AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
COLLEEN T. DOAN
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:
title
2022 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
summary
Summary:
Each year, as mandated by California Government Code Section 65400, cities are required to prepare and submit to their legislative bodies an Annual Progress Report (APR) for the previous calendar year. The APR notes the progress of the City’s implementation of the General Plan goals and associated policies. Cities must submit the APR to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and to the State Department of Housing and Community Development, each year by the April 1st deadline.
recommendation
Recommendation:
Authorize staff to submit the Signal Hill General Plan APR for the 2022 calendar year to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and to the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
body
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Strategic Plan Objectives:
Goal No. 3: Promote a Strong Local Economic Base.
The objectives noted below are provided under the City’s Strategic Plan Goal No. 3: “Promote a Strong Local Economic Base.” The objectives are assigned to the Community Development Department, apart from goal 3.3.5, which is assigned to both the Community Development Department and the Community Services Department:
Background:
California State law requires 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.
The City of 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 Elements 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.
Most recently, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certified the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element in October of 2022, triggering the need to prepare the newly required Environmental Justice Element. The City executed a contract with the firm of Moore, Iacofano & Goltsman Inc. (MIG) which recently began the public outreach campaigns for the update to the Environmental Resources Element and the Environmental Justice Element, with presentations to the Sustainable City Committee, the Diversity Coalition Committee, and the Planning Commission.
Aside from the addition of the Environmental Justice Element, four of the six elements need an update, as shown below:
Preparation of the newly required Environmental Justice Element is underway, as is the
update to the Environmental Resources Element which will include incorporation of the recently completed Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) and the associated Prioritization and Implementation Plan (PIP).
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. The APR 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 Land Use 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 2022 include:
Projects Completed:
North End Neighborhood
• 3373 ½ Orange Avenue - Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
Atlantic/Spring Neighborhood
• 999 E. Willow Street - Remodel of building for medical offices (partial final, excluding interior improvements, now underway by future tenant).
Civic Center Neighborhood
• 1563 E. 23rd Street - Detached ADU.
Hilltop Neighborhood
• 2201 E. 21st Street - Small site LID landscape upgrades and courtyard remodel.
Pending Final Inspection:
North End Neighborhood
• 950 E. 33rd Street - Target remodel and parking lot improvements.
Central Neighborhood
• 1660 E. Spring Street - BMW tenant improvements to showroom.
Projects Under Construction:
North End Neighborhood
• 1401 ½ E. 33rd Street - Detached ADU (conversion of existing cabana).
Atlantic/Spring
• 979 E. Spring Street - Tenant Improvements for new nail salon.
Central Neighborhood
• 1800 E. Spring Street -
o Administrative Site Plan and Design Review 21-02 a request to amend the existing sign program to accommodate a Tesla Service & Sales facility at the former Nissan site; and
o An auxiliary parking lot with site improvements (landscaping, LID, lighting).
Civic Center Neighborhood
• 1600 E. Hill Street - American University of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy, tenant improvements.
• 2110 ½ Gaviota Avenue - New detached ADU.
Hilltop Neighborhood
• 1870 ½ Temple Avenue - Detached ADU (garage conversion).
Southeast Neighborhood
• 1995 St. Louis Avenue - Custom two-story single-family dwelling (SFD).
• 2205 ½ E. 19th Street - Detached ADU (over existing garage).
• 1991 ½ Junipero Avenue - Detached ADU.
In Plan Check Review:
North End Neighborhood
• 3177 California Avenue, Gateway Center North - New self-storage facility.
• 801 E. 33rd Street - Tenant improvements of existing office space.
• 3269 ½ Lewis Avenue - Detached ADU (over existing garage).
Atlantic/Spring Neighborhood
• 2755 California Avenue - EDCO transfer station new interior storage area.
West Side Neighborhood
• 2320 Cerritos Avenue - Garage conversion to ADU.
• 2581 California Avenue - Tenant improvements for a beauty salon.
Civic Center Neighborhood
• 2020 Walnut Avenue - 150,000 square-foot industrial park consisting of nine buildings on both sides of Walnut Avenue.
