City of Lafayette, CACity Council & Planning CommissionJoint Special Meeting November 30, 2020

HOUSING ELEMENTand

Regional Housing Needs Allocation

MEETING OVERVIEW

Here’s a quick overview of what we want to cover:

1. Why are we here?2. Why now?3. What are our opportunities and constraints?4. What is being requested of CC & PC?

California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD)The Housing Element of the General Plan is the only Element that must be approved (“certified”) by the State

Failure to comply would result in loss of funds; further reduction of local control and possible enforcement actions

Last Housing Element allocation of units totaled 400, broken down by income category

For this cycle, expect to see an allocation of about 1,660 units

HCD

“Requirements for the content of the Housing Element…are by far the most complex of any of the general plan elements, and it is the only element that is required to be completely updated on a fixed schedule. These requirements for regular updates and prescriptive statutory provisions, coupled with mandated review by the State

and scrutiny by housing advocates, all make housing element adoption politically, technically, and legally difficult.”

—Barbara Kautz, Partner at Goldfarb Lipman and former

Community Development Director, City of San Mateo

What is the Regional Housing Needs Allocation?

Jurisdictions are allocated units and must then find a way to accommodate

Find enough land zoned at appropriate densities to allow for housing

Thus far, NOT a mandate to build those units

Remove impediments to the development of housing at all income levels

RHNAAllocations

Comparison of RHNA Cycles

VLI LI MOD

Above

MOD Total

5th Cycle 138 78 85 99 400

35% 20% 21% 25%

6th Cycle* 470 270 260 660 1,660

28% 16% 16% 40%

*estimated; final numbers to be presented in early 2021

WHY DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER THIS NOW?

GPAC/PC/CC

Study the environmental impacts of growth.

Where do we plan to put the units, and what does the community think?

Submit to HCD by Jan 2023

Allocations developed by the State and handed down to

COGs, which then distribute to jurisdictions

PUBLIC HEARINGS

CEQA

GROWTH SCENARIOS

APPROVED HOUSING ELEMENT

RHNA ALLOCATION

OPPORTUNITIES & CONSTRAINTS

JOBS HOUSING BALANCE

Find ways to ensure an appropriate mix of

housing versus jobs

LIMITED LOCAL CONTROL

SB2923; SB330; Objective standards

EXISTING INFRASTRUCTUREIs there enough existing

infrastructure to support potential new

development?

LIMITED LAND AREA

Infill Development –how do we find enough land to accommodate?

PROXIMITY TO BART

Placing Housing near BART can be useful

in reducing traffic impacts

WHAT DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE?

ARE THERE OTHER SCENARIOS TO CONSIDER?

Are there areas of the City that staff may have missed to locate new units?

In order to ensure ongoing compliance with the Housing

Accountability Act, the City should have an inventory of sites that

includes a buffer of units beyond the 1,660 units allocated – at what

number?

DO WE PLAN FOR A 50% Buffer?

If areas must be rezoned to accommodate new growth, is it better to increase density in existing areas like the downtown, expand into areas not previously zoned for greater densities,

or a combination of both?

DO WE WANT TO PLAN FOR BUILDING UP OR OUT?

Pointers on density“Density” is typically described as number of units per acre, but it can also be number of people per square mile

Residential density is the measure used in the Housing Element, and depends on a few factors, including size of the units

Example: 25,000 total square feet of residential development on one acre

→ If the units sizes are 2,500 square feet (3-bedroom), translates to 10 du/ac; occupancy standard of 2 people per bedroom plus one, total number of people in the development could be 70 people (7 people per unit X 10 units)

→ If the units sizes are 830 square feet (1-bedroom), translates to 30 du/ac; occupancy standard results in about 90 people in the development (3 people per unit X 30 units)

901-909 High Street, Palo Alto Chen Building, Davis The Lofts, Davis McCormick Building, Davis Santana Row, San Jose

3 stories

0.47 ac

6 units

13 du/ac

1.7 FAR

Max. allowed FAR; Max. allowed du/ac

3 stories

0.21 ac

4 units

19 du/ac

2.6 FAR

Max. allowed FAR; Max. allowed du/ac

3 stories

0.28 ac

7 units (3rd floor only)

25 du/ac

2.4 FAR (estimated)

Max. allowed FAR

3 stories

0.42 ac

8 units

29 du/ac

1.6 FAR

Max. allowed FAR

4 stories

28.7 ac (excluding parking structure)

834 units

29 du/ac

1.7 FAR

Planned Development Process

Avalon on the Alameda, San Jose City Center Plaza, Redwood City Domus on the Boulevard, Mountain View Park Place South, Mountain View

(Mixed use portion only)

