CITY COUNCIL: Updated Housing Element of General Plan

Meeting Date: 7 July 2009
Prepared by: Sean Conroy, Plng & Bldg Services Manager

City Council
Agenda Item Summary

Name: Receive report and provide policy direction on a draft of the updated Housing Element of the General Plan.

Description: The Housing Element is designed to: identify adequate sites for a range of housing opportunities; facilitate the development of adequate and affordable housing; address constraints to meeting the City’s housing needs; conserve and improve the condition of the City’s existing housing stock and remote housing opportunities for all persons.

Overall Cost:
City Funds: N/A
Grant Funds: N/A

Staff Recommendation: Review and provide comment on the Draft Housing Element.

Important Considerations: This project consists of an update to the Housing Element. State law mandates that each jurisdiction create and maintain a Housing Element and that it be regularly updated.

Decision Record: The Planning Commission reviewed the draft Housing Element on 10 June 2009.

Reviewed by:

__________________________ _____________________
Rich Guillen, City Administrator Date

CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND BUILDING
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR MCCLOUD & COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: SEAN CONROY, PLNG & BLDG SERVICES MANAGER
THROUGH: RICH GUILLEN, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
DATE: 7 JULY 2009
SUBJECT: RECEIVE REPORT AND PROVIDE POLICY DIRECTION ON A DRAFT OF THE UPDATED HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN

INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
The General Plan is a long-term policy document that guides the decisions of City Council, all Commissions, Boards and staff. The General Plan is divided into nine
elements, including: Land Use; Circulation; Housing; Coastal Access/Recreation; Coastal Resource Management; Public Facilities; Open Space and Conservation; Environmental Safety; and Noise.

This project consists of an update to the Housing Element. State law mandates that each jurisdiction creates and maintains a Housing Element and that it be regularly updated.

The Housing Element is intended to meet the following objectives:
1. Identify adequate sites for a range of housing opportunities;
2. Facilitate the development of adequate and affordable housing;
3. Address constraints to meeting the City’s housing needs;
4. Conserve and improve the condition of the City’s existing housing stock; and
5. Promote housing opportunities for all persons.

PROCESS
Adoption of the updated Housing Element will require the following steps:
1) Planning Commission review of the draft.
2) City Council review of the draft (this hearing).
3) Draft forwarded to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review and comment.
4) Planning Commission receives comments from HCD and makes recommendations to City Council on a final updated Housing Element and appropriate CEQA documents.
5) City Council adopts the final Housing Element and CEQA documents.

EVALUATION
This section of the staff report describes the various sections of the Housing Element and outlines some of the important issues for discussion.

Section 1 – Introduction: This section provides an introduction of what a Housing
Element should be, how it should be used, and how it relates to state housing law.

Section 2 – Housing Development Resources: This section describes and analyzes the resources available to the City for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing in the City. During each planning period (generally five to seven years), the City is assigned a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), which identifies the City’s fair share of the projected housing need for the region. For the planning period of 2007 – 2014, the City of Carmel is expected to produce 32 additional housing units, 16 of which should be reserved for low-, very low- or extremely low-income occupants (see Table 2- 1).

During this planning period, several units have already been constructed and/or permitted. This adjusts the City’s RHNA to seven units.

Section 3 – Goals, Policies & Programs:
This section defines the City’s goals and policies, and the programs required to implement these goals and policies. This section should be the primary focus of the
Council’s review. The Council may want to discuss the following questions:

􀂾 Are the goals, policies and programs realistic and achievable?
􀂾 Are there goals, policies and programs that should be included, that are not?
􀂾 Does the document address the housing element objectives, as required by state
law?

The existing Housing Element contains a section dedicated to the goals, objectives and polices of the plan followed by a section dedicated to programs that implement the identified goals. To streamline the updated Element and to create a more user-friendly document, these sections have been combined. The majority of the existing goals, objectives and polices have been carried over to the updated draft.

