HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-08-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - SC FIRST INITIATIVE (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager
Item to be presentby: Frank Ferry
NEW BUSINESS
DATE: August 28, 2001
SUBJECT: SANTA CLARITA FIRST INITIATIVE
DEPARTMENT: City Council
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Direct staff to hire an environmental consultant to begin the environmental review
process on the "Santa Clarita First Initiative". Allocate $20,000.00 from the Council
contingency fund.
2. Direct City staff and the City Attorney to analyze "Santa Clarita First Initiative"
and amend initiative language so it is compliant with applicable state law.
3. Direct the City Clerk to take appropriate steps to place the "Santa Clarita First
Initiative" on the April 2002 City ballot.
BACKGROUND
Over the past decade, the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Clarita Valley has
experienced significant growth and development. This is the most pressing issue facing
residents in this valley as their quality of life is threatened with impacted schools,
increased traffic and limited park space for youth sports.
Our community defines growth into two categories: Pro -Growth versus No -Growth. In fact,
our community has supported managed growth on the premise that development pays for
itself by providing the necessary infrastructure needed so as not to effect the quality of life
of existing residents. Developments have been approved if they enhance the overall quality
of life, for all residents, through new roads, active park space, open space and turnkey
school facilities.
The purpose of the Santa Clarita First Initiative is to allow the community to "take a
breath" from rampant growth while allowing them time to find a reasonable, moderate
position for growth so stakeholders can continue working together to secure funding
solutions and begin the construction of new schools, roads and parks.
Continued 2�00 1
Agenda :_029
"Santa Clarita First"
Residential Development Control System
(Sponsored by — Mayor Pro Tem Frank Ferry)
Section 1-10.01 Findings —
The People of the City of Santa Clarita hereby find and declare as follows:
(a) The City of Santa Clarita has adopted a General Plan and City ordinances relating to the
regulations of residential development;
(b) The City of Santa Clarita is experiencing a period of intense residential development
which is adversely affecting the capacity of the streets and local freeway system to meet
traffic demands, the capacity of appropriate schools to absorb children, the semi -rural
character of the community, and the quality of life prevalent in the Santa Clarita Valley;
(c) It is the intent of the People of the City of Santa Clarita to achieve a steady, rather than a
fluctuating, overly rapid, rate of residential growth in order that the services provided by
City, school, park, and/or service agencies operating in the City can be properly and
effectively staged in a manner which will not overextend existing facilities, and will
minimize costs of facility expansion through long-range planning;
(d) It is the intent of the People of Santa Clarita to establish control over the quality,
distribution, and rate of growth of the City in the interest of: insuring adequate school
capacity; *preserving the character of the community; *protecting the open space of the
Santa Clarita Valley; *insuring the adequacy of City facilities, recreation and park
facilities, and services; *insuring a balance of housing types and values in the City which
will accommodate a variety of families, including families of moderate income and older
families on limited, fixed incomes; *insuring balanced development in the City; *
preventing further significant deterioration in the local air quality; *insuring that the
traffic demands do not exceed the capacity of City streets; *insuring that the City does
not grow in a pattern that places a severe strain on local freeway and street system, and
*insuring the adequacy of fire and police protection;
(e) It is the purpose of this ordinance to augment the policies of the City as recorded in the
General Plan and City ordinances relating to the regulation of residential development;
(f) That maintenance of clean and healthful air is essential to the community; therefore,
adopting a residential growth -control system will allow the City time to find means to
protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the People of Santa Clarita; and
(g) In order to accomplish the purposes of this title, the City must be able to control the rate,
distribution, quality, and economic level of proposed development. To this end, the
following residential development control system for the City shall be in effect from and
after its effective date until December 31. 2012.
