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I AM GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
MEETING TO ORDER AT 1:30 PM IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS.ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE LIBERTY.
AND CHAIRMAN RAMIREZ DID EXCUSE HIMSELF.
AND MR. VICE CHAIR, YOU HAVE A QUORUM ITEMS. THERE'S A, I THOUGHT IT WAS ON.
ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK TO ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR
[6. PUBLIC HEARING(S)]
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING.THE MERCED COUNTY ZONE CODE TEXT AMENDMENT NUMBER ZCTA 26 DASH 0 0 2.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M THE PLANNER WITH THE COUNTY.
UH, THERE ARE TWO
THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS NOT FOR THE COUNTY TO BUILD HOMES, BUT TO ENSURE DECENT, SAFE, SANITARY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THE INCORPORATED AREAS WITHIN, WITH THE ADDED GOAL OF FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AN APPROVED HOUSING ELEMENT MAKES COUNTIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ELIGIBLE FOR A VARIETY OF PLUG FINANCING, INCLUDING FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PARKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE FIRST PLUG HEARING ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION IS THE ADOPTION OF ZONING CODE TAX AMENDMENT ZCTA 26 DASH ZERO TWO TO AMEND THE MERCED COUNTY ZONING CODE AND INTRODUCE CHAPTER 18.50, PROVIDING BY RIGHT DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM WOULD ALLOW FOR FASTER APPROVAL TIMES AND LESS COSTLY DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THIS BUYRIGHT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IS REQUIREMENT BY THE STATE AS PART OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING, AN ADOPTION OF ADDENDA, MERCED COUNTY MIXED USE REZONE AND MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT UP ZONE PROJECT, AND THE OTHER BEING THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE PROJECT TO THE MERCED TO THE 23 MERCED COUNTY JOAN PLAN, FINAL PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT IMPACT REPORT.
THERE ALSO IS THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE APPROVAL OF JOAN PLAN AMENDMENT GPA TWO SIX DASH ZERO THREE AND ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC 26 DASH ZERO FIVE TO REZONE CERTAIN NOTICE PROPERTIES TO MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
AND LASTLY, THE ADOPTION OF THE 20 24, 20 32 FOR COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT.
DURING THE FIFTH CYCLE OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT, THE COUNTY PROCESSED A REZONED PROJECT THAT PROPOSED CHANGING MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ZONE PARCELS TO A MIXED USE ZONE DESIGNATION.
EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTY HAS MADE NUMEROUS STRIDES TO KEEP THE COUNTY'S HOUSING ELEMENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE RULES, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES, THEY UNFORTUNATELY WERE JUST, WERE NOT ENOUGH WHILE THE, WHILE THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO WORK WITH VARIOUS FOR-PROFIT AND NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS, THE COUNTY WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN MEETING ITS PREVIOUS REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, ALSO REFERRED TO AS ARENA OBLIGATIONS AS SET FORTH WITH STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
NO MORE RECENTLY, THE COUNTY IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL SITES TO BE REZONED TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AS PART OF ITS SIXTH CYCLE, UH, NEEDS FOR THE ARENA OBLIGATIONS,
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WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED AS PART OF THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS HCD, REQUIRED THE COUNTY TO COMPLETE THE FALLING INTO CONSIDERATION FOR COMPLIANCE, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS MIXED USE IN ZONING UP ZONING PROJECT, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN 2024 AND THEN ONCE BEFORE TODAY, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTING THE PROPOSED SECTION 18.50 INTO THE COUNTY ZONING CODE.
UPON CONSIDERATION, THE SECTION WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SIXTH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT SUBMITTAL PACKAGE TO HCD WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF SECTION 18.50.
IT ALLOWS BY ARIGHT DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL QUALIFYING SITES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE SIXTH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT.
NOW FOR CO COMPLIANCY WITH CQA, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT FINDINGS, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE COUNTY ZONING CODE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH STATE LEGISLATION.
THERE WILL BE NO PHYSICAL CHANGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT AS A RESULT OF THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED ZONE CODE TEXT AMENDMENT.
THE PROPOSED ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT DOES NOT RELATE TO ANY PHYSICAL PROJECTS.
THIS IS MAINLY JUST A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING CODE.
AND LASTLY, THE TEXT AMENDMENT IS EXEMPT FROM CQA PER SECTION 1 5 0 6 1 B THREE OF THE CQA GUIDELINES, THE WHICH IS THE COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION.
SOME OF THE PROJECT FINDINGS INCLUDE THAT THE, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DRONE PLAN.
IT DOES NOT CHANGE ANY ALLOWED OR DISALLOWED LAND USE OR DENSITY STANDARDS.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH ANY DRONE PLAN POLICIES OR PROGRAMS. ALSO, THE PRO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, OR WELFARE OF THE COUNTY.
THE PROPOSED EVENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEVELOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY, UH, WITH, WITH THE HCD REGULATIONS AND IS COMPLIANT WITH CURRENT STATE HOUSING LAWS.
THE PROPOSED EVENT IS LASTLY, INTENT IS INTERNALLY IN, IS IS INTERNALLY CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE COUNTY ZONING CODE.
IN CONCLUSION, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY HCD STAFF AND IS COMPLIANT WITH STATE HOUSING LAWS.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE 20 24, 20 32 MERCED COUNTY HOUSING CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR COMPLIANCE.
THE PROPOSED EVENT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH ANY OF MERCS COUNTY DRONE PLAN ELEMENTS POLICIES.
