RESOLUTION NO. 2022-09-6708
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 22-01 TO ADOPT THE 2021-2029 6TH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE WHEREAS, the City of Signal Hill (“City”) has an adopted General Plan, which includes all of the State-mandated elements, including a Housing Element; and WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 65588 requires the City to update its Housing Element every eight years which, among other things, must show that the City has adequately zoned capacity for housing to accommodate the number of units identified in the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation for the planning period, as determined by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG); and WHEREAS, SCAG determined that the City of Signal Hill’s RHNA allocation during this 6th Cycle Housing Element planning period of 2021-2029 (hereinafter, the “Housing Element Update” or “HEU”) is 517 residential units; and WHEREAS, the Signal Hill Housing Element was last updated and adopted by the City Council on February 4, 2014, and was certified by the State on March 18, 2014; and WHEREAS, the City was required to submit its adopted HEU by October 15, 2021, the deadline was first extended by AB 1398 for an initial 120 days, and a second deadline was set for a one-year period measured from October 15, 2021, to October 15, 2022; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65583(c)(9), a variety of outreach activities were completed to solicit and receive public input on the HEU from all economic segments of the community, including through digital/social media posts; a resident survey; an informational video; focus groups with stakeholders and developers; community workshops; and direct mail to stakeholder groups including groups and agencies working with special needs groups; and WHEREAS, the HEU’s housing sites inventory was developed based on input given during public participation, identified community needs, and the State law directive to demonstrate methods of affirmatively furthering fair housing, all of which were the basis for development of the HEU implementation programs; and WHEREAS, a draft HEU was submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on September 15, 2021, for review in accordance with Government Code Section 65585(b)(1), and was published and posted on the City’s website and social media platforms on the same date for public comment; and WHEREAS, on November 15, 2021, the City received a comment letter from HCD regarding the draft HEU, and the City revised the draft HEU in accordance with HCD comments to comply with the Housing Element Law (Article 10.6 of the Government Code); and WHEREAS, on March 15, 2022, the City submitted a second draft HEU to HCD for review and posted a redline of the second draft HEU on the City website along with the original draft HEU seven days prior to re-submittal to HCD in compliance with Government Code Section 65585(b)(1); and WHEREAS, on May 12, 2022, a second comment letter was received from HCD with additional comments and, pursuant to Government Code Section 65585(b)(1), City staff prepared a third draft HEU, posted the redlined revised version on June 7, 2022, and submitted to HCD on June 15, 2022; and WHEREAS, the HEU is considered a “Project” pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and WHEREAS, the City prepared an Initial Study/Draft Environmental Impact Report (“DEIR”) (SCH 2021050296) that analyzed the proposed HEU’s environmental impacts in compliance with the provisions of CEQA; and WHEREAS, the DEIR was made available to the public for review and comment for 45 days between September 30, 2021, and November 15, 2021, during which one comment was received and addressed in the Recirculated Draft EIR (“RDEIR”); and WHEREAS, due to a change in the DEIR of the building heights of the proposed Orange Bluff site, the DEIR was revised and included in the RDEIR, which was recirculated for 45 days for public review and comment from January 28, 2022, to March 14, 2022, and having received no comments, the City prepared a Final EIR (“FEIR”), and the FEIR is made up of all elements and attachments of the DEIR and the RDEIR and is named the “EIR”; and WHEREAS, on June 21, 2022, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing and all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard regarding EIR SCH2021050296, the draft HEU General Plan Amendment (GPA) 22-01, an associated GPA 22-02, and Zoning Ordinance Amendments (ZOAs) 22-01, 22-02, 22-03, and 22-04 and all evidence presented before and during the hearing and contained in the administrative record, and members of the public were afforded an opportunity to comment on all items; and WHEREAS, on July 12, 2022, the City Council held a duly noticed Public Hearing to certify the EIR, approve GPA 22-02 to amend the Land Use Element of the General Plan, and introduce ZOAs 22-01, 22-02, 22-03, and 22-04, to rezone four non-vacant housing inventory sites and all persons were