1-10.02 Applicability of the development control system —
The provisions of the residential development control system shall apply from the effective
date to all residential development in the City, with the exception of the following:
(a) Projects of not more than twenty-five (25) residential dwellings, limited to only one such
project per developer per calendar year,
(b) Fourplexes or lesser numbered multiple dwellings on a single existing lot;
(c) Single-family residential units on a single existing lot;
(d) Rehabilitation, expansion, or remodeling of an existing dwelling, or conversion of
apartments to condominiums, so long as no additional dwelling units are created;
(e) Housing developments found by the City Council, or body designated by the Council to
make that finding, pursuant to Section 1-10.02.5 to be very low, low and/or moderate
income or senior citizen dwelling unit projects, funded or subsidized pursuant to the
provisions of applicable federal, state or local laws or program;
(f) After December 31, 2002, that portion of developments for which a Development
Agreement has been entered into with the City, which agreements provide a phasing
plan for the maximum number of annual building permits to be issued on and after
December 31, 2002.
(g) Residential annexations approved by the City that do not involve the construction of new
residential units.
(h) Commercial, office, industrial, and institutional development;
(i) On -campus student housing; and
0) Development projects approved by the City prior to December 31, 2002
Section 1-10.02.5 Low Income, moderate income, or senior citizen projects:
Exemptions: Procedure.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions are provided:
(1) "Low Income" dwelling unit. A low income dwelling unit is a separate housing unit for
rent or sale with a rental rate or consumer purchase cost which enables (after considering
income to debt ratios of lenders with regards to "for sale" units) persons with a gross
household income that exceeds fifty (50%) percent but does not exceed eighty (80%)
percent of the Los Angeles County area median income as adjusted for family size, to
rent or purchase that unit.
(2) "Moderate income" dwelling unit. A moderate income dwelling unit is a separate
housing unit for rent or sale with a rental rate or purchase cost which enables (after
considering income to debt rations of lenders with regards to "for sale" units) persons,
with gross household annual incomes that exceed eighty (80%) percent, but is less than
one hundred twenty (120%) percent of the Los Angeles County area median income as
adjusted for family size, to rent or purchase the unit.
(3) "Median Income. " Median income shall be the last available HUD computation, or any
substituted computation approved by the Council should that agency cease providing
that data, for median family income for the County of Los Angeles area which shall be
updated and adjusted by the City based upon City approved trending factors applied to
those figures which reflect expected increased in incomes.
(4) "Purchase cost. " The purchase cost shall be the monthly cost for the initial purchaser
determined after considering the cumulative effect of the sales price, escrow fees,
monthly homeowner association fees, property taxes, mortgages and homeowner
premiums, mortgage (or deed of trust purchase loans) terms and interest rates, all other
financing of the purchaser mortgage financing arrangement or program provided by the
developer, and other similar fees determined by the City to be normally associated with a
purchase of a dwelling unit.
(5) "Subsidies and funding. " Subsidies or funding may be (1) waivers of City development
standards producing related development cost savings to the project; (2) City fees
reductions or waivers; (3) monies directly paid to the project by the City, Santa Clarita
Redevelopment Agency or another government entity for the purpose of or under a
program to provide or encourage low or moderate income housing; or (4) a deferred City
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fee payment. The subsidies or funding savings are to be passed through to the buyers or
renters of the units. Funding or subsidies include programs such as the federal Section 8
Rent Subsidies, Section 221 Below Market Rate and GNMA Mortgage Financing,
Public Housing Construction Assistance, Section 202 Loans, Section 235 Homeowners
Assistance Programs; State Housing Assistance funded programs; and such other
programs as found acceptable by the Council in aiding or promoting in the construction
or purchase of new very low, low, or moderate income dwelling units.
(6) "Very low income" dwelling unit. A very low income dwelling unit is a separate
housing unit for rent or sale with a rental rate or consumer purchase cost which enables
(after considering income to debt rations of lenders with regards to "for sale" units)
persons with a gross household income that does not exceed fifty (50%) percent of the
median income as adjusted for family size, to rent or purchase that unit.
(7) "Window period." The term "window period" refers to specific intervals during which
residential projects seeking Development Allotments under this chapter shall be filed, as
defined by Council resolution.