Hilltop Neighborhood
• 1900 Temple Avenue and 1900 ½ Temple Avenue - New SFD and detached ADU.
• 2550 Cherry Avenue - Tenant Improvements to an existing restaurant for a new Panda Express.
Southeast Neighborhood
• 2027 ½ Junipero Avenue - Conversion of existing space to Junior ADU.
Projects Under Entitlement Review:
Civic Center Neighborhood
• 2550 Orange Avenue - 100,866 square-foot distribution warehouse with raised dock loading doors.
Hilltop Neighborhood
• 2200 E. Willow Street - Costco Gas Station pump dispenser expansion.
Southeast Neighborhood:
• 1939 Temple Avenue - Courtyard, eight condominium units.
• 2599 E. Pacific Coast Highway - seven condominium units.
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 secure 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 Housing Element serves as a comprehensive strategy of goals, policies, and programs to preserve, upgrade, and create housing in general. HCD requires 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 number of 169 units; it is important to note that during the previous RNHA Cycle the City facilitated construction of 100% of its affordable housing.
The table below illustrates the percent of units required in each income category.
In 2022, the City issued six (6) building permits for ADUs. In addition, the City approved entitlement permits for one (1) SFD with an ADU, and a three-unit multi-family project. Since the start of the current cycle, the City has processed 6 building permits for dwelling units categorized by the following income levels:
Preparing for 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 to accommodate the required RHNA numbers, plus a 15% surplus capacity. The City worked with a consultant to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and rezoned the sites for the development of two mixed-use commercial/residential projects and two affordable housing projects. The City is working to advance development of the sites.
State and County Housing Grants
Historically, the City utilized redevelopment funding to increase affordable housing. The funding aided in purchasing, rezoning, and remediating sites to market them to affordable housing developers. Prior to 2012, the City successfully used redevelopment funding to develop 291 affordable units. With the dissolution of the redevelopment agency, this funding resource is no longer available. For the current 6th Cycle RHNA, the City will leverage grant funding, funds from the Housing Authority, tax credits, and other creative financing mechanisms to facilitate production of affordable housing.
To date, the City has qualified for and been awarded $490,482 from State and County grants to offset costs; however, additional funding will be necessary to prepare sites for development and assist affordable housing developers with development costs for the projects. Staff will continue to seek out and submit applications for housing assistance grants and other funding mechanisms as they become available.
Circulation Element
The Circulation Element establishes guidelines and policy direction for the development and maintenance of a comprehensive transportation system in the City. The Circulation 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 for Circulation in 2022 include:
• East Spring Street Bicycle Lane Gap Closure Project - The City obtained a competitive Active Transportation Program grant through Caltrans to implement the City’s goal of improving mobility and active transportation by adding a bicycle lane along E. Spring Street. The scope of this project includes a 2.2-mile bicycle lane that will create connectivity between Long Beach, Signal Hill, and Los Alamitos. The bicycle path was one of the bikeways identified in the City’s Circulation Element, in addition to the City of Long Beach’s Bicycle Master Plan. The project included the installation of new asphalt pavement along E. Spring Street between Orange Avenue to Junipero Avenue to correct structural pavement issues and improved ride quality.
• Slurry Seal Projects - In 2022, the Public Works Department slurry sealed approximately 1.1 million square feet of asphalt pavement across the City. Slurry sealing is a cost-effective maintenance approach that improves the overall condition and extends the life of asphalt pavement. Within the past year, the City completed two of three slurry seal projects planned for 2022. The third project is scheduled to start during Winter 2022/2023 as the weather permits. The last project will slurry seal another 140,000 square feet of pavement.
Environmental Resources Element / Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The Environmental Resources Element combines the required Open Space and Conservation categories into one element. The Environmental Resources 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 Environmental Resources Element includes the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to provide a blueprint for the development of the City’s parks and trails system.