4 stories

1.6 ac

123 units

76 du/ac

2.3 FAR (estimated)

Planned Development Process

Laurel Theater Apartments, San Carlos

3 stories

9.2 ac

305 units

33 du/ac

1.4 FAR

Planned Development Process

4 stories

1.8 ac

81 units

46 du/ac

1.6 FAR

Planned Development Process

4 stories

2.91 ac

193 units

66 du/ac

1.9 FAR (estimated)

Planned Development Process

3 stories

0.42 ac

42 units

100 du/ac

2.2 FAR (estimated)

Planned Development Process

245 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto 611 Cowper St, Palo Alto

3 stories

0.42 ac

no residential units

0 du/ac

1.6 FAR

Max. allowed FAR; Max. allowed du/ac

4 stories

0.32 ac

2 units

6 du/ac

2.5 FAR

Max. allowed FAR; Max. allowed du/ac

Prepared for City of Belmont

CO

MPA

RA

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DU

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Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

Artisan Walk, Oakland City Walk, Hayward Studio Walk, Hayward Elevation 22, Emeryville Glasshaus, Emeryville

3 stories

2.8 ac

72 units

26 du/ac

N/A

Min. allowed sq ft/unit; Max. allowed FAR

4 stories

3.6 ac

77 units

29 du/ac

N/A

Max. allowed du/ac; Max. allowed height

4 stories

2.7 ac

70 units

35 du/ac

N/A

Planned Development Process

3 stories

1.8 ac

71 units

40 du/ac

N/A

Max. allowed du/ac; Max. allowed FAR

5 stories

3.5 ac

145 units

41 du/ac

1.2 FAR

Max. allowed du/ac; Max. allowed FAR

Avalon at Cahill Park, San Jose Villa Vasconcellos,Walnut Creek Miraval Homes, Santa Clara Gateway Family Apartments, San Diego Rotary Floritas, San Mateo

4 stories

3.6 ac

160 units

44 du/ac

N/A

Planned Development Process

4 stories

1.4 ac

70 units (affordable senior units)

51 du/ac

N/A

Planned Development Process

4 stories

5.0 ac

264 units

53 du/ac

N/A

Planned Development Process

4 stories

0.80 ac

42 units (41 affordable)

53 du/ac

2.5 FAR

Planned Development Process

3 stories

0.80 ac

50 units

62 du/ac

N/A

Min. required du/ac; Max. allowed FAR

555 YVR ,Walnut Creek Ascent Apartments ,Walnut Creek

4 stories

1.1 ac

87 units

77 du/ac

2.5 FAR (estimated)

Planned Development Process

4 stories

1.2 ac

126 units

105 du/ac

2.2 FAR

Planned Development Process

Prepared for City of Belmont

CO

MPA

RA

BL

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EN

TIA

LD

EV

EL

OP

ME

NT

PR

OJE

CT

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Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

Project Name, City

Stories

Lot Size

Total Residential Units

Residential Density

FAR

Zoning Regulation

WHERE SHOULD DEVELOPMENT BE FOCUSED?

RHNAAllocation of 1,660

units; where should the City plan for them?

Scenario 1: Downtown 70, BART 75Maintains current Downtown commercial and multi-family zoning district boundaries. The Downtown would be

upzoned from 35 du/ac to 70 du/ac, and the BART station parking lots would be upzoned to 75 du/ac

Scenario: Downtown 35, BART 75, Deer Hill 35Keep the Downtown zoned at 35 du/ac, and upzone the BART parking lots to 75 du/ac. The areas around BART along

Deer Hill Road would be upzoned to 35 units/acre

01

02

Scenario 3: Downtown 35, BART 100, Deer Hill 20Keep the Downtown zoned at 35 du/ac, and upzone the BART parking lots to 100 du/ac. Areas around BART along

Deer Hill Road would be upzoned to 20 du/ac

Scenario 4: Downtown 50, BART 75 Mixed Use, Deer Hill 35Upzone Downtown to 50 du/ac, and upzone the BART parking lots to 75 du/ac. Residential capacity for the BART

sites at 50% with the remaining 50% reserved for retail/office. The areas around BART along Deer Hill Road would be

upzoned to 35 du/ac

03

04

05

Scenario 5: Downtown 50 + Retail, BART 100, Deer Hill 35Upzone Downtown to 50 du/ac, upzone the BART parking lots to 75 du/ac. Remove about 14 acres of sites in

Downtown Retail and Civic Center. BART upzoned to 100 du/ac. The areas around BART along Deer Hill Road

upzoned to 35 du/ac

map

RECOMMENDATION

Provide direction to staff:

1. Are the scenarios identified appropriate?

2. Are there other scenarios that should be studied?

3. Should we proceed with the background work and

CEQA analysis for the presented scenarios?

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QUESTIONS?