A G E N D A
SPECIAL MEETING: GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL
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Glendale, CA 91206
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APRIL 1, 2025
ROLL CALL
-
2:00 PM
-
Report of the City Clerk of the City Council, re: Posting of Agenda. The Agenda for the Tuesday, April 1, 2025 Special Public Meeting of the City Council was posted on March 28, 2025, on the Bulletin Board Outside City Hall.
1 TYPED 3/28/2025 7:59:54 AM
04 01 25
SP CC
A
SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING
of the City Council is hereby called to meet at
2:00
PM
on
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
, in the Council Chamber, 613 E. Broadway, 2nd Floor
, Glendale,
CA 91206 to consider the following item(s) of business, to wit;
1. Community Development, re: Annual Report on the Status of the General Plan a. Motion Accepting the Annual Progress Report on the Status of the General Plan, in accordance with State law, and Noting and Filing Same
ADJOURNMENT
2 TYPED 3/28/2025 7:59:54 AM
04 01 25
SP CC
1 5
8 6
7 AGENDA ITEM
CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Report: Annual Report on the Status of the General Plan
1. Motion Accepting the Annual Progress Report on the Status of the General Plan, in accordance with State law, and Noting and Filing Same
COUNCIL ACTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is presenting an overview of the City’s General Plan Elements and housing production data for the 2024 calendar year. This presentation is part of a submittal requirement of an Annual Progress Report (APR) of the Housing Element to the California Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) (formerly called the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research – OPR) and the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The APR tracks the City’s progress in meeting the community's share of regional housing needs pursuant and provides updates on progress made toward the programs within the certified Housing Element.
Item Type: Report
Approved forApril 1, 2025 calendar
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2 RECOMMENDATION
Accept the presentation of the Annual Progress Report on the Status of the General Plan
ANALYSIS/BACKGROUND
All cities and counties in California are required to prepare a long term comprehensive plan covering a wide range of issues to guide future growth. Known as a General Plan, this comprehensive framework provides important guidance for consistent and coordinated direction over a 20-to-30-year timeframe. A General Plan outlines goals and strategies for physical development of a city and helps to ensure that growth is sustainable, orderly, and aligned with the community’s needs and values. There are eight State-required General Plan topical sections called Elements: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, Safety, and Environmental Justice. Cities may also choose to adopt optional Elements as well, as Glendale has with its additional four Elements: Recreation, Historic Preservation, Air Quality, and Community Facilities.
While most General Plan Elements are not statutorily required to be updated on a specific timeframe, the City of Glendale is currently in the process of amending several of its Elements: Land Use, Mobility, Safety, Open Space and Conservation, and Recreation. As required by State law, the City is also currently preparing a new Element, Environmental Justice, for inclusion in the General Plan.
State planning law (Gov. Code §65400) requires cities and counties to provide an annual progress report (APR) on their General Plan and Housing Element’s performance to City Council, LCI and HCD; Glendale has prepared its APR and this report satisfies that mandate. The APR fulfills the statutory housing element obligations by identifying the City’s progress in addressing its share of regional housing needs and its efforts to decrease governmental constraints to housing development, in line with Gov. Code § 65583. The APR details the City’s status and progress in implementing its Housing Element using forms and definitions provided by HCD. Due to the size and comprehensive detail of the HCD form, it is not attached to this report; however, excepts are provided as Exhibit 1.
This report begins with a background overview of the Housing Element, followed by a summary of the 2024 housing production progress and Housing Element program compliance. The report then concludes with updates on the other General Plan Elements.
GLENDALE HOUSING ELEMENT
Background
The State’s focus on housing dates back to 1969, when the California Legislature enacted the original Housing Element law, elevating housing needs as an issue of statewide concern. Current law requires that all cities and counties in California engage in a comprehensive planning process to identify and address their residential needs by 4 of 22
3 preparing a Housing Element and updating it every eight years. The Housing Element process is intended to focus on identifying land sites for housing and policy actions that would make it easier and less expensive to provide housing affordable to all income levels.
