City of Gonzales
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: November 18, 2024
FROM: Taven Kinison Brown, Community Development Director THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Activity Report
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Freeway Sign. Legacy Sign Company is preparing construction plans for City permits and will soon begin fabrication of the electronic reader board. The sign company is exploring reducing the height of the sign to 45 feet from an approved 59 feet, although revised plans have not been submitted. Staff continues to keep in communication with the sign company to keep the project moving forward.
HOUSING
Vista Lucia Specific Plan. This activity report is being prepared prior to a scheduled Joint Workshop of the Planning Commission and City Council for Tuesday 11/12/2024. Staff continues to meet and confer daily on the Development Agreement (DA). Following the workshop, Public Hearings will be scheduled for the Planning Commission and City Council. Updates have been made to the City’s website and operational links have been provided to the Draft EIR, Draft Specific Plan and Tentative Subdivision Map. https://gonzalesca.gov/node/673
Outreach. The City continues to add names and groups (including realtors, commercial brokers and civic leaders) to the “Interested in Housing” list for our citizens (178 persons as of November 6, 2024).
People on the list have been notified of the coming Vista Lucia Specific Plan PC/CC joint workshop. We will draw from the outreach list once again to invite public participation in the separate Planning Commission and City Council public hearings, and then to the LAFCo public hearing annexation proposal.
AGENDA
ITEM
8 Housing Element. The Office of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is reviewing the City’s second draft of the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Comments will be returned to the City by December 24, 2024.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The City continues to meet with property owners, inspect potential violations and start documentation to progress to remedies. Present cases involve vehicles in yards, a garage that had been converted, tall grasses, garbage and potential fire danger, and unpermitted structures in a rear yard, among others.
BUILDING DIVISION ACTIVITY
From October 1, 2024, to October 31, 2024 (31 reporting days), the City issued 3 permits for electrical work associated with solar installations. The estimated value of all improvements was $33,201.00.
GENERAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY
Potential Mini Storage and Vehicle Storage. The Community Development Department continues to work with an applicant as his proposal takes shape for new commercial / industrial uses on Gonzales River road on the western city edge. The potential here is to provide support for our major agricultural processing giants but will also include mini storage and vehicle storage opportunities for the public.
City’s Business License Ordinances. Economic Development staff is looking into an update to the City’s Business License Ordinances that have not been revisited since 1972 (52 years).
The City continues to recruit for the vacant Development Services Technician & Administrative Analyst position. The position is full-time and has a salary range of $4,044-$5,504 monthly. To apply, please go to https://gonzalesca.gov/services/human-resources/job-opportunities.