Healdsburg City Council
Meeting
September 2, 2025
City Manager’s Report
City Council, September 2, 2025
Public Comment
on Non Agenda
Items
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Comentarios del
público sobre
puntos no
incluidos en la
agenda de la
reunión
3 State Housing Legislation Update
City Council
September 2, 2025
Recommended
Action
5 • Receive, and discuss, presentation from City Staff on recent changes to California housing laws.
Background
• Housing Element adopted on May 1, 2023 and certified by the State on June 29, 2023.
• Policy 1.6: “Evaluate and where appropriate increase minimum housing density requirements for residential and mixed-use Land Use Element Designations and corresponding Zoning Districts.” • Changes in State housing laws over the past few years mandate opportunities for infill development at higher densities and with streamlined approval processes.
• Incorporating these changes into local ordinances along with objective design standards can help ensure that future development continues to reflect community goals.
6 Senate Bill 9
Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act
• Effective January 1, 2022.
• Ministerial Approval: SB 9 mandates that local agencies approve qualifying housing projects ministerially, meaning without discretionary review or public hearings. The City must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days of receiving it.
• Two-Unit Developments: Homeowners can construct up to 2 residential units on a lot currently zoned for single-family residential. • Lot Splits: The law permits the subdivision of an existing single-family residential lot into 2 separate parcels, each of which can host up to 2 units, potentially allowing for 4 units on what was previously one single-family lot.
• Lot Size: Lots must be split roughly in half with the smaller lot at least 40% of the original lot size and each new at least 1,200 sqft in size. • Unit Size: Must allow each primary unit to be at least 800 sqft in size.
There currently is no upper limit on unit size in the legislation. 7 Senate Bill 9
(cont’d)
• Setback Requirements: Maximum four-foot side and rear yard setback for new construction.
• Parking: Cannot require more than 1 automobile parking space per unit or any parking spaces if parcel is located within ½ mile of a major transit stop (e.g. SMART rail station).
• Owner-Occupancy Requirement: For lot splits, the applicant must sign an affidavit stating their intent to occupy one of the housing units as their primary residence for a minimum of 3 years.
• Exemptions and Protections: The law includes safeguards to prevent the displacement of existing tenants and excludes properties in historic districts or properties with environmental constraints such as flood zones, steep hillsides, and very high severity fire zones. • Objective Design Standards: Jurisdictions may develop objective design standards which are clearly defined, measurable criteria used to regulate the physical appearance and layout of buildings to align design with community values.
8 Senate Bill 10
Local Upzoning for Housing
Effective January 1, 2022.
• Streamlined tool for increasing housing capacity near transit and jobs.
• Voluntary but requires that local jurisdictions adopt an ordinance that allows up to 10 units per parcel within eligible areas. • SB 10 allows small lots with limited density to be upzoned without requiring general plan and zoning map amendments.
• Rezoning under SB 10 is not subject to CEQA review.
• Areas eligible under SB 10 include transit-rich areas (within ½ mile of a major transit stop, e.g. SMART).
Ordinances must clearly identify affected parcels.
ADUs and Junior ADUs do not count toward the 10-unit cap. Density cannot be reduced on parcels upzoned under SB 10. SB 10 sunsets on January 1, 2029, unless extended.
9 Senate Bill 684
Starter Home Revitalization Act
• Ministerial Approval: Mandates that local agencies provide ministerial approval for qualifying housing projects. City must approve or deny an SB 684 project within 60 days.
• Eligible Projects: The law applies to developments of 10 or fewer residential units on urban lots under 5 acres zoned for multi-family residential.
• Lot Size: Newly created lots must be no smaller than 600 square feet.
• Subdivision Map Act Amendments: SB 684 amends the Subdivision Map Act to facilitate the subdivision of parcels for small-scale housing projects, allowing for quicker development timelines. • Unit Size: The average total area of floorspace of proposed units may not exceed 1,750 net habitable square feet.
• Density and Development Standards: Mandates that
developments achieve at least the maximum allowable residential density of the parcel and prohibits local agencies from imposing height limits lower than existing zoning allows.
10 Senate Bill 684
(cont’d)
• Side & Rear Setbacks: Required rear and side yard setbacks from the original lot shall equal four feet. No setback between units is required except as provided for in the California Building Code. • Objective Design Standards: Similar to SB 9, jurisdictions may develop objective design standards in order to align project design with community values.
• Tenant Protections: The bill includes safeguards to prevent the displacement of existing tenants by prohibiting the removal of housing that is low-income, rent-controlled, or has been occupied by tenants within the last 7 years.
• Parking: Cannot require more than 1 automobile parking space per unit or any parking spaces if within ½ mile of a major transit stop (e.g.
SMART rail station).