Over the past decade, the State’s regulatory emphasis has shifted from planning for future housing to production of housing. This shift has resulted in numerous housing related bills introduced and enacted, many of which have continued to erode local control over entitlement and approval processes. Additionally, with the adoption of AB 72 in 2017, the State expanded its authority to enforce housing laws and penalize jurisdictions that fail to comply. As a result, HCD is now authorized to revoke a jurisdiction’s Housing Element certification as well as notify the Office of the Attorney General if a city or county is in violation of state housing law.
Compliance with housing law is primarily determined through the data provided on the APR. The APR requires details of every single housing unit approved or entitled by the Planning Division and every residential permit issued and finaled by Building & Safety in each calendar year, along with the actions taken by the City to address all of the Housing Element programs. Doing so, demonstrates how Glendale successfully implements the goals of the Housing Element to maintain compliance. Additionally, several programs, grants and other funding sources are dependent on compliance with APR submission.
Glendale’s 6th Cycle Housing Element was certified by HCD in February 2023 and covers the planning period from 2021 through 2029. Its goals focus on:
•Allowing for a wide range of housing types to meet the needs of current and future residents
•Maintaining the City’s existing neighborhoods
•Increasing opportunities for affordable and special needs housing •Addressing groups with special needs
•Ensuring equal housing opportunities for all persons
•Promoting livable and sustainable housing options
The City’s Housing Element is available online: https://www.glendaleplan.com/housing- element and also https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/community- development/planning/city-wide-plans/housing-element.
Regional Housing Needs Assessment
Housing Element law requires that local governments provide an adequate plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the community.
Projected housing need is determined through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation, a state-mandated process which determines the amount of future housing growth each city and county must plan for across all income categories (i.e., Extremely/Very Low, Low, Moderate, and Above Moderate). The RHNA allocation is updated every eight years and disseminated to local jurisdictions before each housing element cycle.
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4 It is important to note that Housing Element law does not require that a city construct its full RHNA allocation, however, a city must demonstrate that it has the development capacity and regulatory environment that would allow housing opportunities at all income levels. This development capacity is demonstrated through a “sites inventory”, which lists specific parcels within the City that meet certain parameters (i.e., size, location, zone designation, etc.) that make them suitable for housing development.
Since the City itself does not construct housing and is primarily dependent upon the private sector to introduce new affordable units into its housing stock, Glendale is responsible for adopting land-use plans and implementing regulations that do not unduly constrain the private sector from constructing housing. A “housing plan” is provided within the Housing Element that outlines the goals, policies, and programs the City will continue or undertake to address housing constraints and ensure that land use policies allow for a variety of residential densities.
All cities and counties within California faced much larger RHNA allocations in the current cycle as the State attempts to address a housing shortage. Additionally, larger RHNA allocations within the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region were allotted to jurisdictions in closer proximity to jobs than those cities further from employment centers. As a result, the City of Glendale received an allocation of 13,425 units across all income levels for the 2021-2029 RHNA period. After receiving credit for constructed units, conversion of market-rate units to deed-restricted moderate- income units, and approved but not yet constructed units, the City’s remaining RHNA was 12,053 units, consisting of 3,244 extremely/very low-income, 1,834 low-income, 2,249 moderate income, and 4,726 above moderate-income units (See Section 5.
Resources, starting on page 109 of the Certified Housing Element Background Report).
Note: The total RHNA allocation is shown.
Housing Element law also requires an additional analysis that estimates the number of units likely to be constructed, rehabilitated, or conserved/preserved by income level during the planning period. These “quantified objectives,” are based on past performance and funding availability, construction trends, land availability, and future 6 of 22
5 Housing Element programs to be implemented within the planning period. Given the significantly larger 6th Cycle RHNA allocation, historic development patterns, and budgetary constraints, Glendale’s quantified objectives for new housing construction are lower than the total RHNA allocation. The table below outlines the City’s quantified objectives, demonstrating that 5,510 new units could realistically be developed during the 2021 - 2029 planning period, as identified in the Certified Housing Element (page 78).
