The City of San Diego City Council approved legislation designed to quickly increase the amount of housing constructed at affordable prices to middle and low-income residents. The new law is intended make it easier and cheaper for homeowners to add accessory units; it also expedites approvals. The goals of the 12 initiatives Mayor Kevin Faulconer plans to enact in the next two years are lowering housing costs, boosting supply and promoting “smart growth” along transit lines. The City Council unanimously approved two of the three new laws; looser granny flat rules were approved 8-1. The city’s “Expedite Program” makes it so more projects can benefit if they have at least 10 percent of units reserved for low/very low income families or are near transit lines. Streamlining approvals would revamp the appeals process by increases the cost for an appeal from $100 to $1,000 and requiring hearings to be scheduled within 60 days instead of the average 105 days.
New Point Reyes Plan to Eliminate Ranching, Dairying
The Point Reyes National Seashore will update its general management plan and prepare an environmental impact statement that evaluates alternatives including eliminating historic ranching and dairying operations. Three environmental nonprofit groups sued the National Park Service last year as ranching was criticized over its impacts to water quality and public access. The park may issue five-year leases to agricultural operations while it updates the general management plan. In 2012, the Interior Department mandated standards for ranching leases and practices but the park argued that it was postponing an update to its general plan in order to prioritize the ranch plan. Those suing the park say this was “unlawfully prioritizing ranching above other uses of the national seashore,” saying there was no environmental review of the ranch operations particularly changes such as global warming, expired reservations of use and occupancy for the ranches, endangered species listings, and evolving visitor uses. The settlement agreement reached states the general management plan amendment and environmental impact statement will address alternatives for future management of the lands within four years.
New Santa Monica Downtown Plan to Require Up To 30% Inclusionary Housing
The Santa Monica city council approved its new downtown Downtown Community Plan on a 4-3 vote. The plan is the final piece of the city’s updated General Plan, which has been in process for years and been marked by successive efforts to reduce densities from levels the plan had originally envisioned. Height limits throughout downtown zone are 84 feet, while three specific sites can go up to 130 feet. The document streamlines administrative approval for housing projects up to 75,000 square feet. Residential projects are required to provide between 20-30 percent affordable housing for all new condos and apartments. Parking minimums will be eliminated and commercial projects up to 10,000 square feet are required to have administrative approval. Some developers say the high affordable housing percentage would dissuade construction in the city, thus stifling the production of both market-rate and affordable housing; they cite a crash in development that occurred when San Francisco raised its inclusionary zoning requirements above 20 percent. Supporters say other housing incentives may be enough to encourage growth that the plan foresees in the famously expensive coastal city. The City Council will receive a monitoring report on housing production every six months to see the effects of the new requirements. (See prior CP&DR coverage here and here.)
PPIC Finds Californias Support Environmental Policies
The Public Policy Institute of California released a survey and paper on “Californians and the Environment”. The survey finds a majority of Californians are in favor of state policies related to global warming including the law mandating statewide reduction of GHG emissions and the cap-and-trade program. Even with the reminder that an estimated 15 cents will be added to each gallon of gasoline by 2021 with revenue to be spend on affordable housing near public transit, energy efficiency, high-speed rail, and public transit, 60 percent of adults and 51 percent of likely voters were still in favor of the state’s efforts. Only 25 percent of Californians are in favor of offshore drilling while 73 percent approve of wind power and wave energy projects and 67 percent are in favor of desalination. Related to oceans and beaches contamination of fish and seafood is a big problem (46 percent), declining marine life (45 percent) and limited public access to the coast and beaches (18 percent). While 24 percent of Californians say air pollution is the biggest problem, 38 percent say its somewhat of a problem. However, 55 percent say air pollution is a more serious health threat in lower-income areas and 79 percent are in favor of empowering local air districts to require industries to curb emissions of air pollutants.
