03 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mayor Brown advised she has no idea how this many units will fit into the City especially so many larger above-moderate units. She clarified the City is not being penalized by the State for its stance supporting local control. She advised the City's infrastructure levels, school capacities and such are not being considered when given these RHNA allocations. In response to Mayor Brown's inquiries, Director Clark clarified the methodology is a series of frameworks and factors based on characteristics of a community on a macro level. She advised that on a micro-level the City is given a total number of units and the City determines where to place them which allows the City to account for its local planning constraints. Mayor Brown remarked that adding 6,000 units will mean a 20% increase in the City over the next eight years. In response to Councilmember Balch's inquiry, Director Clark advised the impacts of the pandemic and more people working from home came up more in the Plan Bay Area 2050 discussion. She reported ABAG has factored some of the work from home trend into its long-range planning along with possible job sectors which may see declines stemming from the pandemic. She explained it is unknown what the long-range outcomes of the pandemic's interruption to work patterns will be and noted she sensed a reluctance to commit so soon to the notion of these changes becoming permanent. Associate Planner Jennifer Hagen advised periodic updates to the Housing Element are required to ensure the City is meeting changing community needs and complying with state law. She advised consultant assistance is needed for a timely completion due to extensive state law changes and strict deadlines. She and the project funding and recommended approving an agreement with LWC to prepare the City's 2023-31 Housing Element and with FCS to prepare the 2023-31 Housing Element Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Associate Planner Hagen reported there were three qualified responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Housing Element and staff selected LWC after the interview process, assessment of previous work, and background reference check. She advised the project is anticipated to last 18-20 months and includes significant public engagement for which LWC will draft a substantial Public Participation Plan for review by the City Council, Housing Commission, and Planning Commission. She advised LWC will help staff with policy-based strategies to help meet the assigned RHNA numbers and all statutory requirements of state law. Associate Planner Hagen advised the process includes an extensive site inventory to evaluate gaps, determine the criteria, preferences, and priorities in locating sites, and then ranking those sites for inclusion in the Housing Element. She explained there will be a goal to re-use as many sites as possible. She noted LWC will also assist with technical studies and analysis of all other statutory requirements for the Housing Element typically found in the Background Report. Associate Planner Hagen reported the City anticipates having the Housing Element public draft in the summer of 2022 for both Commission and Council review along with HCD's 60-day review period. She advised the City will lead a final site inventory discussion in fall 2022 with adoption and HCD certification anticipated in winter 2022 or January 2023. Associate Planner Hagen reported that on January 19th the City Council approved a list of on-call California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) consultants including FCS. She advised staff reviewed the list and is requesting approval of FCS based on their extensive knowledge of the City's current Housing Element Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) and analysis done for six addendums on existing Housing Element inventory sites during the current cycle. Associate Planner Hagen reported FCS will prepare an EIR for the Housing Element consistent with CEQA requirements. She advised the EIR will be structured to allow for tiering of subsequent projects developed on the various sites for more streamlined reviews in the future. She noted FCS will analyze each of the topical sections outlined by CEQA and will also perform traffic impact studies. City Council Minutes Page 6 of 15 March 16, 2021