PC Minutes 2003-02-26MINUTES
CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE PLANNING COMMISSION
AND LOCAL HOUSING TASK FORCE
ADJOURNED SPECIAL JOINT WORKSHOP MEETING
FEBRUARY 26, 2003
CALL TO ORDER - The Arroyo Grande Planning Commission met in regular session
with Vice -chair Keen presiding. Also present were Commissioners Brown, Fowler and
Guthrie. Commissioner Arnold was not present.
Staff members in attendance were Community Development Director, Rob Strong and
Associate Planner, Kelly Heffernon.
Local Housing Task Force members in attendance were: Larry Anderson, Roy Berger,
Jerry Bunin, Michael Byrd, Lenny Jones, Mark London, Carol Hatley and Steve Sanders
and Ray Hetherington, consultant.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES — None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS — None.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS — Correspondence from the Local Housing Task Force
(LHTF) was provided to the Planning Commission at the start of the meeting.
AGENDA REVIEW — No change.
PUBLIC HEARING — ITEM II.A.1. — 2003 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE —
WORKSHOP NO. 2. Prepared and presented by Kelly Heffernon.
Kelly Heffernon asked the Planning Commission to provide feedback to the Local
Housing Task Force on the draft documents that were given to the Planning
Commission on February 18, 2003.
The Planning Commission and Local Housing Task Force discussed the following
items:
• Incorporation of LHTF recommendations into the Housing Element — LHTF to
prepare their report so it fits into the existing housing element structure.
• Impact fees — how impacts will be paid for, other than by reducing fees.
• Arroyo Grande's approval processes.
• Business plans set up on the margin.
• Difference between townhouses and condominiums.
• Need clarification on land donation rather than in -lieu fees.
• Inclusionary laws — designed to distribute housing throughout the community
rather than all co- located.
• Developers have difficulty finding buyers for affordable homes, non - profits
have lists of buyers:
— Builders do building.
— Non - profits provide buyers and subsidies.
• Public transportation — transportation corridors (Grand Ave., Hwy 101,
others ?).
MINUTES
PLANNING COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 26, 2003
• Parking requirements - reduced parking; impact on street parking.
• Rental housing requirements.
• Insurance availability and costs - MF units. If we go to dwelling
equivalency, what is the reality of building smaller units?
• Water, drainage, sewage treatment, flood control: inherent conflict?
• Mandatory inclusionary zoning.
• Need more information on water; Santa Maria report on aquifer.
Landscaping driving water consumption.
• Financing.
• Quality of life; there is going to be growth; we must accept it.
• Land cost and availability; look into annexation to meet Housing Element
requirements. Construction rate hasn't gone up nearly as fast as land costs.
• Secondary units.
• Demand driven pricing, not cost driven pricing.
• Research in lieu fees for affordable housing.
• Include workforce housing (barracks for field workers).
o For people who work here but cannot afford to live here.
• Secondary dwelling units = zero land costs.
PC asked LHTF to provide more information on the following:
• Clarify which transportation corridors LHTF was referring to.
• Describe where LHTF wants the building height limits changed.
• Explain whether in lieu fees should be imposed on commercial development
for affordable housing and when, or if, in lieu fees are appropriate.
• Clarify the concept of using land donations in an inclusionary housing
program.
• Explain how reducing development impact fees for affordable projects will
impact fees for other development and whether LHTF thinks the fees are too
high.
• Provide hard data on the current mix of rentals versus ownership and current
typical rental fees.
Public Hearing Opened
George Hansen
• Cannot satisfy the demand by building smallest possible units.
• Demand will far exceed availability.
• City will need to specifically allocate them.
• Will need to provide affordable housing far outside city limits.
Public Hearing Closed
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MINUTES
PLANNING COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 26, 2003
PUBLIC HEARING — ITEM II.A.2. — 2003 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE — Second
Residential Units. Prepared and presented by Kelly Heffernon.
The Planning Commission discussed the following items:
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• Need to provide details regarding tiered fee structure for larger second units.
• LHTF recognized need for owner occupant and enforcement with or without
deed. Fees waived unless not owner occupied. LHTF not in favor of a deed
restriction due to financing considerations.
• Modify the viewshed and plot plan processes to simplify approvals for
acceptable second dwellings.
• Second story structures — second dwelling above garage would become
potential amnesty for second dwelling.
• Deed restrictions — financing impact and enforcement of owner occupancy.
• Lending institutions don't enforce "owner occupant" loan conditions when
owner decides to move after they have purchased the property.
• Zoning clearance for architectural compatibility.
• If home is in a PD area, staff will require Home Owners Association (HOA)
approval documentation of the CC &Rs.
• Waiting for info from attorney re: City's enforcement of CC &Rs; may bring
city into lawsuits unnecessarily.
• Right to farm ordinance — homeowner is responsible, but may not know it.
— There must be some type of enforcement; otherwise the culture of the
neighborhoods will change dramatically.
• Putting a stove in a guest house would cost $8,000 more than not putting in
a stove; no one has ever put a stove in a guest house.
— Larry /building said an amnesty of second dwellings might unveil 500
units toward the housing element required affordable housing
allocation.
Public Hearing Opened
Greg McGowan, Tally Ho
• Know you need to look at worst case scenarios.
• I live on an 18,000 s.f. lot with cottage. Could I build a 4,000 s.f. house as
a primary unit and use the cottage as second unit? Second Dwelling policy
could have a significant impact on me.
• Policy being proposed may result in tear down of all smaller old houses and
replacement with much larger homes.
Chuck Fellows, Le Point
MINUTES
PLANNING COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 26, 2003
• One meter on a property is wasteful of utilities and more costly because
utility companies see it as higher usage tier; don't recognize it as 2
residences. Renters don't see the bill and don't care.
• Duplexes - requirement that owner occupy one unit is contrary to what
we're trying to accomplish. Duplex, triplex not owner occupied, why SFR?
• Enforcement of owner occupied requirement is a problem.
• Too many restrictions will reduce amount of second dwellings supplied.
• Architectural compatibility is important.
Public Hearing Closed
The Planning Commission approved the direction of the Secondary Dwelling Units
policy proposal.
DISCUSSION ITEMS: None.
PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS AND COMMENTS:
Commissioner Brown - when are we going to look into this equivalency?
Rob Strong - intent is to apply to Mixed Use
Tapatia - closed? CUP expires in 1 year.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR COMMENTS AND FOLLOW - UP:
Smart Growth Conference - Friday
McDonalds' will go from ARC directly to City Council. Doesn't need to go to PC.
ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business before the Commission, the
meeting was adjourned at 8:47 p.m. on a motion by Vice -Chair Keen, seconded by
Commissioner Brown, and unanimously carried.
ATTEST:
L . ONNE BRADFO
OMMISSION CLERK
A O C
ROB STRONG,
COMMUNITY DEVELOPM T DIRECTOR
HN KEE , I E CHAIR
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