Key achievements for Environmental Resources in 2022 include:
• Heritage Point Park - The City opened its newest park, Heritage Point Park, in July 2022. With grant funding from the Rivers and Mountain Conservancy and assistance from the Long Beach Conservation Corps, the City was able to develop the new park, which will serve as a link between the trail system throughout the community and future development. The park offers a spectacular view of the coastline, the Port of Long Beach, the Desmond Bridge, and Ranchos Palos Verdes. The park also features signage describing vegetation within the community, artfully adapted native California plants, and bioswales that allow rocks to create a natural water shed, capturing storm water and draining towards landscaping.
• Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) - The City Council was presented with a status update on February 9, 2021, regarding the 2021 PRMP. Upon review of the master plan, the City Council directed staff to develop a companion document, the Prioritization and Implementation Plan (PIP). Staff began preparation of the draft PIP throughout 2021. In January 2022, the PRMP and PIP were approved by City Council.
• Well 10 Construction Project - The Well 10 Construction Project, overseen by the Public Works Department, will be completed in early March 2023. In accordance with the City’s Water System Master Plan, the City is continually maintaining and upgrading the water system to ensure maximum capacity and reliability. The City’s Strategic Plan and recent Water Rate Study identified the need to replace Well No. 8, which is one of the City’s three water production wells and has been in operation for 40 years. Well No. 8 is being replaced by Well No. 10, which will have the capacity to pump more than half of the City’s water demand, increasing the City’s water self-sufficiency and decreasing the amount of potable water that must be purchased at a higher cost from other sources.
• Signal Hill Petroleum’s (SHP) Drill Sites
o Staff inspected SHP’s seven oil well drill sites on December 12, 2022, as part of the City’s annual Conditional Use Permit (CUP) inspections. The inspections are to confirm that the sites are in good condition in relation to their conditions of approval, in addition to municipal code requirements such as landscaping, fence screening, general maintenance, and equipment. The City found the sites to be in general compliance.
o The City Oil Services Coordinator also inspected facilities at each of the drill sites to insure operational and code compliance.
o SHP requested a 20-year extension to its seven Drill Sites CUP:
§ Review of the extension request includes an environmental analysis pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, therefore in 2022, the City issued a Request for Proposal, and executed a contract with Catalyst Environmental Solutions (Catalyst) to prepare the environmental analysis.
§ The project description and all environmental technical studies have been completed and/or peer reviewed by Catalyst. A draft Initial Study recommending an EIR was prepared and distributed for public comment.
§ The City scheduled a scoping meeting for the EIR, which was conducted on January 30, 2023.
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 Safety Element includes topics such as public safety, evacuation routes, and potential hazards. Additionally, the Safety 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 for Safety in 2022 include:
• Narcan - In 2022, the Signal Hill Police Department (SHPD) purchased Narcan for patrol officers. Narcan is a potentially lifesaving medication in the form of a nasal spray, designed to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes. Officers can now administer the medication to individuals suffering from drug overdose. The use of Narcan has proven to be an invaluable resource when it comes to providing emergency medical care in a timely manner.
• COVID-19 Pandemic - SHPD provided logistical support during critical portions of the COVID-19 pandemic, by purchasing and providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all City staff. PPE included facial masks/shields, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer, as well as temporary lodging for employees who were required to quarantine.
• 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.
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 Noise Element identifies noise sources and incorporates measures to effectively reduce excessive noise impacts to residents.
Key achievements for the Noise Element in 2022 include:
• Firework Ordinance - The Administration 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. The ordinance was adopted by City Council in April 2022.
• Noise Standards - SHPD 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 2019 California Building Code.
• 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; no aircraft-related noise complaints were received in the past year.
• Council of Governments (COG) - Staff maintained membership in the Gateway Cities COG and participated in regional reviews of transportation and airport operations
Conclusion:
The Housing Element Annual Progress Report and summary of accomplishments for implementation of the City’s General Plan for 2022 must be submitted to both OPR and to HCD by April 1, 2023.
In addition, Senate Bill 341 amended sections of the Health and Safety Code, where section 341766.1(f) outlines a series of reporting requirements that housing successor agencies must prepare regarding the Low- and Moderate-Incoming Housing Fund. The report is also submitted to HCD annually. All documents are ready for submittal upon authorization by the City Council.
Approved:
_________________________
Carlo Tomaino
Attachment:
A. General Plan Annual Progress Report