Novato Planning Commission Meeting – April 25, 2024: Housing Element Revision
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Novato Planning Commission Meeting – April 25, 2024
The Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt the Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element (2023‑2031). Staff presented the document’s background, revisions made in response to HCD comments, and an update on housing progress. No public comments were received. After discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend adoption.
Discussion Items
- Revised 6th Cycle Housing Element – Staff (Claire Bartman, Community Development Director; David Bergman and Ethan Stan from Lisa Wise Consulting) presented the housing element’s purpose, the extensive revisions since the original January 2023 adoption, and the ongoing negotiation with HCD. Key revisions included: more specificity on program timing and implementation, a windshield survey of housing conditions, a new program addressing vacant residential properties, and clarification of emergency shelter provisions (allowing shelters by right in the CG zoning district). Staff noted that adoption of this revised element would protect the city from “builder’s remedy” proposals. Commissioners asked about the reliability of pipeline projects, the city’s role in homeless services, the fiscal impact of affordable housing, and the new vacant-property program. The Commission expressed appreciation for staff’s efforts and the diplomatic work with HCD.
Key Outcomes
- Vote: The Commission unanimously (6 – 0; Chair Heath absent) approved a motion to recommend that the City Council adopt the Revised Draft 6th Cycle Housing Element. The recommendation includes the attached CEQA addendum finding that the revisions are within the scope of the original environmental review.
- Next Steps: The item will go to the City Council for final adoption. Post‑adoption, the city will submit the adopted document to HCD for formal certification. Staff outlined a tentative implementation schedule: an ADU code update (summer 2024), a state‑law compliance package (August 2024), and more complex ordinances (emergency shelters, just‑cause protections, etc.) by the end of 2024.
Meeting Transcript
Copy that. All right. With that, I would like to call to order the April 22nd, 2024 Navado Planning Commission hearing. If y'all would please join me in Pledge of Allegiance. All right. We're gonna have a quick roll call. Commissioner Crockett here. Commissioner Dawson. Here. Commissioner Derby. Here. Commissioner Indahl? Here. Commissioner Tiernan here. And Havill's here. Chair Heath is out this evening. Do we have an approval for the final agenda? So moved. And do I have a second? Second. There we go. All right. Quick. Just roll through it again. Commissioner Crockett. Aye. Commissioner Dawson. Hi. Commissioner Derby. Hi. Commissioner Ingall. Hi. Commissioner Tiernan. Aye. And Havel is aye. All right. Next part of our public hearing is the public comment section. So this is the opportunity for members of the public to discuss what's on their mind, items that are not on tonight's public hearing agenda. So do we have, I don't see any speaker cards staff. Do we have anything coming through the airwaves? No Zoom broadcast for the public on this one. Fantastic. All right. I have a question. Do we ever open that up anymore? Is that pretty much? I think the council's going to consider when to bring that back. Okay. In what capacity as well. Okay.
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