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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-07-12 - AGENDA REPORTS - ANNUAL REPORT GPAGENDA REPORT City Manager Item to ich E CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: July 12, 1994 SUBJECT: Annual Report on the General Plan DEPARTMENT: Community Development by: The attached report is an update of the City's progress in administering and implementing the General Plan. This, report is required annually by state planning law in accordance with Government Code Section 65400(b). Since the adoption of the General Plan on June 25, 1991, this represents the third annual report. This year's report is essentially an up -date of the 1993 report, topical areas, including: General Plan amendments, progress the General Plan Mitigation Monitoring Program (from the Impact Report). RECOMMENDATION Review and file the report on the General Plan ATTACHMENT Annual Report advance\gpanrp0Lmjc The report addresses several in growth management, and General Plan Environmental • R ..r n , !t it: INTRODUCTION Since its adoption on June 25, 1991, significant progress has been made on the implementation of the City's General Plan. This report summarizes the past year's activity relating to the implementation of the City's General Plan in the following areas: General Plan amendments, major implementation accomplishments, mandatory reporting requirements, growth management, mitigation monitoring, and General Plan legislation. It is important to note that the January 17, 1994, Northridge earthquake disaster relief effort has required the reallocation of various City staff resources, causing the suspension and/or delay of many General Plan implementation efforts. The Implementation Program includes a list and description of established City programs (various strategic plans, the Capital Improvement Plan, and the annual budget) that are available in the implementation process. The Implementation Plan also includes a chapter devoted to each element of the General Plan which organizes the implementation of the various elements. Additionally, a priority ranking has been established for each of seventy- seven implementation measures. This priority ranking has received minor adjustments in response to the City Council's direction to address the changing needs of the City and its residents. This approach is, in turn, being used to budget the expenditures necessary to implement the General Plan. The Implementation Program is an on-going process coordinated with and affected through the City's capital improvement projects, on-going maintenance activities, permits and licensing requirements, housing, growth management, and legislative requirements. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS Since the 1993 annual report, one amendment to the General Plan has begun or been proposed/adopted, and a second is currently being drafted. Housing Element To improve upon several subjects discussed in the Housing Element, an amendment was adopted which addressed the following points: Large Families, Farm Workers, Land Use Controls, Inventory of Land Suitable for Residential Development, Quantified Objectives, Relationship of Residential Land Inventory and Housing Needs, Public Services and Infrastructure, Quantified Objectives, Potential Loss of Affordable Housing Subsidies, and Consistency with other Elements. The City is currently conducting a survey of vacant land zoned for residential use in response to concerns addressed by the State Department of Housingand Community Development. GPA 93-01 Circulation Element Under consideration is the deletion of that portion of Highway 126 presently designated as an eight -lane expressway and the potential to designate alternative routes. This has resulted from a recommendation by the Citizens' Transportation Committee to the City Manager. The Planning Commission and City Council have recommended a primary central city circulation network for further study. The City is now preparing an Environmental Impact Report for - 1 - an amendment to the Circulation Element to identify preferred routes, and eliminate proposed State Route 126 from the Central City Civic roadway network. MAJOR IMPLEMENTATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS Unified Development Code The adoption of the City's Unified Development Code (UDC) has given the public specific local development regulations for zoning, subdivision, and grading. The UDC has provided a formal framework for General Plan implementation through the development application review process, and internal consistency between the General Plan goals and development regulations. The UDC developmentapplication review process has also assured implementation of General Plan Growth Management policies by defining standards and encouraging a balance of uses in appropriate locations within the incorporated area. Affordable Housing In February, 1993, staff formed an Interdepartmental Affordable Housing Committee; approximately ten staff members, representing the Departments of Community Development, Finance, and Community Recovery Agency (formerly staff of the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department) have been meeting on a regular basis to discuss various affordable housing issues, share information, and coordinate programs/activities. The Community Development Planning Division coordinates the overall affordable housing strategy; Finance Department coordinates financing for affordable housing programs. The Community Recovery Agency administers the City's Community Development Block Grant program to acquire funding for the implementation of affordable housing programs. The City completed a Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) in November of 1993. The CHAS document includes an annual plan which identifies housing priorities for the City and identifies actions to be undertaken by the City for the next year. The CHAS is consistent with the Housing Element and promotes City actions to coordinate housing services. To assist the public in acquiring affordable housing, the City has adopted a Conduit Financing Policy. The city's Affordable Housing Policy states that the "Council may, at its sole discretion, participate in bond financing for the affordable housing development." The City has been approached by a number of owners of senior housing developments to facilitate the issuance of multi -family housing revenue bonds. Such requests have prompted a need for the City to have guidelines in place to evaluate, the worthiness and viability of such proposals and their conformance to the City's affordable housing policy. The draft policy ensures that no costs will be incurred by the City on behalf of the property owner/developer. Joint City -County Planning Land Use