Planning Commission Meeting: November 1,
2006
Agenda Item: 9-A
To: Planning Commission
From: Amanda Schachter, City Planning
Division Manager
Subject: Resolution of Intention to consider amending permitted uses,
conditionally permitted uses and property development standards sections in the
Zoning Ordinance to establish specified affordable housing projects as
permitted uses and to exempt those projects from the established development
review threshold in certain districts.
Recommended
Action
It is
recommended that the Planning
Commission adopt the attached Resolution of Intention.
Executive
Summary
The attached Resolution of Intention will
authorize a public hearing to consider amending Article 9 of the Santa Monica
Municipal Code in order to
establish a Development Review threshold exemption for affordable housing
projects of not more than 50 residential units, as
described in Interim Ordinance 2124 (CCS), currently in effect until March 11,
2007. This Resolution will also authorize
a public hearing to amend the zoning ordinance to permit these affordable housing
projects by right in districts where they are currently only permitted by
a Conditional Use Permit.
Background
In November 2002, the City Council adopted Ordinance 2060 (CCS) on an interim basis to require a Development Review permit for developments in excess of 7,500 square feet. This interim ordinance was adopted due to the concern that many new, larger mixed commercial/residential developments in the Downtown of nearly 60,000 square feet in size were being approved administratively the benefit of a public hearing. These projects were adversely impacting existing residents and businesses in terms of noise, traffic, parking, aesthetic, privacy, light and air, shade and shadows and pedestrian orientation.
As part of the Interim Ordinance, to further effectuate the City’s commitment to affordable housing, the City exempted affordable housing projects consisting of not more than 50 residential units from any requirement to obtain Development Review permits and/or Conditional Use Permits in all zoning districts citywide except the LMSD, DP, BP, and R-MH Districts where this land use is not permitted. On May 24, 2005, the City Council approved Interim Ordinance No. 2124 (CCS), extending the previous interim ordinance through March 11, 2007.
A year later, on May 25, 2006, the City Council approved Ordinance No.
2187 (CCS), which dealt with the development, design, and off-street parking
standards for projects developed within the Downtown districts. This Ordinance was the product of a
multi-year collaborative effort between City staff, the community and
consulting agencies, and intended to improve the design, quality, and
livability of development in the Downtown area.
As Ordinance 2187 (CCS) was specific only to those districts located
within Downtown Santa Monica, it did not address the Development Review threshold
and Conditional Use Permit exemptions for affordable housing projects of not
more than 50 units.
The purpose of the text amendment shown in attachment A is to formally
incorporate the Development Review threshold exemption into the Santa Monica
Zoning Ordinance. Additionally, it is
proposed to modify the zoning ordinance to reflect that all affordable housing
projects of not more than 50 units are permitted by right. A staff report will be prepared, and a public
hearing will be scheduled for the December 6, 2006 Planning Commission meeting.
Prepared by: Peter D. James, Assistant
Planner
Jonathan Lait, AICP, Principal Planner
Attachments
A.
Planning Commission Resolution of Intention
B.
Interim Ordinance No. 2124 (CCS)
RESOLUTION NO. 06-016
(Planning Commission Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
WHEREAS, the City has a long history
of encouraging and promoting affordable housing through extraordinary efforts
manifest in various City laws, policies and programs; and
WHEREAS, for instance, the City’s voters have adopted initiative
measures which strive to maintain and promote affordable housing in the City;
the Rent Control Charter Amendment, adopted in 1979, has as its primary purpose
the protection of affordable housing and has historically been the City’s most important
legislative tool for maintaining a supply of affordable housing; and,
similarly, Proposition R, adopted by the voters in 1990, mandates that thirty
percent of all new multi-family housing units constructed in the City each year
be affordable; and
WHEREAS, the City’s zoning laws and policies also include substantial
incentives for the production of affordable housing, including height and
density bonuses and reduced parking requirements; and
WHEREAS, providing affordable housing opportunities conforms with State
and Federal policies and is a principal goal of the City’s 2000-2005 Housing
Element Update and the 2005-2010 Consolidated Plan; and
WHEREAS, the lack of affordable housing production has a direct impact
upon the health, safety, and welfare of the residents; and
WHEREAS, there is an extremely low vacancy rate for the existing
affordable rental housing stock; and
WHEREAS, market conditions, including the high cost and lack of
residential land, construction costs, and the availability and cost of
financing, make the development of affordable housing in the City extremely
difficult; and
WHEREAS, by authorizing affordable housing of not more than 50 units to