SGC Seeks Comments on Transformative Climate Communities Guidelines
The Strategic Growth Council released its fourth revision of the Draft Guidelines for the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Program. This revised draft has updated requirements applicants must meet for implementation and planning grants. Comments are due Aug. 2 via tccpubliccomments@sgc.ca.gov. The final proposed version will be considered by the SGC Aug. 24. CARB also released a draft TCC Greenhouse Gas Emission Quantification Methodology. CARB will be accepting public comments through Aug. 2. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
Sacramento to Demolish Federal Housing to Make Way for new Neighborhood
Under a new plan, Sacramento’s Twin Rivers neighborhood will be demolished and replaced with an expanded mixed-income district. The changes for the affordable housing-rich neighborhood will test a new federal housing policy “Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.” The Twins Rivers neighborhood was originally developed in 1952 by the federal government as 218 public housing units. The new project will include 480 units, half of which will be set aside for current residents. The renderings show tree-lined streets with three and four-story townhomes, neighborhood park, grocery store, and new light rail station for existing Blue Line. The existing project will begin demolition in May 2018. The project received a $30 million seed grant in 2015 and the rest is expected to come from tax credits, cap-and-trade funds, and other government grants and private construction loans.
Draft Earthquake Maps Reveal Faults in West Los Angeles
Officials released new draft maps showing earthquake faults in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and the West Los Angeles as part of a new effort by the state to locate fault lines so that new buildings are not constructed on top of them. An LA Times analysis in 2013 showed more than a dozen projects were approved along the path of the Santa Monica and Hollywood faults in the last decade. Once these maps are finalized, state law will require anyone looking to build in a fault zone to hire a geologist to investigate whether construction can occur on an actual fault line. The maps may still be revised and public feedback is due Oct. 11.
Quick Hits & Updates
The City of Rosemead filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles Metro for throwing out the 710 tunnel expansion saying the decision was premature and violated state environmental laws. The complaint alleges the board should have waited until the final environmental study was certified by Caltrans, which is not expected until next year. The board rejected the 6.3 mile tunnel saying it does not have the $3-5.3 billion needed.
Joshua Tree National Park will be officially designated as an International Dark Sky Park which is a park that has “an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment”.
Controversial pro-housing advocate Sonja Trauss has announced her candidacy for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Sixth District seat. Jane Kim currently holds the seat but cannot run for reelection due to term limits. Founder of the San Francisco Bay Area Renders Federation, Trauss has become a YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) leader and promotes policies and projects that increase housing stock of all kinds. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera is seeking a court order to force Uber and Lyft to share records on driver safety, disability access and other operations. The actions are an attempt for the city to ensure drivers are not creating “a public nuisance by jeopardizing public safety, discriminating or otherwise violating local and state laws.” Lyft originally was willing to work with the city but demanded unreasonable provisions and Uber refused to cooperate. Last month, San Francisco County Transportation Authority found that these rideshare programs make up 15 to 20 percent of the city’s traffic during the week.
San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis is pushing back on a proposal to rezone a piece of Valley Transportation Authority-owned property near a light rail station be from Agriculture to Mixed-Use. Transit advocates contend that the parcel is an ideal place for high-density transit-oriented development Khamis, along with neighbors of the Branham LRT station, say the application would first have to address traffic because a land use amendment could be considered.
Los Angeles City officials have decided to take the remaining 37 parcels of Manchester Square near LAX through eminent domain in preparation for expansion of airport facilities. Of the remaining parcels , owners of 26 properties have decided to sell and tenants will receive relocation assistance. The remaining 11 properties whose owners are holding out are waiting to receive proper compensation. City Council is expected to vote next month.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a new Office of Cannabis in advance of recreational marijuana sales starting early next year. The office will analyze disparities that keep certain minority groups out of the business and make recommendation on how to keep medical marijuana affordable. (See prior CP&DR coverage.)
The Los Angeles City Council approved a plan to legalize 1,700 unpermitted units in apartment buildings that will increase the housing supply. The apartments can become legalized if they existed before 2016, meet standards for safety and other measures, and if the landlord is willing to rent that unit – or another one- at below market rates.
