TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, Acting Community Development Director
Erik Zandvliet, T.E., City Traffic Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Approving the Annual Work Plans for the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) and Planning Commission (Acting Community Development Director Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 1 Hr.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss current Work Plan items for the PPIC and Planning Commission.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
No fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
The Work Plan section of the Boards and Commissions Handbook states:
“Prior to the annually scheduled Joint City Council/Commission meeting, the Staff Liaison will develop a list of ideas to discuss with City Council. At the Joint meeting, the commission will receive direction and prioritize ideas from the City Council. Subsequently, at the next regularly scheduled commission meeting, the commission will further develop a Draft Work Plan based on City Council direction. Ideas will then be filtered to be consistent with City Policies and develop fiscal implications. Following the approved Draft Work Plan, Staff Liaisons shall provide a cover memo indicating whether the Commission’s Draft Work Plan corresponds with the Department’s Work Plan. The process allows staff and commissioners to draft a Commission Work Plan that properly accounts for their priorities and requests funding to meet their goals.”
The work of the PPIC and Planning Commission is regulatory in nature and primarily mandated by State and Local codes. The majority of work items for these Commissions are applications submitted by property owners and community petitioners. However, the Commissions also provide direction on policy matters that come before the City Council. State Law mandates some of these, but others are issues of local concern. Both Commissions also assist in the review and/or approval responsibilities of the Community Development Department Work Plans.
The City Council, Planning Commission and PPIC last discussed the Work Plan jointly on January 19, 2022. On May 17, 2022, the City Council discussed and updated the City Work Plan for the 2022-23 year. In preparation for the 2023 joint meeting, the PPIC discussed existing and potential Work Plan items at its meeting on December 1, 2022. The Planning Commission discussed existing and potential Work Plan items at its meeting on December 14, 2022. Neither Commission identified any additional items for consideration, due to staffing resource limitations.
DISCUSSION:
The following items are ongoing City Council Work Plan items involving the Planning Commission and PPIC that will continue in the coming year:
Downtown and North End Beautification (PPIC)
The role of the PPIC is, in part, to review proposed projects as part of the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) that the Public Works Department oversees and advances. The pending items in this Work Plan item include installation of new landscaping, street benches, and wayfinding signs in the downtown. The PPIC will continue to provide input and review projects in the CIP. One component of this Work Plan item is the discussion of widening sidewalks, which was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Long Term Outdoor Dining/Business Use (Planning Commission/PPIC)
On November 2, 2021, the City Council added a Work Plan item for staff to work towards a long-term program to allow outdoor dining and business use on public and private properties. The Planning Commission would be involved in this on three general areas: 1) community discussions; 2) any needed changes to the City’s Local Coastal Program; and/or 3) any zoning code amendments needed to change development standards. The PPIC would be involved with community discussions and to review potential parking and infrastructure changes. This Work Plan item also includes the formation of a Task Force that will provide a broad-based community perspective. The Planning Commission and PPIC have selected representatives for the Task Force. Due to resource constraints, this Work Plan item was stalled but has now resumed with the hiring of a Senior Planner.
Modernize Parking Standards - Sepulveda Corridor Action Item (Planning Commission/PPIC)
Staff developed preliminary work product in early 2020, but further work was deferred due to staff vacancies and COVID-19 pandemic response. Progress resumed in mid-2021. Staff will hold a study session with the Planning Commission in spring of 2023. The final work product will be a draft ordinance with revisions to the City’s parking regulations, to be presented to Planning Commission in summer of 2023, and City Council thereafter.
Updated State Housing Laws and Housing Element (State-mandated)(Planning Commission)
Housing Element Update - The City Council adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element on March 22, 2022, and re-adopted a revised 6th Cycle Housing Element on September 23, 2022. The City submitted the Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for certification. On November 22, 2022, the City received additional comments from HCD and will be working on further revisions. HCD is also requiring implementation of zoning amendments to effectuate the development capacity proposed by the adopted Housing Element, prior to being considered for recertification.
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance - The City’s adopted ADU ordinance was submitted to the California Coastal Commission (CCC) for certification. Staff is working on comments received from the CCC.
Senate Bill (SB) 9 Permanent Ordinance - The City Council adopted interim standards for SB 9 projects in December 2021 for the duration of one year. The interim standards have been extended for another year to December 2023. To date, the City has not received any applications for SB 9 projects.
Preparing for New State Housing Laws - The State passed new housing bills, such as Senate Bill 6 and Assembly Bill 2011, which will preempt certain local regulations for development. Most notably, both bills will enable qualified residential developments to be streamlined in certain non-residential zones. Staff must fully analyze and understand these new regulations to ensure that the City complies with State law.
Manhattan Village Mall Expansion Project (Planning Commission)
The Planning Division continues to assist on construction activity on Phase I and II of the mall renovation project. Thus far, there have been no subsequent discretionary applications necessitating Planning Commission review. However, upon submittal of entitlement applications for Phase III (the Fry’s site), Planning Commission’s participation will resume.
Wireless Telecommunications Program (Planning Commission)
Following the City’s adoption of updated regulations for wireless telecommunications facilities in 2019, this Work Plan item was formulated to educate the community on the limits placed on cities in regulating these types of facilities. Staff continues to reform internal procedures and tracking systems to implement new regulations passed by the Federal Communications Commission. Further amendments to the ordinance are now required pursuant to Assembly Bill 2421. Due to staffing limitations and other priorities, this Work Plan has not progressed.
The PPIC will also be involved in the development of several ongoing major non-Work Plan efforts:
• Neighborhood Traffic Management Plans (Oak Avenue/North Sepulveda NTMP, Gelson’s Area NTMP, Skechers/South Sepulveda NTMP)
• Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
• South Bay Local Travel Network (dependent on City Council direction)
The Planning Commission will also be involved in the development of several ongoing major non-Work Plan efforts:
• Discretionary review of development projects
• Review and recommendations on quasi-judicial matters, including Zoning Code Amendments and General Plan Amendments
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. PowerPoint Presentation