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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-11-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - AMEND GP HOUSING ELEMENT (3)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT i City Manager Approval /—/� Item to be presented by: Vince Bertoni PUBLIC HEARING DATE: November 13, 2001 SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATING THE HOUSING ELEMENT DEPARTMENT: Planning and Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive staff presentation, open public hearing, receive public testimony, close the public hearing, discuss and adopt a resolution approving Master Case No. 99-335 which consists of General Plan Amendment 99-04. BACKGROUND The State of California requires each city and county to prepare a Housing Element for its General Plan approximately every five years. The purpose of the Housing Element of the General Plan is to ensure that every jurisdiction establishes policies, procedures and incentives in its land use planning and redevelopment activities that will result in the maintenance and expansion of the housing supply to adequately house households currently living and expected to live in that jurisdiction. The City of Santa Clarita Housing Element establishes goals and policies to guide officials in making decisions to address local housing needs within a regional context. State law requires preparation of a housing element to ensure that housing opportunities exist for existing and future residents at all income levels. Requirements include assessment of existing and projected housing need identification of community goals and statement of objectives and policies as they relate to housing. The City of Santa Clarita Housing Element contains the following main components: 1) Regional Housing Needs Assessment; 2) vacant land inventory; 3) housing constraints; 4) goals and policies; 5) housing programs and quantified objectives; and 6) an implementation program. Additionally, the element addresses special housing needs for specific populations such as the elderly, the disabled, female head of households, and the homeless. Adopted: 4 � 4eenda item: The current planning period for the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) as prepared by the Southern California Association of Governments (SLAG) is from January 1, 1998 to June 30, 2005. Following incorporation in 1987, the City of Santa Clarita adopted its first Housing Element in June 1991. The City amended its Housing Element in 1992 and 1995. In 1995, the Housing Element received its first certification by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This document is the first comprehensive update of the City of Santa Clarita Housing Element. The City of Santa Clarita submitted the Draft Housing Element in March 2001 to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for initial review. Prior to submittal, the city provided opportunities to other governmental agencies, special districts, non -profits, housing interest groups and the public to participate in updating the Housing Element. Advertisements and official notices were placed in The Signal newspaper and three community meetings were held throughout the City to encourage public input. A City Council Study Session was held in February 2000. HCD completed their initial review and returned the draft document with comments on May 24, 2001. Comments included that the City produce specific program descriptions and objectives. City staff has reviewed HCD's comments and has revised the Housing Element update to reflect current demographic data and produce specific program descriptions and objectives. The City of Santa Clarita Planning Commission reviewed the draft Housing Element on October 2, 2001 and recommended approval of Resolution No. P01-36, a resolution recommending the City Council approve General Plan Amendment No. 99-004 (Master Case No. 99-335) amending the Housing Element of the General Plan for the City of Santa Clarita and adopt the Negative Declaration. ANALYSIS Approximately every five years, each city and county in the State of California is required to prepare an update of the Housing Element for its General Plan. The housing element shall consist of an identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs and a statement of goals, policies, quantified objectives, financial resources, and scheduled programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing. The housing element must identify adequate sites for housing, including rental housing, factory -built housing, and mobilehomes, and must make adequate provisions for the existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community. Community Response The City of Santa Clarita received a letter from the Building Industry Association, expressing their concerns with two of the proposed projects included in the draft Housing Element update. The BIA has concerns with the discussions on inclusionary housing and the concept of a housing bank and requested the removal of all references to these two items from the draft Housing Element. ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS As part of the project review, an environmental assessment was made to evaluate the impacts of the project. It was determined that the proposed project could not have a significant impact on the environment. As such, a Draft Negative Declaration and Initial Study was prepared by staff and circulated for public review and comment on August 28, 2001. As of the date of preparing this report, staff has not received any feedback from members of the public in regards to the Draft Negative Declaration. FISCAL IMPACT There are no direct costs associated with the preparation of an update to the Housing Element of the General Plan. There are several feasibility studies proposed in the Housing Element update that will create new costs upon implementation of the plan, however at this time, these costs are unknown. The City Council will have the opportunity in the future to review the costs associated with the feasibility studies. ATTACHMENTS Resolution Housing and Community Development Review Letter Letter from the Building Industry Association READING FILE Draft Safety Element Amendment (Exhibit A) JJL:VPB:MAM S: \PBS \ADVANCE \ HOUSING\ Council \ReportHousing.doc CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita in the City Hall Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1" Floor, Santa Clarita, California, on the 13th day of November, 2001, at or after 6:00 p.m. to consider Master Case No. 99-335 (General Plan Amendment 99-04), and the adoption of a comprehensive update of the City of Santa Clarita's General Plan Housing Element as required by the California Government Code. This update covers the 1998 — 2005 planning period as designated by the State for the Southern California Association of Governments region. The Housing Element Update identifies housing policies, needs, quantified housing goals, constraints, and programs to address these issues. The City of Santa Clarita was assigned a regional need of 7,156 new units to accommodate its fair share of regional growth. This element identifies vacant land and zoning that demonstrates the City has provided the capacity to accommodate its fair share of new units. Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that time. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Planning and Building Services Department, Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Third Floor, Santa Clarita, CA. 91355, (661) 255-4330 — Marika A. Modugno, Assistant Planner II. If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing. Dated: October 12, 2001 Sharon L. Dawson, CMC City Clerk Publish Date: October 20, 2001 Phgenplan.gb It DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT me Division of Housing Policy Development. 1800 Third SM44 RWM 430 P.O. Bac 952053 Sa nm, CA 94252-2053 V E D (916)323-3176 FAX (916) 327-2643 ¢i PL= C C E E I VISION OEJE�' E -nal: cehowe@bcd.m.gov May 4, 2001 Mr. Vincent P. Bertoni, Planning Manager City of Santa Clarita 23920 Valencia Boulevard Santa Clarita, California, 91355 Doss Mr. Bertoni: MAY 0 7 2001 PLANNING AND BUILDING SERVICES CITY OF SANTA CLARITA RE: Review of Santa Clarita's Draft Housing Element Thank you for submitting Santa Clarita's draft housing element, received for our review on March 7, 2001. As you know, we are required to review draft housing elements and report our findings to the locality pursuant to Government Code Section 65585(b). Telephone conversations with Ms. Marika Modugno, planner, facilitated the review of this draft element. This letter and Appendix summarize the conclusions of those conversations and our review. The City's draft element is very well written with thorough analyses of Santa Clarita's housing needs and incorporates important data from the City's Consolidated Plan. However, the element requires some revisions to comply with State housing element law (Article 10.6 of the Government Code). In particular, the element should provide specific program descriptions and objectives. For your information, we have enclosed a brief description of new and existing housing and community development programs administered by this Department along with funding levels for the current fiscal year. We are pleased to report a historic increase in housing funds available through HCD. Information on these programs, including recently released Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA), has been posted to our website. Please consult our homepage at www hed I'm g v for new program information. If you have any questions, or if you would like our assistance, please contact Mario Angel, of our staff, at (916) 445-3485. We would be happy to travel to Santa Clarita to provide any assistance needed to facilitate your efforts to bring the element into compliance. Mr. Vincent P. Bertoni, Planning Manager Page 2 In accordance with requests pursuant to the Public Records Act, we are forwarding copies of this letter to the persons and organizations listed below. Sincerely, A�ire:twor DutyD Enclosure cc: Marika Modugno, Planner Catherine Ysrael, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, AG's Office Terry Roberts, Governor's Office of Planning and Research Kimberley Dellinger, California Building Industry Association Marcia Salicin, California Association of Realtors Marc Brown, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation Rob Weiner, California Coalition for Rural Housing John Douglas, AICP, The Planning Center Dara Schur, Western Center on Law and Poverty Michael G. Colantuono, Attorney at Law Carlyle W. Hall, Hall & Phillips Law Firm Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley Mark Johnson, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Dennis Rockway, Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach Stephanie Knapik, Westside Fair Housing Council Mona Tawatao, San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services Mihn Tran, Inland Counties Legal Services Karen Warner, Cotton, Bridges & Associates David Booher, California Housing Council Jonathan Lehrer-Graiwer, Attorney at Law Ana Marie Whitaker, California State University Pomona Joe Carreras, Southern California Association of Governments Won Chang, Attorney at Law, Davis and Company APPENDIX City of Santa Clarita The following changes would, in our opinion, bring Santa Clarita's housing element into compliance with Article 10.6 of the Government Code. Following each recommended change or addition, we refer to the applicable provision of