Government Code section 66478

Whether by request of a county board of education or otherwise, a city or county may adopt an ordinance requiring any subdivider who develops or completes the development of one or more subdivisions in one or more school districts maintaining an elementary school to dedicate to the school district, or districts, within which such subdivisions are to be located, such land as the local legislative body shall deem to be necessary for the purpose of constructing thereon such elementary schools as are necessary to assure the residents of the subdivision adequate public school service. In no case shall the local legislative body require the dedication of an amount of land which would make development of the remaining land held by the subdivider economically unfeasible or which would exceed the amount of land ordinarily allowed under the procedures of the State Allocation Board.
An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall not be applicable to a subdivider who has owned the land being subdivided for more than 10 years prior to the filing of the tentative maps in accordance with Article 2 (commencing with Section 66452) of Chapter 3 of this division. The requirement of dedication shall be imposed at the time of approval of the tentative map. If, within 30 days after the requirement of dedication is imposed by the city or county, the school district does not offer to enter into a binding commitment with the subdivider to accept the dedication, the requirement shall be automatically terminated. The required dedication may be made any time before, concurrently with, or up to 60 days after, the filing of the final map on any portion of the subdivision. The school district shall, in the event that it accepts the dedication, repay to the subdivider or his successors the original cost to the subdivider of the dedicated land, plus a sum equal to the total of the following amounts:

(a)

The cost of any improvements to the dedicated land since acquisition by the subdivider.

(b)

The taxes assessed against the dedicated land from the date of the school district’s offer to enter into the binding commitment to accept the dedication.

(c)

Any other costs incurred by the subdivider in maintenance of such dedicated land, including interest costs incurred on any loan covering such land.
If the land is not used by the school district, as a school site, within 10 years after dedication, the subdivider shall have the option to repurchase the property from the district for the amount paid therefor.
The school district to which the property is dedicated shall record a certificate with the county recorder in the county in which the property is located. The certificate shall contain the following information:

(1)

The name and address of the subdivider dedicating the property.

(2)

A legal description of the real property dedicated.

(3)

A statement that the subdivider dedicating the property has an option to repurchase the property if it is not used by the school district as a school site within 10 years after dedication.

(4)

Proof of the acceptance of the dedication by the school district and the date of the acceptance. The certificate shall be recorded not more than 10 days after the date of acceptance of the dedication. The subdivider shall have the right to compel the school district to record such certificate, but until such certificate is recorded, any rights acquired by any third party dealing in good faith with the school district shall not be impaired or otherwise affected by the option right of the subdivider.
If any subdivider is aggrieved by, or fails to agree to the reasonableness of any requirement imposed pursuant to this section, he may bring a special proceeding in the superior court pursuant to Section 66499.37.

Source: Section 66478, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=66478.­ (accessed May 12, 2025).

Last Updated

May 12, 2025

§ 66478’s source at ca​.gov