(b) Procedure. Any governmental funded or subsidized proposed housing project designed
exclusively for person of very low income, low income, moderate income, or for senior
citizens, may file for City subdivision or project development approval outside of the
window period if that project, the project costs, sales program, rental rates, purchase
costs, and speculation controls are first reviewed and approved for a Section 1-10.02(E)
affordable housing exemption by the Council pursuant to this section.
The developer shall pay the applicable City processing fee and submit an affordable
housing exemption application and all needed development cost and sales information to the
City Community Development Department.
From time to time, and consistent with housing goals of the Housing Element, the
City Council shall survey the approved very low, low, and moderate income housing
projects, assess community needs for ownership and rental units within those income ranges
and set very low, low and/or moderate income housing goals (as to approved rental rates or
purchase costs within those ranges). Each exemption request shall be reviewed and must be
found to be consistent with those goals.
For sale (non -rental) developments shall have or will have, at the time the affordable
housing agreement is entered into, a mortgage loan financial commitment providing
individual purchaser loans at Council approved interest rates, terms and loan fees.
If City development standard subsidies are requested, the project shall be evaluated
to determine (1) what City or Agency subsidies shall be granted, if any; (2) the resulting
development cost reduction; and (3) the ultimate consumer rental or sales priced reduction to
be imposed upon the project in consideration of the City or Agency subsidy.
If found exempted, prior to requesting, and as a condition precedent to any building
permit for the project, the developer shall enter into an affordable housing agreement with
the City committing the development to the approved maximum dwelling unit purchase
costs, rental rates (if any), a very low, low and moderate income sales preferential program
and speculation controls.
The council may adopt, by resolution or motion, further procedures, definitions,
goals and rules for the implementation of this exemption and section.
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Section 1-10.03 Establishment of Residential Development Evaluation Board —
In order to administer the system set forth herein, and especially to make the valuations set
forth in Section 1-10.06 of this chapter, a Residential Development Evaluation Board (hereafter
called the Board) is hereby consistent of the duly appointed members of the Planning Commission
of the City.
The procedures and bylaws of the Board shall be developed by the Board subject to the
approval of the City Council (hereafter called the Council). The Planning Department of the City
shall serve as the staff of the board.
Section 1-10.04 Establishment of annual residential development allotments —
Except as provided in Section 1-10.02 (paragraphs (d) and (e)), Section 1-10.08 and this
section, during the calendar years December 31, 2002 through December 31, 2012, the City shall
award no more than three thousand (3000) total development allotments, each allotment authorizing
construction of one residential dwelling unit, and for the following years to December 31, 2012,
except as may be modified by this section.
1-10.05 Development allotment application —
Development allotment applications shall be filed and processed during the window periods
or other periods of time and in such manner as the City Council may authorize by resolution. A
filing fee shall be charged in an amount sufficient to cover the City's costs of processing the
application. No development allotment application shall be required for any project or dwelling
unit which is exempt from the residential development control system pursuant to Section 1-10.02.
Except for said exempted projects, no building permit or grading permit shall be issued, no
building permit or development approval or other City entitlement shall be issued, and no final
regular or vesting tract map shall be approved or recorded, for a dwelling unit or lot which is subject
to the residential development control system until and unless a corresponding development
allotment has been awarded by the City Council or Planning Commission.
1-10.06 Development allocation evaluation —
The Board shall consider annually all applications properly submitted and shall make
recommendations to the Council based on the criteria set forth below:
(a) Availability of public facilities and service. The board shall examine each application for
its relation to, or impact upon, local public facilities and services and shall rate each
development at the assignment of from zero to ten (10) points (zero indicating a "very
poor," ten (10) points indicating "excellent") on each of the following attributes:
(1) The capacity of the water system to provide for the needs of the proposed
development without system extensions beyond those normally installed by the
developer.
(2) The capacity of the sanitary sewers to dispose of the wastes of the proposed
development without system extensions beyond those normally installed by the
developer.
