Town of Fairfax
Town Council
January 19, 2022
Housing Sites
Inventory Discussion
Housing Element Update
1 - Housing Element Overview
- Outreach update
- Table of Potential Sites
- Accessory Dwelling Units & SB 9
Agenda
Recommendations
Staff requests that the Town Council take the following action related to the Draft Sites Inventory List (Attachment B):
• Accept the Draft Sites Inventory List for further
feasibility analysis.
• Give direction if any sites must be removed from
the list.
• Give direction if any of the Total Minimum
Capacity numbers must be changed.
4 Housing Element
Overview
▪ A plan for the housing needed in a community
▪ The Town of Fairfax doesn’t build the housing
▪ The Town of Fairfax creates the programs and policies to plan where new housing should go and how many units could be on potential sites What is a Housing Element?
Why does Fairfax need to plan for more housing?
It is required by State law:
• Part of the General Plan
• Updated every 8 years
• Fairfax’s 6th Cycle timeline: 2023-2031
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
• A target number for homes needed
• Assigned to Fairfax by the State
How many future units?
Fairfax needs
to plan for
490
housing units across income
levels
Fairfax All jurisdictions
within Marin County
Income Group Units Units
Very Low Income (<50% of
AMI) 149 4,156
Low Income (50%-80% of
AMI) 86 2,389
Moderate Income (80%-
120% of AMI) 71 2,182
Above Moderate Income
(>120% of AMI) 184 5,653
Total 490 14,380
Where are we in the process?
There will continue to be many
opportunities for the public to
be involved.
Next Steps:
▪ Equity review of sites
▪ Policy and affordability
▪ Scoping meeting
Visit: Fairfaxspeaks.com
When will the state review the plan?
AB 215 (New law for review times)
HCD Review:
▪ First draft for public comment must be available for at least 30 days.
▪ If any comments are received, at least 10 additional
business days to consider and incorporate comments.
▪ The state then has 90 days to review the draft and report its written findings and 60 days for subsequent draft
amendment or adoption reviews.
10 Outreach
Updates
Outreach Updates
Fairfax Speaks.com Engagement
• All-time statistics:
3,067 total site visits (101 since 1/6/2022)
2224 total site registrations
Fairfax Housing Tool (Balancing Act)
• 65 total submittals, including 2 in Spanish
• 719 Page view, including 46 in Spanish
Visit: Fairfaxspeaks.com
12 Housing Sites Inventory Draft
What is a Sites Inventory?
▪ Purpose:
• identify specific sites that are available
and reasonable for at least 490 housing
opportunities from 2023-2031
▪ Rezoning and/or adopting
programs and policies will likely
be necessary
Map of Potential Sites
Map of Potential Sites - Subarea Map
Site 1: White Hill School
▪ 101 Glen Dr
▪ 50-80 possible units
Rationale:
▪ Housing for Marin’s 18
school districts’
employees
▪ No re-zoning needed
Constraints:
▪ Potential fire safety
and egress issues but
can be addressed
▪ Demonstration of
development interest
required by HCD
Site 1: White Hill School
Housing and Community Development (HCD) Memo:
Sites controlled by exempt entities can be used to accommodate RHNA when documentation can be provided that demonstrates the likelihood that the planned housing will be
developed within the current RHNA/housing
element cycle.
Examples of documentation:
• Agreement with the entity controlling the land that grants the jurisdiction authority regarding approving, permitting, certifying occupancy, and/or reporting new units to the California Department of Finance. • Documentation from the entity controlling the land that demonstrates planned housing has been approved to be built within the current RHNA cycle.
• Data pertaining to the timing of project construction and unit affordability by household income category.
Site 3: 10 Olema Road
▪ 2170 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
▪ 22-30 possible units
Rationale:
▪ Long-standing vision for
affordable housing
▪ Used in previous housing
element updates
▪ No re-zoning needed
Constraints:
▪ Floodplain regulations will
affect the type of grants
available
▪ Possible historic resource
Site 11: O’Donnell’s Nursery
▪ 1700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
▪ 10-20 possible units
Rationale:
▪ Vacant and level site
▪ Property owner willing to
consider adding housing
Constraints:
▪ Relatively small site
▪ Analysis of traffic circulation
needs required
▪ Re-zoning required
Site 11: O’Donnell’s Nursery
▪ Review additional area
▪ Add more possible units
Site 13: Fair-Anselm Shopping Center
▪ 711 & 760 Center Blvd
▪ 50-90 possible units
Rationale:
▪ Large and flat site with
▪ High feasibility for building
housing
▪ Developers have expressed
interest
Constraints:
▪ Avoid displacement of
existing commercial
tenants.
▪ Re-zoning required
▪ New information about
bio-hazard
Site 14: Town and Country
Rationale:
▪ 25 mostly undeveloped acres
▪ Close to central transit, services
▪ Property owner is advocate
▪ Housing can occupy small area,
leaving rest of site undeveloped
or have other purpose
Constraints:
▪ Rezoning requires voter
approval or legal proceeding
▪ Portion of site is within 100 year
floodplain
▪ Potential historic and
environmental resources
▪ Needs new access point for
traffic/egress
▪ Past proposals for reuse of the
site have not been successful
▪ Area: Pastori Avenue
▪ 100-450 possible units
23 Table of
Potential Sites
Table of Potential Sites
Table of Potential Sites
26 Secondary Units
ADU & SB 9
Missing Middle Opportunities
Objective Development & Design Standards
Why does Fairfax need to plan for more housing?
Caring for your Neighbors
Ensure fellow residents can
continue to live here
Caring for your Community
Become a more inclusive Fairfax
by creating housing opportunities for all community members Recommendations
Staff requests that the Town Council take the following action related to the Draft Sites Inventory List (Attachment B):
• Accept the Draft Sites Inventory List for further
feasibility analysis.
• Give direction if any sites must be removed from
the list.
• Give direction if any of the Total Minimum
Capacity numbers must be changed.
Question &
Answer
Session
Please visit the Fairfax
Speaks.com
website