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01-16-2014 CITY OF GRAND TERRACE ,a PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES • JANUARY 16, 2014 Council Chambers Regular Meeting 6:30 PM Grand Terrace Civic Center• 22795 Barton Road CALL TO ORDER Chairman Comstock convened the Meeting of the Planning Commission and ,Site and Architectural Review Board at 6:30p.m. Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Giroux. ROLL CALL. Attendee Name , Title-, , !,:,Status. . Arrived_ Tom Comstock Chairman Present Robert Bailes Commissioner Present Ryan Stephens Vice-Chairman Present Ohm Kongtang Commissioner Present Ivy Tsai Assistant City Attorney Present Sandra,Molina Deputy Community Development Director Present A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Agenda Approved, all ayes Chairman Comstock, Vice-Chair Stephens,,Commissioner Kongtang ;and Commissioner Bailes, all approved the January 16, 2014 agenda. B. PRESENTATION None C. PUBLIC ADDRESS None D. CONSENT CALENDAR None E. ACTION ITEMS None F. PUBLIC HEARINGS 6.1 2013-2021 Housing Element City of Grand Terrace Page 1 Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina Presented the staff report and stated that the Housing Element is not substantially different than what the,Commission has already looked at in September, 2013. The changes were made were after we had a workshop and we took it forward to the City Council for a workshop, as well. It was then sent to HCD for review. Director Molina was able to address some of HCD's comments via email, and a copy of that email is attached in the staff report. Director Molina stated there are elements that still need to be revised to meet state law provisions. The Housing Element is required to be adopted by February 15, 2014, and the biggest,item is the re-zoning of 1.40 acres to a higher density, and that are deficient by about half an acre. Staff also went through the available land inventory and stated that staff believes we demonstrated adequate land to accommodate our allocation of the 118 units. However, HCD disagreed. HCD provided eight comments in their review letter, and four out of the eight.comments have to do with rezoning. The statue requires we adopt our Element within the time frame required or the review reverts to a four year cycle: We do have zones that potentially can be rezoned, and we would also want to consider the affordable housing overlay zone with HCD again. Director Molina stated that the public comment and the participation sections of the Draft Element have been revised. We also revised the Element to discuss how it complied with public services relating floods. Notice of the hearing was sent'to church groups and other public agencies, and staff hasn't received any comments from any of the notices we sent out. The Environmental review is still applicable and no additional reviews are required at this time.. Chairman Comstock The Chairman asked the Commissioners if they had any further questions for staff. Vice Chair Bailes Stated he would like staff to research the site analysis for further additional comments, and identified a typo on Page 53. Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina , Director Molina stated she did not believe there have been any low affordable housing projects since 2010. City of Grand Terrace Page 2 Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 Vice Chair Baffles Commented he noticed the discussion of homeless people in City of Grand Terrace and he knows of two of them. He claimed they are not homeless and their family live near but they prefer to live out on the streets. Deputy Community Development,Director Sandra Molina Stated that she, Code Enforcement Officer Barrie Owens, and a Sheriff Deputy conducted a homeless count as part of the County's count, and went to areas in the City where homeless may likely live. For example; near freeways, drainage ditches such areas. No homeless were counted during the 2013 Count. HCD did not feel the count was valid and asked staff to reference the six homeless again. Commissioner Stephens Asked if HCD required the City to provide housing for the six homeless persons. Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina, Responded, no. Vice Chair Bailes The promotion of equal housing opportunities as reflected in the final draft it states there is 120 homeowners and 150 renters with extreme low income, 72% of homeowners and 58% renters are overpaying. Is this the City's obligation to enforce the amount which is paid and,how would the City enforce renters on amounts charged. Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina What the Housing Element allows the City to provide is the data for certain groups such as senior households, disabled households, and also identified areas of over payment. Under the Federal Law, if you pay more than 30% of your gross income for housing you are overpaying, if you pay over 50% you are severely overpaying for housing and this survey helps identify the issues for overpayment. This information helps us devise housing programs, but we are not required to dictate to owners or renters what rent should be. Programs,could encourage housing provided for a lesser rental amount. Commissioner Bailes Thank you. Commissioner Bailes identified a typo on page 23 item C. Commissioner Bailes Addressed staff and asked, if in the given case the City does not meet requirements of the Housing Element what are the penalties? City of Grand Terrace Page 3 Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai If the City did not,compile with the proposed information from the Housing Element, they have the jurisdiction to discontinue the City's redevelopment. Chairman Comstock Wanted to know if the Housing Element can force its cities to enforce their policies. Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai The incompliance of the City to,the proposed information from the Housing Element can caused regulatory abilities to be, discontinued. For instance, a City would not be in compliance with regulations, and it could affect development projects that also included redevelopment. Chairman Comstock I see this often, their numbers are way out of line with what's even possible within the City of Grand Terrace. Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai Responded this is an issue that many cities are faced with. Chairman Comstock I know the last Housing Element or the previous Element, the Economic Development Director needed to visit and let them know we cannot meet the requirements, they would need to ,lower the numbers for us as a City. I find it difficult 'if someone in Sacramento knows what going on in our City more than we do. It seems that every time we go through this they increase their numbers. Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai The previous director met with us to discuss the numbers and found that there were many cities that were built out, we can only do what we can by providing the accurate data. The City needs to do what it needs to get done. Chairman Comstock In order to'rezone .certain properties within the community may become legal non- conforming. For instance, the City came in and rezoned after we became a church and I came to City to discuss and see what could be done because we were legal non- conforming. I don't want to see that happen to another land owner in the City. The City can come and say we want to increase the density and we want you to go to a higher density and the land owner may choose not to do so and these are my concerns. Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina City of Grand Terrace Page 4 L_ Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 Stated that SANBAG did provide the opportunity to review the drafted number and the numbers came back higher. Director Molina stated she and former Director Joyce Powers met with SANBAG and they did consider their suggestions and both Joyce Powers and Sandra Molina were surprised that the number was 1.18 from the last cycle of 330. Chairman Comstock Asked the Assistant City Attorney if she has witness any repercussions done to other cities for riot abiding. ` Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy.Tsai She stated she could' not recall in her experience but taking the risk of not abiding by the regulations the City could potentially lose local control.-Although she could not.recall in her experience, rather than take a risk, the City should try to comply, and maintain local control. Chairman Comstock Stated that the' designated people at the state offices are making decisions based on assumptions, and those assumptions are not in line with what is currently happening in `! the City Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai She stated that the staff had been effective in working with SANBAG in adjusting the numbers, and it is essentially up to the City to stay vigilant so the numbers may . continue to be as accurate as possible. Chairman Comstock He stated that staff was doing a,wonderful job especially with the recent discussion with SANBAG, having them agree tothe City's terms. Assistant Deputy Attorney Ivy Tsai The City Council adoption is critical because it is not in the City's best interest to revert to the 8 year cycle and to stay on the 4 year cycle. City of Grand Terrace Page.5 Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 1. CONDUCT A PUBLIC,HEARING; AND 2. ADOPT THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE 2013-2021- HOUSING ELEMENT. RESULT:. APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: ' Tom Comstock,'Chairman SECONDER: Robert Bailes, Commissioner _ AYES: Tom Comstock, Robert Bailes, Ryan Stephens, Ohm Kongtang G. INFORMATION TO COMMISSIONERS Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina The Planning Commission needs to begin to look at the three year term coming up in June and we need to start to strategize on the advertisement for.the three available positions including the vacancies. H. INFORMATION FROM COMMISSIONERS Chairman Comstock I noticed the Gas Company decided to patch rather than repave the section. They patched like they've should of done but the Gas Company is not done yet, do we know the status? - Deputy Community Development Director Sandra Molina Stated the Gas Company's work has not been completed as of yet.and she will be following up. City of Grand Terrace Page 6 Minutes Grand Terrace Planning Commission January 16, 2014 ADJOURN Chairman Comstock adjourned the Planning Commission meeting at 7:30 p.m. Adjourn to the next scheduled meeting of the Site and Architectural Review Board/Planning Commission to be held on February 20, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. 6AA om Comstock Sandra Molina Chairman of the Grand Terrace Planning Community Development Director Commission City of Grand Terrace Page 7