AND LASTLY, THE ADOPTION OF SECTION 18.50 IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS REQUIRED BY HCD TO INCLUDE WITHIN THE COUNTY SIX CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH CALIFORNIA STATE GOVERNMENT.
CODE SECTIONS 6 5 5 8 3 2 0.2 H 6 5, 5 8, 3 0.2 I AND 6 5 5 8 4 0.09.
THIS CONCLUDES MY, MY REPORT THIS TIME.
DOES THE COUNSEL, UH, DOES THE COACH I QUESTIONS OF STAFF? SEE, SEE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
YOU'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT FOLKS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
IF THERE'S ANYONE SEEING NONE.
I A QUESTION THIS ONLY FOR THE FIRST ITEM OR IS THIS THE SECOND? BOTH.
UH, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST, THE, THE HOUSING ELEMENT WILL BE NEXT.
AT THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING QUESTIONS, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION, UH, RECOMMENDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FIND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 5 0 6 1 B THREE COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION.
THOSE OPPOSED? SEEING NONE PASSES.
AND, UH, FOR THE PROJECT DETERMINATION, MAKE A MOTION ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING, UH, PORTION OF TITLE 18 ZONING OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE.
UH, ZONE CODE, ZONE CODE TEXT AMENDMENT NUMBER ZCTA 26 DASH ZERO TWO.
ANY, ANY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE PASSES.
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SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT 20 24, 20 32.GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 26 DASH 0 0 3, ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC 26 DASH 0 0 5.
AND WE HAVE A CONSULTANT ONLINE.
HI, UH, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR AND SEE? UM, ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL GET STARTED WITH THE, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
UM, LET ME SHARE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MARK GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW ALREADY OF WHAT THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS, SO WE'LL KEEP THAT PRETTY QUICK.
BUT, UM, IT IS AN ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT IS, UM, UNIQUE AMONG GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS AS IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED EVERY EIGHT YEARS AND COVERS AN EIGHT YEAR PLANNING PERIOD.
UM, THAT PLANNING PERIOD IS CALLED A CYCLE.
YOU MAY HEAR US REFER TO THAT AT TIMES.
UM, THIS HOUSING ELEMENT WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITIES OF MERCED COUNTY AND THE COUNTY ITSELF TO DEVELOP A SHARED REGIONAL ANALYSIS.
UH, FROM THERE, EACH JURISDICTION DEVELOPED ITS OWN LOCAL HOUSING ELEMENT.
SO WHAT'S BEING CONSIDERED TODAY IS THE REGIONAL ANALYSIS PLUS APPENDIX A, THE LOCAL.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER UNIQUE, UH, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE STATE IN REVIEWING AND APPROVING IT.
SO, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OR HCD REVIEWS EVERY DRAFT.
UM, THEY PRODUCE A FINDINGS LETTER FOR EACH DRAFT.
ULTIMATELY, WHEN THEY HAVE NO FURTHER FINDINGS, THEY PRODUCE A FINDING OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
UM, WHEN THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS ADOPTED, HCD WILL REVIEW IT AND CERTIFY IT AS COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW.
UM, CERTIFICATION IS CRITICAL BECAUSE, UH, NONCOMPLIANT JURISDICTIONS MAY LOSE, UH, SOME OF THEIR LAND USE AUTHORITY UNDER STATE LAW.
THEY ALSO BECOME INELIGIBLE FOR MOST STATE FUNDING PROGRAMS. SO THAT IS THE, UM, THAT IS WHY, UM, COMPLIANCE IS SO CRITICAL.
UM, THIS SLIDE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY OF THE PROJECT.
UH, WE BEGAN INITIAL PUBLIC OUTREACH IN 2023, AGAIN, AS KIND OF A COORDINATED REGIONAL EFFORT.
THE COUNTY SUBMITTED THE FIRST DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT TO HCD IN FALL 2024.
SINCE THEN, THE COUNTY REVISED THE HOUSING ELEMENT THREE TIMES, PUTTING IT OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW EACH TIME, AND SUBMITTING EACH DRAFT TO HCD AS REQUIRED.
SO THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS A PLAN FOR HOW THE COUNTY WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF EXISTING AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.
THAT NEED IS DETERMINED THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED THE ARENA OR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATION.
UM, THE PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE STATE ASSIGNING THE REGION A SHARE OF THE STATEWIDE NEED, UH, AT BY INCOME LEVEL.
WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN A SECOND.
UH, AND THEN MCHE DISTRIBUTED THE REGION'S SHARE TO EACH JURISDICTION USING A METHODOLOGY SHOWN HERE.
CONSIDERING FACTORS LIKE THE AMOUNT OF EXISTING HOUSING AND ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE JOBS, TRANSIT, OTHER AMENITIES, UH, EQUITY AND CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT LIKE FLOOD OR FIRE HAZARD ZONES IN THIS CYCLE, THE COUNTY HAS TO PLAN FOR 4,250 TOTAL UNITS.
THOSE UNITS ARE THEN BROKEN DOWN BY INCOME LEVEL.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT INCOME LEVELS MEAN, UH, IN A LITTLE BIT.
THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE TO BUILD THESE UNITS, JUST COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THEM, AND THAT MEANS ENSURING THERE'S ENOUGH LAND IN THE COUNTY TO BUILD THAT MANY UNITS, WHICH IS DEMONSTRATED BY A SITE INVENTORY, WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT LATER.
