Resolution No. 2025-XX (PLN2025-00074) Page 1 of 4
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FREMONT IMPLEMENTING PROGRAM 4 OF THE 2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT
TO ADOPT OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR SINGLE -FAMILY
AND TWO -FAMILY ELIGIBLE HISTORIC REGISTER RESOURCES
(PLN2025-00074)
WHEREAS, the California Legislature has found that “California has a housing supply and affordability crisis of historic proportions. The consequences of failing to effectively and aggressively confront this crisis are hurting millions of Californians, robbing future generations of the chance to call California home, stifling economic opportunities for workers and businesses, worsening poverty and homelessness, and undermining the state’s environmental and climate objectives” (Government Code §65589.5); and
WHEREAS, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 330 and adopted the “Housing Crisis Act of 2019” (“HCA”) which states that “In 2018, California ranked 49 th out of the 50 states
in housing units per capita… California needs an estimated 180,000 additional homes annually to keep up with population growth, and the Governor has called for 3.5 million new homes to be built over 7 years;” and
WHEREAS, the California Legislature passed the HCA to address the current “housing crisis” in the State with the aim of increasing residential unit development, protecting existing housing inventory, and expediting permit processing; and WHEREAS, State Housing Element Law (Government Code §65580 et seq.) requires the City to adopt a Housing Element for the eight-year period 2023-2031 to accommodate the City’s regional housing need allocation (“RHNA”) of 12,897 housing units, comprised of 3,640 very-low income units, 2,096 low-income units, 1,996 moderate-income units, and 5,165 above moderate- income units; and
WHEREAS, on December 22, 2022, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended that the City Council adopt a General Plan Amendment to update the Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, on January 10, 2023, the City Council conducted a public hearing, reviewed the 2023-2031 Housing Element and all pertinent maps, documents and exhibits, including the findings and recommended changes made by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (“HCD”), the City’s response to HCD’s findings, public comments, and the Planning Commission’s recommendation, and adopted the Housing Element after determining it to be consistent with State law and the City’s General Plan; and WHEREAS, on March 22, 2023, HCD certified the City’s 2023–2031 Housing Element, making Fremont the sixth city in Alameda County to receive State certification; and
EXHIBIT B
Resolution No. 2025-XX (PLN2025-00074)
WHEREAS, State law requires that the City review its Housing Element as frequently as appropriate to evaluate the progress of the City in implementation of its Housing Element (Government Code §65588); and
WHEREAS, Program 4 of the City’s 2023- 2031 Housing Element requires the City to develop Objective Design Standards for the City’s eligible historic register resources to provide a predictable basis to review housing projects; and
WHEREAS, such Objective Design Standards will be applicable to housing development projects, as defined by the Housing Accountability Act, and as mandatory standards for all qualifying projects; and
WHEREAS, as an alternative, any applicant of a housing development project seeking exceptions to the Objective Design Standards may proceed with the City’s existing discr etionary design review process; and
WHEREAS, on ____________________, the Historical Architectural Review Board held a duly noticed public hearing, during which all interested persons were heard, and recommended that the City Council adopt the proposed Objective Design Standards for single -family and two- family eligible historic register resources; and
WHEREAS, on ____________________, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing, during which all interested persons were heard, and reco mmended that the City Council adopt the proposed Objective Design Standards for single-family and two-family eligible historic register resources; and
WHEREAS, a Staff Report , recommending approval of the proposed Objective Design Standards, was submitted to the City Council; and
WHEREAS, on ____________________, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing, at which time all interested parties had the opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, proper notice of said hearing was given in all respects as required by law; and WHEREAS, the City Council heard and considered all said reports, recommendations, and testimony herein above set forth and used its independent judgment to evaluate the project.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FREMONT RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. CEQA
The City Council finds that the proposed objective standards for single-family and two -family eligible historic register resources are exempt from the requirements of the Califo rnia Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to, without limitation, each on a separate and independent basis, CEQA Guidelines:
Resolution No. 2025-XX (PLN2025-00074)
(1) CEQA Guideline §15061(b)(3) [Review for Exemption] in that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed text amendments would have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, and because the proposed amendments would only modify certain zoning procedures to implement the City’s 2023-2031 Housing Element and would not approve any development.
(2) CEQA Guideline §15183 [Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning] and/or CEQA Guideline §15162 [Subsequent EIRs and Negative Declarations] in that the proposed text amendments are consistent with the development densities and policies in Fremont’s General Plan, for which an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) [SCH #2010082060] was previously prepared and certified, and none of the circumstances necessitating further environmental review are present. The proposed ame ndments do not involve peculiar impacts that were not previously analyzed or discussed as significant effects in prior EIR(s) on the general plan and zoning with which the project is consistent, there are no previously identified significant effects which are substantially more severe than analyzed in in the prior EIR(s) or cannot be substantially mitigated by the imposition of uniformly applied development policies or standards applied on a citywide basis, and many of the proposed amendments are necessary to conform with state law. Any conceivable impact of the proposed amendments would be too speculative for reasoned analysis in the absence of specific development proposals. (3) CEQA Guideline §15262 [Feasibility and Planning Studies] in that the proposed amendments may lead to possible future actions, but the City has not yet approved, adopted, or funded those possible future actions.
(4) CEQA Guideline §15378 [Project] in that the proposed amendments are an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
SECTION 2. OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS
The City Council adopts the Objective Design Standards for Potential Register Resources, attached as Exhibit “A” and incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
SECTION 3. MINOR REVISIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
The City Council hereby delegates responsibility to the Community Development Director, or their designee, to make miscellaneous, minor administrative, clarifying, and technical revisions that facilitate implementation of the adopted Objective Design Standards . Examples of such revisions include word substitutions for clarification purposes, changes to graphics, formatting, and other typographical changes that do not substantially alter the intent, meaning, or purpose of any standard.
SECTION 4. SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES
Any substantial amendments to the Objective Design Standards shall be presented to the , Historical Architectural Review Board, Planning Commission, and City Council, respectively, for consideration and approval.
Resolution No. 2025-XX (PLN2025-00074)
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
The effective date of this resolution shall be ____________________.
SECTION 6. ADOPTION DATE
The City Council adopted this resolution on ____________________ by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Clerk City Attorney