RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MARIA, CALIFORNIA, REPEALING THE 2015-2023 HOUSING
ELEMENT AND ADOPTING THE 2023-2031 SIXTH CYCLE HOUSING
ELEMENT AND FORWARDING THE ADOPTED DOCUMENT TO THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FOR THEIR CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO STATE
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 65585.
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Maria initiated an amendment to the Housing Element of the General Plan, in accordance with Title 7, Division 1, Chapter 3, Article 10.6 of the California Government Code; and
WHEREAS, Section 65300 et seq. of the California Government Code mandates that each California city adopt a comprehensive, long range General Plan to guide the physical development of the City; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 65588 of the California Government Code, each jurisdiction must update its Housing Element periodically, with specific deadlines established by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); and WHEREAS, the proposed review and update is necessary for public necessity, convenience and general welfare in that it identifies housing needs of the community and programs to achieve the housing goals, policies, and objectives of the City of Santa Maria; and
WHEREAS, the City is required to submit an updated Housing Element for the 2023- 2031 planning period for certification by the State Department of Housing and Community Development Review for the next eight-year cycle (the “sixth cycle”); and
WHEREAS, the Housing Element Update web page was established on the City web site to provide information regarding the update, including announcements and materials for public workshops and meetings, provide links to the draft 2023 Housing Element document versions as they were produced; and
WHEREAS, to comply with State Housing Element Law, the City of Santa Maria, California has prepared the Draft Housing Element for the 2023-2031 planning period in compliance with State Housing Element Law and has documented the C ity has an adequate number of existing appropriately zoned and sized sites that can accommodate the number of housing units sufficient to meet the City’s sixth cycle Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA); and
WHEREAS, as provided in California Government Code Section 65350 et. seq., adoption of the Housing Element constitutes a General Plan Amendment; and
WHEREAS, an Initial Study and Negative Declaration for the draft 2023 Housing Element was prepared pursuant to California Environmental Quali ty Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code Section 21000 et esq., CEQA Guidelines Section 15070, assessing the potential environmental impacts that might result from the adoption of the Housing Element for the 2023-2031 sixth cycle; and
WHEREAS, the required notices were published and the Negative Declaration was circulated for public review, sent to every responsible agency with jurisdiction over the project and placed in a public location; and
WHEREAS, the City mailed a public notice to all California Native American tribes provided by the Native American Heritage Commission and to other entities listed; and
WHEREAS, no California Native American tribe requested consultation; and
WHEREAS, the City conducted substantial and broad public engagement using a methodical process including : 1) the establishment of a Housing Element page on the City’s website, through which the city has received input directly from residents and businesses; 2) Providing materials in Spanish and English, making Spanish l anguage interpretation available for Housing Elemen t public meetings, and partnering with the Mixteco Indigenous Community Organizing Project (MICOP) to provide Mixteco language speakers facilitation and interpretation support ; 3) an on-line Housing survey taken by 457 respondents (111 of those responses using the Spanish language survey) ; 4) Housing Element ‘News Releases’ in English and Spani sh published to announce the issuance of each draft of the Element; 5) four public workshops, specifically on the topic of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, were conducted during October and November 2022; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65585 (b), on November 28, 2022 , the City posted the draft Housing Element and requested public comment for a 30-day review period; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2022, the City released the draft Initial Study and Negative Declaration for a public comment period of 30 -days, concluding on January 17, 2023, and the City considered all public comments received; and
WHEREAS, after the draft Housing Element 30-day public review period, and after responding to public comments, the City on February 2, 2023, submitted the draft Housing Element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for its review; and
WHEREAS, on May 3, 2023, the City received a letter from HCD providing its initial findings and recommended revisions regarding the draft Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, on August 29 , 2023, the City published the second revised draft Housing Element responding to HCD’s findings and requested public comment on the draft, and after receiving and responding to public comments, on September 8, 2023 the City submitted the second revised draft Housing Element to HCD for its review; and