(3) The capacity of the drainage facilities to adequately dispose of the surface runoff of
the proposed development without system extensions beyond those normally
installed by the developer.
(4) The ability of the County Fire Department to provide fire protection according to the
established response standards of the City without the necessity of establishing a
new station or requiring additions of major equipment or housing facilities to an
existing station.
(5) The capacity of the appropriate school to absorb the children expected to inhabit a
proposed development without necessitating or adding to double sessions or other
unusual scheduling or classroom overcrowding.
(6) The capacity of major street linkage to provide for the needs of the proposed
development without substantially altering existing traffic patterns or overloading the
existing street system, and the availability of other public facilities (such as parks,
playgrounds, etc.) to meet the additional demands for vital public services without
extensions of services beyond those provided by the developer.
(7) The capacity of Highway 5 within the City limits to provide for the needs of the
proposed development without substantially altering the freeway level of service.
(8) The capacity of Highway 14 within the City limits to provide for the needs of the
proposed development without substantially altering the freeway level of service.
(9) The ability of the County/City Sheriff Department to provide police protection
according to the established response standards of the City without the necessity of
establishing a new station or requiring additions of major equipment or housing
facilities to an existing station
(b) Quality of design and contribution of public welfare and amenity. The Board shall
examine each application which has not been withdrawn by the applicant for failure to
meet criteria A, and shall rate each development by the assignment of from zero to ten
(10) points (zero indicating "very poor," ten indicating "excellent') on each of the
following attributes:
(1) Site and architectural design quality which may be indicated by the harmony of the
proposed buildings in terms of size, height, color, and location with existing
neighboring development.
(2) The amount and character of open -space and slope landscaping.
(3) Site and architectural design quality which may be indicated by the arrangement of
the site for efficiency of circulation, on and off-site traffic safety, privacy, etc.
(4) The provision of pubic and/or private usable open space.
(5) Contributions to and extensions of existing systems of foot or bicycle paths,
equestrian trails and facilities, and/or greenbelts.
(6) The provision of needed public facilities, such as critical linkages in the major street
system, school rooms, functional parks, or other vital public facilities.
(7) Site and architectural design quality which may be indicated by the amount and
character of modification of the topography, including quantity of grading, extent of
natural slopes cut and/or filled, and impact on ridgeline,
(8) Impact on oak trees and archeological sites.
(9) The provision of significant water conservation features.
(10) The provision of energy generation and conservation features, such as additional
insulation, house siting and design, solar techniques, and other innovative
techniques.
(11) The construction with recycled products and/or design of the project to facilitate the
recycling of household refuse.
(12) The design of the project to accommodate access by the physically handicapped to
greater extent than required by state law and local ordinance.
(13) The extent to which the project is developed at a density less than the maximum
permitted by the applicable zoning of the project site.
(14) The degree to which the project provides housing for very low and low income
households.
(15) The location of the project as it may qualify as in -fill project, as defined by City
council resolution.
(c) The Board shall consider the application before it at a public hearing, notice of which
shall be given in the manner required by City Ordinance.
(d) After evaluating each development in accordance with the foregoing criteria and making
initial point assessments on a project -by -project basis as the individual projects before the
Commission, the Board shall hold a public hearing to:
(1) To allow any applicant to request the Board to reevaluate to point and assignment
made on any or all of the criteria.
(2) Allow any applicant, who is dissatisfied with the Board's re-evaluation to submit
written notification of such dissent, which will be furnished to the Council prior to
awarding of development allotments.
(e) Having evaluated each development and clarified all point assignments to the applicants,
the Board shall present its lists of evaluations, along with the decisions reached on any
appeals, to the Council for the awarding of development allotments.
(f) The schedule for the submission and consideration of applications shall be established by
the Council.
Section 1-10.07 Evaluation of development allotment applications and award of
allotments by the City Council and/or Planning Commission —
(a) The Council shall consider the Board's recommended point assignments for all development
allotment applications at a public hearing, notice of which shall be given in the manner required
by City Ordinance.
