AGENDA DATE: 6/16/2021
TITLE:
Title
CPA202000001 - Housing Albemarle
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
Amend the Comprehensive Plan and the Affordable Housing Policy to incorporate updated recommendations for housing objectives and strategies.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Savides, Filardo, Rapp, Pethia
PRESENTER (S): Stacy Pethia, Housing Policy Manager
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND:
During its meeting on May 4, 2021, the Planning Commission voted 7:0 to recommend approval of CPA202000001 Housing Albemarle. The Commission’s original staff report, action memo and draft minutes are attached (Attachments A, B, and C).
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment - Prioritize, plan, and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
DISCUSSION:
The Planning Commission engaged in significant discussion about the proposed Housing Policy, and recommended several changes to the document. Five public comments were made during the public hearing. A summary of the Commission’s feedback and the public comments, along with staff’s response, is provided in Attachment D.
Staff revised the Housing Policy draft to incorporate the Planning Commission’s recommendations and updated the document formatting. Other changes to the document based on Planning Commission feedback are summarized in Attachment D. Staff has drafted proposed revisions to both the summary of the Housing chapter of the Comprehensive Plan (Attachment E), and Chapter 9 (Housing) of the Comprehensive Plan (Attachment F). The proposed Housing Policy is provided as Attachment G. The updated Housing Policy would replace Appendix 9 of the Comprehensive Plan.
The proposed Housing Policy identifies seven strategies that the Stakeholder Committee recommends for priority action. These priority strategies, which are outlined on pages xii and 46 of the Housing Policy, are:
1A: Explore options with county owned land to develop a permanent affordable housing community.
2B & 3B: Provide incentives to increase production of affordable rental and for sale housing.
5A: Develop an affordable dwelling unit program structure and guidelines.
6A: Develop and implement a sustainable housing trust fund for adoption by the Board of Supervisors.
7A: Establish a standing housing advisory committee.
10A: In partnership with public, private and nonprofit partners, expand permanent supportive housing opportunities for chronically homeless households.
If the Board adopts the proposed amendments, staff would begin work on these strategies immediately.
Additionally, if the proposed amendments are adopted, staff intends to delay implementation of the recommendation that a minimum of 20% of the total number of housing units in new developments be provided as affordable housing (a proposed Action Step under Strategy 1a) until July 1, 2022, to give applicants time to adjust to the new guideline. This delayed implementation would not apply to the affordable housing requirements of the proposed Rio29 Form Based Code.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Incorporation of the updated housing policies into both the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance update processes is anticipated in the staffing levels for those projects. As specific housing programs are scoped and brought forward for Board consideration, any budget impacts will be included in those program discussions. Future implementation of some of the individual policy objectives may require County investment. These budget requests will be addressed as policy objectives move forward.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment H) to approve CPA 202000001 and to adopt the following amendments to the Comprehensive Plan: (i) the revised summary of the Housing chapter, (ii) Chapter 9, Housing, and (iii) Appendix 9, the “Housing Albemarle” policy.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - May 4, 2021 Staff Report
A1 -- Proposed Amendments to Summary Chapter - ‘redline’ version
A2 -- Proposed Amendments to Summary Chapter - ‘clean’ version
A3 -- Proposed Amendments to Chapter 9
A4 -- Housing Albemarle - proposed
A5 -- Public feedback
A6 -- Resolution to Recommend Approval of Amending Comprehensive Plan
B - Planning Commission Action Memo
C - Planning Commission Draft Minutes
D - Summary Planning Commission feedback and public comments
E - Proposed Amendments to Housing Chapter summary(June 16, 2021)
F - Proposed Amendments to Chapter 9 (June 16, 2021)
G - Proposed Housing Policy (Appendix 9) (June 16, 2021)
H - Resolution