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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20201104_HEUAC_Minutes_ApprovedCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2020 REGULAR MEETING – 6 P.M. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER – 6 p.m. II. WELCOME AND ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Larry Tucker, Susan DeSantis, Paul Fruchbom, Elizabeth Kiley, Geoffrey LePlastrier, Stephen Sandland, Ed Selich, Debbie Stevens, (Ex Officio Member) Will O’Neill MEMBERS ABSENT: Jeffrey Bloom (excused) Staff Present: Community Development Director Seimone Jurjis, Deputy Community Development Director Jim Campbell, Senior Planner Ben Zdeba, Administrative Support Specialist Clarivel Rodriguez III. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Deputy Community Development Director Jim Campbell reported 47 of 197 jurisdictions located within the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) region have filed appeals of their Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocations. Eighteen agencies in Orange County filed appeals. Four agencies, including the City of Newport Beach, filed appeals against the City of Santa Ana. The City has sent a letter to SCAG trying to get sponsorship of legislation that will protect local jurisdictions subject to another agency's oversight. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR a. Minutes of the October 21, 2020 Meeting Recommended Action: Approve and file the minutes of October 21, 2020 Chair Tucker noted Mr. Mosher has submitted corrections to the October 21, 2020 minutes. Chair Tucker moved, seconded by Committee Member Selich, to approve the minutes of the October 21, 2020 meeting with Mr. Mosher's revisions. AYE: Tucker, DeSantis, Fruchbom, Kiley, LePlastrier, Sandland, Selich, Stevens NO: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Bloom Housing Element Update Advisory Committee Meeting November 4, 2020 Page 2 of 5 V. CURRENT BUSINESS a. Subcommittee Progress Reports Recommended Action: Receive verbal updates from each subcommittee, as appropriate. Chair Tucker advised that the affordable housing subcommittee met to discuss methods for financing and developing affordable housing projects. The subcommittee will prepare a report of potential incentives to generate affordable housing. The Housing Element Update Advisory Committee (HEUAC) may discuss the subcommittee's report during its December 2, 2020 meeting, and the Council will determine which, if any, approach to pursue. b. Sites Rundown: Remainder of Town Recommended Action: Review the list of potential sites and discuss feasibility. Solicit input from the public on the list and the Committee's discussion. Chair Tucker noted the report is in draft form and will be revised and attached to the agenda for the next HEUAC meeting. Before any parcel is approved for inclusion on the sites inventory list, the HEUAC will have to find that housing is a suitable use for the parcel. The intent of the review is to narrow the number of sites that staff will investigate and the HEUAC will consider after receiving public input. Sites that the subcommittee determines are infeasible or does not review may later be determined to be feasible or potentially feasible and may be evaluated for suitability. Sites may be brought to the subcommittee's attention and may be ultimately included in the sites inventory after public input. In reply to Committee Member DeSantis' questions, Chair Tucker related that defining feasible, potentially feasible, and infeasible is more art than science. Crafting definitions other than those previously stated is not possible. The feasibility determination for any site could change if the site is viewed in the context of a vision for the area. However, the State form requires a listing of sites by parcel number. Committee Member DeSantis believed a site inventory is a critical piece of the Housing Element Update, but neither the HEUAC nor the community can provide adequate input without a vision for the major opportunity areas. Seeking community input without providing a vision is meaningless. In response to Committee Member Fruchbom's query, Chair Tucker clarified Committee Member DeSantis's position as the HEUAC should be doing more than reviewing sites. In order to begin the planning process, the HEUAC needs to understand the source of traffic trips and where housing can be placed. Committee Member Stevens noted combining some sites could result in a designation of feasible. Listing more than one parcel number per site on the State's form is probably acceptable. Chair Tucker stated undeveloped sites listed in the sites inventory for the fifth cycle are considered feasible for the sixth cycle. He reviewed the designations for Parcels 1, 2, 3, 4, 6-9, 10, 12, 11, 13, 14-17, 18, 19, 20, and 21.1. Jim Mosher reiterated his request for staff to list the subcommittees and their members on the website. He questioned whether the feasibility of sites pertains to technical or economic feasibility; whether income level affects feasibility; the term "remainder of town" when the maps do not show all of Newport Beach outside the Airport Area and West Newport Mesa; and the numbering system for parcels. Housing Element Update Advisory Committee Meeting November 4, 2020 Page 3 of 5 Chair Tucker explained that the term "remainder of town" resulted from the subcommittee's request for staff to prepare information for certain sites. The subcommittee may have inadvertently overlooked some sites. He reviewed the designations for the Dunes west of the lagoon and Parcels 22, 23, 24, 25, 36, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 35, 34, and 33. Mayor O'Neill related that he as Mayor will send a formal invitation for the Irvine Company to participate in the Housing Element Update process unless there are strong objections to doing so. Chair Tucker and Committee Members Kiley, Stevens, Sandland, and DeSantis encouraged Mayor O'Neill to send an invitation. Committee Member DeSantis proposed Mayor O'Neill send invitations to Hoag Hospital, major employers within Newport Center, and churches that own large parcels. Jim Mosher noted there is no analysis or conclusion for Parcel 37. Committee Member Kiley clarified that feasibility for the sites pertains to the ability to physically construct housing on a site. The property owners will determine whether housing is financially feasible. Chair Tucker reviewed the designations for Fashion Island and Parcels 30, 29, 27, 28, 31, 32, 114- 120, 122, 121, 105-109, 104, 110-113, 107 (the County bus depot), 98-102, 103, 91-97, 87-89, 77, 78, 80-86, 57-61, 63-76, 45, 47-56, and 52. Committee Member Sandland proposed revising the designation for Parcels 98-102 and 103 to feasible. The Irvine Company may be willing to