City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: November 21, 2022
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, Interim City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Activity Report
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From October 1, through October 31, 2022, (reporting 31 days) the city issued 13 permits from the Building Division for an ADU, reroofing, electrical associated with solar roof projects, fire sprinklers, and a new sign permit for Alta Market (reported previously). The estimated valuation of all improvements was $247,983.50.
BUSINESS LICENSES
The City presently has issued licenses for 253 business conducting business activities in the City of Gonzales. These licenses represent our long standing agricultural businesses, downtown business, commercial district businesses, home occupation businesses, as well as consultants and other contractors who conduct business within the City.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City presently has several active Code Enforcement cases and others calls that we field responses to that do not rise to official “cases.” These cases involve rubbish in yards that need to be removed, vehicles parked on residential lawns, RVs not regularly moved, or RVs being connected to house utilities while in driveways and streets.
1. 324 Tenth Street. Plans have been approved for a reroof and remodel of kitchen and bathroom spaces. It is good to see this property re-invested in.
AGENDA
ITEM
7 POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
Mann Packing has expressed a desire to double the size of their Gonzales facility. Their architect is advancing designs and site plans and on September 28, 2022, staff met face-to-face to discuss the matter.
Pending potential language adjustments in the City’s standard Reimbursement Agreement, Mann Packing may be ready to execute a Reimbursement Agreement soon. Such would allow the City to craft an RFP to begin an environmental review process while the project description gets further refined. Such a project will be dependent on the City’s infrastructure capacity to serve existing and future developments.
Staff has fielded a few calls regarding the HC Highway Commercial property on the corner of Fifth and Fanoe Road. There appears to be an interest to develop a moderate-sized hotel with provisions (potentially half of the units) to allow worker housing during the high activity agricultural seasons. Such a facility could serve tourists and visitors, as well as worker housing.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Helping restart the City of Gonzales Chamber of Commerce. The city is at the table and ready to assist with outreach or other efforts for our local business community.
Potential Freestanding Electronic-Display Freeway-Oriented Billboard. The City Council will be receiving a presentation, 11/21/2022 on the potential opportunity.
HOUSING
Sphere of Influence Area
City staff continues to work with Pembrook Development Group (Vista Lucia Specific Plan: VLSP) and Jackson Family Investments (Puente Del Monte Specific Plan: PDMSP) and the Rianda Family Trust on developments in the City’s Sphere of Influence.
1. Vista Lucia Specific Plan
a. Pembrook recently submitted a Water Supply Assessment (WSA) for City review and comment. Staff will bring a status report to the City Council in December. b. Willdan Financial Study. With the City’s assistance, the City’s consultant will be determining future staffing service needs for Fire, Police, Public Works, Parks, Building and Planning, and Administrative Services needs for the annexation areas and as the City has in-fill. Such study will inform the City’s coming negotiations with the County for revenue neutrality, and assessment districts or other financial structures that may be employed in the areas to be incorporated.
c. The VLSP representatives are still in draft stage for an eventual Development Agreement to be brokered with the City. Such an Agreement needs to be negotiated with City leadership and is inseparable from the Specific Plan Preparation and Environmental Review Documents under preparation.
d. The City’s coming Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance and recently adopted Vehicle Miles Travelled policy will have a bearing on this project.
2. PDMSP. The Rianda Cooler project proposal will reshape the PDMSP once more is known and certain about how the Rianda Cooler moves through city development review and LAFCo processes.
3. Rianda Family Trust (Rianda Cooler). Staff and the consultant are proceeding to move this project forward with work on the CEQA document and an evaluation of adjustments that may be needed in the General Plan to enable such a facility in its proposed location.
Community Development staff has started an initial draft staff report for tracking the project through Planning Commission, City Council and LAFCo.
Housing Within the City
DR. Horton continues in their due diligence and exploration of development of the 138 acre D’Arrigo property.
Housing Element Preparation.
Staff took the initiative to re-cast a second RFP solicitation for a wider exposure to consulting firms who may bid on such a project at a hoped-for lower price. The City received 3 bids and will be presenting a recommendation to the City Council as a separate report Housing Element Funding.
Staff was directed to uncover all potential financial resources at the local, state or federal level. Staff will be presenting a recommendation to the City Council as a separate report, December 5, 2022.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIVITY
At their September 12, 2022, public meeting, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council consider engaging an update to the City’s parking ordinances city-wide.
On October 10, 2022, The Planning Commission conducted a workshop on the practice of abiding be parliamentary procedures / Roberts Rules of Order.
On November 14, 2022, staff presented the Community Development Department Master Task list, to inform the Commission of present activities and duties of the department, projects under review, next steps and items expected to come under the Commission’s review.
OTHER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES
Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance. (A requirement of the 2014 MOA with County) On August 29, 2022, the Gonzales Agricultural Committee met to discuss the City’s previous efforts to craft an Ag Mitigation Program. Staff and the Committee addressed the timing of agricultural mitigation, the ratio of mitigation, and how easements are appraised and secured, and potential exemption to not deter the construction of affordable Housing units. The Agricultural Land Trust has expressed a willingness to work with the City to develop an ordinance that meets the test of environmental law as well as practicality. The Salinas Valley incorporated cities are gathering on November 21, 2022, in Salinas to discuss the County of Monterey’s developing Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance. On topic will be how the County’s developing ordinance may or may not affect previously negotiated MOAs with the respective cities.
Anticipated Ordinances and Policies that are needed and are being worked into the department’s work program:
a. Agricultural Mitigation Ordinance
b. Housing Element Update
c. Safety Element Update
d. Environmental Justice Element (a new state requirement) e. Electric Vehicle Charging Ordinance / Policy
f. Adoption of the new Building Code to take effect January 2023 g. Administrative Citation /Code Enforcement Ordinance strengthening, h. Water Efficiency Landscaping Ordinance (update to the 2015 effort) i. Parking Regulations (potentially, if directed)
j. Sign Ordinance revisions (potentially, if directed)