other land use entitlement authorizing a specific use of or improvement to the parcel or any variance that changes the permitted use of, or restrictions placed on, the property;

(6) Involves construction of, or improvements to, streets, water, sewer, storm drainage or similar facilities, and the parcel will receive new or improved services that provide a benefit or detriment disproportionate to other properties receiving the services;

(7) Involves property located 500 feet or less from the property line of the parcel unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the decision will not have any measurable impact on the official's property; or

(8) Involves property located more than 500 feet but less than 1,000 feet from the property line of the parcel, and the decision would change the parcel's:
(A) Development potential;

(B) Income producing potential;

(C) Highest and best use;

(D) Character by substantially altering traffic levels, intensity of use, parking, view, privacy, noise levels, or air quality; or

(E) Market value.

(b) The financial effect of a governmental decision on a parcel of real property in which an official has a financial interest involving property 1,000 feet or more from the property line of the official's property is presumed not to be material. This presumption may be rebutted with clear and convincing evidence the governmental decision would have a substantial effect on the official's property.

(c) Leasehold Interests. The reasonably foreseeable financial effects of a governmental decision on any real property in which a governmental official has a leasehold interest as the lessee of the property is material only if the governmental decision will:

(1) Change the termination date of the lease;

(2) Increase or decrease the potential rental value of the property;

(3) Change the official's actual or legally allowable use of the property; or

(4) Impact the official's use and enjoyment of the property.

(d) Exceptions. The financial effect of a governmental decision on a parcel of real property in which an official has a financial interest is not material if:

(1) The decision solely concerns repairs, replacement or maintenance of existing streets, water, sewer, storm drainage or similar facilities.

(2) The decision solely concerns the adoption or amendment of a general plan and all of the following apply:
(A) The decision only identifies planning objectives or is otherwise exclusively one of policy. A decision will not qualify under this subdivision if the decision is initiated by the public official, by a person that is a financial interest to the public official, or by a person representing either the public official or a financial interest to the public official.

(B) The decision requires a further decision or decisions by the public official's agency before implementing the planning or policy objectives, such as permitting, licensing, rezoning, or the approval of or change to a zoning variance, land use ordinance, or specific plan or its equivalent.

(C) The decision does not concern an identifiable parcel or parcels or development project. A decision does not "concern an identifiable parcel or parcels" solely because, in the proceeding before the agency in which the decision is made, the parcel or parcels are merely included in an area depicted on a map or diagram offered in connection with the decision, provided that the map or diagram depicts all parcels located within the agency's jurisdiction and economic interests of the official are not singled out.

(D) The decision does not concern the agency's prior, concurrent, or subsequent approval of, or change to, a permit, license, zoning designation, zoning variance, land use ordinance, or specific plan or its equivalent.

(e) Definitions. The definitions below apply to this regulation:

(1) A decision "solely concerns the adoption or amendment of a general plan" when the decision, in the manner described in Sections 65301 and 65301.5, grants approval of, substitutes for, or modifies any component of, a general plan, including elements, a statement of development policies, maps, diagrams, and texts, or any other component setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals, as described in Sections 65302 and 65303.

(2) "General plan" means "general plan" as used in Sections 65300, et seq.

(3) "Specific plan" or its equivalent means a plan adopted by the jurisdiction to meet the purposes described in Sections 65450, et seq.

(4) Real property in which an official has a financial interest does not include any common area as part of the official's ownership interest in a common interest development as defined in the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code Sections 4000 et seq.)

1. New section filed 7-24-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 30).
2. Repealer of subsection (h) filed 6-22-87; operative 7-22-87 (Register 87, No. 26).
3. Amendment filed 10-17-88; operative 11-16-88 (Register 88, No. 43).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a)(2) filed 11-27-95 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 95, No. 48).
5. Amendment of subsections (a)(1)-(3) and (d) filed 10-23-96; operative 10-23-96 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 96, No. 43).
6. Repealer and new section filed 11-23-98; operative 11-23-98 pursuant to the 1974 version of Government Code section 11380.2 and title 2, California Code of Regulations, section 18312(d) and (e) (Register 98, No. 48).
7. Editorial correction of HISTORY 6 (Register 2000, No. 25).
8. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 10-26-2004; operative 11-25-2004 (Register 2004, No. 44).
9. Change without regulatory effect renumbering former section 18702.2 to section 18704.2 and renumbering section 18705.2 to section 18702.2, including amendment of section heading and subsections (a)(5) and (a)(11), filed 4-27-2015. Submitted to OAL for filing pursuant to Fair Political Practices Commission v. Office of Administrative Law, 3 Civil C010924, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, nonpublished decision, April 27, 1992 (FPPC regulations only subject to 1974 Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements and not subject to procedural or substantive review by OAL) (Register 2015, No. 18).
10. Amendment of subsection (a)(8) filed 7-10-2015; operative 7-10-2015 pursuant to section 18312(e)(1)(A), title 2, California Code of Regulations. Submitted to OAL for filing pursuant to Fair Political Practices Commission v. Office of Administrative Law, 3 Civil C010924, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, nonpublished decision, April 27, 1992 (FPPC regulations only subject to 1974 Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements and not subject to procedural or substantive review by OAL) (Register 2015, No. 28).
11. Amendment filed 2-20-2019; operative 2-20-2019 pursuant to Cal. Code Regs., tit. 2, section 18312(e). Submitted to OAL for filing pursuant to Fair Political Practices Commission v. Office of Administrative Law, 3 Civil C010924, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, nonpublished decision, April 27, 1992 (FPPC regulations only subject to 1974 Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements and not subject to procedural or substantive review by OAL) (Register 2019, No. 8).

Note: Authority cited: Section 83112, Government Code. Reference: Sections 87100, 87102.5, 87102.6, 87102.8 and 87103, Government Code.

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