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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Meeting 09-20-01 (Reso 2613-2001) - Inclusionary HousingRESOLUTION NO. 2613-2001 PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ZA-01-067 AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 20.125, INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS. TO THE SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL CODE WHEREAS, The City of South San Francisco adopted a Housing Element as a component of its General Plan in December 1992. The certified Housing Element provides for the development of affordable, well designed and properly located residential housing for all economic sectors of the community in a manner which fosters and maintains the support of the entire community; and, WHEREAS, In March of 2001, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) released its housing allocation numbers that projects the number of housing units required for the City based on projected job growth. ABAG has determined that the City should provide a total of 1,331 housing units prior to June 30, 2006. Of the 1,331 housing units, ABAG recommends the City allocate the units as follows: 1)277 units affordable to persons of very low income; 2)131 units affordable to persons of low income; and 3) 360 units affordable to persons of moderate income (collectively, “affordable units”). The City is required by law to incorporate its housing need numbers into an updated version of its general plan housing element. The entire process must be completed by December 30th, 2001; and, WHEREAS, The City Council initiated a review of the City’s housing needs for the purpose of ascertaining how the City may best provide housing that is affordable to existing residents of the City and employees of businesses located within the City; and, WHEREAS, based on the reports of staff and the testimony at the public hearings, including the Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission on August. The City Council and the Planning Commission are aware that during this planning process property owners within the City might seek permits to construct low, medium and high density housing which does not include sufficient affordable units to meet the needs of existing and future residents and does not further the goals articulated for said housing in the existing Housing Element of the General Plan and may prevent attainment of the affordable housing units allocated to the City which must be incorporated into a revised Housing Element. NOW THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby finds as follows: A. South San Francisco General Plan and Housing Element Appropriateness and Effectiveness of the Housing Element: In adopting the Housing Element, the City of South San Francisco finds that its housing goals, objectives, and policies are appropriate in contributing to the attainment of the State’s housing goal in that: 1. The City fosters cooperation of the public and private sectors in expanding housing opportunities and accommodating housing needs through rezoning efforts, density bonuses, mixed land uses, housing revenue bonds, and rehabilitation programs; and, 2. The City supports the provision of housing affordable to low and moderate-income households through new single-family and multiple family housing construction, use of factory-built housing and mobile homes, creation of second units and sharing of homes, and construction of senior housing; and, 3. The City facilitates the adequate provision of housing for all economic segments of the community through site availability, new housing construction, housing conservation, and rehabilitation. Housing Element Goals and Policies: A. Goal 1. Encourage a supply of housing units sufficient to assure each resident and attractive, healthful, safe environment within a wide range of designs, types, sizes, and prices. B. Goal 2. Continue to support the provision of housing by both the private and public sector for all income groups in the community. Policy 2A. Eliminate constraints to affordable housing. Policy 2B. Stimulate the construction of lower cost units by providing incentives and encouraging mixed use projects, second units, density bonuses, and manufactured housing. Policy 2D. Involve the City directly in retaining and increasing the supply of affordable housing. Policy 2E. Continue to cooperate with other governmental agencies and take an active interest in seeking solutions to area-wide housing problems. Analysis: The above referenced policies support implementation of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance as a means to achieve the goal of providing housing to all income levels and at various prices. The Ordinance also requires the private sector to contribute to satisfying the need for low and moderate income housing which furthers Goal 2 of the Housing Element. With the simultaneous adoption of the Density Bonus Ordinance, the City will be able to provide various incentives and off-sets to those projects that provide a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the total units to families of low-income. Overall, adoption of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance further the goals and policies articulated in the Housing Element by requiring all residential developments with four or more proposed dwelling units to provide a minimum of 25% of the unit to families of low and moderate income. Additionally, at least 10% of the affordable units must be affordable to persons or families of low-income. The Ordinance also mandates that the unit prices must cover the entire range of affordability so as to provide housing units to all families within the designated affordable range. Based on the foregoing, the Inclusionary Ordinance and Density Bonus Ordinance are consistent with and further the goals established in the Housing Element of the City of South San Francisco’s General Plan. B. Compliance with State Law: Government Code section 65913 articulates the state policy on affordable housing. Specifically, the state Legislature has determined that there exists a severe shortage of affordable housing, especially for persons and families of low and moderate income, and that there is an immediate need to encourage the development of new housing, not only through the provision of financial assistance, but also through changes in law designed to assure that local governments make a diligent effort through the administration of land use and development controls and the provision of regulatory concessions and incentives to significantly reduce housing development costs and thereby facilitate the development of affordable housing. Analysis: By adopting the Inclusionary Ordinance, which requires the private sector to provide its fair share of affordable housing, the City acts to satisfy the requirements of state law that mandate local governments implement policies to meet the critical demand for affordable housing. Additionally, through the use of incentives and off-sets available in the Ordinance, the City provides a mechanism to allow the private sector to develop affordable units and maintain project feasibility. C. California Environmental Quality Act: Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the City Council declares that this ordinance is exempt from CEQA based on the following findings: 1. This ordinance is not a “project” within the meaning of Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, directly or ultimately. The purpose of this ordinance is to prohibit, on an interim basis, the development of low, medium or high density residential development within the City of South San Francisco which development may otherwise be permissible under existing development policies and ordinances, but which could be in conflict with contemplated ordinances which the City intends to adopt within a reasonable time. This ordinance does not, in itself, allow the construction of any building or structure. This ordinance, therefore, has no potential for resulting in physical change in the environment, directly or ultimately. 2. This ordinance is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15308 of the State CEQA Guidelines. This ordinance is a regulatory action taken by the City in accordance with Government Code Section 65858, to assure maintenance and protection of the environment pending the adoption of an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and to guard against the construction of projects which might ultimately conflict with the purpose of that Ordinance. 3. This ordinance is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. For the reasons set forth in subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this paragraph, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment, and therefore, the ordinance is not subject to CEQA. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the South San Francisco Planning Commission that it is hereby recommended that the City Council of the City of South San Francisco adopt ZA-0 1-067 based on the entire record which includes, but is not limited to the Study Sessions of August 19 and 30, 2001, the duly noticed public hearing of Planning Commission on September 20, 2001, and staff reports and testimony received at same; and the staff reports and testimony received at the duly noticed public hearing of the City Council on September 26, 2001. * * * * * * I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco at the regular meeting held on the 20th day of September, 2001 by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: ATTEST: Commission Secretary Thomas C. Sparks