AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM:
COLLEEN T. DOAN
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:
title
2023 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
summary
Summary:
California Government Code Section 65400 mandates that cities prepare, and submit to their legislative bodies, an Annual Progress Report (APR) for the previous calendar year, tracking the status of the General Plan and progress of its implementation within the City. Cities must also submit the APR to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research and to the State Department of Housing and Community Development by April 1st of each year.
Strategic Plan Goal(s):
Goal No. 1 Financial Stability: Ensure the City’s long-term financial stability and resilience.
Goal No. 3 Improve the local economy, support local businesses, and create a vibrant downtown core.
Goal No. 4 Infrastructure: Maintain and improve the City’s physical infrastructure, water system, and recreational spaces.
recommendation
Recommendation:
Receive and file.
body
Background:
California State law requires that each city adopt a General Plan which must:
• Include a comprehensive long-term plan to guide the city’s future;
• Cover the city’s entire planning area;
• Address a broad range of issues associated with city development; and
• Address seven mandatory elements: Land Use, Circulation (Mobility), Housing, Conservation, Open Space, Safety, and Noise. For some jurisdictions, including Signal Hill, there is the added element of Environmental Justice.
The Signal Hill General Plan currently contains six separate elements. The Environmental Resources Element combines the mandated elements of Conservation and Open Space, addressing all required seven elements. In addition, the Environmental Resource Element includes the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
The Office of Planning and Research (OPR) considers a General Plan to be comprehensive if at least five of the seven required elements have been updated within the last eight years. The last comprehensive revision of the Signal Hill General Plan occurred in 1986, and various elements have been updated periodically over time.
The State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified the City’s 6th Cycle Housing element in October 2022. The certification triggered the requirement to prepare the Environmental Justice Element. A contract was executed with Moore, Iacofano & Goltsman Inc. (MIG) in 2023, who has completed the public outreach campaign and is working with City staff to complete a draft of the element. In addition, MIG is updating the Environmental Resources Element in conjunction with the preparation of the Environmental Justice Element. Both will be completed this calendar year (2024). The Environmental Resources Element will incorporate the 2022 updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) and the associated Prioritization and Implementation Plan (PIP).
As shown in the table below, four elements require updating. Updates for the remaining Elements are planned to begin calendar year 2023, if budget permits:
Analysis:
The General Plan APR provides an opportunity to reflect upon the progress made toward implementation of the City’s General Plan during the past calendar year. It provides an analysis of achievements and implementation of major policies for each of the General Plan Elements (Attachment A). The following sections identify the key accomplishments for each general plan element.
Land Use Element
The Land Use Element provides an overview of Signal Hill’s vision for the future, setting forth the means to protect the land use philosophy of the community, character of existing neighborhoods, and quality of the physical environment. The Element contains criteria and appropriate locations for various land use types. Within each land use type, there are guidelines for the intensity of development, urban design concepts, and standards for measuring the appropriateness of development.