UM, THERE IS A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THERE BEING ENOUGH SITES SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE HOUSING ELEMENT CONSISTS OF A FEW AREAS OF REQUIRED ANALYSIS THAT INFORM A, THAT SITE INVENTORY AND A HOUSING PLAN, WHICH IS THE SET OF GOALS, POLICIES AND ACTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE FINDINGS OF THE ANALYSIS PROGRAMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND SUBJECT TO GREAT SCRUTINY BY THE STATE.
UH, SO THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS, GEOGRAPHIC TARGETING, TIMELINES AND METRICS.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION INFORMED ALL ASPECTS OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
FOR THIS PROJECT, LIKE I SAID, IT BEGAN IN SUMMER 2023 WITH THE REGIONAL EFFORT, COUNTYWIDE WORKSHOPS, SURVEYS, AND FOCUS GROUPS TO REVIEW THE SITE INVENTORY
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AND GATHER INPUT.THE COUNTY ALSO PRESENTED TO ITS, UM, MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES PRESENTED THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND THE SITE INVENTORY.
AND DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH DRAFT, THE COUNTY HELD FOCUS GROUPS AND MET WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, UM, TO, UH, GO OVER REVISIONS AND, AND GATHER ADDITIONAL INPUT.
AND PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT WAS A PART OF EACH DRAFT.
THE COUNTY PREPARED, UH, THE COUNTY RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO COMMENTS ON EACH DRAFT.
I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE KEY PROGRAMS. UM, THIS IS JUST A, A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE, THE KEY HOUSING ISSUES, UH, IDENTIFIED THROUGH ANALYSIS AND PUBLIC INPUT.
UM, THE COUNTY HAS A LOWER MEDIAN INCOME THAN THE STATE, UH, WHICH NECESSARILY LIMITS WHAT RESI RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD.
IT'S ABOUT 59,000 VERSUS ABOUT 84,000 STATEWIDE.
UM, MOST OF THE HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND MOBILE HOMES.
SO THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF MULTIFAMILY AND SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING.
THE COUNTY HAS A HIGHER OVERCROWDING RATES AND LARGER HOUSEHOLDS ON AVERAGE THAN THE STATE.
OVERCROWDING IS ESPECIALLY HIGH AMONG RENTERS, AND THAT MEANS THERE'S MORE THAN ONE PERSON PER ROOM IN A GIVEN HOUSING UNIT.
IT CAN INDICATE AN UNMET HOUSING DEMAND, EITHER FOR MORE HOUSING OR FOR LARGER UNITS.
UH, CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT INCLUDED A LACK OF LAND ZONED FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS AND THE OVERALL COST OF DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING.
SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE THAT WERE DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS ARE LISTED HERE.
THERE'S A PROGRAM TO FACILITATE BUILDING ADUS, WHICH CAN PROVIDE AFFORDABLE UNITS IN EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT CAN BE A SOURCE OF INCOME FOR HOMEOWNERS AND CAN ALSO, IN SOME SITUATIONS ALLEVIATE OVERCROWDING WHERE THERE WERE REGULATORY BARRIERS TO BUILDING SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING.
THERE IS, UH, THERE ARE TWO CODE UPDATE PROGRAMS TO HELP REMOVE THOSE.
THERE'S A PROGRAM FOCUSED ON EXPANDING SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR LOWER INCOME AND SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSEHOLDS, AND A FARM WORKER HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH HAS STRATEGIES TO, UM, FACILITATE PERMITTING, FIND FUNDING, CREATE INCENTIVES FOR BUILDING AND DOING OUTREACH TO GROWERS AND FARM WORKERS.
THE HOUSING PLAN ADDRESSES CONSTRAINTS THROUGH THE PROGRAMS LISTED HERE.
THERE'S A REQUIRED PROGRAM TO REZONE SITES, AND THAT IS PART OF WHAT'S BEING CONSIDERED HERE TODAY, THAT REZONING.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS AIMED AT CHANGING LOCAL REGULATIONS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD, EASIER TO NAVIGATE THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND REDUCING FEES WHERE IT'S FEASIBLE.
AND REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE, THERE ARE COUNTYWIDE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE WATER AND WATER AVAILABILITY AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PERIOD.
THERE ARE ALSO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC NEEDS IN DISTRICTS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED.
ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS OF REQUIRED ANALYSIS IS A FFH OR AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING.
THIS IS A NEW REQUIREMENT IN THIS CYCLE, AND A FFH IS, UM, IT USES HCD APPROVED DATA SETS AS WELL AS LOCAL INPUT TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES HERE.
DETERMINING PATTERNS OF INTEGRATION AND SEGREGATION DISPARITIES BETWEEN COMMUNITIES OR POPULATION GROUPS, UM, COMPARING COMMUNITIES TO COMMUNITIES AND ALSO TO THE REGION.
THE, A BIG PART OF THE A FFH ANALYSIS IS LOOKING AT WHETHER THE SITE INVENTORY FURTHERS A FFH GOALS BY INCREASING ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT ALSO IS, UH, IDENTIFIES CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
SO THOSE ARE THE REASONS THAT CONDITIONS ARE THE WAY THAT THEY ARE.
UM, THE COUNTY ALSO DEVELOPED WHAT IS CALLED MEANINGFUL ACTIONS, WHICH ARE REALLY JUST PROGRAMS IN THE HOUSING PLAN THAT ARE FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING A FFH ISSUES.
A LOT OF THE ANALYSIS IS MAP BASED.
SO I'M SHOWING THIS MAP, WHICH KIND OF TIES A LOT OF DATA SETS TOGETHER.
THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY MAP PRODUCED BY THE STATE, UM, TAX CREDIT AGENCY AND HCD.
