Agenda — Solvang City Council, February 13, 2023 (part 2 of 3)

Cost burden: Monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 30% of monthly income.

Severe cost burden: Monthly housing costs (including utilities) exceeding 50% of monthly income.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) ACS tabulation, 2015-2019 release 358
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Figure 34 Overpayment of Renters (Solvang)
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Substandard Housing
Housing age can be an important indicator of housing condition in a community. Like any other tangible asset, housing is subject to gradual physical or technological deterioration over time. If not properly and regularly maintained, housing can deteriorate and discourage reinvestment, depress neighboring property values, and eventually impact the quality of life in a neighborhood. Many federal and state programs also use the age of housing as a factor in determining housing rehabilitation needs.

Typically, housing over 30 years of age is more likely to have rehabilitation needs that may include new plumbing, roof repairs, foundation work, and other repairs.

Regional Trends
As of 2019, approximately 79 percent of all housing units in Santa Barbara County were built before 1990. These older units potentially require minor repairs and modernization improvements. Reflecting the housing boom that occurred during the 1980s, 15 percent of the County’s housing stock was constructed between 1980 and 1989.

Figure 35 Housing Stock Age (2014-2018)
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2019; Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, 2014-2018.

Local Trends
In Solvang approximately 80 percent of all housing units were built prior to 1990, which is comparable to Santa Barbara County. Almost half of the city’s housing stock was constructed in the 1970s and 1980s.

Built
2014 or
later
Built
2010 to
2013
Built
2000 to
2009
Built
1990 to
1999
Built
1980 to
1989
Built
1970 to
1979
Built
1960 to
1969
Built
1950 to
1959
Built
1940 to
1949
Built
1939 or
earlier
Santa Barbara 1.50% 2.00% 7.80% 9.90% 14.90% 18.60% 20.10% 12.80% 3.90% 8.60% Solvang 3.60% 1.30% 4.60% 11% 23% 23.10% 11.10% 12.30% 4.60% 5.50%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%
Santa Barbara Solvang
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Table 19 summarizes the availability of plumbing and kitchen facilities for housing units in Solvang. In the past, lack of telephone service was also an indicator of housing conditions. Today, with the widespread availability of cell and internet phone services, many households have chosen not to install land line telephone services, and availability of telephone service is no longer considered an indicator of substandard housing conditions. As shown in Table 19, as little as 1.2 percent of housing lack plumbing and/or kitchen facilities.

Table 19 Substandard Units (2019)
Condition Number Percentage
Lacking complete plumbing facilities 10 <0.0%
Lacking complete kitchen facilities 19 0.8%
Total occupied substandard units 29 1.2%
Total occupied units 2,380
Source: Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2019 Table B25053 and B25049 Overcrowding
Overcrowding is defined as housing units with more than one person per room (including dining and living rooms but excluding bathrooms and kitchen) while severe overcrowding refers to more than 1.5 persons per room. Overcrowding is reflective of various living conditions; some households may not be able to accommodate high-cost burdens for housing but may instead accept smaller housing or reside with other individuals or families in the same home.

Potential fair housing issues emerge if non-traditional households are discouraged or denied housing due to a perception of overcrowding. Household overcrowding is reflective of various living situations:
(1) a family lives in a home that is too small; (2) a family chooses to house extended family members; or (3) unrelated individuals or families are doubling up to afford housing. However, cultural differences also contribute to the overcrowded conditions since some cultures tend to have a larger household size than others due to the preference of living with extended family members.

Not only is overcrowding a potential fair housing concern, but it can also potentially strain physical facilities and the delivery of public services, reduce the quality of the physical environment, contribute to a shortage of parking, and accelerate the deterioration of homes. As a result, some landlords or apartment managers may be more hesitant to rent to larger families, thus making access to adequate housing even more difficult. According to local fair housing service providers and property managers, addressing the issue of large households is complex as there are no set of guidelines for determining the maximum capacity for a unit. Fair housing issues may arise from policies aimed to limit overcrowding that have a disparate impact on specific racial or ethnic groups with higher proportion of overcrowding.
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Regional Trends
According to the 2015-2019 5-Year ACS estimates, 13.1 percent of households are overcrowded, and

6.3 percent of households are severely overcrowded throughout the county. Table 20 compares the levels of overcrowding of renters and owners in Solvang and Santa Barbara County. A higher proportion of renter households compared to owner households experienced overcrowding.

Table 20 Overcrowding by Tenure
Renter-Occupied
Households
Owner-Occupied
Households
Total Households
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Solvang
Overcrowded (1+ occupants
per room)
72 7.8% 7 0.5% 79 3.3%
Severely Overcrowded (1.5+
occupants per room)
60 6.5% 0 0.0% 60 2.5%
Santa Barbara County
Overcrowded (1+ occupants
per room)
11,837 17.1% 3,573 4.7% 15,410 10.6%
Severely Overcrowded (1.5+
occupants per room)
4,655 6.7% 1,034 1.37% 5,689 3.92%
Source: Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey (ACS), 2015-2019, Table B25014.

Figure 36 shows the percent of households that are overcrowded throughout Santa Barbara County.

The prevalence of overcrowding varies among jurisdictions, with the highest percentage of overall overcrowding occurring in northwestern areas in Santa Maria, and Lompoc, followed by areas in the City of Santa Barbara and areas of Carpentaria and Isla Vista. These areas with the highest percent of overcrowding in the North Coast overlap with high proportions of minority residents and lower median incomes.

Local Trends
Based on 2015-2019 5-Year ACS estimates, 2.5 percent of households are overcrowded in Solvang. A higher proportion of renter households (7.8 percent) are overcrowded compared to owner households (0.5 percent). Figure 37 shows the distribution of overcrowded households in Solvang. Overcrowding throughout Solvang is lower than the statewide average. 362
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Figure 36 Overcrowding (Santa Barbara County)
Source: AFFH Data Viewer 2022
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Figure 37 Overcrowding (Solvang)
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Homelessness
California Government Code Section 65583(1)(6) requires municipalities to address the special needs of persons experiencing homelessness within their boundaries. “Homelessness,” as defined by HUD, describes an individual, who is not imprisoned or otherwise detained, who:
• Lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; or • Has a primary nighttime residence that is:
• A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill);
• An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or
• A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Regional Trends
According to the 2022 Santa Barbara County Point-In-Time Count, approximately 1,962 persons experiencing homelessness reside in the county, an increase from the previous count in 2020. Pointin-time estimates are generally accepted as an undercount of the total unhoused. The county’s pointin-time count found that 76 percent of the homeless population had been experiencing homelessness for over one year. Additionally, 39 percent of the homeless population had a mental health disability, 26 percent had a physical disability, and 10 percent had a developmental disability. The majority of homeless individuals identified as White (83 percent), followed by Black/African American (8 percent), multiple races (4 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native (3 percent). An overview of homelessness in Solvang and surrounding cities is provided in Table 21. 365
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Table 21 Homelessness in Solvang and Surrounding Cities (2022) Jurisdiction Count
% of Total Homeless
Population in Santa Barbara County
Carpinteria 22 1.1%
Goleta 91 4.6%
Santa Barbara 822 41.9%
Isla Vista 112 5.7%
Lompoc 290 14.8%
Buellton/Solvang /Santa Ynez Valley 12 0.6%
Santa Maria 457 23.3%
Guadalupe 2 0.1%
Unincorporated 155 7.9%
Santa Barbara County Total 1,962 100%
Source: 2022 Santa Barbara County Point-In-Time Count, Santa Barbara County, 2022 Local Trends
According to the 2022 Santa Barbara County Point-In-Time Count, there are an estimated 12 persons considered to be homeless in Buellton/Solvang/Santa Ynez Valley. This is fewer than many other parts of the County, including the cities of Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Isla Vista and Santa Barbara.

Compared to areas with higher numbers of persons considered to be homeless, Buellton/Solvang/Santa Ynez Valley has a smaller overall population and are located in further from denser and populated urban areas that have better access to services for those who are homeless.

Displacement
Displacement, as defined by HCD, is used to describe any involuntary household move caused by landlord action or market changes. Shifts in neighborhood composition are often framed and perpetuated by established patterns of racial inequity and segregation. Movement of people, public policies, and investments, such as capital improvements and planned transit stops, and flows of private capital can lead to displacement. Displacement is fueled by a combination of rising housing costs, rising income inequality, stagnant wages, and insufficient market-rate housing production. Decades of disinvestment in low income communities, coupled with investor speculation, can result in a rent gap or a disparity between current rental income of the land, and potentially achievable rental income if the property is converted to its most profitable use. These processes can disproportionally impact people of color, as well as lower income households, persons with disabilities, large households, and persons at-risk of or experiencing homelessness.
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To analyze displacement risk, the UDP has established categories that reflect varying levels of displacement vulnerability. Areas categorized as susceptible to displacement are predominately low income or mixed income neighborhoods that may have experienced displacement but exhibit characteristics of neighborhood stability and affordability and have the potential to develop an increasing risk of displacement in the future. Areas categorized as at-risk of or experiencing gentrification refer to neighborhoods that demonstrate characteristics of increasing housing costs, changes in housing supply, and are located near communities that have also experienced increasing housing costs and an increasing risk of displacement in the future. The stable moderate/mixed income category refers to neighborhoods that have moderate- to high income residents that are not at-risk of becoming neighborhoods that exclude all but wealthy households. The stable/advanced exclusive category refers to neighborhoods that have exhibited characteristics of exclusion for long periods of time.

Regional Trends
According to the AI, residents located in the central inland, and parts of the South Coast portions of the County are facing relatively less risk of displacement. Households with high cost burdened rates are found in the North Coast area of the county, especially around Santa Maria and Lompoc. Some communities in South Coast also are facing risk of displacement.

Sensitive communities, as shown in Figure 38, represent areas that are vulnerable to gentrification and displacement. Sensitive communities at risk of displacement are concentrated throughout the urban areas in the county. In the northwestern part of the county, census tracts in Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Guadalupe, experience a greater risk of displacement than in more affluent cities such as Buellton. In the southern half of the county, there are some vulnerable communities in the cities of Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria. These areas are correlated to tracts that experience higher rates of overcrowding, overpayment, and tracts with higher percentages of non-White populations.

Local Trends
As shown in Figure 39, residents in the northern census tract are at risk of displacement. In the southern census tract, there is lower displacement risk. According to the AI, Solvang is one of three cities in the county that had an increase of median income between 2010 and 2017. Meanwhile, the AI identified that Solvang also experienced one of the largest increases of poverty from 2010 to 2017, from 6 percent of the total population to 15 percent, indicating an increasing gap in income for residents in Solvang. However, 2016-202 ACS estimates show the poverty rate in Solvang decreased to 7 percent.

The poverty rate among children under the age of 18 also decreased from 2017 to 2020, but remained high at approximately 13 percent. In addition, the AI states home values decreased by 4.7 percent and median rent costs increased by 29.7 percent between 2010 and 2017. In 2010 median home values were $723,900 and median rent was $1,165 and in 2017 median home values were $689,700 and median rent was $1,511. According to 2016-2020 ACS estimates, median home value increased value increased by 5.1 percent between 2017 and 2020 and median rent decreased 13.0 percent to $725,100 and $1,315 respectively. The increasing income gap and increasing housing costs indicate, low income residents in Solvang may be at risk of displacement. Furthermore, nearly half of all renters experience 367
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housing cost burden compared to 30 percent of owners (Table 18), and if rent raises for these communities, it could leave them at risk of displacement. 368
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Figure 38 Sensitive Communities (Santa Barbara County)
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Figure 39 Displacement Risk (Solvang)
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Contributing Factors
To inform the goals, policies, and actions in this Housing Element, the contributing factors are prioritized based on their impact on access to fair housing choice and access to opportunity in Solvang.

Enforcement and Outreach
Contributing factors to enforcement and outreach include:
• Limited information on fair housing rights and services: the City’s website provides minimal information on fair housing rights and services available to residents. There are no links to the County’s Housing Resources website or the Fair Housing Resource Guide for Santa Barbara County website (provided by Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County and Santa Barbara County). While the website does contain a brochure on fair housing and how to file a complaint, the brochure is an older, scanned document and some of the information may be out of date.

The brochure does not include contact information for Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County, which is contracted to provide fair housing services to the HOME Consortium.

Segregation and Integration Patterns and Trends
Contributing factors to segregation and integration patterns in Solvang include:
• High percentage of those living with disabilities when compared to the county: While there were no areas within Solvang identified with concentrations of residents living with a disability, there is a high percentage of the population with a disability indicating there is a need for affordable and accessible housing options for those with a disability. • Increasing rent costs: Rent cost has significantly increased in Solvang during the past decade, meaning single-parent households, persons on fixed incomes (seniors and persons with a disability), LMI populations, and single adults without a spouse are less likely to have access to affordable housing, afford housing, and could be at risk of displacement. • Dominance of single-family housing and location and type of affordable housing: Residential development in Solvang primarily consists of single-family housing, which is typically more expensive than multi-family units. Slightly higher density residential development is located in the center of the city. There is one affordable housing development in Solvang, located in the center of the city.

Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty
While no R/ECAPs meeting HCD criteria were identified in Solvang, the AI recognizes multiple contributing factors to segregation patterns including:
• Concentration of higher density housing in the center of the city and single-family residential housing in other parts of the city: Single-family low-density patterns correlate to predominantly White and higher median household income areas located in northern and southern parts of 371
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Solvang. The central area of the city has higher residential density zoning and more racial/ethnic diversity and lower median household income.

Disproportionate Housing Needs
Contributing factors to disproportionate housing needs are:
• Risk of displacement due to an increasing income gap: In addition, overall median household income has increased while the percentage of residents living below the poverty line has also increased. This indicates there is an increasing income gap that could lead to displacement of LMI populations.
• Rising rent costs and cost burden: Rent costs have increased significantly in Solvang over the past decade which causes increased cost burden among renters. Cost burden is prevalent throughout the city, especially in the northern census tract. • Older housing stock: About 80 percent of the city’s housing stock is over 30 years old, indicating there is a large proportion of the housing stock that may be in need of repairs or maintenance.

Disparities in Access to Opportunities
The following contributing factors to disparities in access to opportunities were identified:
• Limited transit and limited connectivity to region: Transit access between Solvang and other parts of the County with larger urban centers and employment opportunity is limited. The Clean Air Express is a weekday commuter program that has a bus stop in Buellton and connects to Santa Maria, Goleta, and Santa Barbara. However, there is no stop in Solvang. Amtrack has bus service from Solvang to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Dial-A-Ride services are primarily available to seniors (60+) and ADA registered customers who must apply for ridership eligibility.
• Limited access to high paying jobs: The largest employment sectors in Solvang are arts/entertainment/recreation and manufacturing which have lower median salaries. In addition, the Economic Development Strategic Plan for the City of Solvang focuses on adding retail and service jobs which also have lower median salaries. Higher paying jobs are concentrated outside of Solvang in larger employment opportunity areas, such as the city of Santa Barbara.
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Local Data and Knowledge
As shown throughout this AFFH analysis, the central portions of the city generally experience a higher number of fair housing issues than other areas in Solvang. Fair housing issues in this area include higher levels of minority populations, low and moderate median income, and higher rates of cost burden. The predominant population in this area is White, however, between 21 and 60 percent of the population is non-White.

Stakeholder and Community Input
Community workshops were held on two occasions, March 11, 2022 and May 11, 2022. Common concerns raised by participants included the following:

Lack of access to services in Spanish
Traffic and parking issues indicating limited access to public transit and low walkability and bankability Limiting land use policies in the General Plan constrains available land, preventing development of multifamily housing (particularly regarding visual impacts of development) A Housing Needs Survey was conducted from April 20 to May 21, 2022, with 90 respondents (89 in English and one in Spanish). A Fair Housing Survey was with assisted living facilities, senior housing facilities, religious groups, and local non-profits from July 5 to August 22, 2022. This survey was distributed via email. The following comments regarding fair housing concerns were received:

There is a large senior population with low to moderate income Need for senior housing that is affordable
Need for housing that is accessible for persons with disabilities Lack of transit options for seniors and persons with disabilities Desire for housing with access to commercial centers
Residents are at risk of displacement due to economic hardships of landlords during the pandemic Lack of affordable housing options in the city
Other Relevant Factors
Other factors to fair housing issues in Solvang that have not been previously discussed in this analysis include the following:

Farmworker Housing
The Santa Ynez Valley is well known for its wineries and vineyards. The city of Solvang is surrounded by working agricultural land, bringing seasonal and migrant farmworkers to the area during certain times of the year. Farmworkers have unique housing needs as they are often seasonal workers and 373
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living on low income. The number of farmworkers employed in or near Solvang is unknown and there are limited affordable housing options of farmworkers in Solvang.

Access to Transportation for Persons with Disabilities
Solvang has a high percentage of the populating living with one or more disabilities. Persons with disabilities often include older residents who may not be able to drive or who have medical or other needs that require access to services such as medical care. Residents with disabilities have limited transportation opportunities within the city and the region. As discussed earlier, transit connectivity between Solvang and other parts of the county is limited. In addition, while Dial-A-Ride service is available within the Santa Ynez Valley area, persons with disabilities are required to submit ADA certification or apply for eligibility, including information that is to be filled out by a physician. Residents do not all have access to adequate medical care and may not be able to complete the application.

City’s Danish History and Tourism
Solvang was founded by Danish immigrants in the early 20th century. Today, that history is considered an important part of the city’s character and is prominently featured in the architecture and culture of the city. Tourism related to the city’s Danish heritage helps support the economy and culture of the city. The tourism industry provides a number of employment opportunities in the city, however retail and service-related jobs are typically low income. Additionally, tourism drives up property values, increasing housing costs. Low-income jobs combined with increasing property values can lead to displacement for at risk populations.

Subsidized Housing
Figure 40 shows the percent of renter occupied housing units that are occupied by Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) recipients. The southern census tract (89 HCV recipients total) had a higher percent of HCV recipients as renter occupied housing units compared to the northern census tract (16 HCV recipients total). However, both the northern and southern census tracts include unincorporated parts of the county, outside city limits. Therefore, some of the HCV recipients in these census tracts do not necessarily reside within Solvang. It is unknown how many HCV recipients reside within the city. The southern part of the city within the southern census tract includes Alisal Golf Course and Alisal Ranch.

Housing in Alisal Ranch consists of low density, single-family homes that are more expensive than housing in other parts of the city. It is likely HCV recipients in the southern census tract were living in unincorporated parts of the county rather than within Alisal Ranch.

Potential sites that can accommodate lower income units in the Sites Inventory are focused along Alamo Pintado Road, in the northern census tract. This census tract contains fewer housing choice voucher recipients, which improves the balance of distribution of HCV recipients in the city. 374
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Figure 40 Housing Choice Vouchers
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Sites Inventory
The housing element must demonstrate that there are adequate sites zoned for the development of housing for households sufficient to accommodate the number of new housing units needed at each income level as identified in the RHNA. In the context of AFFH, the site identification requirement involves not only an analysis of site capacity to accommodate the RHNA, but also whether the identified sites serve the purpose of replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity.

Opportunity Areas
HCD and TCAC have created opportunity maps to identify areas throughout the state whose characteristics support positive economic (low poverty, high employment, high median household income), educational (reading and math proficiency, high school graduation rates, low student poverty rates), and environmental outcomes (low exposure to pollution) for low-income families—particularly long-term outcomes for children. The HCD/TCAC Opportunity Areas Map ranks census tracts from highest resource to low resource based on these outcomes. A census tract with a designation of High Resource would indicate that the census tract has strong educational and economic opportunities, meaning opportunity for current and future residents. Most of the city is considered moderate resource while a large area of the northern portion of the city is considered low resource.

The city limit partially encompasses 2 census tracts, which are categorized by the 2021 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map as entirely high resources areas. For purposes of evaluating fair housing, resource levels designated by the TCAC/HCD map report on access to economic and educational opportunities such as low-cost transportation, jobs, and high-quality schools and the quality of environmental factors in the area such as proximity to hazards and air quality. This categorization of the 2 census tracts in the city indicates that, across the city, residents have low, moderate, and high access to positive economic outcomes, and high access to educational and environmental outcomes. The 2022 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map maps influenced the locations of potential lower income sites in the city.

The city’s residential neighborhoods are primarily built out with some residentially zoned vacant land available for development. Therefore, in addition to identifying available vacant sites, the City has identified vacant residential properties that can be rezoned to increase density to accommodate affordable housing development. The lower income sites identified in the Sites Inventory are concentrated along Alamo Pintado Road, north of Mission Drive. The entire city is designated high resource by TCAC and has high access to educational and environmental resources and low access to economic resources. A total of two vacant sites were identified to accommodate very low- and lowincome housing units, with a total capacity to accommodate 96 lower income units. An additional 23 vacant sites accommodating moderate- and above moderate-income housing units were identified and are spread throughout the city in high resource areas. Figure 41 shows the vacant parcels identified in the Sites Inventory in relation to the TCAC scores of each census tract. 376
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Figure 41 Location of Sites to Meet RHNA
Source: AFFH Data Viewer, 2022
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Improved Conditions
Spatial analysis shows that tracts with low- and moderate-income households, concentrated minorities, and housing problems are predominately located in the central areas of the city. All of the sites identified in the Sites Inventory are in high resource areas, with sites accommodating abovemoderate income housing units located throughout the city, including central areas of the city. Sites that accommodate lower income units in the low economic resource areas are concentrated along Alamo Pintado Road.

Exacerbated Conditions
The central area of the city contains census blocks with higher levels of concentrated minorities and cost burdened households. The city’s northern census block has the smallest non-White population and the highest household median income in the city. According to the TCAC opportunity map, the entire city has lower economic outcome scores. Vacant sites that could accommodate moderate and above-moderate units were identified throughout the city, including central areas. The Sites Inventory does not exacerbate conditions in vulnerable areas of the city.

Integration and Segregation: Race and Income
Census tracts with the highest concentration of minority races and LMI populations are located in the central part of the city. As stated previously, moderate and above-moderate income sites are identified throughout these areas.

Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty and Affluence While Solvang has no racially/ethnically concentrated areas of poverty (per HUD’s definition), some census blocks with a high concentration of minorities and lower median income were found in the central part of the city. Several vacant sites are located in these vulnerable areas and could support moderate income units and above-moderate income units. In addition, sites accommodating lower income units are located outside of the central part of the city, in the northeast and southern areas of the city.

Access to Opportunity
The city is categorized into two census tracts, both of which are considered high resource. Housing units in the sites inventory are not disproportionately concentrated in different resource areas. Sites accommodating moderate and above-moderate income units are scattered on vacant parcels throughout the city.

Disproportionate Housing Needs
The site inventory focused sites on vacant areas of the city to reduce potential impacts and exacerbate displacement risks.
.
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Table 22 Fair Housing Issues, Contributing Factors, and Meaningful Actions AFH Identified Fair Housing
Issue Contributing Factors Meaningful Actions
• Fair housing outreach and
housing mobility strategies
• Limited distribution of information on fair
housing rights and services
• Information on fair housing limited to
English
• Program HE-P: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
• Program HE-V: Housing Information Transparency
• Housing stock that is older
and lacks diversity
• Older housing stock
• Dominance of single-family housing
• Limiting local land use policies
• Program HE-A: Code Enforcement
• Program HE-B: Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program • Program HE-H: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Development • Program HE-J: Adequate Sites Program
• Program HE-K: Mixed-Use Development
• Program HE-O: Municipal Code Updates
• Program HE-U: Missing Middle Housing
• Lack of affordable housing • Dominance of single family housing • Location and type of affordable housing
• Lack of farmworker/workforce housing
• Program HE-C: Rental Assistance
• Program HE-F: Local Workforce Housing
• Program HE-G: Density Bonus Program
• Program HE-M: Lot Mergers
• Program HE-N: Affordable Housing Incentives Program
• Program HE-O: Municipal Code Updates
• Program HE-Q: Housing for Disabled Persons
• Residents vulnerable to
displacement
• Increasing income gap
• Rising rent costs
• High levels of cost burden among renter
households
• High percentage of residents with a
disability
• Program HE-F: Local Workforce Housing
• Program HE-G: Density Bonus Program
• Program HE-I: Application for Grants and Loans
• Program HE-J: Adequate Sites Program
• Program HE-K : Mixed-Use Development
• Program HE-M: Lot Consolidation
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• High percentage of senior residents
• Limited access to high paying jobs
• Program HE-N: Affordable Housing Incentives Program
• Program HE-O: Municipal Code Updates
• Program HE-P: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
• Program HE-R: Universal Design
• Limited transit access • Limited transit options and poor connectivity to region
• High number of residents with a disability
and senior residents relying on public
transit
• Program HE-P: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
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9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-B-1 Appendix B: Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element
Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Housing and Neighborhood Conservation

1. Code Enforcement
Bring substandard
housing units into
compliance with codes.
(Policy 1.1, 1.4)
Planning, Building
Department
Continue to carry out code
enforcement activities.

Ongoing In 2018, created a half time code
compliance position and filled it after
interviewing candidates.

Continue; add actions
related to assisting lowincome household with
addressing code
violations through
technical assistance of
funding, if available.

General Fund

2. Housing Rehabilitation
Assistance Program
Assist residents in
repairing, upgrading, and
improving single-family
and multifamily housing.
(Policy 1.2, 1.3, 1.4)
Planning / Community
Development
Assist 5 homeowners and 3
renter families. Advertise
program.
2015-2023 Under the emPower (CHERP) County
program, 2 homeowners were
assisted in 2018 to upgrade and
improve their household energy
efficiency through this subsidized
program, for a total of 3 homeowners
and 30 energy coach visits.

Continue; identify potential
funding sources and
commit to a minimum
number of funding
pursuits in the planning
period.

HOME

3. Section 8 Rental
Assistance
County Housing
Authority
Continue to participate.

Encourage property owners to
Ongoing Not completed. Continue; change to
reflect new name
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Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Extend rental subsidies to
extremely low and very
low-income households.
(Policy 2.1)
HUD list rentals with the Housing
Authority.
“Housing Choice
Vouchers” and add
specific actions.

4. Mobile Home and
Mobile Home Park
Preservation
Preserve mobile homes
and mobile home parks as
affordable housing
options.
(Policy 2.1, 3.1)
Planning / Community
Development
Maintain MHP designation
and continue to allow mobile
homes in single-family
residential zones ministerially.

Ongoing The Zoning Ordinance was amended
to remove the requirement for a
Conditional Use Permit for mobile
homes with permanent foundations
regardless of lot size.

Continue. Add actions that
meaningfully work
preserve existing mobile
home parks and
affordability.

None

5. Preservation of
Community Character
Administer design
standards in the TRC
zone.
(Policy 1.3, 3.3)
Planning / Community
Development, BAR
Preserve and maintain the
Danish/Northern European
design theme in the City's
Village area.

Ongoing March 2019 RFP released to update
the Design Guidelines, Community
Design Element of the General Plan,
and the sign ordinance.

Continue; potential to add
an action to establish
objective design
standards specific to the
TRC zone.

General Fund
384

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-B-3 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Housing Production

6. Local Workforce
Housing
Increase supply of
affordable housing for the
local workforce.
(Policy 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
Planning / Community
Development
Provide incentives to increase
the supply of housing
affordable to Solvang’s lowerincome workforce.

At least
annually,
2015-2023
The City has developed a list of
incentives to encourage more interest
in developing workforce housing
through the use of current State Law
and funding through the HOME
Consortium.

Continue; expand with
new actions and
objectives.

General Fund, HOME

7. Density Bonus
Ordinance
Provide incentives
required by State law.
(Policy 2.10, 3.5)
Planning / Community
Development
Amendment of Program 7:

Density Bonus Ordinance
2015 City Attorney determination that
deferring to State Law is adequate.

Continue; add action to
update Municipal Code to
reflect new State law
requirements.

General Fund

8. Second Unit
Development
Planning / Community
Development
Encourage the construction of
second units to meet the
needs of the very-low, low,
and moderate-income
Ongoing New State laws passed in 2016 (SB
1069 and AB 2299) and the new State
Laws in 2019 superseded previous
ordinance, Staff is following HCD's
Continue; add specific
actions to bring the
Municipal Code into
compliance with recent
385
H-B-4 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Facilitate development of
second units.
(Policy 2.9, 3.6)
General Fund households. Provide
information on the City’s
website, and with an
informational brochure.
guidance on approving ADUs
(Accessory Dwelling Units) as well as
their staff's comments and feedback.

Solvang's ADU ordinance will be
finalized and brought to Council in
2019. Staff is currently processing on
a case-by-case basis. the city has
issued 10 ADU's 2018-2019
State laws and to
incentivize development
(required).

9. N/A
Program 9 was eliminated
in the Fourth Cycle
Housing Element.

N/A N/A N/A Eliminated in the Fourth Cycle
Housing Element
Remove Program 9 from
enumeration.

N/A

10. Mortgage Credit
Certificate
Expand home ownership
opportunities.
(Policy 2.7, 2.8)
County Housing
Authority
Assist 20 households 2015-2023 County Housing Authority is responsible agency
Continue; add actions to
meet with Housing
Authority annually to
explore additional funding
and other opportunities to
expand the program.

Federal
386

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-B-5 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action

11. Application for Grants
and Loans
Ensure that funds are
available to implement
proposed housing
programs.
(Policy 2.4, 2.5, 2.7)
Planning / Community
Development
Investigate funds available
annually under Proposition 46
and 1C as well as other
sources. Apply to meet City’s
housing needs.

Ongoing Ongoing Continue; add actions
committing the City to
pursue funding, including
partnering with developers
and non-profits in the
pursuit of project-based
grants.

General Fund
Provision Of Adequate Sites For Housing

12. Adequate Sites
Program
Facilitate availability of
sufficient sites to meet
the City’s share of regional
housing needs.
(Policy 3.1, 3.2, 3.4)
Planning / Community
Development
Continue to inventory sites for
ongoing needs.

Ongoing 2018 evaluated inventory for accuracy
(size) and availability (many of the
vacant parcels currently are going
through entitlement process).

Continue; add actions
related to State law
compliance related to
rezone site requirements,
no-net-loss provisions,
and to provide a publicfacing inventory on the
City website.

General Fund
387
H-B-6 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action

13. Mixed-use
Development
Continue to encourage
residential uses in the
Village & commercial
areas by implementing
and maintaining zoning
standards for residential
densities that encourage
pedestrian-oriented,
mixed-use development to
help meet the needs of
Solvang’s fair-share
housing needs.
(Policy 3.2, 3.4, 3.5)
Planning / Community
Development
Continue to encourage
residential uses in the Village
Area that encourage
pedestrian-oriented, mixeduse development to help meet the needs of Solvang’s fairshare housing needs.

Ongoing Ongoing Continue; add actions as
needed; add action
encouraging mixed use
through the General Plan
Update process. This
program work to increase
housing mobility (an HCD
requirement).

General Fund

14. Infill Incentives
Ordinance
Facilitate development on
infill parcels.
(Policy 3.5)
Planning / Community
Development
Develop an ordinance that
specifies flexible standards
and incentives for infill
development.
2016 Planning staff changes in 2016
delayed plan making to achieve this
goal. The current goal is to review infill
development as part of a larger
economic development goal to be set
for 2020 with funding from the
General Plan Update process.

Continue; add new actions
and incentives as
appropriate.

General Fund
388

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-B-7 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action

15. Lot Consolidation
Consolidate lots to
develop housing to lowerincome households.
(Policy 3.4)
Planning / Community
Development
Encourage non-profit
developers and owners of
small sites to identify and
consolidate parcels to
facilitate the development of
housing affordable to lowerincome households.

Ongoing Although not part of a formalized
lower-income housing program, small
sites are being reconfigured to
accommodate higher densities-i.e., a
lot under 5,000 SF was just approved
to construct a duplex in the DR-20
zoning district where a single-family
unit existed. To approve this, staff
supported several modifications as to
setbacks, as this project was the best
and highest use of this property and
was compatible with surrounding
uses.

Continue; Sites 1 and 2
and Sites 4 and 5 have
potential for lot
consolidation.

General Fund
Removal Of Governmental Constraints

16. Planned Residential
Development (PRD)
District
Provide flexibility in
developments and
facilitate creative housing
opportunities.
(Policy 4.1)
Planning / Community
Development
Continue to use the PRD
designation.

Ongoing Although this is still a zoning district
designation in Solvang as an overlay,
the availability of large acreages in the
City at this time that could use this
designation for residential projects is
very limited.

Limited potential, not
required. Suggest delete.

General Fund
389
H-B-8 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action

17. Affordable Housing
Incentives Program
Facilitate development of
affordable housing.
(Policy 4.2)
Planning / Community
Development
Provide regulatory
concessions and other
incentives, including a density
bonus to encourage
affordable housing.
2015-2023 Density bonus offerings follow State
law. Solvang participates in the HOME
program with a consortium of other
cities that allocate monies among
various jurisdictions. Solvang received
an allocation for the Solvang Senior
Apartment housing in 2016.

Continue; add meaningful
actions and incentives.

General Fund
Equal Housing Opportunity

18. Fair Housing Program
Promote fair housing
practices.
(Policy 5.1, 5.3)
Planning / Community
Development
Continue to support the State
Office of Fair Employment
and Housing, CLRA, and equal
opportunity lending programs.

The City will support efforts
by the County Housing
Authority.

Ongoing Ongoing Continue; add meaningful
actions and expand
program to includes AFFH
requirements and to add
any remaining meaningful
AFFH actions that do not
fall under another
program.

General Fund

19. Housing for Disabled
Persons
Planning / Community
Development
The City will conduct an
evaluation and if any
2015 Solvang codified an ordinance in 2015
(11-12-25), Reasonable
Continue; add actions and
incentives to encourage
390

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-B-9 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Identify and remove
constraints affecting
persons with disabilities.
(Policy 2.4, 2.5, 5.3, 5.4)
General Fund constraints are identified, will
take actions to address
constraints.

Accommodation, to address the
process for requesting modifications
or exceptions to rules to remove
regulatory barriers to housing or
housing related facilities with
disabilities.
development; add a review
and evaluation of the
Reasonable
Accommodation
ordinance in 2024; add an
action to engage with
developers and nonprofits to identify
constraints in 2024

20. Universal Design
Encourage design
features that enhance
accessibility and safety.
(Policy 2.4, 2.5, 5.3, 5.4)
Planning / Community
Development
Work with homebuilders to
offer universal design options
prior to constructions.

Consider State model
ordinance for universal
design, if feasible.
2015-2023 Will place on universal design features
and implementation on City website.

Continue; add actions
related to engagement
with homebuilders to
encourage this housing
type. General Fund

21. Emergency &
Transitional Housing
Facilities and Services
Promote and facilitate
Emergency and
Transitional Housing
Facilities
(Policy 3.8, 3.9)
Planning / Community
Development
Meet with homeless service
providers periodically to
evaluate current and future
needs for a homeless or
transitional housing facility.

Ongoing Emergency and Transitional Housing
Facilities added as permitted uses in
R-1, E-1, DR, and PRD zoning districts
in 2015.

Continue; add actions
related to annual
engagement with
providers.

General Fund
391
H-B-10 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Program
Responsible Agency
Funding Source
Objective Timeframe Current Status
Recommended Sixth
Cycle Action
Energy Conservation

22. Energy Conservation
Alternatives
Incorporation of energy
saving features, energy
saving materials, and
energy efficient systems
and design for residential
development.
(Policy 4.4)
Planning / Community
Development
The City will develop a Green
Building Ordinance and public
outreach awareness.

Ongoing Ongoing Continue; update with new
actions and objectives.

General Fund
392

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-C-1 Appendix C: Comments on the Public Review Draft Housing Element
The City received a number of comments on the Public Review Draft Housing Element. The vast majority of these comments were received from residents that live near sites with a proposed rezone. These comments indicated that the capacity assumptions for Site C were infeasible due to site constraints, traffic concerns, and drainage issues. In response to these comments, the realistic capacity for Site C has been reduced to assume that a smaller portion of the site will be developed for affordable housing due to environmental constraints, particularly steep slopes and drainage issues. HCD does not consider traffic concerns an appropriate reason to exclude a lower income site from the inventory.

Additionally, as documented below, the City has expanded affordable housing and infill development incentives to assist with the costs of constraints on sites developed for affordable housing.

Additionally, a number of public comments took issue with the City’s initial realistic capacity assumptions for sites A-C, but particularly on Site C. The capacity calculations were set as conservative goals, with only a portion of capacity being assumed for lower-income development. In response to these comments, the City has revised capacity calculations to identify lower income capacity on each site, without assuming additional moderate or above moderate capacity.

Public comments also noted calculation errors in the RHNA Summary Table, including an overcalculation of the RHNA buffer related to no-net-loss. These errors have been corrected and the Sites Inventory analysis and summary table have been revised accordingly.

A public comment from the owner of Site A asked the City to remove the site from consideration in the Housing Element.

The owner expressed that the ownership group is not interested in higher density development on the site. Due to this comment, Site A was removed from the Housing Element.

Finally, a comment from the property owner of Site C noted potential incentives to overcome non-governmental and governmental constraints to affordable housing development in the community. In response, the City has revised the Draft Element to further incentivize affordable housing development as follows:
• Program HE-I: as requested in the public comment, the City has committed to maintaining a mailing list of developers, property owners, and non-profit agencies and distributing information on funding opportunities to these parties directly.
• Program HE-J has been included to rezone properties for compliance with 65583.2 (h) and (i), which requires a minimum density of 20 du/ac. The City’s maximum density is currently 20 du/ac, lower-income development on these sites can incorporate additional units through use of State density bonus law. • Program HE-N has been revised to identify “parking reductions equivalent to the percentage of affordable units provided” and “additional building height” as potential incentives for affordable housing development. o Ministerial review will be provided to project providing 20 percent of units affordable to lower-income households, or 100 percent of units affordable to moderate income households, in compliance with State law. Incentives will not be offered projects that do not meet the affordability thresholds. • Program HE-N mentions State and Federal funding to be used to incentivize affordable housing development and asks for greater specificity. The City has revised the action in question to, “Use state and federal funding to 393
H-C-2 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 offset costs of governmental and non-governmental constraints to affordable housing development. As funds become available, the City shall immediately distribute information to property owners, developers, and local non-profits related to eligibility and application for direct financial assistance.” • Comment #7 related to discretionary development plans and design review for development at 20 dwelling units per acre: The City has revised the text to clarify that the city will adopt objective design standards and a ministerial review process for developments that meet affordability thresholds (20 percent lower-income or 100 percent moderate-income) and that no discretionary review will be applied to such projects. • Program HE-L: We have identified reduced setbacks and parking requirements for affordable infill projects as potential incentives for the City to explore. We have also moved the timing of the program up from three years to one year.
• Program HE-U: The City has added specificity to the program, including engagement with local developers, property owners, and non-profit agencies to identify constraints and meaningful incentives to infill and missing middle housing development.
• Comment #9: The reference to Table H-38 was an error and has been corrected. Please see Table H-46, which documents housing types permitted by zone.
• Calculations in Table H-1 were revised to correct an error in the calculation of total units permitted in the 5th cycle.
• References to Southern California Edison assistance programs were removed, as these programs are not available in Solvang. Information related to SoCalGas programs, which are available to Solvang residents, has been revised to include two additional programs provided by the agency. 394
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[#20221221224314] Comment from PlanSolvang website PlanSolvang Solvang General Plan Update <[email protected]> Wed 12/21/2022 2:44 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>;[email protected] <[email protected]>;Xenia Bradford <[email protected]>;David Packard <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]> Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Ticket: [#20221221224314]
Name: Sophia Checa
e-mail: [email protected]
Comments:

Comments received via phone call
1) Table H-59 needs to be re-worked for clarity. It took a lot of analyzing the numbers to understand the surplis and percentages. We also have the recommendation to add a column for Extremely Low Income like the Projected Housing Needs table on page H-6. The math on Table H-59 needs to be revisited. I think the 20% buffer amounts are incorrect. Additionally, why are we shooting for higher than the RHNA with buffer? 2) It is not clear where the New Construction Objectives on page H-6 came from. Did the city actually set these goals? The recommendation is to reduce them, if possible.
3) When the Consultants speak to the public and City Council again, I recommend discussing how the analysis for the sites happened and how they disbursed the various units (extremely low, low, etc) across the sites.

Thank you!
Page title: PlanSolvang
395
396
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Opposition to the re-zoning of 741 and 739 Alamo Pintado in the City of Solvang CA.

L Woodall <[email protected]>
Tue 1/3/2023 3:28 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Cc: Ben <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. 12/20/2022
Dear City of Solvang and to whom it may concern,
We recently reviewed the Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment [December 2022] document and learned of the possible rezoning of lots 741 Alamo Pintado Road and 739 Alamo Pintado Road, also known as “Site A” in the Housing Needs Assessment Draft. It seems the City is proposing to rezone the two sites to accommodate high density, lower income housing. The two sites are currently zoned 20-R-1 and allow for two dwelling units per acre. The City intends to rezone the parcels to DR-20 and apply the required minimum density of 20 dwelling units per acre to meet the high-density designation.

We live at 2005 Kanin Hoj. Kanin Hoj is a small cul-de-sac serving five homes adjacent to the proposed “Site A”. We strongly oppose rezoning the lots adjacent to and near our street. Our neighborhood is not designed to support high-density housing. It is a quiet, single-family residential community desirable for the privacy and serenity provided by the large low-density lots.

Water, traffic, parking, noise, light, pollution and scale of such a development are all of great concern. The proposed zoning would be out of context and scale for the neighborhood. Kanin Hoj would not be able to withstand the additional traffic or parking created from the proposed high-density housing. The increased vehicular traffic on Kanin Hoj and Alamo Pintado could also pose a potential life safety hazard, as there is no access for pedestrians and limited access for first responders.

The proposed high-density housing located in a single-family residential neighborhood will also negatively affect the home values in the immediate vicinity as the homes in this single-family residential community are desirable for the privacy and serenity provided by the large low-density lots.

In addition, this will negatively impact the local wildlife, namely the deer families that live and reproduce here. We greatly appreciate your concern and thoughtfulness in regards to our effort to preserve the beauty of this single-family residential community.

Sincerely,
Ben and Lindsay Woodall
397
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Karry Lee <[email protected]>
Sun 12/25/2022 11:53 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
1) Water and sewer hook ups for more housing? How can we accommodate more water use in a deepening draught? How can we hook up more units to a defunct sewer system? Solvang should have a moratorium on building and hook ups! 2) TRAFFIC How can Solvang increase housing without creating an additional roadway bypass? Extending Fjord to 246 looks like the only viable option!
3) INFILL
398
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Draft Housing Element comments
Kief Adler <[email protected]>
Sat 12/31/2022 1:59 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

I've reviewed the draft housing element documents and found them to be thorough and well put together. That said, I do have the following comments:

1. While the state mandates many things, it does not mean that we, as citizens of Solvang, need to roll over and accept them. There are ways of fighting State laws in the courts and we can also reach out to our local representatives for help. I am not sure that a "one size fits all" approach by the State fits a small town like ours.

2. Yes there is an obvious need for housing, especially lower income housing. Solvang is a tourist town. It is our main source of revenue and jobs and should be respected for that. However, as we keep building high end hotels and restaurants instead of affordable housing, we are pushing our service workers further away from our City. For lower income employees, the cost of commuting can negate the benefits of working in our hotels, shops and restaurants further exacerbating our employee shortage.

3. I would like to see a common sense approach regarding housing in the City, with an emphasis on lower income needs. Further I would push back against the State and inquire where the water for these projects is supposed to come from. Finally, I would not allow any large projects to move forward, with an exemption for those close to permiting, until we solve our water issues.

Kief Adler
Solvang resident
399
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Comments on Public Review Draft 12/2022 of Housing Element Stephen Martin <[email protected]>
Thu 1/5/2023 11:41 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;[email protected] <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Honorable Mayor, City Council and Planning Commission
I strongly urge you to exclude the steep 4.48 ac parcel from Site C (formerly Site 3) in the proposed Housing
Element (HE).

Solvang needs to encourage construction of affordable,
not higher income, housing. Market conditions and
existing zoning have historically been sufficient to easily meet the needs for higher income housing.

While the proposed HE does encourage affordable
housing, it also unnecessarily proposes high density
zoning in areas where high development costs will likely exclude affordable housing. History tells us that this will use up land in order to develop unneeded moderate and
higher income houses. According to the 2015 to 2023 HE
5th cycle planning period report at page H-23, table H-1, Solvang exceeded State Regional Housing Needs
Assessment (RHNA) requirements for additional moderate
and above moderate housing by 220% and 153%
respectively.

The proposed HE for the 2023 to 2031 6th cycle period
projects that we will again exceed moderate and above
moderate requirements, by 233% and 304% respectively.

So we see that Solvang is overstimulating higher income housing. This overstimulation simply creates unneeded
units which attract additional affluent residents who in turn will consume scarce water resources, create more
traffic congestion, and add to the costs of City services.

This may be a windfall for developers but it is not good for Solvang.

SITE C of the draft HE is a prime example of how the
proposed plan will overstimulate higher income housing.

Site C consists of a 1 acre fairly flat parcel and a 4.48 acre steeply sloped parcel. Present zoning allows for 2 units and 9 units respectively on these parcels. The draft HE calls for rezoning the entire site for high density to allow for a projected 20 affordable housing units and 20
moderate and 36 above moderate income units. However
such zoning changes ALLOWING AT LEAST 20 units per
acre could lead to AT LEAST 110 UNITS WITH ONLY 20
BEING AFFORDABLE.

Given the steep slopes, and poor soil quality,
drainage/flooding, access/traffic and other issues,
400
1/16/23, 1:06 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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is NOT EVEN NEEDED to meet moderate and above
moderate income housing goals. As the HE plan itself
acknowledges in table H-59, if we do the math, even
without these 20 moderate and 36 above moderate units,
Solvang will still EXCEED the RHNA State requirements,
including a 20% buffer, by 159% for moderate units (63- 20 ÷27) and by 213% for above moderate units.(228-
36÷90)
Why would we facilitate unrequired and unneeded higher
income housing?
Not only are these proposed extra higher income units
not needed, they will result in unnecessary and
permanent harm to Solvang's Plan to preserve the
character of its neighborhoods and its designated scenic vistas, and cause unnecessary increased traffic congestion at its eastern gateway. It will also require additional and costly public infrastructure and services to deal with flood and traffic control. And, very importantly, it will
unnecessarily burden already scarce water resources.

I therefore again urge you to correct this serious planning error by excluding the 4.48 acre parcel from SITE C so that it will NOT UNNECESSARILY BE REZONED FOR HIGH
DENSITY DEVELOPMENT.

Stephen C. Martin
698 Hillside Drive
Solvang CA 93463
[email protected]
401
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Jane McGinty <[email protected]>
Sat 1/7/2023 4:08 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Dear Mayor Infanti and Council Members:

We moved to this lovely town of Solvang in 2000 and after living and golfing on the Alisal Ranch for six years, we moved to a home in Santa Ynez on Monteciello. Solvang drew us back, however, and by 2011 we bought our home in the beautiful community of Mission Oaks. We live at the top of historic Aqueduct Way where we have a lovely view and although we pay a premium price for it, we are close to the hospital, doctors, markets, banks etc. We feel safe here. It is what we worked a lifetime for.

We are very concerned about the rezoning proposal to allow more unnecessary housing and create even more congestion. The area already has a dangerous four way stop at Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Road and the expansion of the New Frontiers Market has increased traffic in the area tremendously. A more congested entrance to Solvang cannot be what you had in mind. Another consideration is that any new development will also increase the depletion of our scarce water resources. Already Mission Oaks has adapted to this scarcity with very strict rules about our use of the water here. I would hope that the city would tighten its belt as well and not add more unnecessary housing.

Sincerely yours,
Jane McGinty
646 Aqueduct Way Solvang CA 93463
402
1/17/23, 9:47 AM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAQAO%2F0hTpoOiNAhA92A6VsnE… 1/2 Comment Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Karen <[email protected]>
Mon 1/9/2023 11:59 AM
To: Dave Fleishman <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Public City Council Group <[email protected]>
Cc: Dan Martin <[email protected]>;Steve Martin <[email protected]> This sender is trusted.

Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Mayor Infanti, Councilmembers, City of Solvang:

Before I address the more technical issues regarding the proposed re-zoning and development of site C below, I want to make it clear that this site falls within the designated view corridor of our master plan, and it is an archeologically sensitive area.

As such, I have reached out to the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, and have shared photos of what I believe to be part of the original Mission Aqueduct which is located on Site C.

As I have stated previously in person in front of the Planning Commission, and in front of you all, this Site C requires extensive geological, environmental and archeological study prior to any type of re-zoning or development.

I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the Very-Low and Lowcost units the State requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Because Solvang has limited space and limited resources the Housing Element needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid producing more of the expensive units than is necessary. But the Draft Housing Element, as currently written, NEEDLESSLY ENCOURAGES EVEN MORE HIGHER INCOME UNITS.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for Moderate and 304% for Above Moderate. (233% appears to be an error, it is actually even worse – 286%)
Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This 403
1/17/23, 9:47 AM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAQAO%2F0hTpoOiNAhA92A6VsnE… 2/2 parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR

DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

Thank you in advance for continuing to do more detailed due diligence prior to making any decisions.

