Title
Planning and Building Department, Planning Division, Long Range Planning Unit, recommending the Board receive and file the following reports: 2022 General Plan Annual Progress Report, 2023 Housing Element Annual Progress Report, and 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report following public comment for submittal to the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
General Plan Annual Progress Report
California Government Code Sections 65400 and 65700 as well as County General Plan Policy 2.9.1.1 require preparation of a General Plan Annual Progress Report (General Plan APR) for each calendar year on the status of General Plan implementation to be presented before the legislative body (Board) and submitted to the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
The 2022 and 2023 General Plan APRs (Attachments A and B) include six (6) sections: 1) Introduction, 2) Major Planning Activities in 2022 and 2023, 3) General Plan Overview, 4) General Plan Elements, 5) General Plan Implementation Plan, and 6) Planning and Development Activities.
The Introduction section explains the requirements of California Government Code and County General Plan policy for preparing and circulating the General Plan APR. The Major Planning Activities section describes key milestones of projects or programs that are tied directly to the General Plan for 2022 and 2023. The General Plan Overview section provides a summary of recent General Plan updates, OPR’s guidelines on the content included in the General Plan APR, and a summary of the implementation measures completed, in progress, and remaining to be addressed since adoption of the General Plan. The General Plan Elements section provides an overview of each of the nine elements included in the 2004 General Plan, as amended, and status of the implementation measures. The General Plan Implementation Plan section provides a summary of state law requirements to implement a Mitigation Monitoring Program and the regular review of the mitigation measures. The Planning and Development Activities section summarizes the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance amendments and discretionary development applications approved during 2022 and 2023.
Staff is late submitting the 2022 General Plan APR due to the contracted consultant for this effort needing additional time to collect and analyze data on the County's current population and growth. With this item, the County will be current with the submittal of both the 2022 and 2023 reports. There is no penalty for late submittal of the General Plan APR.
Housing Element Annual Progress Report
California Government Code Section 65400 establishes the requirement that each city, county, or city and county planning agency prepare a Housing Element Annual Progress Report (Housing Element APR) on the status of the General Plan Housing Element and progress in its implementation using forms and definitions adopted by HCD. The Housing Element APR is used for reporting various metrics of housing development in the County and the status of its Housing Element implementation measures.
The Housing Element APR demonstrates that the County complies with all the requirements to promote the development, improvement, and maintenance of housing in compliance with government code and the County's General Plan. Of the 626 total housing units permitted in the County in 2023, 19 units were considered extremely low-income, 44 were very low-income, 58 were low-income, 34 were moderate-income, and 471 were above-moderate income. Details are provided in the 2023 Housing Element APR (Attachment C).
Reason For Recommendation
General Plan Annual Progress Report
State law and County General Plan Policy 2.9.1.1 require preparation of a General Plan APR for each calendar year on the status of General Plan implementation to be presented before the Board and submittal to OPR and HCD. The General Plan APR submitted to OPR should outline the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation over the previous year’s 12-month reporting period.
Housing Element Annual Progress Report
State law requires the County to hold a public meeting before the legislative body and take public comment when submitting its Housing Element APR. The Housing Element APR must have all applicable sections completed in HCD’s mandatory report template. These sections include housing development applications submitted, annual building activity, Regional Housing Needs Allocation progress, Housing Element program implementation status, locally owned surplus sites, Local Early Action Planning Reporting, as well as updates on the use of different streamlining or other housing statutes.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the County fail to submit the Housing Element APR (not the General Plan APR) on or before April 1 of each year in accordance with Government Code Section 65400, a court may issue an order or judgment compelling compliance with this section within 60 days. If the County fails to comply with the court's order within 60 days, the plaintiff or petitioner may move for sanctions, and the court may, upon that motion, grant appropriate sanctions.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Agriculture, Environmental Management, Transportation, Chief Administrative Office, Economic Development, Facilities, Parks and Trails, and the Surveyor’s Office.
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact or change to Net County Cost associated with this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
No action by the Clerk of the Board is required. Staff will submit copies of the 2022 and 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Reports and 2023 Housing Element Annual Progress Report to OPR and HCD as required per Government Code Section 65400.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Rob Peters, Deputy Director - Planning
Planning and Building Department