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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Reso 22-3158RESOLUTION NO. 22-3158 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND INITIAL STUDY AND NEGATIVE DECLARATION (PLN -21-00139), THEREBY ADOPTING THE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE FOR THE SIXTH HOUSING CYCLE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Planning Commission of the City of Downey does hereby find, determine and declare that: A. All cities and counties in the Southern California Association of Governments (SLAG) are required to obtain State certification from California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for an updated Housing Element for the 2021-2029 planning period no later than February 12, 2022; and, B. The City of Downey ("City") has been assigned a Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation of 6,525 housing units for the sixth housing cycle (2021-2029); and, C. On June 24, 2020, the City of Downey entered into a professional services agreement with Moore lacofano Goltsman, Inc. (MIG), a professional planning, architecture, and urban design firm to assist with the City's sixth cycle 2021-2029 Housing Element Update (HEU), replacing the 2013-2021 Housing Element of the City's General Plan; and, D. The City held two virtual community workshops, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on December 17, 2020 and June 14, 2021, to gather community input and revise the draft in accordance to the input obtained by the community and HCD; and, E. On September 1, 2021, the City made the draft HEU available to the public for review at multiple City facilities and the City's website; and, F. On September 15, 2021, the City submitted the draft HEU to HCD for review and received a response with comments on November 10, 2021; and, G. On November 1, 2021, in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt a Negative Declaration was posted with the California State Clearinghouse and published in the local newspaper Downey Patriot for public review from November 1, 2021 through November 30, 2021; and, H. On December 15, 2021, the Planning Commission held a study session where the public was invited to attend and share input on the revised draft HEU based on overall community input and HCD's comments; and, I. On December 22, 2021, the City submitted a revised draft HEU to HCD for final review; and, Resolution No. 22-3158 Downey Planning Commission J. On January 6, 2022, notice of the pending General Plan Amendment was published in the Downey Patriot as a'/stn page ad in accordance with the requirements of the Downey Municipal Code; and, K. The Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing on January 19, 2022, and after fully considering all oral and written testimony and facts and opinions offered at the aforesaid public hearing, adopted this resolution. SECTION 2. The Planning Commission further finds, determines and declares the requested General Plan Amendment, after preparing an Initial Study in compliance with the requirements of CEQA, found that the General Plan Amendment (project) will have "less than significant impacts" because there is no request for physical development, and the HEU remains consistent with other elements found in the City's General Plan. A Negative Declaration was prepared in accordance to the findings in the Initial Study. SECTION 3. Having considered all of the oral and written evidence presented to it at said public hearing, the Planning Commission further finds, determines and declares that: A. The project is in conformance with all other applicable objectives, policies, and programs specified in the City's General Plan. Additional general plan amendments and zone changes will be executed in order to meet the policies and goals of the Housing Element Update. The City will continue to ensure that those actions remain consistent with the overall General Plan. In addition, in order for the City to remain in compliance with state law governing the overall General Plan and Housing Element, the City is required to perform periodical updates every eight years. State law requires the housing element to address the following key topics: 1) housing needs, 2) constraints to housing development, 3) housing resources, and 4) housing plan. The Housing Element will be in strict conformance with the previous four topics. The following are current policies promoted by the proposed General Plan Amendment: Policy 1.1.2 - Provide an appropriate amount of land area to absorb the City's future population growth. Program 1.1.2.1.- Identify areas to absorb population growth and support additional housing. Program 1.1.2.2.- Designate parts of the City as second unit development areas to absorb the need for additional housing. Program 1.1.2.3.- Promote housing projects and mixed-use projects that include housing within areas designated for the downtown area, transit - oriented developments, and areas in the vicinity of the Downey Landing project. Goal 1.2.- Advance livable community concepts. Policy 1.2.1.- Promote livable communities concepts that allow added flexibility in addressing land use needs. Program 1.2.1.2.- Promote mixed-use developments with housing on the same site or in proximity to commercial services to reduce the need for trips by vehicles. Policy 1. 2.2 — Focus on areas where livable communities concepts are most likely [to] have the most impact to set a catalyst for similar projects elsewhere in the city. Program 1.2.2.4 - Use the development of the Downey Landing as a catalyst for further economic development, including housing, on properties 2021-2029 Housing Element Update General Plan Amendment and Initial Study and Negative Declaration - PLN -21-00139 January 19, 2022 - Page 2 Resolution No. 22-3158 Downey Planning Commission along the periphery of the site. One of the key topics of the Housing Element is addressing housing needs and accommodating the 6,525 units stipulated by the State's RHNA. As a part of assessing the City's housing needs, a sites inventory was performed to identify the specific parcels that can best fit increased densities. The majority of those sites are found along the City's main traffic corridors. This includes large commercial sites such as the Stonewood Mall, Downey Promenade, and Downey Landing. These developments are encouraged to utilize a mixed-use component. In addition, new mixed-use zoning and overlays will be proposed as a result of the Housing Element in an effort to implement the City's existing Mixed-use General Plan Designation. Lastly, the Housing Element will continue to comply with State regulations related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), formerly known as Second Unit Developments. It is estimated that 930 ADUs will be constructed during this Housing Element cycle. Policy 1.3.2. — Monitor and address changes in land use trends. Program 1.3.2.1.