CCMIN 03162021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Associate Planner Hagen advised the planned timeline will start immediately with kick-off meetings to be held between LWC and FCS and the Council, Housing Commission, and Planning Commission within the first two months with ultimate completion by the January 2023 deadline. In response to Councilmember Balch's inquiry, Director Clark confirmed there will be a consideration for changing maximum densities. City Manager Fialho clarified 30 units per acre is the City's default but not necessarily its preference for low to very low-income units. He noted the City did identify sites during the last RHNA cycle to go up to 40 or 45 units per acre. In response to Councilmember Balch's inquiries, Director Clark confirmed the City's 20% figure for Inclusionary Affordable Housing is potentially something to reconsider as well. She confirmed the proposed timeline is appropriate to get to the January 2023 deadline so long as the City is efficient. In response to Councilmember Narum's inquiries, Director Clark clarified the Planning Commission would do the heavy lifting onsite selection based on direction from prior Council meetings. She advised there are many LWC check-in points with the Council along the way and noted the Housing Commission is also involved in the site selection process. She confirmed the 2012 Task Force criteria will be used as a starting point for LWC and advised East Pleasanton will be an important part of the site discussion as to how the RHNA numbers will work in conjunction with the Working Plan the City paused for the pandemic. In response to Councilmember Testa's inquiries, Director Clark clarified there are limitations in using sites included in the Housing Element for previous cycles. She advised there are ways through the zoning process to continue to include these sites and noted new sites can be added if there is an adjustment to the density standards. She explained the City would be creative and hopes to reuse many previously identified sites. She noted several sites will fall out of contention because HCD will not accept them due to use in prior cycles. She reported staff started some preliminary analysis when the number was only 4,900 units and estimated 800-1,500 viable sites could be reused in the current cycle. She reiterated there will be a new cycle in 2023 and the existing unmet needs from the current cycle will not be added on. In response to Councilmember Testa's inquiry, Director Clark clarified there was a change at the state level stating in a CEQA analysis Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) can only be considered for a threshold in traffic impact. She further explained that intersection-level impacts can no longer be considered for CEQA purposes. She noted the City can still analyze this for supplemental information to present to the Council for consideration, but it cannot be used to base significant findings in the EIR. In response to Councilmember Arkin's inquiry, Director Clark confirmed the City will be proactive in reaching out to commercial property owners for potential site redevelopments. She advised there is an existing list maintained by Associate Planner Hagen of people who have expressed interest in housing projects on their commercial sites. Councilmember Arkin remarked it resonates strongly with HCD when property owners are willing to redevelop. In response to Councilmember Arkin's inquiry, Director Clark believes the City can meet the next RHNA cycle's allocations. She advised it will be a challenge requiring strategic thinking about site densities and making the most of available sites. She advised HCD and especially ABAG recognize the challenge for almost every city in the Bay Area and is offering resources between grant funding and technical resources to work cooperatively with HCD. She added HCD cannot be too strict with site selection approvals or many cities will have non-complying Housing Elements. In response to Councilmember Arkin's inquiries, Director Clark confirmed impacts on schools, services, utilities. transportation. and other areas will be considered in site selection. She advised the Council is going to have some very difficult decisions to make because there is no way to add 6.000 housing units without impacting schools. She acknowledged the City will have to collaborate with PUSD to address City Council Minutes Page 7 of 15 March 16. 2021