Annual Progress Report – Housing Production
Progress made toward the RHNA is reported each year on the APR based on the number of building permits issued, and not projects approved or entitled by Planning, or certificates of occupancy issued/permits finaled, though such information is required in the APR as well. The City of Glendale continues to approve, permit, and construct a variety of housing types throughout the City, including single-family homes, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), and multi-family housing. In 2024, 305 units were issued building permits, including 66 senior, low-income units, which are being reported and credited toward the RHNA. See table on next page (excerpt from 2024 APR). 7 of 22
6 Building Permits Issued by Affordability Summary
Income Level Current Year
Deed Restricted 38Very Low Non-Deed Restricted 0
Deed Restricted 29Low Non-Deed Restricted 0
Deed Restricted 0Moderate Non-Deed Restricted 0
Above Moderate 238
Total Units 305
Note: Units serving extremely low-income households are included in the very low-income permitted units totals
As has been the trend over the past several years, ADUs continue to be a popular housing type. The Housing Element includes a goal to permit 159 ADUs each year, however, Glendale has significantly exceeded this estimate each year; in 2024, 229 building permits were issued for ADUs, 263 ADU permits were issued in 2023, and 261 ADU permits were issued in 2022. A total of 251 ADU building permits were completed (finaled with Certificates of Occupancy) in 2024. The APR table below highlights the 2024 ADU production, as well as the other housing types.
Units by Structure Type Entitled Permitted Completed
Single-family Attached 0 0 0
Single-family Detached 28 7 12
2 to 4 units per structure 9 2 3
5+ units per structure 178 67 214
Accessory Dwelling Unit 213 229 251
Mobile/Manufactured Home 0 0 0
Total 428 305 480
As of the 2024 APR, a total of 1,930 units have been permitted during the 6th Cycle.
Exhibit 1 includes Table B – Regional Housing Needs Allocation Progress - Based on Permitted Units Issued by Affordability, which shows the progress the City of Glendale has made toward its RHNA goal.
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7 Ongoing development in Glendale shows promising progress, though it is unlikely that the full RHNA allocation of 13,425 new units will be completed in the 6th Cycle.
However, there is a strong potential for reaching the quantified objective of 5,510 new units by 2029, especially with several large projects in the pipeline, which include approximately 1,600 proposed units, more than 200 of which will be affordable.
As noted above in the RHNA section, the City is dependent upon private developers to produce most of the housing within Glendale. Several factors affect whether developers undertake a housing project, many of which are not under the control of City staff and decision-making bodies, such as the land cost, construction materials prices, and other macro-economic conditions that are especially challenging for local jurisdictions to address. Since the beginning of the 6th Cycle in 2021, economic conditions have not been favorable for housing construction. Post-COVID inflation has increased the price of construction materials, and ongoing uncertainty, such as tariffs on imported goods and fears of a recession, may further hinder progress. Therefore, by implementing the Housing Element programs to reduce barriers to construction, the City can best encourage development interest and continue making progress toward meeting the RHNA goals.
Annual Progress Report – Housing Programs - Compliance
In addition to tracking the number of housing units produced at each income level, the APR requires updates regarding each of the Housing Element programs. The City continues to implement programs that are geared toward reducing regulatory barriers in the production of housing, preserving existing affordable units, and ensuring that adequate housing sites remain to accommodate affordable units for development. The Glendale Housing Element contains 34 programs addressed by nine strategies:
1. Provision of Adequate Sites (consisting of eight programs)
2. Preservation and Enhancement of Existing Housing Stock (consisting of five programs)
3. Production of Affordable Housing (consisting of five programs)
4. Rental Assistance (consisting of one program)
5. Increased Homeownership (consisting of two programs)
6. Housing Services (consisting of three programs)
7. Fair Housing (consisting of three programs)
8. Sustainability (consisting of four programs)
9. Removal of Constraints (consisting of three detailed programs) Notable actions taken in 2024 include: updates to the Glendale Municipal Code (GMC) to simplify and streamline design review (Program 9B) and to ensure the ADU ordinance remains in compliance with evolving State law, as well as initial surveying of ADU property owners to monitor affordability levels (Program 1F and 1H); detailed monitoring of the opportunity sites inventory list (Program 1A); and ongoing efforts to improve the quality of existing housing and conserve existing affordable units (Program 2C and 2E).
