Exhibit F
Municipal Code Findings
1 Plan Amendment Findings
Fresno Municipal Code Section 15-5812
SECTION 15-5812 OF THE FRESNO MUNICIPAL CODE STATES THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHALL NOT
RECOMMEND AND THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL NOT APPROVE AN APPLICATION UNLESS THE PROPOSED PLAN AMENDMENT MEETS THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A. The change is consistent with the General Plan goals and policies, and any operative plan or adopted policy;
Finding
A:
Plan Amendment Application No. P24-04066, proposes to amend the text of Chapter 11 of the Fresno General Plan by replacing the current Fresno Housing Element (2015- 2023) with an updated Fresno Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element (2023- 2031). The proposed Plan Amendment does not include land use c hanges or rezoning of property. The Housing Element is the City’s policy document for meeting its housing needs, including housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households and special needs populations. It is consistent with the goals and policies of the Fresno General Plan, and all operative plans and adopted policy related to housing in the City of Fresno. California Government Code Section 65300 requires that General Plans be internally consistent. The Housing Element, as an element of the Fresno General Plan, is consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the other elements of the general plan. Key objectives and policies from other elements of the Fresno General Plan that most directly support the Housing Element are contained in the Economic Development, Urban Form, Land Use, and Design Element , and the Healthy Communities Element . Below is a summary:
General Plan Chapter 2: Economic Development and Fiscal Sustainability Element Objective ED-4: Cultivate a skilled, educated, and well-trained workforce by increasing educational attainment and the relevant job skill levels in order to appeal to local and non-local businesses. Under this objective are policies that seek to connect residents to jobs and provide job training. Program 30 of the Housing Element, Workforce Development, calls on the City to partner with organizations that provide workforce development to provide more employment opportunities, which lead to better housing access.
General Plan Chapter 3: Urban Form, Land Use and Design Element Objective UF-1 : Emphasize the opportunity for a diversity of districts, neighborhoods and housing types.
Policy UF-1- d: Range of Housing Types : Provide for diversity and variation of building types, densities, and scales of development in order to reinforce the identity of individual neighborhoods, foster a variety of market -based options for living and working to suit a large range of income levels, and further affordable housing opportunities throughout the city.
Policy UF-1-e: Unique Neighborhoods: Promote and protect unique neighborhoods and mixed use areas throughout Fresno that respect and support various ethnic, cultural and historic enclaves; provide a range of housing options, including furthering affordable housing opportunities; and convey a unique 2 character and lifestyle attractive to Fresnans. Support unique areas through more specific planning processes that directly engage community members in creative and innovative design efforts.
Objective LU-2: Plan for infill development that includes a range of housing types, building forms, and land uses to meet the needs of both current and future residents.
Policy LU-2-b: Infill Development for Affordable Housing: Establish a priority infill incentive program for residential infill development of existing vacant lots and underutilized sites within the City as a strategy to help to meet the affordable housing needs of the community.
The housing element proposes several programs to incentivize a variety of housing types and affordability options. Programs 1- 10, New Housing Development, include programs such as streamlining the development process, incentivizing accessory dwelling units, and development of adaptive re-use standards. Programs 11-21, Affordable Housing, include pursuing traditional and new sources of funding, as well as exploring innovative affordable housing mechanisms like community land trusts, mixed income land trusts, and land banking. With regard to the General Plan goals of infill development, all of the sites identified for housing in the Sites Inventory of the housing element are located within the existing city limits, where public transit and infrastructure is directly available or in close proximity.
General Plan Chapter 10: Healthy Communities Element
Objective HC-3: Create healthy, safe and affordable housing. This objective includes a number of policies, ranging from universal design, healthy housing, and the promotion of housing programs and resources. Housing Element Program 24, Special Needs Housing, focuses on the provision of housing for special needs populations, including seniors and individuals with disabilities who would benefit from universal design.
Program 27, Environmental Justice, points to the City’s Environmental Justice Element currently underway and its focus on creating healthier communities and reducing pollution exposure.
B. The change is consistent with the purpose of the Development Code to promote the growth of the city in an orderly and sustainable manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort and general welfare; and;
3 Finding
B:
Plan Amendment Application No. P24-04066, proposes to amend the text of Chapter 11 of the Fresno General Plan by replacing the current Fresno Housing Element (2015- 2023) with an updated Fresno Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element (2023- 2031). The proposed Plan Amendment does not include land use c hanges or rezoning of property. The Housing Element is the City’s policy document for meeting its housing needs, including housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households and special needs populations. It is consistent with the goals and policies in the other elements of the Fresno General Plan, and all operative plans and adopted policy related to housing in the City of Fresno.
Housing Element goals are consistent with the purpose of the Development Code to promote the growth of the city in an orderly and sustainable manner and to promote and protect the public health, safety, peace, comfort and general welfare. The Housing Element includes Program 1, Maintain Adequate Sites, which mandates that Fresno have adequate housing capacity as determined by the State, for the next 8 years. The identified sites are all within City limits and with access to infrastructure and public safety services such as Police and Fire protection. In addition, the public health, safety and comfort are supported by housing element programs for affordable housing development, special needs housing, environmental justice and fair housing. While Housing Element Program 25 calls for updating the development code for consistency with new state housing law and for removal of barriers to housing development, these changes will go through a separate Text Amendment process to ensure consistency with the General Plan and Development Code.
C. The change is necessary to achieve the balance of land uses desired by the City and to provide sites for needed housing or employment -generating uses, consistent with the General Plan, any applicable operative plan, or adopted policy; and to increase the i nventory of land within a given zoning district to meet market demand.
Finding
C:
The Housing Element Amendment is necessary to provide sites for needed housing, consistent with the General Plan, operative plans and adopted policy. Although the proposed Housing Element Amendment No. P24-04066 does not propose any land use changes or rezoning of property, it clearly identifies sites with housing capacity and thereby facilitates a more focused and coordinated implementation of the City’s housing programs. The clear identification of land available for housing in the sites inventory also may help housing developers identify land available which in turn could help meet market demand for housing.