Karen M. Waite
Former Councilmember
Solvang, Ca
Resident
404
1/16/23, 1:07 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Albert Mills <[email protected]>
Mon 1/9/2023 8:16 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Because Solvang has limited space and limited resources the Housing Element needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid producing more of the expensive units than is necessary.

But the Draft Housing Element, as currently written, NEEDLESSLY ENCOURAGES EVEN MORE HIGHER INCOME UNITS.

Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of highdensity affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48- acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR

DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

Rezoning to allow more unnecessary higher income housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique neighborhood and damage first impressions of visitors to our city. To correct this error, the steep 4.48-acre parcel should 405
1/16/23, 1:07 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Thank you.

Albert Mills
621 Hillside Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
[email protected]
406
1/16/23, 1:08 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Sandy Mills <[email protected]>
Mon 1/9/2023 8:11 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Because Solvang has limited space and limited resources the Housing Element needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid producing more of the expensive units than is necessary.

But the Draft Housing Element, as currently written, NEEDLESSLY ENCOURAGES EVEN MORE HIGHER INCOME UNITS.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR

DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

The units are not even needed to meet the State's RHNA goals for Moderate and Above Moderate housing. Allowing them would unnecessarily cause problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic safety and congestion. It would destroy a section of the Historic Mission Aqueduct and a Solvang designated scenic vista and would increase the need for costly new infrastructure and services. Very importantly, it would also increase depletion of our scarce water resources. 407
1/16/23, 1:08 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/AAMkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAuAAAAAAAQnsO3NDNETqE%2BY8aduv1… 2/2 Rezoning to allow more unnecessary higher income housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique neighborhood and damage first impressions of visitors to our city. To correct this error, the steep 4.48-acre parcel should not be rezoned DR-20 and should be removed from Site C.

Thank you.

Sandra Mills
621 Hillside Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
[email protected]
408
1/16/23, 1:08 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sun 1/8/2023 6:15 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;[email protected] <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
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Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers
My husband and I have been residents of Solvang for 47 years and for the past 9 years have resided in Mission Oaks HOA above the land along Alamo Pintado that the Richman family owns. We have seen many changes in our beautiful valley during that time, some good and some not so good.

Over the years we have seen some incredible increases in vehicular traffic throughout the Valley but most significantly two locations require some discussion. The intersections of State Route 246 (SR 246) and Alamo Pintado and another at Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Drive. A few short years ago the increased traffic at Old Mission Drive and Alamo Pintado got so heavy that a 4-way stop was created. In recent years with the completion of the Mercantile Shopping Center and 16 new residences on Old Mission Drive, traffic in these two locations has mushroomed. With three separate entrances and exits for the shopping center, traffic is constantly entering or leaving which causes confusion for drivers and often requires driving in the opposing lane of traffic on Old Mission Drive. Large delivery trucks and an assortment of cars and trucks owned by employees of the various businesses line Old Mission Drive and occasionally block the entrance to Mission Oaks, our driveway.

If the property along Alamo Pintado owned by the Richman family is rezoned to accommodate more commercial businesses and innumerable low-cost housing, it can and will create significant safety concerns.

I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the Very-Low and Low-cost units the State requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

Respectfully Submitted,
SuziMatthies
682 Hillside Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
Email: [email protected]
Home Phone: 805-688-8515
409
1/16/23, 1:08 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Paul Matthies <[email protected]>
Sun 1/8/2023 3:26 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers,
My wife and I have been residents of Solvang for 47 years and for the past 9 years have resided in Mission Oaks HOA above the land along Alamo Pintado that the Richman family owns. We have seen many changes in our beautiful valley during that time, some good and some not so good.

Large delivery trucks and an assortment of cars and trucks owned by employees of the various businesses line Old Mission Drive and occasionally block the entrance to Mission Oaks, our driveway.

If this property is rezoned to accommodate more commercial businesses and innumerable low-cost housing, it can and will create significant safety concerns.

I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the Very-Low and Low-cost units the State requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Because Solvang has limited space and limited resources the Housing Element needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid producing more expensive units than is necessary. But the Draft Housing Element, as currently written, NEEDLESSLY ENCOURAGES EVEN MORE HIGHER INCOME UNITS.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for Moderate and 304% for Above Moderate. (233% appears to be an error, it is actually even worse – 286%)
Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for the construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1-acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher-income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER-INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

Rezoning to allow more unnecessary higher-income housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique neighborhood and damage the first impressions of visitors to our city. To correct this error, the steep 4.48-acre parcel should not be rezoned DR-20 and should be removed from Site C.

Respectfully Submitted,
Paul Matthies
682 Hillside Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
Email: [email protected]
Home Phone: 805-688-8515
410
Hans and Wendy Gregersen
638 Aqueduct Way
Solvang, CA 93463
Telephone:1-805-693-1148; Mobile: 1-805-245-0771
January 8, 2023
Dear Mayor Infanti, Mayor pro tem Orona, Council Members Brown and Orona, We are writing to address continued concerns with the December 15, 2022, Public Review Draft of the Housing Element. We continue to feel strongly that Solvang must have greater numbers of affordable housing if it is to meet the needs of its residents and continue to flourish as an exemplary city. However, that can only be accomplished with a sound plan in which we all have confidence.

We have written and testified in the past on many aspects of the Housing Element, especially as it pertains to Site ‘C’. Thanks to City Staff the current draft has some important modifications. However, further critical changes must be made to avoid drastic long-term problems of traffic congestion, safety, insufficient water resources, all of which the current draft will create. The new draft does however contain the elements to solve some of those issues on Site ‘C.’
Alas, Site ‘C’ is still comprised of two very different parcels, one 1-acre and the other 4.8 acres. The 20 affordable units the site is now projected to produce will presumably be built on the flatter parcel that the report describes as “significantly less costly to develop.” The far steeper 4.8-acre hillside parcel will be difficult, if not impossible, to develop with Very Low or Low affordable housing. This is particularly true due to its steep slopes, propensity for erosion, expansive soil, water runoff, and need for access.

The 56 far less affordable Moderate and Above Moderate units will certainly be sited on the hillside parcel, destroying a designated Scenic Vista, unearthing sensitive historical resources, causing traffic congestion, and using precious water. Although the Housing Element does incorporate the ability to build Moderate and Above Moderate units, Table H-59 shows that these less affordable units are clearly not needed. The draft proposal envisions producing 233% (M) and 304% (AM) of what is needed.

Given the impacts of developing the larger 4.8-acre parcel of Site ‘C’ it seems irresponsible for the city to consider going forward with the draft proposal to rezone it to allow 20 units per acre. Especially prior to any development plan that is specific as to what can and will be built there. It is simply a ‘free pass’ with no protections for homeowners on adjoining lands, nor safeguards against any of the significant negative impacts to the community noted above.

There is however, one important remedy for solving Site ‘C’ issues in the Housing Element Plan. It is simply to NOT include the larger parcel in Site ‘C’. Keeping the parcels independent while changing the designation on the smaller flat site only, will provide what is needed to develop real affordable housing now, and allow the city to require a future developer to prove in advance of a zoning change, that in fact the larger site can be developed in a manner that won’t create long term unresolvable problems as has been noted throughout these deliberations.

This is a difficult task that has no easy answers. The challenge for the city is to meet a specific level of affordable housing for residents of Solvang over the next eight years. It is not a ‘hope to be able’ - it is a mandate that must be met. Penalties for failing to live up to any plan to which Solvang agrees will at some point, fall on the shoulders of all residents and businesses either directly or indirectly.

Solvang is an amazingly great city. We are aware of the time, effort and thinking that has gone into the report so far. Making changes that will ensure we’ve planned for the best possible outcome and against future ‘unintended consequences’ continues to be a worthy endeavor to seek on behalf of all Solvang residents.

Please keep up the good work and best intentions.

Thank you,
Hans and Wendy Gregersen
Cc: SCheca, City Clerk
411
1/16/23, 1:09 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Jeff Nelson <[email protected]>
Sat 1/7/2023 7:17 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers
I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the Very-Low and Low-cost units the State requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for Moderate and 304% for Above Moderate. (233% appears to be an error, it is actually even worse – 286%)
412
1/16/23, 1:09 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/AAMkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAuAAAAAAAQnsO3NDNETqE%2BY8aduv1… 2/3 Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

Rezoning to allow more unnecessary higher income housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique 413
1/16/23, 1:09 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/AAMkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAuAAAAAAAQnsO3NDNETqE%2BY8aduv1… 3/3 neighborhood and damage first impressions of visitors to our city. To correct this error, the steep 4.48-acre parcel should not be rezoned DR-20 and should be removed from Site C.

Thank you.

Jeff Nelson
634 Aqueduct Way,
Solvang, Ca. 93463
414
1/16/23, 1:10 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Fwd: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Susan Nelson <[email protected]>
Sat 1/7/2023 4:52 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for Moderate and 304% for Above Moderate. (233% appears to be an 415
1/16/23, 1:10 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/AAMkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAuAAAAAAAQnsO3NDNETqE%2BY8aduv1… 2/3 error, it is actually even worse – 286%)
Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.

The units are not even needed to meet the State's RHNA goals for Moderate and Above Moderate housing. Allowing them would unnecessarily cause problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic safety and congestion. It would destroy a section of the Historic Mission Aqueduct and a Solvang designated scenic vista and would increase the need for costly new infrastructure and services. Very importantly, it would also increase depletion of our scarce water resources.
416
1/16/23, 1:10 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
https://outlook.office.com/mail/AAMkAGRhMzRhYzZjLTJlYmQtNGZlNC1iNmYyLWRhZDNjZGE4MmFjNgAuAAAAAAAQnsO3NDNETqE%2BY8aduv1… 3/3 Rezoning to allow more unnecessary higher income housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique neighborhood and damage first impressions of visitors to our city. To correct this error, the steep 4.48-acre parcel should not be rezoned DR-20 and should be removed from Site C.

Thank you.

Susan Nelson
634 Aqueduct Way,
Solvang, Ca. 93463
417
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Alamo Pintado at Old Mission Drive
john lee <[email protected]>
Sat 1/7/2023 4:50 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>
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Valued Public Servants,
Our names are John and Dana Lee, we are married and have lived on the cul de sac at the end of Old Mission Drive for 3 years. Old Mission at Alamo Pintado is our only access to Nielsen’s, Merkantile, Solvang,Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, and all other points in every compass direction. To say that traffic in this area is already congested is an understatement. Waited in a line of traffic coming to Alamo Pintado from Santa Barbara lately? Just wait for the new line coming to that intersection form town if the new residents work to the north!! We can manage it now, but additional homes/traffic/residents will turn it into a nightmare. Imagine all this new chaos 5 houses down from you and blocking your only access to and from YOUR house and businesses that you have available.

The city is congested enough. Please don’t ruin it further.

The greed of developers and the sparkle of new tax revenue are formidable forces. What’s next? 246 thru town with a 4 lane highway running above it? Soon it’s BYE BYE SOLVANG! Please find other land to develop with less impact on the people who love things the way they are. If you MUST!! get bigger, find some land near a quiet intersection where neighbors won’t notice or care! There is a lot of land elsewhere for the State to enforce it’s unconscionable demand for new unit construction. It is my opinion that Solvang’s plan grows us to become something we are not. Slow down…..nobody says we have to get big!
(Please respond with dates and times of the next meetings on this plan.) Very respectfully,
Happy Solvang residents,
John and Dana Lee
418
419
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Comment on Housing Element
Chantee Sea Sea <[email protected]>
Thu 1/12/2023 12:56 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
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January 12th, 2022
Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Dear Mayor Infanti and Council members,
Rezoning to allow additional disproportionate higher-income housing at a crowded gateway is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique Solvang neighborhood.

Permitting dense buildings on a steep lot causes problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic and pedestrian safety, and loss of habitat to the wildlife that share this unique open space essential to the health and well-being of our community. Please be respectful of this Historic Mission Aqueduct, preserve it, and acknowledge the climate change in California; despite the recent rain, we are still in a drought, water is scarce, and fire season has become almost year-round.

Please reconsider rezoning the steep 4.48-acre parcel to DR-20 and remove it from Site C instead. The steep 4.48-acre lot is not appropriate for constructing high-density affordable housing.

The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C could all be built on the more level 1-acre parcel described as "significantly less costly to develop" on pages H-104 of the Housing Needs Assessment.

The Housing Element is proposing 56 nonessential Higher Income units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site unsuitable for affordable housing. The Housing Element must focus on supplying more affordable dwellings and produce no more expensive units than necessary.” Rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) could allow for at least 80 additional higher-income units above the ten permitted under the current zoning.

Table H-59 shows that rezoning to allow higher-income units on Site C is unnecessary to meet Solvang’s affordable housing needs.

Sincerely,
Chantal Cloutier
750 Hillside Drive
Solvang, California
420
1/16/23, 1:11 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Patricia Hedrick <[email protected]>
Thu 1/12/2023 1:02 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
To Solvang City Council and Staff,
We can all agree on the need for affordable housing. The question is how much and where it is cost-effective to build the necessary housing.

Site C on Alamo Pintado and Old Mission is the largest undeveloped site in Solvang, but it is undeveloped for good reasons. In fact Site C is actually 2 separate parcels, the more level corner parcel and the steep hillside parcel. The steep hillside parcel is an unrealistic site for high-density development.

Consider the topography:

Site C as illustrated shows both parcels as a flat rectangular shape. I am familiar with Site C as I walk near it almost daily. The northern parcel illustrated in the Draft Plan is referred to as a ‘U’ shaped contour when it is actually the opposite shape - a STEEP hill on both sides. City staff acknowledge that grading this parcel will be ‘especially difficult’, realistically it will require hill top removal and a total re-shaping to allow for the density desired by the city.

Removal of expansive soil and the importation of non-expansive soil would be expensive and disruptive to residents, businesses and visitors and all who use Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Rd and Hwy 246. Along with noise, air pollution and serious drainage issues (witness recent flooding) it would be expensive to mitigate.

Many residents, including the city’s own staff, have pointed out the impracticality of trying to build high-density, affordable housing on the steep hillside parcel. Access will be restricted and parking will be problematic as on street parking does not exist.

This steep parcel is the wrong site to achieve 20 affordable units, with 40-60 moderate to above moderate priced homes required to pay for the affordable units, though the city doesn’t need more above moderate priced homes.

The city cannot afford this project, particularly the necessary infrastructure and services it will require to build and maintain.

I urge the city council to visit this site, to be aware of property lines and access limitations. Try to visualize how Site C can be realistically transformed into a densely packed development of 80-100 ‘units’ without destroying the character of a Solvang designated ‘Scenic Vista’ and avoiding adverse impact to adjacent neighborhoods.

This is NOT a cost-effective site. I urge the city to avert this potential planning disaster and eliminate the steep hillside parcel from Site C.

Sincerely,
Patricia Hedrick
Solvang Resident
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Comment on Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 John Royce <[email protected]>
Fri 1/13/2023 1:58 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Mayor Infanti, Councilmembers, and Housing Element Committee Staff, We are all aware of California’s acute housing crisis. To help tackle this crisis, we understand that Solvang is periodically required by the state of California to update its Housing Element. Kent and I believe we all share responsibility to mitigate this serious issue. To that end, we are not opposed to thoughtfully designed higher density housing as part of our workforce housing solution, and we do not protest having such a development near our own neighborhood.

In Solvang, many of our jobs simply do not accommodate our workforce’s ability to house themselves affordably. As one of the basic tenets of a healthy community, we believe we are obligated to provide reasonable opportunities to develop livable, affordable housing for the employees our city demands and attracts. Since we have extremely limited undeveloped space, it is imperative that we plan for our housing element carefully, thoughtfully, and creatively.

If the majority of our workforce must live and work outside of our city, we exacerbate the crush of traffic and parking issues, because every employee we require relies on personal transportation to get here, and requires a parking space for most of the day, often the same parking spaces provided for tourists and customers who spin our local economic engines. For these reasons, siting high density affordable housing close to local employment centers and amenities makes absolute sense, as it reduces the number of personal vehicle trips each resident must take to work, shop and play in our community.

However, the current proposal for the two parcels labeled as Site C goes far beyond our stated needs. While it does propose 18 Very Low and 2 Low income category units on the smaller, flatter parcel of Site C, it proposes an additional 20 Moderate and 36 Above Moderate units on the larger, steeper, 4.48-acre parcel. These additional units are not necessary to satisfy our RHNA goals. In fact, the city consistently over produces these high income categories. According to Table H-59 on page H-107 of the Housing Needs Assessment, there are already far more than enough credits for Moderate and Above Moderate units due to pending and or approved projects, ADU projections, and vacant sites that do not require rezoning. Thus, it is completely unnecessary to rezone the larger, steeper parcel of Site C. These additional proposed units will most certainly exacerbate traffic congestion and other population pressures, and threaten both a designated local view corridor and the historic Mission Santa Inez aqueduct, while serving no intended purpose from a community planning perspective. We won’t be able to blame this on Sacramento!
If the crux of the argument for developing Site C is the urgent need for more affordable workforce housing, we should exclude the larger, upper parcel in the DR-20 rezoning process, as the lower, 1-acre parcel provides the opportunity to produce the affordable units we require, with close, often pedestrian access to local employment, shopping, and public transit amenities.

Thank you for taking the time to consider our comments.

Sincerely,
John Royce and Kent Lockart
687 Hillside Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
John A Royce
[email protected]
CleanYourStoop on IG
562.208.9871 M Texts welcome
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December, 2022 Kent Lockart <[email protected]>
Fri 1/13/2023 2:44 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
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Dear Mayor Infanti, Mayor pro tem Orona, Council Members Brown and Orona, and Staff, In the “Summary of Capacity to Meet the RHNA”, page H-107, the “Site Inventory Table”, page H-58 is still confusing and continues to have an error in the calculation of the “% of RHNA Planned for Moderate”. This is the “Summary”.

Given that some people only read the “Summary”, that error alone would cause anyone reviewing the plan to question if there are more errors in the rest of the plan.

The Table H-58, “Summary of Capacity Table”, (see below) shows us that we do not need to rezone for Moderate and Above Moderate. Solvang will achieve these naturally. Projects, ADU’s, and Vacant Sites already fulfill these two categories.

In the proposed rezoning that is included in this plan, Solvang is committing to the State more units than what they have asked for. I believe this is a mistake. It’s a waste. It gives the State too much control and triggers multiple regulations.

In fact, as you know, we must report to the State, DR-20 projects that are listed for affordable housing but not developed at the densities shown in our Housing Element.

Solvang has confined boarders, limited resources, and is almost built out. Our Housing Element for the next eight years needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid committing all our vacant parcels to producing more expensive units than is necessary.

One option to reduce the unnecessary over commitment of this plan is to separate the two parcels of Site C. The steep 4.48-acre parcel from Site C should be removed and not be rezoned DR-20 as part of this Housing Element submission. The 1-acre lower parcel is sufficient to produce the 20 Very Low and Low we need to meet our RHNA requirements.

Thank you for the opportunity to address the Housing Element Draft.

Kent Lockart
687 Hillside Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
[email protected]
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1/16/23, 1:12 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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January 10, 2023
City of Solvang
Sophia Checa, Planning Manager
411 Second Street
Solvang, CA 93463
Sent via email [email protected]
Subject: Comment Submittal, City of Solvang Housing Element Thank you for your excellent work in creating a clear vision for a cohesive, resilient, and vibrant community. The City’s Housing Element represents an important opportunity to continue efforts to use land use regulations as an effective response to climate change.

Please include these comments as a part of your public outreach:

1. To diversify housing availability, discourage auto trips, encourage walking and social interaction, allow multi-use and residential development within all land-use areas. This will allow hospitality, retail staff, school faculty, and lower-wage workers to live and work in the same location reducing auto trips and climate-changing pollution.

2. Develop robust design criteria for any higher-density development to conform to the City of Solvang’s ‘Approved Guiding Principles’.

3. Encourage employers to provide staff housing as a part of their employment package.

4. Vacant Site C’s steep, hill area will require mass grading, habitat loss, and historic resource destruction which cannot be mitigated.
a. Site C’s relatively level area likely represents a developable area and must include rigorous design standards to comply with the City’s Guiding Principles. b. If not already participating, it is imperative a representation from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians be involved in site C’s planning and design.

5. Continue efforts to densify development, create walkable, narrower streets, and encourage public transportation.

I appreciate the opportunity to comment and can be reached at my office at 805 693 4592.

Sincerely,
Denise Johns ASLA, Landscape Architect CA 4916
611 Aqueduct Way
Solvang, California 93463
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1/16/23, 1:13 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Annamarie Porter <[email protected]>
Fri 1/13/2023 10:11 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Annamarie Porter, CMC
City Clerk
City of Solvang
Phone: (805) 688-5575 x206
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Story <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2023 9:28 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Solvang Draft Housing Element
City Officials,
I think that the plan to build low cost housing next to Mission Oaks was poorly conceived and will be disastrous on many levels.

There are people, far more knowledgeable than I, who will talk about elevation, soil, and runoff.

Where are you going to park another 200 cars?
The traffic is already congested and dangerous. My car has nearly been hit a couple of times, and pedestrians, literally have to dodge cars as the cross the road.

Drivers are looking at the traffic light and drive right through the stop sign You have three lanes of traffic on Alamo Pintado that arrive at the stop sign at different times.

Drivers make a U turn and then pull into the parking lot when the drivers behind them think that they are going to turn at the traffic light.

A woman was killed a couple of years ago. She was crossing 246 in a crosswalk with the light in her favor. A careless or frustrated driver turning left from Alamo Pintado didn’t see her. She was hit and killed.

You take your life in your hands when trying to cross Old Mission Oaks to enter the parking lot of New Frontiers. You have delivery trucks parked in the middle of the street and it’s on a corner making it impossible to see oncoming traffic. I have also seen a large RV, too big for the parking lot, parked in the red zone as they shop.

I respectfully ask you to reconsider the idea of low cost housing at this location.

Sincerely,
Diana Story
640 Hillside Drive
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TO: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers
I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the Very-Low and Low-cost units the State requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014- 2022) the City easily provided 220% of the Moderate and 153% of the Above Moderate income RHNA units required.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for Moderate and 304% for Above Moderate. (233% appears to be an error, it is actually even worse – 286%)
Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded HIGHER INCOME units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

REZONING TO ALLOW THESE HIGHER INCOME UNITS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR

DEVELOPERS BUT WOULD NOT HELP MEET SOLVANG'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
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The units are not even needed to meet the State's RHNA goals for Moderate and Above Moderate housing. Allowing them would unnecessarily cause problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic safety and congestion. It would destroy a section of the Historic Mission Aqueduct and a Solvang designated scenic vista and would increase the need for costly new infrastructure and services. Very importantly, it would also increase depletion of our scarce water resources.

Thank you,
Robert Snyder
Valerie Morgan
728 Hillside Drive
Solvang, 93463
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Lots on Alamo Pintado LLC
Joshua J. Richman, Manager
1111 Broadway, Suite 300
Oakland, CA 94607
January 13, 2023
Submitted via www.plansolvang.com and by email to [email protected] City of Solvang
Planning Division
Attn: Sophia Checa, Planning Manager
411 Second Street
Solvang, CA 93463
Re: Comments on Draft Housing Element
Dear Ms. Checa:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the City of Solvang’s draft Housing Element which was circulated on December 15, 2022.

As a Solvang native, I appreciate the thorough approach the City has taken over the last year or more to address state Regional Housing Needs Allocation (“RHNA”) mandates and plan for future housing. This is clearly a complex endeavor that involves many stakeholders and brings local and regional planning issues to the fore.

The 5.48 acres of vacant land that my family owns at the northwest corner of Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Drive have been subject to considerable comment over several public hearings.

The two legal parcels comprise the largest contiguous residentially zoned vacant parcels in the City’s limits and are ideally suited for housing. As I have previously explained to staff and in public hearings, I am committed to building housing on this site in a way that preserves and even enhances the character of Solvang. Housing on this infill site avoids urban sprawl (all neighboring parcels are developed or entitled for development) and helps regional traffic by placing new housing at the center of the Santa Ynez Valley and near existing amenities and services.

Some commenters have described development on this land as creating “unnecessary units.” In addition to being factually inaccurate, those comments dismiss the needs of all those people who commute to the area every day and make valuable economic, social, and cultural contributions to the City and greater region. Calling new housing “unnecessary” also dismisses the larger housing crisis in California. We hear about it all the time and see it in all parts of the state that there is not enough housing to meet demand. The RHNA quantifies that demand at the local level and based on that assessment, Solvang needs nearly 200 additional housing units.

Other commenters have argued that these parcels are not feasible for development. Given the size of the parcels and the number of units that staff has identified as being realistically possible for the site, I believe that with appropriate incentives from the City, there is an economically feasible path to getting some affordable units constructed on the parcels. For example, the Housing Element should consider fee waivers, density bonuses, grants, and greater streamlining of project approvals beyond those offered in recent housing statutes. 432
As the City revises its Housing Element, and prior to submission to HCD, please consider including the following clarifications and/or corrections:

1. In Program HE-I, the Housing Element states that the City is going to identify funding opportunities available to local developers. How will the City go about identifying these funding opportunities and how will it notify interested parties? Would the City create a mailing list for interested property owners to ensure these opportunities are effectively communicated?

2. In Program HE-J and Table H-54, the DR-20 zone is described as having a 20 unit per acre minimum density. In other parts of the draft Housing Element, it looks like the 20 units per acre is a maximum. Since there is a recommendation that our parcels be rezoned to DR-20, please clarify whether the DR-20 zone would impose a minimum or a maximum density. Please note that we are open to density beyond 20 units per acre, which would be reasonable for a city like Solvang and not inconsistent with the region. 1 3. Program HE-N describes affordable housing incentives, but I believe the City could do more to encourage affordable housing. Many of the units identified in the needs assessment are affordable units, but the economics of those units may be difficult to finance. Please consider adding additional regulatory incentives to encourage that enough affordable housing can be developed to meet the identified need. For example, the City should consider reductions in parking requirements for projects that include affordable units, allow for increases in building height, clustering, and density bonuses.

4. Section G of Program HE-N describes a ministerial process for residential projects in commercial zones. Would that ministerial process also apply to projects in the DR-20 zone? It is unclear whether multi-family projects require both a Land Use Permit and Development Plan, or just one but not the other. Please provide this clarification.

5. Section E of Program HE-N describes the use of state and federal funding to support affordable projects. Does the City have affordable housing funds available to developers or a referral program for affordable housing developers? If so, these resources should be identified in Program HE-N along with a description of how information about these resources will be publicized. Will the City commit to applying for grant funding through the department of Housing and Urban Development?

6. Table H-43 states in a footnote that the “Land Use Permit” fee applies to new single-family dwellings and second units. However, it is unclear whether this means that a Land Use Permit is all that is needed for those types of projects. Page 104 states, by contrast, that "The City uses various development permits to ensure quality housing while minimizing the costs associated with lengthy reviews. The City's permit process is codified in Title 11 of the Solvang Municipal Code and provides for three (3) levels of review: (1) conceptual, (2) ministerial, and (3) discretionary. All projects are to receive a Land Use Permit regardless of their level of review." (Emphasis added.) Does this mean that multi-family housing projects will also be subject to a Land Use Permit? This seems like a constraint 1 Some surrounding jurisdictions allow for residential zoning at a density higher than 20 units/acre:
- County of Santa Barbara (30 units/acre. SBCC 35.23.060.) - City of Santa Maria (22 units/acre. SMMC 12-8.08.)
- City of Lompoc (22 units/acre. LMC 17.208.040.)
- City of Buellton (16 units/acre. BMC 19.02.120.)
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on these types of projects. I would encourage the City to remove barriers to housing development and avoid an onerous and costly approval process.

7. The Housing Element explains that "PRD [Planned Residential Development] projects are subject to a discretionary development plan." (Page 104). Pages 110-111 provide other scenarios in which a Development Plan is required. Like other sections of the Housing Element, the language could benefit from clarity. Page 118 states, "Multifamily projects in the DR zoning district reaching a density of 20 dwelling units per acre are additionally subject to review by the Design Review Committee. All projects in the DR zoning district, including multifamily projects, require a Development Plan to be submitted for review." Please explain whether multi-family approvals are subject to a discretionary Development Plan and, if so, why?

8. Parking. While the Housing Element states that our land does not qualify for the reduced parking standards set forth in AB 2097, the Housing Element should ensure that affordable projects are subject to reduced parking standards. The City currently allows a reduced parking standard for “mixed use” projects with an affordable component. Why not allow for a similar relaxation of parking standards for projects that contain affordable housing? The Housing Element should provide for a reduced parking standard for any multi-family project with affordable units, regardless of whether the project has commercial uses associated with it.

The City should add a new category of reduced parking standards for infill projects.

Throughout the General Plan and the Housing Element, it is noted that infill development is preferred to developing the outskirts of the City. Incentivizing infill development by reducing costly parking requirements would demonstrate the City is committed to providing needed housing.

A final note on parking requirements is that page H-62 states that Programs HE-L and HEV commit the City to reevaluating parking requirements for infill projects, but it is not clear how those programs will do that. Please provide more detail on how infill parking standards will be evaluated and a description of the specific the programs that will ensure compliance with Programs HE-L and HE-V.

9. Table H-38 “illustrates the land uses that require a CUP” but Table H-38 lists development standards and does not mention CUPs. The Housing Element should be clarified to explain the types of projects that require a CUP and specifically clarify whether multi-family projects require a CUP.

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on the draft Housing Element. We remain committed to making meaningful contributions to the City’s housing needs and goals.

Sincerely,
Lots on Alamo Pintado, LLC
By:

Joshua J. Richman, Manager
434
January 13, 2023
Dear Mayor Infanti, Mayor pro tem Orona, Council Members Brown and Orona, Mission Oaks residents have carefully followed Solvang’s update of the Housing Element and participated in the two public workshops held in March and May. The consultant’s first presentation used the vacant property east of Mission Oaks as a sample site that could be rezoned to DR-20 - DR-24 to produce affordable housing. At that workshop and the subsequent one, many members of the public warned the out-of-town consultants that there were serious issues complicating the development of the two parcels, especially the much steeper northern parcel.

See page H-19 of the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for some of those comments (Site C was divided at that point and referred to as #4 and #5.) Potential archeological issues (the historic Mission Aqueduct) were pointed out at that time, but for some reason, that comment is not listed. A reference to sheet flow from the existing drainage on Site C is anachronistically mislabeled as referring to Site 3 (#4 and #5 were subsequently combined to produce Site #3.)
Mission Oaks residents spoke at hearings before both the Planning Commission and the City Council, and submitted written comments, pointing out that the steep hillside parcel is totally unsuitable for high density development. Residents pointed out the numerous reasons why it will be very expensive to develop the steep hillside, and that any units produced will not be affordable. These include the steep topography that was illustrated in part by Figure H-7 on page H-93 of the earlier draft, that shows a northsouth section profile of both parcels.

Many speakers at those meetings referred to that profile illustration which depicts how steep the northern parcel is and the difference between the two parcels. This very important illustration should be retained in the HNA in order to understand the difficulty of providing affordable housing on Site C, but it has inexplicably been omitted from the Public Review Draft. So long as the steeper parcel is included in Site C this illustration (a picture is worth a thousand words) is needed to explain to decision makers and the State why the site cannot accommodate more units or be expected to produce more affordable units.

Residents pointed out that an east-west section of the steeper parcel shows topography that is additionally problematic for higher density development because it looks like an upside down “U”, with the eastern edge starting at the much lower elevation of Alamo Pintado Road, a very small flat area at the top, and a steep slope descending to the adjacent incised drainage on the west. The current text regarding the Environmental Constraints of Site C, found on page H-104 of the HNA, does point out that the topography of the steeper parcel “will make grading the parcel especially difficult.” This is definitely true. The textual description however, should refer to the “U shaped contour” as being inverted or upside-down, and describing an east-west section of the steeper parcel.

Residents have also pointed out the problematic nature of the expansive clay soil (Diablo series) found on the steeper parcel. It will require excavation and removal, followed by replacement with non-expansive soil that will need additional compaction. Residents have pointed out that the easily eroded nature of the steep parcel can currently be seen in the deeply incised drainage on the site and how the 200-year-old Mission Aqueduct has been progressively buried by downward-moving soil. 435

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Adding the runoff from new impermeable surfaces such as roads, roofs, patios, and driveways to the existing drainage that flows across the site, will necessitate expensive drainage infrastructure and the creation of a retention basin, just as one was required for the adjacent Merkantile site, even though it was redevelopment of an existing shopping center. That retention basin would need to be sited on the lower flatter parcel, thereby displacing housing from the one part of the site most suitable for the development of affordable housing. A retention basin alone however, may not be sufficient to mitigate potential flooding due to high density development of this site. Expensive and disruptive offsite drainage improvements may be required.

It should be noted that in the most recent storm event the Merkantile basin filled and overflowed. This occurred even though the project installed large amounts of expensive permeable paving in order to mitigate flooding impacts caused by the impermeable surfaces of the development. An affordable housing project would not have the budget to install large areas of permeable paving, unlike a profitable commercial shopping center. Any runoff from impermeable surfaces on Site C not collected in a retention basin would add to the potential flooding of an intersection and area that has already shown itself prone to flooding.

Considering how difficult it will be to develop affordable housing on this site, it is not surprising that the Review Draft envisions only 18 Very Low and 2 Low units. This is a dramatic reduction from the naïve projection of 45 Very Low and 45 Low units made by the out-of-town consultants that clearly did not study the site carefully and generally ignored the warnings of Solvang residents. The Review Draft however, now includes 20 Moderate units and 36 Above Moderate units, none of which were previously proposed for this site.

The affordable units would undoubtedly be placed on the lower, flatter parts of the site. According to the text on H-104, “Contrasting the difficulty of the northern parcel of the site, the southern parcel is flat and, therefore, significantly less costly to develop.” The more desirable, more expensive Moderate and Above Moderate units would obviously be sited at higher elevations and further from the road, than the 20 more affordable Low and Very Low units.

History has shown that Solvang has little difficulty producing Moderate and Above Moderate units. The analysis of the Fifth Housing Cycle shown in Table H-1 on page H-23 of the HNA, shows that Solvang achieved 220% of the Moderate RHNA and 153% of the Above Moderate RHNA in the past housing cycle.

An excess of 36 units and 40 units respectively. A look at the figures for Low and Very Low units however, shows that the surplus of units above the RHNA was much smaller, 5 units in both categories.

A review of Table H-59 Sites Inventory on page H-107 shows that the current Sixth Cycle is projected to produce far more Moderate and Above Moderate units than required, 233% of RHNA for Moderate and 304% of RHNA for Above Moderate. The 233% appears to be an error, the correct figure shows an even greater surplus, 286% of RHNA. The table indicates that the proposed rezones will result in almost three times as many Moderate and Above Moderate units as the city needs to fulfill the RHNA requirements.

There is an additional error in this table, the total RHNA with required buffer is 215 units, not 230. A buffer is not required for Above Moderate units.

It is clear that the 20 Moderate and 36 Above Moderate units that are projected for Site C that would undoubtedly be built on the steeper more expensive to develop parcel, are not needed. Mission Oaks residents have repeatedly pointed out the many ways high density development of the entire site is inappropriate and will impact the community.

Traffic has repeatedly been identified as a primary concern for Solvang residents and the development of 76 – 110 units (a developer would not be limited to the 76 units projected) would undoubtedly contribute to traffic and congestion in an area already subject to congestion. Long-term water supplies remain a very serious concern for Solvang despite the recent rains. Large scale development of Site C would certainly add to the city’s long-term water consumption.
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Despite the recent drought, erosion and flooding from development will continue to be an important issue and one that may be an increasing cause for concern, due to climate change. Residents have also pointed out the need to protect the historic Mission Aqueduct which runs over the steeper hillside parcel and once transported water from Alamo Pintado Creek to Mission Santa Ines.

Mission Oaks has pointed out that the Community Design Element of the Solvang General Plan designates the view over Site C as a Scenic Vista. A dense development built well above Alamo Pintado on the steeper parcel would have very serious visual impacts for the entire community. Policy 7.e of the Community Design Element recognizes the need to “minimize adverse visual impacts” of “...development on sites with high visibility, such as hillsides or in the highway corridors.” This site is both on a highly visible hillside and in a highway corridor. Obviously the most direct way to minimize these impacts is to minimize the development on this site.

Considering the many ways the unnecessary development of the unneeded 56 units of Moderate and Above Moderate units would impact our community it is foolhardy for the city to pursue development of those units in the guise of creating affordable housing. The 20 affordable units Site C is projected to create could and would most likely be built on the lower flatter parcel that is “significantly less costly to develop” and much easier to access. The much steeper problematic parcel should be removed from Site C along with the 56 unneeded units.

If it is claimed that the 56 unneeded units are needed in order to create 20 needed affordable units on Site C, the entire site should be dropped from consideration. None of the other sites create almost 3 times as many unneeded units to create the needed affordable units or generate as many serious impacts to the community.

Mission Oaks residents are deeply invested in the health and welfare of Solvang. We understand that despite how much we love our community, change will undoubtedly occur. But we expect our elected officials to make carefully considered thoroughly researched decisions that avoid unnecessary collateral damage to the future of our neighborhood and the entire community.

Thank you for your service to our community,
Dan Martin
President, Mission Oaks Owners Association
cc: Ms Sophia Checa
CityClerk, City of Solvang
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Comments on the Public Review Draft Housing Element
The current draft of the Housing Element is considerably more realistic and appropriate for Solvang than the generic draft prepared by the out-of-town consultants that reflected a 30,000 ft. high perspective. Many aspects of the document have been revised including the projected development of affordable units on the four different sites (now labeled A, B, C, D) found in the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA.) Nevertheless, the document continues to incorporate errors, omits important information, and perpetuates inappropriate development proposed in the previous draft.

There are numerous revisions to the policy language and implementation programs that warrant careful review and comment but the public and decision makers have not had adequate time to for careful and complete analysis. The update is being rushed to meet deadlines for state approval and environmental review. With the limited time available these comments will focus on certain specific issues. It is impossible for me to cover the many flaws in the Draft Housing Element that remain.

The housing projections for Site C (formerly labeled Site #3, previously Sites #4 and #5) have been revised to acknowledge that this very challenging site cannot be expected to produce more than 20 affordable units, 18 Very Low and 2 Low. The steeper hillside parcel will be far too expensive to produce affordable units and is simply not appropriate for high density development. Nevertheless, 56 unneeded units are projected for this site, 36 Above Moderate and 20 Moderate, resulting in a projected total of 76 units for the site.

The steeper parcel and its unneeded units should be omitted from Site C. Only the flatter parcel is needed for the City to produce the necessary number of Very Low and Low income units. The text states, “Contrasting the difficulty of the northern parcel of the site, the southern parcel is flat and, therefore, significantly less costly to develop.” The much more expensive 56 units that would undoubtedly be sited on the steeper parcel, are simply not necessary, since the City will have more than enough Moderate and Above Moderate units to meet the State requirements (see Table H-59, pg. H-107 of the HNA). Note: There are errors in this table, some previously pointed out. The 230 Total RHNA with buffer should be 215. The 233% percentage of RHNA of Moderate units is actually 286%, showing an even greater surplus.
438
Given Solvang’s constrained and limited circulation infrastructure, water supply, vacant land, city services and revenues, the City should not attempt to produce any unneeded housing units. This is particularly true for identified affordable housing sites and parcels zoned DR-20 that are weaponized by state laws that bypass the City’s jurisdiction over such sites. The City’s experience with the Lumberyard site that was zoned to allow 42 units under the DR-20 zoning and the developer’s use of SB 330 to require very limited review should cause decision makers to think twice before rezoning a site to potentially allow 110 + units, or for that matter, the 76 units theoretically projected here.

Decision makers should also be aware that the City will be required to “report all requests to develop Housing Opportunity sites with capacity for lower income housing at densities lower than projected in the Housing Element.” - Government Code 65583(h)(6) cited on page H-54 of the HNA. This suggests Solvang should rezone for the bare minimum of units required, rather than overpromise a large number of units. It also emphasizes the need to take issues that constrain realistic affordable development very seriously.

The surplus of unnecessary Moderate and Above Moderate units reflects a documented historical pattern (See Table H-1, page H-23 of the HNA, Fifth Cycle Housing Element Progress) that the City should learn from and avoid repeating.

There is no need to produce approximately three times as many Moderate and Above Moderate units as required as shown by Table H-59.

Developing the entire site with 76 – 110 units would require extensive grading increasing the potential for soil erosion dramatically. The current text for Site C acknowledges that difficulty but omits the excellent illustration that was included in the last version of the HNA. Figure H-7 Elevation Profile of Site 3 graphically depicted a north-south section of the site that showed the difference between the two parcels and the steepness of the northern hillside parcel. The text now reads, “The hill’s western, eastern and southern slopes are all located within the northern parcel ...... that will make grading the parcel especially difficult.” This is true but the reference to a “U shaped contour” is confusing because it is the east-west section that is shaped like an upside-down “U.”
The steeper parcel should not be included in Site C, but if it is, Figure H-7 needs to be retained in order to show why the site cannot accommodate more affordable units. The State and future decision makers need to understand how the dramatic topography impacts Site C’s suitability for high-density development and affordability.
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The soils found on the steeper parcel are problematic for construction with low permeability and rapid runoff. Diablo soil is a notoriously expansive silty clay.

Creating development pads and foundations will require excavating the existing soil and importing and compacting non-expansive soil. It will entail immense expense and community-wide impacts to construct the access roads and build the necessary retaining walls, erosion control devices and drainage structures.

An existing drainage runs over both parcels but most of it is confined to the steeper parcel. In the most recent storm event sheet flow from this deeply incised drainage deposited debris on Alamo Pintado Road and to a lesser degree, Old Mission Drive. Because of the existing drainage flow, the steep slopes, permeability problems and soil erosion issues, development of 76 – 110 units with their impermeable surfaces (roofs, roads, driveways, decks, patios, etc.) will certainly require a retention basin. The basin would undoubtedly be located on the lower parcel, thereby decreasing the room for residences on the more easily developable part of the site, must suitable for providing affordable housing.

Even with the inclusion of that basin, under certain conditions a “river” of water will still be flowing down Alamo Pintado Road across Highway 246, an area heavily impacted in the most recent storm event. This may necessitate expensive and disruptive offsite drainage improvements in order to mitigate potential flooding impacts. The recent storm suggests Solvang should take drainage and flooding concerns very seriously.

The unnecessary high density development of the steeper parcel will seriously impact a Scenic Vista designated in the Community Design Element. Any dense development built well above Alamo Pintado Road on the hillside would have very serious visual impacts for the entire community. DR-20 would allow almost ten times the number of units allowed by the current zoning. Grading and development would also impact or destroy the section of the historic Mission Aqueduct that crosses the steeper parcel on its way from Alamo Pintado Creek to Mission Santa Ines.

These location specific impacts are in addition to the community wide impacts of unnecessary development - traffic, long-term water consumption, demand for services, noise, air quality, etc. caused by high density development of the steeper parcel.
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Apart from the 56 unaffordable and unneeded units allocated to Site C, the allocations to the limited number of sites reflect the smaller number of affordable units Solvang actually needs to meet the RHNA goals. Unlike the steep parcel on Site C, the other sites are much flatter and easier to develop. The current draft shows extensive analysis and refinement of what was produced during the Fifth Cycle and what credits toward meeting the Sixth Cycle goals, can be expected.

Figure H-52 on page H-90 of the HNA however, does not match what is found in Figure H-49 and H-59 in the Pending or Approved Above Moderate category. If the other tables are correct the 46 units shown should be 51.

The City should continue to refine the draft Housing Element and particularly the proposal for Site C. Solvang should only consider the smaller lower parcel for meeting the affordable housing needs of the Housing Element. Development of the larger steeper parcel will be so expensive the resulting units will not be affordable. Solvang needs homes that fall into the Very Low and Low affordability categories, not unneeded expensive market rate homes with their impacts to the community.

Thank you for your consideration and efforts,
Lansing Duncan
441
1/16/23, 1:15 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Solvang Draft Housing Element
Dan Martin <[email protected]>
Fri 1/13/2023 1:29 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;[email protected] <[email protected]>;Public City Council Group <[email protected]>
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Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers,
My name is Dan Martin. I am a lifelong resident of the Santa Ynez Valley and a longtime resident of Solvang. I am also the President of the Mission Oaks Homeowners Association.

Mission Oaks has provided you with a very detailed letter regarding the proposed rezoning of Site C, which was previously referred to as Site 3, which lies between Alamo Pintado Road and Mission Oaks. We believe this site should not be rezoned for the high density (DR-20) that the currently written Draft Housing Element encourages.

Because of the steep hillside make up of the 4.8 acre parcel of this site, it would not be possible to produce Lowcost and Very-Low-cost units. If there was development on this 4.8 acre portion, the costs involved would only produce higher income units, which the city does not need at this time.

The city does need affordable housing, but the only portion of this site that would possibly work would be the 1 acre flatter part of the property that could possibly accommodate the building of 20 affordable units. As it is, adding 20 affordable units to this site will increase traffic and congestion, and any more than this number of units to this site would become a safety issue for both locals and tourists.

I would encourage the City to pursue rezoning other areas within the city limits, perhaps allowing the rezoning of commercial properties to include Low and Very Low-cost units as part the buildings and properties.

Thank you for your consideration of matters discussed in the letter sent to you by Mission Oaks and thank you for your service to our community.

Dan Martin
708 Hillside Drive
Solvang
[email protected]
442
January 13, 2023
Members of the Solvang City Council
C/O City Hall, City Clerk's Office
1644 Oak Street
Solvang, CA 93463
RE: Housing Element Draft of 12/15/2022
Dear Solvang City Council Members,
My name is Craig Kent and I have been a property owner and resident of Solvang since 1979 (43 years). I am also a former Solvang City council candidate and have been actively engaged in various County and City planning activities for a number of local developments as an interested homeowner and resident (e.g. original General Plan creation as well as previous updates, Mission Oaks, Valley Plaza/Old Mission Marketplace, Old Mill housing and commercial building development, Nielsen’s Center expansion/remodel, Cottages on Old Mission, etc.) which has given me a good understanding of the processes and studies that have been used and performed over these many decades.

I am aware of the need for the City to address the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) mandate and the challenges that presents. I am also aware of the need for the city to expeditiously work through the Housing Element update to address the RHNA needs.

I am writing to you today to express my significant concerns about the zoning change being promulgated for the two parcels at the Northwest corner of Alamo Pintado at Old Mission Drive, currently designated as Site C (formerly designated sites 4 & 5). I am familiar with this site and in past years have walked it in the company of an Archaeologist who was supporting a resource assessment activity for the former Brand property Honey Locust development and another time during assessments for the Mission Oaks development as an informal interested observer.

I am concerned that the zoning change for this entire site from 20-R-1 to DR-20 will allow a higher density of development than this property can reasonably support and will set up future city wide problems in the areas of traffic, runoff and flood control, water use, parking and infrastructure needs to accommodate the potentially large number of units that would be allowed under the DR-20 zoning.

I am troubled that this zoning change does not appear to be informed by an updated traffic and pedestrian safety impact assessment that includes not only the potential buildout of this site but also the impacts of other recently approved and developed projects, nor does it appear to be informed by the updated assessments of water use and runoff/flood issues. The property, particularly the hillside portion has produced significant runoff in the past causing flooding and debris issues on Old Mission Drive and Alamo Pintado.

During the most recent storm I observed that the runoff and debris from this property primarily went onto Alamo Pintado whereas in previous storms a fair amount has also gone onto Old Mission Drive.

Recent rains underscore the significance of this concern. I have been here long enough to have seen the Highway 246 Alamo Pintado Creek bridge overtopped and impacted by debris flow twice closing the highway as 443
well as the Alamo Pintado /Highway 246 intersection along with associated property damage to several businesses on the Northeast and Southeast corners of that intersection. Indeed, that intersection historically experiences large standing pools of water after heavy rains which create hazardous traffic and pedestrian conditions.

The section of the Housing Element that discusses the proposal for Site C acknowledges the difficulty of developing the steeper parcel, “Contrasting the difficulty of the northern parcel of the site, the southern parcel is flat and, therefore, significantly less costly to develop.” - page H-104 of the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA).

This is why the analysis projects the creation of only 20 affordable units for the site, even though 20 units per acre on 5.48 acres might result in 110 units. The cost of the remaining units constructed on the site will reflect how expensive their development will be.

Developing the entire site with 76 – 110 units would require extensive grading dramatically increasing the potential for soil erosion. The soils found on the larger parcel are problematic for construction with low permeability and rapid runoff.

I am aware of historical soil related foundation problems with some of the buildings in the Mission Oaks development. I have these same soils on my property nearby, and I understand the issues associated with them from my own home addition project as well as from monitoring the lot preparation work and associated issues with several other neighborhood developments.

It is notable that only the flatter parcel is needed for the City to produce the necessary number (20 total) of Very Low and Low Income units proposed for the site. The more expensive 56 units the larger parcel is theoretically projected to create, are not necessary, since the city will have more than enough Moderate and Above Moderate Income units to meet the State requirements (see Table H-59, pg. H-107 of the HNA).