• Environmental Standards: Site cannot be located on prime farmland, wetlands, within a very high fire hazard severity zone, a special flood hazard area, or delineated earthquake fault zone. • ADUs and JADUs: Cities are not required to permit an ADU or JADU on parcels created through SB 684.
11 Senate Bill 1123
Starter Home Revitalization Act (expansion)
• Single-Family Zones: Extends SB 684's streamlined approval process to vacant lots zoned for single-family residential use. • Lot and Parcel Size Regulations: Limits eligible parcels to a maximum of 1.5 acres and requires newly created parcels to be no smaller than 1,200 square feet.
• Ownership Models: Permits alternative homeownership structures, including tenancies in common and community land trusts, to facilitate diverse and affordable housing options.
• ADUs and JADUs: Clarifies and specifies that ADUs and JADUs, if permitted, are not counted toward the 10-unit cap, encouraging additional housing flexibility/intensity.
• Density and Development Standards: Mandates that developments achieve at least 66% of the maximum allowable residential density. • Environmental and Tenant Protections: Maintains exemption from discretionary reviews and CEQA for qualifying projects while upholding protections against the displacement of existing tenants. 12 Growth
Management
Ordinance
SB 9, SB 684, and SB 1123 require ministerial approval of smallscale subdivisions and associated development within 60 days of application provided all statutory requirements are met. Prevents the City from being able to enforce local standards including the GMO permit cap. For example, if the City reached its building permit cap within any given cycle under the GMO and received an application for a project that meets all the requirements of this legislation, denial would likely violate State Law.
Staff recommend including this exemption within the City’s SB 9 and SB 684/1123 ordinances to ensure consistent application of State housing law and the GMO.
Staff seeking input from California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
Assembly Bill 1287
State Density Bonus Law
• Effective January 1, 2024.
• Stackable Density Bonuses: Allows developers to receive an additional density bonus ranging from 20% to 50% on top of the existing maximum of 50% if they provide more affordable units than previously required. By meeting the affordable housing requirements for both the initial maximum density bonus and the additional “stackable” bonus under AB 1287, a project can achieve a total density bonus of 100%.
• Expanded Incentives and Concessions: Increases the number of incentives or concessions available to qualifying projects from 2 to 4. • Clarification of Density Definitions: AB 1287 redefines "maximum allowable residential density" to mean the highest number of units permitted under applicable zoning, specific plans, or general plans. • Applicability to Various Ownership Models: The law applies to both rental and for-sale housing developments, including alternative ownership structures like tenancies in common and community land trusts, broadening the scope of projects that can benefit from the enhanced density bonuses.
Senate Bill 1211
Accessory Dwelling Unit Law
• Effective January 1, 2025
• Expands opportunities for constructing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on properties zoned for multi-family residential. • Prior ADU law allowed for 2 detached ADUs per lot with an existing multifamily dwelling. SB 1211 allows up to 8
detached ADUs, provided the total number doesn’t exceed the number of pre-existing units on the property.
• A vacant parcel may include up to 2 detached ADUs with a proposed multifamily dwelling.
• Prohibits requiring replacement of off-street parking spaces if an uncovered parking space is demolished in conjunction with the construction of, or is converted to, an ADU.
15 Assembly Bill 130
• Enacted as part of the 2024 budget trailer bills and includes, among other things, changes to the California Environmental Quality Act. • Creates a new statutory exemption for infill housing developments up to 20 acres in size if project is:
• Located in incorporated cities or defined urbanized areas. • Previously developed or surrounded by urban uses.
• Consistent with local general plan or zoning (or both). • Meets minimum density: 15/acre in metropolitan areas, 10/acre suburban, 5/acre nonmetro.
• Exclusions include:
• Demolition of historic structures.
• Sensitive lands or hazardous sites.
• Hotels/transient lodging.
• No Land Use Code updates are necessary to implement these changes. Mixed use projects and comprehensive plans (e.g. general plans and specific plans) will still require CEQA review. 16 More to Come?
SB 79 – Transit-Oriented Development
Introduced January 15, 2025, passed the California Senate in June 2025, and is currently moving through the Assembly.
Increase housing densities near high-quality transit stops, support public transit systems, and alleviate housing shortages. Healdsburg SMART station would qualify as a high-quality transit stop.
The legislation provides a tiered approach to development standards around transit.
SMART station would be considered Tier 3 which applies to moderate-frequency commuter rail.
Senate Bill 79
• SB 79 establishes density requirements that increase with proximity to the rail station.
• Within ½ mile of SMART station – 45-foot height limit, 60 units per acre, FAR of 2.0.
• Within ¼ mile of SMART station – 55-foot height limit, 80 units per acre, FAR of 2.5.
• Immediately adjacent to station – 75-foot height limit, 100 units per acre, FAR of 3.5.
