A local agency may, by ordinance which conforms to and implements the procedures prescribed by this article, provide for the merger of a parcel or unit with a contiguous parcel or unit held by the same owner if any one of the contiguous parcels or units held by the same owner does not conform to standards for minimum parcel size, under the zoning ordinance of the local agency applicable to the parcels or units of land and if all of the following requirements are satisfied:

(a) At least one of the affected parcels is undeveloped by any structure for which a building permit was issued or for which a building permit was not required at the time of construction, or is developed only with an accessory structure or accessory structures, or is developed with a single structure, other than an accessory structure, that is also partially sited on a contiguous parcel or unit.

(b) With respect to any affected parcel, one or more of the following conditions exists:

(1) Comprises less than 5,000 square feet in area at the time of the determination of merger.

(2) Was not created in compliance with applicable laws and ordinances in effect at the time of its creation.

(3) Does not meet current standards for sewage disposal and domestic water supply.

(4) Does not meet slope stability standards.

(5) Has no legal access which is adequate for vehicular and safety equipment access and maneuverability.

(6) Its development would create health or safety hazards.

(7) Is inconsistent with the applicable general plan and any applicable specific plan, other than minimum lot size or density standards.

The ordinance may establish the standards specified in paragraphs (3) to (7), inclusive, which shall be applicable to parcels to be merged.

This subdivision shall not apply if one of the following conditions exist:

(A) On or before July 1, 1981, one or more of the contiguous parcels or units of land is enforceably restricted open-space land pursuant to a contract, agreement, scenic restriction, or open-space easement, as defined and set forth in Section 421 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(B) On July 1, 1981, one or more of the contiguous parcels or units of land is timberland as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 51104, or is land devoted to an agricultural use as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 51201.

(C) On July 1, 1981, one or more of the contiguous parcels or units of land is located within 2,000 feet of the site on which an existing commercial mineral resource extraction use is being made, whether or not the extraction is being made pursuant to a use permit issued by the local agency.

(D) On July 1, 1981, one or more of the contiguous parcels or units of land is located within 2,000 feet of a future commercial mineral extraction site as shown on a plan for which a use permit or other permit authorizing commercial mineral resource extraction has been issued by the local agency.

(E) Within the coastal zone, as defined in Section 30103 of the Public Resources Code, one or more of the contiguous parcels or units of land has, prior to July 1, 1981, been identified or designated as being of insufficient size to support residential development and where the identification or designation has either (i) been included in the land use plan portion of a local coastal program prepared and adopted pursuant to the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 of the Public Resources Code), or (ii) prior to the adoption of a land use plan, been made by formal action of the California Coastal Commission pursuant to the provisions of the California Coastal Act of 1976 in a coastal development permit decision or in an approved land use plan work program or an approved issue identification on which the preparation of a land use plan pursuant to the provisions of the California Coastal Act is based.

For purposes of paragraphs (C) and (D) of this subdivision, “mineral resource extraction” means gas, oil, hydrocarbon, gravel, or sand extraction, geothermal wells, or other similar commercial mining activity.

(c) The owner of the affected parcels has been notified of the merger proposal pursuant to Section 66451.13, and is afforded the opportunity for a hearing pursuant to Section 66451.14.

For purposes of this section, when determining whether contiguous parcels are held by the same owner, ownership shall be determined as of the date that notice of intention to determine status is recorded.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 162, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)