City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: September 18, 2023
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Community Development Department Activity Report
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
On Wednesday, September 13, Community Development staff joined the Building Business Back program of the Monterey County Business Council. The meeting was titled Business Builders and invited business owners and operators from King City, Greenfield, Soledad and the City of Gonzales to meet for a lunchtime bilingual presentation of resources and business training available to our local businesses.
On Thursday, September 14, the Community Development Director met with Angel Johnstone to further discuss opportunities and constraints of the City becoming a non-entitlement City, potentially allowing the City greater freedom of access to federal grant monies and programs, as the City once had under previous administrations. It is staff’s intent to gather and leverage as many tools as possible, so that we may better assist business and property owners.
Gloria Road Cooler Project. On Monday September 25, 2023, LAFCo will consider approval to formally extend the City of Gonzales city limits around the Gloria Road Cooler Project, a 45-acre project area within our Sphere of Influence along the southeast flank of Gloria Road. Upon expected approval, the matter will then be sent to the California Board of Equalization to formally acknowledge the annexation. The City will continue to meet with the applicant to further condition compliance activities and site development conditions. Staff will commission new maps to be drawn for the City representing the new territory added.
Legacy Signs is now considering a small lease of City-owned property on the west side of Hwy 101, approaching the Constellation facility. Staff is providing guidance on how Legacy can approach the City Council again to address the Council’s initial concerns described in late 2022. Should the Council’s concerns be allayed, Legacy will likely proceed with a proposal to change text within the City’s sign code AGENDA
ITEM
7 to allows such a sign and will propose a small lease area and access agreement with the City. Such processes and review will require a CEQA determination, Planning Commission review and City Council action on the changes to the sign code Ordinance and accepting a lease agreement.
HOUSING
Housing Element. Present activities in September include gathering and identifying “opportunity sites” within the City’s existing land areas. It is imperative that the city find the capacity in our existing incorporated areas to provide a substantial number of new housing opportunities to meet our state and regional obligations under RHNA. The City cannot rely solely on the specific plan incorporation efforts.
After identifying opportunity sites within the existing City, the City will need to develop targeted strategies and programs aimed at serving the greatest need among the greatest number of citizens and to do this through furthering the most inclusive and affirmative processes possible. A program to substantially up-zone the existing City’s residential and core commercial areas is expected to arise from the Housing Element update.
Housing Element and a significant AMBAG Grant. Under separate cover in this agenda is a resolution to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AMBAG to receive a $128,750 grant to assist the City with implementation of its Housing Element (once completed). Staff anticipated going out to bid for professional assistance and CEQA work on a substantial upzone for the City’s residential and core commercial areas. Such zoning would re-define our existing residential zoning regulations to include, single family residences, single room occupancies (SROs), boarding houses, group homes, duplexes, triplexes, multiplexes, apartments, smaller ownership condo-type units among other housing conventions and have a base density allowance of 20-26 units per acre.
ADUs. Staff will soon present four plan types in four plan sets that may be purchased over the counter at City Hall. Plans will be offered for a low administrative fee, but applicants should save money significantly by not having to hire an architect and/or civil engineer. Rolling out such a program also involves updating and activating the City’s website, bilingual handout materials and instructions and having determined the appropriate fees for cost recovery.
Vista Lucia. In addition to an intense focus on the financing of public facilities and infrastructure, detailed work is progressing on the CEQA environmental review and the various components and deal points of the draft Development Agreement. Prior to submission to LAFCo, the EIR will need to be completed, and the project and its many components brought to the Planning Commission for recommendation and to City Council for action in December 2023.
The D’Arrigo Property. City staff is actively trying to draw developer attention and interest to this property and has facilitated contacts and conversations. We continue to work closely with the D’Arrigo management leaders and speak regularly about potential opportunities.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
Emphasizing greater attention to life, health and safety issues in the community, the City Manager, Community Development Director and City Building Official, along with other staff are taking a more aggressive approach to non-permitted structures and unsafe living situations. The City continues to meet with property owners, inspect potential violations and start documentation to progress to remedies. RVs on public streets connected to private utilities are still problematic.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From August 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023, the City issued 13 permits from the Building Division for demolition, reroofing, electrical for solar system, fire sprinklers, and an ADU. The estimated valuation of all improvements was $198,792.00.
CALBO Training Institute's Fall 2023 Education Week The California Building Officials (CALBO) Training Institute (CTI) hosted its annual Education Week for the Fall of 2023. Building staff had the opportunity to attend this significant training along with other Building Staff/Officials from various Cities in California. The event was a great opportunity to enhance staff’s knowledge and skills in the field.
Education Week was held in Burlingame from August 28 to August 31, 2023. Notably, all courses featured in this training were updated to reflect the latest updates in the 2022 Building Codes, ensuring that attendees received the most current information. These courses covered a wide range of subjects, including technical code understanding, significant changes, and topical code-related elements.
City Staff attended the following courses:
• Permit Technician Career Advancement: The Core Essentials • Permit Technician Career Advancement: How to Properly Screen Plans for Successful Permit Services
• Code Enforcement Building Blocks for California Building Departments • Means of Egress in the 2022 California Building Code
This diverse array of courses provided staff with comprehensive educational experience, and knowledge about the various facets of building regulations and code enforcement.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In collaboration with Tri-Cities Disposal &Recycling Service, Inc., the City of Gonzales will be hosting a two-day garage sale/yard sale citywide on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15.
Mailers will be going out with Tri-Cities and the city is also initiating an online registry for citizens with the simplicity of a QR code.
Staff will translate entries to a graphic map that will be posted online nearer to the event so that bargain hunters can map out their strategy.
Items that do not sell can be considered for the following weekend’s event October 21, 2023 for the Reuse, Recycle & Cleanup Day Event at Fairview Middle School.