IT TAKES, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF DATA TOGETHER AND, AND, UM, CATEGORIZES CENSUS TRACKS INTO RESOURCE LEVELS.
RESOURCE, UH, AREAS ARE DEFINED BY THINGS LIKE ACCESS TO JOBS, UM, GOOD EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, LESS POLLUTION EXPOSURE.
UM, HIGH RESOURCE AREAS ARE THOSE AREAS WITH BETTER ACCESS, LOW RESOURCE AREAS, VICE VERSA.
UM, THE HIGHEST RESOURCE AREA IN MERCED COUNTY IS IN THE NORTHEAST AND AROUND
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MERCED AND ATWATER.MOST OF THE COUNTY'S DESIGNATED URBAN COMMUNITIES ARE IN MODERATE OR LOW RESOURCE AREAS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HILMAR, WHICH IS A HIGH RESOURCE AREA.
BUT SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT WE IDENTIFIED ARE LISTED HERE, FOLLOWED BY SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THEM.
UM, AS DISCUSSED BEFORE, AFFORDABLE AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING OPTIONS ARE LIMITED IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.
SO THERE ARE PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE NEW HOUSING AT ANY, AT ALL INCOME LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, THE DATA, QUANTITATIVE DATA DIDN'T SHOW A HIGH RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, BUT RESIDENTS THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH, UM, DID REPORT CONCERNS ABOUT DISPLACEMENT.
SO THERE ARE SOME ANTI DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS, UM, PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FACILITATING BUILDING NEW HOUSING WHERE IT'S NEEDED, EXPLORING TENANT PROTECTION PROGRAMS AND PROVIDING, UH, HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR LOWEST INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, THE ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE CAPACITY OF FAIR HOUSING AGENCIES TO SERVE RESIDENTS IS LIMITED LANGUAGE CAN BE A BARRIER FOR PEOPLE ACCESSING THOSE SERVICES.
SO THERE'S A PROGRAM TO INCREASE, UM, CAPACITY AND PROVIDE MULTILINGUAL OUTREACH AND, AND ALL SETTINGS.
UM, OLDER HOUSING STOCK WAS IDENTIFIED INTO AN ISSUE.
THERE'S A REHABILITATION PROGRAM THAT WOULD HELP BOTH RENTAL AND OWNER OCCUPIED, UH, HOUSING REHAB.
THERE'S ALSO A BROAD CATEGORY OF ACTIONS THAT ADDRESS DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.
GENERALLY, THAT MEANS PROVIDING HOUSING OPTIONS IN HIGHER RESOURCE COMMUNITIES AND ENSURING INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, IT ALSO MEANS IMPROVING CONDITIONS IN LOWER RESOURCE COMMUNITIES, WHICH CAN BE INCREASING TRANSIT SERVICE, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER KINDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PRIORITIZING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACES WHERE IT'S LACKING.
SO I MENTIONED THE SITE INVENTORY AND WE WILL NOW REVIEW IT.
WE'LL GO COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY AND THEN DO A LITTLE SUMMARY.
AND I, THE SITE INVENTORY AGAIN IS MEANT TO DEMONSTRATE CAPACITY, CAPACITY FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN THINGS WILL DEVELOP AS SHOWN.
IT JUST DEMONSTRATES THAT THERE'S ENOUGH LAND TO ACCOMMODATE THE COUNTY'S RE OBLIGATION.
THE A FFH COMPONENT OF THE SITE INVENTORY IS TO DETERMINE NOT JUST THAT THERE'S CAPACITY, BUT THAT THE, THE PLAN FOR ACCOMMODATING THOSE UNITS, UM, IMPROVES ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY AND DOES NOT EXACERBATE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
THIS IS THE METHODOLOGY USED TO DEVELOP THE SITE INVENTORY, AND THE SLIDE IS DENSE, BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE BIG PICTURE COMES ACROSS, WHICH IS THE SITES HAVE TO MEET CURRENT CRITERIA, A CERTAIN CRITERIA, UH, SET FORTH BY HCD AND THE SITE INVENTORY HAS TO FURTHER A FFH GOALS.
SO I'LL GO QUICKLY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE STARTED WITH CREDITS, AND THAT JUST GETS SUBTRACTED FROM THE, THE COUNTY'S OBLIGATION.
THOSE ARE PLANNED AND APPROVED UNITS AND ADUS THAT THE COUNTY ASSUMES WILL BE BUILT DURING THE PLANNING PERIOD.
THEN, UM, WE LOOKED AT ALL AVAILABLE LAND.
SO THAT MEANS LAND WITH RESIDENTIAL ZONING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
SO VACANT OR VERY LOW INTENSITY USES.
WE APPLIED HDDS CRITERIA FOR SITES, UM, TO QUALIFY FOR THE SITE INVENTORY.
AND THERE'S PARTICULAR CRITERIA FOR AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THESE ARE SITES WHERE IT IS ASSUMED THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COULD BE BUILT.
AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THEY'RE JUST APPROPRIATE FOR IT.
SITES CAN'T BE TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL.
THERE HAS TO BE EXISTING OR PLANNED WATER AND SEWER SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE TO MEET MINIMUM DENSITY CRITERIA OF 20 UNITS PER ACRE, WHICH IN THE COUNTY IS R FOUR ZONING.
SO WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT, UM, THERE, THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH SITES, AND I'LL GET TO HOW WE DETERMINE THAT TOO.
BUT, UM, R FOUR ZONING SIZE AND WATER AND SEWER DOES ELIMINATE QUITE A FEW SITES.