the Government Code. The particular program examples or data sources listed are suggestions for your information only. We recognize that Santa Clarita may choose other means of complying with the law. OMMI. ►M -O 1. The element should include an inventory of land suitable for residential development, including vacant sites and sites having potential for redevelopment, and an analysis of the relationship of zoning and public services available to these sites (Section 65583(a)(3)). Expand the land inventory analysis: a. Revise Table H-33 to indicate whether the acreage totals are for vacant land. If the acreage totals combine vacant and occupied, but underutilized land, the categories shall be separated. b. Analyze the impact of mid -point development threshold, specifically the Santa Clarita's density standards on the City's ability to accommodate the regional share need for lower-income households. c. Clarify under what conditions the maximum density of 50 -units per acre can be achieved in the "Panhandle" and the "Golden Valley" sites. The element (H-69) notes the VC overly allows up to 60 units per acre, but given the City's other mid- point thresholds it is not clear under what circumstances this density can be achieved. d. Describe the conditional use permit requirements in the Valley Center zone. 2. Expand the analysis of potential and actual governmental constraints on the maintenance, improvement or development of housing for all income levels, including land use controls, site improvements, fees and other exactions, and processing and permit procedures (Section 65583(a)(4)). a. While the element (page H-69) includes general information concerning residential development standards, the element should specifically describe and analyze City requirements, including height limitations, maximum lot coverage, open space requirements, parking standards, and any design standards for their potential impact upon the development of single-family and multifamily development. b. The element includes an identification of the City's planning fees. The element should also include an identification and analysis of the impact of development fees and exactions including, park fees, water and sewer connection changes, school impact fees, and other impact fees or requirements imposed on developers. c. The element (page H-61) describes that projects can receive an additional "affordable housing density bonus" if the project is proposed for low- or moderate - income housing. In addition, the element indicates that in order to exceed mid -point densities, a conditional use permit is required. The element should describe the conditional use requirement to receive the affordable housing density bonus. 1 ",211 1 J 11 1. The housing element should include a program which sets forth a five year schedule of actions the local government is undertaking or intends to undertake to implement the policies and achieve the goals and objectives of the housing element (Section 65583(c)). a. Program actions should include specific implementation actions to ensure the City can meet housing element program requirements (Section 65583(c)(1-6)) and to demonstrate the City's commitment to implementation. Whenever possible, the programs should have measurable programs objectives. These objectives are particularly important to monitor program implementation and when evaluating whether housing programs should be revised or retained when the housing element is next updated. b. Each program action should describe the City's role in implementation and should contain a specific date for implementation during the planning period. The following examples are illustrative: Program i d (Page_ Nom: Under what conditions are flexible development standards approved? pro am 1 g_(Paage H'R4)- Has the City identified sites with infill potential? When and what actions will the City undertake to identify sites with infill potential? When will the City apply for State HOME funds? The City should be aware that the HOME NOFA is released annually. Please refer to the Department's website at www.hed.ca.gov/ca/home/ for updated information. Program 1 J age H-RY The City should clarify how Santa Clarita's conditional use permit process will encourage and facilitate the development of emergency shelters and transitional housing. Prnd am 7 a (Page N -RFI)' When will the City develop and implement the land use database? �— - E Program 4 e (page. 14-911: The element should be revised to describe out -reach efforts to promote the use of density bonus law and the City's "affordable housing density bonus" option in the residential development community. Program I f (page 14-91); The City should specify when it will investigate the use of Tax Free Bonds. Program i g (Page 14-99.)• The element should be revised to indicate when and to which funding programs the City will apply. Prngraml i (page_H-991 What is the City's role in implementing this program? Does the City promote Mortgage Credit certificates among its residents? Program 4 c (page 14-94)• What is the City's role and objectives in working with lending institutions? Program 4 g (Page, 1-1-95)- The City should clarify how it provides for the development of self help efforts. Prngrsm 5 d (Page 14-97),• The City should be aware of this Department's Mobilehome Park Resident Ownership Program (MPROP). This program provides financing for the preservation of mobilehome parks through the conversion of mobile home parks from private ownership to ownership or control by resident organizations, nonprofit housing sponsors, or local public agencies. The City should refer to the Department's website at www.hcd.ca.gov/ca/mprop for updated NOFA release dates. c. The element identifies serious housing needs of large households (page H-25, HO -33) without corresponding program responses commensurate with the need. A program should be developed to promote and accommodate the development of housing to meet the needs of large households. To address this need the City could consider the following program options: • Provide a density bonus for the development of units designated for large families. • Provide regulatory incentives, such as expedited permit processing and reduced development standards, to encourage the development of family housing. Give family housing projects priority in any City bond program. Health and Safety Code Sections 51335 and 52080 relating to multifamily bonds, requires that priority be given to projects containing three or four bedrooms. 