Key achievements for Land Use, by neighborhood, in 2023 include:
Projects Completed
North End Neighborhood:
• 950 East 33rd Street - Target Remodel and parking lot improvements
• 1401 ½ East 33rd Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 3373 ½ Orange Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
Atlantic/Spring Neighborhood:
• 999 East Spring Street - Tenant Improvements for nail salon
Central Neighborhood:
• 1898 East Spring Street - Tesla auxiliary parking lot and site improvements (landscaping, LID, lighting)
• 1660 East Spring Street - BMW Tenant Improvements to showroom
Civic Center Neighborhood:
• 1600 East Hill Street - American University of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy tenant improvements and approval of University expansion and private high school Specific Plan (SP-25)
• 2201 Cherry Avenue - Long Beach Firefighters Association Union Hall kitchen remodel and garage door replacement
• 2110 Gaviota Avenue, Units G and H - Accessory Dwelling Unit and Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1867 ½ East Hill Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit Conversion
Hilltop Neighborhood:
• 1870 ½ Temple Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 2132 ½ Ohio Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit Conversion
• 2550 Cherry Avenue - Tenant Improvements to an existing restaurant for a new Panda Express
Southeast Neighborhood:
• 2205 ½ East 19th Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1991 ½ Junipero Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1830 Stanley Avenue Unit C - Accessory Dwelling Unit Conversion
• 1911 ½ Dawson Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 2077 ½ Raymond Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1870 ½ Temple Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
Projects Under Construction
North End Neighborhood:
• 3177 California Avenue - Development of a new self-storage facility in Gateway Center North
• 3329 ½ Cerritos Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
West Side Neighborhood:
• 1180 East 23rd Street - Remodel of commercial building and property, and associated street improvements
Central Neighborhood:
• 2998 Cherry Avenue - New Audi Car Dealership demolition and tenant improvements
Hilltop Neighborhood:
• 2200 East Willow Street - Demolition of Wells Fargo ATM
Southeast Neighborhood:
• 1844 ½ Raymond Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1995 St. Louis Avenue - New sliding gate along driveway for single-family residence
• 1870 ½ Temple Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit Conversion
• 1991 ½ Junipero Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
In Plan Check Review
North End Neighborhood:
• 3325 ½ Cerritos Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 3353 ½ Myrtle Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 801 East 33rd Street - Tenant Improvements of existing office space
• 3269 ½ Lewis Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
Atlantic/Spring Neighborhood:
• 2755 California Avenue - EDCO Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Amendment request to increase tonnage
West Side Neighborhood:
• 2320 ½ Cerritos Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 2581 California Avenue - Tenant Improvements to a beauty salon
• 909 ½ East 25th Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 921 ½ East 25th Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1110 ½ East Burnett Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit Conversion
Civic Center Neighborhood:
• 2020 Walnut Avenue - 150,000 square-foot industrial park
• 1357 ½ A and 1357 ½ B E 23rd Street - Two Accessory Dwelling Units
Hilltop Neighborhood:
• 1900 ½ Temple Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
Southeast Neighborhood
• 1908 Junipero Avenue - Interior remodel of a single-family dwelling and new fence
• 2023 ½ East 19th Street - Accessory Dwelling Unit
• 1965 ½ Dawson Avenue - Accessory Dwelling Unit
Projects Under Entitlement Review
North End Neighborhood:
• 3201 Walnut Avenue - 102,607 square-foot distribution/fulfillment warehouse
Central Neighborhood:
• 2550 Orange Avenue - 100,866 square-foot distribution/fulfillment warehouse
• 1500 East Spring Street - Honda Dealership outdoor patio for service department
Civic Center Neighborhood:
• 1450 East 27th Street and 2655 Walnut Avenue - Two new industrial buildings
• 2457 Brayton Avenue - Demolition of an existing building to construct a new 4,800 square-foot warehouse and a new 1,200 square-foot warehouse
• 1701 East Creston Avenue - New industrial building
Hilltop Neighborhood:
• 2598 Cherry Avenue - Costco Gas Station revised queuing
• 2095 Freeman Avenue - New single-family dwelling
• 2100 Ohio Avenue - Demolition of a damaged single-family dwelling and construction of a new single-family dwelling and Accessory Dwelling Unit
Southeast Neighborhood:
• 1939 Temple Avenue - Eight single-family dwellings
• 2599 Pacific Coast Highway - Seven condominium units
• 2750 East 20th Street - Three detached residential condominiums
2021 - 2029 6th Cycle Housing Element
Housing policy has been a long-standing priority in California. Over the past half-century, the California State Legislature has approved and passed numerous measures requiring local governments to adequately plan for housing needs within their communities. As part of the measures, municipalities are required to prepare and update local General Plans, which have mandated elements, including a Housing Element. The Housing Element is the only element within the General Plan that is required to be certified by the State. To obtain State certification, the Housing Element must include a plan to accommodate each municipality mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation, which is divided into four income categories. The income levels of “extremely low,” “very low,” and “low” are typically noted as affordable or workforce housing. The “moderate” and “above moderate” categories are noted as market rate housing. The State closely monitors and tracks housing production annually through the General Plan APR.