Policy No. 1.9 of the General Plan states that the City shall "continue to pursue a policy of cooperation with Los Angeles County" with the intent to "preserve the character of the communities and the integrity of the Santa Clarita Valley." The primary and -2- overriding goals of this program continue to promote consistent and sound planning, and to enhance the quality of life in both the incorporated and unincorporated parts of the Santa Clarita Valley. Through County project monitoring, the City has become an effective liaison between Santa Clarita Valley residents and the County.. As such, public participation in the land use planning and project approval process has been facilitated. Since January 1, 1994, the City has commented on thirty-one projects through this program. The City has also assisted residents of the incorporated area, and the communities of Stevenson Ranch, Sunset Point, Northbridge, Baker Canyon, and Agua Dulce. Subsequent program phases are anticipated with the changing needs of the Santa Clarita Valley. Redevelopment The City has identified a redevelopment project area in response to the Northridge earthquake recovery effort. The activation of the redevelopment project area, identified in the City's Community Recovery Plan, is encouraged by and supported through implementation of Land Use Element policies 2.4, 3.4 through 3.9; Community Design Element policy 1.1; Housing Element policy 4.11; Economic Development policies 3.1, 7.1 through 7.6, and 8.1 through 8.4. Through redevelopment activities, the City will be able to rebuild infrastructure damaged or destroyed during the earthquake. Redevelopment "set- aside" funds will also be used to aid the City's efforts to provide affordable housing targeting very low, low, and moderate income residents.. Additional General Plan Accomplishments The most noteworthy General Plan implementation accomplishment to date has been the implementation of the City's response to the Northridge Earthquake disaster of January 17, 1994. The mobilization of staff put into action the City's emergency response plan and direct implementation of several General Plan goals and policies, particularly the goals and policies of the following elements: Safety; Public Services, Facilities, and Utilities; Human Resources; Circulation; and Economic Development/Community Revitalization. The formation of the Community Recovery Agency was borne directly out of the City's disaster response to assure a financial mechanism for long-term disaster relief, restoration, prevention measures, and community revitalization of the Northridge earthquake's detrimental effects to the City's public services and economic development. MANDATORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Although the state law requiring the annual report on the General Plan is very general and does not dictate a particular format or a precise list of contents, the following two subjects, Regional Housing Share and Removal of Constraints, both pertain to the Housing Element and must be addressed. Regional Housing Share State Housing Element law requires that cities receive a determination through the local council of governments of what each city's Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) is. In 1989, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) provided the City of -3- Santa Clarita with this determination. According to the City's RHNA, a total of 6,401 housing units should be built to accommodate anticipated growth from 1989 through June 30, 1994. The latter is a benchmark date, since it represents the date by which cities and counties in the SCAG region must update their Housing Elements. The 6,401 units are further divided into the four different income categories shown. Regional Housing Needs Assessment Income Level Very Low (0-50% of county median income) Low (50-80% of county median income) Moderate (80-120% of county median income) High (over 120% of county median income) Existing Future Percentage Need No. Need No. Distribution 3,087 1,285 (source: Southern California Association of Governments Quantified Objectives 1,031 16,1 531 8.3 992 15.5 3.847 60.1 6,401 100.0 1989) Income Level Units Constructed Very Low 13 Low 81 Moderate 216 High 811 Total 1,121 Because the marketplace will serve as the primary motivator of what housing units actually are built, the City is also required to make a realistic projection of what is likely to be constructed.. This estimate is termed the "quantified objectives" and was included in the Housing Element amendment (GPA 92-001). According to the quantified objectives, the City estimated that 1,121 units would be built between the date of adoption of the General Plan (June 25, 1991), and June 30, 1994. An estimated total of 474 units have been constructed in first two years of this three-year period. Of this total, 87 units are intended for the very low income category, and 55 units for the low income category. Removal of Constraints A recent addition to the State law regarding this annual report is the incorporation of a section discussing each jurisdiction's efforts during the past year to remove constraints to the production of affordable housing.: This requirement became effective on January 1, 1993, and this represents the City's first opportunity to report on this subject. Potential constraints are discussed in State Housing Element law, and include both governmental and non-governmental constraints. Examples of governmental constraints may include overly strict or unwieldy development ordinances, high fees and exactions, and tedious or slow permit processing. In the Housing Element amendment mentioned above 4- (GPA 92-001), a section was devoted to Land Use Controls, which enumerates the governmental constraints and included means to reduce these constraints. Provisions addressed in the UDC that are intended to reduce constraints include: density bonuses, joint living and working quarters, and home occupations. Non-governmental constraints include the availability of land, the marketplace, community, and the economy. GROWTH MANAGEMENT Because of the importance of the Growth Management Section of the General Plan, the following is a summary of the City's accomplishments in this area. It shows the comparison of new development to the amount of new infrastructure provided. The ongoing recession has strongly affected development and subdivision activity in the City, and in surrounding unincorporated areas. Subdivision Activity A 64 -lot residential subdivision was approved (Canterbury Village), and no commercial lots were approved in FY 1993 -1994. All units approved were for low income residents. Summary of Building Permit Activity In FY 1993-94, building permits were issued for 198 single-family residences, two commercial buildings, and