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8 The Glendale Housing Authority also continued to provide direct financial assistance to non-profit developers to increase the supply of affordable housing (Program 3B).
Several affordable housing projects were advanced with support from the Housing Authority in 2024. This includes the Citrus Crossing development, a 127-unit affordable housing project at 900 East Broadway, which received a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy and is fully leased as of the first quarter of 2025, as well as continued construction on the 40-unit Harrow Village adaptive reuse senior affordable housing project at 920 East Broadway and the 340-unit family and senior affordable housing project at 515 Pioneer Drive. Additionally, the 67-unit senior affordable housing project at 426 Piedmont Avenue and 507 Naranja Drive was issued building permits.
In addition to the above accomplishments, the City and Housing Authority continue to provide important housing programs and services to the community year-over-year.
This includes the Rental Rights Program (Program 2E), which provides stability and mitigates the impact of tenant displacement; the Section 8 program (Program 4A), which issues Housing Choice, Mainstream, Fair Share, and Emergency Housing Vouchers and has earned the Housing Authority the distinction of being designated as a High Performing Agency by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Elderly Nutrition Program (Program 6A), which served an average of 5,219 meals per month in 2024; and an array of services for individuals experiencing homelessness (Program 6B), including emergency shelters, homeless prevention programs, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and Home Again L.A.
This year, 2025, represents the middle year of the 6th Housing Element Cycle, and is, therefore, a critical year in continuing progress toward the RHNA and other Housing Element programs. In 2025, City staff anticipates bringing the Safety, Land Use, Mobility, and Environmental Justice Elements for City Council adoption (Programs 1A and 9C, updates of which are discussed in greater detail below), amendments to the GMC and Objective Design Standards in multi-family and commercial zones for multi- family residential and residential mixed-use development projects (Programs 3E and 9B), recommendations to update the City’s Density Bonus ordinance to comply with recent changes in legislation (Program 3A), and issuance of certificates of occupancy and completing the full leasing of the Harrower Village project (Program 3B).
GENERAL PLAN ELEMENT UPDATES
As noted above, the City is in the process of updated several General Plan Elements.
The table on the next page lists each of the Elements, the most recent comprehensive update, and the current status.
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9 General Plan
Element
Last
Comprehensive
Update
Status
Housing* 2021 Certified; must be updated every eight years; 7th Cycle starts in 2029.
Land Use* 1986 Comprehensive Update - in process.
Circulation/Mobility* 1998 Comprehensive Update - in process.
Environmental
Justice*
New New Element - in process.
Safety* 2003; 2025** Required amendments to be adopted by Council April 1, 2025
Open Space* &
Conservation*
1993 Comprehensive Update - to begin summer
2025.
Recreation 1996 Comprehensive Update - to begin summer
2025.
Noise* 2007 No updates currently planned; to be amended as needed.
Historic Preservation 1996 Outdated. Amendments or deletion to be considered.
Community Facilities 1975 Outdated. Amendments or deletion to be considered.
Air Quality 1994 Outdated. To be considered for deletion. *General Plan Element required by the State.
LAND USE ELEMENT
The Land Use Element consists of two primary components of equal importance: 1) the land use map, which establishes the land use patterns in the City and identifies areas appropriate for residential, commercial, industrial, and open space uses on a parcel-by- parcel basis; and 2) the land use plan, which provides policy direction regarding the City’s long-term physical growth and development. It is essential that that the Land Use Element seamlessly coordinate with all other General Plan Elements so that current and future land use requirements, infrastructure costs, economic feasibility, and environmental impacts can be planned for and addressed.
A comprehensive update is currently underway for the first time since 1986, though it has been periodically amended since then. The updated Land Use Element will include policy guidance, definitions of land use designations, the Land Use Map, and buildout projections to promote thoughtful, equitable, and accessible distribution of land uses throughout the City. The City Council received progress updates and gave staff additional direction on the Land Use Element update twice last year: on January 30, 2024 and on July 30, 2024. Based on Council’s feedback, the Element is being drafted to include the topic areas of land use mix, directed growth, compatible development, 11 of 22
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urban design, economic development, and infrastructure planning. Each of these topics includes goals, policies, and implementation actions that will ensure Glendale remains in compliance with State Land Use Element law and responds to the City’s changing needs.