discuss Parcels 46-54. Debra Allen, Harbor View Hills Community Association President, reported the sight plane ordinance applies to certain areas and limits building heights in those areas. Jim Mosher remarked that buildings on Parcels 45 and 47-56 should not obstruct views from Fashion Island Circle. Chair Tucker reviewed the designations for Parcels 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, and 128. Committee Member Sandland suggested the subcommittee explore the parcels across Pacific Coast Highway from Parcel 22, the City's Avon parking lot, and the parking lot for Mariner's Square. Committee Member Selich advised that Lower Castaways Park is deed restricted to parkland. Chair Tucker noted the parking lot for Mariner's Square is subject to a height limit and located in the Coastal Zone. In addition, the parking would have to be replaced. Committee Member Kiley indicated a number of lots along the Peninsula and Bay are included in the Housing Element for the fifth cycle and covered by paragraph 1 of the subcommittee's report. Jim Mosher requested the maps reflect the sites listed in the fifth cycle. One or two housing units could be built on a small lot; therefore, small lots should not be deemed infeasible based on size alone. Charles Klobe proposed contacting a developer that is constructing a residential project on a closed landfill to determine if housing can be built on Parcel 128. Housing Element Update Advisory Committee Meeting November 4, 2020 Page 4 of 5 Johnny advised that night lighting around the Library and the Orange County Transportation Authority bus depot needs to be brighter. Mary Ann Soden encouraged the HEUAC to consider projects that provide housing for very-low, low, and moderate-income households. Chair Tucker reported Parcels 46-54, Avon parking lot, and the Mariners Square Parking Lot will be added to the list as potentially feasible, and he will inquire regarding construction of residential units on a closed landfill. In answer to Committee Member DeSantis' query, Chair Tucker indicated the subcommittee will explore an exchange of zoning for land on which 100-percent affordable housing may be built. Committee Member DeSantis encouraged the affordable housing subcommittee to explore those possibilities so that the bulk of affordable units is not provided through inclusionary zoning. Chair Tucker requested staff add the sites from the fifth cycle Housing Element to the map. In reply to Committee Member Sandland's inquiries, Chair Tucker related that staff may prepare a tabulation of acreage from sites designated feasible and potentially feasible after learning of property owners' interest in developing housing. Deputy Community Development Director Campbell advised that staff plans to send letters to property owners in the next few weeks and follow up with property owners in an effort to obtain their responses by the end of the year. c. Site Suitability Input and Community Engagement Recommended Action: Receive an overview of the outreach plan moving forward, including how the community will be engaged on the suitability of the sites that are identified as feasible or potentially feasible. Provide feedback and direction to staff and the consultant on the outreach plan. Senior Planner Ben Zdeba reviewed public engagement opportunities in October through HEUAC, City Council, and Planning Commission meetings and a virtual community workshop and in November through HEUAC, City Council, and Planning Commission meetings, two virtual housing suitability workshops, and a virtual Circulation Element workshop. The housing suitability workshops will begin to consider density, which has policy implications. The public will be able to comment verbally and through the chat box and to respond to polls during the housing and Circulation Element workshops. In answer to Committee Member DeSantis' questions, Senior Planner Zdeba advised that the public may provide feedback regarding parcels identified by the subcommittee and other parcels during the workshops. On the Newport Together website, community members may place pins on a GIS map to indicate their preferences for locations of housing types. If the HEUAC agrees with the plans for November workshops, staff will begin an extensive promotion of the workshops through social media and email blasts. Committee Member DeSantis suggested posts and emails contain a link to Newport Together and information about providing feedback through the website. Senior Planner Zdeba noted a potential social media campaign to drive more traffic to the website. The City's appeal of the RHNA allocation should be resolved in February 2021. If the City's appeal is successful, the City's allocation could theoretically be reduced by half. Committee Member DeSantis commented that focusing messaging on the needs of the community rather than a State mandate could generate more community interest and feedback. Housing Element Update Advisory Committee Meeting November 4, 2020 Page 5 of 5 In response to committee Member Stevens' inquiries, Senior Planner Zdeba indicated the potential housing sites will be divided between the two housing workshops. Activities utilized during the workshops will be available on the website for the public to provide feedback after the workshops. Staff has prepared a flyer promoting the workshops to distribute in the community. Chair Tucker remarked that "none of the above" will not be a response to questions about locations for housing because the City has to find enough sites to comply with the RHNA allocation. Jim Mosher inquired whether the workshops will extend for the full two hours. He suggested staff publish questions from the workshops ahead of the workshops so that community members have time to consider their responses. Community members are less likely to provide feedback if they feel it will not have a practical effect on HEUAC discussions and decisions. Debra Allen suggested information for the workshops include a list of sites to be discussed in each workshop and instructions for participating in polling and verbal and chat box comments. Senior Planner Zdeba clarified that flyers will include a list of areas to be discussed in each workshop. Discussion topics for the workshops will be published on the website prior to the workshops. The workshops will extend for two hours unless the public completes their questions and comments in less than two hours. Mary Ann Soden concurred with requests for publication of workshop information and suggested staff promote the workshop in print media and allow the community to participate in workshops from the Community Room. Chair Tucker advised that the HEUAC will not meet on November 18, 2020. VI. ADJOURNMENT – 8:04 p.m. Next Meeting: November 18, 2020, 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.