The unneeded 56-90 expensive market rate homes would only add to the City’s water and traffic problems (especially at the intersection of Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Drive), while destroying a designated Scenic Vista and the historic Mission Aqueduct which crosses the larger parcel. A dense development built well above Alamo Pintado Road on the larger lot would have serious negative visual impacts for the entire community.

Traffic Safety will be substantially reduced by the likely need for direct access to Alamo Pintado from driveways from any new dense development. An alternative of exiting the site via Old Mission Drive is a poor option as it is already congested from a new development on Old Mission, from delivery trucks double parking and from customers arriving and departing Merkantile shopping center. Also the distance between the intersection of Alamo Pintado/Old Mission Drive and the entrance driveway to Mission Oaks are close together and adding another driveway to a large project there will likely lead to significant traffic issues.

Considering that Census statistics reveal the average number of people per household in California is 2.84. and lower income housing generally has a higher rate of occupancy of between 5 and 6 people, this project if built to the maximum allowed density (why would the developer try to do anything less?) would result in 300 to 500 new residents. Publicly available statistics on car ownership reveal that the average California household has 2.4 vehicles. This translates to around 264 vehicles at full project density. The California Department of Transportation reports that the average driver in California makes 3.77 vehicle trips per day. This project as 444
promulgated would likely produce around 1131 to 1885 vehicle trips per day. That is a huge increased burden on traffic not only on Alamo Pintado, Old Mission Drive and Highway 246 but also on all on Solvang’s throughfare routes.

These new residents would likely want to utilize Nielsen's Shopping center and, if driving, would have to negotiate across Alamo Pintado to get into the left turning lane, causing further congestion and accidents.

Turning left from a development crossing Alamo Pintado toward Los Olivos would be dangerous. Where Alamo Pintado has median dividers, drivers would have to make a U TURN at the Nielsen's shopping center. Ultimately another traffic signal may well be required there.

I recall from earlier traffic studies that Cal-Trans had advised it was infeasible to signalize the intersection of Old Mission Drive and Alamo Pintado Road due to its close proximity to the signalized intersection of Highway 246 and Alamo Pintado Road. Further, I recall that a determination was made that there is insufficient real estate available to construct a roundabout at Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Drive.

Traffic congestion will be substantially increased along Alamo Pintado and particularly at its intersection with Route 246 (Mission Drive). There are already numerous subdivisions that use Alamo Pintado to access Mission Drive into Solvang and Buellton or toward Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara. The highway 246/Alamo Pintado intersection is controlled by a traffic signal but traffic regularly backs up in the morning and afternoon particularly for people coming from Santa Barbara and the Los Angeles area. Some drivers along Alamo Pintado have resorted to taking the back way into Solvang using Viborg and Alisal Roads through residential neighborhoods to avoid the intersection, causing increasing safety concerns and complaints from those residents. Adding more than 264 vehicles at this end of town will make these problems substantially worse.

Pedestrian safety at all City intersections will also be compromised by all of these vehicle trips, principally for those choosing to cross Alamo Pintado to Nielsen's Center on foot. There are already issues at this intersection with impatient drivers and pedestrians, as I know from firsthand experience and having nearly been hit while crossing Alamo Pintado in the crosswalk on two different occasions. The increased pedestrian traffic from this project on crosswalks at Alamo Pintado, Old Mission Dr and Highway 246 as well as at Pine Street an Alisal Road would only further increase traffic congestion.

I believe putting high-density zoning on the hillside parcel is going to create a lot of problems in the future and the issues it will likely cause are not being addressed contemporaneously with this present housing element update. Therefore, I recommend not rezoning the hillside parcel until such studies have been completed so as to facilitate an informed decision.

Respectfully,
Craig Kent
1901 Old Mission Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
445
1/16/23, 1:16 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Barbara Allen <[email protected]>
Fri 1/13/2023 9:03 PM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Dear Sirs/Ladies….

My husband and I are 35 year residents of this beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. We have lived at the City limits for all of that time and we are now residents of the Mission Oaks Community. We raised one of our four daughters here where she attended Family School and Dunn School enjoying more beauty of the Valley. I was the Executive Director of Solvang Friendship House and have served on many local Solvang Boards, always happy to work for the greater good of our community.

We moved here from Orange County and have enjoyed the luxury of open spaces and beautiful views here in Solvang for all of this time. Over these 35 years, we have watched as the traffic issues of a much bigger city have crept into our daily lives and it is with great concern that we watch the City Council and the Planning Commission consider authorizing housing at the intersection of Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Road. Not only is this the entrance to the Solvang “Village”. It is an extremely busy intersection, closely connected to an even busier intersection at Alamo Pintado and Route 246. We are very concerned that adding more traffic to this area will create a huge safety problem for the citizens of Solvang. I have seen myself on numerous occasions, drivers speed thru stop signs, make illegal turns and we have watched these intersections become more crowded and backed up as our community has grown.

We would ask that you give service reconsideration to adding over 80 additional housing units to this very corner.

There are also the concerns of the historic aqueduct that is a part of the SYV history also, I am sure that you have been made aware of the soil issues in this area that will require a very expensive preparation for development.

We thank you for your time and service to keeping our Valley the beautiful and safe community we are all hoping to maintain.

Barbara and Ted Allen
764 Hillside Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
446
1/16/23, 1:16 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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High Density Zoning for 100 units at AP and Old Mission [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sat 1/14/2023 9:22 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Public City Council Group <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW a large complex of housing units to be built at the corning of Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Drive.

This zoning change to allow a higher density of development than this property can reasonably support and will set up serious future Valley wide problems in the areas of safety, traffic, runoff and flood control, water use, parking and infrastructure needed to accommodate such a large number of units that would be allowed under DR-20 zoning.

The current zoning is problematic at this location let alone changing it to be increased three times what it is currently zoned for.

If you must rezoning it for the mandate please attach a CC&R with a lower maximum number of units!
PLEASE for our future generations and the safety of all! Thank you.

Karry Rossetti
Solvang Resident
447
To: Solvang City Council
From: Monica Moisan
Date: January 13, 2023
RE: Solvang Draft Housing Element
Mayor Infanti and Council members,
I am a resident of Mission Oaks and I am fortunate that even later in my years I can still drive.

It has become more and more difficult since the traffic situation in Solvang has become overwhelming. Starting with leaving Mission Oaks it sometimes takes up to 2-3 Minutes for me to be able to turn left on Old Mission Drive due to traffic generated by New Frontiers Natural Food Market delivery trucks. Then I have to deal with a 4-way stop and the traffic lights onto Highway 246.

When I first moved to Solvang it took me perhaps 5 to 8 minutes to go to El Rancho Market (another market I go to) where as of now it can take up to 20 minutes, particularly to return.

Also, due to heavy traffic I no longer have the pleasure of driving through Solvang. The impact of additional housing could be such that even the smallest project like going to the market becomes a major undertaking.

So please don't take that away from me and the rest of us! Respectfully yours,
Monica Moisan
689 Hillside Drive, Solvang
[email protected]
448
449
450
Drone Photo: North View
Drone Photo: South View
Drone Photo: North View of Aqueduct
3 451
January 13, 2023
To: Solvang City Council
From: John Moisan
RE: Solvang Draft Housing Element
Dear Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers,
After attending two (2) city council meetings in December, I became more educated to Solvang’s low-cost housing needs and future building sites being considered. I understand an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be done on ALL sites identified in the Draft Housing Element which should reflect my concerns. In the unlikely event the EIR does not, the following are those impacts I deem most significant.

My greatest concerns rest most on Site C bordering Alamo Pintado Road. The site has been surveyed and recognized for its archeological significance. An aqueduct dating back several centuries runs through the property to our Santa Ynez Mission. It has both Missionary and Chumash historical importance. However, it appears few of us are aware nor concerned about our lawful responsibility to preserve it.

Another concern is the significant impact of an additional 100+ housing units on Site C will have on traffic. As a commuter to both Lompoc and Santa Barbara, I’ve witnessed the increased vehicular congestion on Highway 246 specially at the Alamo Pintado Road intersection. What used to occur on rare occasions is now more common where westbound traffic backs up to Refugio Road and eastbound back into the City of Solvang. Neighborhood roads are now also being impacted as residents seek shortcuts to escape the traffic.

The additional 100+ housing units proposed to be located in the heart of a traffic corridor would further expose our infrastructure problem and create a dangerous situation for emergency vehicles.

Thank you in advance for addressing my concerns,
John Moisan
688 Hillside Drive
[email protected]
452
1/16/23, 1:18 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Kathy Allain <[email protected]>
Mon 1/16/2023 8:41 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
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Dear Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers,
I understand that the City of Solvang is required to regularly update the Housing Element and provide for diverse and affordable housing. Historically, Solvang has found it easier to produce more expensive housing and more difficult to produce the low cost units the state requires. Table H-1 shows that during the Fifth Cycle (2014-2022) the city easily provided 220% of the moderate and 153% of the above moderate income RHNA units required.

Because Solvang has limited space and limited resources the Housing Element needs to focus on providing more affordable units and avoid producing more of the expensive units than is necessary. But the current draft Housing Element, it encourages even more higher income units.

Table H-59 shows that the proposed rezoning is producing far more moderate and above moderate units than are necessary. The bottom row indicates that the numbers planned are 233% of the RHNA for moderate and 304% for above moderate. (233% appears to be an error, it is actually even worse – 286%) Site C is a prime example of this overemphasis on expensive housing. It has 2 very different parcels. Due to high development costs, the steep 4.48-acre parcel is not suitable for construction of high-density affordable housing. The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will undoubtedly be built on the flatter 1 acre parcel which has better access. This parcel is described as “significantly less costly to develop” on page H-104. But the Housing Element also proposes 56 unneeded higher income units on Site C, presumably built on the parts of the site not suitable for affordable housing. The actual development may include even more unneeded units because rezoning the 4.48-acre parcel for high density (DR-20) might actually allow for at least 80 additional higher income units above the 10 allowed under the current zoning.

The units are not even needed to meet the State's RHNA goals for moderate and above moderate housing.

Allowing them would unnecessarily cause problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic safety and congestion. It would destroy a section of the Historic Mission Aqueduct and a Solvang designated scenic vista and would increase the need for costly new infrastructure and services. It would also increase depletion of our scarce water resources.

Thank you for your time and effort in serving our communityKathy Allain 757 Hillside Dr
453
1/16/23, 1:21 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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[#20221221183054] Comment from PlanSolvang website PlanSolvang Solvang General Plan Update <[email protected]> Wed 12/21/2022 10:33 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>;[email protected] <[email protected]>;Xenia Bradford <[email protected]>;David Packard <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]> Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Ticket: [#20221221183054]
Name: Elaine Morris
e-mail: [email protected]
Comments:

The corner of Alamo Pintado and Old Mission is a traffic nightmare. Please do not allow additional building in this area without in depth study of the potential fallout. Recent redevelopment of the Merkantile center and additional housing units have created a traffic nightmare. Please do not make it worse by further developing the area.

Page title: PlanSolvang
454
1/16/23, 1:07 PM Mail - Sophia Checa - Outlook
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Richmond Property at Corner of Alamo PIntado and Old Mission Drive and Zoning Change Gabriel Rossetti <[email protected]>
Fri 1/6/2023 10:17 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]> Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

I am a resident and homeowner at 1911 Old Mission Drive here in Solvang. I am writing to protest the egregious zoning change request by the owners of the property mentioned above.

Solvang does not have the infrastructure to support this request. There is not enough water, the traffic at that intersection will be untenable, and the waste water treatment facility is antiquated and not up to par. The soil in the upper parcels will not support that many homes safely, and by the way a home’s foundation in Mission Oaks just a few days ago has been slipping again.

Also the housing element plan does not need that dense a project to attain its goals.

I strongly urge you to deny this request.

Thank you,
Gabriel Rossetti
[email protected]
455
Comment RE Solvang Draft Housing Element
Site C Alamo Pintado
Subject: Comment on the Public Review Draft Housing Element December 2022 Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers:

I am a resident of Mission Oaks and of Solvang for 21 years. I have attended the most recent Council meeting where there was some discussion of the development of Site C for low income affordable housing with the new proposal for higher income units.

As you assess this location, I want to urge you to take other concerns under consideration.

I hear that this site is proposed for housing for “workers”. I urge you to consider that workers have families with children. As proposed the density of this area does not provide for any space for children to play and do things such as ride bikes safety, walking would also present problems for pedestrians and automobile traffic. The density of the intersection would be dangerous for children and their pets. The provision of an accessible natural environment is not possible as this area is proposed. The entire intersection from Viborg to 246/Mission Drive and along Mission Drive to Alisal Rd. is commercial development (with the Sansum Medical Facility filling in the open field to the Santa Ynez Mission). I have not heard provisions for parking of cars and other vehicles.

With regards to children, there is only one elementary school for the Solvang District. Solvang School is currently overcrowded and understaffed. The possible addition of another 20-60+ students could present an untenable situation for students and teachers.

I also have concerns about the protection of the privacy and property use of the Mission Oaks area. I would assume that any development of Site C would provide privacy walls/gates that would protect the area from public use. Mission Oaks Home Owners Association assumes responsibility for the management of over 40 acers of protected oak trees, roads, trails, etc.

As you consider the many other matters regarding the development of this area, please consider the quality of living for those residents and their neighbors.

Respectfully,
Felicia Carroll
Felicia Carroll
Mission Oaks Resident
704 Hillside Drive
Solvang, CA 93463
[email protected]
456
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Comment on public review draft of housing element December 2022 Maryvonne laparliere <[email protected]>
Mon 1/9/2023 11:45 AM
To: Public City Council Group <[email protected]>;Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;City Clerk <[email protected]>
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Dear Mr Infanti, Mayor of Solvang and City Council,
I urge you to remove the sloping 4.48 acre parcel #139-530-002 from Site C in the Public Review Draft of the Housing Element released in December 2022.

Before explaining the technical difficulties of that project, here are some very pragmatic reasons why I am against that project:

I doubt that the developers will care about the way the buildings will look and certainly not be in the old Danish style like in downtown or Spanish; so that would go against the vision of charming touristic Solvang and we could hear “it is not the way it used to be…”
Even the Police think that increased traffic will be a nightmare.

Accidents have already happened. We witnessed a few days ago a car speeding right through the stop sign at Nielsen’s!! There will be many more pedestrians.

Also we heard a lot of complaints already from the backroads because of people taking shorcuts to avoid the congestion.

Improvements will definitively need to be done by Caltrans if the project become concrete.

Due to high development costs, this steep parcel is not suitable for construction of high density affordable housing.

The 20 affordable units proposed for Site C will likely be built on the adjacent flatter 1 acre parcel.

Even though 56 HIGHER INCOME units are proposed for Site C, rezoning the 4.48 acre parcel for high density would actually allow for at least 81 additional higher income units above the 9 allowed by current zoning.

NONE OF THESE UNITS ARE NEEDED to meet the State's RHNA goals for moderate and above moderate housing. Building them would unnecessarily cause problems of erosion, flooding, soil and hilltop removal, traffic safety and congestion, destroy a Solvang designated scenic vista and increase the need for costly new infrastructure and services. Very importantly, it would also increase depletion of our scarce water resources.

Allowing so much unnecessary dense housing at what is already a congested gateway to Solvang is a planning error that will forever change the character of this unique neighborhood and damage first impressions of visitors to our city.

Thank you.

Maryvonne Laparliere Martin
698 Hillside Drive
Solvang CA 93463v
457
Allow sender | Block sender
planned high density housing
ELAINE H MORRIS <[email protected]>
Wed 12/21/2022 10:26 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Greetings,
It appears that the City of Solvang is seriously considering rezoning the property at the corner of Old Mission Road and Alamo Pintado Road in order to meet its requirement to develop more affordable housing in the city. This is disappointing to those of us who live nearby because building at that location is rife with problems. I would ask how much investigation was done prior to selecting that site; we deserve an answer.

The property is currently owned by Joshua Richman, who developed the “new” New Frontiers shopping center. Despite intense feedback from local residents, the project was completed with minimal foresight, and the result has been a traffic and parking nightmare.

The City Council cannot let this story repeat itself.

For starters, the city or Mr. Richmond MUST immediately erect cameras to monitor the traffic at that corner 24/7. That will enable the parties to make well founded decisions about further building at that location. It is a conversation we must have.

New Frontiers shops’ employees park on Old Mission Road because there is not sufficient parking in their own lot. That situation has been made worse by the construction of approximately 20 new dwelling units on Old Mission Road. The entrances to the shopping center are narrow, and delivery trucks block entrances and create traffic jams. I contacted the city both before and after this project was complete; nothing was done. Why? PLEASE do not let something similar happen if the proposed corner is developed. While the land may be “easy pickings”, the location is not. Creating more traffic problems at that intersection invites an accident, which when seen as preventable, could leave the city with liability.

I do not object to building on that lot, but I object to the type of building being considered. Dense housing with tenant parking will create more problems than it solves. Please do not repeat your past lack of oversight. If Mr. Richman is to develop this property, you must have a viable plan to deal with the resulting congestion, risk of accidents, traffic snarls, and lack of parking. Ongoing input from neighboring residents is critical, as we have the most to lose if this project is not done properly. We all recognize the need for more affordable housing in The Valley. But it is not our role to enhance Mr. Richman’s wealth at the expense of local residents’ ability to enjoy the safety and tranquility of their homes.

Elaine Morris
657 Hillside Dr.

Solvang
805-686-0019
458
Wednesday, 21 December 2022 18:30 PlanSolvang Elaine Morris [email protected] The corner of Alamo Pintado and Old Mission is a traffic nightmare. Please do not allow additional building in this area without in depth study of the potential fallout. Recent redevelopment of the Merkantile center and additional housing units have created a traffic nightmare. Please do not make it worse by further developing the area.

Wednesday, 21 December 2022 22:43 PlanSolvang Sophia Checa [email protected] Comments received via phone call 1) Table H-59 needs to be re-worked for clarity. It took a lot of analyzing the numbers to understand the surplis and percentages. We also have therecommendation to add a column for Extremely Low Income like the Projected Housing Needs table on page H-6. The math on Table H-59 needs to berevisited. I think the 20% buffer amounts are incorrect. Additionally, why are we shooting for higher than the RHNA with buffer?2) It is not clear where the New Construction Objectives on page H-6 came from. Did the city actually set these goals? The recommendation is to reduce them, if possible.3) When the Consultants speak to the public and City Council again, I recommend discussing how the analysis for the sites happened and how theydisbursed the various units (extremely low, low, etc) across the sites.Thank you! Thursday, 05 January 2023 19:49 PlanSolvang Stephen Martin [email protected] Honorable Mayor, City Council and Planning Commission I strongly urge you to exclude the steep 4.48 ac parcel from Site C (formerly Site 3) in the proposed Housing Element (HE). Solvang needs to encourage construction of affordable, not higher income, housing. Market conditions and existing zoning have historically been sufficient to easily meet the needs for higher income housing. While the proposed HE does encourage affordable housing, it also unnecessarily proposes high density zoning in areas where high development costs will likely exclude affordable housing. History tells us that this will use up land in order to develop unneeded moderate and higher income houses. According to the 2015 to 2023 HE 5th cycle planning period report at page H-23, table H-1, Solvang exceeded State Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirements for additional moderate and above moderate housing by 220% and 153% respectively.

Friday, 06 January 2023 22:47 PlanSolvang Ester Smith [email protected] Taken via phone by Sophia: I am very concerned about the rezone and building of the low-income housing at Alamo Pintado and Old Mission. I am concerned it will bring the property values down. I've seen different low-income homes that are not taken care of very well; people don't appreciate what the y are able to rent. It is m
y concern this will happen in this case
Friday, 13 January 2023 19:59 PlanSolvang Gay Infanti [email protected] On Table H-1 entitled Fifth cycle (2015-2023) Housing Element Progress, there is a math error in the second row, last column: the total should be 261, not 132.Friday, 13 January 2023 20:02 PlanSolvang Gay Infanti [email protected] In the section entitled Opportunities for Energy Conservation on page H-84, there is a paragraph about Southern California Edison Energy Programs. SCE doesn't serve Solvang. Please replace with PG&E and/or 3CE, which do serve Solvang.Friday, 13 January 2023 20:05 PlanSolvang Gay Infanti [email protected] I have a general concern about the state law, which disregards whether a jurisdiction (City) has sufficient resources (water) to build the RNHA -allocated number of housing units.Friday, 13 January 2023 20:10 PlanSolvang Gay Infanti [email protected] Another concern is that the state doesn't require a large enough percentage of units in a single development project to justify the incentives that a developer can claim. These incentives, such as exemptions from height limits or setbacks,can really destroy the quality of life in a neighborhood.Friday, 13 January 2023 22:15 PlanSolvang Josh Richman [email protected] In response to the circulated draft Housing Element, I have submitted a comment letter to Sophia Checa by email. This comment field is limited to 1,000 characters which is less than my comment letter. JoshSunday, 15 January 2023 23:37 PlanSolvang Sheri Noble [email protected] Cannot fit all comments in a few words. I do not believe we have approved evacuation routes in an emergency as stated in this document. I would like to learn more. In my 1/4 acre lot/single family neighborhood with all single story homes, I can put up 2 ADU's even during a "drought" and our master plan is maintained on all single story homes? This does not make sense. The city cannot currently maintain the current creeks during a storm, how will flood zones be maintained? Will only property owners pay for this? Traffic on Mission has to be addressed. It is hypocritical to have more growth without considering the infrastructure. Please proceed carefully to maintain the character that led us to purchase homes in Solvang. 459
Attachment C
Solvang City Council STAFF REPORT
PREPARED BY: Rodger Olds, Public Works Director/City Engineer Sophia Checa, Planning Manager
Laurie Tamura, Planning Consultant
MEETING DATE: December 12, 2022
SUBJECT: Receive and file the preliminary draft general plan for comment at a future meeting
RECOMMENDATION:

That the City Council receive the Preliminary Draft of General Plan for review and comment at a future meeting.

BACKGROUND:

The General Plan is a vision for how the City of Solvang will grow, reflecting community priorities and values while shaping the future – a long-term framework for future growth and development. The General Plan also contains the goals and policies upon which the City Council and Planning Commission will base their land use decisions. There are nine mandatory elements: Land Use, Circulation, Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Noise, Safety, Environmental Justice, and Air Quality.

Solvang has chosen to include two optional elements: Community Design and Economic Development.

Over the last two years, Mintier Harnish has been working with the City of Solvang to update all the elements of the City of Solvang General Plan. The city has updated various elements, particularly the Housing Element, when required by State Law. A requirement to update the Housing Element is currently mandated by the State of California with a submission deadline of February 15, 2023.

DISCUSSION:

The General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) was established early in the update process. This committee consists of two City Council Members, two Planning Commissioners, two Design Review Committee Members, and four at-large members.

The Planning Commission (PC) was provided with all elements of the General Plan and provided comments focused on the Housing Element at their regularly scheduled meeting of December 5th. The GPAC has completed the review of all the elements except for the Community Design (CD) Element, which has been partially completed. The GPAC meeting of December 14 will focus on completing the review of the CD Element and revisiting all elements of the General Plan as a complete document.

The schedule for the completion of the General Plan Update has shifted due to a change in leadership at the City of Solvang. While comments and review are still ongoing, staff is providing the preliminary draft of the General Plan for initial City Council review, included as Attachment A. 460
Housing Element Process
The only element of the General Plan that must be approved by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the Housing Element. This element was not started until the state and the county approved the Regional Housing Need Assessment (RNHA) numbers for 2022-2031.

The final housing number were approved in early 2022, and the City of Solvang housing assignment is 191 units.

The consultants started the final work on the Housing Element with the focus of finding vacant or underutilized sites to add housing. The first draft of the Housing Element was provided to City Staff in early October. HCD set a deadline for each jurisdiction in Santa Barbara County to submit the approved final, certified Housing Element. The deadline for jurisdiction in Santa Barbara County by February 15, 2023. There are several steps that the city needs to conduct before this final Housing Element can be filed with HCD:

1. 30-day public comment period: The Draft Housing Element along with the required the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) and the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) must be circulated for a 30 day public review period. The consultants are preparing the draft document, and staff is ready to release the draft document on December 19th with the closing of the public comment period on January 18th.

2. Response to Public Comments: After the 30-day review, the consultants are scheduled to take 10 days to prepare responses to the public comments and amend the Draft Housing Element accordingly.

3. City Council review of Daft Housing Element for submittal: Staff has targeted the January 23, 2023, and the February 13, 2023, for City Council Hearings to review the responses to comments and the changes to the Draft Housing Element. The goal is to have the City Council direct staff to file the Draft Housing Element to HCD for preliminary review on February 15, 2023, for HCD review and comment and authorize the start of the Environmental Impact Review (EIR) of the General Plan Elements.

4. Environmental Impact Review Process (estimated 9-10 months): The consultants will take about five to nine months to prepare the Draft EIR. There will be an estimated one-month block of time for city staff and the consultants to review and edit the Draft EIR. There will then be a 45- day public review period for the Draft EIR. Within this 45-day period, there will be a public workshop for public comment. At the end of the public review period. the consultants and city staff will have about one month to respond to the comment letters emails, and verbal comments.

5. Public review General Plan Elements and EIR (estimated 4 months): Once the EIR process is completed and hearing Draft EIR is ready for Public Hearing, staff will have meetings with the GPAC, Design Review Committee, Planning Commission, and the City Council for final approval.

6. Complete filing of the Approved Housing Element: Based on the above timeline the approved Final Housing Element will be final with HCD in March to April of 2024.

This summary indicates that we have another 15 to 18 months to complete this General Plan update process. During this remaining time, there will be multiple public meetings and opportunities for public comments.

State Law on Housing Element Delays:

For jurisdictions that have not fully completed their Housing Element review, state law has established several consequences for not meeting the February 15, 2023 deadline:
1) The City of Solvang cannot qualify for any grants that require a certified Housing Element by HCD.
461
2) The deadline for rezoning land to align with the updated housing element is one year instead of three years.
3) Builder’s Remedy arises out of the Housing Accountability Act. See Attachment B for more information.

ALTERNATIVES:

Council can provide direction to staff regarding the timing of the review of the Preliminary Draft of the General Plan Update, either the Housing Element alone or the entire document.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The City Council approved a General Plan Update contract in 2020 with two amendments for a total of almost $700,000.00. There may be an additional contract amendment as this project moves through the next 18 months.

ATTACHMENTS:

A – Preliminary Draft General Plan
B – The Builder’s Remedy and Housing Elements
C – Public Comment on the Housing Element
462

SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL
January 23, 2023
Agenda Item 6.d
Discussion and possible action to receive and file the draft Housing Element of the General Plan
PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED PRIOR TO 4 PM ON JANUARY
23, 2023
463
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Total
Sixth Cycle RHNA 55 39 22 75 191
Credits
Pending / Approved
Projects
3 45 10 51 109
ADU Projections 0 0 32 32 64
Site
Inventory
Vacant Sites 0 0 1 74 75
Vacant Sites Requiring
Rezoning
63 14 20 71 168
Total Planned Sixth Cycle Units 66 59 63 228 416
RHNA with required 20 % buffer (1) 66 47 27 75 230
Surplus (beyond buffered total) +/- 0 + 12 + 36 + 153 + 186 % of RHNA Planned 120 % 126 % 233 % 304 % 218 %
ORIGINAL DRAFT - Table H-59 Site Inventory; page 478/ Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022 Plan Solvang
(1) No-net-loss provisions of Government Code Section 65863 require all jurisdictions to provide an additional 20 % buffer to ensure capacity is maintained throughout the planning period [ ] Errors Slide 1
464
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Total
Sixth Cycle RHNA 55 39 22 75 191
Credits
Pending / Approved
Projects
3 45 10 51 109
ADU Projections 0 0 32 32 64
Site
Inventory
Vacant Sites 0 0 1 74 75
Vacant Sites Requiring
Rezoning
63 14 20 71 168
Total Planned Sixth Cycle Units 66 59 63 228 416
RHNA with required 20 % buffer (1) 66 47 27 75 215 (230) Surplus (beyond buffered total) +/- 0 + 12 + 36 + 153 + 201 (+ 186) % of RHNA Planned 120 % 151 % (126 %) 286 % (233 %) 304 % 218 % ORIGINAL DRAFT (ERRORS CORRECTED) - Table H-59 Site Inventory; page 478/ Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022 Slide 2
(1) No-net-loss provisions of Government Code Section 65863 require all jurisdictions to provide an additional 20 % buffer to ensure capacity is maintained throughout the planning period Plan Solvang
465
ORIGINAL DRAFT - Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning; H-98 / Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022 Site Address APN Size
(acres)
Existing
Zoning
Proposed
Zoning
Realistic
Capacity
RHNA Income
Categories
Notes
A 741 Alamo Pintado
Road; 739 Alamo
Pintado Road
139-031-064;
139-031-063

1.0 20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
17 6 Very Low
5 Low
6 Above Moderate
5th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
56 and 57)
B 1999 Viborg Road 139-031-020 0.64 20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
11 4 Very Low
4 Low
3 Above Moderate
4th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
26); 5th cycle above moderate
– income opportunity site
(Site 55)
C Parcel west of junction
Alamo Pintado Road /
Village Ln; Northwest
corner Alamo Pintado
Rd / Old Mission Dr
139-530-002;
139-530-001

5.48 20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
76 18 Very Low
2 Low
20 Moderate
36 Above Moderate
4th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
22-23); 5th cycle above
moderate – income
opportunity site (Site 87-88)
D West of Alisal Road;
bisected by Juniper
Avenue
137-260-021 3.71 REC 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
64 35 Very Low
3 Low
26 Above Moderate
Only 3.71 acres of 5.83- acre
property developable due to
Alisal Road’s realignment
within parcel boundary due to
washout of Alisal Bridge in
January 1969
Plan Solvang
Slide 3
466
REVISED PROPOSAL - Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning; H-98 / Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022 Site Address APN Size
(acres)
Existing
Zoning
Proposed
Zoning
Realistic
Capacity
RHNA Income
Categories
Notes
A 741 Alamo Pintado
Road; 739 Alamo
Pintado Road
139-031-064;
139-031-063

1.0 20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac as
required by State Law
(17)
0 6 Very Low
5 Low
6 Above Moderate
5th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
56 and 57)
B 1999 Viborg Road 139-031-020 0.64 20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
11 6 ( 4 ) Very Low
2 ( 4 ) Low
3 Above Moderate
4th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
26); 5th cycle above moderate
– income opportunity site
(Site 55)
C Parcel west of
junction Alamo
Pintado Road /
Village Ln;
Northwest corner
Alamo Pintado Rd /
Old Mission Dr
139-530-002;
139-530-001

5.48 1.0
20-R-1 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
(76)
20 20 ( 18 ) Very Low
2 Low
20 Moderate
36 Above Moderate
4th cycle above moderate –
income opportunity site (Site
22-23); 5th cycle above
moderate – income
opportunity site (Site 87-88)
D West of Alisal Road;
bisected by Juniper
Avenue
137-260-021 3.71 REC 20-R-20
(minimum 20 du/ac
as required by State
Law
64 38 ( 35 ) Very Low
3 Low
26 Above Moderate
Only 3.71 acres of 5.83- acre
property developable due to
Alisal Road’s realignment
within parcel boundary due to
washout of Alisal Bridge in
January 1969
Plan Solvang
Slide 4
467
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Total
Sixth Cycle RHNA 55 39 22 75 191
Credits
Pending / Approved
Projects
3 45 10 51 109
ADU Projections 0 0 32 32 64
Site
Inventory
Vacant Sites 0 0 1 74 75
Vacant Sites Requiring
Rezoning
64 ( 63 ) 2 ( 14 ) 0 ( 20 ) 29 ( 71 ) 95 ( 168 )
Total Planned Sixth Cycle Units 67 ( 66 ) 47 ( 59 ) 43 ( 63 ) 186 ( 228 ) 343 ( 416 ) RHNA with required 20 % buffer (1) 66 47 27 75 215
Surplus (beyond buffered total) +1 ( +/- 0 ) 0 ( + 12 ) +16 ( + 36 ) +111 ( + 153 ) +128 ( + 201) % of RHNA Planned 122 % ( 120 %) 121 % ( 151 % ) 195 % (286 %) 248 % ( 304 % ) 180% ( 218 %) REVISED PROPOSAL - Table H-59 Site Inventory; page 478/ Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022 Plan Solvang
(1) No-net-loss provisions of Government Code Section 65863 require all jurisdictions to provide an additional 20 % buffer to ensure capacity is maintained throughout the planning period Slide 5 468
Allow sender | Block sender
RE: Housing Element / 741 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang
Brett Jones <[email protected]>
Sat 1/21/2023 2:28 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>;Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]>;Rodger Olds <[email protected]> Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.

Hi Sophia,
On behalf of my sister-in-law, Michele Jacobsen, I wanted to officially state that she and I (a resident of Solvang) are against the potential rezoning of her vacant property, located at 741 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang.

Can you make sure that this letter is included as public comment and is part of any packets for the Planning Commission or the City Council? Thank you!
Brett Jones
Jones Land Use Planning, LLC
P. O. Box 847 / 2922 Grand Ave., Suite J
Los Olivos, CA 93441
[email protected]
www.joneslanduse.com
(805) 688-4974 (office)
(805) 886-2706 (cell)
From: Brett Jones
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 4:46 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>; Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>; Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]>; Rodger Olds <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Housing Element / 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang Thank you!
Brett Jones
Jones Land Use Planning, LLC
P. O. Box 847 / 2922 Grand Ave., Suite J
Los Olivos, CA 93441
[email protected]
www.joneslanduse.com
(805) 688-4974 (office)
(805) 886-2706 (cell)
From: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 4:45 PM
To: Brett Jones <[email protected]>; Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>; Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]>; Rodger Olds <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Housing Element / 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang I have added it to their folders. Thank you!
From: Brett Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 4:00 PM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>; Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>; Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Housing Element / 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang Thank you Sophia.

Yes, please include this email as public comment.

Brett Jones
Jones Land Use Planning, LLC
P. O. Box 847 / 2922 Grand Ave., Suite J
Los Olivos, CA 93441
[email protected]
www.joneslanduse.com
(805) 688-4974 (office)
(805) 886-2706 (cell)
From: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 3:41 PM
To: Brett Jones <[email protected]>; Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>; Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Housing Element / 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang Hi Brett,
Thank you for following up. Do you want me to submit this for the record as public comment? I am new to being involved in this process, so I will answer the best I can. Laurie, our Planning Consultant, is the other email address on the Planning Dept Public List. She is more familiar with General Plan processes and may weigh in as well.

There is a responsibility to inform the property owner of a potential re-zone. I am not sure when it typically is supposed to happen.

Once the General Plan is no longer being modified, it will undergo an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process with the other elements of the general plan. I believe the rezone will happen after the completion of the EIR as the environmental impact of the rezone is being assessed through the EIR. The city council would also need to vote to approve it.
469
It does not require a property owner to propose any development. There are several parcels on Copenhagen Drive that were rezoned around 2007 where proposed development did not happen until this year. Through the Housing Element, we need to show either projects in the works or land that could be redeveloped to account for all of the units we need in order to meet out Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) number.

I looked in the Housing Element. It does not look like 737 APR (745 APR on the Assessor's Look Up) is being considered either as a site that does not require rezone or as a site that requires rezone.

Table H-52 List of Vacant Sites Not Requiring Rezoning is on pages 172 through 174: _12052022-739 (cityofsolvang.com).

I will need Laurie to weigh in on this. I do not believe you are locked in to having to provide low-income units. However, I could see ramifications in terms of having to state that the proposed project is not consistent with the General Plan when we are writing the Planning Commission Staff Report. Additionally, we'd need to identify another site to allocate those units. I am curious what Laurie will say. She will be attending the meeting virtually.

Thank you,
Sophia
From: Brett Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 1:05 PM
To: Planning Dept Public List <[email protected]> Cc: Angela Janes <[email protected]>; Michele Jacobsen <[email protected]> Subject: Housing Element / 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang Hi Sophia,
My sister-in-law is the property owner of 737 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang and she also owns 741 AP Road, a vacant parcel that is currently under review for re-zoning. She and I have a few questions:

What is the City’s process and / or responsibility to inform a property owner of a potential re-zone? What is the next step in this re-zone process?
Does this re-zone require the property owner to propose any development? How does the re-zone affect the property directly to the west (737 APR) / is that developed parcel being considered as part of the re-zone? Is the re-zoned property required to include a low-income component. For example, if a SFD and an ADU is proposed on the parcel, would either unit be required to be low income? I will plan on attending the Zoom meeting tonight and can ask these questions there, as well.

Thank you!
Brett Jones
Jones Land Use Planning, LLC
P. O. Box 847 / 2922 Grand Ave., Suite J
Los Olivos, CA 93441
[email protected]
www.joneslanduse.com
470
(805) 688-4974 (office)
(805) 886-2706 (cell)
471
472
473
FW: housing element
Annamarie Porter <[email protected]>
Mon 1/23/2023 8:21 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;Rodger Olds <[email protected]> From: Laura Ishikawa <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2023 8:07 AM
To: City Hall <[email protected]>; Public City Council Group <[email protected]> Subject: housing element
Solvang City Council - I know that the housing element is a complex issue and I understand no one wants to have more housing next to them in what is currently open space such as the lots being conside Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
Solvang City Council -
I know that the housing element is a complex issue and I understand no one wants to have more housing next to them in what is currently open space such as the lots being considered on Alamo Pintado, but clearly the state is requiring us to provide more housing.

I agree with the comments in the draft housing element that the Alamo Pintado lots are ideal for more housing as those locations are walkable to many amenities such as grocery stores, medical, pharmacies, and restaurants.

I feel that what Solvang is missing is moderate/mid-level housing/ "starter homes". I work as a public-school teacher and my amazing paraprofessionals have been trying to break into the housing market for years but so much of what has been available has been high end/huge houses that are out of financial reach for them. They tell me "I don't need big and fancy, I just want to stop renting and own my own place". They are trying to begin to build their generational wealth for themselves as well as for their children.

Please encourage the developers to provide as much moderate "missing middle" housing as possible (small but not tiny) and housing affordable to basic working folks.

Thank you for your hard work.

Laura Ishikawa
Solvang Resident
474
Lansing Duncan
635 Aqueduct Way
Solvang, CA 93463
Mayor Infanti and Councilmembers,
Thank you for listening to the concerns of Solvang residents on Monday December 12 regarding the Housing Element proposal to develop 90-110 or more units on Site 3 (now labeled Site C.) Those residents pointed out the many reasons why the steeper hillside parcel would be very expensive to develop and would not result in affordable units. Your own staff has pointed out this issue and stated that the entire site with both parcels “should be at the most 20 units in the low category with the rest at market rate.”
Reflecting that statement, the current Public Review Draft now shows 18 Very Low units and 2 Low units. These units could be more easily developed on the lower flatter site described as “significantly less costly to develop” without the construction of the additional 20 Moderate and 36 Above Moderate units, undoubtedly sited on the steep hillside parcel, that the City does not need.

At the December hearing the owner and prospective developer of Site C (formerly Site 3) spoke after residents so there was no opportunity for residents to rebut his comments. This letter will address some of the pointed questions and confident assertions the owner made.

The owner questioned the fact that only his site had been commented on by the speakers. I suspect there are many reasons for that. The first being that the number of units proposed for Site C is far larger than any other site. Secondly, Site C with its prominent hill is highly visible to members of the public who live in the neighborhood or shop at the two nearby shopping centers. Thirdly, Site C is the most egregiously poorly-considered proposal of all sites by far.

There were legitimate reasons motivating the comments of the speakers. It was not a personal attack on the owners.

The owner also wondered why only Mission Oaks residents questioned the appropriateness of Site C to support affordable housing on the scale proposed. I suspect this was because a relatively small number of Solvang citizens were aware of what is proposed. The draft document had only been released prior to the Planning Commission hearing which occurred just a week before the Council’s meeting.

It is totally understandable that neighbors are the city residents most likely to be able to identify a piece of property from the minimal description incorporated in planning documents. When a property has no address and only an APN is listed it can be difficult to know what is being discussed. Mission Oaks residents abut the Site C parcels to the west and to the north so it is not surprising that they are more familiar with its location. They are also the City residents who are 475
most familiar with some of the challenges to develop it, such as the steep terrain, the existing drainage, the Mission Aqueduct and the difficult expansive soils involved.

It is not surprising that the owners of the shopping center across the street were not protesting the prospect of hundreds of new customers. And it is not surprising that the owners of the Merkantile to the south, were not calling attention to Site C, since they are also the owners of Site C. Would the owners of Site C prefer that no residents talk about how appropriate the steep hillside of Site C is for the dense development proposed and the production of affordable housing? Fortunately, Solvang residents have the opportunity to be heard when they speak out about poorly considered public planning decisions that will affect them.

The owner cited the redevelopment of the Merkantile as an example of dealing with the problems that would be encountered on Site C. The neighbors who experienced the demolition of the Valley Plaza Shopping Center and its replacement with the Merkantile however, might question the confidence expressed by the developer. Those who monitored the project know that the project was continually in flux and many promises made to the neighborhood never panned out. Numerous impacts to the community were not adequately mitigated and continue to this day.

Many residents questioned why a California Ranch style shopping center such as Valley Plaza, so well-suited to the topography of the site, and the residential neighborhood, was being demolished. They were told that the new shopping center would have direct access to Hwy. 246 thereby reducing the traffic on Old Mission Drive and the impacts to the neighborhood. That did not happen because Caltrans ultimately denied access.

The community pushed back when the developer proposed to cut down all of the many specimen trees on the site. The developer then claimed that he would be able to retain all the perimeter trees including the large Sycamores, but all the interior trees would have to be removed. Two subsequent revisions to the project however, required the removal of 8 more mature trees. The original grading plan did not meet the necessary standards and had to be revised, lowering the grade behind New Frontiers and removing more trees. A significant 37% expansion to the Forest Service building required more removal of screening trees.

The community was told that the hedge behind the large New Frontiers building that helped protect the neighborhood could be retained, but then we were told it would have to be removed.

Only because the community objected and the modification appealed, was the project revised to allow its retention. Because the five existing trees that would have screened the back of New Frontiers had to be removed, new trees (5 along Old Mission Drive) were promised to replace those that had to be removed, but they were never planted. Others trees that were planted have died and have not been replaced. The hedge was supposed to grow to 8’ high to provide screening but it remains less than 6’. There are many areas where the landscaping has died and has not been replaced. Transformers that were never shown on the original plans have no landscaping to screen them from the residential neighborhood. 476
Solvang requires that parking lots be screened by walls or landscaping from public roadways but the plantings that were supposed to screen the large parking lot visible from Hwy. 246 and Alamo Pintado Road have failed to do so. The only substantial landscaping features are some shrubs along Hwy. 246 that were part of the Valley Plaza’s well-established landscape, and the large perimeter Sycamores that the neighbors insisted be retained. But they are deciduous so when they are out of leaf the shopping center and all its bulk and signage is totally visible. Too many of the much smaller new trees are also deciduous. More evergreen trees should have been used. They would provide much needed shade that was readily available in the old Valley Plaza Shopping Center that hosted concerts on the grass.

Originally the commercial square footage of the Merkantile was comparable to that of Valley Plaza plus the addition of eight apartments that were supposed to expand the diversity and affordability of Solvang’s housing. Ultimately the commercial space was substantially increased and five of the apartments became Air BnB rentals.

The community was told that all the tenants of the Merkantile would be locally -owned businesses but that has not panned out. New Frontiers itself, is the only business that could be considered locally-owned. The local businesses that attempted to locate on the Merkantile site ultimately moved out, presumably because the location was inappropriate and / or the rents were too expensive.

Neighbors were concerned that the expanded size and uses of the Merkantile would negatively impact public safety and parking on Old Mission Drive, which is substandard in places. They were told that there would be ample parking on site for customers, residents and employees and that the improved New Frontiers loading dock would take care of deliveries. In fact, certain businesses insist that their employees park on the street and large trucks often park or doublepark on Old Mission Drive while making, or waiting to make, deliveries. The loading dock is difficult to access and vehicles waiting to use it can block the entry to the shopping center.

The shopping center is supposedly pedestrian friendly but both the entries from Old Mission Drive lack pedestrian sidewalks that would connect the interior sidewalks with the public sidewalk. Pedestrians have to walk in the driveways and dodge vehicles.

All the buildings of The Merkantile are essentially two-story. The Bank building is actually single story but its massing is that of a two-story building. It is placed ten feet closer to Alamo Pintado Road than indicated on the plans shown to the public and the Planning Commission.

Since it is placed at a high elevation well above Alamo Pintado Road, it intrudes dramatically on the public streetscape and dramatically infringes on the canopy of an existing Sycamore, in violation of the project’s Tree Protection Plan.

Because The Merkantile sits on the highest corner of this gateway intersection it should have been designed with a low profile to fit with the topography and the surrounding development. 477
But instead, it was designed to have as much visibility as possible, in order to serve as a billboard for its elevated signage.

Almost all the Valley Plaza Shopping center appeared to be single-story. Although the People Helping People building was two-story it was set into the grade and back from the road to reduce visual impacts. The four unobtrusive upper-story apartments were carefully placed to reduce visual impacts, most people were unaware of their existence. Valley Plaza did not have the large blank walls seen at the back and side of the New Frontiers building leading the neighbors to call the building “The Penitentiary.” Neighbors were able to look over the old shopping center to see the mountains.

Valley Plaza signage was unobtrusive and dramatically different from the interior-lit signage and multiple monument signs of the Merkantile. The entry to Solvang was unnecessarily impacted by the demolition of the lushly landscaped well-designed Valley Plaza Shopping Center and the erection of The Merkantile. The last step in its construction was the expansion of the highly visible Forest Service building with its fenced parking lot, the addition of another large monument sign and the poorly-placed brightly lit charging stations that are totally out-ofplace.

The owner and developer of The Merkantile will face much larger challenges in the creation of affordable housing on the steep hillside parcel of Site C. He will not be able to take advantage of existing retaining walls on the north and south side of the site as he was at the Merkantile. He will have to develop entirely new access to public roads and drainage infrastructure on a far more challenging site with a 64 foot change in elevation. He will not be able to rely upon any existing landscaping. He will have to deal with an existing drainage that runs through the site and protect the Historic Mission Aqueduct. But most importantly, if he were actually constrained to produce affordable housing, he would not be able to continually revise the business plan, the site plan, the tenants, the customer base, the rents and /or the sales prices to pay for the very expensive costs of developing on such a challenging site.

Depending on your perspective, you may or may not consider The Merkantile an unqualified success, but there is no question that many of the original promises made to the community have not been realized, suggesting that future development of a far more challenging site by the developer, cannot be relied upon to produce truly affordable housing.

Thank you for your consideration,
Lansing Duncan
478
To: Sophia Checa, Planning Manager and the Solvang City Council Topic: Development of Parcels C at Alamo Pintado and Old Mission Road Dear Sophia Checa and our Solvang City Council,
Meetings are coming up for discussion on the proposed development by owner Joshua Richman on the two parcels he owns.

We understand the need for Solvang to comply with the State of California’s housing needs.

We are okay with projects that will provide this housing, without deteriorating the quality of where we all live.

We have read the 2022 Solvang Housing Element and a few items are of concern.

It says some reductions in parking requirements could be considered. I believe we read that one single space per unit could be the minimum. This would mean that the unit’s other vehicles would park offsite. Here at Old Mission Road, there is no parking available. The good folks who work at the New Frontiers store and the other businesses park regularly on the Old Mission Street. We also have the large produce trucks that park on the street as they wait to use the single unloading dock for New Frontiers.

If this were allowed, we anticipate some 40+ vehicles looking for parking daily. So, we have a few questions.
1- How many vehicles would the City Council or the developer need to park off of the building site?
2- Does the developer suggest another location for these vehicles which will not fit in the parking space of their unit?
3- What would occur if these same vehicles started parking in the shopping centers at New Frontiers and at Rite Aid and Leonardo’s? The other concern is the horse trading that will occur between the City Council and the Developer. It is our hope that the City, does not bear any cost for this project. If the developer builds a quality housing project with 479
access, parking, and low- income housing. We are sure he would recoup his monies with the sale of the upper priced homes on the hill.

That being said, we appreciate the work that you have done and know that you first thoughts are what is good for all parties concerned. It could be a good project.

Sincerely,
Jack and Elizabeth Clymer
480
FW: zoning change on the Alamo Pintado and Old Mission intersection to allow high density of 76-110 units;
Annamarie Porter <[email protected]>
Mon 1/23/2023 8:29 AM
To: Sophia Checa <[email protected]>;Rodger Olds <[email protected]> From: Stephanie Statom <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2023 8:04 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: zoning change on the Alamo Pintado and Old Mission intersection to allow high density of 76-110 units; Dear Planning Commission, I am not in favor of the proposed zoning change on the Alamo Pintado and Old Mission intersection to allow high density of 76-110 units; draft housing element project. My con Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. Allow sender | Block sender sophospsmartbannerend
Dear Planning Commission,
I am not in favor of the proposed zoning change on the Alamo Pintado and Old Mission intersection to allow high density of 76-110 units; draft housing element project.

