RESOLUTION NO. RES-2025-089
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE PROPERTY AT 3150 DUTTON AVENUE, APN 043-133-013, FROM MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO GENERAL INDUSTRY; FILE NUMBER PRJ24-019 (GPAM24-002) WHEREAS, on March 14, 2006, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 26520, changing the General Plan land use designation for the property located at 3150 Dutton Avenue from General Industry to Medium Density Residential; and WHEREAS, on March 21, 2006, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 3771, approving a rezoning of the subject site from General Industrial to Multi-Family Residential (R-3-18); and
WHEREAS, on October 18, 2018, the Design Review Board adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and granted Design Review for a multifamily residential project on the subject site (Resolution Nos. 19-984 & 19-985); and WHEREAS, on September 25, 2024, applications for a General Plan Amendment and Rezoning for the Dutton Avenue Development Project, located at 3150 Dutton Avenue, were submitted to Planning and Economic Development. Applicable fees were paid on October 3, 2024; and WHEREAS, on November 1, 2024, a Notice of Application was mailed to surrounding property owners and occupants; and WHEREAS, on December 27, 2024, a Notice of Neighborhood Meeting was mailed to surrounding property owners and occupants; and WHEREAS, on January 8, 2025, a Neighborhood Meeting was held; and WHEREAS, on November 4, 2024, Native American tribes with known interest in the area were notified of the proposed project as required by Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52). No response was received by the City; and WHEREAS, on November 14, 2024, Native American tribes with known interest in the area were notified of the proposed project in accordance with Senate Bill 18 (SB 18) requirements for General Plan amendments; and WHEREAS, pursuant to SB 18, Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria initiated consultation. As a result of consultation, the Tribe requested, and the City agreed in good faith, to add three protective measures to address and provide direction in the unlikely event that unknown subsurface objects are discovered during project construction. These measures have been added as conditions of approval in the corresponding Rezoning Ordinance; and WHEREAS, on May 2, 2025, Consultation with Graton Rancheria was closed; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2025, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing to consider a General Plan Amendment for the subject property; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2025, the Planning Commission voted unanimously (5-0-2) to adopt a resolution (Resolution No. PC-RES-2025-003), recommending that the City Council adopt an Addendum to the previously adopted MND for the Dutton Avenue Development Project, located at 3150 Dutton Avenue; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2025, the Planning Commission voted unanimously (5-0-2) to adopt a resolution (Resolution No. PC-RES-2025-004), recommending that the City Council reclassify the subject property from Medium Density Residential to General Industry; and WHEREAS, this proposed General Plan land use amendment is part of the First 2025 General Plan Amendment Package; and WHEREAS, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process is part of Housing Element Law used to determine how many new homes, and the affordability of those homes, each local government must plan for in its Housing Element; and WHEREAS, RHNA is determined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and the Councils of Governments (COG), including the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), are responsible for developing an RHNA methodology to allocate the Regional Determination to each city and county in the COG’s region; and WHEREAS, the subject site is listed in the 2023-2031 Housing Element as eligible for an 86-unit, moderate-income RHNA site; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65863, a jurisdiction must maintain adequate sites to accommodate its remaining unmet RHNA, by each income category, throughout the planning period; and WHEREAS, the 2023-2031 Housing Element includes a RHNA surplus of approximately 49% overall, and 25% in the moderate-income category, providing adequate offset for the loss of 86 moderate-income units that would result from the proposed General Plan Amendment; and WHEREAS, to address the proposed change in land use at 3150 Dutton Avenue, which would reduce potential residential capacity by 86 units, and ensure there is no net loss in residential units within Santa Rosa, the City is proposing concurrent land use changes to increase residential density in other locations as part of the General Plan 2050 update, resulting in the potential of greater than 140 additional residential units. The General Plan 2050 update is scheduled for action by the City Council on June 3, 2025, which will ensure concurrent action resulting in "No Net Loss" in compliance with Government Code Section 65863.b(2) and Section 66300, the Housing Crisis Act; and WHEREAS, the staff finds justification for amending the General Plan on the subject parcel because of prevailing development patterns in the area.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Santa Rosa approves a General Plan Amendment on the subject property from Medium Density Residential to General Industry, and makes the following findings and determinations pursuant to City Code Section 20-64.050 (Findings):
A. The proposed amendment ensures and maintains internal consistency with the goals and policies of all elements of the 2035 General Plan by demonstrating consistency with existing industrial land uses along the Dutton Avenue corridor and supporting compact development patterns that encourage reduced travel, energy use, and consumption of land and materials. The proposed land use amendment protects industrial land supply by returning the parcel to its previous General Industry designation and ensures compatibility between industrial development and surrounding neighborhoods by removing residential land uses out of a predominantly industrial area. Additionally, the proposal aligns with the economic vitality goals of the General Plan by providing sufficient land for business expansion and attraction of new employers that utilize the area’s existing labor pool; and B. The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. The proposed General Industry land use would remain in character with the surrounding land