be approved administratively this resolution is consistent with Policy #1.6 of
the Housing Element states articulates a desire to “Maintain and enhance the
City’s expedited and coordinated permit processing system;” and
WHEREAS, Goal #2.0 of the Housing Element states requires the City to
“Increase the supply of housing affordable to very low, low and moderate income
persons;” and seeks to encourage low-income housing by implementing an
administrative process for affordable housing projects of a certain size, and
WHEREAS, Policy #2.5 of the Housing Element encourages low income
housing and seeks to “Ensure the continued availability and affordability of
income-restricted housing for very low, low, and moderate income households;”
and
WHEREAS, Policy #2.6 of the Housing Element also supports low income
housing by articulating a desire to “Support housing providers to promote the
development of rental housing for very low, low, and moderate income households
that utilize tax exempt bond financing;” and
WHEREAS, Policy #2.7 of the Housing Element promotes low income housing
as it applies in every district where multifamily housing is allowed in stating
that the City should “Encourage the
distribution of housing for low and moderate income households throughout the
City;” and
WHEREAS, Policy #1.10.1 of the Land Use and Circulation Element requires that City land use policy “Encourage the development of new housing in all existing residential districts’; and
WHEREAS, the failure to provide adequate affordable housing for
lower-wage workers can force these workers to live in less than adequate
housing within the City, pay a significantly disproportionate share of their
incomes to live in adequate housing within the City, or commute ever-increasing
distances to their jobs from housing located outside the City; and
WHEREAS, new affordable housing will benefit the City as a whole since such
development augments the City’s housing mix, helps to increase the supply of
housing for all economic segments of the community, addresses the affordable
housing need generated by the development, helps meet the voter mandate
expressed in Proposition R and thereby supports a balanced community which is
beneficial to the public health, safety and welfare of the City,
WHEREAS, for these reasons, the City's Comprehensive Land Use and Zoning Ordinance should be revised to accommodate the production of affordable housing in a consistent and predictable; and
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
SECTION 1. Pursuant
to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.04.20.16.020, the Planning Commission
does hereby give notice of its intention to recommend amendment of the
Comprehensive Land Use and Zoning Ordinance of the City of
SECTION 2. The
Director of Planning and Community Development shall certify to the adoption of
this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force
and effect.
APPROVED
AS TO FORM:
_________________________
MARSHA JONES MOUTRIE
City Attorney
Adopted this _____ day of
_______________________, 2006.
_______________________________________
Chair, Planning Commission
I
hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution of Intention was duly and
regularly introduced and approved at a meeting of the Planning Commission on
the _____ day of ___________________, 2006 by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstain:
Absent:
Attest:
________________________________________
Director of Planning and Community
Development
EXHIBIT A
The following sections of the Santa
Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) will be amended to reflect the proposed changes:
A. Exemptions from development review thresholds
·
Add
sub-section to development review threshold exemptions section 9.04.10.14.050 specifying
affordable housing units not more than 50 units
B. Bayside Commercial (BSC) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.15.060(d)
C.
·
Conditionally
permitted uses section 9.04.08.28.040(w)(x)
D. Neighborhood Commercial (C2) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.16.060(g)
E. Downtown Commercial (C3) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.18.060(g)
F. Downtown Overlay (C3-C) District
·
Special
project design and development standards section 9.04.08.20.070(g)
G. Special Office Commercial (C5) District
·
Permitted
uses section 9.04.08.24.020
·
Conditionally
permitted uses section 9.04.08.24.040
H. Industrial Conservation (M1) District
·
Permitted
uses section 9.04.08.34.020
·
Conditionally
permitted uses section 9.04.08.34.040
I.
Multifamily Districts (R2, R3, R4)
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.06.060 (h)
·
Add
sub-section (i) to Property development standards section 9.04.08.06.060
·
Land
Uses Allowed in Multiple Family Residential Districts (Table 9.04-1)
J.
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.48.060(j)
K.
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.50.060(l)
L.
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.52.060(l)
M. Ocean Park High Multiple Family (OP-4) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.54.060(l)
N. Low Density Multiple Family Coastal Resident (R2B) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.62.060(h)
O. Medium Density Multiple Family Coastal Resident (R3R) District
·
Property
development standards section 9.04.08.64.060(i)