WHEREAS, on October 4, 2023, the City met with HCD staff to discuss recommended clarifications and revisions to the draft Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, on October 11 , 2023 , the City publishe d the third revised draft Housing Element responding to HCD’s October 4, 2022, comments, and requested public comment on the draft in conformance with State law, and at the conclusion of the public review period submitted the third draft Housing Element to HCD for its review on October 19, 2023; and
WHEREAS, on October 25, 2023, the City received a letter from HCD reporting that after their review the draft Housing Element will substantially comply with State Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, § 65580 et seq.) when it is adopted, submitted to and approved by HCD, in accordance with Government Code section 65585.; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a regularly scheduled public hearing on November 15, 2023, for the purpose of receiving evidence and considering the Initial Study and Negative Declaration and the proposed draft 2023 Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, notices of said public hearing were made at the time and in the manner required by law; and
WHEREAS, at the public hearing, the Planning Commission heard and duly considered all evidence, including evidence presented in the staff report and all written and oral testimony and;
WHEREAS, on November 15, 2023 , with a 4-0-1-0 vote, the Planning Commission, in Resolution No. 2823, recommended to the City Council the repeal of the 2015-2023 Housing Element and the adoption of the 2023-2031 Sixth Cycle Housing Element, and the forwarding of the document to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for their certification; and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered and relied on the Planning Commission’s November 15, 2023 , recommendation (4-0-1-0 vote) to adopt the Negative Declaration for the draft Sixth Cycle Housing Element, in making its decision.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.
2. The City Council finds that:
(a) The 2023 Sixth Cycle Housing Element provided as shown in Attachment A to the City Council Staff Report, dated December 5, 2023, and incorporated herein by reference , substantially complies with Housing Element Law, as provided in Government Code 65580 et seq., and contains all provisions required by State Housing Element Law.
(b) Pursuant to California Government Code Section 65583.2, the existing uses on the non -vacant or underutilized sites identified in the site inventory to accommodate the lower-income RHNA are likely to integrate wit h new residential uses, or are likely to be discontinued during the planning period and therefore do not constitute an impediment to planned residential development on the site during the planning period.
3. As required by Government Code Section 65585(e), th e City of Santa Maria has considered the findings made by the Department of Housing and Community Development included in the Department’s letter to the City of Santa Maria dated May 3, 2023 , consistent with Government Code Section 65585(f), the City has revised the 2023 Draft Housing Element in response to the findings of the Department to substantially comply with the requirements of State Housing Element Law as interpreted by HCD.
4. The City of Santa Maria has considered the findings made by the Departmen t of Housing and Community Development included in the Department’s letter to the City of Santa Maria dated October 25, 2023, (provided as Attachment B to the City Council Agenda Report, and incorporated herein by reference), that the revised draft of the Housing Element will substantially comply with State Housing Element Law (Gov. Code, § 65580 et seq .) at such time it is adopted by the City Council , and then submitted to and approved by HCD, in accordance with Government Code section 65585.
5. That the City Council hereby repeals the City of Santa Maria 2015 -2023 Housing Element in its entirety and adopts the City of Santa Maria Sixth Cycle Housing Element 2023 -2031, as shown in Attachment A to the City Council Staff Report, dated December 5, 2023, and incorporated herein by reference.
6. The Community Development Director or designee is hereby directed to file all necessary material with the Department of Housing and Community Development for the Department to find that the Housing Element is in conformance with State Housing Element Law and is further directed and authorized to make all non -substantive changes to the Housing Element to make it internally consistent or to address any non -substantive changes or amendments requested by the Department to achieve certification.
7. The Community Development Director or designee is hereby directed to distribute copies of the Housing Element in the manner provided in Government Code Sections 65357 and 65589.7.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, held this 5th day of December 2023.
ATTEST:
Chief Deputy City Clerk
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
_______________________________
Department Director
_______________________________
Interim City Manager