UM, WE ALSO HAD TO LOOK AT HOW SITES WERE DISTRIBUTED GEOGRAPHICALLY AND BETWEEN RESOURCE AREAS.
SO THERE CANNOT BE AN OVER CONCENTRATION OF AFFORDABLE SITES, SITES APPROPRIATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ANY ONE AREA OR IN ANY, UH, OR IN LOW RESOURCE AREAS.
SO THIS AGAIN TIES DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY'S A FFH OBLIGATIONS.
UM, THE SITES IDENTIFIED THROUGH THIS STEP ARE OPPORTUNITY SITES.
UM, THEY'RE ALREADY ZONED FOR HOUSING.
BEING IN INVENTORY DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL USE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THAT WAS ENOUGH TO MEET THE COUNTY'S OBLIGATIONS.
WE DEVELOPED, UM, ASSUMPTIONS FOR REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT
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CAPACITY THEN THAT TOLD US HOW MANY UNITS THOSE SITES COULD ACCOMMODATE AND WHETHER WE NEEDED TO IDENTIFY NEW SITES FOR REZONING.THE COUNTY DID HAVE TO REZONE SITES.
AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED TODAY.
UH, WE USED THE SAME METHODOLOGY TO IDENTIFY THOSE SITES AND THIS METHODOLOGY FOLLOWS H CD'S REQUIREMENTS AND THEIR GUIDANCE.
UM, AND UH, AGAIN, INCLUDING A SITE HERE IN INVENTORY OR REZONING, IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE HOUSING WILL DEVELOP.
IT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT'S THE STANDARD THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO MEET.
AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN SAYING LOWER INCOME SITES, AFFORDABLE SITES, ET CETERA.
SO WE, UM, WANNA INCLUDE THIS SLIDE HERE TO KIND OF ILLUSTRATE WHAT THAT MEANS.
THIS WAS SHARED BY EDEN HOUSING AT THE COUNTY'S RECENT HOUSING SUMMIT.
UM, AND IT SHOWS SOME TYPICAL OCCUPATIONS FOR, UM, BY INCOME LEVEL.
I KNOW I'VE, I'VE SAID THAT PHRASE A FEW TIMES TOO.
INCOME LEVELS FOR STATE HOUSING PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF THE AREA'S MEDIAN INCOME OR A MI, AND THEN FURTHER BROKEN DOWN BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
LOWER INCOME IS 80% OR BELOW A MI.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE ARE A WIDE RANGE OF OCCUPATIONS THAT, UM, FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.
UH, ANYTHING FROM TEACHING ASSISTANCE, RETIREES, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, FARM WORKERS, UM, THIS IS A CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY AND THESE ARE JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE PRICED OUT OF MARKET RATE OPTIONS.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY SITE SUITABLE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR LOWER INCOME UNITS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH THE SITE INVENTORY BY COMMUNITY NOW.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE PLAN FOR SHOWING THE CAPACITY.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THESE SITES ARE DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THERE'S ANY PROJECT PROPOSED ON THESE SITES.
THIS IS JUST THE PLAN FOR SHOWING HCD THE CAPACITY.
SO DELHI, OH, AND THE CAPACITY AGAIN, IS DETERMINED BY ASSUMPTIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE ANALYSIS ABOUT REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS, UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE MAXIMUM DENSITY WE COULD EXPECT PROJECTS TO COME IN AT.
SO DELHI HAS 10 SITES, SIX OPPORTUNITY FOR REZONE.
UM, THOSE SITES CAN ACCOMMODATE A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 703 UNITS.
UM, A NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNITIES ARE ASSUMED TO ACCOMMODATE A MIX OF INCOMES.
UM, DELHI IS DESIGNATED BY THAT STATE OPPORTUNITY MAP AS A LOW AND MODERATE RESOURCE AREA IN FRANKLIN BEACHWOOD.
THERE ARE THREE OPPORTUNITY SITES WITH 63 UNITS, AND FRANKLIN BEACHWOOD IS A MIX OF LOW AND HIGH RESOURCE.
HILMAR HAS 13 OPPORTUNITY SITES AND THREE REZONE SITES AND CAN ACCOMMODATE 888 UNITS ON, ON ALL 16.
HILMAR IS ONE OF THE FEW HIGH RESOURCE URBAN COMMUNITIES, SO IT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SITE INVENTORY MEETING A FFH GOALS.
LA GRAND HAS SIX OPPORTUNITY SITES AND FOUR REZONE SITES AT TOTAL CAPACITY OF 479 UNITS AND IS DESIGNATED A LOW RESOURCE AREA PLAN HAS 26 SITES, UH, 18 OPPORTUNITY EIGHT REZONE WITH A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 1017 UNITS AND IS DESIGNATED A LOW RESOURCE AREA.
SANTA NELLA HAS, OOPS, I'M SORRY.
SANTA NELLA HAS FOUR OPPORTUNITY SITES AND CAN ACCOMMODATE 801 UNITS.
SANTA NELLA HAS DESIGNATED A MODERATE RESOURCE AREA.
WINTON HAS THREE OPPORTUNITY SITES, UH, WITH 271 UNITS ASSUMED, AND IS ALSO A MODERATE RESOURCE AREA.
SO THE TOTAL SITE CAPACITY IS 4,304.
THAT'S OPPORTUNITY SITES AND REZONES.
THERE IS A SURPLUS OF 54 UNITS, WHICH IS SMALL BY HCD STANDARDS.