Attached to the staff report is a list of the existing goals, objectives, and policies with a reference to their location in the updated draft. Some of the policies were completely eliminated because they are no longer applicable or are addressed in other elements of the General Plan.

The following are the most significant new programs that have been included in the
revised Housing Element:
Program 3-5.1.a: Adoption of Reasonable Accommodation Procedures.

This program requires the City to formally adopt procedures for requests to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. The City has allowed for
zoning exceptions on a limited basis as a ‘reasonable accommodation’ in the past. The City, however, does not have a formal application process or policy for dealing with these types of requests.

Program 3-5.3.c: - Subordinate Units
The City allows construction of subordinate units on sites of 8,000 square feet or larger as a way to create additional affordable housing units. This program encourages the City to look at adopting incentives to encourage the construction of more subordinate units.

Program 3-5.4.a: - Density Bonus
This requires that the City review its Density Bonus law and make changes as necessary to comply with State Density Bonus law.

Appendices: The appendices provide background and supporting information for the
Housing Element and information required by HCD. The following provides a brief summary of the items included in the appendices.

Appendix “A” – Housing Needs Assessment: This section provides demographic and
housing characteristics information and discusses housing affordability issues and special needs populations.

Appendix “B” – Constraints on Housing Production: This section describes the various constraints on the production of housing, particularly affordable housing.

Appendix “C” – Housing Program Accomplishments: This section describes the programs that were established as part of the existing Housing Element and whether or not the City successfully implemented these programs.

Appendix “D” – Workshop Summary: This section describes the March 2009 City workshop and the comments received at that meeting.

Appendix “ E” – Glossary: This section contains a glossary of terms used throughout the Element.

RECOMMENDATION
Review and provide comment on the draft Housing Element.

Existing Housing Element - Section 6
Goals, Objectives, Policies and Programs
The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea has always been proud of its residential character and heritage.

All of the General Plan Elements and the Housing Element in particular, strive to preserve, promote, and strengthen this unique residential character. This section of the Housing Element contains goals, objectives, polices and programs intended to meet the following objectives: 1) Conserve and improve the condition of housing and maintain the character and stability of Carmel’s residential districts; 2) Identify adequate sites for a range of housing opportunities; 3) Assist in the development of adequate and affordable housing; 4) Promote housing opportunities for all persons and provide housing and services for special needs groups; and 5) Address constraints to meeting the City’s housing needs.

A. Goals, Objectives, and Policies
Goal G3-1: Preserve the existing single-family residential housing stock and provide adequate sites for an increase in the number of housing units.

Objective O3-1: Establish programs to assist in the procurement of financial assistance to homeowners for maintaining and improving existing housing units.

P3-1: Collect, organize and distribute information on rehabilitation assistance available through Monterey County to homeowners, housing providers, community groups and the building trades.

P3-2: Direct financial assistance for housing rehabilitation from outside public and private sources shall be pursued by the City with particular emphasis on assistance to senior households on limited incomes.

Objective O3-2: Assist homeowners in the identification of appropriate structural, maintenance and seismic improvements to meet health and safety standards.

P3-3: Continue to implement the Building Codes including the Historic Building Code to preserve and upgrade structures.

P3-4: Offer educational materials and special inspection services to homeowners to help identify potential health and safety problems requiring home improvements.

Objective O3-3: Continue to work cooperatively with regional agencies to augment
infrastructure in support of required housing growth.

P3-5: Monitor infrastructure limitations (e.g. sewer, water, roads) that affect the ability to serve new housing units on an annual basis.

P3-6: Participate in regional infrastructure plans and decision-making to ensure that local needs are met through appropriate decisions on road and sewer capacity and on water allocations.