uses and lot configurations. The properties to the north up to Duke Court and south to Todd Road comprise an industrial land use corridor. The proposed amendment has been reviewed by City staff including the Fire Department, Water Department, Engineering Development Services, Building Division, and Planning Division, and no issues have been raised. As a result of tribal consultation pursuant to Senate Bill 18 (SB 18), three protective measures have been included as conditions of approval to address and provide direction in the unlikely event that unknown subsurface objects are discovered during project construction; and C. The site is physically suitable (including absence of physical constraints, access, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and provision of utilities) for the requested/anticipated land use developments. The requested land use amendment to the General Industry land use designation aligns with existing industrial uses, land use designations and zoning along the Dutton Avenue corridor. It is proximate to Highway 101 and in an area that is served by existing utilities and infrastructure. City staff from the Fire Department, Engineering Development Services, Building Division, Water Department, and Planning Division have reviewed the proposed project materials and have raised no concerns; and D. The proposed project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA):
On October 18, 2018, the Design Review Board adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and granted Design Review for a five-structure, 107-unit apartment complex at 3150 Dutton Avenue (Resolution Nos. 19-984 & 19-985). The MND evaluated potential environmental impacts of the multi-family residential development with 33 one-bedroom, 64 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom units in five buildings, along with ancillary on-site uses, and concluded that the project would not result in potentially significant impacts that could not be mitigated to a level of non-significance. Mitigation was included to reduce potential impacts related to Noise and Transportation; and Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164, an Addendum to the MND, prepared by Environmental Science Associates (ESA), dated March 2025, analyzed the impacts associated with the proposed project’s development potential relative to those previously described in the approved MND to determine whether further environmental review was required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Addendum evaluated conceptual development project based on allowable uses in the General Industry land use designation and uses allowed in the IG zoning district, including aesthetics, agriculture & forestry resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology & soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards & hazardous materials, hydrology & water quality, land use & planning, mineral resources, noise, population & housing, public services, recreation, transportation & circulation, tribal & cultural resources, utilities & service systems, and wildfire. The Addendum did not identify any project-specific impacts stating that, “the analyses conducted, and the conclusions reached in the 2018 IS/MND remain relevant and valid” and further found that the proposed General Plan Amendment and Rezoning would not result in any new significant adverse impacts, nor an increase in the severity of significant adverse impacts previously identified in the MND. Additionally, the proposed project would not require the adoption of any considerably different mitigation measures or alternatives.
On June 3, 2025, the City Council adopted an Addendum to the previously adopted MND for the Dutton Avenue Development Project, located at 3150 Dutton Avenue.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council makes the following findings pursuant to Government Code Section 65863:
The reduction of a potential of 86 units, as a result of changing the land use for the property at 3150 Dutton Avenue from Medium Density Residential to General Industry, is consistent with the City’s adopted General Plan 2035 and 2023-2031 Housing Element, as well as the draft General Plan 2050. Specifically, the proposed land use amendment demonstrates consistency with existing industrial land uses along the Dutton Avenue corridor and supports compact development patterns that encourage reduced travel, energy use, and consumption of land and materials. The proposed land use amendment protects industrial land supply by returning the parcel to its previous General Industry designation and ensures compatibility between industrial development and surrounding neighborhoods by removing residential land uses out of a predominantly industrial area. The proposal aligns with the economic vitality goals of the General Plan by providing sufficient land for business expansion and attraction of new employers that utilize the area’s existing labor pool. The associated land use changes included as part of the General Plan 2050 adoption, which include an increase in residential density for the property at 615/625 Acacia Lane from Low Density Residential to Medium-High Density Residential, will result in greater than 140 additional residential units, ensuring no net loss in residential units under the Housing Element; and The remaining sites identified in the Housing Element are adequate to meet the requirements of Government Code Section 65583.2 and to accommodate the jurisdiction’s remaining share of the RHNA for the planning period. The chart below identifies the City’s required 6th Cycle RHNA, including the City’s total capacity and surplus, as documented in the 2023-2031 Housing Element. The proposed land use change at 3150 Dutton Avenue from Medium Density Residential to General Industry will reduce the potential residential capacity of the City by approximately 86 moderate income units. With the reduction, the City will continue to retain a surplus of 107 moderate income units, and an overall residential surplus of 2,228 units.
Income Category
6th Cycle RHNA
Total City Capacity
Surplus
Very Low / Low
1,686
2,547
861
Moderate
721
964
193
Above Moderate
1,881
3,255
1,260
Total
4,288
6,766
2,314
IN COUNCIL DULY PASSED this 3rd day of June, 2025.
AYES: (6) Mayor Stapp, Vice Mayor Alvarez, Council Members Bañuelos, Fleming, MacDonald, Rogers NOES: (0)
ABSENT: (1) Council Member Okrepkie
ABSTAIN: (0)
RECUSE: (0)
ATTEST: _________________________ APPROVED: ______________________________ Deputy City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________
City Attorney
Reso. No. RES-2025-089