CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Meeting Date: November 1, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Kari Svanstrom, Planning Director / Applicant
Subject: Approval of a Fee Waiver Request for $1220 for Sebastopol Community Church for Micro shelter Temporary Use Permit (1000 Gravenstein Hwy North) Recommendation: Approve the Waiver
Funding: Currently Budgeted: _______ Yes ____X___ No _____ N/A Net General Fund Cost: $1220.00
Account Code/Costs authorized in City Approved Budget (if applicable) ___AK_____ (verified by Administrative Services Department) INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE:
Applicant is requesting that the fee of $1220 associated with the permitting process be waived by City Council.
BACKGROUND:
In 2021, the applicant applied for a Temporary Use Permit for a temporary residential use at their church site to install two pre-fabricated micro shelters in their parking lot for a period of up to 5 years. The Shelters are 60 square feet and large enough for one person or one couple. The shelters are also insulated and designed to protect the occupants from the weather. The units do not provide any water or electricity, but occupants will have access to limited church facilities. This project is designed to help with the homeless problem by providing two additional options for people in addition to the safe parking program the church already administers as part of their mission.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Sebastopol has an adopted policy to guide requests from non-profit organizations such as this, which was last adopted via Resolution 6439-2022, which allows City staff (department head approval of 25%, City Manager of 50%, but requires the City Council consider fee waivers beyond 50%, over $1000, or for fees other than fixed fees. As this application is requesting the full (100% waiver) of a ‘deposit account’ fee (not a flat fee), and it is over $1000, this request must be heard by the City Council.
Staff supports this waiver for several reasons. First, the organization is a qualifying non-profit providing a needed public service. The permit requested/approved by the Planning Commission supports several General Plan/Housing Element goals of the city (See below in Goals). Therefore, staff does not believe this would not be seen as a gift of public funds Additionally, the amount of work for the project was not significant in terms of impact to the City’s budget (the Planning Department can absorb these costs within its current operating budget).
GOALS:
This action supports the following City Council Goals
Goal 9 - Enhance housing opportunities in Sebastopol and, when possible, provide assistance to housing projects.
Agenda Item 9 Agenda Item 9
City Council Meeting Packet of November 1, 2022
and General Plan Goals/Policies and Actions:
Goal D-2: Support Housing to Meet Special Needs (unhoused individuals are a special needs population) Policy D-1: The City will promote the development of new housing units affordable to extremely low, very low, low, and moderate income households and housing units that are affordable to and appropriate for special needs households, including seniors, disabled persons, developmentally disabled persons, farmworkers, large families, and homeless.
Policy D-2: The City will encourage the expansion of housing opportunities for extremely low income households.
Policy D-6: Sebastopol will work to prevent homelessness and support housing services for the homeless.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, staff anticipates receiving public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report.
Such comments will be provided to the City Council assupplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of the agenda item.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The City would lose $1220.00 in fee revenue if this request is granted. However, this is likely less costly than public assistance to two additional homeless individuals/couples were these shelters not purchased /provided along with other social support services by the Church. No budget adjustment would be needed.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the waiver in the amount of $1220 by minute order.
Attachments:
Fee Waiver Request from Community church of Sebastopol
Additional information from Planning Commission review / approval of Temporary Use Permit for the Temporary Residential Use / microshelters:
https://www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us/Meeting-Event/Planning-Commission/2021/Planning-Commission-Meeting-ofJuly-27,-2021
Agenda Item 9 Agenda Item 9
City Council Meeting Packet of November 1, 2022
October 6, 2022
Dear Sebastopol City Council Members:
Thank you for the leadership and service you provide our city. I am writing to respectfully request that the fees associated with the emergency permit process for the homeless huts situated on our church’s campus be waived.
Our huts provide two people with temporary shelter. In the past year, one of our guests has been able to move into permanent housing. We see ourselves as playing an important role in the larger effort to address homelessness in the City of Sebastopol.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (C0031310). Thank you for considering this request to waive the permit fees associated with our efforts to serve homeless members of our community.
Sincerely,
Peggy Porter, Church Member, Outreach Committee
Rev. Dr. Benjamin J. Broadbent, Lead Minister
THE COMMUNITY CHURCH
OF SEBASTOPOL
U NITED C HURCH OF C HRIST
1000 GRAVENSTEIN HWY NORTH
SEBASTOPOL , CALIFORNIA 95473
TELEPHONE 707.823.2484
www.uccseb.org [email protected]
Agenda Item 9 Agenda Item 9
City Council Meeting Packet of November 1, 2022