Title
REF180005/2017 Annual Report for the General Plan and Housing Element
a. Accept the 2017 Annual Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s);
b. Accept the 2017 Annual Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element;
c. Accept a status report on implementation of the 2010 General Plan;
d. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or Chief of Planning to submit the Annual Reports to the State Office of Planning and Research and State Department of Housing and Community Development.
Proposed CEQA Action: This action is not a project subject to CEQA per Section 15060(c)(1) and 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Accept the 2017 Annual Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s) pursuant to Government Code Section 65400 (Attachment A, Exhibit 1);
b. Accept the 2017 Annual Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element to comply with State Department of Housing and Community Development requirements (Attachment A, Exhibit 2);
c. Accept a status report on implementation of the 2010 General Plan;
d. Authorize the Resource Management Agency Director or the Chief of Planning to submit the Annual Reports to the State Office of Planning and Research and State Department of Housing and Community Development.
SUMMARY:
Local agencies are required to submit an annual report to the legislative body (Board of Supervisors), State Office of Planning and Research and State Department of Housing and Community Development that includes the status of the General Plan including any updates/amendments, progress in meeting its share of regional housing needs (RHNA), and degree to which the approved General Plan complies with State guidelines. For the County of Monterey, this includes:
- 2010 General Plan, as amended, for inland areas
- 1982 General Plan and Local Coastal Program (LCP), as amended, for coastal areas
- 2015-2023 Housing Element, countywide
Staff has prepared the required annual reports for Board consideration.
This report discusses the status of Monterey County General Plan(s), including progress on implementing Housing Element objectives, and General Plan Amendments/Updates as required by State law. In addition, the Resource Management Agency (RMA) has a Long Range Work Program that includes all tasks associated with new state laws, board referrals and other policy issues that have been approved. A report inclusive of the Long Range Work Program will be presented in the Fall of 2018.
There were no amendments to the 2010 General Plan in 2017. Major tasks that have been processed during the calendar year 2017 include:
• Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan, Policy 20, completed: October 25, 2017
• Development Evaluation System (Planning Commission workshop: November 29, 2017)
• Agricultural Land Mitigation Program and Ag Conservation Easement Project Grant. RMA staff worked with Department of Conservation (DOC) to finalize the work program and budget for the Outcome grant award through the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC). From June 2017 to April 2018 the RMA has moved forward (10) agricultural conservations easements through the State of California Department of conservation SALC Program.
In addition, RMA assumed lead roles in working with all County land use agencies, as well as the Monterey County Water Resources Agency and County Counsel, for several ordinances. Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance and Cannabis were made priorities. STR’s at the direction of the Board and cannabis due to a pending State deadline (later removed). RMA staff conducted three Planning Commission workshops on the STR ordinance on May,10; May 31 and June 28 of 2017 and is currently vetting the draft ordinance with the Land Use Advisory Committee’s. Additional updates to the cannabis regulations have been processed as State law and regulations were adopted and conditions within the industry have changed. The following ordinances relating to cannabis uses were completed within this reporting period:
• Amendment to the North County Land Use Plan
• Amendments of Title 20 (Zoning Ordinance, Coastal), adopted following certification by the California Coastal Commission
• Amendment of Title 21 (Zoning Ordinance, Non-coastal)
• Amendment to Chapter 7.90 - Commercial Cannabis Permits
• Amendment to Chapter 7.02 - Business License
Attachment A includes the annual reports for 1) General Plan Implementation and 2) Housing Element/RHNA.
DISCUSSION:
Government Code Section 65400 (a)(2) requires cities and counties to provide an annual report to the legislative body regarding the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation and the degree to which the General Plan is consistent with the General Plan Guidelines adopted by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). Resource Management Agency (RMA) is lead for preparing the Annual Progress Report for the County’s General Plan Implementation (GPI). Economic Development Department assists RMA with preparing the Annual Progress Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element Implementation (HEI).
The housing element portion of the report must conform to specific content requirements, and the reports must be submitted to OPR and HCD each year. A total of 331 units (e.g. Nine moderate and 322 above moderate income units) have been constructed during the reporting period of January 1, 2017 thru December 31, 2017 in an effort to meet our Regional Housing Needs Allocation through the East Garrison Development.