My concern is the corridor for wildlife.

The corridor for wildlife has already been impacted and narrowed greatly by the newest projects around Alamo Pintado, hwy 246 and Old Mission drive cul-de-sac where fencing is cutting off fair passage for deer, bob cat, badger, coyote and greater apex predator such as mountain lion. If you take a drive or a walk along historic Old Mission drive you will see the south side is now solidly fenced. The only unfenced area is east side of the very busy Merkantile parking lot which sits next to the flow of heavy traffic on Alamo Pintado and hwy 246.

I would warn that once these and other projects go up, there is and will be no way to go backwards to mitigate the thoroughfare necessary to sustain healthy and necessary passage.

The issue of fencing needs to be considered ahead of time with a fair environmental review, a review by those who are on the side of wildlife as opposed to a review made by those who would benefit from the current proposal.

I could not find a fair consideration comment from the property owner regarding wildlife and would like to know if this person is even aware of such things - the Cougar and Deer and Bobcat, the Hawks and threatened songbirds who live there. I'd also like to know whether the planning commission is considering the subject of wildlife existing among us as a whole... not on separate lots but how we want to live with them and what our duty to them looks like on a bigger scale.

As it stands now this project would disrupt and destroy the only piece of land left that safely accepts and provides harbor, food and respite for wildlife who live among us who have to navigate through Solvang from the low lying land below the Old Mission and either forge under the Alamo Pintado bridge or risk crossing hwy 246’s heavily trafficked road, and make their way north up Alamo Pintado. This corridor is important for them. It is to their benefit that there is a stop light at 246 and Alamo Pintado but it still doesn't keep wildlife from being hit by cars and nor keep humans safe from injury due to collisions with wildlife.

As Solvang gets more and more congested the concern for wildlife passage should be a priority. As I stated above - you can’t go backwards once it’s done.

I would ask the planning commission to please be aware of how any current and proposed projects already do and will include fencing that cuts of safe passage now and in the future to corridors that have existed for years and years. *** The fencing at Los Padres National Forest new offices in the Merkantile parking lot, the adjacent building west of the Los Padres offices, and the extreme fencing at the cul-de-sac on Old Mission dr. is an example of how 3 different projects ended up cutting off entry for wildlife coming from south side of 246. The townhouses at the end of Old Mission cul de sac have a solid fence cutting off all access and what’s left is essentially a dangerous ravine between their backyards and 481
hwy 246. The fencing goes all the way around to 246. How is wildlife supposed to manage safely? The new proposed project will undoubtedly further cut off another vital portion of corridor and chop it up.

Housing implies noisy humans, dogs and pets who through no fault of their own will undoubtedly frighten , detour and injure wildlife. The consequences of causing fear to wildlife will undoubtedly cause greater peril and death for wildlife who have no other option but to run into traffic to get away from pets and people. Of course this implies increased traffic accidents i.e. animal/verses/vehicles collisions and higher mortality.

One element necessary for healthy wildlife is wild untouched land, peace and quiet and this is key. I would say humans need this as well. We all benefit from open pasture.

All these things need to be seen as a whole not as separate issues. In other words as each project comes before you the whole issue of healthy wildlife, their corridors and safe sustaining lands and passage should have already been studied on a grander scale. It should be and needs to be an important element and a key factor in the planning of Solvang.

I understand the pressure the state is applying to build affordable housing but this lot is important for wildlife.

Please be fair and be educated in your decisions.

Thank you for listening to me,
Sincerely,
Stephanie Statom
404 First st
Solvang, California
805-574-0061
482

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-1 Housing
Policy Document
State law recognizes the vital role that local governments play in the supply and affordability of housing. Each jurisdiction’s governing body (in the case of Solvang, the City Council) is required to adopt a comprehensive, long-term plan (the General Plan) for the physical development of the city or county. An element of the City’s General Plan, the Housing Element is the City's plan for addressing housing needs in Solvang through 2031.

This Policy Document states the City’s goals, policies, implementing programs, and quantified objectives for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing. 9 Attachment C
483
H-2 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Key Terms
High opportunity areas: Synonymous with “high resource areas,” high opportunity areas are areas most strongly associated with positive economic, educational, and health outcomes for low-income families – particularly longterm outcomes for children – when compared to other neighborhoods in the same region. These areas are defined within the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing analysis.

Housing mobility: The ability of a household to access housing and opportunity within a community. Programs that work to enhance housing mobility work to improve housing choice and access to high opportunity areas.

Low barrier navigation center: A "Housing First," low barrier, temporary, serviceenriched shelter that helps homeless individuals and families to quickly obtain permanent housing.

Missing middle housing: A range of house-scale buildings with multiple units— compatible in scale and form with detached single-family homes—located in a walkable neighborhood. Missing middle housing types provide diverse housing options, such as duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and townhomes.

Place-based strategies: Actions that target the specific circumstances of a place.

Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA): The number of market rate and below market rate housing units that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) determines are necessary to plan for in an 8- year housing cycle.

Supportive housing: Housing that combines non-time-limited affordable housing assistance with wrap-around supportive services for people experiencing homelessness, as well as other people with disabilities.

Transitional Housing: a supportive – yet temporary – type of accommodation that is meant to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing, also known as interim housing.

Workforce housing: Housing affordable to households earning between 60 and 160 percent of area median income (AMI).
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9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-3 Introduction
Since 1969, California has required that all cities and counties adequately plan to meet the housing needs of everyone in the community. California’s local governments meet this requirement by adopting housing plans as part of their “general plan.” General plans serve as the local government’s "blueprint" for how the city and/or county will grow and develop and include seven required elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, and housing. Cities and counties with disadvantaged communities must also prepare an Environmental Justice policies, but this requirement does not apply to Solvang as there are no disadvantaged communities in the city.

California’s housing element law (Government Code Section 65580 (et seq.)) acknowledges that, for the private and non-profit market to adequately address the housing needs and demand of Californians, local governments must adopt plans and regulations that provide opportunities for and do not unduly constrain, housing development. As a result, housing policy in California rests largely upon the effective implementation of local general plans, particularly the housing element.

Although the Housing Element is one of seven required elements of the general plan, it has several unique requirements that set it apart from the other six. State law specifies in detail the topics that the housing element must address and sets a schedule for required updates every eight years. The housing element is also the only element reviewed and certified by the State for compliance with State law. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is the State department responsible for this certification.

Housing Needs
For the 2023-2031 planning period, as with previous periods, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), the regional government agency Solvang is a member of, assigned a portion of its Regional Housing Needs provided by HCD to the City of Solvang according to projected regional jobs growth over time, among other factors (for more detailed documentation of the methodology, see the Housing Resources section in the Needs Assessment).

The result of the process is Solvang’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), which serves as a projection of housing needs during the 2022-2031 planning period between February 15, 2023, and February 15, 2031.

The RHNA states that Solvang is projected to need 191 total units by 2031. The identified housing need is almost evenly split between lower-income and higherincome designations. 485
H-4 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Projected Housing Needs in Comparison to Nearby Jurisdictions Lower
Moderate Above
Moderate
Total Extremely
Low
Very
Low
Low
Solvang 27 28 39 22 75 191
Buellton 55 37 30 43 165
Lompoc 166 262 311 1,509 2,248
Santa Barbara 2,147 1,381 1,441 3,032 8,001
Santa Barbara
County
5,799 3,935 4,397 10,725 24,856
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, State of California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2021.

The 2023-2031 Housing Element establishes a comprehensive plan to address the current and projected needs of Solvang residents through community goals and policies surrounding the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing units. Solvang, along with other constituent jurisdictions of SBAG, are required to submit an updated Housing Element to HCD by February 15, 2023.

Consistency with the General Plan
California Government Code Section 65300.5 requires that a general plan be internally consistent, meaning that no conflicts exist among the elements of the plan. Government Code section 65583(c) requires that a Housing Element describe how consistency has been achieved among the general plan elements.

The most important aspect of consistency among general plan elements is that policies and implementation measures do not conflict but support one another to achieve the overall goals and vision of a general plan.

In preparing the 2023-2031 Housing Element, the City is also concurrently drafting a comprehensive General Plan update. Throughout the development of the Housing Element and General Plan Updates, City staff and decision-makers reviewed each Element to ensure consistency amongst Elements as well as with the General Plan Vision and Guiding Principles. Additionally, if the General Plan is amended during the planning period, the City will review the Housing Element for internal consistency and make any necessary revisions. 486

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-5 Associated General Plan Element Updates
California Government Code 65302 et seq. requires that the Safety Element be revised upon the adoption of the Housing Element to identify updated information regarding flood and fire hazards and evacuation routes. The City is updating the General Plan, including the Safety Element concurrent with the Housing Element Update.

California Government Code 65302 also requires that cities and counties with disadvantaged communities update the Environmental Justice Element to identify objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities, promote civic engagement, and prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities. The City does not have any identified disadvantaged communities as defined by California Government Code 65302(h) et seq. Therefore, the City is not required to draft an Environmental Justice Element and/or Disadvantaged Communities Element.

Components of the Housing
Element
The 2023-2031 Housing Element Update consists of two parts: the Housing Needs Assessment (Needs Assessment) and the Housing Element Policy Document.

1. The Needs Assessment identifies and analyzes the existing and projected housing needs, provides a list of sites for housing development that are adequate to accommodate the City’s regional housing needs allocation, documents constraints to housing production, and analyzes fair housing issues, locally and regionally. In short, the Housing Needs Assessment provides the context for the City's housing action plan.

2. The Policy Document states goals, policies, implementing programs, and quantified objectives for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing. The Policy Document is the action plan that responds directly to the findings of the Housing Needs Assessment and input from the community. The City will implement the actions specified in the Policy Document throughout the eight-year planning period.
487
H-6 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Quantified Objectives
Quantified Objectives by Type
One of the requirements of State law (California Government Code, Section 65583[b]) is that the Housing Element contains quantified objectives for the maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing. State law recognizes that the total housing needs identified by a community may exceed available resources and the community's ability to satisfy this need. Under these circumstances, the quantified objectives need not be identical to the total housing needs, however, the quantified objectives shall establish the number of housing units by income category that can be realistically constructed, rehabilitated, and conserved. The City has established quantifiable objectives in implementation programs throughout the policy document. This section identifies the City’s housing need (the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA) and summarizes new construction, conservation, and special needs housing objectives for the 2023-2031 planning period.

Projected Housing Needs (Regional Housing Need Allocation) Extremely
Low
0-30% of
Median
income
Very Low
30-50%
of Median
Income
Low
50-80%
of Median
Income
Moderate
80-120%
of Median
Income
Above
Moderate
>120% of
Median
Income
Total
Solvang 28 27 39 22 75 191
New Construction Objectives
Income Category Units Units by type Total Units
Extremely lowincome
20 units
90 lower-income
units
208 total units
Very low-income 30 units
Low-income 40 units
Moderate-income 58 units 118 moderate and
above-moderate
units
Above moderateincome
60 units
488

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-7 Rehabilitation and Conservation Objectives
Conservation of all 136 manufactured/mobile home units. (Program D) Rehabilitation of three extremely low-, eight very low-, and eight low-income units (Programs A, B)
Preservation of 5,466 Housing Choice Vouchers administered countywide (Program C)
Assistance for Special Needs Households
30 units of senior housing (Programs K and Q)
30 units for persons with a disability (Programs K and Q) 40 units for local workforce housing (Program F)
Quantified Objectives Summary Table
The City will strive to exceed the following targets for affordable housing development in Solvang.

Extremely
Low
Very Low
Low
Moderate
Above
Moderate
Total
New Construction 20 30 40 58 60 208
Rehabilitation 3 8 8 0 0 19
Conservation/Preservation1 45 45 46 0 0 136
1 Conservation goals are derived from Program D. Units have been distributed evenly across income categories.
489
H-8 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Goals, Policies, and
Implementation Programs
Goal H-1:

Conserve and improve the quality of existing housing and residential neighborhoods in Solvang. (Source: Existing Goal 1)
Policies
H-1.1: Citizen Involvement. The City shall encourage citizen involvement in addressing the maintenance and improvement of the City's housing stock by providing notices for proposed changes to existing housing as required by state law. [Source:

Existing Policy 1.1, modified]
H-1.2: Residential Rehabilitation. The City shall encourage homeowners and landlords to maintain properties in sound condition through code enforcement efforts and by
implementing a residential rehabilitation assistance program. [Source: Existing Policy 1.2]
H-1.3: Community Design. The City shall preserve and retain the city's historical and architecturally unique buildings and
neighborhoods, particularly in the Village Area. existing residential units within the Village Area may be retained for residential use and can incorporate commercial components with the residential unit on the site. . [Source: Existing Policy 1.3, modified]
H-1.4: Affordable Housing. The City shall maintain the city's existing stock of affordable housing, including mobile homes, through a review of City regulations including zoning and other forms of assistance. [Source: Existing Policy 1.4, modified]
H-1.5: Maintenance of Residential Properties. The City shall cooperate with housing providers in the acquisition, rehabilitation, and/or maintenance of residential properties for housing. [Source:

Existing Policy 1.5, modified]
490

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-9 Goal H-2:

Facilitate the development of a range of housing types, densities, and affordability levels to meet the diverse needs of the community. (Source:

Existing Goal 2)
H-2.1: Housing for All Residents. The City shall encourage the production of housing that meets the needs of all economic segments, including homeless and extremely low, lower,
moderate, and above moderate-income households, to achieve a balanced community. [Source: Existing Policy 2.1]
H-2.2: Expanding Workforce Housing. The City shall encourage housing opportunities for the city's workforce, including seasonal and part-time workers in the tourism sector and public service employees. The City will encourage housing
opportunities and assistance to address the needs of local workers. [Source: Existing Policy 2.2, modified]
H-2.3: Affordable Senior Housing. The City shall continue to facilitate the provision of affordable housing for the city's growing senior population, including senior housing with supportive services, assisted living facilities, and second units. [Source: Existing Policy 2.4]
H-2.4: Support Special Housing Needs. The City shall support, as feasible, non-profit and for-profit agencies who provide supportive services and alternative housing options for the homeless and other persons with special housing needs in Solvang. [Source: Existing Policy 2.5, modified]
H-2.5: Universal Design. The City shall encourage the provision of housing adaptable to the physically disabled through integration of universal design features in new development, and
compliance with Title 24 of the California Health and Safety Code. [Source: Existing Policy 2.6, modified]
H-2.6: Home Ownership Assistance. The City shall work with local organizations that identify and pursue State, Federal, and other funding sources to enable home ownership for low- and
moderate-income households. [Source: Existing Policy 2.7, modified]
H-2.7: Home Ownership Education. The City shall work with local organizations to encourage first time homebuyers from low- and 491
H-10 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 moderate- income households to participate in home ownership assistance programs available from public agencies and in the private market. [Source: Existing Policy 2.8, modified] H-2.8: Encouraging Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)/Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). The City shall allow ADUs and JADUs as a means of providing additional housing
opportunities in existing neighborhoods as provided by state law. [Source: Existing Policy 2.9, modified]
H-2.9: Rental Assistance. The City shall continue to support local organizations that provide rental assistance to extremely low and lower-income households and encourage property-owners to list units with the Santa Barbara County Housing Authority. [Source: Existing Policy 2.11, modified]
H-2.10: Special Needs Housing. The City shall support the development and conservation of housing that meets the special needs of large families, families with children, seasonal workers, persons with disabilities, elderly persons, homeless, and agricultural workers. [Source: Existing Policy 5.3, modified]
Goal H-3:

Designate adequate sites through appropriate land use and zoning standards to accommodate the City's share of regional housing needs. [Source: Existing Goal 3]
H-3.1: Village Area Mixed-Use. The City shall encourage mixed-use development in the Village Area (TRC zone).. The City shall allow existing residential uses to remain residential as a primary use or incorporate commercial components. [Source: Existing Policy

3.2, modified]
H-3.2: Efficient Land Use. The City shall encourage efficient use of the City’s limited land resources by promoting development at the upper end of permitted General Plan/Zoning Ordinance
densities and by facilitating quality infill development that utilizes existing infrastructure. This may mean that setbacks, landscaping, and parking standards may be modified on a project specific basis. [Source: Existing Policy 3.4, modified] H-3.3: Height. The City shall encourage residential development to a maximum height of 35 feet. [Source: New Policy]
492

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-11 Goal H-4:

Where appropriate, mitigate or remove potential governmental constraints to housing production, homeless facilities, and affordability. [Source: Existing Goal 4]
H-4.1: Affordable Housing Incentives. The City shall follow state law and provide density bonuses with flexibility in site development standards to encourage new construction of housing to
accommodate the City's share of regional housing needs. [Source: Existing Policy 4.1, modified]
H-4.2: Monitor Governmental Constraints. The City shall amend the existing city ordinance to be consistent with State Housing Laws. . [Source: Existing Policy 4.2, modified]
H-4.3: Maintain Critical Infrastructure. The City shall maintain adequate public services and infrastructure to facilitate the City's share of regional housing needs. The City shall update the AB 1600 Development fee program with focus on the fees
applied to affordable housing units. [Source: Existing Policy 4.3, modified]
H-4.4: Energy Efficiency. The City shall allow the installation of energy efficient devices in existing housing and use of energy efficient designs for new housing per State Building Codes. [Source:

Existing Policy 4.4, modified]
Goal H-5:

Promote fair and equal housing opportunities for all residents of Solvang. [Source: Existing Goal 5 ]
H-5.1: Equal Housing Opportunities. The City shall continue to support agencies that support equal housing opportunities for all residents of Solvang. [Source: Existing Policy 5.1, modified] H-5.2: Fair Housing Organizational Support. The City shall continue to support public and private organizations that enforce fair housing laws prohibiting arbitrary discrimination in the building, financing, selling, or renting of housing based on race, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, family status, ethnic background, disability, or other such factors and provide mediation services to Solvang residents. [Source: Existing Policy 5.2]
493
H-12 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 H-5.3: Public Investments. The City shall ensure public investments are equitably distributed throughout the community. [Source:

New Policy]
494

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-13 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
Housing and Neighborhood Conservation
HE-A Code Enforcement
The City shall continue to carry out zoning code enforcement activities, including performing property inspections and citing code violations, when necessary. The City shall also continue to contract with the California Code Check for the enforcement of building codes.

The City shall provide information regarding the Housing Rehabilitation Assistance to owners of housing units with code compliance issues.

The City shall provide direct technical assistance to lowerincome households dealing with code compliance issues.

Technical assistance may include, but is not limited to, one-onone assistance from staff with technical expertise or assistance with the rehabilitation loan program application. [Source: Existing Program 1, modified]
Provide direct technical
assistance to at least 9
households with
substandard housing issues
that led to code
compliance, including:
• Three extremely lowincome households
• Three very low-income
households, and
• Three low-income
households
H-1.2: Planning Division,
Building Division
General
Fund
Assist three
households by
2025, 6 by 2028,
and 9 by 2031
495
H-14 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-B Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program
To support the City’s code enforcement efforts and improve the condition of existing affordable and market rate housing stock, the City shall implement a home rehabilitation assistance program to assist low income and senior households, as
funding becomes available. This program will use a portion of the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and/or
Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funds
that the City may apply for through its participation in the County HOME Consortium to assist homeowners in repairing or upgrading their homes for the purpose of preserving existing units. The City’s code enforcement officer shall identify substandard housing units that might qualify for HOME
funding. Correcting code violations will be a top priority of the loan program. Additional actions taken by the City shall include:

A. The City shall advertise the availability of this program through brochures at City Hall, the Public Library, and by posting information on the City’s website.

B. The City shall annually investigate funding
opportunities in support of the Housing Rehabilitation
Assistance Program.

C. The City shall pursue two new funding opportunities in the planning period.

D. The City shall identify and engage local non-profit
agencies to identify local rehabilitation needs and
opportunities for partnerships to provide resources or
direct-assistance to lower-income households.
[Source: Existing Program 2, modified]
Provide rehabilitation
assistance to:
• Five very low-income
households, and
• Five low-income
households
A. Provide program
information and
resources at City Hall,
Solvang Senior Center,
the Solvang Library,
and on the City’s
website by 2024
B. Explore funding
opportunities annually
C. Pursue two new
funding opportunities
in the planning period.

D. Identify and contact
local non-profit
agencies bi-annually
H-1.2::

H-1.3:

H-1.4:

Planning Division United
States
Department
of Housing
and Urban
Development
(HUD) HOME

HUD CDBG
Assist 10
households by
2026, 10 by
2028, and 15 by
2031.

A. Post
information: by
2024
B, Explore
funding: annually
C. Apply for new
funding: twice in
the planning
period
D. Biannually
496

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-15 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-C Rental Assistance
The City shall continue to support agencies providing rental assistance, including the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara in the administration of the Housing Choice Voucher program, and shall support and encourage the
provision of additional subsidies through the Housing Choice Voucher program. [Source: Existing Program 3, modified] Address the high cost of
rent for lower income
households by partnering
with the Housing Authority
in the administration
housing choice vouchers
countywide
Engage with the Housing
Authority annually to
discuss opportunities to
pursue additional funds for
rental assistance programs
Provide informational
materials detailing existing
rental assistance programs
and available resources on
the City’s website by 2024
H-2.1:

H-2.4:

H-2.9:

Planning Division HUD –
Housing
Choice
Voucher

HUD HOME
Engage with the
Housing
Authority:
annually
Apply for
funding: as
available
Information on
City website: by
2024
HE-D Mobile Home and Mobile Home Park
Preservation
The City shall continue to allow and preserve mobile home parks through its previously established Mobile Home Park (MHP) designation under both its General Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

The City shall continue to allow mobile homes that adhere to the California Building Code as single-family residential use or accessory dwelling unit throughout the city. [Source: Existing Program 4]
Maintain the Mobile Home
Park (MHP) designation
under both its General Plan
and Zoning Ordinance as a
means providing mobile
home as an affordable
housing option
Continue to allow mobile
homes that adhere to the
California Building Code,
e.g., with permanent
foundations, as a singlefamily residential use.

H-2.1: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Ongoing
497
H-16 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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Source
Timeframe
HE-E Preservation of Community Character
The City shall preserve, protect, and promote the unique Old World Danish design theme that is prevalent in the downtown Village Area. The City will maintain a regulatory framework to preserve and enhance the community’s unique character.

The City shall develop Objective Design Standards to preserve and maintain the City’s old world Danish design theme specific to the Village Area, which is core to the local economy. [Source:

Existing Program 5, modified]
Complete stakeholder
interviews with local
developers and architects
to inform design standards
Adopt objective design
standards for the Village
Area by 2025
Publicize the City’s adopted
design standards and
review processes related to
the Village Area on the
City’s website and at City
Hall by 2025
H-1.3:

H-3.1:

Planning Division
Design Review
Committee (DRC)
General
Fund (staff
time)
All actions and
objectives: 2024
Housing Production
HE-F Local Workforce Housing
The City will continue to work in partnership with both for- profit and non-profit developers, as well as the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara, in providing affordable housing for working families in Solvang. The City shall encourage partnerships in the pursuit of project-based funding and shall contact workforce housing developers and non-profit agencies to explore potential funding opportunities.
[Source: Existing Program 6, modified]
Engage with workforce
housing developers and
non-profits annually
Create partnerships with
developers and/or nonprofits in support of two
grant applications in the
planning period
Through partnership and
incentives, encourage the
development of:
• 20 very lowincome units
• 20 low-income
units
H-2.1:

H-2.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time), HOME,
CDBG
Engagement:
annually
Partnerships in
pursuit of
funding:

One by 2027
Two by 2030
Information to
website: 2023
498

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-17 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-G Density Bonus Program
The City shall continue to administer a Density Bonus
Ordinance that incentivizes affordable housing according to California Government Code 65915.

The City shall create and revise, as necessary, an informational brochure describing the density bonus provisions and
incentives. [Source: Existing Program 7, modified]
Publish an informational
brochure at City offices and
on the City website in 2023.

H-2.1:

H-2.2:

H-2.3:

H-2.10:

H-3.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
2023
499
H-18 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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Timeframe
HE-H Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Junior
Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU)
Development
The City shall adopt an Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance in compliance with State law, including AB 2299 (2016), SB 1069 (2016), AB 494 (2017), SB 229 (2017), AB 68 (2019), AB 881 (2019), AB 587 (2019), SB 13 (2019, and AB 671 (2019).

The City shall promote the development of ADUs and JADUs through outreach and education to residents and landowners.

The City shall:

A. Maintain and update informational brochures to
promote, educate, and assist homeowners with
developing ADUs and JADUs.

B. Create an information resource on the City’s website that provides information on ADUs, JADUs, and City
requirements.

C. Provide a step-by-step guide and assistance links to necessary applications and information.

D. Work with developers to incorporate ADUs and JADUs
into new single-family developments
E. Engage with local builders and homeowners to explore potential incentives to encourage the development of
ADU and JADU development in low density high
opportunity areas, in line with the City’s goals to
affirmatively further fair housing.
[Source: Existing Program 8, modified]
Adopt an ADU and JADU
ordinance in compliance
with state law in 2023
Through engagement and
outreach, as well as direct
incentives, encourage the
construction of 64 ADUs or
JADUs during the planning
period
Engage with local
developers by 2025
Provide information on
ADUs and JADUs at
Solvang Senior Center and
the Solvang Library, on the
City website and at City Hall
H-2.1:

H-2.8:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Update
municipal code:
2023
A: 2023 with
annual updates
B: 2024
C: Ongoing
D: by 2025
500

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-19 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-I Application for Grants and Loans
The City shall continue to investigate potential funding sources for housing and will apply for available grants and loan programs. The City shall keep a database of available funding opportunities and support local non-profit and/or for-profit entities applying for funding The City shall post the list of available funding opportunities on the city website and update it annually. The City shall also maintain a list of interested parties, including developers, property owners, and non-profit agencies and shall distribute information related to available funding opportunities to the parties directly through a mailing list.
[Source: Existing Program 11, modified]
Maintain and regularly
update a database of
funding opportunities
Promote funding
opportunities available to
local developers on the City
website
Apply for a minimum of one
new funding opportunity in
support of affordable
housing development within
the planning period
H-2.3:

H-2.4:

H-2.6:

H-2.9:

H-2.10:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Database: 2023
with annual
updates
Information to
website: 2024
Apply for
funding:
once in the
planning period
Provision of Adequate Sites for Housing
HE-J Adequate Sites Program
To provide adequate sites to fulfill the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation, the City expanded the development capacity of residential property through zoning designation changes.

The City shall monitor housing production and rezone parcels during the planning period to maintain adequate sites for housing for all income categories throughout the planning period, in compliance with the “no net loss” provisions of Government Code Section 65863.

Lower-income sites included in the housing sites inventory with a proposed zoning change, shall be rezoned, incompliance with Govt. Code Section 65583.2(h) and (i), to:
• permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses byright (without discretionary approval) for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households.

Monitor development in
accordance with Govt. Code
65863
Rezone sites in accordance
with 65583.2(h) and (i)
Publicize and annually
update a public-facing
inventory of available sites
in compliance with
65583.2(c)
Update and submit an
electronic copy of the
available sites inventory to
HCD annually with the
Housing Element Annual
Progress Report (APR), as
required by SB 6 (2019) and
H-3.2: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Monitor
development:
annually
Rezones: within
three years of
the adoption
deadline
Public-facing
inventory: 2023
Electronic
submission to
HCD: Annually
with APR
501
H-20 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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Timeframe
• accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; and
• require a minimum density of 20 units per acre.
[Source: Existing Program 12, modified]
make the list available on
the city website
HE-K Mixed-Use Development
The City shall encourage mixed-use development in
commercial areas and promote higher residential densities at locations proximate to shopping, employment, and public services.

The City shall revise the General Plan Land Use Element to allow mixed-use development in all commercial and
professional office designations with a maximum density of 20 dwelling units per acre and a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.65 (currently 0.23-0.50). Following the General Plan Update the City will update commercial and office zones for
consistency.

The city will grant mixed-use developments that include affordable and/or senior housing “priority processing” over other applications. [Source: Existing Program 13, modified] Update the General Plan
(GP) to allow mixed-used
development in all
commercial and P-O zones
Interview local stakeholders
regarding development
standards appropriate to
encourage mixed use
development in 2024
Update the Zoning Code for
consistency with the
General Plan and to be
responsive to stakeholder
input in 2025; encourage
the production of 10 lowincome, 10 moderate and
20 above moderate income
units in mixed use
developments
Provide priority processing
to mixed use projects with
special needs and/or senior
housing units to encourage
the production of: 10 verylow and 10 low-income
units
H-3.1:

H-3.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
GP update: 2023
Stakeholder
interviews: 2024
Zoning Code
update: within
three years of
the adoption
deadline
502

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-21 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-L Infill Incentives Ordinance
The City shall encourage infill development as it efficiently uses the city’s scarce land resources by promoting development on vacant or underused parcels in neighborhoods where
infrastructure is already in place.

To better facilitate development of infill projects, the City will review and revise, as necessary, existing residential
development standards to address barriers to in-fill
development and ensure compliance with State law, including reduced setbacks and parking requirements for affordable infill projects. As an incentive for multi-unit development on infill parcels, the City shall defer the payment of fees until just prior to the final occupancy inspection, thus minimizing a
developer’s capital outlay. [Source: Existing Program 14, modified]
Within three years of the
adoption deadline, evaluate
and revise, as necessary,
residential development
standards to remove
constraints to multi-unit
infill development
Incentivize multi-unit infill
projects by deferring
payment of fees until final
occupancy
Encourage the development
of eight multi-family units in
high resource areas or on
infill parcels within the
planning period
H-2.1:

H-2.2:

H-3.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Within three one
years of the
adoption
deadline
HE-M Lot Mergers
The City will continue to play an active role in facilitating lot mergers. The City shall collaborate with non-profit developers and owners of small sites to identify and merge parcels to facilitate the development of housing affordable to lowerincome households.

The City shall develop a ministerial approval process
incentivizing lot merger requests in support of housing development. The lot merger procedure will also be posted on the City website and discussed with developers during the preliminary review process. Incentives offered for lot mergers could include allowing higher densities and flexibility in development standards, and expedited processing. [Source:

Existing Program 15, modified]
Identify parcels with
potential for lot
consolidation in 2023 and
engage owners once in the
planning period
Identify incentives to be
incorporated into the lot
consolidation procedure in
2023-2024
Develop ministerial lot
consolidation procedure in
2024
H-3.2: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Identify parcels:
2023
Identify
incentives: 2023-
2024
Adopt lot
consolidation
procedure: 2024
503
H-22 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
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Funding
Source
Timeframe
Removal of Governmental Constraints
HE-N Affordable Housing Incentives Program
The City will implement an Affordable Housing Incentives Program to encourage private housing developers to provide affordable housing. In implementing the Program, the City shall:

A. Apply a streamlined permit processing for affordable housing developments in compliance with provisions
under SB 35 and SB 330.

B. Provide regulatory incentives in support of affordable housing, potentially including additional density or FAR allowances, parking reductions equivalent to the
percentage of affordable units provided, and deferred
fees, and additional allowed building height.

C. Review and revise required fees, as possible, to reduce constraints to development
D. Make information regarding incentives and funding
opportunities available in City Hall and on the City
website.

E. Use state and federal funding to help offset costs of governmental and non-governmental constraints toin
support of affordable housing development. As funds
become available, the City shall distribute information to property owners, developers, and local non-profits
related to eligibility and application for direct financial assistance..

F. Identify properties with potential for development or redevelopment as single-room occupancy housing
and provide owners with information on Single Room
Occupancies (SRO).

During the planning period,
support development of at
least 116 lower- and
moderate-income units:
• 28 extremely lowincome units
• 27 very lowincome units
• 39 low-income
units
• 22 moderateincome units
Adopt a streamlined
ministerial approval
process for affordable
housing in compliance with
SB 35
Provide information on
incentives for affordable
housing development on
City website
Engage with owners of
properties with potential for
SRO development twice in
the planning period
H-4.1:

H-4.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time) CDBG,
HOME,
LIHTC, and
other,
regional,
State and
Federal
programs
A: 2024
B: 2024
C: Annually
D: 2023, and
updated annually
E: Investigate
funding
opportunities
annuallyAnnually,
contact
interested
parties
immediately
upon availability
of funds
F: Identify
parcels in 2023;
engage owners
twice in the
planning period
504

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-23 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
G. Create a ministerial process for approving residential developments in commercially zoned areas, subject to
requirements provided in California Government Code
Sections 65400 and 65585, in compliance with AB
2011 (2022)
[Source: Existing Program 17, modified]
505
H-24 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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Policies
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Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-O Municipal Code Updates
The City shall review and amend the Municipal Code to comply with State law to:

A. Allow low barrier navigation centers in mixed use and multi-family zoned areas in compliance with
Government Code Sections 65660 and 65668 (AB
101).

B. Allow 100 percent affordable housing developments
with 25 percent or 12 units (whichever is greater) of
supportive housing by right in all zones where mixed
use and multifamily housing are permitted, in
compliance with AB 2162.

C. Allow housing for agricultural employees to be
permitted by right in single family zones for up to six persons and in agricultural zones for no more than 12
units or 36 beds in compliance with Health and Safety
Code 17021.5 and 17021.6.

D. Remove Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requirements
for all multi-family and mixed-use projects that provide a minimum of 20 percent affordability to lower income
households, in compliance with State law.

E. Adopt the most-recent edition to the California
Building Code.

F. Allow lot splits and ADUs in compliance with SB 9.

G. Allow residential and mixed use projects that meet the provisions of California Government Code Sections
65913.4 and 65852.24, in all commercial zones in
compliance with SB 6 (2022)
[Source: New Program]
Updated municipal code
within three years of the
adoption deadline
H-4.1:

H-4.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
All actions within
three years of
the adoption
deadline
506

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-25 HE-P Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
The City shall address disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity for all persons regardless race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, veteran or military status, source of income, and genetic information as protected categories by the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 [commencing with Section 12900] of Division 3 of Title 2), Section 65008, and any other state and federal fair housing and planning law.

The City supports fair housing and will refer all alleged cases of discrimination to the State Office of Fair Employment and Housing and the California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA). The City also supports equal opportunity lending programs and nondiscriminatory practices in the selection of residents for participation in local housing assistance programs.

The City identified barriers to fair housing through the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Assessment. Actions the City will take to address the identified barriers and foster an inclusive community, include:
• Fair housing enforcement and outreach: Programs HEP (action A-D) and HE-V • Housing stock age and lack of diversity: Programs
HE-A, HE-B, HE-H, HE-J, HE-K, HE-O, and HE-U
• Lack of affordable housing: Programs HE-C, HE-F, HEG, HE-M, HE-N, HE-O, and HE-U • Residents vulnerable to displacement: Programs HE-F,
HE-G, HE-I, HE-J, HE-K, HE-M, HE-N, HE-O, HE-P (action
G), and HE-R
• Limited transit access: HE-P (actions E and F)
The City has included additional objectives with this program.

The City shall monitor progress toward these objectives annually in the Annual Progress Report and shall implement A. Provide educational
information on fair housing
to the public through
distribution of a fair
housing brochure. The
brochure will be made
available at the Solvang
Senior Center, the Solvang
Library, City Hall, and on the
City website.

B. Provide a minimum of
one informational event on
fair housing rights, fair
housing resources, and
common predatory
practices, especially related
to older adults in
partnership with Santa
Barbara County and other
public and non-profit
agencies.

C. Provide information for
property owners and
manager on fair housing
laws and regulations on the
City’s website by 2025
D. Continue to support
efforts by the Housing
Authority of the County of
Santa Barbara and engage
the Housing Authority every
two years
E. Work with Santa Ynez
Valley Transit to make the
application for Dial-A-Ride
services more accessible,
H-5.1:

H-5.2:

H-5.3:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
A: 2024
B: by 2026
C: by 2025
D: Engage
Housing
Authority
annually
E: by 2027
F: by 2026
G: By 2024
507
H-26 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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Timeframe
additional measures, as necessary. [Source: Existing Program 18, modified]
by potentially removing
requirements for ADA
certification and physician
sign off
F. Work with local
organizations, particularly
those that serve seniors
and persons with
disabilities, to distribute
information on transit
options
G: Through the General Plan
Update, adopt programs
that work to encourage
business diversification in
new mixed-use
developments, as well as to
encourage new businesses
and visitor attractions that
would enhance the existing
business mix.
508

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-27 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-Q Housing for Disabled Persons
The City will support the development, preservation, and rehabilitation of units to accessible to seniors and persons with disabilities, including developmental disabilities.

A. The City will encourage new developments to provide
a portion of units to meet the special housing needs of seniors and persons with disabilities, including
developmental disabilities
B. The City shall pursue funding to assist with
construction and rehabilitation needs of housing
accessible to lower- and moderate-income persons
with a disability, including developmental disabilities, and/or seniors
C. The City shall engage residents, developers, and
service providers to determine constraints to
accessible housing
D. Evaluate and revise, as necessary, the reasonable
accommodation ordinance by 2026
E. Encourage new affordable housing for seniors and
persons with a disability near public transit.
[Source: Existing Program 19, modified]
A. Identify funding
opportunities annually;
pursue one funding
opportunity during the
planning period
E. Identify parcels
appropriate for the
development of housing for
senior or residents; promote
this list on the City website
within six months of
identification.

During the Planning Period,
encourage the development
of:
• 20 units
accessible to
seniors
• 20 units
accessible to
persons with
disabilities
H-2.10:

H-5.1:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
A: on a projectby-project basis
B: identify
funding annually;
pursue at least
one opportunity
by 2031
C: 2024
D: by 2026
E: by 2024
509
H-28 | HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 Implementation Program Objectives
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What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-R Universal Design
The City shall adopt a universal design ordinance that works to accommodate a wide range of abilities including children, aging populations, and persons with disabilities. The City will work with local homebuilders to encourage the integration of universal design features in new construction, and will also encourage discussion of design options with home purchasers prior to unit construction.
[Source: Existing Program 20, modified]
Evaluate and consider the
model ordinance prepared
by the State of California
Adopt a universal design
ordinance
Provide information on
universal design techniques
and the universal design
ordinance to developers
and on the City website
H-2.3:

H-2.5:

H-2.10:

H-5.1:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Consider model
ordinances: by
2024
Adopt ordinance:
by 2025
Information to
developers and
website: 2023
and updated
annually
510

9. HOUSING
HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-29 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-S Emergency Shelters and Transitional and
Supportive Housing
The City will promote and facilitate emergency, transitional and supportive housing facilities, including low-barrier navigation centers, in the following manner:

A. The City will contact religious institutions in Solvang to inform them of the provisions of the City's zoning
ordinance allowing for emergency shelters,
transitional, and supportive housing.

B. The City will contact public agencies and non-profit organizations that serve homeless and near-homeless
clients in the area to inform them of the City's
provisions.

C. The City will provide application assistance as
necessary to support funding requests for emergency
shelter or transitional and supportive housing
requests.

D. The City will meet annually with homeless service
providers to evaluate current and future needs for an
emergency shelter or transitional and supportive
housing facility in Solvang. Should the need for such
facilities arise, the City will provide assistance in
accessing state or federal funding for such facilities
by partnering with service providers, non-profit
agencies, and the Santa Barbara County Continuum of
Care in the pursuit of grants.
[Source: Existing Program 21, modified]
Provide informational
materials related to
emergency shelters, and
transitional and supportive
housing, zoning regulations,
and funding opportunities
to religions institutions,
public agencies, and service
providers
Provide application
support/technical
assistance in support of
three funding pursuits
Identify funding
opportunities annually
H-2.1:

H-2.4:

H-2.10:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time) HUD:

Emergency
Solutions
Grant
Program
(ESG) or
Continuum
of Care
Program
(CoC)
United
States
Department
of
Agriculture
(USDA):

Community
Facilities
A: 2025
B: 2025
C: one by 2026,
two by 2028, 3 by
2031
D: Annually
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Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-T Energy Conservation
The City is dedicated to assisting developers, renters, and property owners to increase their energy conservation
opportunities to encourage the incorporation of energy saving features, energy saving materials, and energy efficient systems and design for residential development. The City recognizes that planning to maximize energy efficiency and the
incorporation of energy conservation and green building features can contribute to reduced housing costs for
homeowners and renters, in addition to promoting sustainable community design and reduced dependence on vehicles. To promote energy conservation, the City shall:

A. Adopt the most recent California Green Building
Standards Code (CALGreen).

B. Provide public information on energy conservation
programs and alternative energy technologies to
residential developers, contractors, and property
owners through the City website.

C. Encourage the use of alternative energy technologies in new and rehabilitated housing.
[Source: Existing Program 22, modified]
Adopt the most recent
Green Building Standards
Code, as released
Provide information on
energy conservation
programs on the City
website
H-4.4: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
A: within one
year of updates
to CALGreen
B: by 2025
C: on a projectby-project basis
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HCD Review Draft Housing Needs AssessmentPolicy Document, February 2023 | H-31 Implementation Program Objectives
Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-U Missing Middle Housing
The City will review and amend residential development
standards to encourage and promote a mix of dwelling types and sizes, specifically missing middle-density housing types (e.g., duplexes, triplexes, courtyard buildings, townhomes) to encourage the development of housing types affordable to the local workforce.

Specifically, the City shall evaluate zoning standards related to minimum lot size and width, maximum lot coverage, required setbacks, open space and landscaping requirements, and
parking ratios, particularly in high resource, low-density, infill zonesparcels. The City shall meet with local developers, property owners, and non-profits agencies to identify
constraints and potential incentives to infill and missing middle development in 2023 and shall adopt revised standards for such projects by June 30, 2024. [Source: New Program]
Evaluate development
standards within the zoning
code by 2024
To enhance housing
mobility and housing
choice, encourage the
development of a variety of
missing middle housing
types in infill projects;
support the development of
two missing middle housing
developments between two
and 8 units
To enhance housing
mobility, encourage the
development of 8
moderate-income units in
high resource areas
H-2.1:

H-2.2:

H-3.2:

H-4.2:

Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
2023-2031
Evaluate
development
standards: By
20242023
Adopt revised
standards: by
June 30, 2024
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Implements
What
Policies
Responsibility
Potential
Funding
Source
Timeframe
HE-V Housing Information Transparency
The City will, in accordance with AB 1483 (2019), obtain, maintain, update, and make publicly available information related to zoning ordinances, development standards, fees, exactions, affordability requirements, and fair housing laws from the Department of Housing and Community Development, State Fair Employment, and Housing Commission’s
enforcement program, as well as programs and funding
sources for homeowners at risk of foreclosure, the State Historic Building Code, and information on energy conservation opportunities.

The City will, as appropriate, share this information on the City website and/or in hard copy form at City offices. Any changes to such information shall be made public within 30 days of changes. The City will provide these items in Spanish, as funding and staff time allows. [Source: New Program]
Create and share a digital
information database in
compliance with AB 1483
by 2024
Updated information is
made publicly available
within 30 days of changes
Provide information in
Spanish, as funding allows
H-4.2: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
By 2024, and
updated regularly
HE-W Surplus and Excess Public Land
The City will, in accordance with AB 1486 (2019) and AB 1255 (2019), annually identify and inventory a list of sites owned by the City that have been sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of in the prior year. This inventory shall be publicly available and be included in the Housing Element annual report presented to the City Council and submitted to HCD. [Source: New Program] Regularly maintain an
inventory of publicly owned
surplus or excess land on
the City website
Annually release
information regarding
publicly owned sites that
have been sold, leased, or
disposed of
H-4.2: Planning Division General
Fund (staff
time)
Annually
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Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 Housing Element Purpose.................................................................................................................................. 1 Authority .............................................................................................................................................................. 1 Status................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Consistency with the General Plan .................................................................................................................... 2 Associated General Plan Element Updates....................................................................................................... 2 Changes to State Law......................................................................................................................................... 2 Public Participation............................................................................................................................................. 9 Review of the Existing Housing Element............................................................... 23 Housing Production During the 2015-2023 Planning Period ......................................................................... 23 Progress in Implementation ............................................................................................................................. 24 Effectiveness of the 2015 Housing Element................................................................................................... 26 Demographic and Economic Trends ..................................................................... 27 Population Trends............................................................................................................................................. 27 Household Trends............................................................................................................................................. 32 Employment Trends.......................................................................................................................................... 36 Housing Conditions.............................................................................................. 39 Affordable Housing At-Risk of Conversion...................................................................................................... 42 Overpayment ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Special Housing Needs ........................................................................................ 46 Non-Governmental and Governmental Constraints to Housing Production ........... 53 Non-Governmental Constraints........................................................................................................................ 53 Governmental Constraints................................................................................................................................ 57 Physical Constraints ......................................................................................................................................... 75 Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types ................................................................. 76 Housing Types Permitted by Zone................................................................................................................... 76 Multifamily Housing.......................................................................................................................................... 78 Density Bonuses................................................................................................................................................ 78 Employee and Agricultural Worker Housing.................................................................................................... 78 517
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Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, and Supportive Housing ........................................................... 79 Low Barrier Navigation Centers ....................................................................................................................... 79 Single-Room Occupancy Units (SROs) ............................................................................................................ 80 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) .................................................................................................................... 80 Secondary Use/Mixed Use ............................................................................................................................... 81 Manufactured Housing and Mobile Homes .................................................................................................... 81 Special Care Facilities....................................................................................................................................... 82 Opportunities for Energy Conservation................................................................. 84 Housing Resources.............................................................................................. 86 Future Housing Need ........................................................................................................................................ 86 Credits Toward the RHNA................................................................................................................................. 86 Residential Sites Inventory ............................................................................................................................... 89 Availability of Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 108 Financial Resources........................................................................................................................................ 109 Community Resources.................................................................................................................................... 110 Appendices........................................................................................................ 114 Appendix A: Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH)............................................................................ H-A-1 Appendix B: Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element........................................................................ H-B-1 Appendix C: Public Comments on the Public Review Draft Housing Element......................................... H-C-1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 Housing Element Purpose.................................................................................................................................. 1 Authority .............................................................................................................................................................. 1 Status................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Consistency with the General Plan .................................................................................................................... 2 Associated General Plan Element Updates....................................................................................................... 2 Changes to State Law......................................................................................................................................... 2 Public Participation............................................................................................................................................. 9 Review of the Existing Housing Element............................................................... 23 Housing Production During the 2015-2023 Planning Period ......................................................................... 23 Progress in Implementation ............................................................................................................................. 24 Effectiveness of the 2015 Housing Element................................................................................................... 26 Demographic and Economic Trends ..................................................................... 27 Population Trends............................................................................................................................................. 27 518

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Household Trends............................................................................................................................................. 32 Employment Trends.......................................................................................................................................... 36 Housing Conditions.............................................................................................. 39 Affordable Housing At-Risk of Conversion...................................................................................................... 42 Overpayment ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Special Housing Needs ........................................................................................ 46 Non-Governmental and Governmental Constraints to Housing Production ........... 52 Non-Governmental Constraints........................................................................................................................ 52 Governmental Constraints................................................................................................................................ 57 Physical Constraints ......................................................................................................................................... 75 Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types ................................................................. 76 Housing Types Permitted by Zone................................................................................................................... 76 Multifamily Housing.......................................................................................................................................... 78 Density Bonuses................................................................................................................................................ 78 Employee and Agricultural Worker Housing.................................................................................................... 78 Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, and Supportive Housing ........................................................... 79 Low Barrier Navigation Centers ....................................................................................................................... 79 Single-Room Occupancy Units (SROs) ............................................................................................................ 80 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) .................................................................................................................... 80 Secondary Use/Mixed Use ............................................................................................................................... 81 Manufactured Housing and Mobile Homes .................................................................................................... 81 Special Care Facilities....................................................................................................................................... 82 Opportunities for Energy Conservation................................................................. 84 Housing Resources.............................................................................................. 86 Future Housing Need ........................................................................................................................................ 86 Credits Toward the RHNA................................................................................................................................. 86 Residential Sites Inventory ............................................................................................................................... 90 Availability of Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 106 Financial Resources........................................................................................................................................ 107 Community Resources.................................................................................................................................... 108 Appendices........................................................................................................ 112 Appendix A: Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH)............................................................................ H-A-1 519
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Appendix B: Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element........................................................................ H-B-1 520

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Tables
Table H-1 Fifth Cycle (2015-2023) Housing Element Progress ......................................................23 Table H-2 Population Growth Trends 2016 -2021, with 2010 Benchmark .....................................27 Table H-3 Population Projections, 2020-2050..................................................................................29 Table H-4 Age Characteristics and Trends 2010-2020....................................................................30 Table H-5 Racial Demographics, 2000-2020 ....................................................................................31 Table H-6 Income in The Past 12 Months (In 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) ............................32 Table H-7 Existing Households by Tenure........................................................................................33 Table H-8 Change in Number of Households by Tenure, 2010-2020 .............................................33 Table H-9 Household Size by Tenure ................................................................................................34 Table H-10 Overcrowding in Solvang, 2019........................................................................................34 Table H-11 City and County Housing Growth Trends 2011-2020 .....................................................35 Table H-12 Projected Housing Needs in Comparison to Nearby Jurisdictions ...............................35 Table H-13 Employment by Industry, 2020 .........................................................................................37 Table H-14 Job Forecast, 2020-2050 ..................................................................................................38 Table H-15 Housing Units by Type – Change over Time, 2010-2020 ...............................................40 Table H-16 Occupancy Status..............................................................................................................40 Table H-17 Housing Stock by Type of Vacancy..................................................................................41 Table H-18 Solvang Age of Housing Stock.........................................................................................42 Table H-19 Assisted Units at Risk of Conversion...............................................................................42 Table H-20 Affordable Unit Inventory ..................................................................................................43 Table H-21 Cost Burdened Households in Solvang ...........................................................................44 Table H-22 Owner Occupied Cost Burdened Households .................................................................45 Table H-23 Renter Occupied Cost Burdened Households .................................................................45 Table H-24 Population of Special Needs Groups, 2020.....................................................................46 Table H-25 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 30% ..........................................................................47 Table H-26 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 50% ..........................................................................47 Table H-27 Projected Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs (RHNA)............................................48 Table H-28 Senior Households by Tenure, 2020 ................................................................................48 Table H-29 Persons with Disabilities by Type of Disability, 2020......................................................49 Table H-30 People with Developmental Disabilities by Age, Solvang...............................................50 Table H-31 People with Developmental Disabilities by Residence, Solvang....................................50 Table H-32 Households by Number of Persons .................................................................................51 521
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Table H-33 Number of Bedrooms........................................................................................................51 Table H-34 For Sale Vacant Residential Parcels, November 2022 ...................................................54 Table H-35 Rental Affordability by Income Level, Solvang ................................................................55 Table H-36 Monthly Housing Costs, 2020 ..........................................................................................57 Table H-37 Land Use Categories Permitting Residential Use ...........................................................58 Table H-38 Residential Development Standards................................................................................59 Table H-39 Residential Setbacks.........................................................................................................61 Table H-40 Parking Requirements.......................................................................................................63 Table H-41 Estimated Typical Timeline for Projects Requiring Discretionary Review ....................68 Table H-42 Allowable Modifications ...................................................................................................69 Table H-43 Planning Fees, August 2022 .............................................................................................71 Table H-44 Estimated Building Fees for 2000-2500 ft2 Single-family Home, August 2022 ............72 Table H-45 Estimated Building Fees for a New 5,000 ft2 Two-Story 10-unit Multi-Family Project .73 Table H-46 Housing Types Permitted by Zone...................................................................................77 Table H-47 List of Special Care Facilities ...........................................................................................83 Table H-48 Projected Housing Needs (Regional Housing Need Allocation)....................................86 Table H-49 Summary of Pending and Approved Projects .................................................................87 Table H-50 Accessory Dwelling Units Constructed, 2019-2021........................................................88 Table H-51 ADU Affordability Assumptions for the Sixth Cycle........................................................89 Table H-52 List of Vacant Sites ...........................................................................................................92 Table H-53 Progress Toward RHNA....................................................................................................95 Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning..........................................................................98 Table H-55 Site B Summary .............................................................................................................. 101 Table H-56 Site C Summary .............................................................................................................. 103 Table H-57 Site C Summary .............................................................................................................. 106 Table H-58 Sites Inventory ................................................................................................................ 108 Table H-1 Fifth Cycle (2015-2023) Housing Element Progress ..........................................................

