HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05 CC Ordinance ORDINANCE NO. 2020-05
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF TEMECULA AMENDING TITLE 17 OF THE
TEMECULA MUNICIPAL CODE TO REVISE
REGULATIONS TO CONFORM WITH DENSITY BONUS
LAW (CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION
65915) AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE TO BE EXEMPT
FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ACT
WHEREAS, the State Legislature has declared that the lack of housing, including
providing for a variety of housing types for all income levels and special needs groups, is a critical
problem that threatens the economic, environmental, and social quality of life in California.
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 65583 requires that the City's Housing Element
address governmental constraints to the development of housing, including providing for a variety
of housing types for all income levels.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Temecula adopted the City's 2014-2021
Housing Element on January 28, 2014.
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 65915 requires that local governments adopt
procedures for processing a density bonus application.
WHEREAS, the City's Development Code already allows for density bonuses and
development concessions, but Program 4 of the City's 2014-2021 Housing Element provides that
the City will establish a density bonus program that is consistent with updated versions of Density
Bonus Law.
WHEREAS, the Legislature amended Government Code Section 65915 in 2019 to clarify
certain provisions of Density Bonus Law, and the City wishes to update the Development Code to
ensure consistency with State law and clarify how to implement the density bonus program.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TEMECULA DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Procedural Findings. The City Council of the City of Temecula does
hereby find, determine, and declare that:
A. The Planning Commission considered this Ordinance on February 19, 2020, at a
duly noticed public hearing, as prescribed by law, at which time the City Staff and interested
persons had an opportunity to and did testify either in support of or against this matter.
B. At the conclusion of the Planning Commission hearing and after due consideration
of the testimony, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2020-07, recommending
approval of the Ordinance by the City Council.
C. The City Council,at a regular meeting,considered the Ordinance on April 28,2020,
at a duly noticed public hearing, as prescribed by law, at which time the City Staff and interested
persons had an opportunity to and did testify either in support or against this matter.
D. Following the public hearing, the City Council considered the entire record of
information received at the public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.
SECTION 2. Findings. The City Council of the City of Temecula in approving
the proposed Municipal Code amendment hereby makes the following findings as required by
Section 17.01.040 ("Relationship to General Plan") of the Temecula Municipal Code:
A. This Ordinance is consistent with State Housing Law, the Temecula 2014-2021
Housing Element, and the Temecula General Plan. This Ordinance clarifies the City's density
bonus provisions to conform to the requirements of California Government Code Section 65915,
as most recently amended by Assembly Bill 1763 during the 2019 legislative session.
B. The proposed Ordinance amends portions of Title 17 of the Temecula Municipal
Code to conform with State Density Bonus Law and with the goals, policies, programs, and
guidelines of the City's General Plan. Specifically,the Ordinance implements the following goals
and policies contained in the City's 2014-2021 Housing Element:
1. Policy 1.2 Encourage residential development that provides a range of
housing types in terms of cost, density, and type, and presents the opportunity for local residents
to live and work in the same community by balancing jobs and housing types;
2. Policy 2.1 Promote a variety of housing opportunities that
accommodate the needs of all income levels of the population, and provide opportunities to meet
Temecula's fair share of extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income housing by
promoting the City's program of density bonuses and incentives;
3. Policy 2.2 Support innovative public, private, and nonprofit efforts in
the development of affordable housing, particularly for special needs groups;
4. Policy 5.2 Support efforts to ensure that all income segments of the
community have unrestricted access to appropriate housing.
C. The housing developments that would be authorized by this Ordinance would be
established and maintained in a manner consistent with the General Plan, specifically the policies
described above, and all applicable provisions therein.
SECTION 3. Subsection "Q" of Section 17.10.020 (Supplemental Development
Standards) of Chapter 17.10 (Supplemental Development Standards) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the
Temecula Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows, with all other
subsections of Section 17.10.020 to remain the same:
"Q. Density Bonus Law.
1. In addition to any other review required for a proposed housing development, applications
for a density bonus shall be filed with the planning director on a form approved by the
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director. The application shall be filed concurrently with an application for a development
plan review or administrative approval. At the time the application is submitted, the
applicant shall pay a density bonus application fee, established by resolution of the City
Council.
2. City staff shall process the application for a density bonus in the same manner as, and
concurrently with, the application for a development plan review or administrative
approval that is required by this Code.
3. The applicant shall submit reasonable documentation to establish eligibility for a requested
density bonus, incentives or concessions,waivers or reductions of development standards,
and parking ratios.
4. For a housing development qualifying pursuant to the requirements of Government Code
Section 65915,the City shall grant a density bonus in an amount specified by Government
Code Section 65915. Except as otherwise required by Government Code Section 65915,
the density bonus units shall not be included when calculating the total number of housing
units that qualifies the housing development for a density bonus. Except as otherwise
required by Government Code Section 65915, the amount of the density bonus shall not
exceed 35 percent.