The City’s consultant, De Novo Planning Group, is actively working with City staff to update the Land Use Element in conjunction with the Mobility Element update and the new Environmental Justice Element. All three of these General Plan Elements are being evaluated under the same Environmental Impact Report (EIR). In preparation of the EIR, the City held a scoping meeting on December 9, 2024 to solicit comments and suggestions regarding the scope and content of the EIR. Background studies are being prepared for the EIR and once the drafts of the elements are complete, technical analyses will begin as well. Public review drafts of each Element and the EIR will be made available later this year for public comment and the consultant and City staff will conduct a robust public outreach campaign.
CIRCULATION/MOBILITY ELEMENT
In an effort to help cities plan for efficient transportation networks that improve accessibility, safety and sustainability for all modes of travel, State law requires that the Circulation/Mobility Element address the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, military airports and ports, and other public utilities and facilities. The Element provides the framework for decisions concerning the City’s multimodal transportation system, which includes roadway, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and rail modes of travel. This Element also provides for coordination with Los Angeles Metro, which serves as the coordinating agency for transportation funding in Los Angeles County. Glendale’s Circulation Element was last comprehensively updated in 1998, and since that time the City has continued to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and multimodal mobility.
The Circulation Element is being comprehensively updated and renamed as the Mobility Element to better reflect its content scope. It will provide a citywide framework that supports the mobility needs of all users and abilities, and will include goals, policies, and implementation actions in the following key topic areas: complete streets, walking and bicycling, public transit, ridesharing and carpooling, local and regional traffic demand, environmental health and air quality, parking, and goods movement. Such policies will be informed by the City’s new traffic model currently underway. City Council received a progress update and gave staff additional direction on the Mobility Element update on July 30, 2024. As noted earlier, the draft Mobility Element is being prepared in conjunction with the draft Land Use Element, and both will be part of a comprehensive public outreach campaign later this year.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
The State now requires that cities with disadvantaged communities incorporate environmental justice into their general plans when two or more elements are being updated, as is the case for Glendale. A disadvantaged community (or environmental justice community) is a neighborhood that is unfairly affected by pollution and other 12 of 22
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dangers, which can cause health problems, exposure to harmful substances, or damage to the environment. City staff is working with De Novo to prepare Glendale’s first Environmental Justice Element, which will reflect the City’s efforts to promote equal access to resources and to create a healthy and safe community for all to enjoy. This includes improving air and water quality, creating access to safe and clean parks, and ensuring that healthy food options are available throughout the City.
Another important aspect of environmental justice is the ability of residents to have meaningful participation in the decision-making process. As such, a robust, multilingual outreach effort has been undertaken to solicit feedback from the Glendale community to understand what environmental justice topics are important to residents. This includes a survey, which was disseminated online and in hard copy formats, pop-up booths hosted by City staff at Fire Service Day, Cruise Night, National Night Out, and the Fall Festival, a project website, GlendalePlan.com with educational information and project timelines, email and social media announcements, and a direct mailer sent to over 40,000 Glendale households in English, Armenian, Spanish, Korean, and Tagalog.
Though Glendale is now required to specifically address environmental justice in the General Plan, the City has always been committed to creating a safe, clean, and healthy environment for all residents. As such, the City is evaluating its current policies and creating new ones to ensure that goals related to minimizing pollution, ensuring safe and sanitary housing, and providing access to public facilities are effective. The Environmental Justice Element will include goals that address pollution exposure and air quality, public facilities, healthy food access, safe and sanitary homes, physical activity, unique health risks, civic engagement, and public improvements and programs.
The City Council received a progress update on the Environmental Justice Element on July 30, 2024, and the draft element is being finalized for public distribution and comment, along with the Land Use Element and Mobility Element.
