Agenda Item No: K.1
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: February 3, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2026-01 CD Housing Element Compliance
Second Reading of Ordinance 2026 -01 Amending Chapter 25, Article I, Section 25.12.3 of the Fairfield Municipal Code (Also Known as Zoning Map Adopted) to Rezone (ZC2025 -0006) to the Following Seven Parcels: (1) 3066 Travis Boulevard (APN: 0152 -280-140) from Community Commercial District to Mixed Commercial District; (2) APN: 0027-370-280 at Westamerica Drive and Suisun Valley Road From Office Commercial District to Mixed Commercial District; (3) APN:
0027-370-300 at Mangels Boulevard and Suisun Valley Road, from Office Commercial District to Mixed Commercial District; (4) APN: 0027-360-070 at Campus Lane and Suisun Valley Road from Industrial Business Park District to Residential Very High Density District; (5) APN: 0038 -221-010 At East Tabor Avenue And Railroad Avenue From Residential High Density Dis trict to Residential Very High Density District; (6) APN: 0034 -050-320 at Heath Drive and Peach Tree Drive, from Residential High Density District to Residential Very High Density District; (7) 1351 East Tabor Avenue (APN: 0037 -010-120) from Residential Hi gh Density District to Residential Very High Density District; And Amending Various Sections of Chapter 25, Article I, Also Known as The Zoning Ordinance, to Implement the 2023-2031 Housing Element
Funding Source: N/A
Contact: Vicrim Chima, (707) 428-7446
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Provide second reading and adopt Ordinance 2026-01.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Conduct a second reading and adopt an ordinance amending the Zoning Ordinance, including zoning text and map amendments, to implement the 2023–2031 Housing Element. The ordinance includes rezoning seven sites and updating zoning regulations in response to state -adopted legislation intended to address the statewide housing shortage.
The recommended action before the City Council is adoption o f the zoning text and map amendments to ensure compliance with applicable State law requirements. This action does not affect projects that have already been approved by the City.
DISCUSSION
Housing Element 2023-2031 Implementation
Every eight years, California jurisdictions are required by State law to update their General Plan Housing Element, which addresses a range of housing-related topics, including an assessment of the City’s ability to accommodate its assigned share of regional housing need allocation (RHNA).
As part of this process, jurisdictions must demonstrate to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that they have adequate development capacity to accommodate a specific number of residential units citywide at all income levels. These income levels include extremely low, very low, low, moderate, and above moderate. The required number of units for each income category is determined using a standardized method developed by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and assigned to local jurisdictions.
On February 7, 2023, the City of Fairfield adopted its 2023–2031 General Plan Housing Element.
While Fairfield’s existing zoning and General Plan designations meet HCD standards for moderate and above -moderate income levels, additional zoning and land use changes are needed to provide sufficient capacity for low, very low, and extremely low -income housing. On December 16, 2025, the City received correspondence from HCD reminding jurisdictions o f the statutory requirement to implement Housing Element programs, including required rezoning actions, within three years of Housing Element adoption (see Attachment 4).
HCD also requires local jurisdictions to remove regulatory barriers and streamline t he state environmental review process to help facilitate the construction of residential development across a range of income levels and housing types. Consistent with these requirements, a comprehensive set of zoning text amendments are proposed to implem ent the 2023–2031 Housing Element Housing Action Plan . These amendments align zoning densities with General Plan land use designations; reduce minimum lot size s and establish objective standards to support small-lot and infill development; and provide ministerial and by-right approval pathways for qualifying housing projects in accordance with State law. Additional changes expand opportunities for affordable, efficient, farmworker, supportive, emergency, and special -needs housing; and remove parking and other regulatory constraints for residential care and similar facilities.
A more detailed and comprehensive analysis of the City’s RHNA obligations, the seven re zoning sites, and the proposed zoning text amendments can be found in the attached Planning Commission staff reports from November 12, 2025 (Attachment 5), and December 10, 2025 (Attachment 6) hearings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
Public engagement has been an ongoing component of the City’s Housing Element efforts. During preparation of the 2023–2031 Housing Element, the City conducted extensive outreach, utilizing a variety of engagement strategies including a proje ct website and e -blasts, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, online surveys, and community workshops. Multiple public comment periods were held in 2022 and 2023, including hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council, and all comments received were addressed in the adopted Housing Element.
The Planning Commission initially reviewed the proposed Zoning Ordinance and Map changes at its November 12, 2025, hearing. During the discussion, Commissioners raised questions regarding supportive housing, specifically whether state law requires supportive housing to be permitted in all residential and mixed-use zones, and which projects qualify for the streamlined permitting processes. To allow staff time to address these questions, the hearing was contin ued to a date certain, December 10, 2025. The Public Hearing Notice for the November 12, 2025, meeting was published in the Daily Republic on October 22, 2025, and notices were sent to 496 property owners within a 500-foot radius of the seven subject sites.
At the continued December 10, 2025, Planning Commission meeting staff, the project consultant, and legal counsel, reviewed the states legislation, and developed and presented a series of updates that meet the state criteria, particularly as it relates t o transitional and supportive housing, while retaining as much local authority as possible to regulate specific types of uses in zoning districts where housing is already allowed. The Planning Commission unanimously approved resolution PC2025-09 recommending that the City Council adopt the proposed actions.
The council item, originally scheduled for December 16, 2025, was also continued to January 20, 2026, to accommodate the Planning Commission hearing continuation. The Public Hearing Notice for the City Council meeting was published in the Daily Republic on November 12, 2025, with the same 496 property owners notified.
The council held a public hearing for the item on January 20, 2026, and moved to introduce and approve the first reading of the Proposed Ordinance. As of the writing of this staff report, the staff has not received any subsequent correspondence on the project.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The council may choose to deny any or all the requests and not adopt the ordinance. The council may also direct staff to make changes to the proposed actions. In any of these instances, the 2023-2031 Housing Element implementation, as proposed, would not proceed. There is a February 7, 2026, deadline for adopting the required rezones to comply with state law. If an alternative action is chosen by the council, the city will likely miss the state mandated deadline to complete these changes.
Jurisdictions that do not comply with these mandates are also at risk of invalidation of the General Plan, loss of eligibility for state funding, not only related to housing, but for the services and infrastructure that accompany housing development, referral to the California Office of the Attorney General, court -imposed financial penalties, and the possible loss of local land us e authority to a court-appointed agent.
STAFF CONTACT
Vicrim Chima, Senior Planner
(707) 428-7446
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Ordinance
Attachment 3: Exhibit A - Zoning Map Amendments
Attachment 4: HCD Letter of Inquiry, date December 16, 2025 Attachment 5: Planning Commission November 12 Staff Report Attachment 6: Planning Commission December 10 Staff Report Attachment 7: Planning Commission Resolution PC2025-09