one industrial building. Other permits issued were primarily for additions to existing structures. Summary of Infrastructure Improvements The General Plan is structured around the philosophy of "pay as you go" to help ensure that adequate infrastructure is provided along with new development. The following is alist of infrastructure improvements made within the past year and is indicative of the level of attention being given to improving the local infrastructure: 1. Street Improvements a. San Fernando Road widening subsequent phases between Drayton St. and Placerita Creek. b. Soledad Canyon Road and bridge widening between Bouquet Canyon Road and Camp Plenty Road (bridge widening at Camp Plenty Road is currently underway). c. Whites Canyon Road bridge and the extension of Via Princessa from May Way to Sierra Highway completed in early June 1994. d. Commencement of Magic Mountain Parkway bridge widening, at San Fernando Road, (from two lanes to fourlanes) as part of State Route 126 improvement project. e. The '93 -'94 overlay and slurry seal program was accomplished, and the initial phase 5- of the '94 - '95 slurry seal program has commenced. f. Associated with the Home Depot project conditions of approval, Golden Triangle Road was widened from two lanes to four lanes, and Ruether Avenue was extended from Soledad Canyon Road to Golden Triangle Road. 2. Traffic Signal Improvements a. New signal installed at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Ruether Avenue. b. New signal installed at the intersection of Magic Mountain Parkway and Tourney Road. c. New signals at the intersection of Whites Canyon Road and Via Princessa Road. d. New signals at the intersection of Via Princessa Road and Wayerhauser Way.. 3. Other Improvements a. Construction of a second Metrolink Station at Via Princessa and Wayerhauser Way (off of Sierra Highway) and the inauguration of commuter rail service between Santa Clarita and Palmdale / Lancaster. b. Continuing work on the expansion of the City's Corporation Yard. c. Completion of street widening and intersection signalization surrounding the site of the regional shopping center. GENERAL PLAN MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM Monitoring of all mitigation measures identified in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required by the California Public Resources Code, Section 21081.6. The Mitigation Monitoring Program (MMP) prepared for the General Plan EIR brings together all mitigation measures (largely developed as goals and policies) identified for each environmental issue analyzed in the EIR, identifies implementation measures and sets time lines. This annual report on the General Plan and policy implementation, required by state law, is one of six items required by the Mitigation Monitoring Program. The City's progress is as follows: 1. General Plan Annual Report The City duly made this report in 1993 and this represents the 1994 report. 2. Report on Housing Element Program Implementation In the Housing Element, unlike the other General Plan Elements, there are programs, rather than implementation measures. A total of 45 programs are listed that are available to the City to implement the Housing Element. To date, progress has been WE 3. made in utilizing 20 of the 45 programs as follows: Existing Needs Prioritization Mixed Use Land Use Data Base Increasing Affordable Programs State and Federal Programs Rental Rehabilitation Public Facilities Funding Density Bonuses Special Needs Prioritizing Specific Plan and Planned Development Site Accessibility Code Enforcement Rehabilitation Loans Emergency Repair Grants Enforcement of Conditions of Approval Balance Employment with Housing One Stop Permit. Processing Site Design Features Site Design with Low Water Use Recycling and Composting These activities are ongoing as follows a. Each new development application is circulated for review by approximately 30 agencies to determine effects on service providers and infrastructure capacity b. New joint city -county school fees for five local school districts were adopted during the period between May 1992 and the present. C. New joint city -county fire facility fees were adopted in May 1993, and revised fees are currently under consideration. d, New joint Bridge and Thoroughfare fees (which involved coordination with both the County and the Building Industry Association) were adopted in spring 1993. e. The City is participating in the, Santa Clara River Enhancement and Management Plan (Ventura County Public Works is the Lead Agency) with numerous other agencies to inventory and develop management plans for the entire Santa Clara River watershed. The City has completed environmental review and documentation of the proposed 14.5 mile multiple -use Santa Clara River Trail project. f. The City continues to work with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the Ventura sub -area of SCAG's Regional Comprehensive Plan. This action will promote regional interaction between the Santa Clarita Valley and communities along the Santa Clara River to the west. The City is also working as a member of the North County sub -area for traffic issues only. -7- g. To address "regional transportation and air quality goals, the City adopted a trip reduction ordinance in March 1993, which responds to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Congestion Management Plan. The Plan links land use, air quality, and transportation planning to reduce the number of vehicle trips, the number of miles traveled, and to increase vehicle occupancy and patronage of transit systems, as well as to encourage alternate modes of transportation. The City continues to provide multi -modal transportation opportunities through its transit bus and dial -a -ride programs, economic incentives, park-and-ride lots, and support of Metrolink activities. h. The capacity of Soledad Canyon Road has been partially increased without performing additional construction, by restriping lanes. i. The City is complying with SCAG's Regulation XV requirements by adopting flexible schedules, the 9/80 alternative work week, and providing incentives for employees to rideshare and use alternative methods of transportation. 4. Infrastructure Improvements and the Capital Improvement Program Certain infrastructure improvements are required by mitigation measures. Where cooperation with the County is involved to complete these improvements, the MMP requires that these items be incorporated into the City's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The City is currently preparing, as part of its CIP program, plans to comply with the National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES). This will help the City implement the General Plan requirement for a City-wide drainage master plan. M