Table H-2 Population Growth Trends 2016 -2021, with 2010 Benchmark .........................................

Table H-3 Population Projections, 2020-2050......................................................................................

Table H-4 Age Characteristics and Trends 2010-2020........................................................................

Table H-5 Racial Demographics, 2000-2020 ........................................................................................

Table H-6 Income in The Past 12 Months (In 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) ................................

Table H-7 Existing Households by Tenure............................................................................................

Table H-8 Change in Number of Households by Tenure, 2010-2020 .................................................

Table H-9 Household Size by Tenure .................................................................................................... 522

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Table H-10 Overcrowding in Solvang, 2019............................................................................................

Table H-11 City and County Housing Growth Trends 2011-2020 .........................................................

Table H-12 Projected Housing Needs in Comparison to Nearby Jurisdictions ...................................

Table H-13 Employment by Industry, 2020 .............................................................................................

Table H-14 Job Forecast, 2020-2050 ......................................................................................................

Table H-15 Housing Units by Type – Change over Time, 2010-2020 ...................................................

Table H-16 Occupancy Status..................................................................................................................

Table H-17 Housing Stock by Type of Vacancy......................................................................................

Table H-18 Solvang Age of Housing Stock.............................................................................................

Table H-19 Assisted Units at Risk of Conversion...................................................................................

Table H-20 Affordable Unit Inventory ......................................................................................................

Table H-21 Cost Burdened Households in Solvang ...............................................................................

Table H-22 Owner Occupied Cost Burdened Households .....................................................................

Table H-23 Renter Occupied Cost Burdened Households .....................................................................

Table H-24 Population of Special Needs Groups, 2020.........................................................................

Table H-25 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 30% ..............................................................................

Table H-26 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 50% ..............................................................................

Table H-27 Projected Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs (RHNA)................................................

Table H-28 Senior Households by Tenure, 2020 ....................................................................................

Table H-29 Persons with Disabilities by Type of Disability, 2020..........................................................

Table H-30 People with Developmental Disabilities by Age, Solvang...................................................

Table H-31 People with Developmental Disabilities by Residence, Solvang........................................

Table H-32 Households by Number of Persons .....................................................................................

Table H-33 Number of Bedrooms............................................................................................................

Table H-34 For Sale Vacant Residential Parcels, November 2022 .......................................................

Table H-35 Rental Affordability by Income Level, Solvang ....................................................................

Table H-36 Monthly Housing Costs, 2020 ..............................................................................................

Table H-37 Land Use Categories Permitting Residential Use ...............................................................

Table H-38 Residential Development Standards....................................................................................

Table H-39 Residential Setbacks.............................................................................................................

Table H-40 Parking Requirements...........................................................................................................

Table H-41 Estimated Typical Timeline for Projects Requiring Discretionary Review ........................

Table H-42 Allowable Modifications .......................................................................................................

Table H-43 Planning Fees, August 2022 ................................................................................................. 523
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Table H-44 Estimated Building Fees for 2000-2500 ft2 Single-family Home, August 2022 ................

Table H-45 Estimated Building Fees for a New 5,000 ft2 Two-Story 10-unit Multi-Family Project .....

Table H-46 Housing Types Permitted by Zone.......................................................................................

Table H-47 List of Special Care Facilities ...............................................................................................

Table H-48 Projected Housing Needs (Regional Housing Need Allocation)........................................

Table H-49 Summary of Pending and Approved Projects .....................................................................

Table H-50 Accessory Dwelling Units Constructed, 2019-2021............................................................

Table H-51 ADU Affordability Assumptions for the Sixth Cycle............................................................

Table H-52 Progress Toward RHNA....................................................................................................89 Table H-53 List of Vacant Sites Not Requiring Rezones....................................................................92 Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning..............................................................................

Table H-55 Site A Summary .....................................................................................................................

Table H-56 Site B Summary .....................................................................................................................

Table H-57 Site C Summary .............................................................................................................. 103 Table H-58 Sites Inventory ................................................................................................................ 105 Table H-1 Fifth Cycle (2015-2023) Housing Element Progress ......................................................23 Table H-2 Population Growth Trends 2016 -2021, with 2010 Benchmark .....................................27 Table H-3 Population Projections, 2020-2050..................................................................................29 Table H-4 Age Characteristics and Trends 2010-2020....................................................................30 Table H-5 Racial Demographics, 2000-2020 ....................................................................................31 Table H-6 Income in The Past 12 Months (In 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) ............................32 Table H-7 Existing Households by Tenure........................................................................................33 Table H-8 Change in Number of Households by Tenure, 2010-2020 .............................................33 Table H-9 Household Size by Tenure ................................................................................................34 Table H-10 Overcrowding in Solvang, 2019........................................................................................34 Table H-11 City and County Housing Growth Trends 2011-2020 .....................................................35 Table H-12 Projected Housing Needs in Comparison to Nearby Jurisdictions ...............................35 Table H-13 Employment by Industry, 2020 .........................................................................................37 Table H-14 Job Forecast, 2020-2050 ..................................................................................................38 Table H-15 Housing Units by Type – Change over Time, 2010-2020 ...............................................40 Table H-16 Occupancy Status..............................................................................................................40 Table H-17 Housing Stock by Type of Vacancy..................................................................................41 Table H-18 Solvang Age of Housing Stock.........................................................................................42 Table H-19 Assisted Units at Risk of Conversion...............................................................................42 Table H-20 Affordable Unit Inventory ..................................................................................................43 524

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Table H-21 Cost Burdened Households in Solvang ...........................................................................44 Table H-22 Owner Occupied Cost Burdened Households .................................................................45 Table H-23 Renter Occupied Cost Burdened Households .................................................................45 Table H-24 Population of Special Needs Groups, 2020.....................................................................46 Table H-25 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 30% ..........................................................................47 Table H-26 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 50% ..........................................................................47 Table H-27 Projected Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs (RHNA)............................................48 Table H-28 Senior Households by Tenure, 2020 ................................................................................48 Table H-29 Persons with Disabilities by Type of Disability, 2020......................................................49 Table H-30 People with Developmental Disabilities by Age, Solvang...............................................50 Table H-31 People with Developmental Disabilities by Residence, Solvang....................................50 Table H-32 Households by Number of Persons .................................................................................51 Table H-33 Number of Bedrooms........................................................................................................51 Table H-34 For Sale Vacant Residential Parcels, November 2022 ...................................................53 Table H-35 Rental Affordability by Income Level, Solvang ................................................................55 Table H-36 Monthly Housing Costs, 2020 ..........................................................................................57 Table H-37 Land Use Categories Permitting Residential Use ...........................................................58 Table H-38 Residential Development Standards................................................................................59 Table H-39 Residential Setbacks.........................................................................................................60 Table H-40 Parking Requirements.......................................................................................................63 Table H-41 Estimated Typical Timeline for Projects Requiring Discretionary Review ....................68 Table H-42 Allowable Modifications ...................................................................................................69 Table H-43 Planning Fees, August 2022 .............................................................................................71 Table H-44 Estimated Building Fees for 2000-2500 ft2 Single-family Home, August 2022 ............72 Table H-45 Estimated Building Fees for a New 5,000 ft2 Two-Story 10-unit Multi-Family Project .73 Table H-46 Housing Types Permitted by Zone...................................................................................77 Table H-47 List of Special Care Facilities ...........................................................................................83 Table H-48 Projected Housing Needs (Regional Housing Need Allocation)....................................86 Table H-49 Summary of Pending and Approved Projects .................................................................87 Table H-50 Accessory Dwelling Units Constructed, 2019-2021........................................................88 Table H-51 ADU Affordability Assumptions for the Sixth Cycle........................................................89 Table H-52 Progress Toward RHNA....................................................................................................89 Table H-53 List of Vacant Sites Not Requiring Rezones....................................................................92 Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning..........................................................................98 525
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Table H-55 Site A Summary .................................................................................................................99 Table H-56 Site B Summary .............................................................................................................. 101 Table H-57 Site C Summary .............................................................................................................. 103 Table H-58 Site D Summary .............................................................................................................. 105 Table H-59 Sites Inventory ................................................................................................................ 107 526

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Figures
Figure H-1 Population Growth Since 2010.........................................................................................28 Figure H-2 Projected Population Growth, 2020-2050........................................................................29 Figure H-3 Housing Units by Type, 2021 ............................................................................................39 Figure H-4 Single Family Home Values, 2000-2022 ..........................................................................56 Figure H-5 Vacant Sites Suitable for Development ...........................................................................91 Figure H-6 Vacant Sites with Proposed Rezoning.............................................................................97 Figure H-7 HASBARCO Managed Properties Near Solvang........................................................... 111 Figure H-1 Population Growth Since 2010.........................................................................................28 Figure H-2 Projected Population Growth, 2020-2050........................................................................29 Figure H-3 Housing Units by Type, 2021 ............................................................................................39 Figure H-4 Single Family Home Values, 2000-2022 ..........................................................................56 Figure H-5 Vacant Sites Suitable for Development ...........................................................................91 Figure H-6 Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoning .....................................................................................97 Figure H-7 HASBARCO Managed Properties Near Solvang........................................................... 110 527
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Introduction
Since 1969, California Housing Element Law has required that local governments develop plans to accommodate and facilitate housing for current and future residents, at all income levels. California planning law provides more detailed requirements for the housing element than for any other element of the general plan. The State Legislature has found that "the availability of housing is of vital statewide importance, and the early attainment of decent housing and a suitable living environment for every California family is a priority of the highest order. The Housing Element consists of two parts, the Housing Needs Assessment (Needs Assessment) and the Housing Element Policy Document.

This document, the Needs Assessment, identifies and analyzes the existing and projected housing needs, provides a list of sites for housing development that are adequate to accommodate the City’s regional housing needs allocation, documents constraints to housing production, and analyzes fair housing issues and contributing factors. In short, the Needs Assessment provides the context for the City's housing action plan.

In response to this thorough analysis and public outreach, the Housing Element Policy Document outlines the City’s goals, policies, programs, and quantified objectives to meet the identified housing needs through development, rehabilitation, and preservation. The Policy Document is the action plan that responds directly to the findings of the Housing Needs Assessment and input from the community. The City will implement the actions specified in the Policy Document throughout the eight-year planning period.

Housing Element Purpose
The purpose of the Housing Element is to establish a comprehensive plan to address housing needs in Solvang over the eight-year planning period between February 15, 2023, through February 15, 2031. The Housing Element sets the policies surrounding the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing units that meet the needs of Solvang residents.

Authority
Housing Elements are required by section 65302(c) of the California Government Code. Housing Elements are one of seven mandatory General Plan Elements. Specific requirements for Housing Elements are set forth beginning at section 65580 of the Government Code, with additional guidance provided by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The combination of the Housing Needs Assessment and the Housing Element Policy Document will address all applicable requirements of state law.

Status
The Solvang City Council adopted the prior Housing Element on April 27, 2015, for the planning period ranging from February 15, 2015, through February 15, 2023. Upon review of the adopted Housing Element, HCD sent the City of Solvang a letter of compliance on June 16, 2015. The 2023-2031 Housing Element Update will plan for Solvang’s housing needs through the 8-year planning period of February 15, 2023, through February 15, 2031. While the City’s policies and programs guide housing development during the planning period, the City receives credit for housing units that are built during the Regional Housing Need Assessment (RHNA) projection period, which is June 20, 2022, through February 15, 2031, a period of 8.5 years.
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Consistency with the General Plan
California Government Code Section 65300.5 requires that a general plan be internally consistent, meaning that no conflicts exist among the elements of the plan. Government Code section 65583(c) requires that a Housing Element describe how consistency has been achieved among the general plan elements. The most important aspect of consistency among general plan elements is that policies and implementation measures do not conflict but support one another to achieve the overall goals and vision of a general plan.

In preparing the 2023-2031 Housing Element, the City is also concurrently drafting a comprehensive General Plan update.

Throughout the development of the Housing Element and General Plan Updates, City staff and decision-makers reviewed each Element to ensure consistency amongst Elements as well as with the General Plan Vision and Guiding Principles.

Additionally, if the General Plan is amended during the planning period, the City will review the Housing Element for internal consistency and make any necessary revisions.

Associated General Plan Element Updates
California Government Code 65302 et seq. requires that the Safety Element be revised upon the adoption of the Housing Element to identify updated information regarding flood and fire hazards and evacuation routes. The City is updating the General Plan, including the Safety Element concurrent with the Housing Element Update.

Changes to State Law
The following items represent substantive changes to State housing law since the City’s last Housing Element was adopted and certified. While this is not an exhaustive list, a majority of these items are state mandates that must be addressed in the Housing Element.

Affordable Housing Streamlined Approval Process: Senate Bill 35 (2017) SB 35 requires a streamlined, ministerial review process, or objective design standards, for qualifying multifamily, urban infill projects in jurisdictions that haven’t approved sufficient housing projects to meet their State‐mandated RHNA.

Among other requirements, to qualify for streamlining under SB 35, a project must incorporate one of two threshold levels of affordable housing: (1) 10 percent of the project units in jurisdictions that have not approved housing projects sufficient to meet their RHNA for above moderate‐income housing or have failed to submit an annual progress report as required under state law; or (2) 50 percent of the project units in jurisdictions that have not approved housing projects sufficient to meet their RHNA for below moderate‐income housing. Additionally, the Housing Element must describe the City's processing procedures related to SB 35.

Solvang is currently not subject to SB 35 Streamlining Provisions given its status of one of a small handful of jurisdictions statewide that have met and exceeded their RHNA obligations for the 2015-2022 planning period. However, jurisdictions 530

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are still required to have a procedure in place if development doesn’t keep pace with the needs outlined in the 2015-2023 RHNA. Currently, the City has not adopted a procedure for SB 35 streamlining. Program HE-N commits the City to codifying a streamlined review process in accordance with SB 35.

Additional Housing Element Sites Analysis Requirements: Assembly Bill 879 (2017) and Assembly Bill 1397 (2017)
These bills require additional analysis and justification of the sites included in the sites inventory of the City Housing Element. The Housing Element may only count non‐vacant sites included in one previous housing element inventory and vacant sites included in two previous housing elements if the sites are subject to a program that allows affordable housing by right. Additionally, the bills require additional analysis of non‐vacant sites and additional analysis of infrastructure capacity, and by place size restrictions on all sites.

The site inventory analysis in this housing element analyzes local infrastructure capacity in compliance with AB 879 and AB 1397. Several vacant sites are identified as recycled sites that were used in two previous housing elements. To comply with AB 879 and AB 1397, Program HE-J commits the City to ministerial approval of the development of recycled Housing Element sites where 20 percent or more of the units planned on site are lower income units.

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: Assembly Bill 686 (2017) AB 686 requires the City to administer its housing programs and activities in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing and not take any action that is inconsistent with this obligation. The City must take actions to overcome patterns of segregation, address disparities in housing needs and access to opportunity, and foster inclusive communities. The Housing Element must include an assessment of fair housing practices, an examination of the relationship of available sites to areas of high opportunity, and actions to affirmatively further fair housing.

The City has included an AFFH analysis in Appendix A and meaningful actions that proactively work to further fair housing in the Policy Document.

No-Net-Loss Zoning: Senate Bill 166 (2017)
SB 166 amended the No‐Net‐Loss rule to require that the land inventory and site identification programs in the Housing Element include sufficient sites to accommodate the unmet RHNA. When a site identified in the Housing Element as available to accommodate the lower‐income portion of the RHNA is actually developed for a higher income group, the City must either (1) identify, and rezone, if necessary, an adequate substitute site or (2) demonstrate that the land inventory already contains an adequate substitute site.

The City has identified residential capacity to meet the 2023-2031 RHNA allocation. Program HE-J is included to commit the City to monitoring development such that if any lower income sites inventory sites are developed for higher income groups, substitute sites will be identified.

Safety Element to Address Adaptation and Resiliency: Senate Bill 1035 (2018) SB 1035 requires the General Plan Safety Element to be reviewed and revised to include any new information on fire hazards, flood hazards, and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies with each revision of the housing element.

The City is concurrently updating its Safety Element, which includes SB 1035 provisions, alongside this Housing Element Update, in compliance with SB 1035.
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By Right Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing: Assembly Bill 2162 (2018), Senate Bill 48 (2018), and Assembly Bill 101 (2019)
AB 2162 requires the cities and counties to provide a “by right” process and expedited review for supportive housing.

Additionally, the bill prohibits jurisdictions from applying a conditional use permit or other discretionary review to the approval of 100 percent affordable developments that include a percentage of supportive housing units, either 25 percent or 12 units, whichever is greater. This applies to sites in zones where multifamily and mixed uses are permitted, including in nonresidential zones permitting multifamily use. The City, as codified in Municipal Code Section 11-6A-2, 11-6B-2, and 11-6C-4, allows both supportive and transitional housing by-right in all residential zoning districts. The City currently does not comply with these requirements of AB 2162. Program HE-O commits the City to ensuring compliance with AB 2162.

Additionally, AB 101 and SB 48 require that a Low Barrier Navigation Center development be a use allowed by right in mixed-use zones and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses if it meets specified requirements. The City does not currently comply with this requirement. Program HE- O commits the City to allowing Low Barrier Navigation Centers, by right, in mixed-use zones and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses.

Accessory Dwelling Units: Assembly Bill 2299 (2016), Senate Bill 1069 (2016), Assembly Bill 494 (2017), Senate Bill 229 (2017), Assembly Bill 68 (2019), Assembly Bill 881 (2019), Assembly Bill 587 (2019), Senate Bill 13 (2019), Assembly Bill 670 (2019), Assembly Bill 671 (2019), Assembly Bill 3182 (2020), Assembly Bill 2221 (2022), and Senate Bill 897 (2022)
In recent years, multiple bills have added requirements for local governments related to Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) regulation. The 2016 and 2017 updates to State law included changes pertaining to the allowed size of ADUs, permitting ADUs by right in at least some areas of a jurisdiction, and parking requirements related to ADUs. More recent bills reduce the time to review and approve ADU applications to 60 days and remove lot size and replacement parking space requirements. AB 68 allows an ADU and a junior ADU to be built on a single-family lot, if certain conditions are met. The State has also removed owner-occupancy requirements for ADUs, created a tiered fee structure that charges ADUs based on their size and location, and prohibits fees on units of less than 750 square feet. In addition, AB 670 prohibits the restriction of the construction of JADUs and ADUs on single family lots and AB 671 requires the Housing Element to include plans to incentivize and encourage affordable ADU rentals. AB 2221 clarifies previous legislative language by specifying that ADUs need to be approved or denied within 60 days of the date of application submittal and AB 3182 stipulates that if a local agency hasn’t acted on an ADU application in 60 days, it is automatically approved. SB 897 increases the height limit to 18 feet for a detached ADU within a half mile of a major transit stop; and 25 feet (or base zone height, whichever is less) for attached ADUs, effectively allowing two-story ADUs.

The City currently does not comply as there is no adopted accessory dwelling unit ordinance in effect. The City’s previous ADU ordinance, known as the Second Residential Units ordinance, was not compliant with state law, repealed in 2017, and will be removed from the code in 2023. For any current matters regarding ADU regulation, the City currently defers to State law regarding Accessory Dwelling Unit regulation and is in the process of codifying reliance on state ADU standards in section 11-12-4 of the Solvang Municipal Code. Program HE-H commits the City to adopting codifying the reliance on state ADU standards and promoting the development of ADUs during the planning period. 532

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Density Bonus: Assembly Bill 1763 (2019), AB 2345 (2020), AB 682 (2022), AB 1551 (2022), and AB 2334 (2022)
AB 1763 amended California’s density bonus law to authorize significant development incentives to encourage 100 percent affordable housing projects, allowing developments with 100 percent affordable housing units to receive an 80 percent density bonus from the otherwise maximum allowable density on the site. Additionally, the law stipulates that if a project is within half a mile of a major transit stop (as defined by Public Resources Code Section 21064), a jurisdiction may not apply any density limit to the project. Solvang does not have any transit stops that match the definition of a “major” transit stop according to State law.

AB 2345 further amended California’s density bonus law to allow residential projects with some on-site affordable housing to receive a density bonus of up to 50 percent. Specifically, a residential development is eligible for a 50 percent density bonus if 11 percent of the units are very low-income, 20 percent are low-income units, or 40 percent are moderate-income units. The affordable units must remain affordable for a minimum of 55 years. In addition to the density bonus, qualifying projects will receive four regulatory incentives or concessions, depending on how much of the development includes affordable units. Specifically:
• One incentive or concession for projects that include at least 10 percent of the total units for lower-income households, at least 5 percent for very low-income households, or at least 10 percent for persons and families of moderate-income in a common interest development.
• Two incentives or concessions for projects that include at least 17 percent of the total units for lower-income households, at least 10 percent for very low-income households, or at least 20 percent for persons and families of moderate-income in a common interest development.
• Three incentives or concessions for projects that include at least 24 percent of the total units for lower-income households, at least 15 percent for very low-income households, or at least 30 percent for persons and families of moderate-income in a common interest development.
• Four incentives or concessions for projects where one hundred percent of all units in the development, including total units and density bonus units, but exclusive of a manager’s unit or units, are for lower income households, as defined by Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code, except that up to 20 percent of the units in the development, including total units and density bonus units, may be for moderate-income households, as defined in Section 50053 of the Health and Safety Code. For these projects, if it is located within one-half mile of a major transit stop, the applicant also receives a height increase of up to three additional stories (33 feet).

AB 682 expands the Density Bonus Law to include “shared housing buildings” as a housing development eligible for a density bonus. The bill defines a “shared housing building” as a residential mixed-use structure with five or more shared housing units and one or more common kitchens and dining areas designed for permanent residence (>30 days) by its tenants. Additionally, the bill does not allow a local jurisdiction to require any minimum unit size requirements or minimum bedroom requirements for a shared housing building.

AB 1551 reinstates a previous law that sunsetted on January 1, 2022, that granted commercial density bonuses to commercial developers. To be eligible for one of the six commercial density bonuses the developer must partner with an affordable housing developer to build affordable housing where at least 30 percent are affordable to low-income households or 15 percent are affordable to very low-income households. The affordable units can either be built on the 533
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commercial site, or the developer can donate land or a cash payment to the affordable housing developer to construct affordable housing units elsewhere in the jurisdiction.

AB 2334 encourages higher densities in urban, infill development areas. Existing State law grants enhanced density bonuses for affordable housing developments located near transit. AB 2334 expands on this law by allowing unlimited density and a 33-foot height increase for 100 percent affordable housing developments located in “very low vehicle travel areas”. The bill defines “very low vehicle travel areas” as an urbanized area where existing residential development generates less than 85 percent of either regional or city vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita. This new definition differs from existing law in that it does not require projects to be within a certain distance of a transit stop to be eligible for the maximum density bonus. Solvang does not fit into the regulatory definitions of a “very low vehicle travel area” as defined by AB 2334.

The City of Solvang complies with State density bonus law as the City has established density bonus provisions for affordable housing that directly defer to California Government Code 65915 in Municipal Code Section 11-12-23.

Housing Crisis Act of 2019: Senate Bill 330 (2019)
SB 330 enacts changes to local development policies, permitting, and processes that will be in effect through January 1, 2025. SB 330 places new criteria on the application requirements and processing times for housing developments; prevents localities from decreasing the housing capacity of any site, such as through downzoning or increasing open space requirements, if such a decrease would preclude the jurisdiction from meeting its RHNA housing targets; prevents localities from establishing non-objective standards; and requires that any proposed demolition of housing units be accompanied by a project that would replace or exceed the total number of units demolished. Additionally, any demolished units that were occupied by lower-income households must be replaced with new units affordable to households with those same income levels. The Housing Element must describe the City's processing procedures related to SB 330.

The City currently does not comply as it does not have any statutory requirements that ensure compliance with SB 330 provisions. Program HE-N commits the City to updating the Municipal Code for compliance with SB 330.

Surplus Land Act Amendments: Assembly Bill 1486 and AB 1255 (2019) AB 1486 refines the Surplus Land Act to provide clarity and further enforcement to increase the supply of affordable housing. The bill requires the City to include specific information relating to surplus lands in the Housing Element and Housing Element Annual Progress Reports and to provide a list of sites owned by the City that have been sold, leased, or otherwise disposed of in the prior year. AB 1255 requires the City to create a central inventory of surplus and excess public land each year. The City is required to transmit the inventory to the Department of Housing and Community Development and to provide it to the public upon request.

There are currently no City-owned surplus lands suitable for residential development in Solvang. The City will evaluate parcels each year and will report findings to HCD in the Housing Element Annual Progress Report.

Housing Information Transparency: Assembly Bill 1483 (2019) AB 1483 requires the City to publicly share information about zoning ordinances, development standards, fees, exactions, surplus public lands, fair housing resources, and affordability requirements. The City is also required to update such information within 30 days of changes.
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The City provides this information on its website and is committed to updating the material as necessary throughout the planning period (Program HE-V). Additionally, Programs HE-F, HE-G, and HE-J include actions to ensure transparency on housing-related matters.

Emergency and Transitional Housing Act of 2019: Assembly Bill 139 (2019) AB 139 established new criteria for evaluating the needs of the homeless population. The analysis must assess the capacity to accommodate the most recent homeless point-in-time count by comparing that to the number of shelter beds available on a year-round and seasonal basis, the number of beds that go unused on an average monthly basis, and the percentage of those in emergency shelters that move to permanent housing. The bill also established new parking standards for emergency shelters. Lastly, the bill requires the Housing Element to include a review of the effectiveness of the housing element goals, policies, and related actions to meeting the jurisdiction’s special housing needs (see the Review of the Existing Housing Element section and Appendix B).

The Housing Element provides information on the homeless point-in-time count in the Special Housing Needs section.

The City currently does not have an emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Program HE-S commits the City to meeting with homeless service providers, periodically, to evaluate current and future needs for people experiencing homelessness.

Standardization of Sites Inventory Analysis and Reporting: Senate Bill 6 (2019) SB 6 requires the City to electronically submit the sites inventory to HCD using the standards, form, and definitions adopted by HCD.

The City is compliant with SB 6 as it sends HCD standardized annual progress reports to HCD and reports on housing element program process annually. However, this process has not been formally written in a housing element program thus far. Program HE-J commits the City to submitting the final sites inventory to HCD, in compliance with standardized procedures, with the adopted Housing Element. Program HE-J also commits the City to updating the inventory annually based on development activity and providing annual reports on progress to the City Council.

Evacuation Routes: Senate Bill 99 and AB 747 (2019)
AB 747 and SB 99 require the General Plan Safety Element to be updated to identify evacuation routes and their capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios and to include information identifying residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes, such as the Old Mission Drive area west of Alamo Pintado Road. Concurrently with the Housing Element Update, the City is revising the Safety Element, which includes identifications of evacuation routes in compliance with State law.

Housing Development in Dense, Urban Areas: Senate Bill 10 (2021) SB 10 authorizes local governments to adopt an ordinance to zone any parcel to a density of ten units per acre if the parcel is located in a transit-rich area or an urban infill site, even if there are existing local restrictions on adopting such a zoning ordinance. If there are existing local zoning restrictions on the parcels that are planned to be upzoned, a twothirds vote by the legislative body, such as the City Council, would be able to supersede existing regulations to apply an allowance of a density of ten units per acre. In effect, SB 10 allows local governments the option of upzoning parcels despite existing zoning or applicable ordinances.
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Although Solvang has no “transit-rich areas,” as defined in Public Resources Code Section 21064.3, there are some sites which may be considered “urban infill sites” that would be subject to the provisions of SB 10. SB 10 does not require a Municipal Code amendment for compliance. SB 10’s provisions remain as a possible tool for Solvang’s City Council to implement, in the case that there is a desire to increase housing through this particular method.

Abolition of Parking Minimums Near Major Transit: Assembly Bill 2097 (2022) SB 2097 prohibits jurisdictions from imposing any minimum parking requirements on any development, residential or otherwise, within a half mile of a major transit stop, as defined by Public Resources Code Sections 21155 and 21064.3.

The bill allows for an exemption if the development is (1) a housing development with 20 percent of the units dedicated to lower-income householders, moderate income households, students, the elderly, or persons with disabilities, (2) has less than twenty housing units, or (3) already has parking restrictions enforced by other laws. Solvang does not have any transit stops that match the definition of a “major” transit stop according to State law, therefore AB 2097 does not apply to Solvang.

Affordable Housing and Road Jobs Act: Assembly Bill 2011 (2022) AB 2011 opens new opportunities for affordable housing development by allowing qualified residential development in commercially zoned areas. The bill creates a streamlined, ministerial approval process for two types of projects: 1) 100 percent affordable housing projects in commercial zones, and 2) mixed-income housing projects along commercial corridors where 15 percent of units are affordable to lower income households. In both cases, the proposed project site cannot be adjacent to industrial uses or environmentally sensitive areas.

Additionally, AB 2011 imposes labor standards for the projects listed above to promote high-paid, middle-class construction jobs. Developers are required to use contractors that pay workers a general prevailing wage, participate in a State-approved apprenticeship program, and offer health benefits for projects of 50 units or more.

AB 2011 takes effect July 1, 2023 and sunsets on January 1, 2033.

Program HE-O commits the City to amending the Municipal Code create a ministerial process for constructing residential developments in commercially zoned areas, subject to requirements provided in California Government Code Sections 65400 and 65585, in compliance with AB 2011.

Middle Class Housing Act: Senate Bill 6 (2022)
Similar to AB 2011, SB 6 provides new opportunities for affordable housing development by allowing residential development in commercial zones; however, SB 6 does not create a ministerial approval process for these projects and does not have as strict of development standards as in AB 2011. SB 6 allows residential development in commercial zones, without the need of rezoning, for projects 20 acres or less. Projects must either be 100 percent residential or mixed use where a majority of the square footage (at least 50 percent) is dedicated residential space. SB 6 does not impose any minimum affordability requirements but does require developers to use a skilled and trained workforce (union labor) and pay a prevailing wage.

SB 6 takes effect July 1, 2023 and sunsets on January 1, 2033.

Program HE-O commits the City to amending the Municipal Code to allow the residential developments in commercially zoned areas without rezoning, provided that the projects meet the requirements provided in California Government Code Sections 65913.4 and 65852.24, in compliance with SB 6. 536

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AB 2011 vs. SB 6
Although AB 2011 and SB 6 are similar in their scope, the State approved both, leaving the decision up to developers to decide which is more beneficial to their project. While both bills allow for residential development in commercially zoned areas, AB 2011 has a greater emphasis on affordability requirements and ministerial approval, whereas SB 6 has a greater emphasis on labor standards and less restrictive development standards. Both laws are set to sunset in 2033 at which time there will be a review of each law with the possibility of one or both laws being extended, or a merging of the two.

Ministerial Approval of Urban Lot Splits: Senate Bill 9 (2021) SB 9 aims to increase density in single family zones by requiring ministerial approval of two primary dwelling units in a single-family zone and/or the subdivision of a parcel in a single-family zone into two parcels. The overall goal of SB 9 is to allow for theoretically four units of housing, two primary and two accessory, on what was once a singular plot of land.

Provisions of the law include the modification or elimination of development standards, such as setbacks, on a case-bycase basis, to allow for the construction of two primary dwelling units on lots that wouldn’t otherwise have the necessary space to accommodate both two dwelling units and municipal development standards.

The city is currently not in compliance with the requirements of SB 9. Program HE-N commits the City to amending the Municipal Code to allow for a process for ministerial approval of urban lot splits in compliance with SB 9.

Public Participation
Section 65583(c)(5) of the Government Code states that, "The local government shall make diligent effort to achieve public participation of all the economic segments of the community in the development of the housing element, and the program shall describe this effort." Public participation played a critical role in the formulation and refinement of the County’s housing goals and policies.

Housing issues affect the entire community – residents, employers, and the public and private sectors. The public participation requirement of the Housing Element Law presents an opportunity to engage constituents in a dialogue – defining problems and creating solutions. The inclusion of community stakeholders in the housing element public participation process helps ensure appropriate housing strategies are more efficiently and effectively evaluated, developed, and implemented. An inadequate public participation process may lead to community conflict or in worse case scenarios, anti-development initiatives, and Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)-ism). Successful public participation is important because a diverse cross section of the population can be engaged in defining the housing problem and in crafting community sensitive solutions. Another benefit of broad participation and true engagement of the public is that when it is time to adopt housing strategies and approve housing developments, a greater portion of the community has been involved and participated in the plan and more frequently will support its implementation. Meaningful participation creates stakeholders in the ultimate outcome of the process.

In response to the need for public participation, City Staff worked with consultants to develop a robust community engagement program tailored to ensure the community and other stakeholders are engaged in the process and are given ample opportunities to provide input. The key objective of the community engagement program is to maximize opportunities for everyone interested in the Housing Element to participate. The engagement program includes branding, 537
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a project website, newsletters and eBlasts, announcements on the City website and social media, multiple workshops, a Housing Element Focus Group, and Planning Commission and City Council study sessions and hearings. This section summarizes our engagement program.

Branding
A branding package was prepared for the General Plan Update. This included a project logo and style templates for all work products, maps, presentations, and publicity materials. The common branding helps to build recognition for the project and ensures that this effort is distinct in the minds of the community. The logo to the right is used on all materials developed for all Elements being updated during the PlanSolvang General Plan Update process, which includes the 2023- 2031 Housing Element.

Housing Element Webpage
During the development and review of the Housing Element, the City created and maintained a webpage on the PlanSolvang General Plan Update website with a webpage dedicated to the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update. This webpage provided easy access to information on the Project, including general information about Housing Elements and details about workshops and other engagement opportunities. Project documents were posted to the website and comments were encouraged through the provided "Comments" button on each page. A button on the website allowed residents to sign up for the email list.
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https://plansolvang.com/
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https://plansolvang.com/housing
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https://plansolvang.com/documents
Project Business Cards
To encourage the use of the project website, business cards were created for the Project. The cards were provided to the City, distributed at community engagement events, and can be easily handed out to those looking for additional information on the Housing Element Update. Each card lists the project website address and a QR Code that can direct users to that website.

A
B
C
A: Google Translate Tool: This tool allows users to translate the entire website into Spanish.

B: Email and Contact Buttons: These buttons allow users to join the project email list or provide a comment to the project Team.

C: Accessibility Widget: This widget allows users to choose visibility options for greater accessibility 541
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Housing Element Overview Newsletter
The Housing Element Overview Newsletter describes what a housing element is, how and why it is being updated, the project schedule, and how to get involved in the Update process. The newsletter provides an overview of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process and provides multiple ways to learn about upcoming community engagement opportunities. The newsletter was distributed in both English and Spanish and was made available from the project website.
eBlasts
Email notifications (eBlasts) are sent out to announce upcoming events and the release of project-related documents.

Email addresses were compiled from those requesting notification from the City and from those signing up on the project website and at project events. As of July 2022, the Housing Element email list has 1,111 subscribers.

Images of the newsletter and an eBlast are included on the following pages. 542

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Public Workshops
Throughout the Housing Element Update, City Staff worked with the consultant team to hold community workshops at critical points in the process.

Workshop #1: Housing Element Workshop
On Thursday, March 24, 2022, the City of Solvang held a Community Workshop to discuss the Housing Element Update.

The workshop included an introduction to the Housing Element and new State requirements, as well as an opportunity for the public to provide comments on housing concerns in the community.

Comments
• Water is a constraint and should be evaluated
• The public would benefit from visual examples of twenty dwelling units per acre. • Parcels along Alamo Pintado Road: consider access issues, traffic concerns, and grade • Separations when analyzing feasibility at these (and other) sites. • Provide translation services to engage Spanish-speaking residents and community groups Workshop #2: Housing Opportunity Sites
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, the City of Solvang held a Community Workshop to discuss the Housing Element Update and potential housing opportunity sites. The workshop included an introduction to the Housing Element and the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, a walkthrough of five vacant sites for consideration, and opportunities for the public to provide comments. A slide from the workshop displaying various vacant sites in the City is shown below. 546

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Comments1
• Site 1 may have an HOA requirement.
• Traffic is an issue. Too many 4-way stops. The corridor is a thoroughfare for traffic moving through the community, and drivers use side streets when traffic backs up. Intersections are dangerous. • The area is a high visibility gateway to the city.
• There are compatibility concerns with the adjacent housing. • Sites should not be ruled out early in the process.
• Proposed sites back to single family homes.
• Access onto Alamo Pintado is constrained and problematic. • Site 3 has privacy landscaping and is sited opposite the hospital emergency room. • Site 4 is hilly, with steep slopes, and sits well above the roadway below. The northern end of the site sits approximately sixty feet above the elevation at the southern boundary. • Site 5 is located at a busy intersection; parcel may have an easement on part, reducing the available acreage. • Parking is impacted in the area, including into adjacent neighborhoods. • With the lack of vacant parcels in the city, these sites should not be disregarded. • The City should consider underutilized commercial and industrial parcels and additional residential sites for pointed rezones, including small sites.
• Sites are near new shopping centers and cottages, which impact traffic and parking. • Developers will dictate improvements and feasibility. • There are watershed management issues around the five sites. Sheet flow from Site 3 was reported to flow into roadways leaving debris.
• Current residents should be considered.
• The Community Design Element identifies a scenic vista that includes these parcels within the boundary. The City also has policy language that discourages development above the grade of the roadway to protect skyline views. These are constraints to multifamily housing types at the proposed sites. • Excessive grading is needed.
• For comparison, Alisal Oaks has a 40-foot elevation change and eighty units exist there. • Mixed-use development should be considered.
1 The labeling of the sites since Community Workshop #2 has changed. Sites 1 and 2 are equivalent to Site A in the Sites Inventoryno longer a part of the Sites Inventory. Site 3 is equivalent to Site B A in the Sites Inventory. Sites 4 and 5 are equivalent to Site C B in the Sites Inventory.
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Surveys
Housing Needs Survey
The City conducted a Housing Needs Survey from April 20, 2022 to May 21, 2022. Presented in English and Spanish, the Housing Needs Survey provided residents and stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on housing needs, issues, and constraints in the community. The survey was broadcasted to the General Plan and Housing Element Update email list and through local stakeholders and made available on the Housing Element website (plansolvang.com/housing).

The Survey had 90 respondents, 89 English respondents, and one Spanish respondent.

An example of the types of questions asked and their responses is below:
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Fair Housing Survey
To further reach out to Solvang’s residents and disadvantaged groups, such as those affected historically by racial bias, patterns of segregation, and lack of language accessibility, the City sent out a survey via email on July 5, 2022 to assisted living facilities, senior housing facilities, religious groups, and local non-profits including:

Family Connect Memory Care
Atterdag Village of Solvang
Solvang Senior Center
Friendship House
The Golden Inn & Village
Buellton Senior Center
VHA Health
Rancho Santa Ynez Estates
Solvang Senior Apartments
Valley Gardens
Bethania Lutheran Church
Old Mission Santa Inés
First Baptist Church
Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian
Church
Valley Christian Fellowship
Trinity Baptist Church
Ranch Church
Vikings of Solvang
The Rona Barrett Foundation
Santa Ynez Valley People Helping
People
The Endowment for Youth
Community
Santa Ynez Valley Community
Outreach
The Santa Ynez Valley Foundation
The survey, which included six free-response questions, aimed to gather knowledge on possible barriers to fair housing access and ways to ensure housing security for disadvantaged groups. A reminder for responses was sent to respondents on July 25, and the survey was closed after 48 days on August 22, 2022. One response was received and is shown below. This response was considered in the formation of AFFH evaluation, as well as in the programs under Goal H-5.

Q1: What are the primary housing needs of your clientele/members of your organization and how serious are those needs (e.g., anti-displacement, access to opportunity, etc.)? “Although several of our members either own or rent their own homes/apts., the number of seniors who are in need of low-moderate housing has greatly increased.”
Q2: What type of housing-related barriers (e,g., fair housing, discrimination) have your clientele/members of your organization experienced?
“Affordable safe housing. ADA compliant. Easy access.”
Q3: Do your clientele/members have a preference on where housing should be located? For example, is there a need to have housing in proximity to public transportation, near commercial services such as commercial centers, schools, parks etc.?
“Public transportation and commercial centers. The number of members who are no longer able to drive has increased.”
Q4: Are there specific neighborhoods or areas of Solvang where housing is more difficult for your clients to access? Why?
“Generally it has been difficult for them to find safe affordable housing throughout the Valley and Solvang.” 549
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Q5: How has the pandemic affected access to housing for your clientele/members of your organization? “Some of our members, those who have been sharing a home or renting a room, are in jeopardy of losing a place to live as homeowners are selling the homes or moving due to fall out of pandemic.” Q6: What is the City currently doing well to address housing-related barriers? How could the City improve its response to the housing crisis?
“The City should take a look at their entire population and realize that both affordable senior housing and housing in general is sorely needed. “
Q6: What else could the City do to reduce housing-related barriers? Are there models of what's working well elsewhere that Solvang should research and consider?
No responses were received.
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Review of the Existing Housing Element
This section examines the effectiveness of the 2015 Housing Element, the progress made in achieving the goals, objectives, and policies outlined in the Housing Element, along with a discussion of the Element’s appropriateness given current conditions within the City of Solvang. This evaluation will inform the policies and programs developed as part of the 2023-2031 Housing Element Update.

Housing Production During the 2015-2023 Planning Period The City’s RHNA for the 2015-2023 planning period was 42 units affordable to very low-income households, 28 units affordable to low-income households, 30 units affordable to moderate income households, and 75 units affordable to above moderate-income households, for a total of 175 housing units. Table H-1 compares units permitted and constructed to the 5th cycle RHNA. Between 2015 and 2022, the City permitted a total of 261 units, including 47 very low-, 33 low-, 66 moderate-income, and 115 above moderate units.

Table H-1 Fifth Cycle (2015-2023) Housing Element Progress Lower Moderate
(80-120% AMI)
Above Moderate
(120%+ AMI)
Total
Very Low
(0-50% AMI)
Low
(50-80% AMI)
2015-2023 RHNA 42 28 30 75 175
Permitted Units 47 33 66 115 132261
Percent of RHNA
Permitted
112% 118% 220% 153% 133149%
Remaining RHNA 0 0 0 0 0
Source: City of Solvang, 2021 Annual Housing Element Progress Report.

Progress Toward Lower and Moderate-Income Housing Goals As shown on Table H-1, the City met and exceeded its RHNA goals for the 2015-2023 period in every income category.

Most impressively, the City approved over twice the projected moderate income housing needs for the planning period.

Solvang’s accomplishment of meeting and exceeding RHNA needs for the fifth cycle is a rare feat among California jurisdictions. As of June 2022, Solvang is one among only 38 jurisdictions statewide that have accomplished this goal, with Carpinteria being the only fellow SBCAG jurisdiction that has also exceeded RHNA projected needs. Much of Solvang’s lower income housing stock during the planning period was completed in 2016 through the construction of Solvang Senior Apartments, located at 1775 Maple Avenue. The project produced a total of 44 senior-restricted lower income units, 34 very low-income and 10 low-income.
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Progress in Implementation
The 2015 Housing Element established the five major goals with coordinated policies and implementing programs, organized around the following statements:
• Preserve and improve housing and neighborhoods;
• Promote the production of a diversity of housing;
• Provide adequate sites for a variety of housing types; • Remove or mitigate constraints to housing investment; • Promote equal housing opportunity
A summary of progress toward the implementation of each goal is included below. For a detailed evaluation of implementation programs included in the 2015-2023 Housing Element, please see Appendix B.

Preserve and Improve Housing and Neighborhoods
Conserve and improve the quality of existing housing and residential neighborhoods in Solvang.

The City of Solvang made progress on furthering its commitment to conserve and improve housing quality through a variety of measures. In 2018, to help enforce code compliance, the City filled a half-time position for a Code Enforcement Officer. The position was filled by the former Sheriff of Solvang as a contract position. In 2022, City Council approved the development of two additional half-time for Community Service Officer positions to support code enforcement activities. Currently, both positions are vacant. To directly aid with rehabilitating the city’s aging housing stock, the County’s emPower (CHERP) program assisted two homeowners in 2018 to improve their household energy efficiency.

The City has additionally eased restrictions on mobile homes with permanent foundations by removing the requirement for a conditional use permit, allowing for easier growth and unobstructed unit upgrading for residents of Rancho Santa Ynez Mobile Home Park. Finally, to help further protect the economically vital Danish and Northern European design theme of the City’s Village Area, the City has started the progress of updating the Community Design Element of the General Plan and the sign regulations in the Solvang Municipal Code. Finally, the City is planning update the City’s Design Guidelines for the Village Area following the completion of the General Plan Update. These updates help ensure continued compliance with the theme for both residential and non-residential development in the TRC and DR zones.

Promote the Production of a Variety of Housing
Facilitate the development of a range of housing types, densities, and affordability levels to meet the diverse needs of the community.

The City of Solvang has worked to promote the production of a variety of housing types. Most notably, as with many other California cities, the introduction of SB 1069 and SB 2299 in 2016 has spurred increases in accessory dwelling unit (ADU) growth.

The City has also been working with individual landowners to better assist them with their unique needs. In 2018, the City worked with a landowner directly to allow setback modifications to allow for the construction of a duplex on a formerly single-family lot. As shown in this example, the City continually looks for ways to facilitate the development of a range of housing types to work to meet current and future needs of the community. 552

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Provide Adequate Sites for a Variety of Housing Types
Provide adequate sites through appropriate land use and zoning standards to accommodate the City’s share of regional housing needs.

Solvang is a small, built-out city with almost all its 2.43 square mile land already completely developed. Despite this challenging situation, the City is committed to continue monitoring the state of existing underutilized and vacant land to project and promote residential development. The City continues to actively promote mixed-use development in the TRC zone and other commercial areas, which helps improve access to affordable housing and helps areas reach their optimal residential potential. The City also regularly updates its inventory of suitable sites and promotes lot consolidation of small lots for residential development, if needed. During the previous cycle, the City committed to developing an infill incentives ordinance to help encourage infill development among the remaining underutilized parcels in the city. The City was unable to achieve the goal during the planning period and hopes to be able to consider infill development as a goal in its General Plan Update process, which is occurring concurrently with the Housing Element Update.

