PC 042711 - Laserfiche WebLink

11. MATTERS FOR COMMISSION'S INFORMATION a. Update on the El Balazo Restaurant CUP, January-March 2011 Commissioner Pearce commented that the report is very encouraging. Chair Narum indicated that the report is appreciated. The Commission then proceeded to discuss Item 6.a. Janice Stern presented the staff report. She stated that the Task Force has been meeting since November 2010 and that she will describe some of the feedback received from the community on the preliminary list of sites, review some of the proposed changes to the Housing Element Goals, Policies, and Programs, and then seek the as it works on a draft Housing Element document over the next couple of months. Ms. Stern stated that there have been five Housing Task Force meetings, three community meetings, and a number of focus groups with some for-profit and non-profit housing developers. She added that staff also presented an update to the Housing Commission last week and received its comments and feedback, which she will provide to the Planning Commission as she goes through the presentation, as the Minutes of the Housing Commission meeting have not been completed to date. She noted that staff will present the update to the City Council next week, after which the Task Force will meet a couple more times to wrap up and prepare the Draft Housing Element, which will return to the Planning Commission before it goes to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in August 2011. Ms. Stern stated that the focus of the Housing Element Task Force is to provide recommendations on the potential housing sites to accommodate high-density residential development; to update and supplement the 2003 Housing Element Goals, Policies, and Programs by addressing new housing needs in the community since the last Housing Element and the new State housing laws and by developing programs that comply with the requirements of the Settlement Agreement in the matter of Urban Habitat vs. the City of Pleasanton; and to undertake outreach to the Pleasanton community. Ms. Stern stated that the Housing Element is part of the General Plan for the City. She indicated that unlike other parts of that General Plan such as the Land Use Element, the Circulation Element, the Open Space Element, and other Elements, the Housing Element has some very detailed content requirements in terms of what exactly is to be included in the Housing Element and the analyses to be undertaken. She noted that one of the main points of the Element is to address regional and local housing needs and to identify adequate sites for future housing development. She added that the City must accommodate some un-accommodated need from the last 2003 Housing Element PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MINUTES, April 27, 2011 Page 4 of 40