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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2023-C28 RESOLUTION NO. 2023-C28 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA ADOPTING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA-2022-01A AMENDMENT TO THE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE CITY OF AZUSA GENERAL PLAN WHEREAS, California Government Code Sections 65580-65589.9 require cities to prepare a Housing Element as a component of each city's General Plan and to revise the Housing Element regularly on a schedule set forth in the law to be in compliance with changes in housing laws, to reflect population trends, and to demonstrate that the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) can be satisfied; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Azusa adopted the 2021-2029 Housing Element update on March 7, 2022; and WHEREAS, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) reviewed the adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element and directed the City to make additional revisions; and WHEREAS, City staff revised the adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element as directed by HCD; and WHEREAS, on May 26, 2023 HCD submitted a letter to the City of Azusa affirming that the Housing Element, including those revisions, would comply with State Housing Element law; and WHEREAS, the 2021-2029 Housing Element fully complies with the requirements of State law by identifying adequate sites for a variety of housing types and makes adequate provision for the existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the Azusa community; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65583.2, the City finds, based on the facts described in the Findings section below that the existing uses on the sites identified in the sites inventory to accommodate the lower income RHNA are likely to be discontinued during the planning period, and therefore do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the period covered by the housing element; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65583, the City finds that the 2021-2029 Housing Element (2021-2029) complies with the duty to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Azusa, held a public hearing on May 31, 2023, for a City-initiated amendment to the General Plan, General Plan Amendment No. GPA-2022-01A to adopt an amendment to the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, and adopted PC Resolution 2023 -07 recommending that the City Council Adopt the Housing Element Amendment as presented; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Azusa, has given notice thereof as required by law, held a public hearing on June 19, 2023, for a City-initiated amendment to the General Plan, General Plan Amendment No. GPA-2022-01A to adopt an amendment to the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update; and WHEREAS, the City Council has carefully considered all pertinent testimony and the staff report offered in the case as presented at the public hearing; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Azusa as follows: SECTION 1: Consistency with the California Environmental Quality Act – Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act, an Initial Study and Negative Declaration was prepared for the adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element, finding that the proposed project could not have a significant effect on the environment and certified by the City Council. The City Council of the City of Azusa finds that no further environmental documentation is required because all potentially significant effects (a) have been analyzed adequately in the previously-certified Negative Declaration pursuant to applicable standards, and (b) have been avoided pursuant to the previously-certified Negative Declaration. Therefore, in accordance with CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines (Section 15168(c)), the project elements are within the scope of the previously-certified Negative Declaration; that Negative Declaration continues to be pertinent with considerable information value; and project elements do not give rise to any new or substantially more severe significant effects, nor do they require any new mitigation measures or alternatives. Accordingly, no new environmental document is required. SECTION 2: Consistency with State Housing Element Law – Statutory requirements for the Housing Element are delineated in California State Government Code Section 65580 – 65589.11. The Housing Element is required to be updated every eight years in accordance with a specific schedule of dates established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This Housing Element Update is part of the sixth cycle, which covers the period of October 15, 2021 through October 15, 2029 for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region. Because housing needs are recognized as a matter of statewide concern, the State, through HCD, must certify the compliance of every jurisdiction’s Housing Element upon adoption. The adopted Azusa 2021-2029 Housing Element was submitted for HCD review on March 21, 2022 for a 60-day review period. HCD issued a letter of findings and requested revisions on May 20, 2022. City staff revised the Housing Element based on HCD’s comments and on November 17, 2022, City staff transmitted the Draft Housing Element to HCD for another 60-day review period. On January 4, 2023, HCD staff verbally indicated that the draft Housing Element addressed many statutory requirements, but that some minor additional revisions would be necessary to comply with State Housing Element Law, and set forth recommended revisions to the Draft Housing Element. Revisions to respond to these comments were subsequently incorporated and resolved in the revised draft, sent to HCD on March 28, 2023. On May 11, 2023, HCD verbally indicated that, including the revisions submitted, the revised Housing Element is consistent with state Housing Element law (California State Government Code Section 65580 – 65589.11). On May 26, 2023, HCD issued a letter concurring the verbal indication from May 11, 2023; and no further findings are required. SECTION 3: General Plan Amendment Findings – In accordance with Section 88.51.080.F of the Azusa Development Code, it is found that the project would not unreasonably interfere with the use or enjoyment of property in the vicinity, and would not adversely affect the public peace, health, safety or general welfare. The City Council hereby approves and adopts said General Plan Amendment based on the following findings: 1. The proposed amendment is in the public interest, and there will be a community benefit resulting from the amendment: The adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element is in the public interest and will benefit the community by encouraging the City’s participation in programs that provide housing opportunities for diverse households, facilitating the development of housing for all income levels, including very low-, low-, moderate-, and above moderate-income levels for the 2021- 2029 planning period, and affirmatively furthering fair housing. The adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element identifies housing goals and policies to address the City’s fair share of the regional housing needs, while encouraging improvement and enhancement of existing residential neighborhoods throughout the city. The Housing Element Amendment does not modify any of these conclusions, as revisions to respond to HCD are aligned with the adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element and provide further specificity on the City’s housing policies and implementation programs. 