(b) After considering the Board's recommended point assignments and any testimony presented at
the hearing, the Council shall determine point assignments for each development allotment
application, and shall compile a list ranking the applications in order of point assignment.
(c) The Council shall award development allotments to applications on that list, subject to the
following:
(1) Maximum allotment available. The number of development allotments shall not exceed the
base number determined in accordance with Section 1-10.04.
(2) Single development allotment limit. No single developer shall be awarded a number of
development allotments, in excess of a number which the City Council may establish by
resolution.
(3) Minimum point rating. No development allotments may be awarded to any application
unless the Council has assigned it at least fifty-six (56) points under Section 1-10.06,
subsection (a), and at least seventy (70) points under Section 1-10.06. subsection (b)
(d) The Council may award development allotments at such time or time(s) during the year as it
selects.
(e) Once the Council has awarded development allotments to a project, allotments will terminate if
modifications are made to the underlying project, which when modified produce a total score of
evaluation points less than the original application for which the development allotment was
awarded. This modification rating shall be determined and based upon a review of the
corresponding tract map or development permit modification by the director of Planning and
Building Services, Planning Commission or City Council before whom the modification was
heard.
(f) If construction has not been initiated within forty-eight (48) months after award of development
allotment, the Council, after a public hearing may rescind all or some of the development
allotments.
Section 1-10.07.010 Expiration of development allotments —
Except for allotments rescinded pursuant to Section 10.07(d), development allotments
awarded to a project shall remain in effect and be valid only so long as the underlying project
approval is in effect and un -expired. For purposes of this chapter, the term "underlying project
approval' means either a tentative map, residential planned development permit, hillside planned
development permit, or trailer park development permit, granted in conjunction with the same
project for which the development allotments were awarded. If the underlying project approval
expires, all development allotments awarded to that project shall automatically expire without
notice.
Section 1-10.07.020 Reallocation of expired or rescinded development allotments —
At any time after expiration or a Council recession of any awarded development allotments,
the Council may elect to reallocate and reuse such allotments at any subsequent development
allotment award hearings with regards to all competing projects or only to those projects within
identified special categories. Notwithstanding Section 1-10.04, the reallocated expire development
allotments may be awarded in any amount per year as the Council may determine.
Section 1-10.08 Additional regulations —
Should the arrangement of projects as provided in Section 1-10.07, subsection (a), product
the situation in which two (2) projects have equal evaluation point scores, but only one project can
be permitted without the quota, the Council may offer those applicants a pro rata share of the
number of units available within the quota, or may dispose of such a tie in any other manner
deemed equitable by the Council.
Section 1-10.09 Judicial Review —
Any legal action to challenge any decision or denial of the Board or any other governmental
body performing a function under this ordinance must be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction
within thirty (30) days immediately following the action challenged.
Section 1-10.10 Modification —
The Council may, after a public hearing, by a four fifths (4/5) vote, change any part of this
residential development control system by amendment, providing the amendment is consistent with
the intent of this ordinance.
Section 1-10.11 Future extensions of this chapter —
Since the need for this growth control system cannot be reasonably predicted for years after
2012, a further extension of this chapter shall be considered by the City Council at a noticed public
hearing prior to that date. If it is determined by the Council that this chapter should be extended,
after making the appropriate findings required by law, any tentative tract map (regular or vesting),
approved after April 30, 2002, and up to the effective date of such extensions, shall be subject to
such extension and the ordinance codified in this section.
Schools
The Santa Clarita Valley is nineteen schools in deficit today in servicing our children. A
shortfall new development will help in solving but fall far short, especially since new homes
will create the need for additional classroom seats. Our community must have a comfort
level in passing local school bonds but this will only occur if they believe their local
government has a plan to manage growth.