- Adopt a comprehensive update of the zoning chapter of the municipal code. Program 1.3.2.2.- Adjust the codes, policies, and regulations in response to changes in land use trends. New and evolving development is continuously introduced into the city, and it remains a responsibility to analyze and determine the viability of these changes in the City of Downey. Some land use changes and trends discussed in the Housing Element aim to address low housing stock, affordability, and development constraints. As a result, there will be future Zone Text Amendments and General Plan amendments. These amendments include implementatior. of the City's Mixed- use General Plan Designation, increase in housing density, and if viable inclusionary housing policies. Policy 1.4.1.- Promote Neighborhood Identity. Program 1.4.1.4.- Promote public participation in the planning process. Program 1.4.1.5.- Provide public information on ways residents and property owners can improve their neighborhoods. Public participation was vital in drafting the proposed documents. The City held two separate public outreach workshops and a Planning Commission Study Session where residents were invited to attend and share their thoughts. In addition to community meetings, residents and stakeholders could also provide input via a community survey and receive information via the Housing Element webpage. At the community meetings, residents were introduced to the intent of the Housing Element and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Participants shared thoughts related to affordability, sustainability, parking/traffic, support for ADUs, and resources for vulnerable residents. The information received at these meetings was incorporated into the proposed document. Lastly, the workshop, surveys, and all outreach material was accessible to both English and Spanish speakers. Goal 1.4 - Protect and enhance the residential neighborhoods. Policy 1.4.2.- Promote residential construction that complements existing neighborhoods. Program 1.4.2.1.- Discourage residential construction not in harmony with the surrounding neighborhood. B. The proposed General Plan Amendment will not adversely affect surrounding properties or the surrounding environment because the Housing Element Update 2021-2029 Housing Element Update General Plan Amendment and Initial Study and Negative Declaration - PLN -21-00139 January 19, 2022 - Page 3 Resolution No. 22-3158 Downey Planning Commission only establishes a regulatory environment that supports and encourages housing production. Therefore, no projects are authorized or approved by this action. Future projects, including zone text amendments and new housing units, will be evaluated through the appropriate review process, and potentially subject to further environmental review. The Housing Element was reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. No physical construction is proposed, the analysis is based on a hypothetical development scenario for the Inventory Sites identified in the Housing Element and how construction and operation of those sites may result in impacts to the environment. The Initial Study determined that the Housing Element Update would result in a "less than significant impact." Therefore, a Negative Declaration is proposed for adoption. C. The proposed General Plan Amendment promotes the public health, safety, and general welfare and serves the goals and purposes of the Downey Municipal Code. Specifically, the goals and policies found within the Housing Element Update include: providing housing at all income levels, providing housing specifically for vulnerable populations, rehabilitation of existing homes, providing education and resources for homeownership, neighborhood preservation, and affirmatively furthering fair housing. These types of policies fundamentally and inherently promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community. In terms of future development, through the sites inventory analysis a heavy emphasis was placed in determining where future development would be most appropriate in relation to nearby land uses. D. Approval of the Housing Element does not alter any provisions of the Downey Municipal Code, including the City's subdivision ordinance. Rather zoning text amendments will follow in order to achieve the goals and policies out lined in the adopted Hosing Element. The purpose of the Downey Municipal Code is to be in accordance with the comprehensive General Plan. E. Based on factors such as the age and condition of existing uses, the site land versus improvement value, lack of recent enhancements to existing uses, increased development intensity potential, and development interest, the existing uses on the sites identified in the site 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. SECTION 4. Based upon the findings set forth in Sections 1 through 3 of this Resolution, the Planning Commission of the City of Downey hereby recommends that the City Council approve a General Plan Amendment and Initial Study and Negative Declaration (PLN - 21 -00139), thereby adopting the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update for the sixth housing cycle. 2021-2029 Housing Element Update General Plan Amendment and Initial Study and Negative Declaration - PLN -21-00139 January 19, 2022 - Page 4 Resolution No. 22-3158 Downey Planning Commission SECTION 5. The Secretary shall certify the adoption of this Resolution. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of January, 2022. 'A V /�� Migue, ua Chairman City Planning Commission I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing is a true copy of a Resolution adopted by the Planning Commission of the City of Downey at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 19th day of January, 2022, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Owens, Ortiz, NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: Uva Montoya and Duarte Mary Cavanagh, Secret City Planning Commission 2021-2029 Housing Element Update General Plan Amendment and Initial Study and Negative Declaration - PLN -21-00139 January 19, 2022 - Page 5