Title
REF240009 - MONTEREY COUNTY GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
a. Consider 2023 Annual Progress Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s);
b. Consider 2023 Annual Progress Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element; and
c. Consider and provide direction regarding the Five-Year Long-Range Planning Work Program.
Proposed CEQA Action: Not a project per Sections 15060(c)(1) and 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Report
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is recommended that the Planning Commission:
a. Find that submitting these annual reports is not a project subject to CEQA per Section 15060(c)(1) and 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines;
b. Consider the 2023 Annual Progress Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s) pursuant to Government Code Section 65400 (Exhibit A);
c. Consider the 2023 Annual Progress Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element to comply with State Department of Housing and Community Development requirements (Exhibit A); and
d. Consider and provide direction to staff on the Five-Year Long-Range Planning Work Program (Exhibit C).
SUMMARY:
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65400, after the Board of Supervisors has adopted all or part of a General Plan, the planning agency [in this case the County of Monterey Housing & Community Development Department] shall do both of the following:
1) Investigate and make recommendations to the legislative body regarding reasonable and practical means for implementing the general plan or element of the general plan, so that it will serve as an effective guide for orderly growth and development, preservation and conservation of open-space land and natural resources, and the efficient expenditure of public funds relating to the subjects addressed in the general plan; and
2) Provide by April 1 of each year an annual report to the legislative body, the Office of Planning and Research, and the Department of Housing and Community Development that includes [Summarized]:
a. The status of the plan and progress in its implementation;
b. Progress toward meeting the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA);
c. Applications for housing in the prior year, the number of units applied for, and the number of units approved or disapproved;
d. Revisions and Rezones to accommodate RHNA;
e. Progress toward consultation with Native American Tribes; and
f. Information about density bonuses and incentives granted in the prior year.
Monterey County HCD staff maintains a list of projects known as the Long-Range Planning Work Program that contains general plan implementation measures, revisions required pursuant to law, and responses to referrals from the Board of Supervisors and other appointed bodies to serve effective and orderly growth and development in the County. The Long-Range Planning Work Program (LRPWP) is attached as Exhibit C to this report. Staff is seeking Board direction on the priorities for HCD in the 2024/2025 Fiscal year and asks the Planning Commission to forward a recommendation to the Board on the priorities.
Staff proposes to continue to advance priority tasks as outlined in the Five-Year Program and as resources allow in the following general prioritization:
1) State or federal legally mandated activities;
2) Board policy priorities;
3) Tasks with awarded grant funds;
4) General Plan implementation priorities (Policies with completion dates); and
5) other tasks as time and resources allow.
Year 1 LRP Work Program tasks are grouped and assigned according to priority status and ranking. FY2024-25 priority status is assigned as “High”, “Moderate”, and “Low”. Tasks are then assigned a ranking. Once a task is assigned and underway, staff makes every effort to maintain active progress through to completion, unless a formal determination is made that other tasks take higher priority. Active tasks rank “1” and include those that are assigned to current staff, are in progress, and will remain as top priorities in 2024-25. Pending Active projects rank “2” and are those that are not currently assigned and active, but are priorities anticipated to commence during 2024-25 based on current staffing. Pending projects rank “3” and have been identified as 2024-25 priorities, however, additional staff are needed for pending projects to be assigned and become active.
When new requests or referrals are submitted to HCD, staff looks to the Commission and/or Board for clear direction regarding the level of priority and urgency assigned to new tasks in relation to approved Work Program tasks.
General Plan Implementation Annual Progress Report
Annually, Monterey County HCD prepares a combined Annual Progress Report on status of the General Plan and progress toward meeting Housing Element policies including RHNA. Exhibit A to this report contains the Annual Progress Report for the 2010 General Plan Implementation (2023 GPI APR) and the Housing Element Progress (2023 Housing APR). In 2023, there were two amendments to the Local Coastal Program, which falls under the County’s 1982 General Plan (Coastal): 1) Amend the Del Monte Forest Land use Plan to change the land use designation and zoning classification of a 0.487 acres parcel from open space/resource conservation to medium density residential parcel (Assessor's Parcel Number 008-053-001-000) ( LCP-3-MCO-23-0043-1-Part A); and 2) Amendment to the North County Land Use Plan, Moss Landing Community Plan to change the land use designation and description of a 1.13 acre parcel (Assessor's Parcel Number 133-212-008-000) ( LCP-3-MCO-23-0043-1-Part B).
For the reporting period from April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024, progress was made on the following 2010 General Plan Implementation (GPI) tasks included in the County’s 2023 General Plan and Housing Element Annual Progress Report to the state: Agricultural Land Mitigation Ordinance (Complete); Salinas Valley Zone 2C - Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin Study (SVGB Study)(Complete); Agricultural Buffer Regulations; Agricultural and Winery Corridor Plan Implementation; Chualar Community Plan; Community Climate Action Plan; Development Evaluation System; and Zoning Ordinance and Map Updates.