Remove or Mitigate Constraints to Housing Investment
Where appropriate, mitigate or remove potential governmental constraints to housing production, homeless facilities, and affordability.

Solvang has worked with developers in the past directly to help streamline development processes to allow for greater flexibility through its Planned Residential Development (PRD) District designation. Most notably, the Skytt Mesa project, which added over two hundred Market rate units of housing to the City, utilized the PRD process to help expedite development and ensure close coordination with City Staff. This project was required to provide $250,000 for offsite Senior Apartment affordable units.

Additionally, the City receives funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program through the Santa Barbara County HOME Consortium, which Solvang and surrounding municipal jurisdictions are members. The Consortium divides up funding granted by HUD through the HOME program among their constituent jurisdictions. Finally, the City has removed governmental constraints related to evolving State law regarding density bonuses by defaulting to State standards for state density bonus requirements and incentives.

Promote Equal Housing Opportunity
Promote fair and equal housing opportunity for all residents of Solvang.

The City is dedicated to working with local and regional agencies to promote equal access to housing for all individuals.

During the previous planning period, the City made significant progress with the completion of the Solvang Senior Apartments in 2016, which added 44 units of affordable, senior housing to the city’s housing inventory. The project is one of the largest additions of special needs housing in Solvang in the last twenty years. The City has also codified Reasonable Accommodations into its Municipal Code (Section 11-12-25), addressing the process for requesting modifications or exceptions to regulations to remove barriers to producing housing for those with disabilities. Finally, the City revised the Municipal Code to allow emergency and transitional housing by-right in the R-1, E-1, DR, and PRD zoning districts in 2015, complying with state law and removing barriers to providing housing to those experiencing homelessness. The City will continue to work to provide access to inclusive, accessible housing for all residents. 553
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Effectiveness of the 2015 Housing Element
As discussed in the preceding section and in Appendix B, the City implemented several policies and programs to facilitate housing production. Most importantly, the City made great progress in affirming its commitment to affordable housing through the construction of its first deed-restricted housing complex, Solvang Senior Apartments. The project has been instrumental in growing the city’s senior housing inventory, helping provide much needed supply. From encouraging density bonuses to promoting secondary uses in the TRC district, the City recognizes the severity of the housing crisis and has worked progressively to do its part in growing the housing stock wherever feasible to meet RHNA goals. However, in some cases, the City did not have the necessary staff resources or funding to implement programs.

These programs have been continued and expanded in the 2023-2031 Housing Element Policy Document. 554

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Demographic and Economic Trends
Population Trends
Table H-2 shows population growth for Solvang, nearby cities, and Santa Barbara County between 2000 and 2021. In 2000, Solvang had a population of 5,415. Between 2000 and 2010, the population dropped to 5,218, representing a decrease of 3.6 percent over the 2000s, however, between 2010 and 2021 the population grew by 8.2 percent to 5,644.

Table H-2 Population Growth Trends 2016 -2021, with 2010 Benchmark 2000 2010 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Solvang 5,415 5,218 5,552 5,650 5,734 5,804 5,644
Buellton 3,832 4,609 5,021 5,087 5,092 5,082 5,276
Lompoc 41,078 41,864 43,678 43,762 43,511 43,232 42,753 Santa
Barbara
92,126 87,859 90,922 91,443 91,325 91,376 90,911
County Total 399,347 416,051 439,395 442,996 443,738 444,829 444,895 Source: 2000 Decennial Census; 2010, 2016-2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S0101 Figure H-1 provides a comparison of Solvang’s growth rate to other communities, indexed to the City’s 2010 population.

Solvang’s population growth has been stagnating the past two decades, with the city experiencing slight declines and increases year-to-year with the population hovering around 5,600 persons. Solvang has grown at a rate comparable to Santa Barbara County during the last planning period.
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Figure H-1 Population Growth Since 2010
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, State of California, Department of Finance, E-4 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2011-2021, with 2010 Census Benchmark Note: The data shown on the graph represents population for the jurisdiction, county, and region indexed to the population in the first year shown. The data points represent the relative population growth in each of these geographies relative to their populations in that year.

Data between 2011 and 2015 are interpolated as HCD approved data package provides data for 2010, 2016-2021.

Population Projections
Population growth and other demographic variables are important indicators of the type and number of housing units needed in a community. Population attributes such as age, race/ethnicity, occupation, and level of income combine to influence the type of housing needed as well as the ability of current and future residents to afford housing.

The Regional Growth Forecast (RGF), produced by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), projects population totals for the county through 2050. Shown in Table H-3, these projections show slight population growth for Solvang. In the next three decades, Solvang is projected to gain 500 residents, an increase of 8.6 percent, averaging to 0.3 percent growth per year. Further, projections show that Solvang is expected to grow at a slower pace than Santa Barbara County (13.2 percent growth by 2050), as shown on Figure H-2.

0.00%

2.50%

5.00%

7.50%

10.00%

12.50%

15.00%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Solvang Buellton Lompoc Santa Barbara Santa Barbara County 556

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Table H-3 Population Projections, 2020-2050
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Solvang 5,800 6,000 6,000 6,200 6,300 6,300 6,300
Santa
Barbara
County
460,900 478,600 489,900 501,500 513,300 517,500 521,700 Source: Forecast 2050, January 2019, Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.

Figure H-2 Projected Population Growth, 2020-2050
Source: Forecast 2050 January 2019 , Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.

Age
As people move through different age groups, their housing needs, income levels, and preferences typically change. As a result, an evaluation of the age characteristics of a community is important in addressing the housing needs of its residents. According to the U.S. Census, the median age of residents in Solvang increased from 43 in 2010 to 46 in 2020.

Table H-4 below summarizes the age characteristics of Solvang residents in 2010 and 2020. During the 2010s, the number of seniors (ages 65+) increased by 10.1 percent, which indicates an aging population. Additionally, between 2010 and 2020, the number of school age children increased by 26.7 percent.

A decrease of 17.4 percent between 2010 and 2020 was evident among college age (20-24) residents. It remains one of the smallest segments of the population (besides preschool children five and under). It is common for members of this age group to live away from home while attending schools outside the community. Some college age residents may opt

0.0%

2.5%

5.0%

7.5%

10.0%

12.5%

15.0%
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Solvang Santa Barbara County
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to stay at home and commute to school, however, this seems unlikely as the closest institutions are located in Lompoc and Santa Barbara, requiring 30- and 45-minute commutes, respectively.

Table H-4 Age Characteristics and Trends 2010-2020
Age Groups 2010 2020 2010-2020
Persons % Persons % % Change in Persons
Preschool
(Ages <5)
282 5.4% 159 2.8% - 43.6%
School Age (5-19) 840 16.1% 1,064 18.9% + 26.7%
College Age
(20-24)
224 4.3% 185 3.3% - 17.4%
Young Adults (25-44) 1,237 23.7% 1,056 18.7% - 14.6%
Older Adults (45-64) 1,602 30.7% 1,495 26.5% - 6.7%
Seniors (65+) 1,033 19.8% 1,685 29.9% + 10.1%
Total 5,218 100% 5,644 100% + 8.2%
Sources: 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S0101; 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S0101.

Race and Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of a community may have implications for housing to the extent that different groups have different household characteristics, income levels, and cultural backgrounds that affect their needs and preferences for housing. Table H-5 shows racial demographic trends from 2000 to 2020. As of 2020, white residents represent the largest race/ethnic group in Solvang, at 68 percent, however this is a decline of 14 percent from 82.5 percent in 2010. Conversely, households identifying as two or more races showed the only significant growth during this period. Multiracial households in Solvang increased from 2.7 percent of the population in 2010 to 15.2 percent in 2020.

The next largest percentage change in population between 2010 and 2020 was among residents identifying as Hispanic/Latino. As shown in Table 4-3, the Hispanic/Latino share of the population increased from 29.2 percent in 2010 to 30 percent in 2020. Black, American Indian, and Asian populations also grew in Solvang during this time; however, no growth was seen among the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander demographic. 558

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Table H-5 Racial Demographics, 2000-2020
2000 2010 2020
Persons % Persons % Persons %
White 4,090 76.7% 4,326 82.5% 4,161 68%
Black or African American 16 0.3% 38 0.7% 50 0.8%
American Indian and Alaska
Native
19 0.3% 59 1.1% 81 1.3%
Asian 54 1% 72 11.8% 115 1.9%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander
0 0% 1 0.2% 0 0%
Some Other Race ND ND 611 11.6% 789 12.9%
Two or More Races ND ND 138 2.7% 930 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1,059 19.8% 1,530 29.2% 1,835 30%
Source: 2000 Decennial Census; 2010, 2020 Decennial Census, Table P1 and Table P2.

Note: This table compares Census data, which differs slightly from American Community Survey estimates of Forecast 2050 projections. In Census data, “Two or More Races” and “Hispanic or Latino” are separate data points from racial groups listed in the top section of the table. Total population for Census counts can be determined by adding together all of the top rows.

ND= No Data
Income
Household income is one of the most important factors affecting housing opportunity and determining a household’s ability to balance housing costs with other necessities of life. Income levels can vary considerably among households, based upon tenure, household type, and location of residence, among other factors.

According to the 2020 Census, the median household income of Solvang residents is $82,838, five percent above the median statewide household income of $78,672. This higher median household income reflects the changing demographics of Solvang. As of 2020, Solvang’s population has progressed to favor older, higher-income, households that can afford to purchase a home in Solvang. Younger people, often service sector workers at the core of the city’s tourist industry, have fewer affordable housing options and are more willing to share units to reach an affordable price point. Lower income residents have few housing options within the city limits, especially given income, rental history, and credit check requirements associated with accessing market rate housing.

Table H-6 shows income distributions for the City of Solvang. Among families and married couple families, households with income of $200,000 or more occupy the largest percentage of households. Households with income of $200,00 or more make up 25.0 percent of family households and 30.7 percent of married couple family households. Combined with low percentages of low earning households, this illustrates a high level of affluence among these household types. 559
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Table H-6 Income in The Past 12 Months (In 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) Household Total family
Households
Married couple family
households
Nonfamily
households
Less than $10,000 2.30% 2.40% 3.10% 2.20%
$10,000 to $14,999 2.80% 2.40% 0.00% 3.50%
$15,000 to $24,999 3.80% 3.00% 3.90% 5.20%
$25,000 to $34,999 4.10% 3.40% 4.50% 5.40%
$35,000 to $49,999 8.30% 9.10% 8.30% 7.00%
$50,000 to $74,999 22.70% 14.80% 14.90% 36.40%
$75,000 to $99,999 16.80% 16.80% 12.80% 19.80%
$100,000 to $149,999 13.50% 11.70% 12.30% 13.60%
$150,000 to $199,999 9.10% 11.40% 9.70% 5.10%
$200,000 or more 16.50% 25.00% 30.70% 1.80%
Total 2,392 1,515 1,158 877
Median income
(dollars)
82,838 98,848 111,379 67,044
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S1901.

Note: Married couple family households are a subset of Total Family Households. Of 1,515 total family households, 1,158 are married couple family households.

Household Trends
Household characteristics, such as type and size, income levels, and the presence of special needs populations, determine the type of housing needed by residents. This section details the various household characteristics affecting housing needs.

Household Tenure
Household tenure, or the status of homeownership or renting, is an important indicator of the types of housing issues that can arise in a region and can help determine what programs work best to help the populace. Tenure can also be a determination of a city’s affordability for settling down and owning property.

Solvang’s households are primarily composed of homeowners, with 59 percent of the city owning their homes and 41 percent of the city renting their homes (Table H-7). This high rate of homeownership is similar to other cities in California that are primarily composed of single-family residences, but higher than Santa Barbara County where 52 percent of county residents own their home.
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Table H-7 Existing Households by Tenure
Renters Owners Total
Amount % of
Municipality
Amount % of
Municipality
Amount
Solvang 986 41.2% 1,406 58.8% 2,392
Buellton 706 34.5% 1,343 65.5% 2,049
Santa Barbara County 70,805 47.7% 77,504 52.3% 148,309
Sources: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25003.

Tenure Trends
Over the last ten years, the share of renter and owner-occupied households have increased at a rate around 12 percent, a figure equivalent to 112 new renter occupied households and 144 new owner occupied households being added to the market. The increase in owner-occupied households is attributed to the construction of the Skytt Mesa subdivision between 2009 and 2018.

Table H-8 Change in Number of Households by Tenure, 2010-2020 2010 2020 Growth
Number % Number % Number %
Renters 874 40.9% 986 37.7% +112 +12.8%
Owners 1,262 59.1% 1,406 62.3% +144 +11.4%
Total Households 2,136 - 2,392 - +256 +12.0%
Sources: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25009; 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Tables B25003
Household Size
Household size is a factor that can help inform the types of housing in demand for the planning cycle. It can also signify possible overcrowding. Table H-9 shows the household size in Solvang by tenure. According to the 2020 Census, Solvang has a total of 2,380 households, of which a majority are composed of two to four persons. The high proportion of two to four person households reflects the long history of single-family housing development in Solvang. 561
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Table H-9 Household Size by Tenure
Owner occupied Renter occupied Total
Living Alone 230 389 619
2-4 persons 1,094 572 1,666
5+ persons 82 25 107
Total 1,406 986 2,392
Sources: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25009 Overcrowding
Overcrowding occurs when the number of people living in a household is greater than the home was designed to accommodate. There are several different standards for defining overcrowding, but this report uses the Census Bureau definition, which is more than one occupant per bedroom. Further, housing units with more than 1.5 occupants per room are defined as being severely overcrowded.

Table H-10 shows Solvang’s rate of overcrowding and severe overcrowding. According to the American Community Survey, there are approximately 2 overcrowded and 49 severely overcrowded households in Solvang, all of which are renter occupied units. Renter occupied units, despite accounting for just over a third of the city’s housing stock, account for all overcrowded households with an occupancy per room rate greater than one. Among renter occupied units, 5 percent are severely overcrowded.

Severe overcrowding among rental households in Solvang reflects a lack of affordable housing in the city. Overcrowding and severe overcrowding are more likely to be experienced by lower wage retail, service, and agricultural jobs that support the tourism and agricultural industry at the heart of Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley, respectively. As such, there is a high demand for rental housing in the planning period.

Table H-10 Overcrowding in Solvang, 2019
Designed Occupancy
(< 1.00 OPR)
Overcrowding
(1.00 – 1.50 OPR)
Severe Overcrowding
(> 1.51 OPR)
Renters Owners Renters Owners Renters Owners
Solvang 935 1,406 2 0 49 0
Percent of Tenure
Households

94.8% 100.0% 0.2% 0.0% 5.0% 0.0%
Percent of all Households 97.9% 0.1% 2.0%
OPR = occupants per room
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25014 Housing Growth
Solvang has experienced moderate housing stock growth since 2011. As shown on Table H-11, 256 new units were built, equating to a 12 percent increase over ten years. As of 2020, Solvang has 2,392 housing units. Solvang’s growth has 562

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been slower than nearby Buellton, which experienced a greater housing stock increase of 36.0 percent, the highest in Santa Barbara County. This disparity in growth can be primarily attributed to Solvang being mostly built out in 2010 while Buellton developed large amounts of their vacant land for residential development in the 2010s.

Table H-11 City and County Housing Growth Trends 2011-2020 County/City 2010 2020 Percent
Solvang 2,136 2,392 + 12.0%
Buellton 1,507 2,049 + 36.0%
Lompoc 13,420 13,216 - 1.5%
Santa Barbara 35,335 37,806 + 7.0%
County Total 141,793 148,309 + 4.6%
Sources: 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25009; 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25009
Housing Projections
For the 2023-2031 planning period, as with previous periods, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) assigned a portion of its Regional Housing Needs provided by the California Department of Housing and Development to the City of Solvang according to projected regional jobs growth over time, among other factors (for more detailed documentation of the methodology, see the Housing Resources section). The result of the process is Solvang’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), which serves as a projection of housing needs during the 2022-2031 planning period (Table H-12).

The RHNA states that Solvang is projected to need 191 total units by 2031. The identified housing need is almost evenly split between lower-income and higher-income designations.

Table H-12 Projected Housing Needs in Comparison to Nearby Jurisdictions Lower
Moderate
Above
Moderate Total Extremely
Low
Very Low Low
Solvang 27 28 39 22 75 191
Buellton 55 37 30 43 165
Lompoc 166 262 311 1,509 2,248
Santa Barbara 2,147 1,381 1,441 3,032 8,001
Santa Barbara County 5,799 3,935 4,397 10,725 24,856
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, State of California Department of Housing and Community Development, 2021. 563
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Employment Trends
Employment also has an important impact upon housing needs. Varying jobs and income levels determine the type and size of housing a household can afford. According to the 2020 Census, 61.2 percent of Solvang residents over the age of 16 (2,877 individuals) are in the labor force. High labor force participation rate has led to a low unemployment rate of

2.6 percent.

Employment by Industry
Table H-13 shows the types of occupations held by residents in Solvang and Santa Barbara County by industry. The four largest occupational categories in Solvang were arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (29.6 percent); manufacturing (14.6 percent); educational services, and health care and social assistance (13 percent); and professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (12.3 percent). These categories account for 69.5 percent of employed residents. As described previously, given the town's relatively small size, it can be inferred that a majority of those employed in managerial and professional occupations travel to work outside the City. Solvang has a significant share of workers in service industry positions due to its economic base in tourism.

Solvang's occupational profile is similar to that countywide, with the exception of a larger share of City residents in service occupations and a smaller share in production, transportation, and material moving. These differences reflect Solvang's tourism-based economy as well as its geographic location. 564

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Table H-13 Employment by Industry, 2020
Solvang Santa Barbara County
Estimate % Estimate %
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and
mining
16 0.6% 15,852 7.8%
Construction 117 4.2% 12,946 6.4%
Manufacturing 489 17.8% 15,502 7.6%
Wholesale trade 55 2.0% 3,726 1.8%
Retail trade 189 6.9% 21,408 10.5%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 85 3.1% 6,703 3.3% Information 32 1.2% 4,300 2.1%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and
rental and leasing
168 6.1% 10,603 5.2%
Professional, scientific, and management,
and administrative and waste management
services
417 15.1% 23,924 11.7%
Educational services, and health care and
social assistance
330 12.0% 48,884 24.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and
accommodation and food services
549 19.9% 20,337 10.0%
Other services, except public administration 157 5.7% 9,017 4.4% Public administration 150 5.4% 10,476 5.1%
Total Jobs 3,070 213,438
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table DP03.

Job Projections
Job projections serve as an important forecasting tool to help plan for future housing need. Over the next thirty years, SBCAG expects that City will gain approximately 900 jobs, which shows a much lower rate of growth (1.8 percent) compared to the County as a whole (21.4 percent). Between 2020 and 2030, the period that represents the current Housing Element planning cycle, SBCAG expects the city to gain approximately 390 jobs. 565
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Table H-14 Job Forecast, 2020-2050
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 2020-2050 Growth
Rate
Solvang 4,210 4,480 4,600 4,730 4,860 4,980 5,110 1.5%
Santa
Barbara
County
231,150 245,900 252,710 259,710 266,900 273,710 280,700 21.4% Source: Forecast 2050, January 2019, Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. 566

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Housing Conditions
Housing Type
In recent years, most housing produced in the region and across the state consisted of single-family homes and larger multi-unit buildings. However, some households are increasingly interested in “missing middle housing,” including duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, cottage clusters, and other multifamily housing types compatible in massing and scale with traditional single-family housing types. These housing types may open up more options across incomes and tenure, from young households seeking homeownership options to seniors looking to downsize and age-in-place.

Figure H-3 provides a breakdown Solvang’s housing stock by type. In Solvang, detached single-family homes are the most common housing type, making up 58.4 percent of housing stock in 2021. By comparison, multifamily dwelling units comprise 36.7 percent of the housing stock and mobile homes account for the remaining 5 percent.

Figure H-3 Housing Units by Type, 2021
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table DP04.

Note: This graphic includes all housing units in Solvang, a total of 2,522 units. Approximately 2,392 units are occupied and 130 are vacant.

Table H-15 shows the change in housing stock in Solvang between 2010 and 2020. During this time, composition of the housing stock mostly the same. The greatest shift occurred with a greater share of five plus housing units per structure and a smaller share of two to four housing units per structure. Significant gains in single detached (30.7 percent growth) housing are the result of the completion of the Skytt Mesa subdivision during the 2015-2023 planning period.

Single Detached
1639 units
65%
Single Attached
155 units
6%
Two to Four
66 units
3%
Five Plus
526 units
21%
Mobile Homes
136 units
5%
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Table H-15 Housing Units by Type – Change over Time, 2010-2020 2010 2020 Percent Change
Single Detached 1,254 1,639 + 30.7%
Single Attached 136 155 + 14.0%
Two to Four 226 66 - 70.8%
Five Plus 470 526 + 11.9%
Mobile Homes 121 136 + 12.4%
Total 2,207 2,522 + 0.6%
Source: 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, DP04; 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, DP04.

Vacancy Rate
Vacancy rate is defined as the share of housing units currently without a permanent occupant. It serves as an important measure of the availability of and demand for housing. A low level of vacancy indicates high demand for and relatively limited supply. Solvang’s current vacancy rate is 5.2 percent, a similar rate to the 6.3 percent county-wide vacancy rate reported in the 2020 Census (Table H-16).

Table H-16 Occupancy Status
Units %
Occupied Housing Units 2,392 94.8%
Vacant Housing Units 130 5.2%
Total Housing Units 2,522
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table DP04 Table H-17 shows the type of vacancies present in Solvang. There are no rental properties that are vacant or available, indicating a high demand that has completely exhausted supply. There is also a low number of for-sale vacancies, indicating a low supply for owner occupied homes with high present demand.

Census data also notes that there are 20 vacant seasonal use units. This use could be of concern for a small touristoriented municipality like Solvang, however, the City actively regulates short-term rentals through its short-term/vacation rental ordinance. The ordinance was codified into the Municipal Code in 2016, barring short term rentals outside of the Tourist Related Commercial (TRC) Zone, or Village Area, and certain properties between addresses 1506 and 1546 Copenhagen Drive. Such ordinances have kept vacancy rates low despite high tourism demand for short-term rentals (see the Governmental Constraints section for further analysis).

The most common type of vacancy is “other,” which includes properties in some type of transitional process. For example, a housing unit that has been sold and is awaiting a legal transfer or is currently involved in a legal dispute. This classification, however, does not provide much insight into the state of Solvang’s housing market. 568

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Table H-17 Housing Stock by Type of Vacancy
Units Percent
For rent 0 0.0%
Rented, not occupied 0 0.0%
For sale only 35 1.4%
Sold, not occupied 0 0.0%
For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 20 0.8%
For migrant workers 0 0.0%
All other vacant units 75 3.0%
Occupied Units 2,392 94.8%
Total Units 2,522
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25004 Housing Age and Condition
Housing age can be used as an indicator of housing conditions within a community. Like any other tangible asset, housing is subject to gradual deterioration over time. If not properly and regularly maintained, housing can deteriorate and discourage reinvestment, depress property values, and eventually impact the quality of life in a neighborhood. Given the mostly built out nature of Solvang, most homes are already over thirty years old. Consequently, maintaining and improving housing quality is an important goal for the City of Solvang.

Table H-18 provides a breakdown of the City's housing stock by year built. As of 2020, approximately 75 percent of the City's housing units are over 30 years old. A general rule in the housing industry is that structures older than 30 years begin to show signs of deterioration and require reinvestment. Unless properly maintained, homes older than 50 years usually require major renovations to remain in good working order. Given the high amount of capital flowing into Solvang through new residents, it is expected that many older units are being actively rehabilitated by both new homeowners and long-time homeowners to improve property values and resale prospects. For example, a review of listings in August 2022 on Zillow reveals several homes built before 1980 that have had extensive refurbishment to meet the demands of new, wealthier buyers. Many of these refurbished homes, despite their smaller size compared to newer single-family residences, are able to sell for upwards of $750,000 with their modern updates. Given this trend, it could be surmised that around four percent of the City’s housing units need some form of renovation to meet modern housing standards. 569
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Table H-18 Solvang Age of Housing Stock
Year Structure Built Estimate Percent
Built 2014 or later 87 3.4%
Built 2010 to 2013 42 1.7%
Built 2000 to 2009 91 3.6%
Built 1990 to 1999 401 15.9%
Built 1980 to 1989 699 27.7%
Built 1970 to 1979 515 20.4%
Built 1960 to 1969 250 9.9%
Built 1950 to 1959 271 10.7%
Built 1940 to 1949 28 1.1%
Built 1939 or earlier 138 5.5%
Total 2,522 100%
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table B25034.

Affordable Housing At-Risk of Conversion
In Solvang, there are no publicly subsidized housing units, both senior restricted and non-senior restricted, deemed to be at-risk of conversion to market rate units during the 2023-2031 planning period. The City does not have a redevelopment agency and has not used Community Development Block Grant funds for housing. Table H-19 summarizes publicly assisted units in Solvang by income category.

Table H-19 Assisted Units at Risk of Conversion
Low Moderate High Very High
Solvang 44 0 0 0
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, California Housing Partnership Corporation.

These 44 units of deed restricted affordable housing originate from the completion of Solvang Senior Apartments, the first deed restricted affordable housing complex in the city built in 2016. The project was heavily subsidized by in-lieu fees collected from the completion of the Skytt Mesa single-family residential subdivision earlier in the previous planning period. Solvang Senior Apartments also received a density bonus and two incentives in accordance with density bonus law.
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Table H-20 Affordable Unit Inventory
Development Total Units
Affordable
Units
Subsidy Type
Deed
Restrictions
Expire
Risk of MarketRate Conversion
Solvang Senior Apartments
1758 Laurel Avenue
45 44 Low Income
Housing Tax Credit
(LIHTC)
2068 Low
TOTAL 45 44
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, California Housing Partnership Corporation.

Finally, there are two residences within the city located on land designated for residential use that are targeted for conversion to non-residential uses. These residences are being relocated, and neither unit was previously affordable to lower- or moderate-income households by deed-restriction. No affordable units in the past fifteen years have been converted to non-residential uses.

Cost of New Affordable Housing
According to a March 2020 study by the U.C. Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation, low-income housing funded with Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) 9-percent tax credit funding (which includes many deed restricted lowincome properties) has an average cost of over $500,000 per unit statewide. This is a staggering figure that reflects the increasing severity of the housing crisis. The report breaks down this figure into the variables associated with constructing low-income housing, such as location-related costs, development fees, and construction material costs.

The report concludes that currently, material and labor costs are the primary source of rising costs for affordable housing development.

The report also presented information on the costs of construction by region, which influence the total cost of housing tremendously. The study inventoried 71 LITHC 9-percent new construction projects between 2008 and 2019 in the Central Coast region, where Solvang is located. Considering contemporary projects, the study estimates that the current average price per square foot of LIHTC development in the Central Coast region is approximately $500 per square foot.

This valuation equates to nearly $150,000 needed for the development of a 300 square foot studio, or $475,000 for a 950 square foot two-bedroom apartment. Given these high costs of producing new affordable housing, the City of Solvang is committed to preserving existing affordable units and promoting housing rehabilitation (see Programs HE-B and HE-D).

The City is also committed, through Program HE-I, to continuously update a posted list of grants and loans available to the City, such as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, which provides an updated list of potential funding sources to preserve affordable housing. In the event that the City applies to State and Federal housing grant funds, since the City has not used any affordable housing fund grants, the City is eligible for the total amount of State and Federal grants they are awarded. The City does not have a redevelopment agency successor to collect funds from. Solvang is eligible for the CalHome grant program, which allows for local public agencies and nonprofit corporations to receive funding to assist first-time homebuyers and those needing housing rehabilitation. 571
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Qualified Entities for Acquiring and Managing Affordable Housing The Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County (HASBARCO), Santa Barbara County’s established public housing provider, is a qualified public entity for acquiring and managing affordable housing within Solvang. People Self-Help Housing, a nonprofit housing organization that manages rental properties, operates innovative homeownership programs, and provides services to assist disadvantaged communities, including low-income households, families, farmworkers, seniors, veterans, persons living with disabilities, youth transitioning out of foster care, and those formerly experiencing homelessness, is a qualified private entity for acquiring and managing affordable housing within Solvang.

Overpayment
Between 2006 and 2013, home prices decreased in Solvang, matching nationwide trends following the Great Recession.

Since 2013, however, the median home price has increased greatly, with homes averaging $1.42 million in May 2022 (see Figure H-4 for more details). Home values have increased approximately 199 percent between 2000 and 2022. This drastic increase matches similar home value growth statewide, which has made homeownership much less attainable to young professionals, middle class families, and lower income families. As a result of these increases, residents across the country have been forced to pay for housing that is well beyond their means. The story is the same in Solvang, with both renters and homebuyers facing a challenging housing market with low supply that pushes residents to choose any options available, even if they are suboptimal and/or beyond a third of their monthly income.

Additionally, with Solvang’s rising senior population, senior households may be at more extreme risk of being affected by overpayment. With fixed incomes and low flexibility to provide cash immediately, seniors can easily become housing insecure with market rate changes (see Special Housing Needs).

Among all households in Solvang, approximately 36.7% have a housing cost burden greater than 30 percent of median family income. Approximately 18.9% have a housing cost burden greater than 50 percent of median family income.

Comparatively, among all households, Solvang has a slightly smaller share of housing cost burdened households.

Table H-21 Cost Burdened Households in Solvang
Greater than 30% of
Area Median Family
Income (HAMFI)
% of Households Greater than 50% of
Area Median Family
Income (HAMFI)
% of Households
Solvang 875 36.7% 450 18.9%
Santa Barbara County 58,570 40.4% 28,725 19.9%
Note: Total households for this table (and all others relating to cost burdened households) do not match other tables as SBCAG’s HCD Pre-approved Data Package uses ACS 2019 5 Year-Data Tables, as opposed to ACS 2020 5-Year Data Tables used by other tables and figures.

Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, HUD CHAS Dataset, 2021; SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, ACS 2015- 2019 5 Year, Table B25003
Cost Burdened Homeowners
Given the extremely high price of owning housing in Solvang (Figure H-4), homeowners are subject to higher monthly cost burdens from mortgage payments that may make it difficult to make ends meet. In 2021, approximately 30.4 572

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percent of owner-occupied households have a burden greater than 30 percent of median family income. Approximately 19 percent of owner-occupied households have a burden greater than 50 percent of median family income. Compared to Santa Barbara County, the proportion of Solvang residents who are cost burdened, particularly at the 50 percent benchmark, is much higher.

Table H-22 Owner Occupied Cost Burdened Households
Greater than 30% of
Area Median Family
Income (HAMFI)
% of Owner
Households
Greater than 50% of
Area Median Family
Income (HAMFI)
% of Owner
Households
Solvang 450 30.4% 280 18.9%
Santa Barbara County 22,150 29.3% 9,780 12.9%
Note: Total households for this table (and all others relating to cost burdened households) do not match other tables as SBCAG’s HCD Pre-approved Data Package uses ACS 2019 5 Year-Data Tables, as opposed to ACS 2020 5-Year Data Tables used by other tables and figures.

Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, HUD CHAS Dataset, 2021; SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, ACS 2015- 2019 5 Year, Table B25003
Cost Burdened Renters
Similar to the cost burden faced by homeowners, renters in Solvang have difficulty finding affordable places to live.

Among all renters in Solvang, 47.3 percent are cost burdened. Similar to homeowners, approximately 19 percent of all renters in Solvang are severely cost burdened, which indicates a rent burden greater than 50 percent of median family income. This figure reflects a lack of housing supply despite high demand for rental housing in Solvang, which is utilized primarily by workers who support Solvang’s tourist-oriented economy.

Table H-23 Renter Occupied Cost Burdened Households
Rent Greater than 30%
of HUD Area Median
Family Income
(HAMFI)
% of Renter
Occupied
Households
Rent Greater than
50% of HUD Area
Median Family
Income (HAMFI)
% of Renter
Occupied
Households
Solvang 425 47.3% 170 18.9%
Santa Barbara County 36,420 48.1% 18,945 25.0%
Note: ACS 2020 5-year Data does not include updated data on cost-burdened households. This, and all tables related to cost burdened households relies upon ACS 2019 5-year estimates. Inconsistencies in the total number of households can be attributed to inconsistencies between these data sources.

Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, HUD CHAS Dataset, 2021; SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, ACS 2015- 2019 5 Year, Table B25003
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Special Housing Needs
Certain groups have greater difficulty in finding decent, affordable housing due to their special needs and/or circumstances. Special circumstances may be related to one's employment and income, family or household characteristics, or disability.

State Housing Element Law identifies the following special needs groups: elderly, persons with disabilities, large households, farmworkers, female-headed households, homeless, and other interest populations, such as students and military. Table H-24 summarizes data from the 2020 Census regarding special needs groups residing in Solvang.

Table H-24 Population of Special Needs Groups, 2020
Persons Households
Seniors (65 and over) 1,685 1,087
Persons with a Disability 517 -
Persons Living with Developmental Disabilities 52
Female-headed Household - 324
With Children - 220
Large Households - 107
Farm workers 16 -
Persons Experiencing Homelessness 12
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, 2015-2019 ACS, Tables DP03, DP05, B17012, C18120, S1810; SBCAG, 2020 Census; edhat; Santa Barbara County, 2020 Point-In-Time Homeless Count.

Fifth Cycle Special Needs Housing Programs
The City of Solvang implemented two programs to support the housing needs of people living with disabilities during the fifth cycle. The City implemented a program to identify and remove constraints affecting persons with disabilities and implemented a program to encourage universal design to forward accessibility and safety. The City also codified means for reasonable housing accommodation in Municipal Code Section 11-12-25 and is committed to encouraging the incorporation of universal design features in future development. For more details on the outcomes of the programs, see Appendix B.

Extremely Low-Income Households
Extremely low-income is defined as households with income less than 30 percent of the area median income. The area household median income in Santa Barbara County is $82,850. For extremely low-income households, this results in an income of $24,850 or less for a four-person household or $17,400 or less for a one-person household. Households with extremely low-income have a variety of unique housing situations and needs. For example, most families and individuals receiving public assistance, such as social security insurance (SSI) or disability insurance, are considered extremely lowincome households. 574

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Existing Needs
In 2020, approximately 260 extremely low-income households resided in the City of Solvang, representing 11 percent of the total households. Of these households, 185 are currently cost burdened (Table H-25). Among cost-burdened extremely low-income households, 155 of 185 total households (67.3 percent) are renters. Further, Table H-26, shows severely cost burdened households. When comparing extremely low-income households by cost burdened, all households experiencing a cost burden are severely cost burdened.

Table H-25 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 30%
Extremely Low
Income
Very Low
Income
Low Income Moderate Above
Moderate
Percent
Lower
Income
Overpay
Owners 70 30 130 60 160 67.6%
Renters 115 70 135 20 85 77.1%
Total 185 100 265 80 245 72.8%
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, Department of Housing and Urban Development CHAS Dataset.

Table H-26 Housing Cost Burden Greater than 50%
Extremely Low
Income
Very Low
Income
Low Income Moderate Above
Moderate
Percent
Lower
Income
Overpay
Owners 70 30 95 15 70 57.4%
Renters 115 0 55 0 0 41.0%
Total 185 30 150 15 70 48.3%
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, Department of Housing and Urban Development CHAS Dataset.

Projected Needs
To calculate the projected housing needs for extremely low-income households, the City assumed 50 percent (28 units) of its very low-income regional housing need (55 units) are extremely low-income households. This breakdown is shown in Table H-27. To address this projected housing need for extremely low-income households, the City will employ a detailed housing strategy including promoting a variety of housing types and providing direct assistance in support of housing.
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Table H-27 Projected Extremely Low-Income Housing Needs (RHNA) Lower Income Higher Income
Extremely
Low
Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
Total
Santa Barbara
County
5,799 3,935 4,397 10,725 24,856
Solvang 28 27 39 22 75 191
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Senior Households
Senior households typically have special housing needs due to three primary concerns: fixed income, high health care costs, and physical disabilities. According to the 2020 Census, 45.2 percent (1,087) of households in Solvang were headed by persons aged 65 years and older. Approximately 67.3 percent (732) of elderly householders in Solvang live in owner-occupied dwellings while the remaining 32.7 percent (355) are renters.

Table H-28 Senior Households by Tenure, 2020
Households Homeowner Renter
Householder 15-64 years 1,305 674 631
Householder 65-74 years 526 436 90
Householder 75-84 years 460 247 213
Householder 85 years and over 101 49 52
Total 65+ Households 1,087 732 355
Total Households 2,392 1,406 986
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B25007.

Because of physical and/or other limitations, senior homeowners may have difficulty in performing regular home maintenance or repair activities. Further concerns arise with the prevalence of single senior households, which face even more challenges with maintenance, safety, and health. In Solvang, there are approximately 513 seniors living alone.

Additionally, because many seniors have fixed or limited incomes, they may have difficulty making monthly mortgage or rent payments.

A variety of services are required to meet the range of senior needs, including congregate care, supportive services, rental subsidies, shared housing, and housing rehabilitation assistance. For seniors housing with universal design features that accommodate disabilities can help ensure continued independent living. Senior housing with supportive services can also be provided to allow independent living. According to the State Department of Social Services, one large licensed assisted living care facility with 188 beds is located in Solvang, as is one small assisted living facility with a capacity of six located in the city (see Table H-47). Many seniors are also able to live on their own without supportive 576

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services. Solvang Senior Apartments provides 44 units of lower-income housing for independent seniors who can benefit from reduced financial burden given fixed incomes.

Persons with a Disability
Individuals with a disability have special housing needs and are often constrained by a fixed income. The Census defines six types of disability: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living. Disabilities are defined as mental, physical or health conditions that last over six months. For the collection of data on disabled populations, the Census relies on American Community Survey data, as opposed to decennial Census data, which no longer asks questions regarding disabilities. According to the 2020 American Community Survey, a total of 458 persons with a disability reside in Solvang, representing 8.3 percent of the City's population. Solvang’s share of persons with a disability is lower than Santa Barbara County’s 10.1 percent and Buellton’s 10.6 percent.

Table H-29 Persons with Disabilities by Type of Disability, 2020 Estimate Percent of Persons with
Disabilities
Percent of Total
Population
Hearing 71 15.5% 1.3%
Vision 55 12.0% 1.0%
Cognitive 209 45.6% 3.8%
Ambulatory 334 72.9% 6.1%
Self-Care 132 28.8% 2.4%
Independent Living 250 54.6% 5.5%
Total Persons with
Disabilities
458 8.3%
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table S1810.

The living arrangement of disabled persons depends on the severity of the disability. Many persons live at home independently or with other family members. To maintain independent living, disabled persons may need assistance.

This can include universal housing design features for the physically disabled, income support for those who are unable to work, and in-home supportive services for persons with medical conditions.

The City implements Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, which addresses requirements for disabled persons.

These regulations apply to new construction of multifamily residential development in buildings that have three or more units. When there is a conflict between a Title 24 requirement and a zoning ordinance requirement, the State requirement will take precedence.

People with Developmental Disabilities
State law requires housing elements to examine the housing needs of people with developmental disabilities.

Developmental disabilities are defined as an impairment in physical, learning, language or behavior that begins before a 577
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person turns 18 years old. Developmental disabilities can be severe and chronic and include Down’s Syndrome, autism, epilepsy, or cerebral palsy.

According to data from California Department of Social Services, there are 52 individuals in Solvang who have a developmental disability. Persons with developmental disabilities account for approximately 11 percent of Solvang’s disabled population and 0.01 percent of the entire city’s population. The total developmentally disabled population is nearly split equally between adults and children.

Table H-30 People with Developmental Disabilities by Age, Solvang Age Group Total
Age 18+ 27
Age Under 18 25
Total 52
Universe: Population with developmental disabilities
Source: California Department of Developmental Services, Consumer Count by California ZIP Code and Age Group (January 2022) As shown in Table H-31, the most common residence for people with developmental disabilities are in the home of a parent, family, and/or guardian. With appropriate accommodations, such as the implementation of universal housing design features, many developmentally disabled people can live independently depending on the severity of their condition. An additional challenge for developmentally disabled people is their first transition from living with a parent/guardian as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult. This transition may require additional support and individualized housing needs to ensure that the individual with developmental disabilities is able to have access to all resources that they need.

Table H-31 People with Developmental Disabilities by Residence, Solvang Residence Type Total
Home of Parent / Family / Guardian 44
Independent / Supported Living <11
Community Care Facility <11
Intermediate Care Facility 0
Foster / Family Home <11
Other <11
Total Residents >78
Universe: Population with developmental disabilities
Source: California Department of Developmental Services, Consumer Count by California ZIP Code and Age Group (January 2022) 578

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Large Households
Large households are defined as having five or more members residing in the home. These households constitute a special need group, because there is often a limited supply of adequately sized, affordable housing units in a community for large households. In order to save for other basic necessities such as food, clothing, and medical care, it is common for lower-income large households to reside in smaller units, which frequently results in overcrowding. Solvang has a total of 107 large households (Table H-32).

Table H-32 Households by Number of Persons
Owner Households Rental Households Total Households
1 Person 230 389 619
2-4 Persons 1,094 572 1,666
5+ Persons
(Large Households)
82 25 107
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B25009.

The housing needs of large households are typically met through larger units. Solvang has approximately one hundred units with five or more bedrooms that could reasonably accommodate large families without overcrowding (Table H33). Each of these units is a single-family home, however, data indicates that there is a need for rental multifamily units appropriate for large families.

Table H-33 Number of Bedrooms
Amount Percent
0 Bedroom (Studio) 63 2.5%
1 Bedroom 323 12.8%
2 Bedroom 480 19.0%
3 Bedroom 990 39.3%
4 Bedroom 566 22.4%
5 or More Bedrooms 100 3.7%
Source: 2020 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table 25041.

Farm Workers
Farm workers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through permanent or seasonal agricultural labor. Permanent farm laborers work in the fields, processing plants, or support activities on a generally yearround basis. These workers are generally considered to have special housing needs because of their very limited income and the historically unstable nature of their employment. Some of the issues related to farm worker housing include residency, limited incomes, overcrowding, and substandard housing conditions. According to the Census Bureau, 579
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approximately 16 Solvang residents are employed in farming, forestry, and fishing occupations. Solvang currently allows employee and farmworker housing for six and fewer persons subject to the same standards and permit requirements as a single-family house in all zones, and as a principal permitted use in residential zones, but has not received any requests for farmworker housing. However, Solvang is currently not in compliance with Health and Safety Code 17021.6, which requires jurisdictions to allow, by-right, group quarter farmworker housing of up to 36 beds or 12 units designed for use by a single family or household in agricultural zones. Program HE-O commits the City to amending the Zoning Code to comply with state law. Solvang plans to eliminate the agricultural zone soon as all current agriculturally zoned parcels are used for recreational purposes and/or are not suitable for agricultural production.

Female-Headed Households
Female-headed households with children often require special consideration and assistance as a result of their greater need for affordable housing, accessible day care, health care, and other supportive services. Because of their relatively lower incomes and higher living expenses, such households may have fewer opportunities for safe and affordable housing.

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, Solvang has 324 female-headed households, of which 220 have children under 18. Approximately 20 percent of Solvang households are female-headed households. These households are particularly vulnerable due to the need to balance the needs of their children with work responsibilities. Among female-headed households in Solvang in 2019, 17.3 percent had incomes below the poverty line. When compared to all households, female-headed households account for approximately a quarter of all households under the poverty level in Solvang.

Persons Experiencing Homelessness
In February 2022, the County of Santa Barbara, in coordination with many volunteers from the community and local nonprofits, conducted the 2022 Point in Time (PIT) count, which documents the number of homeless individuals in the county. The PIT documented 6,250 individuals experiencing homelessness countywide, including 12 in the subregion encompassing the Santa Ynez Valley where Solvang is located. This is an increase from the count of two persons experiencing homelessness in the same area in 2020. Given this rising population locally and the homelessness crisis continuing to affect the entire state, Solvang will continue to assure that regulatory barriers are removed and that appropriate zoning provisions are in place to meet the housing needs of this segment of the population.2 State law requires cities to allow emergency shelters by-right in at least one zone with capacity to serve the identified need. Emergency shelters are allowed in any of the City's Design Residential (DR) zones by right. As of 2022, Solvang does not have any operating emergency shelters. The City actively encourages private efforts at providing assistance to homeless persons. One of the organizations providing needed services is People Helping People (PHP), a local nonprofit organization that assists persons in need of emergency temporary shelter throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, PHP assisted 3,725 people across its wide variety of programs focused on gaining and maintaining housing security, protecting victims of domestic violence, and supporting families. 2 County of Santa Barbara. “2022 Point In Time Homelessness Count Preliminary Results Released.” Edhat. 18 March 2022.
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Non-Governmental and Governmental
Constraints to Housing Production
Non-Governmental Constraints
Land costs, construction costs, and market financing contribute to the cost of housing reinvestment and production.

Although many constraints are driven by market conditions, jurisdictions have some leverage in instituting policies and programs to address these constraints. This section addresses potential market constraints to housing in Solvang.

Development Costs
Construction costs vary widely according to the type of development, with multifamily housing generally being less expensive to construct than single-family homes on a per unit basis. However, there is wide variation within each construction type, depending on the size of the unit and the number and quality of amenities provided.

The average cost of a new single-family home being constructed in Solvang, according to personal contact with several local construction companies, ranges between $500 and $750 per square foot. These costs are exclusive of the costs of land, site development, and soft costs, such as entitlements and financing.

A reduction in amenities and the quality of building materials (above a minimum acceptability for health, safety, and adequate performance) could result in lower sales prices. In addition, prefabricated factory-built or manufactured housing, which is permitted in Solvang, may provide for lower-priced housing by reducing construction and labor costs.

Another factor related to construction costs is the number of units built at one time. As the number of units increases, overall costs generally decrease as builders can benefit from the economies of scale.

Land Costs
Another key component in the cost of development is the price of raw land and any necessary improvements. Solvang, within the city limits, is almost completely built out, leading to a limited supply of residential land. This constraint combined with a high demand for such development keeps land costs high. It should be noted, however, that unlike construction costs and labor costs, the cost of residential and commercial sites is highly variable. Cost considerations include the density of development allowed on a particular site and the location of the site relative to other amenities. In addition, as vacant parcels become rarer to find, builders are beginning to pursue more costly underutilized sites, which often require the demolition of existing uses before a new project can be constructed. For these projects, the price of land can vary significantly based on the redevelopment costs associated with the existing use.

Based on a review of real estate listings on Zillow in August 2022, four vacant residential parcels are for sale. These sites are detailed in Table H-34 below.
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Table H-34 For Sale Vacant Residential Parcels, November 2022 APN Acreage Listed Price Price per Acre
137-660-045 1.12 $449,999 $401,785
139-100-047 .36 $585,900 $1,627,500
139-100-048 .35 $575,900 $1,645,429
139-100-049 .27 $575,900 $2,132,963
Source: Zillow.com, 17 November 2022.

Note: Parcels 139-100-047 thru 139-100-049 is also being offered being sold together for $1.75 million, which would account to approximately $1,785,715 per acre.

Based on this information, the average price of a vacant single-family lot is approximately $33 per square foot. Lots appropriate for multifamily housing developments are assumed to be in the same range, though none are currently available. There are very few lots in Solvang, including all those listed in Table H-34. These lots are environmentally constrained by small lot sizes, lack of road access, or extreme slopes. As a result, these sites are not appropriate for affordable multifamily development. The Residential Sites Inventory identifies five sites, totaling 7.12 acres, appropriate for affordable multifamily development. For more information, please see the Housing Resources section of this Needs Assessment.

Financing Costs
Financing costs, in particular, are dependent upon national economic trends and policy decisions. Residential real estate markets across the United States have skyrocketed in 2020 with increasing trends towards remote work and shifts away from urban centers.

In Solvang, as in other California communities, funds for new construction and residential mortgages are available from both banks and savings and loans institutions, and private mortgage brokers. Currently (summer 2022), fixed mortgage rates are trending up at 5.11 percent in the face of high inflation and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. In Solvang, the primary constraint is not in terms of availability of financing, but rather the high cost of purchasing housing. In other words, the sales price of homes, both for existing and new construction, prohibits many residents from even beginning the process of financing their homes.

Requests to Develop Below Identified Densities
Requests by developers to develop below identified densities as prescribed by zoning regulations reduces the amount of housing possible in a region and may lead to further housing insecurity. As such, cities must walk the fine line between taking an overly optimistic outlook on housing growth in terms of density and failing to ministerially allow housing growth to reach its maximum density potential. Government Code 65583(h)(6) requires that the City report all requests to develop Housing Opportunity sites with capacity for lower income housing at densities lower than reported in the Housing Element. During the previous planning period, the City received no requests to develop identified sites below the minimum density as described in the sites inventory. 582

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Affordability of Rental Housing
Table H-35 breaks down rental affordability in Solvang by income level based on the median household income. As discussed previously, housing is generally considered affordable if no more than 30 percent of households income is spent on housing costs. The estimated median household income (MHI) in Solvang is $82,838. Based on the MHI, 30 percent of income would result in monthly housing costs not exceeding $2,071 per month (including utilities) for median income households, $1,656 for low-income households, and $1,035 for very low-income households. In reviewing the average rents for a one-bedroom apartment ($2,300 per month) or a single-family residence ($3,900 per month), it becomes clear that even median income households cannot afford the average cost of rental housing without overpaying. These conditions result in overcrowding and/or substantial overpayment for housing by lower income households, which is reflected in Solvang’s overcrowding and overpayment data reported previously in this document.

