City Council Meeting
January 16, 2024
1620 Sunflower Avenue
Call for Review Planning Application 22-45
2 Project Description
• Establish new public charter high school with a maximum enrollment of 500 students, Grades 9 – 12, and 51 employees.
• Hours of Operation
• 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Thursday
• 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM Fridays
• 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM Drop-Off Time
• 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Pick-Up Time
• Pick-up/Drop-off managed by school, free transportation provided • No outdoor activities with recreation and lunch areas located indoors • No major renovations proposed to existing building or site 3 Site Layout
Sunflower Ave
Driveway
Driveway
Proposed
School
School Size: 37,455 SF
Lot Size: 98,481 SF
Proposed Parking: 237 Parking Spaces
4 Project Location
5 Zoning
6 Countywide Charter School Approval
• A charter school is a public school that may provide instruction in any combination of grades (kindergarten through grade twelve). • State Charter School law grants local chartering authority to the Orange County Board of Education.
• Vista Meridian Global Academy was approved through Resolution by the Orange County Board of Education for a countywide charter on June 1, 2022. 7 Planning Commission Denial Findings:
• Found to be incompatible with adjacent land uses, specifically “Measure X” projects
• Proposed project presents traffic circulation and queuing concerns during peak traffic demand hours
• Internal site circulation present safety concerns with a mix of pedestrian and vehicular traffic
• Indoor only school operations considered detrimental to student’s health and welfare
8 Measure X Area
9 Call up for review:
Staff recommends that the City Council review the Planning Commission’s decision to deny Planning Application 22-45
City Council Meeting
January 16, 2024
1620 Sunflower Avenue
Call for Review Planning Application 22-45
Vista Meridian Global Academy
We Transform the School Experience
Exterior Facade
productivity.
collaborative.
creative .
Open Workspace
Gymnasium
Weight Room
Pickle Ball Court
January 16, 2024
City Council
Affordable Housing (AH) Ordinance
2 Costa Mesa Community Profile
• Need for Housing: Approx. 47% of Costa
Mesa residents earn a lower income
• Increase in Housing Costs: Rent and home
prices in Costa Mesa have continued to rise
• Lack of Affordable Housing: Limited supply
of affordable units; no affordable housing
requirement in Costa Mesa.
3 Housing Plans and Goals
• September 27, 2021: City Council goals include to
“Diversify, stabilize and increase housing to reflect
community needs”
• November 15, 2022: City Council adopts the 2021-2029
General Plan Housing Element including Program 2A
• Joint Study Sessions: City Council held two study
sessions in May and July 2023
4 Stakeholders Meetings
• 17 stakeholders meetings with
local affordable housing
advocacy groups and housing
developers
• One-on-one meetings with local
housing developers to discuss
individual housing project pro
formas
5 Affordable Housing Program
• Incentive-Based Program: Creates “enhanced land value” through rezoning, coupled with an AH requirement
• Enhanced Land Value: A portion of the value added
through rezoning and increasing densities is recouped by the City in the form of affordable housing
6 Affordable Housing Program Components
• Project Threshold Size
• Required Percentages of Affordable Units
• Required Income Levels
• Covenant Period
• Alternatives for Compliance
7 Planning Commission Public Hearings
• November 13, 2023: Planning Commission continued the
item to December 11, 2023
• December 11, 2023: Planning Commission voted (5-2) to recommend City Council give first reading to the
ordinance
8 Planning Commission Recommended Changes
9 Policy Context
• AH Ordinance would complement existing City
programs addressing housing issues in the community
• AH Ordinance would help produce new affordable units
and build a Housing Trust Fund
• AH Ordinance necessary to maintain compliance with
Housing Element/State housing laws.
• Without adopting AH Ordinance, City risks losing local control over land use decisions
10 Next Steps
• In-lieu Fee Study
• First Reading/Second Reading
• Ordinance Becomes Effective 30 days After
11 Staff’s Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Find that the adoption of Ordinance No. 2024-XX is
exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), General Rule in that the affordable housing ordinance will not have a significant impact on the environment
2. Give first reading to Ordinance No. 2024-XX modifying Title 13 (Planning, Zoning, and Development) of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code (CMMC) to establish affordable housing
requirements for new residential developments
January 16, 2024
City Council
Affordable Housing (AH) Ordinance