Housing Element Annual Progress Report
Progress was made implementing the 2015 - 2023 Housing Element resulting in 170 units issued building permits during calendar year 2023 that were added to the County’s RHNA unit count. During the 2015-2023 Housing Element Fifth Cycle the County issued building permits for a total of 1,928 units and exceeded its RHNA allocations in the Low-Income and Above Moderate-Income categories. Table B from the 2023 Housing APR, which tracks RHNA compliance is attached for your information as Exhibit B. This table populates from prior HE APRs and does not include data from 2015-2017 when new reporting requirements were added. Additionally, updates to the Housing Element for the Sixth Cycle are underway. Housing Element updates will include new policies and programs aimed at accommodating RHNA numbers issued for the 2024-2031 planning horizon (Sixth Cycle Housing Element of the General Plan).
The full 2023 Housing APR can be found at:
https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/housing-community-development/planning-services/housing-programs/housing-element
The California Department of Housing & Community Development has created a variety of dashboards that allow users to access data reported during the 5th HE Cycle for all jurisdictions in the state. These dashboards can be accessed at:
https://www.hcd.ca.gov/planning-and-community-development/housing-open-data-tools/housing-element-implementation-and-apr-dashboard
Long-Range Planning Work Program
Included with this report is the draft Five-Year Long-Range Work Program for Fiscal Years 2024-25 through 2028 (LRP Work Program). This Work Program lays out a path forward to implement all the remaining tasks, studies and ordinances required to realize the policies of the 2010 General Plan as well as other priority policies, plans and major projects managed by or with substantial collaboration of the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). The Work Program is summarized, including task prioritization, in Exhibit C.
For the reporting period from April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024, progress was made on 32 Long-Range Planning Work Program (Work Program) tasks, two state mandated annual reports submitted, and 7 Work Program tasks were completed including:
1. Accessory Dwelling Unit Policy Guidance and Pre-Approved Plans;
2. Agricultural Land Mitigation Ordinance;
3. East Garrison Phase 2 Affordable Rental Apartments;
4. Forest Health and Fire Fuel Management Program;
5. Noise Ordinance Updates;
6. Outdoor Commercial Cannabis Amendments to Monterey County Code (MCC) 7.90; and
8. Senate Bill 9, The California HOME Act, Policy Memo.
In addition to the progress made on GPI tasks reported in the County’s Annual Progress Report, staff made progress on several Long-Range Planning Work Program (Work Program) tasks that were identified as priority tasks in the 2023 Work Program or arose as priorities during the year. These tasks include: Accessory Dwelling Units/Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs/JADUs) Ordinances (Coastal and Inland); Agricultural Buffer Regulations; Agricultural and Winery Corridor Plan Implementation; Big Sur Land Use Plan comprehensive update; Castroville Community Plan and Nexus Study; Chualar Community Plan; Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan; East Garrison Development Project (former Redevelopment); Environmental Enhancement Streamline Program for Programmatic Restoration Permit; Environmental Justice Element; Fire Safety Regulations; Fort Ord Habitat Resource Management Plan; Housing Element 6th Cycle Update; Inclusionary Housing Policies and Ordinance Revisions; Land Use Plan Updates related to ADUs/JADUs; Lower Carmel River/Lagoon Projects; Moss Landing Community Plan Update; North County Wildfire Protection and Eucalyptus Removal Pilot Program; Pajaro Community Recovery Planning; Policy Revisions to Improve Permit Process Efficiencies; Restrictive Covenants Education and Equity Timeline; Safety Element Update; Salinas Valley Zone 2C-Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin Study; Vacation (aka Short-Term) Rental Ordinances; Zoning Ordinance and Map Updates; and State Mandated Reporting. (Exhibit C).
Since adoption of the 2010 General Plan, a total of 74 LRP Work Program tasks have been completed, 58 of which were General Plan implementation tasks. The HCD’s Advanced Planning Team currently has 8 of the 9 assigned positions filled and seeks to fill the remaining vacancy in 2024.
Staff recommends the Planning Commission consider this report and recommend that the Board of Supervisors accept the 2023 General Plan Implementation and Housing Element Annual Progress Report and authorize the HCD Director to submit as required to the state. Staff also requests direction regarding the Five-Year Long-Range Planning Work Program and priorities.
DISCUSSION:
See Exhibit D -Discussion
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff finds that progress reports are not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), 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 1982/2010 General Plans, 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 (Non-Coastal) and the 1982 General Plan (Coastal) involves close coordination between all the land use departments/agencies (Planning, Building, Housing, Engineering/Public Works, Environmental Services, Environmental Health, Fire Districts, and Water Resources Agency). In addition, County Counsel’s office actively participates in the legal review of ordinances and plans prepared as part of GPI and other needed updates.
Prepared by: Melanie Beretti, AICP, Acting Chief of Planning 831-755-5285 and Darby Marshall, Housing Programs Manager
Approved by: Craig Spencer, HCD Director
The following Exhibits are on file with the HCD:
Exhibit A - Draft 2023 Annual Progress Report for 2010 General Plan & Housing Element Progress
Exhibit B - 2023 Housing APR Table B
Exhibit C - Draft Five-Year Long-Range Planning Work Program Overview
Exhibit D - Discussion
cc: Front Counter Copy; Fenton & Keller; 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 Colleen Courtney; 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; Craig Spencer (HCD); Ashley Paulsworth (CAO); Kelly Donlon (County Counsel); Planning File No. REF240009.