Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Steve Monowitz, Community Development Director
Subject: A resolution authorizing application for, and receipt of, Local Government Planning Support Grant Program Funds, and authorizing the Community Development Director to execute an agreement related thereto
County File Number: PLN2020-00182
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing application for, and receipt of, Local Government Planning Support Grant Program Funds, and authorizing the Community Development Director to execute an agreement related thereto.
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BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is authorized to provide funding of approximately $120,000,000 in total to local jurisdictions under the Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grants Program, part of the Local Government Planning Support Grant Program. HCD will provide funding to jurisdictions in order to assist in accelerating housing production, through updating zoning and other regulations, undertaking environmental review, and a variety of other eligible activities intended to increase and facilitate housing production while also advancing various State program goals. HCD issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the LEAP Program in January of 2020. The County, based on its population size, is eligible for $300,000 from this program.
DISCUSSION:
The LEAP program provides non-competitive funding that will be awarded to jurisdictions that apply, if the activities described in the grant application are eligible for funding pursuant to the program requirements, on a rolling basis so long as funding remains in the program fund. The grant allows a request for a range of potential projects that may be completed using the funding. The Planning and Building Department proposes to request funding for portions of some or all of the following projects:
North Fair Oaks Rezoning and Environmental Analysis. The Planning and Building Department has proposed rezoning multiple areas along El Camino Real and Middlefield Road, areas directly adjoining newly rezoned CMU-1, CMU-2, and CMU-3 areas in North Fair Oaks, to the same CMU-1, CMU-2, and CMU-3 zoning districts, in order to extend these higher-density zoning districts, creating complete and unified transit-oriented development areas. These zoning districts would further facilitate housing production, as well as incentivize transit usage by creating new housing in proximity to primary transit routes.
The environmental impact of the adoption of the CMU-1, CMU-2, and CMU-3 zoning districts was analyzed in the environmental impact report (EIR) for the North Fair Oaks Community Plan, certified by the Board of Supervisors in 2011. However, rezoning of the adjacent parcels to these higher densities was not included in program evaluated in the Plan EIR, and additional environmental review is required in order to rezone these areas.
The Department has submitted grant applications for portions of this work under two other grants, HCD’s SB 2 grant program, and Caltrans’ Planning Grant Program. These grants have not yet been awarded. The amount of funding still required for the work and needed from the LEAP grant would be determined based on the amount of funding received from these grants, should the County be awarded either grant.
Colma Rezoning. After adoption of the Colma Area Plan in 1994, the County rezoned significant portions of unincorporated Colma, pursuant to the implementation program outlined in the Plan. However, a small area of unincorporated Colma was not rezoned, despite being identified in the Plan. Rezoning would complete this portion of implementation of the Colma Plan, and would facilitate housing production and transit oriented development in the area around the Colma BART Station. The funding requested from the LEAP program would help fund the rezoning work, as well as any supplemental environmental analysis that might be required due to changes since adoption of the Environmental Impact Report for the Colma Area Plan.
North Fair Oaks Infrastructure Analysis. In 2011 the Board of Supervisors adopted the North Fair Oaks Community Plan, which proposed significant additional residential density in North Fair Oaks, and subsequently the Board adopted multiple phases of rezonings, facilitating residential development at the densities intended by the Plan, facilitating infill development and helping address the County’s serious housing needs. However, as development has proceeded, deficiencies in North Fair Oaks wastewater conveyance system have been identified, which if unaddressed, may pose a barrier to additional development. The Planning and Building Department proposes to hire a consultant to complete an infrastructure assessment of the wastewater treatment system in North Fair Oaks and its interrelation to the Redwood City system, identifying the capacity of the system, and methods to improve capacity sufficient to allow development in North Fair Oaks consistent with the amounts allowed by current zoning.
The specific amounts of funding dedicated to any or all of these projects would be determined based on the amounts awarded from the LEAP grant, and/or the SB 2 grant, and/or the PGP grant, depending on any funds awarded.
The resolution has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost. The requested LEAP grant funding does not require matching funding.