Title
a. Consider and accept the 2020 Annual Progress Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s); and
b. Consider and accept the 2020 Annual Progress Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element;
c. Authorize the County Housing and Community Development Department Director to submit the final progress reports to the State Office of Planning and Research and State Department of Housing and Community Development.
d. Consider and provide direction regarding a 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 Board of Supervisors:
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. Accept the 2020 Annual Progress Report for the Monterey County General Plan(s) pursuant to Government Code Section 65400 (Attachment A, Exhibit 1);
c. Accept the 2020 Annual Progress Report for the 2015-2023 Housing Element to comply with State Department of Housing and Community Development requirements (Exhibit 2 of Attachment A);
d. Authorize the County Housing and Community Development Department Director to submit the final progress reports to the State Office of Planning and Research and State Department of Housing and Community Development, as required.
e. Review and give staff direction on a draft Five-Year Long Range Planning Work Program
SUMMARY:
Annual reports are required to: provide status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation; evaluate progress in meeting the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA); and list sites owned by the county and included in the inventory of land in the Housing Element that have been sold, leased or otherwise disposed of in the prior year; and identify the degree to which the approved General Plan complies with State guidelines. For the County of Monterey, annual reports are required for: 2010 General Plan, as amended, for inland areas; 1982 General Plan and certified Land Use Plans, as amended, for coastal areas; and 2015-2023 Housing Element, countywide. Attachment A includes the 2020 annual reports for Board consideration:
1) General Plan Implementation;
2) Housing Element/RHNA
This report discusses the status of Monterey County General Plan(s), including progress on implementing Housing Element objectives, General Plan Amendments/Updates, and/or implementing ordinances completed. State law requires an annual report on the status of the general plan and its implementation and a detailed report on progress made in meeting the County’s share of regional housing needs. (Government Code section 65400.) There was one amendment completed to the 2010 General Plan (Inland) in 2020. Community Climate Action Plan (CAP). The Board amended General Plan Policy OS 10.11 to update the text to incorporate new state GHS reduction targets and the County was awarded funding to complete the CAP over the next several years.
Some minor amendments were made to the Local Coastal Programs, which fall under the County’s 1982 General Plan (Coastal). Staff did make progress on several Long-Range Planning tasks that were identified as priority for calendar year 2020 as briefly below in the Discussion and in more detail in the attached detailed Discussion (Attachment B).
Also added this year for the Board’s consideration is a draft Five-Year Work Program and Year 1 Budget. This Long Range Planning 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. The Work Program is detailed in Attachments C, D, and E.
DISCUSSION:
Background:
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). The Planning Agency shall provide by April 1 an annual report to the legislative body (Board of Supervisors), State Office of Planning and Research (OPR) and State Department of Housing and Community Development (CA-HCD). “Planning Agency” as defined by Monterey County Code includes the Board of Supervisors (Board), Planning Commission, Resource Management Agency (RMA) (Now Housing and Community Development- (MC-HCD)) and other hearing bodies.
Housing and Community Development (HCD) is lead for preparing the Annual Progress Report for the County’s General Plan Implementation (GPI) and the 2015-2023 Housing Element. Specific requirements pertain to the Housing Element portion of the annual report. As such, this Annual Report includes a separate report identifying how Monterey County’s housing efforts conform to specific content requirements from the State. Both reports must be submitted to OPR and CA-HCD by April 1st of each year.
Housing Element:
A detailed account of progress towards the Housing Element and RHNA numbers can be found in Attachment A Exhibit 2.
• 276 units added to the County’s RHNA counts, consisting of
o 176 Low Income; and
o 100 Above Moderate.
• 61 Planning Entitlements granted consisting of
o 48 Single Family Dwellings (SFDs);
o 11 ADUs; and
o 2 2-4 Unit Multi-family Units
• 276 Building Permits issued, consisting of
o 91 SFDs; and
o 17 ADUs
o 168 New Multi-family Units
• 183 Certificates of Occupancy Issued/Building Permit Final consisting of:
o 147 New SFDs;
o 12 New 2-4 Unit Multi-family Units; and
o 18 New 5+ unit projects
o 6 Accessory Dwelling Units.
• Pursuant to Government Code sec. 65400.1, County reports that zero sites owned by the county and included in the inventory of land in the Housing Element were sold, leased or otherwise disposed of in the prior year.
2020 Planning Priority Project Summary:
The following is a summarized update on what has been completed in 2020 from the list of priority projects that was presented to the Board of Supervisors last year. Attachment A Exhibit 1 provides the planning project summary matrix completion status for 2020. A more detailed discussion of each project’s status can be found in Attachment B.
Planning Commission Review and Recommendation
In the past, staff has taken annual reports directly to the Board of Supervisors, which includes setting priorities for the upcoming year. Over the past few years, reports have been submitted to CA-HCD after the April due date (with permission for late submission from CA-HCD). Creating the MC-HCD as a new County department offers opportunity for a fresh start, and the Director has taken this opportunity to start this process earlier as well as to include Planning Commission review. The Planning Commission reviewed the draft Annual Reports and Five-Year Long Range Planning Work Program, and found they clearly implement the goals and strategies of the 2010 General Plan and 1982 General Plan and recommend their adoption by the Board of Supervisors. The Commission recommended that the Pajaro Community Plan be advanced in priority, a report on General Plan build out be drafted, and the 1982 General Plan as applied in the coastal zone be updated.
