City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: May 15, 2023
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Trevin W. Barber, City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Department Activity Report
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
For the period April 17, 2023, to May 5, 2023, the main activities of the Planning Division have been to shepherd the Rianda Family Cooler Project through to the decision-making bodies of the City of Gonzales. On April 24, 2023, the Planning Commission considered 5 resolutions recommending that the City Council approve the project for eventual incorporation into the City limits of Gonzales. The City Council will consider the project and the Planning Commission’s recommendations, this evening May 15, 2023.
Staff has stayed engaged with Legacy Signs who wishes to construct two freeway-oriented electronic reader billboards and has shared what development application review materials, supplemental information items, and development review fees would be necessary to move forward. Presently it appears that zoning text changes will be necessary, a use permit application, environmental review document, development review fees deposited, and eventually a lease agreement with the City for the use of City lands and operations of the sign, including public service announcements.
HOUSING ELEMENT
Also, considerable effort has been building the foundation, momentum, staff, and consultant resources to kick off and get underway with the City’s obligation to update the General Plan Housing Element for the state mandated 6th Cycle running 2023-2031. The Planning Commission is conducting a public workshop Monday, May 8, 2023. Staff has also begun to increase efforts into the community and has begun by updating the City’s website on the Community Development Department pages and including a link to a Housing needs survey in both English and Spanish.
AGENDA
ITEM
8 HOUSING
DR. Horton continues in their due diligence and exploration of the development of the 138-acre D’Arrigo property. The City Ad Hoc committee met on Tuesday, May 1, 2023, to discuss the composition and deal points of a potential Development Agreement and customary Reimbursement Agreement to pay for City development review efforts directly attributable to the developer’s proposal.
Staff continues moving forward with the Vista Lucia Specific Plan Proposal and is accelerating our focus on finalizing the Specific Plan text itself, negotiating the Development Agreement and moving a draft Environmental Impact Report to the public review stages as soon as possible. Slama Consulting is providing very instrumental and professional assistance with these efforts.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
City staff is presently evaluating and will be interviewing three companies to refresh the City’s contract for Building Department Services, which includes Code Enforcement. Perennial issues such as excessive RV parking in neighborhoods and vehicles parked in residential front yards will be material discussion points in the coming interviews as the City looks to be more successful in enforcing the City’s parking regulations. Cost recovery, in line with permit revenue, is also very important here.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From April 1, 2023, through April 30, 2023 (reporting 31 days), the City issued 7 permits from the Building Division for reroofing, electrical for a new sign and a residential addition.
BUSINESS LICENSES
Two new business licenses have also been submitted. One for new medical services by Luz Pacheco Garcia at 132 Alta Street called Ocean Breeze Multispecialty Clinic, and the second business is a new retail offering for children’s and adult clothing, shoes, and home accessories called KIDS R at 30 Fourth Street Unit B. (Former location of Salad Bowl Boxing)
Staff understands that Salad Bowl Boxing intends to stay in business yet is looking to relocate to a new location in the City.