UM, JUST A REMINDER, THESE ARE BASED ON ASSUMPTIONS, SO, AND DENSITY CALCULATIONS.
SO IT'S, UM, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO EXACTLY, UH, THE MINIMUM NUMBER.
SO THERE'S A SMALL BUFFER TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, FOR THOSE ASSUMPTIONS.
UM, THE COUNTY'S INVENTORY DEMONSTRATES ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO MEET RENA.
UH, THE COUNTY'S MEETING ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER STATE LAW TO PROVIDE HOUSING AND ADVANCE A-A-F-F-H GOALS.
THE INVENTORY ALLOWS MORE MULTIFAMILY H HOUSING OPTIONS IN HIGHER RESOURCE COMMUNITIES.
IT ALSO PROVIDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
IT DOES NOT CONCENTRATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ANY ONE AREA OR IN ANY LOW RESOURCE AREAS.
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ELEMENT SUMMARY.I'LL JUST QUICKLY, UM, TALK ABOUT SQUA.
MARK ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE ADDENDA, SO I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL.
THERE WERE TWO ADDENDUM PREPARED FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, ONE IS A G, UM, GENERAL PLAN, EIR ADDENDUM FOR, UM, THE ZONING AND LAND USE CHANGES, THE REZONING AS WE CALL THEM.
AND THEN, UH, ONE WAS PREPARED FOR THE HOUSING ELEMENT AS A POLICY DOCUMENT.
NEITHER ADDENDA FOUND ANY NEW SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS UNDER
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE DRAFT AS PRESENTED, HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY HCE TO MEET ALL STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
THAT IS THAT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE FINDING OR, UM, FINDING OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THIS MEANS THE ANALYSIS IS COMPLETE, THE PROGRAMS FULLY RESPOND TO FINDINGS AND ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE PROCESS.
AND IT MEANS THAT IF THIS DRAFT IS ADOPTED, HCD WOULD ENSURE THAT IT MATCHES THE DRAFT THEY FOUND SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIANT AND GRANT CERTIFICATION MAKING THE COUNTY COMPLIANT WITH HOUSING ELEMENT LAW.
SO, UM, THAT IS ALL FOR MY PRESENTATION.
I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MARK FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THANK YOU, NINA, FOR THAT PRESENTATION FOR YOU IS THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE DRAFTED FOR THE FOR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
WANTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR OPEN OPEN PUBLIC HEARING, ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD SUPER ADVISORS TO CONSIDER THE TWO ADDEND THAT PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
ONE WAS FOR THE MIXED USE REZONE AND MERCER COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT UP ZONE PROJECT, AND THE SECOND BEING FOR THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT TO THE 2030 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN FINAL, UH, PROGRAM,
THE ADDENDUM TO THE EAR OF THE SE GUIDELINES, SEQUENCE NUMBER 2 6 0 1 3.
THEN ALSO TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF VISORS TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE APPROVING THE JOURNAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA TWO SIX DASH 0 2 3 AND ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC TWO SIX DASH 0 0 5 TO REZONE CERTAIN NO NOTICE PROPERTIES TO MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
ALSO TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADOPT THE 20 24, 20 32 MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT.
AND LASTLY, TO RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO, TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, UH, TO OR DESIGNEE TO FILE ALL NECESSARY MATERIAL WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS HCD, TO FIND THAT THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE HOUSING ELEMENT LAW.
AND, UH, AND TO FURTHER DIRECT AND AUTHORIZE THE CED DIRECTOR TO MAKE ALL NON-SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO OR AMENDMENTS AS REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION OR FOR CONSISTENCY PURPOSES INCLUDES MY REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MYSELF, NINA, OR STAFF? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT ENCOMPASS? YEAH, THROUGH THE CHAIR, ERWIN OR DUN, WHO'S INTERIM DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING, UH, SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING INCLUDES THINGS LIKE EMERGENCY SHELTER, HOUSING, SENIOR HOUSING, HOMELESS HOUSING.
IT COULD BE ANY TYPE OF HOUSING THAT HAS A SUPPORTIVE COMPONENT TO IT.
OH, NO, I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION.
HOW'D YOU GO ABOUT CHOOSING THE PARCELS? I THINK PROBABLY NINA'S PROBABLY BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
CAN I JUST CLARIFY THAT THE QUESTIONS, HOW DID WE CHOOSE THE PARCELS ON THE SITE INVENTORY? YES.
HOW WERE THE PARCELS SELECTED? YEAH, WELL, WE, UM, WE VERY PRACTICALLY, UM, OUR TEAM OVER HERE, WE TOOK A DESKTOP ANALYSIS OF ALL AVAILABLE SITES IN THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, WE, UM, FILTERED THOSE THROUGH HD'S CRITERIA.
WE, UM, DID THAT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHAT A REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY WAS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUND TRUTH DID WITH COUNTY STAFF AND, AND, UM, CAME UP WITH THE MOST, THE MOST SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT SITES.
I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA, I HAVE A QUESTION MARK.
AND ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THROUGH THE CHAIR IS WE ALSO HAD A FOLLOW, UM, GUIDELINES
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AND DIRECTION THROUGH THE STATE THAT THE STATE PUT TOGETHER THEIR MAPS THAT WE HAD A FOLLOW TO FIND SITES THAT MET WHAT THE STATE HAS DIRECTED US TO, TO FIND THE STATE GUIDELINES.I'M JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK OFF YOUR QUESTION.
UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS, ARE THE PROPERTY OWNERS NOTIFIED OF THESE CHANGES? THE TIES? UM, ORIGINALLY THE PROCESS STARTED ON BACK IN 2023, UM, AT THE DIFFERENT, UM, MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
UH, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A, IT WAS, UM, DISCUSSED AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
UM, HOWEVER, SINCE THAT TIME HAS OCCURRED, WE HAD GONE THROUGH NUMEROUS DRAFTS, UM, AND STAFF MOORE RECENTLY SENT OUT A FOLLOW, UH, LETTER TO EACH OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED TO LET THEM, TO INFORM THEM ESSENTIALLY OF THEIR PROPERTY BEING REZONED.
AND IF I MAY, TO, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS IN QUESTION TWO, AFTER, UH, MORE RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS, ONE PROPERTY THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE STAFF REPORT 3 1 8 A PN EXCUSE ME, THREE 1-815-001-FIVE HAS BEEN REMOVED DURING BECAUSE OF FURTHER EVALUATIONS DISCUSSIONS.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR NO, I'M GOOD.
THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING SO ANYONE CAN SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
UH, MY NAME IS RICHARD JACOBSON FROM LA GRANDE, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, I GUESS OUR PIECE OF PROPERTY HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF OF, UH, THE LIST, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS FOR US.
UH, FIRST OFF, I'VE LIVED IN THE COUNTY FOR 43 YEARS.
UH, CAME HERE AS A TEACHER, TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL AG FOR 31, AND THEN I'VE BEEN RETIRED SINCE AND OBVIOUSLY HAD PLANNED A LOT OF TIME TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THAT LOCATION.
AND SO OUR PLACE IS, UH, HISTORICAL.
IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, SETTLERS OF LA GRANDE CAME.
AND, UH, WHEN WE BOUGHT IT, IT WAS FALLING APART AND EVERYBODY WONDERED WHEN IT WAS GONNA GE BE BULLDOZED.
AND I SAID, WELL, I CAN'T AFFORD THAT, BUT WITH TIME AND MONEY, WE'RE GONNA BRING IT BACK TO ITS GRANDEUR AND EVEN BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
MY BIG CONCERN IS THEY TALK ABOUT THIS 23 YEAR, 2023 THAT IT WAS TO GO AHEAD AND BE REZONED.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND WHEN WE GOT THIS LATEST NOTICE, IT WAS THE WEEK OF THIS HEARING, SO EVERYTHING KIND OF CAME OR TWO WEEKS.
AND SO IT CAME REALLY FAST AND THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES AND THINGS THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE TO GO AHEAD AND FIND OUT.
WE HAPPENED TO GO THROUGH AND SIGN FOR THAT LETTER, AND THAT WAS ON A MONDAY THAT THE MAC COUNCIL ACTUALLY MET IN LEGRAND.
AT THAT TIME, THE M COUNCIL ALSO INSTRUCTED THAT THE DESIGNATION THAT IT HAS CURRENTLY WAS NOT APPROVED BY THEM AT THAT TIME.
AND SO THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESIDENTIAL RESERVE.
IT HAS NO SERVICES AVAILABLE AND IT'S ADJACENT TO ALL FARMING.
YES, THERE IS SOME HOUSING, WHICH AGAIN, WHEN WE BOUGHT THE PLACE INITIALLY IT WAS ALL IN WALNUTS AND, UH, SO IT CHANGED.
OKAY, MAYBE THE PREVIOUS OWNERS MIGHT HAVE KNOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT SITUATION AND ENDED UP BECOMING SELF-HELP HOMES AND THAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND THEY PUT THAT IN.
BUT OUR, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS FIRST OFF, THE RE-DESIGNATION OF OUR PROPERTY THAT WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED AND WE'RE, WE TAKE THIS PRETTY SERIOUSLY.
THEN SECONDLY IS THAT THE LATE NOTIFICATION WAS ALSO A BIG PROBLEM, SHOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH AND BEEN SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A LOT EARLIER.
THIRDLY, NO ONE EVER CAME OUT ON SITE TO ACTUALLY VIEW THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
YOU CAN LOOK AT MAPS ALL YOU WANT, BUT IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN A LOT OF THINGS.
THIS HOUSE HAS HISTORICAL VALUE AND I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD BE A LOT MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT ARE OUT THERE IN A LITTLE TOWN OF LA GRANDE.
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I MEAN, I MOVED TO LA GRANDE TO GO THROUGH AND BE A PART OF IT.UH, I'M NOT FROM HERE INITIALLY CAME FROM THE NORTH COAST AND, UH, DECIDED I'M GONNA BE A LA GRANDE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
I RECOMMEND THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH OUR LITTLE TOWN, THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOLS, UH, SITTING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD OVER THERE.
I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A HUGE NEED AND WE ALSO NEED LOCAL FOOT TRAFFIC GOING TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'VE BEEN IN EVEN KEEL TYPE OF ENROLLMENT, BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH OUT IN LA GRANDE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND DRAW PEOPLE THERE.
WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT BIG EMPLOYERS AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IF THEY DO WANNA BUILD A BUILD ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOLS, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS ASHLEY MARIE SUAREZ AND I'M A POLICY ADVOCATE WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
UM, WHILE IT IS COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE COUNTY WISHES TO GAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE HOUSING ELEMENT LAW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT FROM THE STATE, UM, WE DO URGE THE COUNTY TO FIRST INCORPORATE THE STRONG IDENTIFIED, UH, COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT ISSUES RAISED BY RESIDENTS IN BOTH SOUTH MERCED DELHI AND, UM,
AS NINA MENTIONED, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS WE WORK ALONGSIDE DID ATTEND A COUPLE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD BY STAFF, UM, AND THE CONSULTANTS.