High Schools
Golden Valley High School
West Ranch High School
Castaic High School
Junior High Schools
Rio Norte Junior High School
Rancho Pico Junior High School
Castaic Junior High School
Elementary Schools
Bridgeport
McGrath
Tesoro Del Valle
McGrath
Pico Canyon
Oak Hills
Fair Oaks
Shadow Pines
Golden Valley
(2) Castaic Elementary Sites
(2) Saugus Union Elementary Sites
Active Park Space
The City of Santa Clarita is 550 acres short of active park space to support our growing
youth programs: soccer, baseball, football, tennis, aquatics, basketball, and track. Once
again, in order to present a park bond to the general public to fund our deficit, they will
need assurances their City government has a managed growth plan.
Roads
The City of Santa Clarita continues to successfully and actively pursue transportation
funding, however, key road projects are still within ten years of completion.
$200+million Cross Valley Connector
Magic Mountain Interchange
126/5 freeway interchange
The Old Road Connection
Santa Clarita Parkway
Wiley to Princessa Connection
Magic Princessa
LAFCO
LAFCO denies the City of Santa Clarita a sphere of influence, west of the 5 freeway and
east of the 14 freeway, for the third time. A clear indication by LAFCO that there is a real
possibility of competing municipalities in the Santa Clarita Valley threatening our revenue
base. In addition, a City Council in the future will have to address non-residents using our
parks and recreation programs, as well as, the City contract for public safety as it pertains
to unincorporated areas on our borders.
Santa Clarita First Initiative
The Santa Clarita City Council, between December 31, 2002, and December 31, 2012, can
approve a maximum number of three thousand total residential units in a ten-year period.
Exemptions
1. City approved development projects prior to December 31, 2002.
2. Senior housing
3. On -campus housing
4. Single family homes on existing lot
5. Expansion or remodeling of existing home
6. Projects of 25 units or less - one project per developer, per year.
7. Business and commercial development
8. Revenue neutral residential annexations
FISCAL IMPACT
$20,000 from the Council Contingency fund to contract with EIS for environmental review.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the Council.
s:\pbs\council\SC First Initiative.doc
Mayor Laurene Weste Mayor's Committee on Managed Growth
Members of the City Council for a Quality Community
23920 Valencia Blvd City of Santa Clarita, CA
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
August 28, 2001
Subject: Agenda item number 29, Santa Clarita First Initiative
Dear Mayor Weste and City Council Members,
On August 23", 2001 by unanimous vote, the Mayor's Committee on Managed Growth for a
Quality Community ("committee") directed me, as Chairman, to respectfully request the City
Council ("council") to "refrain from `definitive action' regarding subject until our "committee"
has had the opportunity to submit our findings and recommendations". Please note Joanne Darcy
abstained from voting on this issue. Your favorable response to this request is appreciated.
As you may recall, the "council" formed the "committee" which held it's fust meeting on August
30, 2000. The "committee" consists of 16 local community representatives approved by the
"council" who have met at least monthly since inception. To date we have held approximately 14
regular meetings and 2 workshops for a total of approximately 640 volunteer hours. In addition,
the "committee" activities outside of the formal meeting schedules and staff time equals at least
another 500+ staff and volunteer hours. The "committee" is scheduled for at least 2 more
meetings (of 4 or more hours each) to complete our work with a tentative schedule of presentation
in draft form to the "council" at the October 23`° "council" meeting and the final report at the
November 13' "council" meeting.
Members of the "committee" and community volunteers have devoted significant time and energy
at the request of the "council" to produce policy recommendations pertaining to growth in the City
of Santa Clarita and surrounding communities. It would seem only reasonable and appropriate
that the "committee's" request for the opportunity to produce its findings prior to "definitive"
action on Councilman Ferry's "Santa Clarita's First Initiative" be granted.
Thank you for your favorable consideration and affirmative action on this request.
Sincerely,
John D. Hoskinson
Chairman
RECEIVED AND MADE A
PART OF THE RECORD AT
8/�8 10 1 MEETING
ITEM NO. a2
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