2. Identify adequate sites which will be made available through appropriate zoning and development standards and with public services and facilities needed to facilitate and encourage the development of a variety of types of housing for all income levels, including rental housing, factory -built housing, mobilehomes, and emergency shelters and transitional housing. Where the inventory of sites, pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), does not idents adequate sites to accommodate the need for groups of all household income levels pursuant to Section 65584, the program shall provide for sufficient sites with zoning that permits owner -occupied and rental multifamily residential use by right, including density and development standards that could accommodate and facilitate the feasibility of housing for very low- and low-income households (Section 65583(c)(1)). As noted in A.1. above, further analysis of the feasibility of sites described in the element is needed. The adequacy of sites cannot be established prior to a more detailed analysis. 3. The housing element shall contain programs, which "address, and where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing" (Section 65583(c)(3)). As noted above (A.2), Santa Clarita's element requires a more thorough description and analysis of the City's land -use controls and development fees as potential governmental constraints. Depending upon the results of that analysis, the City may need to add programs to remove or mitigate any identified constraints. C. Puhlir Pgrtirilintion Describe the City's efforts to achieve the public participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of its housing element (Section 65583(c)). The element (page H-1) contains a thorough description of the involvement of various groups in the City's process in achieving the public participation. The element also notes that participant comments were incorporated into the drafting of the element. In addition, the element should be revised to specifically describe the City's efforts to circulate the housing element among lower-income organizations and individuals and to involve such groups and persons in the development of the element. 4 October 2, 2001 Tim Burkhart Ch 13111 Chairman, Planning Commission City of Santa Clarita 23920 Valencia Blvd. Greater LA Santa Clarita, CA 91355 Ventura Chaj)tt,r Re: Housing Element Update unddin_ ❑„i,,., Dear Mr. Burkhart, 24005 Ventura B�,. .. On behalf of the approximately 400 companies and 1200 individuals who make up the Calabasas. caiiia. Greater Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern 818.591.2001 California (BIA), I am writing to share with you and your fellowCommissioners our fax 818.591.00-0 concerns with the Santa Clarita Housing Element as it is currently written. http> wa'a�.blasc , While we are generally pleased with the components of the Housing Element Update, we wish to bring to your attention a few areas of concern. While it is obvious that the City went through a public participation process, unfortunately, the Building Industry Association was not involved at all. To the contrary, it was not until the middle of last month that we became aware that the City was ready to move forward with its update. We would have hoped that we would have had a greater opportunity for review and input. As a result of the short time line, our comments are not as thorough as they might otherwise be. I would like to strongly object to any discussion related to inclusionary zoning and voice concern about the concept of a housing bank. Simply put, inclusionary zoning does NOT work and does not belong in the City of Santa Clarita's Housing Element. As a matter of fact, the recent update to the Los Angeles County Housing Element removed all references to inclusionary zoning and does not appear in the final update. We strongly oppose any effort to incorporate this type of anti -housing proposal that will only continue to exacerbate the housing crisis in our region. Furthermore, we believe there is no constitutionally defensible nexus between the provision of market rate housing and the lack of affordable housing. In fact, it is not the provision of market rate housing which causes the affordable housing deficit, but issues such as excessive costs caused by multiple levels of regulation at the local, state and federal level. The homebuilding industry should not bear the sole responsibility of providing affordable housing. It is a problem that should be solved by society as a whole. Additionally, these two items do not appear to philosophically fit with the rest of the element. While the rest of the document talks about incentives and removing barriers to affordable housing, these two concepts create additional regulations. We urge the Commission to focus on removing barriers, not adding new ones. We look forward to working with you on solutions to provide more housing of all types in our region. Sincerely, ?Os-_ Ray Pearl Executive Officer An Affiliate of the National Association of Home Builden and the California Building Industry Association