UM, HOWEVER, MANY OF THE STRONGER PROGRAMS THAT RESIDENTS FOUND TO BE MOST CRITICAL TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR NEEDS, UM, WERE NOT, UH, INCLUDED IN THE HOUSING PLAN.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND POLICIES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ADDRESS THOSE ACKNOWLEDGED GAPS WITHIN THE HOUSING PLAN, AS WELL AS, UM, ADDRESSING, UH, PLANNING CONCERNS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE.
SO TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS REGARDING LIMITED WATER AND SEWER CAPACITY IMPACTING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, WE URGE THE COUNTY TO AMEND PROGRAM 13 TO INVEST FUNDING TO HELP THE PLANA COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT GROW THEIR CAPACITY AND FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS REGARDING LIMITED INPUT ON THE CANNA, UH, COUNTY'S FLOOD RECOVERY EFFORTS, WE URGE THE COUNTY TO AMEND PROGRAM 10 TO EXTEND THE INVITATION TO RESIDENTS FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
THE COUNTY ALREADY PROVIDES UPDATES TO AND TO SOLICIT INPUT FROM THOSE RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS DISPLACEMENT CONCERNS.
WE URGE THE COUNTY TO AMEND DISPLACEMENT PROTECTIONS, UM, UNDER PROGRAM 14 TO ESTABLISH A FIRST RIGHT OF RETURN POLICY RATHER THAN JUST COMMIT TO A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND STRENGTHEN PROGRAM 16 TO IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR THE COORDINATION WITH LOCAL LEGAL AID, UM, PROGRAMS OR ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE GOAL OF ASSISTING WITH AN EVICTION PROTECTION TO ALL PERSONS REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.
AS MANY OF THE EXISTING NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CURRENTLY HAVE FUNDING THAT DOES NOT PERMIT ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS WITH NO LEGAL IMMIGRATION STATUS, UM, TO ADDRESS LIMITED HOUSING TYPES AND UNAFFORDABILITY, WE URGE THE COUNTY TO AMEND PROGRAM EIGHT TO DEVELOP AN INCLUSIONARY ZONING PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN BE BUILT CONCURRENTLY WITH MARKET RATE HOUSING SO AS TO NOT FURTHER, UM, CREATE SEGREGATION OR DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN, UM, INCOME TYPES AS WELL AS 10 AMEND PROGRAM 11.
TO ESTABLISH A RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS NOXIOUS LAND USES, WE URGE THE COUNTY TO AMEND PROGRAM SIX TO ADD A POLICY THAT LIMITS DAIRY EXPANSIONS NEAR EXISTING RESIDENTIAL AREAS AS WELL AS AMENDING PROGRAM 14 TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM 1000 FEET BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN FUTURE AND EXISTING NOXIOUS OR POLLUTING LAND USES AND SENSITIVE RECEPTORS SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
ALTHOUGH THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE GENERAL PLAN AND LAND USE ELEMENTS AS, UM, INCLUDED IN ADDRESSED IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT, UM, RESPONSE TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY ACROSS PLANS, WE STRONGLY DO RECOMMEND THAT THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
SO WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THESE COMMENTS BEFORE RECOMMENDING ADOPTION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS LATER THIS EVENING.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? PLEASE SEE NONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BILL, IT'S YOUR PLEASURE.
UH, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER THE TWO ADDENDA MERCED COUNTY MIXED USE REZONE PROJECT AND MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT UP ZONE PROJECT.
ALSO THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE PROJECT TO THE 2030 MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN FINAL PROGRAM, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, SC NUMBER 2 0 1 1 0 4 1 0 6 7 PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 5 1 6 4 ADDENDUM TO AN EIR OF THE SQUA GUIDELINES.
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ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.ALSO, I'M GONNA MOTION TO, UH, ADOPT A, A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADOPT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE APPROVING ONE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA TWO SIX DASH 0 0 3 AND TWO ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC 26 DASH ZERO FIVE TO REZONE CERTAIN NOTICED PROPERTIES TO MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL R FOUR SECOND.
I JUST REALIZED THAT THE, I WAS MESSAGING, UM, YEAH, I WAS MESSAGING SOMEBODY.
THE BOARDROOM WAS MUTED SO I WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
UM, BUT I THINK I CAN HEAR NOW.
ANYTHING ELSE, MARK? WELL, YEAH, UH, THERE'S A, A COUPLE MORE.
SO, UM, I'M ALSO GONNA MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADOPT THE 2024, UH, TO 2032 MERCED COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
UH, MOTION TO RECOMMEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO AUTHORIZE THE C THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CED DIRECTOR OF DESIGNEE TO FILE ALL NECESSARY MATERIAL WITH THE, WITH THE DEPARTMENT HOU OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, A CD FOR HCD TO FIND THAT THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS IN, IN CONFIRMS WITH THE SUB CONFERENCE WITH THE STATE HOUSING ELEMENT LAW AND FURTHER DIRECT AND AUTHORIZE A CD DIRECTOR TO MAKE ALL NON SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS TO REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION OR FOR CONSISTENCY PURPOSES.
THAT'S ALL YOURS, COMMISSIONER ACTION MADAM COMMISSIONER ACTION COMMISSION ACTION ITEMS, THERE ARE NONE.
SEEING NONE, DIRECTOR'S REPORT SEEING NONE.
ANY COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS? NOPE.
THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT TWO 17.