given an opportunity to comment on all items and all evidence presented before and during the hearing and contained in the administrative record and the Council unanimously approved all items, but did not consider the HEU GPA 22-01 given that HCD had not yet completed their final review of the draft document; and WHEREAS, on July 26, 2022, the City Council adopted ZOAs 22-01, 22-02, 22-03, and 22-04 prior to the October 15, 2022, deadline, as required by Government Code Section 65588(e)(4)(C)(i), to accommodate the 6th Cycle RHNA allocation as stated in the Adequate Sites Program of the revised draft HEU; and WHEREAS, on August 8, 2022, the City received a compliance letter from HCD confirming that the draft HEU submitted on June 15, 2022, along with further revisions received on August 4, 2022, meets statutory requirements and will comply with State Housing Element law, Article10.6 of Government Code Section 65585; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65583.2, the City finds, based on the facts described in the staff report, and based on property owner Signal Hill Petroleum’s partnership with the City to rezone the sites identified in the housing sites inventory to accommodate lower income RHNA (i.e., the “Walnut Bluff” and “Orange Bluff” sites) as demonstrated through preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, conceptual site plans, site remediation plans, Specific Plans through ZOAs 22-03, and 22-04, that will allow by-right development of new lower and moderate income housing on the sites, and pending Development Agreements, between the property owner to prepare and develop the sites, in substantial conformance with the conceptual site plans for the sites which were prepared by the developer/land owner that identify the existing two idle oil and gas wells on Walnut Bluff and eight idle wells on the Orange Bluff site will be abandoned during the planning period in preparation for development, and therefore do not constitute an impediment to additional residential development during the period covered by the draft HEU; and WHEREAS, substantial evidence that existing oil well production does not constitute an impediment to development on the Walnut Bluff and Orange Bluff sites is described in greater detail in Appendix C, Non-Vacant Sites, to the HEU, which includes the Walnut Bluff and the Orange Bluff conceptual site plans (Exhibit C-9). As indicated by the well legend on the bottom right portion of the site plans, the wells to be abandoned are noted. The site plan was prepared as directed by the oil operator/property owner based on a well log analysis of well conditions for abandonment. That is, the oil operator chose which wells it was willing to abandon and which it wanted to keep and designed the conceptual site plan from that analysis in full knowledge of the City’s requirements for developing housing near oil wells under Title 16 of the Signal Hill Municipal Code (Oil and Gas Code) to ensure the proposed development was feasible; and WHEREAS, the subject HEU is properly a matter for City Council review and adoption by GPA 22-01, and the HEU is consistent with all other elements of the Signal Hill General Plan and the City’s Zoning Code and the HEU will be adopted and submitted to HCD, no later than October 15, 2022, in accordance with Government Code Sections 65359 and 65860; and WHEREAS, on September 16, 2022, pursuant to Signal Hill Municipal Code Section 20.86.060, a notice of public hearing before the City Council regarding the subject general plan amendment was mailed to all property owners and residents within a 300-foot radius of the Housing Sites, was published in the Signal Tribune newspaper, was emailed or mailed by first-class mail to any person who has filed a written request for notice, and was posted in accordance with Signal Hill Municipal Code Section 1.08.010; and WHEREAS, the HEU was evaluated in the certified 2021-2029 Signal Hill Housing Element EIR. The City Council’s approval of this Resolution is a follow-on action contemplated in the 2021-2029 Signal Hill Housing Element EIR. None of the conditions calling for subsequent environmental review under Public Resources Code section 21166 are present. Thus, no further environmental review is required for the City Council to adopt this Resolution; and WHEREAS, on September 27, 2022, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing and all persons were given an opportunity to comment on the Project and all evidence presented before and during the hearing and contained in the administrative record; and WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Signal Hill, California, does hereby find as follows:
Section 1. Recitals. The facts set forth in the recitals in this Resolution are true and correct and incorporated by reference. The recitals constitute findings in this matter and, together with the staff report and other information contained in the record, are an adequate and appropriate evidentiary basis for actions taken in this Resolution.
