HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem PAGENDA REPORT
DATE:
March 26, 2001
TO:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU:
John B. Bahorski, City Manager
FROM:
Lee Whittenberg, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: Housing Element Status Report
SUMMARY OF REOUEST:
At the last City Council meeting staff was requested to provide a status report to the City
Council regarding the provisions of low- and moderate -income housing on the Hellman
and Bixby projects, and compliance with the General Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The State of California requires all cities to have an adopted General Plan, consisting of a
number of required and optional General Plan "elements". Among the required elements
are land use, circulation, housing, safety, and open space elements. In addition, all
adopted elements of a general plan are required to be internally consistent with other
elements of the general plan.
Housing elements are required to be updated and revised on a specific time schedule by
the State of California. In 1989, cities within the jurisdiction of the Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) were required to update their housing elements.
After the approval by the City and the California Coastal Commission of the previous
"MoW' project on the Hellman Ranch property, litigation was instituted challenging the
City's ability to approve a housing project without an updated housing element. As a
result of that litigation, the City prepared and adopted a housing element that was
ultimately found to be in compliance with the provisions of State law by the California
courts. That adopted and court -upheld housing element identified several areas in the
City for further analysis as potential sites for the provision of new construction low- and
moderate -income housing.
Hellman Ranch Proiect:
The Hellman Ranch property was one of those identified sites. During the public review
and approval process of the current project in 1997, the City requested an "Affordable
Housing Feasibility Analysis". This analysis concluded, in accordance with the
provisions of Government Code §65590 that relate to housing within the coastal zone,
that the provision of on-site low- and moderate -income housing would impair the
Agenda Item /—
C:Wy Dwmneots\Housing Element Re isionU ousing Elemmt Scotus Report CC.do \LW 3-21-0I
Housing Element Status Report
City Council SuiffReport
March 26,1001
completion of the project in a successful manner. The analysis further determined that
the provision of off-site housing in the form of subsidies discussed in the report would be
feasible. Project sites within the coastal zone require a different level of analysis than do
sites outside of the coastal zone.
The City Council ultimately determined to require the project proponent to provide a
specific amount of rent subsidy funds to the City as a condition of approval of the
subdivision map for the residential development and the Development Agreement, and
those required funds were deposited to the City in November 1999.
Bixby Old Ranch Towne Center Pmiect:
During the public review and approval process of the Bixby Old Ranch Towne Center
project, the City Council specifically amended the Housing Element by City Council
Resolution No. 4730. In revising the appropriate portions of the Housing element to
reflect the land use determinations of the City, the City Council determined that high
density residential development on the Bixby properties was unacceptable and not
appropriate due to traffic, noise and air quality impacts, and due to concerns of the
Orange County Airport Land Use Commission.
Housing Element Update:
The City is currently in the process of preparing the Housing Element Update in
accordance with the provisions of State Law. A consultant was retained by the City in
late 2000 to prepare the Update, and the administrative draft document has been returned
to the consultant for revisions based upon staff and City Attorney comments. The
number of new construction units (RHNA number) within the City is estimated to be 265
units, of which 148 would be for low- and moderate -income families. However, the
RHNA number for the entire SCAG region is under contention between SCAG and the
State Department of Housing and Community Development. It is anticipated that public
hearing before the Planning Commission and City Council will be held in late April
through mid-June on the adoption of the Housing Element. Update.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. The ongoing update process for the current Housing Element Update is budgeted
in the 2000-2001 City budget.
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Receive and File.
Housing Element Slams Rspon.CC 9
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IDWhit[enberg
Duector of Development Sero ces
Housing Element Scion RWMCC
Housing Element Status Report
City Council Staff Report
March 16, 2001
NOTED AND APPROVED:
D�
Jo . Bahorski
C' Rnager