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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-2008 Jt Study Session MinutesPlanning Commission/Housing Committee Joint Study Session Minutes Tiiestlath Mat/ 1.3,200,S CALL TO ORDER A special joint meeting of the City of Dublin Planning Commission and Housing Committee was held on Tuesday, May 13, 2008, in the Regional Meeting Room located at 100 Civic Plaza. Chair Schaub called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. ATTENDEES Present: Planning Commission Chair Schaub, Planning Ccmmission Vice Chair Tomlinson; Commissioners Biddle and Wehrenberg; Housing Committee Chair Mary Rose Parkman; Committee Members Garren, De Diemar, Avanzino and Runliels; Vice Mayor Sbranti; Jeri Ram, Community Development Director; Mary Jo Wilson, Planning Manager; John Lucero, Housing Specialist; Mamie Nuccio, Senior Planner; and Taryn Gavagan, Recording Secretary. 1.1 Joint Study Session - Update to the Housing Element of the General Plan - The State of California requires that the City Council adopt a comprehensive, long-term General Plan for the physical development of the City. The Housing Element is cne of seven mandated elements of the General Plan and must address the existing and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the community. State law requires that Housing Elements be updated and certified every 5 years. The City of Dublin has contracted with Veronica Tam & Associates to update the City's Housing Element which is due to the State of California by June 30, 2009. The joint Planning Commission and Housing Committee meeting is the first public meeting to be held on the Housing Element update and will provide an overview of the Housing Element update process. Mamie Nuccio, Senior Planner presented the Staff Report and introduced Veronica Tam, Veronica Tam & Associates. Ms. Tam presented a PowerPoint presentation to the Planning Commissioners and Housing Committee Members, reviewing the Housing Element contents, requirements, issues and challenges that may come up while updating the document. Chair Schaub asked what is to be expected of the Planning Co mmission and Housing Committee at the end of the updating process. Ms. Tam stated that many decisions relate to Planning anc. will require the direction of the Planning Commission and Housing Committee, such as zoning; regulations and land use control. Ms. Mary Jo Wilson, Planning Manager, stated that the City Council has authorized that the Housing Committee continue through the completion of the Housing Element update process. She further stated that the purpose of the Study Session was tc educate the Planning Commission (Pranning Commission (s 9Aousing Committee 1 Vay 1.3, 2008 and Housing Committee about the Housing Element's purpose, requirements, and updating process. Ms. Tam added that the Planning Commission and Housing C=ommittee are needed because they are more familiar with the community and its needs. Chair Schaub asked, of the fifteen lawsuits related to Housing Elements against various cities, what were most of the lawsuits directed at? Ms. Tam stated that most of the lawsuits were directed towards cities failing to identify adequate sites which would be made available through appropriate zoning and development standards and with services and facilities to facilitate and encourage the development of a variety of types of housing for all income levels; and addressing where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing. Committee Member Runnels asked if age is a factor. Ms. Tam stated that age is only a factor in regards to building Senior Housing. Chair Schaub asked if prisoners were a part of the 46,934 Dublin population that was being presented. Ms. Tam confirmed that approximately 5,000 prisoners are counted in the total population for the City of Dublin. She further stated that when the demographic analysis is done, persons in correctional facilities are not counted because the demographics are very different from the rest of the community. Chair Schaub stated that he does not agree with the presented sales price of a single-family home seeing as the current housing market is down. Ms. Tam stated that she can review the current listing prices of homes as opposed to the listing value. Chair Schaub asked if the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) numbers include entitled units or only units that are built. Ms. Tam stated that for entitled units, the actual price of the units has to be looked at. If units are entitled but not affordable, they cannot be counted, regardless of the land's density. She further stated that vacant land that is without entitled units can be counted. Chair Schaub asked how the density of land is calculated in regards to the Housing Element. Ms. Tam stated that, currently, the State has specific laws stating that land has to be planned at 32 units to the acre, but net versus gross is also considered. Chair Schaub stated that the Zoning can be changed in regards to density, if need be. Aanning Commission e 9fousing Committee 2 5fay 1.3, 2008 Ms. Tam stated that the realistic capacity is looked at. She further stated that the down turn in the current housing market can become an issue and that the State does not allow Inclusionary Units to be counted unless they are entitled or built. Ms. Tam also stated that the current Zoning Ordinance may need to be revised to allow for extremely low and special needs households. Chair Schaub asked if very-lo,A, and special needs housing is available outside of the City of Dublin and if only our own residents are surveyed. Ms. Tam stated that transitional and supportive housing do not have a numerical requirement that needs to be met, but zoning does need to be consisten with state law as to allow for such housing. Ms. Tam stated that the homeless population for the City of Dublin needs to be calculated by talking to local service providers, City Code Enforcement and Police. She further stated that once the homeless population has been established, a zone witfin the City must be identified to accommodate the homeless population and discretionary housing. Chair Schaub asked if Federal property could be used for that purpose. Ms. Tam confirmed that Federal property could be used for that purpose if properly zoned. Ms. Tam concluded her presentation and opened the floor for questions. Commissioner