2. The proposed amendment is consistent with the other goals, policies, and objectives of the General Plan. State law requires that the General Plan have internal consistency among its elements (Government Code Section 65300.5). The proposed 2021-2029 Housing Element Amendment is consistent with the goals, policies, and objectives of the current General Plan in that it encourages a balanced approach to meeting housing needs in various parts of the City, in alignment with the Built Environment Element allowing for mixed-use development along corridors, in neighborhoods, and in the TOD Specific Plan areas, and is consistent with the allowed densities indicated in the General Plan. 3. The proposed amendment will not conflict with provisions of the Development Code, subdivision regulations, or any applicable specific plan; and. The proposed 2021-2029 Housing Element Amendment contains goals, policies, and implementation programs related to the development and rehabilitation of housing throughout the City that are consistent with the current Development Code, subdivision regulations, and existing specific plans. The Housing Element includes program actions to review, and modify as needed, the Development Code to be compliant with State law and further encourage diverse housing options, consistent with HCD requirements. 4. In the event that the proposed amendment is a change to the land use policy map, that the amendment will not adversely affect surrounding properties. The proposed General Plan Amendment does not include a change to the Land Use policy map. SECTION 4: Non-vacant Sites Findings – If a Housing Element relies on non-vacant sites to accommodate 50 percent or more of its RHNA for lower income households, the non-vacant site’s existing use is presumed to impede additional residential development, unless the Housing Element describes findings based on substantial evidence that the use will likely be during the planning period. Based on substantial evidence set forth in Chapter 5, Housing Resources of the 6th Cycle Housing Element, the existing uses on nonvacant sites identified in the sites inventory to accommodate lower income housing are likely to be discontinued during the planning period, and therefore do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the period covered by the Housing Element. A. Parcels with existing uses that were not likely to be discontinued during the planning period were not examined for suitability, as follows: • Parcels in the Rec (Recreation) and OS (Open Space) Districts; • Parcels with existing designated historic resources; • Parcels that are under construction, or have recently completed projects, approved entitlements, or pending entitlements for commercial uses only; • Parcels that have unique land uses, such as Azusa City Hall, schools, parks, and libraries; • Parcels developed with affordable housing; • Parcels developed with condominium units; and • Parcels with newer buildings developed post 1980. B. All remaining parcels with existing uses that would allow residential redevelopment were examined for suitability. Parcels with existing uses were selected for the inventory based on the following factors and evidence: (1) Approved/Pending Project Sites: Sites for which entitlements have been issued for housing development projects or applications have been received for housing development projects; evidence that in the previous planning period, only less than five percent of approved or pending residential projects are withdrawn and/or have had permits expire. (2) Underutilized Religious Institution Sites: Evidence that all sites are in residential zones, allowing residential uses. Evidence that existing structures do not need to be removed to accommodate additional development capacity to support affordable housing, which can be developed in landscaped areas or within half of underutilized parking areas. Program H3-9 will further support redevelopment with a new zoning process to encourage housing on religious institution sites with development incentives. (3) Underutilized Residentially Zoned Sites: Evidence that existing uses are either nonconforming or significantly underutilized based on building age (at least 40 years of age) or surface parking lots and are able to at least double the number of housing units on site. (4) Underutilized Mixed-Use and TOD Specific Plan Zoned Sites: Evidence that property owners have expressed past or current development interest; the properties are underdeveloped below current maximum floor area ratio allowed or have single tenants. Evidence that past and current proposed housing projects all occurred on similar nonvacant sites with existing uses consisting of older buildings (at least 40 years of age) or surface parking lots. Evidence that improvement value is less than half of the land value. Evidence that in the past decade development in Azusa has trended towards new residential development rather than new commercial development, especially in the TOD Specific Plan area. C. The City of Azusa surveyed property owners for sites that are included in the sites inventory to gauge redevelopment interest. While not all property owners responded, those that did had existing uses on their sites and all indicated they were “very interested” in redeveloping their property with residential uses. SECTION 5; Based on the aforementioned findings, the City Council does hereby approve and adopt General Plan Amendment GPA-2022-01A for the adoption ol the Azusa General Plan 2021-2029 Housing Element Amendment (replacing the Azusa General Plan 2021- 2029 Housing Element in its entirety, as provided in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and made part hereof, plus any additional non-substantive edits made as directed by HCD after the Department’s review of the Adopted 2021-2029 Housing Element Amendment or to correct typographical errors). SECTION 6: The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution. PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 19^’’ day of June, 2023. C 4 Robert Gonzales Mayor ATTEST: ornejo, Jr. STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CITY OF AZUSA ) )ss. ) I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 2023-C28 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Azusa, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 1 day of June 2023, by the following vote of the Council: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: GONZALES, BECKWITH, ALVAREZ, AVILA, MENDEZ NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE APPROVED AS TO FORM: Best, Bek & Krieger, ^.LP City Attorney 3