Table H-35 Rental Affordability by Income Level, Solvang Extremely Low
(>30% AMI)
Very Low
(30-50% AMI)
Low
(50-80% AMI)
Median
(100% AMI)
Moderate
(120% AMI)
Income Level3 $24,850 $41,400 $66,250 $82,850 $99,400
Max Monthly
Gross Rent4
$621 $1,035 $1,656 $2,071 $2,899
Source: Mintier Harnish, 2022.
3 Assumes that 30 percent (35 percent for moderate and affording purchase) of income is available for either: monthly rent, including utilities; or mortgage payment, taxes, mortgage insurance, and homeowners’ insurance. 4 Assumes 95 percent loan at 5.8 percent annual interest rate and 30-year term; assumes taxes, mortgage insurance, and homeowners’ insurance account for 20 percent of total monthly payments. 583
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Affordability of Homeownership
Due to the high cost of for sale housing in Solvang, homeownership is not a viable option for most lower income or median income renter households in Solvang. Like calculating affordability for renters, using a 30 percent affordability ratio, a household would need an annual income of $310,000 to be able to afford a single-family home worth the typical home value in Solvang of $1.4 million (Figure H-4). This "affordability gap" is one of the largest financial constraints to low- and moderate-income households in Solvang.

Figure H-4 Single Family Home Values, 2000-2022
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Single Family Homes May 2022 Dataset, 2000-2022. $-
$0.20
$0.40
$0.60
$0.80
$1.00
$1.20
$1.40
$1.60
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Millions
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Overall, the current price of both rental and owner-occupied housing in Solvang is unaffordable to lower and moderateincome residents of Solvang without overpaying. As shown in Table H-36 below, most Solvang residents pay over $3,000 a month for housing, which would account for the entire salary of a low-income household.

Table H-36 Monthly Housing Costs, 2020
Estimated Households Percent of Households
$0 18 0.7%
$1-$499 128 5.4%
$500-$999 160 6.7%
$1,000-$1,499 653 27.3%
$1,500-$1,999 326 13.6%
$2,000 to $2,499 207 8.7%
$2,500 to $2,999 343 14.3%
$3,000 or more 557 23.3%
Source: 2020 American Community Survey, Table B25104
Governmental Constraints
Although local governments have little influence on such market factors as interest rates and availability of funding for development, their policies and regulations can affect both the amount of residential development that occurs and the affordability of housing. Since governmental actions can constrain availability and affordability of housing, state law requires the Housing Element “address and, where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing.” This section analyses local policies and regulations for constraints to housing production and identifies actions the City is going to take to address them.

Land Use Controls
The General Plan Land Use Element sets forth the City's policies for guiding local land use development. These policies, together with existing zoning regulations, establish the amount and distribution of land allocated for different uses. As summarized in Table H-37, the 2008 Land Use Element provides for five residential land use categories, as well as three commercial categories that permit residential units as a secondary use. Additionally, the Zoning Ordinance includes districts for Planned Residential Developments and Mobile Home Parks that allow residential uses. 585
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Table H-37 Land Use Categories Permitting Residential Use General Plan Land Use
Designations
Zoning Districts Density (Units per Net
Acre)
Residential Type(s)
Estate Residential 3-E-1 .33 Ranchettes
Low Density Residential 1-E-1 1
Single-family detached
homes
Low/Medium Density
Residential
20-R-1 2
Single-family detached
homes
Medium Density Medium High
Density
10-R-1, 8-R-1, 7-R-1 3 to 7 Single-family, Multifamily
High Density Residential DR-8 to DR-20 7 to 20 Single-family, Multifamily Planned Residential
Development
PRD
.33 to 20
(Must match density
maximums of base zone)
Single-family, multifamily
Mobile Home Park MHP 7 Mobile Homes
Retail Commercial C-2 Up to 20 Secondary Use
Tourist Commercial TRC Up to 20 Secondary Use
Professional/Office PO Up to 20
Secondary Use (requires a
major conditional use permit)
Source: City of Solvang Municipal Code, Title 11 (Zoning Regulations), 2022.

Residential Development Standards
The City regulates the type, location, density, and scale of residential development primarily through the Zoning Ordinance. Zoning regulations are designed to protect and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of residents, as well as implement the policies of the General Plan. More detailed than the General Plan, the Zoning Ordinance sets forth the City's specific residential development standards. Table H-38 describes the general lot coverage, height limit, setbacks, and open space required for residential development. 586

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Table H-38 Residential Development Standards
Zoning
District
Max.

Density
(du/ac)
Min. Lot
Area
Min.

Net Lot
Width
(ft.)
Max. Building
Coverage (%)
Setbacks4 Max. Building
Height
Front Side8 Rear
3-E-1 .33 3 acres 210
None1
50’ from
Centerline
20’ from
Right-ofWay7
10% of
width7
25’ 7 35’
1-E-1 1 1 acre 100
20-R-1 2 20,000 sq. ft. 100
10-R-1 4 10,000 sq. ft. 80
8-R-1 6 8,000 sq. ft. 75
7-R-1 6 7,000 sq. ft. 65
MHP 710
2,800-4,000
sq. ft.2
35-502 15’ 15’ 35’
DR 1.8 to 20
2,178-
24,200 sq. ft.

None 30%5 20’ 10’ 10’ 35’ 5
PRD
Same as
base zone
None None 30-50%9 None None None 35’
TRC 20 None None None1 30’-42’ None
10% &
>10 ft11
35’ 3
C-2 20 None None None1 30’-42’ None
10% &
>10 ft11
PO5 20 None None 40% 15’-45’ 15’ 15’
Source: Zoning Ordinance, City of Solvang. (Note that the Zoning Ordinance shall have precedence over this table). 1 None, but various front and side setbacks are required. 2 To create opportunities for affordable housing, a maximum of 10% of the mobile home sites may be developed for single-wide units.

Minimum requirements for single-wide sites are less than those for double-wide sites. 3 Architectural features may be fifty feet in height.
4 These setbacks are the minimum standards reflected in the zoning district, however, please refer to the Zoning Ordinance for actual setback standards. The Zoning Ordinance shall have precedence. 5 30% maximum building coverage in the DR-20 zone does not include parking requirement and the 35-foot height limit does allow up to three stories in this zone.
6 Housing is a conditional use in the PO district.
7 Lots zoned 7-R-1 to 10-R-1 that are less than 50 feet wide would have a setback of at least five feet. Lots zoned 7-R-1 to 10-R-1 that are greater than one hundred feet wide would have a setback at most ten feet. 8 For lots that front Mission Dr (SR 246), there must be a front setback of at least 42 feet from the centerline of the highway. 9The 30% building coverage applies to buildings containing dwelling units, 50% building coverage applies to total building coverage. 10The maximum density for projects that create opportunities for affordable housing is eight units per gross acre. 11Any lot having a rear boundary abutting the rear boundary of a lot zoned residential shall have a minimum rear setback of 25 feet.

Density
The maximum density permitted, defined in terms of the number of dwelling units per acre, varies by zone from one unit per three acres in the Single Family Residential Zone (3-E-1) to twenty units per acre in the higher-density Design Residential District (DR-20). The City also currently (2022) permits secondary residential uses in the TRC, C-2, and PO 587
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zones with a density of 20 units per acre, though secondary residential uses in the PO zone also require a major conditional use permit. By permitting a range of densities, the City facilitates the development of a variety of housing types, ranging from low-density single-family residences to apartment and condominium complexes. The City also encourages new housing to be developed at the highest end of the permitted density ranges to maximize the number of units available.

Structural Limits
Zoning Ordinance regulations affect the size of structures by setting limits on lot coverage and height. Solvang’s development standards do not pose overly restrictive limits on single family or multifamily structures. None of Solvang’s single-family residential zoning designations have a restriction on building coverage outside of required setbacks, however, parcels Design Residential (DR) zones are limited to 30 percent lot coverage. All residential zoning districts are subject to the citywide maximum building height of 35 feet, which is also used in nearby Buellton. Setbacks, as described in 0, are comparable to similar jurisdictions and do not pose an undue constraint to housing development. Multifamily developments, which would use the DR zoning district, have reduced setback standards compared to single-family zones.
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Table H-39 Residential Setbacks
Zoning District Minimum Lot Area Setbacks
Front Side Rear
3-E-1 3 acres
50’ from
Centerline
20’ from Rightof-Way7
10% of width1 25’
1-E-1 1 acre
20-R-1 20,000 sq. ft.
10-R-1 10,000 sq. ft.
8-R-1 8,000 sq. ft.
7-R-1 7,000 sq. ft.

MHP 2,800 sq. ft. 15’ 15’
DR-1.8 24,200 sq. ft.
20’ from Rightof-Way
10’ 10’
DR-8 5,445 sq. ft.

DR-9 4,840 sq. ft.

DR-10 4,356 sq. ft
DR-12 3,630 sq. ft.

DR-13 3,350 sq. ft.

DR-14 3.111 sq. ft.

DR-16 2,722 sq. ft.

DR-20 2,178 sq. ft.
1: Exceptions include:
a. For lots zoned 7-R-1 to 10-R-1 that are less than fifty (50) feet wide, in no case shall the required side yard setback be less than five (5) feet. For lots that are greater than one hundred (100) feet wide in no case shall the side yard setback be more than ten (10) feet. b. For lots zoned 20-R-1 to 3-E-1, which are less than one hundred (100) feet wide, in no case shall the required side yard setback be less than ten (10) feet. For lots that are greater than two hundred (200) feet wide in no case shall the side yard setback be more than twenty (20) feet.

Source: City of Solvang Zoning Ordinance, 2022.

In addition to single and multifamily residential zones, the City uses the Planned Residential Development (PRD) District, to permit new subdivision development with smaller lot sizes that result in relatively lower land costs and greater housing production.
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Parking Requirements
The City's parking requirements for residential districts, outlined in Municipal Code Section 11-11-7, vary by housing type and anticipated housing needs. Parking requirements are calculated by unit type and on a per-bedroom basis for multifamily units, as shown in Table H-40. All residential parking spaces, regardless of the type of development, are required to be 8.5 feet wide by 16.5 feet long.

Single-family dwellings require two-car garages, at a minimum. This requirement is not a constraint to the construction of market rate single-family housing.

Parking requirements for multifamily developments are typically based on a per-bedroom basis, which may be considered an excessive parking standard as a two-bedroom dwelling requires two parking spaces within 200 feet of a building. This supply of parking required may be more than what a family that has a two-bedroom unit may require by default. Despite these high standards by default, the City currently offers flexibility for parking standards based on factors such as unit affordability and connection to senior restricted units. For example, mixed use developments with affordable housing only require half a parking space per unit and mixed used developments with housing reserved for senior citizens in the TRC, C-2, and PO districts require only a third of a parking space per unit. The City is also committed through Programs HE-L and HE-U to reevaluate parking requirements to incentivize denser infill development and comply with changing State laws. This relaxed parking minimum requirement helps increase density and promote the walkable atmosphere of Solvang’s TRC zone.
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Table H-40 Parking Requirements
Type of Residential Development Required Parking Spaces Single-family dwellings 2 spaces per dwelling unit, both of which shall be located in a private garage
Two-family dwellings 2 spaces per dwelling unit
Multiple dwelling units
Mixed use developments with housing units reserved for
senior citizens located in TRC, C-2 and PO Zone Districts

0.33 space per unit
Mixed use developments with affordable housing units for low- and very low-income households

0.5 space per unit
Single bedroom or studio dwelling unit 1 space per dwelling unit 2-bedroom dwellings 2 spaces per dwelling unit. Such spaces shall be located within 200 feet from the building served by such spaces
3 or more-bedroom dwellings 2.5 spaces per dwelling unit, located as required for 2-bedroom dwellings above
Visitor parking 1 space per 5 dwelling units
Guesthouses 1 space per guesthouse
Mobile homes in mobile parks 2 spaces per site which may be tandem, and 1 space for every 3 sites for guest parking
Boarding and lodging houses 1 space per 4 bed spaces and 1 space per 2 employees Retirement and special care homes 1 space per guestroom and 1 space per 2 employees Accessory Dwelling Unit As required by State law5
Emergency shelters 1 space per 7 beds and 1 space per employee Source: City of Solvang Zoning Ordinance § 11-11-7-B
Flexibility in Development Standards
The City offers some mechanisms to provide relief from development standards typically required of all residential projects under the Zoning Ordinance. These mechanisms include mixed-use development provisions in the TRC, C-2, and PO zoning districts and the Planned Residential Development (PRD) designation. 5 State law does not require parking spaces for accessory dwelling units. The City of Solvang is in the process of codifying its own accessory dwelling unit ordinance which may have additional regulations regarding required parking spaces for ADUs. 591
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Mixed-Use Development
Solvang’s Zoning Ordinance encourages residential mixed uses in the City’s Tourist Related Commercial (TRC), Retail Commercial (C-2), and Professional Office (PO) zones. Currently, residential uses are permitted as “secondary uses” to a commercial use.

The City plans to replace its "secondary use” regulations with mixed-use zoning standards through the General Plan Update process. This update plans to completely remove current standards regarding residential bedrooms per square feet of commercial development and replace them with more flexible regulations allowing for more diverse mixed-use districts with developments having both more residential and more commercial uses. In effect, the City plans to remove conceptions of a building’s “primary” or “secondary” use in favor of simply mixed-use development. Once the updated General Plan is adopted in Spring or Summer 2022, the Municipal Code will be amended to be consistent with the changes to mixed-use zones introduced in the General Plan Update process.

In the PO and C-2 districts, residential developments are allowed with a major conditional use permit. If approved, secondary use residential developments have a maximum residential density of twenty units per acre. The City is committed to promoting the development of secondary uses through maximum floor area bonuses that incentivize twenty- and thirty-year deed restricted low income, moderate income, and senior units. It is not known how many mixeduse residential units are currently located in commercial areas of Solvang, but the City is eager to encourage such uses, especially for housing workers in the Tourist Related Commercial (TRC) zone.

Planned Residential Development
The purpose of the Planned Residential Development (PRD) District is to ensure comprehensively planned development of large acreages that are intended primarily for residential use. The PRD designation is intended to promote flexibility and innovative design of residential development and to provide desirable aesthetic and efficient use of space. The PRD also allows for a diversity of housing types and encourages clustering of structures in order to provide open space and preserve areas of aesthetic value or environmental importance. PRD projects are subject to a discretionary development plan.

The City of Solvang is committed to continuing PRD development wherever flexibility is needed for larger residential developments. However, few, if any, of the City’s remaining vacant parcels are large enough to be appropriate for PRD zoning. There are currently no parcels zoned PRD in the city.

Development Permit Procedures
The development review process is an important tool in ensuring that new housing meets all necessary health and safety codes, conforms to architectural and aesthetic design standards for neighborhood compatibility, is supplied with all necessary utilities and infrastructure, and does not have a significant impact on the environment. Yet, the development review process can also constrain opportunities for the development of lower income housing, particularly through the indirect cost of time in the process and fees.

The City uses various development permits to ensure quality housing while minimizing the costs associated with lengthy reviews. The City's permit process is codified in Title 11 of the Solvang Municipal Code and provides for three (3) levels of review: (1) conceptual, (2) ministerial, and (3) discretionary. All projects are to receive a Land Use Permit regardless of their level of review. Discretionary projects also require environmental analysis and review by the Design Review Committee (DRC). This section describes each of these processes. 592

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Conceptual Review
Conceptual Review is a public discussion whose purpose is to allow Planning Commissioners, and/or Design Review Committee members, and the public to hear the conceptual project as put forth by the potential applicant. The applicant can then hear the concerns and begin to address those concerns early in the process. This process can speed up the application process in a way that also more fully protects environmental and neighborhood concerns. Participating residents also benefit from participation as early attention to their concerns makes a positive outcome more likely.

Through Conceptual Review process, applicants must be aware, however, that they are not obtaining approval and not obtaining any vested right to proceed in any manner. There is also a cost associated with each meeting, e.g., $980 for the Design Review Committee and $3,136 for the Planning Commission. The major benefit from conceptual review is that applicants can save a considerable amount of time by addressing public concerns early in the planning process.

Ministerial Review
A ministerial review is an action taken by a public agency that follows established procedures and rules and does not call for the exercise of judgement in deciding whether to approve a project. Actions taken by Planning Division Staff that do not require Design Review Committee or Planning Commission action are ministerial decisions. Ministerial projects are exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Ministerial projects receive land use clearance in the form of a Land Use Permit (LUP). All housing projects, including those permitted by right, are required to receive a Land Use Permit issued by the Planning Division. The purpose of the LUP is to ensure that all residential development proposals conform to applicable provisions in the City's Zoning Ordinance, General Plan, and any other conditions set by the City. The LUP is the final permit required by the Planning Division and cannot be issued until all necessary approvals, except building permits, have been obtained. To obtain an LUP, an applicant submits all required materials in accordance with the Solvang Municipal Code and approval by planning staff. A typical LUP is obtained at staff level without public hearings within ten business days.

Discretionary Review
Projects requiring discretionary review are reviewed by the Design Review Committee (DRC), the Planning Commission, and the Planning Department. These projects also undergo the appropriate level of environmental review, according to State law. Projects requiring discretionary review are those that are larger and/or more complex, such as those that are required to submit a Conditional Use Permit or a Development Plan.

For these projects, the City's development review process focuses on the early identification of resources, zoning, planning, design, and infrastructure issues. Once projects are submitted to the Planning Division, materials are distributed to various city divisions and external agencies, e.g., the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, for staff review. The division has thirty days to respond with the status of the completeness of the application and comments generated by the staff review, which is consistent with the State Permit Streamlining Act. Once a complete application is accepted, environmental review commences.

CEQA Review
Many small projects are exempt from CEQA. If a project is exempt from CEQA, the project proceeds directly to the Design Review Committee then to the Planning Commission for review. If the project is not exempt, an initial study is prepared to identify potential environmental impacts that may be associated with the project, identify 593
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mitigation measures, and determine the appropriate environmental review. If a Negative Declaration (ND) or Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required, staff or a City approved consultant would prepare the document.

The draft environmental document is circulated for public review and comment, as required by State law. If an EIR is required, the Planning Commission holds a public hearing to take public comment on the draft document.

Prior to the public hearing before the Planning Commission on the project, public notice is made. If a Negative Declaration was prepared, the Planning Commission adopts it at this hearing. If an EIR was required, the Planning recommends certification to the City Council, who would then adopt the findings and mitigation measures of the EIR and makes a statement of overriding considerations if it is warranted. For housing projects, affordability can be the basis for a statement of overriding consideration.

Design Review
The City of Solvang is a unique community, which has evolved into a highly popular tourist destination. The City's identity and economic vitality are linked closely to the aesthetic character of the community. Therefore, it is important for the City to establish community design standards to ensure that the City's Danish design theme be maintained and enhanced. First, there is a need to maintain the distinctive image of the TRC zone, also known as the Village Area, so that the "Old World" Danish atmosphere that so critically supports the tourism industry is retained. Second, there is a need to ensure that development in areas of the City outside of the TRC zone is also of high quality and reflects the rural character of the community. To date, most new development projects within the City, including multifamily residential developments, duplex units, townhomes, mixed-use developments, and condominiums, have required review and approval by the Design Review Committee (DRC) as the DRC has authority over all design reviews in the entire city. Single family residences are exempted from DRC review.

Although the DRC’s review adds addition time and effort in the development application and review process, the need to maintain the Danish/Northern European theme in the TRC zone is paramount to the economic vitality of the City and to ensure compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, without placing undue restrictions on allowed uses of the building. The DRC helps projects to not only be accepted by the community by making sure that they are compatible with the neighborhood, but also ensures that these developments are adhering to the appropriate design standards. Provisions for an increase in staff-level administrative approvals as opposed to DRC review could assist with incentivizing housing growth by decreasing the time and expense of the design review process for developers of market rate projects. The City acknowledges market rate developers’ concerns and is committed through Program HE-E to adopt objective design standards, which will preserve the City’s commitment to encouraging Northern European design without subjective determinations of conformity that may pose undue constraints on housing production, especially in the TRC zone, which may allow residential uses as a primary use in the future.

Affordable housing projects are not subject to adhere to the Danish/Northern European theme of the TRC zone, allowing for expedited processing. Program HE-N commits Solvang to adopting an official, streamlined ministerial approval process for affordable housing, which includes bypassing DRC review.

Processing Time
The processing time for a residential development project varies depending on its size and complexity. Projects requiring an environmental impact report, special zoning changes, or modifications and those with design problems can take considerably more time than less complex projects. The following table (Table H-41) shows typical processing time for 594

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all development applications that require Planning Commission approval. These include subdivisions, condominiums, Planned Unit Developments, Conditional Use Permits, and modifications. Typically, steps one through three are the same for all development projects that need Planning Commission review. Step six splits into three possible outcomes to illustrate the different timelines associated with a project that is exempt from CEQA and one that requires the preparation of an initial study. The estimated timeline for simpler projects, which do not require Planning Commission review, is estimated at 10 to 45 days.

A typical single-family home is expected to take less than ten weeks to be ministerially approved from initial application submittal. A typical multifamily development, given that it is exempt from CEQA or is referenced in the General Plan EIR, will take approximately six months.

As it can be seen in Table H-41, some steps are dependent on the applicant. An assumption has been made regarding the amount of time an applicant takes to complete those steps, but applicants can take more or less time to complete the steps. Because of holding costs and inflation, the longer the approval process takes, the higher the cost to develop the project. To the extent possible, the City facilitates and expedites affordable housing projects. 595
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Table H-41 Estimated Typical Timeline for Projects Requiring Discretionary Review Event Time Total Time

1. First Application Submittal Begin Timeline Begin Timeline

2. First Application Completeness Review/Project declared incomplete6 30 days 4 weeks 2a. Staff Review Meeting Within 30-day
review period
4 weeks

4. Second Application Submittal/Project declared complete7 30 days 2 months

5. Design Review Committee Review8 30 days 3 months

6. Environmental Assessment
▪ If project is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or references General Plan EIR, proceed to step 7. ▪ If project is not exempt from CEQA and a Negative Declaration (ND) or Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) is permissible, proceed to step 6a.
▪ If project is not exempt from CEQA and requires an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), proceed to step 6b.
30 days
4 weeks
4 weeks
4 months
5 months
5 months
6a. Project Not Exempt from CEQA and ND or MND Required i. Preparation of Initial Study and Draft Negative Declaration ii. Public Review Period for the Draft Negative Declaration Proceed to step 7.
8 weeks
30 days
8 months
9 months
6b. Project Not Exempt from CEQA and EIR Required
i. EIR Preparation and Public Comment
ii. Final EIR Certification
Proceed to step 7.
4-6 months
45-day review
9 to 11 months

10.5 to 12.5 months

7. Planning Commission Hearing 30 days Exempt from CEQA:
5-6 months
Negative Declaration:
9 months
EIR Required:
14 months
Source: City of Solvang, 2022.

Conditional Use Permits
The City may require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for projects requiring special attention to site planning. Table H46Table H-46 illustrates the land uses that require a CUP. To apply for these permits, an applicant must submit an 6 Additional information is usually required of the initial application because first applications are often incomplete. 7 Frequently Applicants submit a complete application on the second submittal. However, this is not always the case. 8 The City of Solvang encourages applicants to go through a conceptual review with the Planning Commission and/or Design Review Committee prior to submitting for the first time. 596

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Application as specified in the Zoning Ordinance (process outlined in Municipal Code Section 11-6-2). The Planning Manager and/or Director has authority over minor CUPs, and the Planning Commission has jurisdiction over major CUPs.

The time frames associated with securing a discretionary permit depends upon the public hearing process and staff review process. Generally, the CUP process takes approximately 5-6 months. Due to the CUP requirements and timelines for approval, a CUP requirement is considered to be a constraint to affordable multifamily development in Solvang.

Program HE-N commits the City to providing streamlined ministerial review for all multifamily and mixed-use projects that provide a minimum of 20 percent affordability to lower income households, in compliance with State law.

Modifications
Modifications provide a measure of flexibility in the strict application of zoning regulations on land, buildings, and structures where, because of exceptional conditions such as the size, shape, unusual topography, or other extraordinary condition of the property, the literal enforcement of the zoning regulations would impose impractical difficulties or undue hardship on the landowner or developer. A modification cannot be granted to permit a use or activity that is not otherwise permitted in the district in which the property is located. A modification may only be granted from the regulations on land, buildings, and structures, and not from the procedural regulations of the Zoning Ordinance. Typically, modifications are included in the Development Plan Application as Municipal Code Section 11-16-4(G) allows for modifications when there is a finding that such modifications are justified. In rare cases, the Planning Manager may consider or render decisions on matters of slight modification or minor adjustment of zoning standards provided the modification/adjustment does not increase or reduce a numerical standard by more than ten percent, complies with all applicable life/safety codes, and will not adversely affect neighboring properties (Municipal Code Section 11-12-24). The Planning Manager and/or Director and/or the Planning Commission may approve or conditionally approve modifications up to the percentages shown in Table H-42.

Table H-42 Allowable Modifications
Type of Regulation Modification
Minimum lot or building site area or width up to 10%
Front, rear, side yard setback up to 50%
Building height up to 10%
Parking up to 20%
Landscaping up to 10%
Distance between buildings up to 50%
Source: City of Solvang Zoning Ordinance, Title 11, Section 11-16-3(C) Development Plans
The purpose of a Development Plan (outlined in Municipal Code Section 11-16-4) is to provide discretionary action for projects allowed by right within their respective zoning districts, but because of the type, scale, or location of the development, require comprehensive review. Development plans are required for developments in the following scenarios:
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• Any use of the Planned Residential Development (PRD) zoning district, Design Review (DR), or Tourist Commercial District (TRC)
• Any rezone of a parcel currently zoned as a part of the Mobile Home Park (MHP) district • Any rezone of an existing Industrial (M), Institutional (I), or Professional Office (PO) parcel • Most development, alterations, or additions in Retail (C-2 and C-3), subject to exceptions in 11-7C-1(B)(2) and 11-7B-1(B)(2)
• The subdivision of a parcel, such that the existing underlying zone requires a development plan A Development Plan must include a detailed plot plan, floor plans, elevations, contour map, drainage plan, landscaping plans, and statistical information as specified in the Zoning Ordinance. The Planning Manager and/or Director is responsible for processing the Development Plan through environmental review, and then the Planning Commission must hold at least one public hearing prior to acting on the plan. Approval by the City Council is also required for any rezone application submitted in conjunction with the Development Plan.

The typical Development Plan follows the steps and timeline outlined in Table H-41 above.

Development plans pose an additional constraint to housing development in Solvang’s Tourist Commercial Districts (TRC); however, this process is necessary to preserve the Northern European character of Solvang, which is vital to the economic vitality of the city.

Through the current (2022) General Plan Update the City is revising the Land Use Element to allow residential uses in all commercial and professional office designations with a maximum density of 20 dwelling units per acre. Following the General Plan Update, the City will need to update commercial and office zones for consistency and will implement multiple programs to overcome constraints. Program HE-K commits the City to updating the Municipal Code to allow residential uses up to 20 dwelling units per acre in all commercial and office zones and to increase allowed FAR in these zones from 0.15 to 0.65. Further Program HE-E commits the City to adopting objective design standards for the City tourist commercial zones, and Program HE-N to providing a ministerial review process for housing developments in compliance with SB 35 and the Housing Accountability Act.

The City is committed to overcoming constraints by encouraging mixed use developments through subsidies and maximum floor area increases, and by ensuring that any lower-income projects that are submitted to the City will receive priority processing (Program HE-K).

In the Mobile Home Park (MHP) district, development plans protect housing by creating a discretionary barrier between lower income residents who may reside in mobile home parks and redevelopment interests that may seek to change the land use of their property.

Specific Plans
These regulations are based on the recognition that one parcel or group of parcels, which may be in separate ownership, are suitable for a specific use or combination of uses and should be planned as a unit to ensure protection of valuable resources and to allow maximum flexibility in site planning. The purpose of the Specific Plan is to allow for a more precise level of planning for an area than is ordinarily possible in the General Plan Land Use Element and to provide for a mixture of uses through comprehensive site planning. The review process for a Specific Plan is the same as a Development Plan.
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Fees and Exactions
The City of Solvang collects various fees to cover the costs of processing permits. The City's development fees are a flat fee and are comparable to other jurisdictions. Ministerial land use permits range from $196 for additions and remodels, to $1,021 for single-family dwellings and accessory dwelling units. Large development review applications can be charged as deposits, based on an hourly rate of $196, if it is determined that the processing time will significantly exceed the fixed fee. Table H-43 summarizes the major planning fees collected by the City.

Table H-43 Planning Fees, August 2022
Fee Fee Amount
General Plan Amendment $9,800
Zoning Amendment $3,920
Land Use Permit9 $196 to $1,021
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) $3,920
Variance $3,920
Subdivisions
1-4 lots
5+ lots
$7,840
$11,760
Development Plans
Up to 10,000 ft2
10,001 ft2 &over
$7,840
$11,760
Specific Plan Amendments $19,600
Environmental Review
Negative Declaration
Pre-EIR Prep (Initial Study NOP)
$5,880
$5,880
Source: City of Solvang Master Fee Schedule, 2022.

State Law authorizes communities to charge developers for providing specific services as well as meeting the resulting service impacts from new development. Like most California jurisdictions, the City also collects various fees from developments to cover the costs of providing the necessary services and infrastructure related to new development projects. Table H-44 provides a typical cost estimate of development fees for a new 2,500 square foot single-family home in Solvang. As indicated, the total estimated fees, including discretionary permit fees, building and safety permit fees, and utility connection fees, are approximately $43,874, which translates into roughly $17.50 per square foot. 9 For new single-family dwellings and second units.
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Table H-44 Estimated Building Fees for 2000-2500 ft2 Single-family Home, August 2022 Type of Fee Estimated Fee Amount ($)
Fire Protection Certificate $536
Land Use Permit $1,176
Water Connection Fee (3/4 inch) $14,151
Sewer Connection Fee (3/4 inch) $9,040
Electrical Connection Fee $125
Gas Connection Fee $100 to $2,000
Road Improvement Fee (traffic impact) $3,067
Impact Fees $26,000
Planning Fees $11,760
Building Permit Fee $5,904
School Fees $8,375
Total Fees $82,134
Source: City of Solvang, 2022
Note: Estimates including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits. The most current school fees were used after communication with school district representatives. Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District levies $1.26 per sq. ft. and Solvang Elementary School District levies $2.09 per sq. ft.
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Table H-45 Estimated Building Fees for a New 5,000 ft2 Two-Story 10-unit Multi-Family Project Type of Fee Estimated Fee Amount ($)
Fire Protection Certificate $536
Land Use Permit $196
Water Connection Fee (3/4 inch) $14,151
Sewer Connection Fee (3/4 inch) $9,040
Electrical Connection Fee Approximately $15,000
Road Improvement Fee (traffic impact) $17,176
Planning Fees $1,176
Impact Fees $1,800
Building Permit Fee $10,899
School Fees $16,750
Total Fees $86,724 ($8,672 per unit)
Source: City of Solvang, 2022; Pacific Gas & Electric Company, 2022.

Note: Estimates including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits. The most current school fees were used after communication with school district representatives. Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District levies: $1.26 per sq. ft. and Solvang Elementary School District levies $2.09 per ft2.

Building Codes and Site Improvements
The City of Solvang contracts with Willdan for plan check and building inspections. The City defaults to the California Building Code and has most recently adopted the 2022 Edition of the California Building Code (CBC), which establishes standards and requires inspections at various stages of construction to ensure code compliance and minimum health and safety standards.

In 2020, the City administered the Amnesty Program, which offered to bring properties into compliance without fines or penalty fees after unpermitted work and construction. This program, which aimed to improve the community’s health and safety, improve property values, and decrease liability through the permitting process, helped several property owners reach compliance with the Municipal Code.

The City's Building Code also requires new residential construction to comply with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which specifies a minimum percentage of dwelling units in new developments that must be fully accessible to the physically disabled. Although these standards and the time required for inspections increase housing production costs and may impact the viability of rehabilitation of older properties which are required to be brought up to current code standards, the intent of the codes is to provide structurally sound, safe, and energy-efficient housing.

Site improvements cover a range of water, sewer, circulation, and other services and infrastructure needed to facilitate residential developments. To ensure adequate improvements are in place, Solvang requires pro-rata payments for offsite extension of water, sewer and storm drain systems, and traffic signals. Solvang requires, in total, according to 601
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Municipal Code Section 12-5-3, street improvements, utilities, draining facilities, structures, erosion control, fences, planting, right-of-way dedication, and other provisions for public safety, health and general welfare, both within the subdivision and off the site. Requiring developers to make site improvements, pay pro-rata shares toward infrastructure costs, and pay for additional public services will increase the cost of housing and impact the affordability of the homes.

However, these minimum requisite site improvements are necessary to maintain the quality of life desired by City residents and to ensure that public services and facilities are in place at the time of need. Costs associated with site improvements are not an undue constraint on housing production.

As these requirements are quite low, for communities within Solvang that may desire a higher level of site improvement, the City is open to administering maintenance districts. Maintenance districts operate by collecting fees levied upon residents of a defined community to provide cohesive optional site improvements, such as lighting and landscaping.

Currently, the Skytt Mesa subdivision is a part of the Solvang Mesa Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District, which levies fees from Skytt Mesa residents and maintains a higher standard of site improvements than what the City requires.10
Locally-Adopted Ordinances
Solvang has passed two development-related local ordinances to help ensure growth of quality housing and to provide quality of life improvements for residents of the City.

Minor Modifications Ordinance
Property owners in Solvang, much like in any other city, might require a minor modification for their property to be used in a way that is just for them, while also not deviating from the City’s General Plan’s goals and policies. A minor modification allows for small deviations from development standards to accommodate projects that are compatible with and appropriate for the area where they are located.

The City of Solvang‘s Minor Modifications Ordinance (Section 11-12-24 of the Solvang Municipal Code) allows flexibility in development standards on a project-by-project basis. According to this ordinance, the planning manager may consider and render decisions on matters of slight modification and minor adjustment of zoning standards as deemed appropriate in connection with the efficient administration of the zoning ordinance, provided the modification/adjustment does not increase or reduce a numerical standard by more than ten percent, complies with all applicable life/safety codes, and will not adversely affect neighboring properties. The ordinance helps ensure development, including residential growth, can occur on parcels with due to irregular parcel size or shape or environmental constraint.

Short-term/Vacation Rental Ordinance
Solvang’s primary industry is tourism and hospitality, which creates sizable demand for short-term living arrangements through hotels, hostels, motels, and more recently, short-term/ vacation rentals. Short-term rental sites such as VRBO and Airbnb offer residents a way to easily list their bedrooms or homes for tourists coming into town. Solvang’s City Council has recognized the issues associated with this conversion of housing units into short-term/ vacation rentals and has acted to ensure that Solvang’s housing stock is not significantly impacted by this trend. 10 Best, Jennifer. “Solvang to continue management of Skytt Mesa landscape maintenance.” Santa Maria Times. 30 May 2019. 602

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Adopted in 2016 and updated in 2022, Solvang’s short-term/vacation rental ordinance, outlined in Municipal Code Section 11-12-30, prohibits short-term/ vacation rentals outside of the TRC zone/Village Area and properties between addresses 1506 and 1546 Copenhagen Drive. The ordinance has successfully limited short-term/ vacation rentals in the city. For more information, see the vacancy rate analysis in the Housing Conditions section.

Physical Constraints
A variety of physical constraints affect potential land development in the City of Solvang. The potential for development along the Santa Ynez River, Alamo Pintado Creek, and Adobe Creek is constrained due to flood hazard and biological resource considerations. Similarly, steep slopes and other areas of potential geologic hazards limit the extent of potential development in hillside areas within and around the city.

The need to preserve the Old World Danish historical setting and atmosphere of Solvang's Village Area and the rural setting surrounding the community (land uses surrounding the City consist almost entirely of open space, horse ranches, and estate residential), represents an important physical constraint. Various Elements of the General Plan include provisions to ensure that the need to maintain and enhance the City's visual character is reflected in the City's development. Program HE-E commits the City to adopting Objective Design Standards and a ministerial review process for residential development for commercial and office zones. This program will provide developers with clear direction on the City’s expectations regarding design and reduce the time required for review and approval. 603
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Zoning for a Variety of Housing Types
Housing Types Permitted by Zone
Housing Element Law specifies that jurisdictions must identify adequate sites to be made available through appropriate zoning and development standards to encourage the development of a variety of housing types for all economic segments of the population. This includes single-family homes, multifamily housing, ADUs, mobile homes, emergency shelters, and transitional housing. Table H-46 summarizes housing types permitted within the City's primary residential and commercial zoning districts.

While the majority (approximately 65 percent) of housing units in Solvang are single-family units, various other housing types are needed to meet the needs of lower income persons, seniors, persons with a disability, and agricultural workers, and other residents with special housing needs. Housing types that meet the needs of those with special housing needs, particularly those on a fixed income, include multifamily housing, second units, secondary mixed-use housing, mobile homes, residential care facilities, and group housing. Table H-46 identifies housing types permitted in Solvang. 604

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Table H-46 Housing Types Permitted by Zone
Residential Commercial
AG
R-1
E-1 DR PRD MHP TRC C PO
Single-family P DP DP Sec Use P
Two-family DP DP
Multifamily1 DP DP
Accessory Dwelling Units P
Guesthouse P P
Mixed-use DP2 DP2 CUP2
Mobile Home Park DP
Mobile Homes/Manufactured
Homes (on permanent
foundations)
P
Group Residential (e.g.,
Dormitories, residence halls).

CUP
Family daycare home, small /
group homes or community care
facilities serving six (6) or fewer
individuals
P P
Family daycare homes, large (7
or more individuals)

LUP LUP
Emergency shelter P DP
Short-term/ Vacation Rentals3 DP2
Single Room Occupancy CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Transitional and Supportive
Housing
P P P
Notations:

P=Permitted (Ministerially); DP=Development Plan; CUP=Conditional Use Permit; LUP=Land Use Permit. 1Includes row houses, townhouses, condominiums, and cluster developments. 2Permitted only as a Secondary Use to primary commercial use. 3Subject to restrictions in Solvang Municipal Code 11-12-30, subsection E(2) Solvang Municipal Code serves as precedence to this table for official decisions.

Source: City of Solvang Zoning Ordinance
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Multifamily Housing
Municipal Code Section 11-6B-2 states that multifamily projects of 16 units or less are a permitted use in the DR zoning district. Multifamily projects in the DR zoning district reaching a density of 20 dwelling units per acre are additionally subject to review by the Design Review Committee. All projects in the DR zoning district, including multifamily projects, require a Development Plan to be submitted for review.

Municipal Code Section 11-6C-3 and 11-6C-4 states that multifamily projects are also allowed in PRD zoning districts with a discretionary development permit. The purpose of the development permit is to ensure that the proposed project is in conformance with applicable General Plan policies and that buildings and structures are clustered to the maximum extent feasible to provide the maximum amount of contiguous open space. Through Program HE-N the City will create Objective Design Standards and a ministerial review process for multifamily projects that incorporate a minimum of 20 percent of units affordable to lower-income households, providing a by-right ministerial path for multifamily development that meet affordable thresholds (minimum 20 percent lower-income or 100 percent moderate-income), in compliance with State law.

Density Bonuses
Per California Government Code Sections 65915 through 65918, local governments are required to provide density bonus provisions to projects that comply with specific standards. Legislation approved in 2020 increased the maximum density bonus amounts for very-low-, low-, and moderate-income housing. The California Government Code describes how maximum densities shall be calculated for very low-, low-, and moderate-income housing in a tabular format.

Additionally, local governments are also required to provide one or more incentives for qualifying projects and are required to accept an incentive proposed by a developer unless the incentive proposal is found to cause environmental harm, a health and safety issue, a cost reduction, a detriment to historical property, or otherwise contrary to law. Both density bonuses and incentives are granted based on the number of affordable units present in each project.

The City has established density bonus provisions (Municipal Code Section 11-12-23) for affordable housing that directly defer to California Government Code 65915 in Municipal Code Section 11-12-23 and is incompliance with State law.

Employee and Agricultural Worker Housing
Sections 17021.5 and 17021.6 of the California Health and Safety Code establish specific requirements for the permitting of agricultural employee housing in a jurisdictions’ zoning code. Specifically, Section 17021.5 mandates that “employee housing providing accommodations for six or fewer employees shall be deemed a single-family structure with a residential land use.” Furthermore, designated employee housing, as defined above, cannot be subject to Conditional Use Permit requirements, zoning variance, fees, taxes, or any other requirement other than those pertaining to a traditional single-family structure. Section 17021.6 requires that larger employee housing facilities featuring a maximum of 36 beds in group quarters, or 12 single-family units, should be deemed an agricultural land use and cannot be subject to any restrictions, conditional use requirements, zoning variance, fees, taxes, or other requirements not imposed on other agricultural uses in the same zone.

City of Solvang Municipal Code Section 11-12-26 allows employee and farmworker housing for six (6) and fewer persons subject to the same standards and permit requirements as a single-family house in all zones, and as a principal permitted use in residential zones, in compliance with Section 17021.5 of the Health and Safety Code. 606

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The City is not in compliance with Section 17021.6. Program HE-O commits the city to amending the Zoning Ordinance to allow ministerial review and approval of group quarter employee housing consisting of up to 36 beds or 12 units designed for use by a single household as a principal residential use in the City’s AG zone without applying any discretionary actions. The City is also considering removing the AG zone designation as all AG zoned land is not appropriate for active agricultural uses and are instead more closely aligned to recreational or open space uses. The remaining AG zoned land is a part of Mission Santa Ines or is a part of the Santa Ynez River riparian zone, which is unsuitable for any development.

Currently, Alisal Ranch, a working ranch encompassing over 10,000 acres with small portion located within the City of Solvang, offers 45 units of employee housing. These units are comprised of 25 studio apartments (as defined by Alisal Ranch management: 18 single rooms, three large rooms, four bunk house units), 13 one-bedroom apartments, one twobedroom apartment, and six three-bedroom apartments. These housing units are available to full-time employees of the Ranch and their families at an affordable rent.

Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, and Supportive Housing
AB-139 requires local government to identify a zone(s) where emergency shelters are allowed by-right without a conditional use or other discretionary permit. Local governments are authorized to impose only those development standards that apply to residential or commercial development within the same zone. However, a local government may impose specified objective standards, including standards for off-street parking based on demonstrated need, as specified. The intent of these regulations is to help streamline the development of varying housing types.

AB-139 requires the need for emergency shelter to be assessed based on the capacity necessary to accommodate the most recent homeless point-in-time count, the number of shelter beds available on a year-round and seasonal basis, the number of beds that go unused on an average monthly basis, and the percentage of those in emergency shelters that move to permanent housing. The bill also requires sufficient parking for employees and one space per two beds in the shelter. Under AB-139 and California Government Code Section 65651, local governments must allow supportive and transitional housing as a by-right use in all districts where single-family and multifamily uses are allowed, subject only to those regulations that apply to other residential dwellings (i.e., single-family dwellings, multiple-family dwellings) of the same type in the same district.

The City, as codified in Municipal Code Section 11-6A-2, 11-6B-2, and 11-6C-4, allows both supportive and transitional housing by-right in all residential zoning districts in compliance with State law. Additionally, Municipal Code Section 11- 6B-2 states that emergency shelters are identified as a by-right use in the DR zoning district. During the planning period, the City is also committed through Program HE-S to promote and facilitate emergency, transitional, and supportive housing facilities to assist community members experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Low Barrier Navigation Centers
California Government Code Section 65660 identifies low barrier navigation centers are facilities that focus on moving people into permanent housing and connecting temporary residents with opportunities for income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. Like displaced persons shelters, these facilities are intended to accommodate people with disabilities, pets and their owners, partners (if not a gender-specific site), the storage of possessions, and 607
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survivors of domestic violence. Specifically, the State mandates that low barrier navigation centers have services “to meet the diverse needs of (the) population.” In addition, local governments may not impose parking requirements onto low barrier navigation centers.

The City is not currently in compliance. Program HE-O commits the City to amend the Zoning Code for compliance with California Government Code Section 65660. In updating the Code, the City shall list low barrier navigation facilities as allowed by-right wherever multiple-unit dwellings and mixed-use development are allowed.

Single-Room Occupancy Units (SROs)
Single-room occupancy (SROs) residential units are a traditional form of affordable housing for very low- and low-income individuals. These units consist of a single room, often between 80 and 250 square feet in size, with or without cooking and sanitary facilities, which is rented out, often on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

The City does not have single-room occupancy residential units as a permitted use in any zone or through conditional use permits. Program HE-N commits the City to providing developers with information to explore the benefits and opportunities that come with building SROs.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are defined as attached or detached dwelling units that provide independent living facilities on the same parcel as a legal single-unit or multiple-family unit dwelling, and which include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation. Due to the lower cost of construction and reduced environmental impact, the State has enacted many laws aimed at incentivizing the development of ADUs to help combat the worsening housing crisis. The State requires local governments to treat all ADUs that comply with specific standards as ministerial approvals. Local governments reserve the exclusive right to impose specific design and development standards, which include, but are not limited to setbacks, minimum and maximum parcel size, and maximum height.

Government Code Section 65852.22 also defines a smaller type of ADU, known as a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU), as a dwelling unit that is 500 square feet or less, has cooking facilities, and an entrance to the outside. The main difference between JADUs and ADUs is that JADUs cannot require parking and do not require a personal, private bathroom for the dwelling unit. JADUs can have shared bathroom facilities, similar to an arrangement of a dormitory or single-room occupancy (SRO) residential building.

Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units are intended to encourage more efficient use of residential zones where, because of the decrease in household size as a result of changing social patterns, existing housing resources are being underutilized. The intent is also to ensure a safe and attractive residential environment by promoting high standards of site development to preserve the integrity of single-family areas.

Solvang’s Zoning Ordinance does not reference ADUs nor JADUs, however it references second residential units, an anachronistic term for accessory dwelling units. A second residential unit is defined in Municipal Code Section 11-3-1 as an attached or detached dwelling unit, which provides complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons.

Municipal Code Section 11-6A-2 states that second residential units are permitted in the R-1 and E-1 zoning districts.

However, California State law requires accessory dwelling units to be allowed by-right (without discretionary review) in all zoning districts that allow single-family and multifamily residential uses. 608

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Program HE-H commits the City to codifying Accessory Dwelling Unit provisions within the Municipal Code that directly defer to California Government Code 65852.2. In the meantime, the City of Solvang actively encourages accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units and evaluates projects individually for compliance with State law.

Secondary Use/Mixed Use
The Zoning Ordinance, in Section 11-3-1, defines “secondary use” as the creation of residential units in conjunction with commercial uses in the Professional Office (Municipal Code Section 11-7D-3), Retail Commercial (Municipal Code Section 11-7B-2), and Tourist Related Commercial (Municipal Code Section 11-7A-2 and 11-7A-3) Zones, Secondary Use is equivalent to mixed-use definitions in other jurisdictions.

In the Tourist Related Commercial Zone, secondary residential use is currently defined as two (2) residential bedrooms per one thousand (1,000) square feet of total gross floor area of commercial development. The total gross floor area of residential development cannot exceed the total gross floor area of the commercial use. The maximum residential density for secondary uses is twenty units per acre. The City encourages residential uses in the Village Area by implementing and maintaining zoning standards for residential densities that encourage pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development to help meet Solvang's fair-share of regional housing needs.

The City plans to overhaul its secondary use regulations and replace them with modern mixed-use zoning standards through the General Plan Update process. This update plans to completely remove current standards regarding residential bedrooms per square feet of commercial development and replace them with more flexible regulations allowing for more diverse mixed-use districts with developments having both more residential and more commercial uses. In effect, the City plans to remove conceptions of a building’s “primary” or “secondary” use in favor of simply mixeduse developments. Such changes incentivize greater residential development while preserving the live, work, and play feel of the TRC zone. Additionally, the change has the additional positive effect of bringing legacy nonconforming primarily residential developments in the TRC established before the City’s incorporation into present compliance with the Zoning Code.

In the Professional Office (PO) District, residential uses are allowed with a Conditional Use Permit such that the residential density does not exceed twenty (20) units per acre. In the Retail Commercial (C-2) District, residential uses are permitted by right with the same restriction of residential density not exceeding twenty (20) units per acre.

Program HE-K commits the City to incentivizing mixed-use development by allowing mixed-use development by-right in all commercial and office zones, providing priority processing to mixed-use projects with special needs or senior housing units, and reaching out to local stakeholders to advocate for mixed-use projects.

