Title
Planning and Building Department, Long Range Planning, recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 173-2019 approving the submittal of an application to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for planning grant funds to further housing development in El Dorado County; and
2) Authorize and direct the Planning and Building Department Director, or designee, to act on the County’s behalf in all matters pertaining to this application to apply for and submit to the Department the 2019 Planning Grants Program application in the amount of up to $310,000.
FUNDING: Building Homes and Jobs Act Grants Program.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In 2017, Governor Brown signed a 15-bill housing package aimed at addressing the state’s housing shortage and high housing costs. Specifically, it included the Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB2, 2017) which establishes a $75 recording fee on real estate documents to increase the supply of affordable homes in California. The purpose of SB2 is to provide funding and technical assistance to local governments in California to help cities and counties prepare, adopt, and implement plans and process improvements that streamline housing approvals and accelerate housing production.
The State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) dated March 29, 2019, for its Planning Grants Program (PGP). In response to the 2019 NOFA, the County of El Dorado desires to submit a project application for an allocation of the PGP Program funds up to the maximum amount available to the County of $310,000 to accelerate the production of housing for two activities as described below.
The first activity is Community Design Standards for the Community Region of Shingle Springs, followed closely by Design Standards for Cameron Park, Diamond Springs, El Dorado, and El Dorado Hills. These Community Design Standards will include architectural design (themes, style, color, materials, and features), compatibility measures, and prototypes for multi-family residential development. The resulting documents that outline the Community Design Standards will expedite the review of multi-family residential development projects by allowing their planning process review to be ministerial under CEQA, rather than discretionary. The multi-family residential development projects that are processed after the adoption of the proposed Community Design Standards and in compliance with these standards will benefit from a staff-level procedure. This will essentially stimulate and streamline the production of multi-family residential development in the unincorporated community regions of El Dorado County. Project management will be conducted with a combination of County staff time and consultant services. The Board designated $250,000 for Community Planning in the FY 2018-19 and FY 2019-20 County Budget with $125,000 in Economic Development budget and $125,000 in the Planning and Building Department budget. The County budget allocated to this activity for staff and consultant services will be offset by grant funds, if awarded.
The second activity is the Pre-Approved Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Plan Program. The ADU plan program is projected to encourage the construction of ADUs by offering property owners a pre-approved ADU building plan and optional facades. Although some site-specific design work is required due to the topographic diversity in the County, a property owner can dramatically reduce pre-construction costs and receive expedited building permits by utilizing these plans. Project management will be conducted with a combination of County staff time and consultant services.
Staff is requesting approval of a resolution authorizing the application for grant funding, as required by the SB2 grant application.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may reject staff recommendation to submit an application to the state PGP program which would result in the funds allocation to the County being forfeited.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On December 5, 2017, the Board directed staff to develop a proposed scope of work to create custom design guidelines/standards (for commercial/multi-family residential development) in the communities identified in General Plan Policy 2.1.1.1 with Shingle Springs as the lead prototype. The Board also directed staff to return to it with a proposed scope of work, prior to issuance of a RFP (see Board Agenda 12/5/2017 Minutes, Item No. 36, Legistar File No. 13-0561).
On July 17, 2018, the Board directed staff to proceed with issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for community design guidelines/standards (see Board Agenda 7/17/2018 Minutes, Item No. 20, Legistar File No. 18-0984).
On December 4, 2018, The Board awarded Request for Proposal 19-918-013 to the successful proposer, DeNovo Planning Group, for an amount not to exceed $250,000 to assist in Community Planning efforts in Shingle Springs, Cameron Park, Diamond Springs/El Dorado and El Dorado Hills (see Board Agenda 12/4/18 Minutes, Item No. 19, Legistar File No. 18-1834).
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
If awarded, grant funding will offset County General Funds already budgeted to the Planning and Building Department and Economic Development for the Community Design Standards project. Cost associated with the ADU Pre-Approved Plan project will be grant funded.
No matching funds are required from the County for this grant application. General Funds budgeted to the Design Standards project include the cost for staff time not reimbursed by the grant funds. Staff time for the ADU project will be provided with grant funding. The grant allows for staff time directly related to the activity administration to be reimbursed with grant funds. Under the terms of the PGP grant funding, all activities must be completed and grant funds expended by June 30, 2022.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk to obtain Chair's signature on one (1) original copy of the Resolution.
2) Clerk of the Board will forward two (2) certified copies of the fully executed Resolution to Planning and Building Department, attention of C.J. Freeland, HCED Programs.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Economic Development/Housing
CONTACT
Tiffany Schmid
Director Planning and Building Department