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it wants. He stated that just because it is in an ordinance does not mean it is ever going <br />to happen, because if it is not viable, the developer will not do the project. <br />Mr. Dolan stated that one other part of the dialogue about updating the IZO is exploring <br />better options for the use of the fee. He stated that there is the whole other theory to <br />build up the City's war chest and then subsidize an individual project. He noted that this <br />is a theme that the Commission has heard from Ms. Dennis and some of her colleagues <br />that the City has an option to actually subsidize a non - profit where every single unit in <br />the place is affordable, and which would provide more units and can efficiently provide <br />the service that people need. He indicated that the Council in the past has chosen not <br />to do that very often and has been hesitant to do that because it feels that the various <br />incomes should be distributed throughout the community so it is more blended and not <br />so obvious who lives where. He stated that there are some efficiencies in the other <br />model and that the Council will be confronted with that policy discussion as the City <br />moves forward with that implementing program to the Housing Element. <br />Commissioner Balch commented that the City can then shut off the spigot for eight <br />years at this point, except for the 87 units, but that obviously will not happen because <br />the City will not grind to a halt. He inquired how much of this vacant and under - utilized <br />would realistically come to fruition. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that he has to stand in front of HCD and say that it is all possible. <br />Ms. Wallis stated that staff did analyze each of the vacant and under - utilized properties <br />and looked at their realistic capacity. She pointed out that there are sites with higher <br />densities whose capacities were lowered because of topography, landslide, or hillside <br />issues. <br />Chair O'Connor inquired what the split is between the vacant and under - utilized units. <br />Ms. Wallis replied that she did not know, but that the inventory provided does have <br />vacancy status and indicates whether the site is vacant or has a structure on it. <br />Chair O'Connor stated that he would expect the underutilized would be much slower to <br />come to fruition because it usually is some kind of a remodel or a tear down and a <br />rebuild, and that usually goes slower than a vacant piece of property. <br />Mr. Dolan replied that that is not necessarily the case. He noted that the City has <br />vacant sites that are still sitting there. <br />Ms. Wallis stated that typically, properties remain vacant because they have substantial <br />environmental issues to be overcome due to the City's topography. She noted that if a <br />vacant site were easily developable, it would already have been developed. She added <br />that in this sense, the underutilized sites would move more quickly than the vacant sites. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, June 25, 2014 Page 13 of 29 <br />