Comment [MSOffice1]: Maintained as Goal G3‐1.
Comment [MSOffice2]: Combined with existing Objective O3‐2 and is now Policy P3‐1 (Goal G3‐1).
Comment [MSOffice3]: Combined with existing Program 1 and is now included in Program 3‐1.a (Goal G3‐1).
Comment [MSOffice4]: Combined with existing Objective O3‐1 and is now included in Policy P3‐1 (Goal G3‐1).
Comment [MSOffice5]: Combined with existing Program 1 and is now included in Program 3‐1.b (Goal G3‐1).
Comment [MSOffice6]: Has become Policy P3‐4 (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice7]: Policies P3‐ 5 and p3‐6 were combined and are now
Program 3‐4.b (Goal G3‐3).

P3-7: Support new or upgraded infrastructure that meets local and regional needs and which is financially and environmentally sound.

Objective O3-4: Establish local standards, procedures and ordinances to guide the improvement and use of local roads and storm water infrastructure in a manner that provides adequate capacity for existing and new housing yet preserves and improves the unique visual character of the City.

P3-8: Ensure that local infrastructure is designed and allocated to meet reasonable growth projections.

P3-9: Retain existing roads at current widths and alignments except where improved capacity for new housing is essential, significant safety problems are evident, or opportunities exist for less environmental damage.

P3-10: Coordinate road and drainage improvements with relevant housing development
standards (e.g. site coverage and site drainage) to comply with the Clean Water Act.

P3-11: Require the undergrounding of utilities as a means of promoting safety and aesthetics when housing is improved, replaced or newly constructed.

P3-12: Continue to enforce ordinances, guidelines and practices related to fire protection and fire suppression in new, remodeled, and rebuilt homes to balance safety and cost while reducing risk.

Objective O3-5: Maintain the single-family residential housing stock in the R-1 District and prohibit short-term, transient occupancies.

P3-13: Continue to prohibit short-term, transient rentals and timeshares for all housing citywide.

P3-14: Establish standards and procedures for the conversion of existing R-1 motels to permanent residential use. Allow converted motel units to be re-established in the commercial districts consistent with standards for water use, zoning and the Local Coastal Program.

Goal G3-2: Preserve all existing residential units in the Commercial and R-4 Districts and encourage the development of new multi-family housing.

Objective O3-6: Continue to encourage mixed-use developments (second-floor housing over first-floor commercial uses) as a preferred development form contributing to the village character in all Commercial Districts.

P3-15: Encourage mixed-use developments through incentives, ordinances and permit processes.

P3-16: Encourage proposals to convert existing second floor commercial space to residential units by allowing a reduced parking requirement and fast-track processing.

Objective O3-7: Preserve and enhance the quantity and variety of housing in the downtown.

Comment [MSOffice8]: Covered in Program 3‐4.b (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice9]: Is now Policy P3‐5 (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice10]: Is now Program 3‐5.a (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice11]: Is now Policy P3‐6 (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice12]: Combined with existing Program 10 and is now included in Program 3‐6.a (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice13]: Combined with existing Program 3 and is now included in Program 3‐6.b (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice14]: Maintained as Goal G3‐2.
Comment [MSOffice15]: Now Policy P3‐2 (Goal G3‐2).
Comment [MSOffice16]: Covered under Program 3‐2.a (Goal G3‐2).
Comment [MSOffice17]: Combined with existing Program 4 and is now included in Program 3‐2.a (Goal G3‐2).
Comment [MSOffice18]: Addressed in Policy P3‐2 (Goal 3‐2).

P3-17: Monitor the number of housing units established annually and continue implementing ordinances that protect all housing units in the Commercial and R-4 Districts from loss or conversion to other uses.

P3-18: Continue to reserve apartment and condominium units for permanent housing and prohibit short-term transient rentals except in authorized motel/hotel developments.

P3-19: Continue to require newly constructed floor space at the second floor to be used as residential units and t prohibit the conversion of existing second-floor residential floor space to commercial use.

P3-20: Prohibit conversion of apartments to condominiums to protect the supply of rental housing stock in the downtown.

Goal G3-3: Provide adequate sites for the development of a wide range of housing types for all citizens.