SAFETY ELEMENT
The Safety Element is a state-mandated General Plan element that must identify potential natural and human-created hazards and establish a framework that anticipates these hazards and prepares the community to minimize exposure to these risks.
Originally adopted in 1976 and comprehensively amended in 2003, the current Safety Element includes goals and policies related to the following topics: seismic and geologic hazards, flooding hazards, fire hazards, hazardous materials, terrorism, civil disobedience and crime, dangerous animals and plants, and disaster preparedness, recovery and emergency response.
In compliance with recent State legislation, the City is revising its 2003 Safety Element to include updated information on natural hazards such as wildfires and floods, as well as evacuation and emergency preparedness and response. Recent State Law also requires the Safety Element to identify how these and other hazards in Glendale are exacerbated by climate change, and what populations, locations, and community features (natural assets and built infrastructure) are particularly vulnerable to climate hazards and changing climate conditions. Staff and the City’s consultants have updated 13 of 22
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the 2003 Safety Element to meet these new State mandates, and the 2025 Safety Element Update is being presented to City Council on April 1st for consideration and adoption.
OPEN SPACE AND CONSERVATION ELEMENT
State law requires that the Open Space Element contain detailed information about a jurisdiction’s natural resources, managed production of such resources, outdoor recreation, public health and safety, military support, and tribal resources. The Conservation Element is required to address conservation of environmental and agricultural resources, as well as development and utilization of natural resources including water and its hydraulic forces, forests, soils, rivers, harbors, fisheries, wildlife, and minerals. Because the two topics are so closely related, Glendale has combined them into one chapter in the General Plan – the Open Space and Conservation Element.
Glendale's first Open Space, Conservation and Recreation Element was adopted in 1972. In 1993, the City updated the Open Space and Conservation Element and adopted a separate Recreation Element in 1996. The Open Space and Conservation Element was again comprehensively updated in 2006 and since then has guided the City in the preservation and acquisition of more than 5,000 acres of open space.
In 2024, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued for a comprehensive update to the Open Space and Conservation Element, as well as the Recreation Element. The update will include an Open Space and Conservation Assessment, which will survey vegetation and wildlife, target assessments for restoration opportunities, identify opportunities for climate-smart management strategies, identify trail and wildlife corridor opportunities, and identify local and regional conservation partners.
The Open Space and Conservation Element will be updated in conjunction with the Recreation Element, but they will have distinct scopes of work and will be adopted as separate Elements. The Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation (OSCR) project is anticipated to take approximately two years to complete. A consultant will be selected in Spring 2025 and the updated elements are anticipated to be adopted in 2027.
RECREATION ELEMENT
The Recreation Element will be comprehensively updated in conjunction with the Open Space and Conservation Element. The Recreation Element addresses planning for parks, recreational land, and associated improvements. It provides a broad overview of existing conditions, community needs, issues and opportunities and suggests a comprehensive approach for the development and management of public recreational resources. The Element was last comprehensively updated in 1996 when it was published separately from the Open Space and Conservation Element for the first time.
The Recreation Element was also amended in conjunction with the adoption of the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) in 2006.
The updated Recreation Element will include a Parks Needs Assessment and Park 14 of 22
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Inventory, which will evaluate the current conditions of all parks and recreation facilities, analyze opportunities to upgrade local recreation facilities, examine ADA accessibility of parks and playgrounds, and inventory the City’s trees and public and private memorials.
It will also include recommendations to expand and acquire existing and new parkland and to improve recreation services.
NOISE ELEMENT
The Noise Element is one of the eight required elements of general plans in California.
Its purpose is to ensure that a jurisdiction limits the community’s exposure to excessive noise levels in sensitive areas and during certain times of day. This includes evaluating the impacts of traffic on freeways, highways and city streets, rail operations, airport facilities and functions, industrial plants, and other local sources of noise. The Noise Element also includes mitigation measures to address any identified or anticipated noise issues and is coordinated with the Land Use Element to ensure that residential neighborhoods and other sensitive areas have limited exposure to noise.