Section 2. General Plan Consistency. Pursuant to Signal Hill Municipal Code Chapter 20.86, and based on the entire record before the City Council, including all written and oral evidence presented, the City Council hereby finds that the proposed HEU is consistent with the General Plan for the following reasons:
A. The City has approved an associated GPA to the Land Use Element (GPA 22-02) to reclassify the uses of three inventory sites and to revise the Generalized Land Use Map. The draft HEU, if adopted, will be consistent with these and other elements of the Signal Hill General Plan.
B. The proposed HEU is compatible with the following Goals and Policies of the Signal Hill General Plan:
LAND USE ELEMENT GOAL 1 – Manage growth to achieve a well- balanced land use pattern that accommodates existing and future needs for housing, commercial, and industrial land, open space, and community facilities and services, while maintaining a healthy, diversified economy adequate to provide future City revenues.
Land Use Policy 1.2 – Provide opportunities for a variety of residential densities and housing styles.
Finding regarding Policy 1.2 – The land for the four proposed housing inventory sites is underutilized despite its prime location within an urban setting and surrounding developed properties. Two sites will be developed solely with residential uses and two will be mixed-use commercial and residential. There will be a variety of housing types including multi-family rental apartments, townhomes, and single-family ownership dwellings.
Land Use Policy 1.7 – Broaden the City's tax base by attracting commercial and industrial development to the City which will provide economic and employment benefits to the community while ensuring compatibility with other general plan goals and policies.
Finding regarding Policy 1.7 – The subject HEU will enable the development of mixed-use projects allowing a variety of commercial, retail, and service uses as well as residential dwellings. The HEU is expected to provide economic and employment benefits and an increased tax base for the City.
LAND USE GOAL 4 – Ensure that future land use decisions are the result of sound and comprehensive planning.
Land Use Policy 4.4 – Encourage citizen participation in planning and the land use decision making process and development of land use programs and policies.
Finding regarding Policy 4.4 – The HEU’s housing sites inventory list was developed through an extensive community outreach effort, which included a survey, presentations to City Council, the Planning Commission, the Diversity Coalition Committee, the Sustainable City Committee, the local University of Health Sciences, residents and management of the four affordable housing facilities, stakeholder groups, local business owners, and to all residents via the water bill.
Section 3. Adoption of Resolution. The City Council hereby adopts this Resolution approving GPA 22-01 to adopt the draft HEU, attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference.
Section 4. Custodian of Records. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings are based are located at City Hall for the City of Signal Hill, located at 2175 Cherry Avenue, Signal Hill, CA 90755. The Community Development Director is the custodian of the record of proceedings.
Section 5. Execution of Resolution. The Mayor of the City of Signal Hill shall sign this Resolution and the City Clerk shall attest and certify to the passage and adoption thereof.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council on this 27th day of September, 2022.
KEIR JONES
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CARMEN R. BROOKS
CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SIGNAL HILL ) I, CARMEN R. ROOKS, City Clerk of the City of Signal Hill, California, do hereby certify that Resolution No. 2022-09-6708 was adopted by the City Council of the City of Signal Hill, California, at a regular meeting held on the 27th day of September, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES: MAYOR KEIR JONES, VICE MAYOR TINA L. HANSEN, COUNCIL MEMBERS ROBERT D. COPELAND, LORI Y. WOODS NOES: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD H.J WILSON
ABSTAIN: NONE
CARMEN R. BROOKS
CITY CLERK
Exhibit A
DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT
[Attached behind]
Resolution No. 2022-09-6708September 27, 2022Page 10 of 9Resolution No. 2022-09-6708September 27, 2022Page 10 of 9 Resolution No. 2022-09-6708
September 27, 2022
Resolution No. 2022-09-6708
September 27, 2022