Objective O3-8: Maintain zoning standards for residential densities that encourage pedestrianoriented, mixed-use development to help meet Carmel’s fair share housing needs.

P3-21: Provide appropriate densities for single-family residential housing in the R- District at eleven (11) units per net acre.

P3-22: Provide appropriate densities for multifamily residential housing in the Commercial and R-4 Districts at thirty-three (33) units per acre.

P3-23: Preserve existing subdivision patterns and the character of neighborhoods when land is annexed from Monterey County.

Goal G3-4: Protect the stability of residential neighborhoods by preserving the quality of housing and promoting year-round occupancy.

Objective O3-9: Preserve and protect the scale and character of established neighborhoods while encouraging property improvement.

P3-24: Continue to use appropriate height, coverage and floor area standards to ensure that new construction does not present excess visual mass or bulk to public view or to adjoining properties. Ensure that buildings relate to a human scale and that they avoid use of oversize design elements that make them appear dominating or monumental.

P3-25: Adopt and use clear design guidelines to facilitate an understanding of community design issues, yet remain flexible to allow for creative solutions.

P3-26: Continue to require that projects not meeting adopted design guidelines be reviewed by the Planning Commission or Design Review Board. Diversity in architecture is encouraged as long as proposed designs perpetuate the broader elements of community design that characterize the streetscape within each neighborhood.

Comment [MSOffice19]: Addressed in Policy P3‐14 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice20]: Addressed in Program 3‐6.a (Goal G3‐2).
Comment [MSOffice21]: Is now Program 3‐2.b (Goal G3‐2).
Comment [MSOffice22]: Combined with existing Program 5 and is now included in Program 3‐14.a (G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice23]: Objective/Policies covered under Program 3‐3.a (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice24]: Maintained as Goal G3‐4.
Comment [MSOffice25]: Is now Policy P3‐7 (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice26]: Is now Program 3‐7.a (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice27]: Addressed in Program 3‐7.b (Goal G3‐4)
Comment [MSOffice28]: Is now Program 3‐7.b (Goal G3‐4).

Objective O3-10: Promote public awareness and foster pride in the history and culture of the village through historic preservation programs.

P3-27: Use information gathered through preservation programs to help identify architectural elements of community character.

P3-28: Use education programs to improve public understanding of the City’s rich cultural and design heritage as a means of encouraging compatible housing design within existing neighborhoods.

P3-28a: Provide zoning flexibility for historic resources to assist with appropriate rehabilitation efforts and offer incentives for the designation of historic resources.

Objective O3-11: Encourage and support outreach programs to promote neighborhood involvement, stability and a stronger sense of community.

P3-29: Support neighborhood safety through continuing the Neighborhood Watch program.

P3-30: Encourage creative outreach services (e.g. Project St. Bernard, Meals-on-Wheels, Seniors helping Seniors and the Library Outreach Program).

P3-31: Support home-sharing programs offered through local non-profit agencies to provide a means for seniors to remain independent.

Goal G3-5: Preserve and increase housing stock available for low and moderate income households, senior citizens and other special needs groups. Prohibit discrimination in the sale or rental of housing.

Objective O3-12: Implement planning and building codes to ensure that housing units are accessible to persons with disabilities or are readily converted for use by persons with disabilities.

P3-32: Recognize the special structural requirements for meeting the needs of persons with disabilities and retain flexibility in the design review process so as to provide for these needs.

P3-33: Continue to upgrade sidewalks and other City facilities to address accessibility needs in public rights-of-way through ongoing maintenance and through conditions of approval for private projects.

Objective O3-13: Promote the development of housing for seniors.

P3-34: Continue to encourage joint public/private senior housing projects.

P3-35: Consider surplus public land for opportunities to develop low-cost senior housing.

Objective O3-14: Explore new opportunities to encourage affordable housing and adopt or amend ordinances to encourage the private sector to produce affordable housing.