Last comprehensively updated in 2007, the Glendale Noise Element identifies and analyzes projected noise conditions in the community and includes measures to abate or mitigate potential noise levels. It is administered through Title 8 of the GMC and is used in environmental evaluations under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). No updates are currently planned in the near future, though the Noise Element may need to be updated if future Municipal Code amendments related to ambient noise levels in the DSP are adopted.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT
A Historic Preservation Element is not one of the required general plan elements in California. However, it is often included in communities that value protection of historic structures and sites. Historic preservation is used to maintain community character, provide economic benefits to the community and individual property owners, preserve cultural heritage, enhance aesthetic appeal, and promote sustainability through adaptive reuse.
Amongst one of the first cities in California to include it as an Element in the General Plan in 1977, Glendale’s Historic Preservation Element was last comprehensively updated in 1997. It is used to identify important community resources and establish processes to identify and designate historic properties in the City. No updates are planned in the near future. However, an update of this Element should be considered after the upcoming citywide historic survey has been completed.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT
The Community Facilities Element was adopted in 1975 and contains information on educational facilities, libraries, parks, recreational facilities, post offices, government facilities, health care facilities, cemeteries, religious facilities, transportation facilities, utilities, and vacant land. It is not one of the required elements and has not been updated in 50 years. Due to significant changes throughout the City during that time, the Glendale Community Facilities Element has limited application today. Additionally, the 15 of 22
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Element has become somewhat redundant as the information contained in the Community Facilities Element can now be accessed in multiple ways, such as in other Elements of the General Plan, Specific Plans, Community Plans, through nonprofit organizations, and on websites and social media channels. As such, the Community Facilities Element may eventually be retired out of the Glendale General Plan; a formal amendment process would be required to delete this Element.
AIR QUALITY ELEMENT
Prepared in 1994, the Air Quality Element was created to recognize and consider the relationship between land use and air quality in Glendale’s planning efforts, to identify ways in which Glendale can reduce its emissions of air pollutants through various policies and programs, and to comply with the region’s Air Quality Management Plan. It is not a required Element of the General Plan and is out of date with more recent State legislation, particularly those related to Greenhouse Gas emission reduction requirements. Additionally, other guiding documents, such the Glendale Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) will largely address the topics covered in the Air Quality Element. Like the Community Facilities Element, the Air Quality Element is currently of limited function and may eventually be retired from the Glendale General Plan.
NEXT STEPS
This report provides the annual update on the Housing Element and a status report on the Glendale General Plan, including ongoing and potential future updates to each General Plan element. Next steps specific to each element have been included in the corresponding summary sections. Staff is recommending that the City Council receive and file the report.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Outreach for each General Plan Element is being conducted concurrent with each project. This report serves as an opportunity to provide the community additional information on the status of the Housing Element implementation and the General Plan overall.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the acceptance of the annual report. Funds have been allocated for all General Plan Elements that are in the process of being comprehensively updated.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
No environmental review is required in conjunction with the annual report.
Environmental review in compliance with State and Local CEQA Guidelines will be conducted as part of the pending General Plan Element Updates.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements. 16 of 22
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ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert, AICP, Director of Community Development Prepared by:
Teresa Santilena, AICP, Principal Planner, Long Range Planning Vilia Zemaitaitis, AICP, Deputy Director of Community Development, Long Range Planning
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
1. 2024 Annual Progress Report Excerpts
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M O T I O N
Moved by Council Member , seconded by Council Member __________, that following a presentation to the City Council by the Director of Community Development regarding the annual progress report on the General Plan, and following review of the April 1, 2025 staff report from the Director of Community Development regarding Annual Report on the Status of the General Plan (“Report”), the City Council hereby accepts the presentation and Report and notes and files same.
