CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Meeting Date: April 18, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Kari Svanstrom, Planning Director / SAVS, Applicant Subject: Approval of a Fee Waiver Request for $5,765 for Sonoma Applied Villages (SAVS) for the Temporary Use Permit at 845 Graven Hwy North (“Horizon Shine Village” Recommendation: Approve the Waiver
Funding: Currently Budgeted: _______ Yes ____X___ No _____ N/A Net General Fund Cost: N/A
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 $5,765 associated with the Temporary Use permitting process be waived by City Council.
BACKGROUND:
The Horizon Shine RV Village opened in February of 2022 and has remained operational since then. The property is owned by St. Vincent de Paul Sonoma County, leased to Sonoma Applied Village Services (SAVS). Horizon Shine provides a much needed safe, sanitary, compassionate, and respectful location for RVs and other lived-in vehicles.
Wrap around services are included, with a focus on improving the lives of those residing there. We urge you to read the report from Horizon Shine carefully (see attachments).
The Horizon Shine applied for a Temporary Use Permit that was approved by the Planning Commission, and upheld on appeal by the City Council, in 2022 for operation of the site as a temporary housing use through December 2024.
The applicant is now requesting City Council waive the application fees for the Temporary Use Permit.
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 $1,000, 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 $1,000, 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, and upheld on appeal by City Council, 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 cost of the work for the project can be or has been absorbed by the Planning Department within its current operating budget.
GOALS:
Agenda Item Number: 11 Agenda Item Number: 11
City Council Meeting Packet for Meeting of: April 18, 2023
This action supports the following City Council Goals
Goal 9 - Enhance housing opportunities in Sebastopol and, when possible, provide assistance to housing projects.
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 $5,765 in fee revenue if this request is granted.
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the waiver in the amount of $5,765 by minute order.
Attachments:
Fee Waiver Request
Approval Letter for SAVS Horizon Shine Village
Agenda Item Number: 11 Agenda Item Number: 11
City Council Meeting Packet for Meeting of: April 18, 2023
Sonoma Applied Village Services – SAVS
1275 4th Street, Suite #101,
Box 196, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
March 27, 2023
Dear Sebastopol City Council:
Sonoma Applied Village Services requests a refund of the City Planning permit fee of $2,900 and a waiver of total permitting costs of $5,765 related to the application and permitting of Horizon Shine Village at 845 Gravenstein Highway N.
SAVS is a small non-profit (Federal Tax ID 83-4609220) that is dedicated to helping the City of Sebastopol. We operate Horizon Shine RV Village for the unsheltered of Sebastopol at 845 Gravenstein Highway N. 25 formerly homeless people live there in low-cost RVs in a secure community. We provide healthcare, mental health services, addiction counseling which is all working towards a life in permanent housing.
SAVS paid the $2,900 application fee on August 25, 2022 and attended the Planning Commission meeting on Oct 11, 2022 and the subsequent City Council meeting in November 2022. The village was ultimately permitted at the November 2022 meeting.
If you can refund our application fee and waive the remaining permitting fees, we will use those funds directly for the benefit of our Horizon Shine clients.
Thank you for your consideration,
Sincerely,
Sonoma Applied Village Services – SAVS
Phone: (707) 861-0646 / email: [email protected] Agenda Item Number: 11 Agenda Item Number: 11
City Council Meeting Packet for Meeting of: April 18, 2023