Comment [MSOffice29]: Is now Policy P3‐8 (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice30]: Is now Program 3‐8.a (Goal G3‐4)
Comment [MSOffice31]: Is now Program 3‐8.b (Goal G3‐4)
Comment [MSOffice32]: Combined Objective O3‐11, P3‐29 and P3‐30 to make Program 3‐7.c (Goal G3‐4).
Comment [MSOffice33]: Combined with existing Program 13 and is now included in Program 3‐13.a (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice34]: Maintained as Goal G3‐5.
Comment [MSOffice35]: Combined Objective O3‐12 and P3‐32 and is now included in Policy P3‐9 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice36]: Is now Policy P3‐13 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice37]: Combined with existing Program 7 and is now included in Program 3‐3.b (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice38]: Is now Policy P3‐15 (Goal G3‐5).

P3-36: Offer enhanced density bonuses (beyond State minimums) and potential increases in floor area in multi-family residential projects that provide affordable housing.

P3-37: Maintain a reduced parking requirement and reduced requirements for off-site
improvements for projects that include affordable housing units.

P3-38: Continue to allow and encourage the development of new long term rental subordinate units on sites of 8,000 square feet or greater in the R-1 District as a permitted use.

P3-39: Facilitate the provision of emergency and transitional shelters in appropriate districts in the community.

Objective O3-15: Reduce or eliminate governmental constraints on the provision of affordable housing.

P3-40: Continue to reduce planning fees in proportion to the percentage of affordable units contained in the project.

P3-41: Process projects with affordable housing on a “fast-track” by scheduling their review ahead of other projects.

P3-42: Establish an affordable housing allocation category for water resources to serve proposed new affordable units and to ensure that water resources for affordable housing remain available as long as possible during water shortages.

Objective O3-16: Continue public education and monitoring programs as a means of promoting affordable housing and reviewing the degree of success of the City’s housing efforts.

P3-43: Continue annual monitoring of affordable units approved by the City to confirm the number of units constructed, their rental rates, and their occupancy rates.

Objective O3-17: Support energy and water conservation programs to reduce the consumption of these resources in housing and to reduce housing costs.

P3-44: Adopt subdivision standards encouraging lots to be oriented with an east-west axis to maximize southern exposures and improve access to sunlight.

P3-45: Continue to encourage mixed-use housing development that minimizes auto-dependence for work commutes and shopping.

P3-46: Ensure that new construction complies with Title 24 Energy Conservation Regulations.

Objective 03-18: Support fair housing laws and further fair housing choices by promoting housing opportunities and removing impediments to fair housing.

Comment [MSOffice39]: Covered under Program 3‐15.a (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice40]: Combined with existing Program 16 and is now included in Program 3‐16.b (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice41]: Combined with existing Program 15 and is now included in Program 3‐14.c (Goal G3‐5)
Comment [MSOffice42]: Is now Policy P3‐16 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice43]: Combined with existing Program 17 and is now included in Program 3‐16.a (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice44]: Combined with existing Program 18 and is now included in Program 3‐15.d (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice45]: Combined with existing Program 9 and is now
included in Program 3‐4.a (Goal G3‐3).
Comment [MSOffice46]: Incorporated into several programs.
Comment [MSOffice47]: Combined with existing Program 19 and is now included in Program 3‐14.d (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice48]: Has become Policy P3‐16 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice49]: Addressed in Policy P3‐2.
Comment [MSOffice50]: Combined with existing Program 23 and is now included in Program 3‐16.a (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice51]: Now Policy P3‐17 (Goal G3‐5).

Policy P3-47: Work to ensure that individuals and families seeking housing in Carmel-by-the-Sea are not discriminated against on the basis of sex, family structure, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion or other arbitrary factors.

Policy 3-48: Use public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts to ensure that all segments of the community have access to safe and decent housing that meets their diverse needs.

Comment [MSOffice52]: Addressed in Policy P3‐17 (Goal G3‐5).
Comment [MSOffice53]: Addressed in Policy P3‐17 (Goal G3‐5).