• Requires the inclusion of affordable housing of at least 7 percent to 13 percent depending on income level.
• Projects consistent with standards are eligible for streamlined, ministerial approval.
• CEQA exemption for projects that meet specified requirements of SB 79
18 Next Steps
• To effectively implement these changes in State law, Staff is updating the Land Use Code by preparing the following ordinances:
• SB 9 Ordinance
• SB 684 & 1123 Ordinance
• Updated Density Bonus Ordinance
• Updates to ADU Ordinance
• Tentative schedule for adoption of ordinances:
• Planning Commission Workshop September 23rd
• Planning Commission Hearing October 28th
• City Council 1st Reading November 17th
• City Council 2nd Reading December 15th
• Update the City’s website to help the Healdsburg community and development community understand the opportunities presented by these new laws which have the potential to increase the supply of missing-middle housing in Healdsburg.
Recommended
Action
20 • Receive, and discuss, presentation from City Staff on recent changes to California housing laws.
Questions
Public
Comment
Comentarios
del público
Parklet Program
Proposed Revisions
City Council - September 2, 2025
Recommended
Action:
Approve the revised
Parklet Guidelines
Program
History
The City’s Parklet Program originated due to
operational restrictions caused by the Covid-19
pandemic.
June 2020 - City Council approved the
Temporary Outdoor Activities Permit program.
November 2020 – City staff released first
Parklet Design Guidelines and Standards.
January 1, 2023 – start of the Ongoing Parklet
Program
Resolution stated the program would undergo
a review in 2025 for possible modification or
termination as determined by City Council
April 7, 2025 - Council discussion.
Current
Parklets
Number of total parklets 16
Restaurants 6
Bar/Food - 1
Wine - 7
Art/Wine – 1
Retail - 1
Number of parking spaces occupied
40 Current Fees
The parklet permit fee currently consists of two
components:
$2,595.84 annually for staff time. This includes
processing permits, inspections, response to
complaints, enforcement, managing fees,
insurance, and everything else parklet related.
$1.64 per sq ft per month.
Fees are collected every six months to reduce the
financial burden on owners
Usage fees collected $400,935 (total)
Administrative fees collected $127,348 (total)
Adjusted by CPI annually
Proposed
Revision
Deposit
Deposit: A one-time deposit of $2000 is recommended
to address long vacant or abandoned parklets. The
deposit approximates the City’s cost to remove a
parklet if necessary, though staff anticipates it will
primarily serve as an incentive for the owner to act. If the City must remove a parklet or make safety-related
repairs (including drainage and water quality), the
owner will be charged actual costs, with the deposit
applied accordingly.
The unused deposit will be returned to the parklet
owner when the parklet is ultimately removed.
Proposed
Revision
Late Fees and
Encroachment
Permit
Late Payment and Violation Fee: $137.59 will be
charged every additional 30 days the fees are not paid, up to 90 days, at which time the parklet permit will be revoked.
The same for failure to provide proof of required
insurance coverage or other violations of the Parklet
Guidelines.
Encroachment Permit Requirement: To improve
safety and accountability, the revised guidelines
require an encroachment permit for parklet
construction and removal.
Proposed
Revision
Vacant
Parklets
Vacant Parklets and Change in Ownership: To
avoid extended parklet vacancies, the revised
guidelines allow 30 days for a new tenant to
activate an existing parklet. If a new tenant
cannot activate within that timeframe, such as
when tenant improvements or a change in
business use is required, the existing parklet
must be removed and a new permit obtained.
Proposed
Revisions
Allowable
Parklets
Maximum Number of Parklets: The current guidelines allow up to approximately 70 occupied. Staff recommends reducing the maximum to 60.
Businesses With Outdoor Space: The revised guidelines authorize staff to deny new parklet requests from businesses that already have outdoor seating or private space, such as a parking lot, available. Existing parklets under these conditions may continue. Retail Business Parklets: Council discussed whether to allow retail business to be permitted a parklet. No changes are proposed.
Discussion
Items
Sidewalls: No changes are proposed regarding the requirements to maintain visibility into parklets..
Activation: Similar to the sidewalls, the existing guideline language is considered adequate, but enforcement is extremely difficult.
Aesthetics: Design review through the Planning Commission is not feasible because parklets are in the public right-of-way rather than a zoning district. Developing design standards would create significant delays. Staff recommends maintaining existing language and conducting periodic inspections to ensure upkeep. Termination: Additional language was included to clarify the process should either party wish to terminate the parklet permit.
Recommendations
Staff recommends:
Council approves proposed revisions to the
Parklet Guidelines as attached in the staff
report.
Options
Continue ongoing program with
proposed revisions
Council provides additional modifications
tonight
Council provides direction for staff to
return at a future date
Questions
Public
Comment
Comentarios
del público