Staff made progress on several Long-Range Planning tasks that were identified as priority in the 2020 Annual Report to the Board, as described further below. Several other tasks were assigned as priorities and completed in 2020, which were not presented to the Board of Supervisors during the previous reporting period. This year is the first that staff has prepared a 5-year General Plan Implementation Program. It is designed to resemble the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) with project sheets for each task. Year 1 represents the priorities for the current calendar year (2021 in this case), which is driven largely by funding and resource allocation/availability.
2020 Priority Projects. The following briefly summarizes the most recent actions on items from the 2020 list of priority projects that was presented to the Board of Supervisors last year:
• Mixed Use Zoning District; Ordinance adopted.
• Moss Landing Community Plan Update. Planning Commission policy direction.
• Accessory Dwelling Units: Ordinances (inland and coastal) adopted; coastal ordinance submitted to California Coastal Commission for certification.
• Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin Investigation. The model was completed that will enable completion of the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin Investigation.
• Ag Land Mitigation Program. Finalizing the Ag Land Program and implement related work plan.
• Development Evaluation System (DES). Board held hearing on draft procedures; Board provided direction for staff to revise several provisions.
• Water and Energy Efficient Landscape Ordinance/Water Conservation Ordinance/ Fire Resistance Plant List /Invasive Plant Policy and Procedures. Two stakeholder working group meetings.
• Community Climate Action Plan (CAP). Board amended General Plan Policy OS 10.11 to update the text; County awarded funding to complete the CAP over the next several years.
• Zoning Map Updates. No action, need to reassess priority.
• Carmel River Floodplain Restoration & Environmental Enhancement (CRFREE) Projects. Board certified the project EIR/EA.
• Vacation (aka Short-Term) Rentals. Board provided policy direction on several key issues.
Other 2020 Accomplishments:
Several other tasks were assigned as priorities and completed in 2020, which were not presented to the Board of Supervisors during the previous reporting period:
• Cannabis Program. Several amendments to ordinances relating to commercial cannabis uses were completed. Implementation of a pilot program for hemp.
• East Garrison. Continued to process matters relative to the East Garrison project.
• FORA Dissolution. The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) was formally dissolved on June 30, 2020. County assumed several responsibilities related to winding up FORA’s business affairs, and dissolution required multiple actions and agreements.
• Citygate Report. Citygate Associates, LLC (Citygate) completed a review of the Resource Management Agency (RMA). The Board of Supervisors accepted the report on July 28, 2020, including 76 recommendations. Key among the recommendations of the Citygate Report was to create two new departments, which occurred on November 30, 2020. A number of recommendations pertain to planning operations, including implementing the remaining tasks and policies of the 2010 General Plan.
2021 Planning Priorities
Priority tasks for Long Range Planning in 2021 (calendar year relative to these reports) are divided into two categories: General Plan Implementation and additional Long Range Planning Work Program. Attachment C defines these tasks and their scope/outcome by Calendar Year in a Five-Year Implementation Program. Attachment (D) details the FY 2021-22 estimated staff and consultant cost of the various tasks, and funding source, and Attachment (E) provides additional information on each task.
CEQA
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 and the 2015 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, Building, Housing, Engineering/Public Works, Environmental Services, Environmental Health, Fire districts, and Water Resources Agency). Implementation of the Housing Element relates to activities being undertaken by Housing and Community Development Department. In addition, County Counsel’s office actively participates in the legal review of ordinances and plans prepared as part of the General Plan Implementation (GPI) and other needed updates.
FINANCING:
Staff intends to perform as much of the implementation work as possible. Some outside funds have been acquired (e.g. SALC), but there has been no General Plan Implementation (GPI) augmentation to the General Fund for contracted support services since 2015.
Aspects of the work require technical expertise that is only available through outside consultants. Approximately $1,149,867 (excludes anticipated estimated) has been expended for outside consultant assistance, 2011-2015 when funds were allocated for that purpose. Staff continues to seek grant funding, where available, to help with implementation.
The proposed General Plan Implementation and Long Range Planning Work Program for FY 2021-2022 includes approximately $1,000,000 of the approximately $1,580,000 awarded or anticipated state grant funding for the next two years, as detailed in Attachment C and summarized as follows:
SB-2 Grant: $200,000 for: 1) Castroville Development Impact Fee Nexus Study; and 2) Chualar Community Plan, Year 1
SALC Grant: $182,366 for Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program, Year 1
$175,000 for Community Climate Action Plan
LEAP Grant: $500,000 for: 1) Chualar Community Plan Year 1; 2) Castroville Community Plan Update Year 1; and 3) CEQA analysis for Affordable Housing Overlay Zones.
REAP Grant: $530,000 for: 1) Update to Housing Element; and 2) Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.
In addition, the General Plan Implementation fee was updated in 2020, and is levied on all development and planning permits. This fee generated approximately $300,000 in FY 2020, and will provide funding for additional resources.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This action represents effective and timely reporting on the implementation of the Monterey County General Plan(s) to our HCD customers. This report provides the County accountability for proper management of our land resources.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives:
__ Economic Development
X Administration
Health & Human Services
__ Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: John M. Dugan, FAICP, Management Specialist
Approved by: Mike Novo, AICP, Acting Director Housing and Community Development
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A - Annual Progress Report for the MC 2010 General Plan Implementation:
Exhibit 1 - 2020 Annual General Plan Progress Report Summary Matrix
Exhibit 2 - 2020 Annual Housing Element Progress Report
Attachment B - Detailed Discussion
Attachment C - 5-Year Long Range Planning and General Plan Implementation Program
Attachment D - 2021-2022 Priority Tasks, & Funding Source
Attachment E - Detailed Five-Year Planning Task Work Program
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; Wendy Strimling; Planning File No. REF190011.