Manufactured Housing and Mobile Homes
The City, through Municipal Code Section 11-6A-2, permits manufactured housing and mobile homes in all single-family residential (R-1/E-1) districts, provided that the units are certified under the National Manufactured Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 and on a permanent foundation system. Mobile homes in these zones are subject to 609
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design standards for roof overhang and roofing and siding materials and colors, which are regulations permitted under California Government Code 65852.5.

Mobile home parks are permitted subject to a discretionary development plan in the MHP zoning district at a maximum density of seven units per acre. Solvang also allows mobile home parks in the MHP zoning district to reach a maximum density of eight units per acre subject to the requirement of 10 percent of sites being allocated to single-wide units.

According to the California Department of Finance, approximately 5 percent of Solvang's housing stock consists of mobile homes. The City has one mobile home park, Rancho Santa Ynez Estates, a senior-only park with a total of 162 units, as of 2022. The City is committed to promoting the preservation of mobile homes and mobile home parks during the planning period through Program HE-D.

Special Care Facilities
California Government Code Section 65583 requires that housing elements provide a program to “address and where appropriate and legally possible, remove governmental constraints to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing for persons with disabilities. The program shall remove constraints to and provide reasonable accommodations for housing designed for, intended for occupancy by, or with supportive services for, persons with disabilities.” In line with encouraging the development of housing for those with disabilities, the State requires that small, licensed residential care facilities (defined as facilities with six or fewer residents) be allowed “by right” in all residential zones. Additionally, the State, through HCD, requires that cities consider constraints to reasonable accommodation for large licensed residential care facilities (defined as facilities with seven or more residents). Program HE-R commits the City to adopting a universal design ordinance to incentivize the implementation of certain accessibility features in new construction projects.

Solvang’s Zoning Ordinance in Sections 11-6A-2 and 11-6B-2 currently allows for small residential care facilities by right in the Single-Family Residential and Design Residential Districts. Additionally, the city has a residential overlay zone, the Planned Residential District (PRD), which serves as an overlay zone allowing for more flexibility for large residential projects in the Single-Family Residential or Design Residential Districts. Since the PRD district is an overlay over either of these base districts, the PRD district designation also allows for small residential care facilities by right despite not being expressly listed as a permitted use for the overlay zone in Municipal Code Section 11-6C-4. As such, the City is in compliance with State law.

Regarding large care homes, the Municipal Code, through Section 11-3-1, uses the term “special care home” to refer to a residential care home licensed to provide 24- hour non-medical care and supervision for seven or more persons. This definition includes group homes, large family homes, and foster homes. Special care homes are expressly permitted in the Institutional District according to Municipal Code Section 11-8-2 and in residential zones with a discretionary Conditional Use Permit according to Municipal Code Sections 11-6A-2 and 11-6B-2. As the City did not receive any requests for construction of new special care homes in the previous planning period, current regulations are not considered to be a constraint to the development of large licensed residential care facilities.

In Solvang, the only large special care home facility is Atterdag Village of Solvang, which includes 188 total beds. Among these are 18 beds dedicated to patients in need of memory care, 54 beds with skilled nurses, and 14 assisted living units.

One small residential care facility operates in Solvang, Family Connect Memory Care Solvang, which has a capacity of six residents. Overall, there is a total special care capacity of 194 beds within the city limits of Solvang. 610

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Table H-47 List of Special Care Facilities
Facility Address Beds
Solvang Lutheran Home, Inc. d.b.a. Atterdag Village of
Solvang
Including Care Center (formerly Santa Ynez Valley Recovery Residence)
636 Atterdag Road 188
Family Connect Memory Care Solvang 659 Chalk Hill Rd 6
TOTAL 194
Source: California Department of Social Services, 2022. 611
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Opportunities for Energy Conservation
Government Code Section 65583(a) (7) requires the “analysis of opportunities for energy conservation with respect to residential development.” This is important due to the key role played by energy efficiency in determining the relative affordability of housing. Lower rates of energy usage decrease utility costs for residents, making housing more affordable. The discussion that follows outlines current State policies and development standards along with local City policies that promote energy conservation for new and existing development in the City of Solvang.

Title 24 Energy Budget Standards
Utility-related costs can directly impact the affordability of housing in California. However, Title 24 of the California Administrative Code sets forth mandatory energy standards for new development and requires adoption of an "energy budget." In turn, the home building industry must comply with these standards while local governments are responsible for enforcing the energy conservation regulations which can increase affordability for residents.

All new buildings in California must meet the standards contained in Title 24, Part 6, of the California Code of Regulations (Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings). These regulations respond to California’s energy crisis and need to reduce energy bills, increase energy delivery system reliability, and contribute to an improved economic condition for the state. All new construction must comply with the standards in effect on the date a building permit application is made.

The energy requirements of the new State code are significantly more stringent than the prior codes (heat pump requirements for single-family and multi-family homes and businesses; electricity-ready requirements for single-family homes; and new solar power requirements for high-rises, hotels/motels, tenant spaces, offices, stores, restaurants, schools, and civic spaces) and are intended to progress to 100 percent clean electricity and carbon neutrality by 2050 or earlier. In 2019, the City adopted the 2019 edition of the California Building Code (Volumes 1 and 2). Program HE-O commits the City to updating the building code for compliance with the new 2022 edition of the California Building Code.

In addition to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards, Part 11 of Title 24 contains California’s Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen). In 2019, the City of Solvang adopted the most-recently revised standards (2019 California Green Building Standards Code) with amendments in Municipal Code Section 10-1-4 to require readily accessible areas for storage and collection of trash and recycle in approved containers.

Southern California Gas Programs
The Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) offers an Energy Savings Assistance Program to limited income customers. The program offers no-cost weatherization that includes attic insulation, weatherstripping, caulking, watersaving devices, and energy-efficient lighting. Additionally offered is a no-cost furnace repair and replacement service and a clothes washer home improvement. SoCalGas also participates in the State CARE program, providing low-income customers with a 30 percent discount on their gas bills. Finally, SoCalGas provides a Past Due Bill Forgiveness program and a One-time Bill Grant program aimed at assisting with natural gas bills.

Solvang Green Website
The City of Solvang, in partnership with the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, runs solvanggreen.com, a website set up to provide residents and businesses a hub to learn more about and share ways to be more environmentally sustainable 612

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and energy efficient. The website includes information about conserving gas, conserving water, conserving electricity, landscaping sustainably, and how to participate in City programs for committing to sustainability.

Central Coast Community Energy (3CE)
Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE3CE) is a Community Choice Energy agency that allows for residents to enroll for their power to come from renewable resources. The city of Solvang joined this program in December 2019. CCCE 3CE seeks to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while having increased electricity delivery efficiency as more people join the program. CCCE 3CE utilizes current power infrastructure created by Southern California Edison to deliver the power to residents.

General Plan Goals
Energy conservation is not only a goal for housing in Solvang but is a shared value across the entire General Plan. Energy conservation requires multifaceted solutions to truly make a difference environmentally and financially. The Environmental and Sustainability Element of the General Plan overlaps the shared values of green building practices and renewable energy that support the creation and maintenance of affordable housing. Policies in the Environmental and Sustainability Element include encouraging energy retrofitting for more sustainable appliances, promoting zero waste, and educating the public on sustainability issues. The Mobility Element includes provisions to help improve Solvang’s bike route and bike lane network, which is currently very sparse and in need of expansion. Such improvements can help reduce car dependency for local trips and decrease costs involved with living in the community. 613
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Housing Resources
Future Housing Need
State Housing Element law requires that a local jurisdiction accommodate a share of the region’s projected housing needs for the planning period, called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Compliance with this requirement is measured by the City’s ability to providing adequate land with adequate density and appropriate development standards to accommodate the RHNA. The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), as the regional planning agency, is responsible for allocating the RHNA to individual jurisdictions within the region. For the sixth Housing Element cycle, the City of Solvang has been allocated a RHNA of 191 units, divided into four income levels as shown on Table H-48.

Table H-48 Projected Housing Needs (Regional Housing Need Allocation) Lower
Moderate
(80-120%
AMI
Above
Moderate
(120%+
AMI)
Total Extremely Low
(0-25% AMI)
Very Low
(25-50%
AMI)
Low
(80-120%
AMI)
Solvang 28 27 39 22 75 191
Santa Barbara
County
5,799 3,935 4,397 10,725 24,856
Source: SBCAG, HCD Pre-approved Data Package, ACS 2015-2019, Table 25.

The City's Housing Element must demonstrate the availability of sufficiently zoned land to meet the planning targets defined in the RHNA throughout the entire planning period. This stipulation of continuous compliance throughout the planning period, known as the No Net Loss Requirements Law (California Government Code Section 68563), necessitates planning a buffer to accommodate twenty percent more housing units than the RHNA requires in the very low-, low-, and moderate-income categories. This buffer ensures that if a site becomes unavailable due to a developer choosing another land use or if a site develops under its predicted density, the City will be able to stay in compliance with State law and avoid forced rezoning of parcels.

To provide more granular information on housing needs, the City assumed 50 percent of its very low-income regional housing needs are extremely low-income households. As a result, from the very low-income need of 55 units, the City has a projected need of 28 units for extremely low-income households. Zoning to meet the needs of extremely low, lower, and moderate-income households must be of sufficient density and with reasonable development standards to facilitate development affordable to these groups.

Credits Toward the RHNA
Following the analysis of RHNA credits, specific sites throughout the city were considered for potential for housing development. Site selection for the residential sites inventory started with City owned sites where residential development is in line with short-term City goals, then vacant and nonvacant sites zoned for residential use, and lastly sites that could be rezoned to accommodate residential development or residential development at a higher density. 614

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Several constraints were considered for each site, including environmental concerns, utility or infrastructure access, feasibility of redevelopment during the next planning period, and realistic capacity assumptions. Sites identified for lower income housing must meet certain density and site requirements, including a minimum density of twenty units per acre, parcel size between 0.5 and 10 acres, and access to high performing schools, jobs, amenities, health care facilities, and grocery stores.

Pending/Approved Projects
Solvang currently has three pending residential projects projected to provide 88 units of housing, which includes three units of very low-income housing, 45 units of low-income housing, 10 units of moderate-income housing, and 30 units of above moderate-income housing. Solvang also has two projects, Cottages on Old Mission and the 1731 Laurel Avenue Lot Split, which were completed during the beginning of the planning period, allowing for 21 units to be counted towards the Sixth Cycle RHNA. In total, Solvang can credit 109 units to pending and approved projects for the current cycle.

Table H-49 Summary of Pending and Approved Projects
Very Low Low Moderate Above Moderate Total
Pending Projects
Old Lumberyard Site 0 45 0 0 45
539 Alisal Road 1 0 10 0 11
670 Alamo Pintado Road 2 0 0 30 32
Approved/Completed Projects
Cottages on Old Mission 0 0 0 16 16
1731 Laurel Avenue Lot Split1 0 0 0 5 5
Total Pending Projects 3 45 10 51 109
Source: City of Solvang, 2022.
1Although a six-unit project, the project can only count for 5 net units due to a previous single-family home on site being demolished for the project.

Old Lumberyard Site
The Old Lumberyard Site, located at 1793 and 1783 Mission Drive (APN(s): 139-150-017, 139-150-027), is a 2.2-acre site located due east of the Tourist Related Commercial (TRC) zone slated for a hotel project with 45 low-income microapartments, approximately 420 square feet each, intended for workforce housing. The site is set to be rezoned from DR20 as Tourist Related Commercial (TRC), which will allow the secondary use of housing on site with the primary use of the hotel.
539 Alisal Road
539 Alisal Road (APN: 139-143-004) is a 0.33-acre site located due north of the TRC zone, slated for a 11-unit condominium complex. Ten units are moderate income units, and one unit is a deed restricted very low-income unit. The condominium is expected to have two- and three-bedroom units ranging between 859 and 1,101 square feet. The 615
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building is three stories tall and has an exterior that matches the Old World Danish theme of Solvang’s TRC zone.

Construction started in the summer of 2022.
670 Alamo Pintado Road
670 Alamo Pintado Road (APN: 139-530-005) is a 1.06-acre site located in northeast Solvang near Rite Aid and Valley Fresh Market. The site is expected to add 32 units of condominium housing. Thirty units are slated for above moderateincome households and two units are deed restricted for very low-income households. The site was approved by the Planning Commission in December 2020 and is expected to begin construction in late 2022 or early 2023.

Cottages on Old Mission
Cottages on Old Mission (APNs: 139-540-057 to 139-540-064) is a series of eight single family homes, each with a single attached accessory dwelling unit, located at 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, and 1900 Old Mission Drive in Eastern Solvang near The Merkantile Shopping Center. The project was initially approved by Solvang City Council with an Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration finalized in May 2017. The project was completed with certificates of occupancy issued during the current planning period. The project can be counted for 16 above moderate dwelling units. 1731 Laurel Avenue Lot Split
The 1731 Laurel Avenue Lot Split (APNs: 139-091-041 and 139-091-042) is a residential development consisting of six dwelling units on a former single family home site. The original parcel was subdivided into two parcels which were subsequently developed with a single-family home, a junior accessory dwelling unit, and an accessory dwelling unit on each parcel. The original single family home site was demolished, therefore the project resulted in a net gain of five dwelling units, all above moderate-income units. With each lot containing three dwelling units, the project is a prime example of the intended effect of SB 9 (2021). As of December 2022, both parcels are for sale for $2.5 million each.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
During the fifth cycle, cities across California have found substantial housing growth from the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Residents have found ADUs and JADUs to be a cost-effective way to earn extra income, increase the City’s housing stock, and increase their property values. In Solvang, this same trend created 23 additional housing units in the City between 2019 and 2021, which is a small, however important growth source for the city’s housing stock. The City expects that this growth from ADUs will continue in the future to further meet housing needs given further popularity and incentives.

Table H-50 Accessory Dwelling Units Constructed, 2019-2021 ADUs Constructed
2019 2
2020 8
2021 13
Source: City of Solvang, 2022.

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.1, the City can work to meet the regional housing need using ADU and JADU trends and existing resources and incentives that promote their development. As a conservative projection, HCD 616

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recommends a minimum assumption equal to the average permitted total for 2019 to 2021. For Solvang, this average equates to eight ADUs or JADUs per year for a total projection of 64 units over the eight-year planning period.

Affordability of Accessory Dwelling Units
In 2021, the U.C. Berkeley Center for Community Innovation released the report “Implementing the Backyard Revolution:

Perspectives of California’s ADU Owners,” which provided information from a study that gathered basic information on construction, permitting, and rental states of ADUs across the state of California through mailed out postcards. The conductors of the study were able to gather sufficient data from several counties and regions across the state, including Santa Barbara County, which is a part of the Central Coast region defined in the study. The researchers found that the median rental price of ADUs was $1,925 in the Central Coast region, equating to about $3.75 per square foot.

Monthly rent of $1,925 is affordable to households making approximately 95 percent of area median income. Given Solvang’s higher cost of living and higher rent in comparison to other North Santa Barbara County areas, the City has conservatively classified projected accessory dwelling units as moderate- and above moderate-income units, as shown in.

Table H-51 compares the selected ADU affordability assumption for the planning period and the affordability suggestion provided by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in a draft report on ADU affordability both statewide and in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Table H-51 ADU Affordability Assumptions for the Sixth Cycle RHNA Income Group ABAG Affordability Suggestion Selected ADU Affordability Assumption
Very Low 5% 0%
Low 30% 0%
Moderate 50% 50%
Above Moderate 15% 50%
Source: Association of Bay Area Governments, “Affordability of Accessory Dwelling Units,” 8 September 2021.

Residential Sites Inventory
Vacant Residential Sites
Solvang is generally built out, and there are only scattered vacant sites remaining that are suitable for residential development. Table H-52Table H-53 below lists 22 sites which have been identified as suitable residential development sites without a rezone. The majority of these sites are slated for single-family housing development on a single lot. All sites have available water and sewer infrastructure located on roads adjacent to the parcel. All sites have access to or ability to connect to all infrastructure, as stated in the Availability of Infrastructure section below. Figure H-5 shows vacant sites appropriate for residential development. Sites labeled with a number correspond to vacant sites in Table H52. Vacant sites with a proposed rezone have been labeled with letter A-D. These sites are discussed under the heading “Vacant Sites with a Proposed Rezone” below.
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Remaining RHNA
Accounting for the entitled, approved, and pending projects, as well as projected ADUs, the City has a remaining RHNA of 46 units, all lower-income units. Table H-52 details the existing progress towards the 6th cycle RHNA and the remaining RHNA that the City must demonstrate the availability of sites with appropriate zoning and development standards.

Table H-52 Progress Toward RHNA
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Total
RHNA Allocation 94 22 75 191
Pending or Approved 48 10 46 104
ADUs 0 32 32 64
Remaining RHNA 46 0 0 46
Residential Sites Inventory
Vacant Sites
Solvang is generally built out, and there are only scattered vacant sites remaining that are suitable for residential development. Table H-53 below lists 22 sites which have been identified as suitable residential development sites without a rezone. The majority of these sites are slated for single-family housing development on a single lot. All sites have available water and sewer infrastructure located on roads adjacent to the parcel. All sites have access to or ability to connect to all infrastructure, as stated in the Availability of Infrastructure section below. 618

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Figure H-5 Vacant Sites Suitable for Development
619
H-92 | Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Table H-53Table H-52 List of Vacant Sites Not Requiring Rezones # Address APN Size
(acres)
Existing GP Land
Use
Existing
Zoning Proposed Zoning Realistic Capacity
RHNA
Income
Categories
Notes Environmental Constraints
1 928 College
Canyon Road
137-
140-044 1.80
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in an
established
neighborhood; 5th
cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 2)
2 Parcel on west
side of
junction
Rancho Alisal
Drive / 3
Springs Road
137-
410-020 1.00
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in the Alisal
Valley
3 Parcel west of
395 Rancho
Alisal Drive
137-
410-022 0.72
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in the Alisal
Valley
4 Northeast
parcel on 3
Springs Road
at city limits
137-
410-036 0.87
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in the Alisal
Valley
5 Northeast
corner Rancho
Alisal Drive / 3
Springs Road
137-
410-037 0.78
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in the Alisal
Valley
6 Parcel on west
side of
junction
Rancho Alisal
Dr / Riley Rd
137-
420-039 0.99
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Vacant residential
land in the Alisal
Valley
7 Interior parcel
south of 1673
Kronen Way
137-
480-026 0.40
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
Extremely steep
parcel
8 Approximately
634 Chalk Hill
Road
137-
570-013 0.49
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
9 Approximately
1680 Overdel
Lane
137-
660-016 2.04
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 4
4 Above
Moderate
10 Approximately
1537 Gamby
Way
137-
660-036 1.18
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 2
2 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 24)
11 South corner
Viking Way /
Gamby Way
137-
660-038 1.33
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 2
2 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 25)
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Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 | H-93 # Address APN Size
(acres)
Existing GP Land
Use
Existing
Zoning Proposed Zoning Realistic Capacity
RHNA
Income
Categories
Notes Environmental Constraints
12 1201 Petersen
Avenue
137-
120-047 15.82
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)Low
Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
10-R-1 10-R-1 47 47 Above
Moderate
Currently has 1
above moderateincome home on
site; 5th cycle
above moderateincome
opportunity site
(Site 01)
Southwestern side of
property has steep cliffs
off side of Skytt Mesa
13 235 Alisal Rd 139-
234-064 0.17
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)
7-R-1 7-R-1 1 1 Moderate
4 th cycle lowincome
opportunity site
(Site 32); 5th cycle
low-income
opportunity site
(Site 80)
14 226 Valhalla Dr 139-
490-024 0.44
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 18); 5th cycle
above moderateincome
opportunity site
(Site 84)
15 217 Valhalla Dr 139-
490-042 0.49
Low Density
Residential (1
du/ac)
1-E-1 1-E-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 17); 5th cycle
above moderateincome
opportunity site
(Site 85)
16 581 Oak Ridge
Rd
137-
750-004 0.23
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)
10-R-1 10-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
17 750 Chalk Hill
Road
137-
132-009 0.27
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
18 Interior parcel
south of
Hillside Drive,
north of 1871
Laurel Ave
139-
100-047 0.36
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)
8-R-1 8-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 31); 5th cycle
requires
infrastructure
connections/nonRHNA categorized
opportunity site
(Site 64); For sale
with 139-100-048
and -049 for
$1.75m in August
2022
On the side of a steep hill
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H-94 | Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 # Address APN Size
(acres)
Existing GP Land
Use
Existing
Zoning Proposed Zoning Realistic Capacity
RHNA
Income
Categories
Notes Environmental Constraints
19 Interior parcel
south of
Hillside Drive,
northeast of
1871 Laurel
Ave
139-
100-048 0.35
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)
8-R-1 8-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 31); 5th cycle
requires
infrastructure
connections/nonRHNA categorized
opportunity site
(Site 65); For sale
with 139-100-047
and -049 for
$1.75m in August
2022
On the side of a steep hill
20 Interior parcel
east of 1871
Laurel Ave and
west of 1905
Old Mission Dr
139-
100-049 0.27
Medium Density
Residential (3-7
du/ac)
8-R-1 8-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
4 th cycle
moderate-income
opportunity site
(Site 31); 5th cycle
requiring
infrastructure
connections/nonRHNA categorized
opportunity site
(Site 66); For sale
with 139-100-047
and -048 for
$1.75m in August
2022
On the side of a steep hill
21 1890 Old Mill
Road
139-
540-040 0.57
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 1
1 Above
Moderate
22 Old Mill Road
east of Santa
Ynez Mission
139-
240-013 1.42
Low/Medium
Density
Residential (2
du/ac)
20-R-1 20-R-1 3
3 Above
Moderate On the side of a steep hill
Total 1 Moderate
74 Above Moderate
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Remaining RHNA
Accounting for the vacant residential capacity; entitled, approved, and pending projects; and projected ADUs, the City has a remaining RHNA shortfall of 65 lower-income units to reach the RHNA with 20 percent buffer. Table H-53 details the existing progress towards the 6th cycle RHNA and the remaining RHNA that the City must demonstrate the availability of sites with appropriate zoning and development standards. As shown, when compared to the RHNA with 20 percent buffer, the City’s capacity analysis has a shortfall of 65 lower income units. This remaining capacity is achieved through proposed rezones, as discussed below.

Table H-53 Progress Toward RHNA
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Total
RHNA Allocation 94 22 75 191
RHNA with 20 percent buffer 113 27 75 215
Pending or Approved 48 10 46 104
ADUs 0 32 32 64
Vacant Residential Sites 0 1 74 75
Total 48 43 153 244
Surplus (beyond buffered total) -65 16 78 29
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Vacant Sites Requiring with a Proposed RezoneRezoning
The four three sites listed in Table H-54 are significant vacant sites that have potential for increased density . and lower income housing development. Sites A, B, and C are allB and C are both located on Alamo Pintado Road, near amenities, such as supermarkets and pharmacies. Site D is located on Alisal Road near its junction with Fjord Drive, a location which provides walking distance access to Solvang’s primary employment centerzone, the Tourist Relate Commercial (TRC) zone. All four three sites are located in high resource areas, allowing for greater access to opportunity for lower income residents. Sites C and D have potential for lower income housing development.

Currently, three sites B and C sites are zoned 20-R-1 and one siteSite DC is zoned as REC. The City is proposing to rezone all sites C and D four three sites to accommodate lower income housing based on the density requirements for lower income rezone sites within Government Code 65583.2(h) and 65583.4and (i). These provisions require that rezoned parcels planned for very low and low-income households allow a minimum of 20 units per acre with at least 16 units per site. Program HE-J commits the City to applying a minimum density of at least 20 unitsthese minimum density and minimum unit requirement per acre to all provide capacity as lower income sites requiring a rezone, in compliance with State law. At the required density minimum, with proper adjustments, all four three Sites sites together C and D provide capacity for 168 15796 units of low-income housing.

Site DCSites C and D, both a vacant, have site located on Alisal Road has been included due to developer property owner interest in developing housing on the sites. Site B is also being proposed for rezone to accommodate additional housing units. On all three sites, tThe City is currently proposing to change the zoning to DR-20 with a General Plan designation of High Density Residential, however, because Site B does not assume lower-income capacity, the additional requirements of Government Code 65583.2(h) and (i) do not apply to this site.. By rezoning this site, the City is working to ensure that sufficient capacity is provided at 20 dwelling units per acre, if site C or D areis developed at market rate during the planning period.

Please note: Site A, a vacant site along Alamo Pintado north of Sites B and C was included in a previous draft of the Housing Element. In late 2022, the City received a comment letter from the property owner asking for the parcel to be removed from consideration in the Housing Element. Based on the owner’s comments, the City does not feel that the site is feasible for lower-income capacity within the planning period. Site A has been removed from this draft. 624

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Figure H-6 Vacant Sites Requiring with Proposed Rezoning 625
H-98 | Public Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, December 2022HCD Review Draft Housing Needs Assessment, February 2023 Table H-54 List of Vacant Sites Requiring Rezoningwith Proposed Rezoning Site Address APN Size (acres) Existing
Zoning
Proposed
Zoning
Realistic
Capacity
RHNA Income
Categories
Notes
B
1999 Viborg
Road 139-031-020 0.64 20-R-1
DR-20
(minimum 20
du/ac as
required by
State law)
11 4 Very Low
4 Low6
Moderate
3 5 Above
Moderate
4th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site (Site
26); 5th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site (Site
55)
C
Parcel west of
junction Alamo
Pintado Road /
Village Ln;
Northwest
corner Alamo
Pintado Rd /
Old Mission Dr
139-530-002; 139-
530-001 5.48 20-R-1
DR-20
(minimum 20
du/ac as
required by
State law)
7640
18 Very Low
2 Low40 Lower
20 Moderate
36 Above
Moderate
4th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site (Site
22-23); 5th cycle above
moderate-income
opportunity site (Site
87-88)
D
West of Alisal
Road bisected
by Juniper
Avenue
137-260-021 3.71 REC
DR-20
(minimum 20
du/ac as
required by
State law)
6456
35 Very Low
3 Low56 Lower
26 Above
Moderate
Only 3.71 acres of 5.83-
acre property
developable due to
Alisal Road’s
realignment within
parcel boundary due to
washout of Alisal
Bridge in January 1969
Please note: Site A, a vacant site along Alamo Pintado north of Sites B and C, was included in a previous draft of the Housing Element. In late 2022, the City received a comment letter from the property owner asking for the parcel to be removed from consideration in the Housing Element. Based on the owner’s comments, the City does not feel that the site is feasible for lower-incomemultifamily capacity within the planning period. Site A has been removed from this draft. To avoid confusion, Site A has been removed, but the remaining sites, B-D, retain their original labels.
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Site A: 739 and 741 Alamo Pintado
Table H-55 Site A Summary
Site Description
Site Size 1.00 ac
Existing Zoning 20-R-1
Existing General Plan Land Use Low / Medium Density Residential Proposed Zoning DR-20
Proposed Land Use High Density Residential
Current Allowed Density 2 du/ac
Proposed Density 20 du/ac by Program HE-J
Maximum Capacity 20
Realistic Capacity 17
Realistic Capacity by Income Category 6 Very Low
5 Low
6 Above Moderate
A
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Adjustment Factors
Realistic capacity 85% Based on development standards, demand for residential development, and programs to incentivize development
Land use mix No adjustment Not applicable.

Typical densities 95% Due to the high cost of land and construction, affordable projects are likely to build to maximum density or beyond (due to density bonus)
Environmental constraints No adjustment No known site constraint Infrastructure availability No adjustment Not applicable, not a constraint Site A includes adjacent parcels located at 739 and 741 Alamo Pintado Road in northeast Solvang. The two parcels are each half an acre, with both parcels totaling one acre. The site is currently zoned 20-R-1 and allows for two dwelling units per acre. The two vacant parcels are between Alamo Pintado Road and an existing single-family home at 737 Alamo Pintado Road. Currently, access to this residence runs through 741 Alamo Pintado Road, however, access to the property can be established within the site plans or redirected onto Kanin Hoj, if needed. The site is relatively flat and there are no environmental constraints on the site.

The City intends to rezone the parcels to DR-20 and apply the required minimum density of 20 du/ac through Program HE-J, as required by State law. At the proposed zoning, the site has realistic capacity for a total of 17 units dwelling units; 6 for very low-income, 5 for low-income, and 6 above moderate-income. 628

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Site B: 1999 Viborg Road
Table H-56Table H-55 Site B Summary
Site Description
Site Size 0.64 ac
Existing Zoning 20-R-1
Existing General Plan Land Use Low / Medium Density Residential Proposed Zoning DR-20
Proposed Land Use High Density Residential
Current Allowed Density 2 du/ac
Proposed Density 20 du/ac by Program HE-J
Maximum Capacity 13
Realistic Capacity 11
Realistic Capacity by Income Category 4 Very Low
4 Low6 Moderate
3 5 Above Moderate
Current Use Vacant Land
B
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Adjustment Factors
Realistic capacity 85% Based on development standards, demand for residential development, and programs to incentivize development
Land use mix No adjustment Not applicable.

Typical densities 95% Due to the high cost of land and construction, affordable projects are likely to build to maximum density or beyond (due to density bonus)
Environmental constraints No adjustment No known site constraint Infrastructure availability No adjustment Not applicable, not a constraint Located due south of Site A, Site B is a 0.64 64-acres site located at the junction of Alamo Pintado Road and Viborg Road in size and that is currently zoned 20-R-1, or low-density single family residential. The site has no environmental constraints. The site currently has dense foliage that will need to be cleared.

The City intends to rezone the parcels to DR-20 with a General Plan land use designation of High Density Residential, allowing 20 dwelling units per acre. At the proposed zoning, the site has realistic capacity for a total of 11 dwelling units, 4 very low-income, 4 low-incomesix moderate, and 3 five above-moderate income. 630

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Site C: Alamo Pintado at Old Mission
Table H-57Table H-56 Site C Summary
Site Description
Site Size 5.48
Existing Zoning 20-R-1
Existing General Plan Land Use Low / Medium Density Residential Proposed Zoning DR
Proposed Land Use Housing Element High Density Residential Current Allowed Density 2 du/ac
Proposed Density 20 du/ac by Program HE-J
Maximum Capacity 110
Realistic Capacity 768240
Realistic Capacity by Income Category 18 24 Very Low
2 Low
20 Moderate
36 Above Moderate40 Lower
Current Use Vacant Land
C
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Adjustment Factors
Realistic capacity 95850% Based on large lot size, development standards, demand for residential development, and programs to incentivize development Land use mix No adjustment Not applicable.

Typical densities 97955% Due to the high cost of land and construction, affordable projects are likely to build to maximum density or beyond (due to density bonus). Property owner additionally expressed interest in developing at or, if possible, above 20 du/ac.

Environmental constraints 8560% The steep nature of the site is cause for adjustment of units; however, the developer has stated that they are willing to densify wherever building is possible.

Archaeological constraint 95%80% Approximately one percent of the site, according to the developerowner, is affected by the historical aqueduct. As a conservative estimate, we have applied an adjustment factor of 80 percent.

Infrastructure availability No adjustment Not applicable, not a constraint The parcels of Site C comprise the largest vacant residential site in Solvang, totaling to 5.48 acres. Located at Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Drive, the site is located in a high resource area within proximity to transportation routes, stores, and services critical to lower-income households.

The City intends to rezone the parcels to DR and apply the required minimum density of 20 du/ac through Program HE--J, as required by State law. At the proposed zoning, the two parcels provide total realistic capacity for 76 8240 units of housing across all income levels: 18 24 for very low-income, 2 for low-income, 20 for moderate-income, and 36 for above moderate-income.affordable to lower income households.

Environmental Constraints
Site C is on a hill that has a change in elevation of, at its most extreme, approximately 64 feet over a distance of 969 feet from the top of the hill to the bottom, heading south. The hill’s western, eastern, and southern slopes are all located within the northern parcel, creating a “U” shaped contour that will make grading the parcel especially difficult.

Contrasting the difficulty of the northern parcel of the site, the southern parcel is flat and, therefore, significantly less costly to develop.

The owner of the site has expressed interest in developing the site for multifamily housing through either of the two following methods: grading the site to spread housing throughout the parcels or condensing units into flatter, lower elevation portions of the site.

Archaeological Constraints
In addition to the environmental constraints identified on the parcel, the property owner has been made aware of possible archaeological constraints on the site in the potential presence of a historical aqueduct. According to the property owner, the aqueduct affects approximately one percent of the site, but needs to be investigated to ensure appropriate analysis and preservation. Given this constraint, it is assumed that five percent of the land area of the site (approximately 11,500 square feet) will not be used for construction.

The aqueduct was created to irrigate fields and provide water to Santa Ines Mission in the early 19th century shortly after the mission’s establishment in 1804. According to State-acknowledged local research done in 2005 by Santa Ynez 632

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Valley High School students, the aqueduct runs through Site C mostly covered by sediment at five hundred feet elevation.

For a portion of the site, the aqueduct is above ground, a remnant of a larger, naturally pressurized water system that once carried water from a dam along Alamo Pintado Creek (located near modern Rebild Drive) to the northeast and Santa Ines Mission’s reservoir (now located in the middle of the Mission parking lot) to the southwest.

Developer Interest
The owner of the site, Lots on Alamo Pintado, LLC, has expressed enthusiastic interest in developing the site at its maximum density of 20 du/ac for housing.
“Given the size of the parcels and the number of units that staff has identified as being realistically possible for the site, I believe that with appropriate incentives from the City, there is an economically feasible path to getting some affordable units constructed on the parcels.”
Manager, Lots on Alamo Pintado LLC
The owner of the lot has been engaged in the Housing Element public engagement process and agrees with the Housing Element’s projection of the use of the parcels for densehigher density residential development, including lower income and moderate-income housing..
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Site DCD: Alisal Commons
Table H-58Table H-57 Site D CD Summary
Site Description
Site Size 5.83 acres (3.71 developable acres)
Existing Zoning REC - Recreation
Existing General Plan Land Use Open Space / Recreation
Proposed Zoning DR-20
Proposed Land Use and Zoning High Density Residential
Current Allowed Density 0 du/ac
Proposed Density 20 du/ac by Program HE-J
Maximum Capacity 75116
Realistic Capacity 6456
Realistic Capacity by Income Category 35 Low
3 Low
26 Above Moderate56 lower
Current Use Vacant Land
D
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Adjustment Factors
Realistic capacity 9085% Based on development standards, demand for residential development, and programs to incentivize development
Land use mix No adjustment Not applicable.

Typical densities 95% Due to the high cost of land and construction, affordable projects are likely to build to maximum density or beyond (due to density bonus)
Environmental constraints No
adjustment60%
Only 3.71 acres of 5.83-acre property developable due to Alisal Road’s realignment within parcel boundary due to washout of Alisal Bridge in January 1969No known site constraint
Infrastructure availability No adjustment Not applicable, not a constraint The Alisal Commons site is a 3.71-acre portion of a large open space, recreation zoned parcel that encompasses portions of the right-of-ways for Alisal Road, Juniper Avenue, and Fjord Drive. The site is entirely flat, allowing for more affordable housing development. The property owners have expressed interest in developing the site for housing and potentially workforce housing. Site D has realistic capacity to accommodate 6456 lower-income dwelling units, including 35 very low-income units, 3 low-income units, and 26 above moderate-income units. 635
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Summary of Capacity to Meet the RHNA
Accounting for all sites identified, the City has identified sufficient capacity to reach and exceed Solvang’s fair share of housing needs for the planning period between 2023 and 2031. A total of 416 351 units are projected planned on the identified sites across a variety of income categories. Broken down, these 416 351 units include capacity for compose of 66 144 very low-, 59 lowlower--, 63 49 moderate-, and 228 162 above moderate-income units. Solvang has planned for 125 units for lower income households. The City has planned for to reaching reach its lower-income RHNA primarily through vacant rezone sites and pending projects.

Table H-59Table H-58 Sites Inventory
Lower Moderate Above Moderate Total
Sixth Cycle RHNA 94 22 75 191 Credits
Pending/Approved Projects 48 10 51 109
ADU Projections 0 32 32 64
Sites
Inventory
Vacant Sites 0 1 74 75
Vacant Sites Requiring
Rezoning
96 206 71655 168157103
Total Planned Sixth Cycle Units 144 6349 228222162 416405351 RHNA with required 20 percent buffer1 113 27 751 230215 Surplus (beyond buffered total) + 31 + 3622 + 15314787 + 186190136 % of RHNA Planned 153% 233223% 304296216% 21818884%
1 No-net-loss provisions of Government Code Section 65863 require all jurisdictions to provide an additional 20 percent buffer to ensure capacity is maintained throughout the planning period for moderate, low, and very low income RHNA projections..

City-Owned Vacant and Underutilized Sites
The City currently owns a vacant 0.35-acre parcel located at 377 Second Street that is currently used to store heavy machinery such as government trucks and vans. The lot is currently zoned Tourist Related Commercial (TRC); therefore, as-is, the lot is not permitted for residential construction as a primary use. Given that the City actively uses the lot and there are sufficient units planned in the Sites Inventory, there is no urgent need to rezone this lot and consider it a part of the sites inventory. However, if the need arises, the City will consider using this lot for residential purposes given its centrality and proximity to existing residential uses.

Availability of Infrastructure
Solvang has sufficient access to water, sewer, and dry utilities to meet the needs housing need identified in the RHNA.

Solvang’s water and sewer services comply with the requirements for sufficiency and access for low-income developments now and for the foreseeable future. In addition to basic utilities, the City also is served by numerous telephone/cellular service, cable or satellite television, and internet service providers. 636

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Water Supply
The City of Solvang is served by four water suppliers: the Department of Water Resources (State Water), Upland Wells, River Wells, and the Santa Ynez Water District (ID #1). The City is entitled to 1,500-acre feet per year from State Water, subject to changes based on drought conditions. The City’s multiple water supplies help prevent current and future issues of supply from State Water.

Water Treatment
The City of Solvang operates twenty miles of sewer pipeline of various sizes and collects wastewater under a Permit issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The City of Solvang operates a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 101 South Alisal Road that has a design capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day (MGD). The City shares the plant with the Santa Ynez Community Services District, which is entitled to 0.30 MGD per day of wastewater treatment processing at the plant.

SB 1087 Compliance
Upon adoption of the housing element, the City distributes copies of the element to water suppliers and sewage treatment providers serving the city. The City of Solvang is committed to compliance with SB 1087 to ensure that any developments, especially lower-income developments often affected by accessibility issues, will be able to have safe, consistent, and reliable access to water and sewer services.

Electricity
The City of Solvang is served by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). PG&E allows for new connections to any property in the City of Solvang.

Telephone
Solvang is served by all four major wireless telephone providers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. All four telecoms are actively accepting new customers and have capacity for new customers in the future. The City is also served by a variety of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVMOs), such as Cricket Wireless, MetroPCS, and Boost Mobile, which offer service to lower income households. Legacy landline telephone service is provided by internet service providers.

Internet
Solvang is served by Xfinity and Frontier Communications. Both providers accept new customers and have capacity for new customers in the future. Broadband internet service is being expanded within the city. Both providers also provide access to landline telephone or VOIP telephone connections.

Financial Resources
Solvang has access to a variety of funding sources available for promoting and supporting the development of affordable housing.
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HOME Investment Partnership Program Fund
The County of Santa Barbara leads the Santa Barbara County HOME Consortium, which Solvang is a member. The Consortium receives funding annually from the Federal government with the purpose to provide decent affordable housing to lower-income households. Funding is available for projects through an application process. The Consortium additionally has funds reserved for potential projects that address housing priorities of the community.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds
The County of Santa Barbara is the lead agency for Santa Barbara Urban County Partnership, which Solvang helped form.

The Partnership receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which is distributed to members of the partnership. The funds are articulated through a through a Notice of Funding Availability. An Action Plan is additionally created to create goals for funding local objectives and priorities. The three national objectives for CDBG are to meet urgent community needs, benefit low and moderate-income households and to eliminate blight and slums.

Community Resources
Several organizations are operating across Santa Barbara County to provide holistic resources to people experiencing housing insecurity. Public organizations help administer government-funded programs, such as Section 8, that aim to address homelessness. Many non-profit affordable housing organizations help not only help people have access to housing, but also provide a system of support through community, case workers, and employment.

Public Affordable Housing Resources
Important resources, including housing and healthcare, are available to people experiencing homelessness through public agencies in Solvang.

Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (HASBARCO) The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara, shortened as HASBARCO, is a public agency that provides rental subsidies, manages, and develops affordable housing for residents in need in the county. The Housing Authority operates out of Lompoc and is the largest property management organization in the County. HASBARCO operates several properties in Santa Barbara County. HASBARCO notably also operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program for the entire county.

HASBARCO also offers educational assistance, health services, employment assistance, and family services to help families keep and maintain their housing to achieve housing security.

Property Management
HASBARCO’s most significant contribution to housing is through its ownership and/or management of several multifamily communities across Santa Barbara County. The direct management of these properties allows the Housing Authority to provide unencumbered access to affordable, subsidized housing in addition to a multitude of resources that promote sustainable long-term housing. The Housing Authority owns no properties within the city limits of Solvang.

However, it operates three properties nearby: Valley Station in Buellton, Vintage Walk in Buellton, and Golden Inn and Village in Santa Ynez.
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Figure H-7 HASBARCO Managed Properties Near Solvang
Source: Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County, 2022; OpenStreetMap Contributors, 2022.

Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is a federal program that provides access to the private housing market to qualified low- and moderate-income individuals or families. HASBARCO is authorized to administer the vouchers, which pay between 30 and 40 percent of adjusted monthly gross rents. The qualified individual must find the housing and submit the proper documentation.

Family Self Sufficiency Program
Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) is a savings program and resource for families using Housing Choice Vouchers to reduce their need for government subsides. Participants must sign a contract to commit to being employed and economically independent within five years. The program features an escrow account, which allows the family to gain money in an effort to be self-sufficient at the end of their contract. For every period in which the family experiences an increase in earned income, the Housing Authority will match a portion of that increase with Housing Authority funds and deposit it into the escrow account, being available in total when the terms of the contract are met.

Resident Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (ROSS)
Resident Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (ROSS) is a program that provides educational services, financial management training, supportive health/disability services and resources for families. ROSS looks to create a positive change for families through this and coordinates local organizations and other institutions to provides services and opportunities for family units.
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Non-Profit Affordable Housing Resources
In addition to public agencies and resources, Solvang is served by many non-profits which aim to help provide and support affordable housing across the city. Many of these agencies have been operating for decades in collaboration with civic leaders and local stakeholders.

Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation (SBCHC)
Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation (SBCHC) is a nonprofit corporation looking to help house lower income individuals and is managed day-to-day by an executive director and governed by a volunteer board. SBCHC manages properties totaling more than three hundred units and approximately five hundred residents. The nonprofit rehabilitates and converts existing properties while also taking up new construction of homes.

Coastal Housing Partnership
Coastal Housing Partnership is a program offered for employees of companies that are affiliated with the Coastal Housing Partnership. The partnership offers home buying education, closing cost savings on a home purchase, lender savings on the upfront fees for a mortgage refinance, reduction in market rent on new leases, and access to a local rental search site. These benefits are available to employees of any income level.

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County
Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County (HTF) is a nonprofit agency certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). HTF aims to create more affordable housing for low-to middle- income residents throughout Santa Barbara County. HTF offers programs such as the Revolving Loan fund which provides low interest loans to serve low-income residents who are between zero and 80 percent of Area Median Income. HTF also offers the workforce home buyer program, which provides down payment loans to support people buying a home where they work.

Northern Santa Barbara County United Way
Northern Santa Barbara County United Way (NSBCUW) is a nonprofit organization that primarily serves communities north of the Santa Ynez Mountains, including Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, Guadalupe, and the rest of the Santa Ynez Valley. The NSBCUW specializes in fundraising, regranting, community collaboration, and local partnerships. Select programs of the NSBCUW include Home for Good, United for Literacy, and Financial Literacy. AmeriCorps is a frequent partner of the NSBCUW.

People Helping People
People Helping People is a nonprofit which provides basic needs and services assistance to communities in the Santa Ynez Valley. The nonprofit offers rental assistance based on their standards of imminent eviction is required and income standards with the goal to maintain stable housing. Federal market cost and habitability standards must be met and drug testing for applicants is required.

People’s Self-Help Housing
People’s Self-Help Housing is a nonprofit founded in 1970 that aims to build homes and provide services to assist disadvantaged communities, including low-income households, families, farmworkers, seniors, veterans, persons living with disabilities, youth transitioning out of foster care, and those formerly experiencing homelessness. People’s Self640

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Help Housing additionally provides an innovative pathway to homeownership through a “sweat equity” program that allows eligible persons to receive assistance and mentorship to build their own homes in lieu of a cash down payment.

The program also provides access to a lower interest mortgage to make maintaining homeownership possible. People’s Self-Help Housing also runs rental properties, a learning center, and other programs to create a comprehensive housing support system.

Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County (LAFSBC) is a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal assistance to Santa Barbara County residents. Their mission is to provide high-quality civil legal services to low-income residents and other vulnerable groups to ensure equal access to justice. They offer direct representation, legal advice, and community education. Their vision is to create a community where low-income people and other vulnerable residents are empowered to thrive and where all residents have meaningful access to the civil justice system. Since 1959, Legal Aid has provided legal services to those most in need in the community.

Transitions - Mental Health Association
Transitions - Mental Health Association (T-MHA) is a nonprofit organization serving San Luis Obispo and North Santa Barbara Counties. The mission of T-MHA is to eliminate the stigma and promote the recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community, and family support services. T-MHA launched the 50Now program, later renamed to 60Now and then 70Now, to help chronically homeless individuals gain stable housing in collaboration with the Housing Authority and the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Social Services.

Rona Barrett Foundation
The Rona Barrett Foundation (RBF) is a nonprofit organization that is the catalyst behind the Golden Inn & Village, a housing development for low-income seniors. The organization’s namesake, Rona Barrett, is a celebrated former reporter that gained fame through numerous print publications and TV shows such as Good Morning America. The goal of the foundation is to provide a model for senior communities that can be replicated around the United States.

Chumash Foundation
The Chumash Foundation is a nonprofit foundation founded in 2005 that aims to serve the local community with emphasis on activities and programs that expand opportunities to the least advantaged, protecting the environment, and enhancing the lives of youth in the region. The Chumash Foundation is a part of the Federally-recognized Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The Foundation offers a grant to eligible local organizations in five focus areas: Community Enhancement and Environment, Culture and Recreation, Education and Personal Development, Health and Human Services, and Native American Interest.
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Appendices
Appendix A: Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH)............................................................................ H-A-1 Appendix B: Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element........................................................................ H-B-1 Appendix C: Public Comments on the Public Review Draft Housing Element......................................... H-C-1 642
Appendix A: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Internal Draft, November 2022
Appendix A: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Insert cover here
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Public Review Draft, December 2022HCD Review Draft, February 2023 | H-A-1 Table of Contents
Introduction and Overview of AB 686 ..................................................................... 3 Approach to Analysis.......................................................................................................................................... 3 Analysis of Impediments Findings..................................................................................................................... 6 Fair Housing Resources and Analysis..................................................................... 7 Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach Capacity .......................................................................................... 7 Segregation and Integration Patterns and Trends................................................. 10 Race and Ethnicity............................................................................................................................................. 10 Persons with Disabilities .................................................................................................................................. 18 Familial Status................................................................................................................................................... 24 Household Income............................................................................................................................................ 35 Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty ......................................... 42 Poverty and Segregation................................................................................................................................... 42 Concentrated Areas of Affluence..................................................................................................................... 48 Disparities in Access to Opportunity..................................................................... 53 Transit Access and Walkability ........................................................................................................................ 53 Access to Education ......................................................................................................................................... 56 Economic Outcomes......................................................................................................................................... 59 Healthy Environment......................................................................................................................................... 67 Disproportionate Housing Needs, Including Displacement.................................... 72 Cost Burden....................................................................................................................................................... 72 Substandard Housing ....................................................................................................................................... 80 Overcrowding .................................................................................................................................................... 81 Homelessness................................................................................................................................................... 85 Displacement..................................................................................................................................................... 86 Contributing Factors ............................................................................................ 91 Local Data and Knowledge ................................................................................... 93 Sites Inventory..................................................................................................... 96 645
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Appendix A: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
Public Review Draft, December 2022HCD Review Draft, February 2023 | H-A-3 Introduction and Overview of AB 686
In January 2017, Assembly Bill 686 (AB 686) introduced an obligation to (affirmatively further fair housing) AFFH into California state law. AB 686 defined “affirmatively further fair housing” to mean “taking meaningful actions, in addition to combat discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity” for persons of color, persons with disabilities, and other protected classes. The Bill added an assessment of fair housing to the Housing Element which includes the following components: a summary of fair housing issues and assessment of the city’s fair housing enforcement and outreach capacity; an analysis of segregation patterns and disparities in access to opportunities, an assessment of contributing factors, and an identification of fair housing goals and actions.

Solvang City CouncilFebruary 13, 2023

Solvang City Council
February 13, 2023