The Housing Element identifies both constraints and opportunities in creating affordable housing in the City. The Element serves as a comprehensive strategy of goals, policies, and programs to preserve, upgrade, and create housing in general. HCD requires that the APR include housing data provided in a prescribed format based on the number of project entitlements and permits issued, to track the actual production of housing annually. The format has expanded to incorporate new reporting requirements associated with numerous housing-related laws aimed at addressing the statewide housing supply and affordability crisis.
Signal Hill’s RHNA allocation for the 2021-2029 Housing Element cycle is 517 units total for all income levels. This RHNA number is more than three times the previous cycle number of 169 units. It is important to note that during the previous Cycle the City facilitated construction of 100% of its affordable housing allocation.
The table below illustrates the percentage of units required in each income category.
In 2023, the City issued building permits for seven (7) Units and eleven (11) units were finaled. Accessory Dwelling Units saw an increase in construction activity in 2023. All residential permits issued and finaled in 2023 were for ADUs.
Since the start of the current housing cycle in 2021, the City has finaled building permits for 46 dwelling units categorized by the following income levels:
Implementation of the 6th Cycle Housing Element: 2021 - 2029
As part of the certification activities for the 6th Cycle Housing Element, the City identified four housing sites with the capacity to accommodate the required Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers, plus an approximate 15% surplus. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared, and the sites were rezoned for the development of two mixed-use commercial/residential projects and two affordable/workforce housing projects. In April 2023, the City released a Notice of Funding Allocation (NOFA) to invite housing developer/managers to submit proposals to develop and manage the two workforce housing projects. National Community Renaissance (National CORE) was selected after a comprehensive review process. The City began development of an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with National CORE, to set the tasks and timeframes for how to proceed with securing site control and financing.
The City has also been actively working on completing all the programs in the Housing Element. Attachment A shows the housing programs that have been completed thus far by City staff.
Workforce Housing Grants, Funding, and Financing
Historically, the City utilized redevelopment funding to facilitate development of workforce housing. The funding aided in purchasing, rezoning, and remediating sites to market them to developers. Prior to 2012, the City successfully used redevelopment funding to develop 291 affordable units. With the dissolution of the redevelopment agency, this tool of funding is no longer available.
The NOFA identified approximately $10 million of City funds which, subject to formal approval by the City and the Housing Authority (Public Agencies), could be available from multiple sources including: the Low- and Moderate- Income Housing Asset Fund, affordable housing in-lieu fees, and the ongoing Permanent Local Housing Allocation grant program. The City funds will be used toward the development of the two workforce housing projects, which would provide a total of 380 units, 90 of which would be for moderate-income housing. The City will be looking to National CORE to put together the “capital stack” of additional funding. In 2023, the City joined the newly organized Gateway Cities Affordable Housing Trust, an additional funding source.
Circulation Element
The Circulation Element establishes guidelines and policy direction for the development and maintenance of a comprehensive transportation system in the City. The Element works to achieve long-term development, maintenance, and enhancement of the City’s circulation system by recognizing that transportation routes and utility services play an important role in shaping the physical development of the city.
Key achievements in 2023 include:
• 2023 Annual Sidewalk Repair - The Public Works Department Annual sidewalk repair focused on existing sidewalks throughout the City for better pedestrian access.
• Citywide Median Improvement Project - The Public Works Department has completed the majority of design plans for the Citywide Median project, aimed at reconstruction of multiple medians throughout the City, and has conducted a series of public outreach meetings to inform the community about the upcoming projects. The project improvements include:
o Ohio Avenue and Palm Drive Rehabilitation Project - Completed re-pavement and rehabilitation of both streets, including ramps, sidewalks, and driveways.
o East Willow Street & Dawson Avenue Traffic Signal Replacement Project - This project replaced a traffic signal pole that was damaged by several traffic incidents creating a concern for the Towne Center East businesses. The pole was successfully relocated within the intersection to reduce the probability of future accidents.