Vote as follows:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
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SUMMARY OF 2024 APR
Jurisdiction Glendale
Reporting Year 2024 (Jan. 1 - Dec. 31)
Housing Element Planning Period 6th Cycle 10/15/2021 - 10/15/2029 Building Permits Issued by Affordability Summary
Income Level Current
Year
Very Low
Deed
Restricted
38 Non-Deed
Restricted
0 Low
Deed
Restricted
29 Non-Deed
Restricted
0 Moderate
Deed
Restricted
0 Non-Deed
Restricted
0 Above Moderate 238
Total Units 305
Note: Units serving extremely low-income households are included in the very low-income permitted unit totals
Units by Structure Type Entitled Permitted Completed
Single-family Attached 0 0 0
Single-family Detached 28 7 12
2 to 4 units per structure 9 2 3
5+ units per structure 178 67 214
Accessory Dwelling Unit 213 229 251
Mobile/Manufactured Home 0 0 0
Total 428 305 480
Infill Housing Developments and Infill Units Permitted # of Projects Units Indicated as Infill 239 305
Not Indicated as Infill 0 0
Exhibit 1
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SUMMARY OF 2024 APR
Housing Applications Summary
Total Housing Applications Submitted: 243
Number of Proposed Units in All Applications Received: 420 Total Housing Units Approved: 419
Total Housing Units Disapproved: 0
Use of SB 423 Streamlining Provisions - Applications
Number of SB 423 Streamlining Applications 0
Number of SB 423 Streamlining Applications Approved 0
Units Constructed - SB 423 Streamlining Permits
Income Rental Ownership Total
Very Low 0 0 0
Low 0 0 0
Moderate 0 0 0
Above Moderate 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0
Streamlining Provisions Used - Permitted Units # of Projects Units SB 9 (2021) - Duplex in SF Zone 0 0
SB 9 (2021) - Residential Lot Split 0 0
AB 2011 (2022) 0 0
SB 6 (2022) 0 0
SB 423 (2023) 0 0
Ministerial and Discretionary Applications
# of
Applications Units
Ministerial 214 215
Discretionary 29 205
Density Bonus Applications and Units Permitted
Number of Applications Submitted Requesting a Density Bonus 6 Number of Units in Applications Submitted Requesting a Density Bonus 178 Number of Projects Permitted with a Density Bonus 1
Number of Units in Projects Permitted with a Density Bonus 67 20 of 22
SUMMARY OF 2024 APR
Housing Element Programs
Implemented and Sites Rezoned Count
Programs Implemented 34
Sites Rezoned to Accommodate the RHNA 0
Completed Entitlement Issued by Affordability Summary
Income Level Current Year
Very Low Deed Restricted 54
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Low Deed Restricted 29
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Moderate Deed Restricted 0
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Above Moderate 345
Total Units 428
Building Permits Issued by Affordability Summary
Income Level Current Year
Very Low Deed Restricted 38
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Low Deed Restricted 29
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Moderate Deed Restricted 0
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Above Moderate 238
Total Units 305
Certificate of Occupancy Issued by Affordability Summary Income Level Current Year
Very Low Deed Restricted 30
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Low Deed Restricted 105
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Moderate Deed Restricted 0
Non-Deed Restricted 0
Above Moderate 345
Total Units 480
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SUMMARY OF 2024 APR
Ta
ble B
Regional Housing Needs Allocation Progress
Permitted Units Issued by Affordability
Income Level
RHNA
Allocation
by Income
Level
Projection
Period
6/30/2021
to
10/14/2021
2021 2022 2023 2024
Total Units
to Date
(all years)
Total
Remaining
RHNA by
Income Level
Very Low
Deed
Restricted
3,439
- 2 203 -
38 243 3,196
Non-Deed
Restricted - - - -
-
Low
Deed
Restricted
2,163
- - 312 -
29 341 1,822
Non-Deed
Restricted - - - -
-
Moderate
Deed
Restricted
2,249
- - - -
- - 2,249
Non-Deed
Restricted - - - -
-
Above
Moderate 5,574 98 83 648 279 238 1,346 4,228
Total RHNA 13,425
Total Units 98 85 1,163 279 305 1,930 11,496
Progress toward extremely low-income housing need, as determined pursuant to Government Code 65583(a)(1).
Extremely
low-
Income
Need
2021 2022 2023 2024
Total
Un
its to
Date
Total Units
Remaining
Extremely Low-
Income Units* 1,720 - 55 - 21 76 1,664
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