Wehrenberg asked for confirmation regarding -when the final draft of the Housing Element is due. Ms. Tam stated that the final draft is due on June 30, 2009 but, due to the State review possibly taking 6 to 8 months, the due date can be extended. Ms. Wilson stated that the PowerPoint presentation would be emailed to all Commissioners and Committee Members for reference purposes. Housing Committee Member Vice Mayor Sbranti stated that, according to ABAG, the City of Dublin's affordable housing units should equal more than two-thirds the total number of units, which is currently 3,330. Ms. Tam clarified that in the RHNA there is an "Impaction Correction" which looks at the income distribution throughout the County. She further stated that this prevents low-income housing from being concentrated in one particular area. Ms. Tam clarified those jurisdictions with income distributions that are skewed toward a higher income tend to receive a larger allocation of very- low and low-income units. Vice Mayor Sbranti asked for more clarification. Ms. Tam clarified that the RHNA is a Planning goal, not a production goal. She further clarified that the RHNA is the City's obligation to plan for the units but an obligation build them. 9'Canning Commission ar9fousing Committee 3 gfay 13, 2008 Vice Mayor Sbranti asked at what point is the City allowed to include Camp Parks? Jeri Ram, Community Development Director, stated that the difficulty of Camp Parks is that the zoning is Agriculture. She stated that the Camp Parks property could not be considered until its zoning was changed to a zone that would allow for residential development. Chair Schaub asked if the zoning could be changed. Ms. Ram confirmed that the zoning could be changed. Ms. Tam stated that the Housing Element update would be dealing with the Agricultural zones within the City. Committee Member Runnels asked if there was a gap between the current Housing Element and the new one, seeing as the current Housing Element runs from 1999 through 2006. Ms. Tam stated that the Housing Element is supposed to be a five-year Housing Element; however, State Law extended the deadline for the current: Housing Element to 2009. She confirmed that Housing Elements are required to be updated every 5 to 7 years, depending on State Law. Ms. Tam explained that the current RHNA and housing programs for the City of Dublin will continue to run until June 30, 2009. She further explained tr.at any units built or entitled since 2007 will be credited towards the new RHNA. Committee Member Runnels inquired as to how the homeless population in Dublin is counted and confirmed. Ms. Tam explained the Continuum of Care Strategy which is developed on a County basis. She further explained that there is not a specific number for Dublin; however, based on a survey done sub-regionally, the County allows a City to apportion that number for their use. Ms. Tam explained that if a City's population is 10% of the County's total population, then that City is obligated to plan for 10% of the homeless population for that s-ib-region. Ms. Tam also stated that another way of calculating the homeless population in a City is to call local Service Providers and find out how many homeless people they have on record for that particular city. She stated that speaking with Code Enforcement and Police are also a good way to help calculate how many homeless people are within the City limits. Housing Committee Member Vice Mayor Sbranti asked how the current water constraint rulings would affect the environmental study for the Housing Element:. Ms. Tam stated that there is a State Law that requires water purveyors to establish a procedure where they would grant water priority to affordable housing projects. Ms. Wilson stated that there is no date currently set for a next meeting to discuss the Housing Element update but we anticipate the next meeting to be within the next several months. She ,Manning Commission cz. fousing (,bmmittee 4 -Nay 13, 2008 concluded that Ms. Tams PowerPoint presentation will be err ailed to everyone and that she and Marnie Nuccio, Senior Planner are available to answer any questions regarding the Housing Element update. Mr. Jeff Lawrence, Braddock & Logan made a public continent, stating that the affordable housing qualifications are so strict in regards to income and household size, that it's making it difficult to sell units. He suggested that, instead of the sales price being based on total households income and size, it may be easier to sell units if the sales price was based on total household income and bedroom count. Ms. Ram stated that that particular issue is being looked at separately. She stated that reexamining the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and its effectiveness is currently being considered a high priority goal by the City Council. Mr. Lawrence asked for the definition of entitlements. Ms. Tam stated that you have to have City approval in order for a property to be entitled. Housing Committee Chair Mar), Rose Parkman asked if the City can demonstrate partnerships with other jurisdictions to show that there is planning for extremely-low income housing. Ms. Tam stated that the City has an option of formulating agreement with no more than 2 other jurisdictions to establish a shelter that can accommodate the homeless population within that 3 jurisdictional area. Housing Committee Member Vice Mayor Sbranti asked if semi-public land can be designated as potential affordable housing site. Ms. Tam stated that surplus properties need to be looked at. She also stated that in order to count semi-public land, the City must redesignate the land by the time the Housing Element is adopted or promise to redesignate the land within one year of the adoption of the Housing Element. In addition, that land must be designated for multi-family housing. Committee Member Avanzino asked if the Arroyo Vista adc.itional units are considered in the RHNA. Ms. Tam explained that, included in the RHNA is a "Replacement Factor". She explained that out of the 3,330 units for the City of Dublin, there may be a new growth of 1,000 units expected, which is included in the RHNA as units being rebuilt after demolishing. ADJOURNMENT - The meeting; was adjourned at 6:26 p.m. G: \ MINUTES \ 2008\ STUDY SESSIONS \ PC-HC SS Housing Element Update 5.13.08.doc Aanning Commission ct.4fousing Committee 5 ,May 13, 2008