• Public Works Department Project Funding Secured in 2023:
o East Willow Street Corridor Project (Walnut Avenue to Cherry Avenue) funded by the I -710 Technical Advisory Committee
o Reservoir Park Improvement Design Project funded by the Lower Cerritos Channel Water Management Program
o Civic Center Parking Lot Improvement Project funded by the California Arts Commission
o Civic Center Amphitheater funded by the California Arts Commission
o East 20th Street and Redondo Avenue Traffic Signal Improvement Project funded by the Highway Infrastructure Program and Coronavirus Relief Grant
o East 33rd Street and Walnut Avenue Water Main Leak funded by the Central Basin Leak Detection Grant Program
o Citywide Street Trees funded by CalFire/Urban Regional Forest Grant Program
Environmental Resources Element
The Environmental Resources Element combines the required Open Space and Conservation categories into one element. The Element guides the management of natural resources and open space within the City by directing the timing, location, amount, and uses of resources related to air, groundwater, soils, wildlife, and minerals. Amended in 1989, the Element includes the PRMP to provide a blueprint for the development of the City’s parks and trails system.
Key achievements in 2023 include:
• Hillbrook Park Project - Public Works and the consulting firm Architerra developed conceptual design plans for the upgrade to the park. Parks, Recreation and Library Services conducted public outreach meetings to receive public comments. A contract to construct the upgrades will be awarded in 2024.
• Street Tree Master Plan - City Council adopted the Public Works Department’s Street Tree Master Plan in 2023. The five-year plan updated the street tree policy and tree planting standards.
o The Public Works Department received a $1,000,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry (NOFO). The grant will be utilized for the planting and maintenance of over 1,000 trees, increasing the urban forest coverage and promoting a healthier, greener community in Signal Hill.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers and Rooftop Solar Projects - The Community Development Department has been actively implementing expedited plan check review and permit issuance for installation of EV chargers and rooftop solar projects.
• Food Distribution Program - The Parks, Recreation, and Library Services Department’s Food Distribution Program delivered 736 boxes of fresh food to senior citizens and 372 boxes of fresh food to families in need in 2023.
• Paperless Transactions - The Finance Department continued to promote and increase paperless transactions, such as reducing the issuance of paper checks.
• Parks and Recreation Commission Communications - The Parks, Recreation, and Library Services Department provides monthly updates to the Parks and Recreation Commission on projects related to park development, community events, and other community service programs.
• The Planning Department worked on an informational brochure and published it on the City website providing information on solar energy in Signal Hill as part of Program 5.2 in Signal Hill’s Certified Housing Element.
• Signal Hill Petroleum Drill Sites - As a part of the City’s annual inspection of properties with an active CUP, staff inspected Signal Hill Petroleum’s seven oil well drill sites to confirm that the sites are in good condition in relation to landscaping, fence screening, general maintenance, and equipment.
o The City inspected all seven drill sites on December 1, 2023. Inspections have been conducted, on average, monthly throughout the year by the City’s Oil Services Coordinator. All State, Federal, and local permits and licensing are current and compliant for the 28 reporting agencies that have monitoring and oversight of operations. No reports of nuisance, noise, or odors were received from residents, and no Notices of Violation were received from any of the agencies in 2023. Landscaping, fencing, equipment, and stormwater protection measures were found to be in generally good condition with a few minor maintenance items which were completed in 2023.
o In 2023, the City and their environmental consultant have been preparing a thorough analysis of the oil and gas operations at the drill sites to determine and mitigate any environmental impacts caused by operations as follows:
§ The drill sites operator, Signal Hill Petroleum (SHP) requested a 20-year extension of their 7 Drill Sites CUP.
§ A Request for Proposal was circulated, and the City executed a contract with Catalyst Environmental Solutions (Catalyst) who has been meeting regularly with City staff and representatives from SHP to prepare the required technical reports and conduct the detailed environmental analysis.
§ A project description compliant with the California Environmental Quality Act and all environmental technical studies has been completed and/or peer reviewed by Catalyst, and a draft Initial Study recommending a Project Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) was completed.
§ A Scoping meeting for the PEIR was conducted on January 30, 2023.