When the 2010 General Plan was adopted, staff identified approximately 100 tasks to implement the Plan. This report presents a status of the implementation of the General Plan tasks and implementing housing programs. Since adoption, 55 General Plan tasks have been completed. Pursuant to Government Section 65400, Attachment A, Exhibit 2 provides a detailed account of the County’s progress on meeting its share of the regional housing needs.
From 2016 through the beginning of 2018, RMA-Planning staff resources had declined. RMA lost 60 percent of its staff. While recruitments continue, it has been a long arduous and judicious process; of the 10 vacant position, 8 have been filled and training has commenced. Only two key positions, RMA Planning Services Manager, Long Range Planning and an additional Planner position remain vacant. These staffing challenges necessitated an immediate urgency for the Resource Management Agency to reallocate staff resources to process current planning entitlements, in accordance with the Permit Streamlining Act. Because of the turn-over and changing priorities (cannabis, short term rental), many tasks that were scheduled for completion are still pending. With the stabilization of staff resources the RMA is in the process of reestablishing the Long Range Planning Team and will commence the implementation of the Long Range Planning Program.
CEQA
Staff finds that progress reports are not projects as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CEAQ Guidelines Sections 15060(c) (3) and 15378. These reports are an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. They are for information purposes only. Activities identified in these reports implement policies of the 2010 General Plan and the 2015 -2023 Housing Element, which were subject to CEQA review. In addition, CEQA will be addressed, as appropriate, with each task as it is completed.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Implementation of the 2010 General Plan involves close coordination between all the land use departments/agencies (Planning, Public Works, Environmental Services, Environmental Health, and Water Resources Agency). Implementation of the Housing Element relates to activities being undertaken by both the Economic Development Department (Housing Office) and RMA-Planning. In addition, the County Counsel’s office is actively participating in the legal review of ordinances and plans being prepared as part of General Plan implementation (GPI) and other needed updates.
Due to the late submission of this Board Report, the CAO Budget and Analysis Division was not provided adequate time to fully review for potential fiscal, organizational, policy or other implication to the County of Monterey.
FINANCING:
Most of the implementation work is performed by staff, with no additional cost to the General Fund. However, there are aspects of the work that require technical expertise that is only available through outside consultants. To date, approximately $909,439 (excludes anticipated estimated) has been expended for outside consultant assistance:
- FY 2011-12 $144,692
- FY 2012-13 $158,440
- FY 2013-14 $253,920
- FY 2014-15 $45,680
- FY 2015-16 $50,542
- FY 2016-17 $194,165
- FY 2017-18 $62,000
Staff continues to seek grant funding, where available, to help with implementation and LCP update efforts.
Prepared by: Jacqueline R. Onciano, RMA Chief of Planning
Reviewed by: John M. Dugan, FAICP, RMA Deputy Director of Land Use and Community Development
Approved by: Carl P. Holm, AICP, Resource Management Agency Director
The following Attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A - 2017 Annual Report for the Monterey County 2010 General Plan Implementation
• Exhibit 1 - 2010 General Plan Implementation Long Range Work Program Summary Matrix
• Exhibit 2- 2017 Annual Report on the 2015-2023 Housing Element
CC: Front Counter Copy; Fenton & Keller (David C. Sweigert); Brian Finegan Law Office (Michael Harrington); Grower-Shipper Association (Jim Bogart); Law Offices of Michael D. Cling (Michael Cling); Monterey County Farm Bureau (Norm Groot); Salinas Valley Water Coalition (Nancy Isakson); Prunedale Neighbors Group (Ed Mitchell); Anthony Lombardo and Associates (Dale Ellis); Horan Lloyd Law Firm (Pamela Silkwood); Big Sur Multi-Agency Advisory Council c/o Kathleen Lee; Highway 68 Coalition (Mike Weaver); Carmel Residents Association; Carmel Valley Association; Marjorie Kay; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); LandWatch (Michael DeLapa); Janet Brennan; John H. Farrow; Carl Holm; John Dugan; Wendy Strimling; Jacqueline R. Onciano; Planning File No. REF180005.