5. For the purpose of calculating the density bonus, the "maximum allowable residential
density" shall be the maximum density allowed under the zoning ordinance and land use
element of the general plan, or, if a range of density is permitted, the maximum allowable
density for the specific zoning range and land use element of the general plan applicable to
the project. Where the density allowed under the zoning ordinance is inconsistent with the
density allowed under the land use element of the general plan, the maximum density
allowed in the general plan shall prevail.
6. The City shall grant the applicant the number of incentives and concessions required by
Government Code Section 65915. The City shall grant the specific concession(s) or
incentive(s)requested by the applicant,unless it makes any of the relevant written findings
stated in Government Code Section 65915(d). Senior citizen housing developments that
qualify for a density bonus shall not receive any incentives or concessions, unless
Government Code Section 65915 is amended to specifically require that local agencies
grant incentives or concessions for senior citizen housing developments.
7. Except as restricted by Government Code Section 65915,the applicant for a density bonus
may submit a proposal for the waiver or reduction of development standards that have the
effect of physically precluding the construction of a housing development incorporating
the density bonus and any incentives or concessions granted to the applicant. A request for
a waiver or reduction of development standards shall be accompanied by documentation
demonstrating that the waiver or reduction is physically necessary to construct the housing
development with the additional density allowed pursuant to the density bonus and
incorporating any incentives or concessions required to be granted. The City shall approve
a waiver or reduction of a development standard, unless it finds that:
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a. The application of the development standard does not have the effect of physically
precluding the construction of a housing development at the density allowed by the
density bonus and with the incentives or concessions granted to the applicant;
b. The waiver or reduction of the development standard would have a specific,adverse
impact, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 65589.5, upon
health, safety, or the physical environment, and for which there is no feasible
method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact;
c. The waiver or reduction of the development standard would have an adverse impact
on any real property that is listed in the California Register of Historical Resources;
or
d. The waiver or reduction of the development standard would be contrary to state or
federal law.
8. The applicant may request,and the City shall grant,a reduction in parking requirements in
accordance with Government Code Section 65915(p),as that section may be amended from
time to time.
9. The applicant shall comply with all requirements stated in Government Code Section
65915.
10. The applicant shall enter into an agreement with the City to ensure the continued
affordability of all affordable units or the continued reservation of such units for qualifying
senior citizens. Prior to receiving a building permit for any project that receives a density
bonus or any incentive, concession, waiver, or reduction of development standards
pursuant to this section, such agreement shall be recorded as a covenant against the
property.
11. For any development project that is granted a density bonus or other benefit pursuant to
this section, the affordable units that qualify the project as eligible for a density bonus,
must be constructed concurrently with or prior to the construction of any market rate units.
In addition, the affordable units must be integrated with the market rate units so that there
is a mix of affordable and market rate units, if any, in each building of the development
project.
12. An applicant shall not receive a density bonus or any other incentive or concession if the
housing development would be excluded under Government Code Section 65915.
13. The provisions of this subdivision shall be interpreted to fulfill the requirements of
Government Code Section 65915. Any changes to that Government Code Section 65915
shall be deemed to supersede and govern any conflicting provisions contained herein."
SECTION 4. Environmental Findings. The City Council hereby finds, in the
exercise of its independent judgment and analysis, that this Ordinance is exempt from the
California Environmental Quality Act(CEQA)as there is no possibility that this Ordinance would
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have a significant impact on the environment pursuant to State CEQA Guideline Section
15061(b)(3). More specifically,this Ordinance merely incorporates State law,allowing applicants
to seek a density bonus pursuant to Government Code Section 65915. A Notice of Exemption has
been prepared and will be filed in accordance with CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines.
SECTION 5. Severability. If any section subsection, subdivision, paragraph,
sentence,clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional
by any court of competent jurisdiction, or contravened by reason of any preemptive legislation,
the remaining sections and/or provisions of this Ordinance shall remain valid. The City Council
hereby declares that it would have adopted this Ordinance, and each section, subsection,
subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, regardless of the fact that any one or
more section(s) or provision(s) may be declared invalid or unconstitutional or contravened via
legislation.
SECTION 6. Certification. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify
to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same or a summary thereof to be
published and posted in the manner required by law.
SECTION 7. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days
after passage.
PASSED,APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Temecula
this 26th day of May, 2020.
,(//z1
James Stewart, Mayor
ATTEST-
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Randi Johl, City Clerk
[SEAL]
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
CITY OF TEMECULA )
I, Randi Johl, City Clerk of the City of Temecula, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Ordinance No. 2020-05 was duly introduced and placed upon its first reading at a meeting of the
City Council of the City of Temecula on the 28th day of April, 2020, and that thereafter, said
Ordinance was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Temecula at a meeting thereof held
on the 26`h day of May, 2020, the following vote:
AYES: 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Edwards, Naggar, Rahn, Schwank,
Stewart
NOES: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSTAIN: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: 0 COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
Randi Johl, City Clerk
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