§ An initial timeline was prepared to complete the environmental analysis, prepare the PEIR document, and bring an amended CUP for a long-term extension to the City Council for consideration by the end of fiscal year 2023. Although the timeline was delayed by more than 6 months, progress has been steady and the Draft PEIR was prepared and is under staff review. The final draft document is anticipated to be ready for public review and comment in the first quarter of 2024. During that time, SHP also plans to offer one or more public tours of its drill sites to share operational and environmental information with interested parties or individuals.
Safety Element
The Safety Element focuses on policies and programs to mitigate and minimize any unreasonable risks and limit the level of community’s exposure to a range of hazards. The Element includes topics such as public safety, evacuation routes, and potential hazards. Additionally, the Element incorporates the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which outlines mitigation strategies specific to the city in order to reduce risk by protecting life and property, enhancing public awareness, preserving natural systems, encouraging partnerships, and/or strengthening emergency services.
Key achievements in 2023 include:
• Advanced Scheduling - The Finance Department completed the implementation of Advanced Scheduling for the Police Department in Tyler Enterprise Resource Planning System. The new scheduling system is utilized to ensure that the proposed number of officers are scheduled for each shift.
• Measure H Homeless Services - The Signal Hill Police Department met regularly with the Measure H Homeless Services Liaison to discuss various available resources for the unhoused population in Signal Hill.
• Narcan - In 2023, the Signal Hill Police Department applied for and received grant funding for the Narcan. Narcan is a potentially lifesaving medication designed to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes. The grant funding was utilized for the purchase of Narcan and training to officers. This has proven to be an invaluable resource when it comes to providing emergency medical care in a timely fashion.
• Earthquake Drill - The Safety Committee coordinated employee participation in the statewide “Great California Shakeout” in October.
• Communications - City personnel maintained close contact with all operators of hazardous and potentially hazardous facilities, including SHP, the City’s largest petroleum and natural gas operator.
• Safety Element Routes - Staff continued to follow the 2016 Safety Element, which provides a map identifying designated evacuation routes within the City for transportation of hazardous and toxic materials.
• Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone- The Building and Safety Division required geological investigation reports for all new and existing projects located within Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones. In Signal Hill, the only earthquake fault zone is the Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone, which runs diagonally from northwest to southeast across the City.
Noise Element
The Noise Element is intended to limit the community’s exposure to excessive noise levels and ensure that local regulations are consistent with state and federal regulations. The Element identifies noise sources and incorporates measures to effectively reduce excessive noise impacts to residents.
Key achievements in 2023 include:
• Firework Ordinance - The Finance Department prepared a Fireworks Ordinance prohibiting the possession, sale, use or discharge of dangerous fireworks that pose a serious risk to the public’s safety in 2022. The 2023 calendar year was the first year the ordinance was implemented.
• Noise Standards - The Signal Hill Police Department enforces compliance with noise standards in the current Motor Vehicle Code. Additionally, the City’s building plan check process incorporated review of noise standards covered in the 2022 California Building Code.
• The City’s Neighborhood Enhancement Division oversees noise code compliance and received one noise complaint from a Long Beach resident in 2023.
• Noise Impacts -- Staff analyzed noise impacts during project review as part of the California Environmental Quality Act review process. Any noise impacts following construction are addressed as part of the City’s code enforcement program.
• Long Beach Airport - Staff maintained communication with Long Beach Airport personnel regarding airport operations. Staff did receive one noise complaint in the past year. Resident was provided with contact information to the Long Beach Airport Noise Abatement office for official complaints.
• Council of Governments (COG) - Staff maintained membership in the Gateway Cities COG and participated in regional reviews of transportation and airport operations.
Conclusion:
The General Plan APR and summary of accomplishments for implementation of the City’s General Plan for 2023 must be submitted to both OPR and to HCD by April 1, 2024, along with the SB 341 amended sections of the Health and Safety Code. Section 341766.1(f) outlines a series of reporting requirements that housing successor agencies must prepare regarding the Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Fund which must be submitted to HCD annually. If authorized by the City Council, all the documents will be submitted to the State for review.
Approved:
Collen T. Doan
Attachment A: Draft General Plan Annual Progress Report HCD State Submittal