NOTE: This special work meeting did not have a stenographer, so this transcript was machine-generated.  It contains numerous meaning-altering errors.  Please consider it only as a guide to the general flow of the meeting, and reference the meeting recording for a definitive account.


17:30:56 We're like Good evening, i'd like to call the order the July 20, eighth, 2020 planning commission meeting.
17:30:58 This meeting is a work session on the public draft of the Fremont housing element.
17:31:06 We were gonna continue our our virtual format here, and at this time I would like Commissioner Boss right to meet us in the pledge of allegiance.
17:31:17 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands.
17:31:28 One nation under God, thank you so the commission's meeting tonight is virtual as usual, these days, and so I would like, the Commission Secretary Joel pullin to meet us through the meeting Protocol and introduce Staff Thank
17:31:50 you chair, Dalton again. This meeting being conducted virtually during the
17:31:56 Declared pandemic. The live stream of the meeting may be viewed on comcast cable television channel.
17:32:02 27 and or online at the live Webcast on the city's website, or, of course, on zoom details can be found at Fremont, Gov.
17:32:12 A public input protocol allows the public to unmuted by the clerk. to speak of this meeting, using the raise hand feature clerk will recognize speakers during oral communication opportunities.
17:32:23 Email comments submitted. the clerk have been provided.
17:32:25 The commission prior to the meeting. So i'll start tonight. with commission roll call. when you hear your name, please respond Chairperson Dalton.
17:32:32 Here, vice chair round here, Commissioner Yi here, Commissioner Steckler.
17:32:45 I see questions. Techler is present here. Commissioner Lou, Commissioner Lou appears to be absent.
17:32:56 Commissioner Shang and Commissioner B. Bus Ray.
17:33:00 Here. all right. We have 6 present commissioner Lou abson so I'm going to introduce staff participating tonight. My name again is Joel Poland.
17:33:09 I'm. The Planning commission secretary joining us from the City Attorney's office is senior Deputy City Attorney Heatherly, and tonight's recording clerks are Maria Salinas and
17:33:18 Trish Cordova. the applicants let's see here.
17:33:24 I I want to ask everyone on the call to to generally mute your line when you're not speaking.
17:33:29 Also. please announce your name when you start to speak for benefit of those on the phone who may not recognize your voice.
17:33:37 All panelists, unless you're on the commission or the attorney or myself.
17:33:40 Please turn off your audio and video until the public hearing is active, and you're speaking with with the Commission.
17:33:49 So the Commissioners of Tiles are part ofortized.
17:33:53 Please please, please ask to be recognized lastly by the chair prior to beginning speaking, when asking clarifying questions, or deliberating share back to you, Jel, Since this is a work section i'd like to proceed directly.
17:34:04 To the work session item if you'd introduce it for us, please.
17:34:10 We'll do So this is an exciting item tonight.
17:34:13 The the housing element update team is here a Wayland Lee and Courtney Powell have been working very hard on this.
17:34:20 A housing element for quite some time. And so this is important moment for the city.
17:34:25 As we embark on the next eight-year cycle of our housing element, which is a required component of our general plan that needs to be updated periodically.
17:34:34 So with that alternative to that team and go from there.
17:34:39 Thank you, Chair. Alright, Thank you, Joel. Again, The item before you is a presentation, a public review draft of its way 2320, 31 housing out and up to you, which is an 8 year plan to meet the housing needs
17:34:53 of everyone in the seamat community this evening is to introduce applying commission to the draft element to answer questions and solicit comments and feedback to be clear. we're we're not asking the planning commission
17:35:11 to consider adoption of a draft at this time it's instead an opportunity to check in with the planning commission, and with the public, and to get comments and get feedback. we're currently in what we're calling the
17:35:25 second phase of our public engagement process. In the first phase we were out to the community to hear priorities and concerns and ideas, and using that input as a foundation staff is put together.
17:35:40 The the draft housing element that's before you this evening. Now, in this second phase of public engagement, we're coming back to the Planning commission and went back to the community with a tangible work product in hand to
17:35:53 react. and we're looking for additional feedback. input based on this draft for tonight's presentation.
17:36:02 We'll start with a quick introduction. of what the housey element update is, I'll discuss some of the feedback we've heard from the community so far and then i'll hit the .
17:36:15 Off to cordon Pal, who's going to discuss some of the programs and features of the best
17:36:25 First off is a recap of what is the housing out under State laws?
17:36:31 Cities and counties in California are required to plan for the housing needs of everyone in the community by including a housing element as one of the 7 mandatory elements of their general plan.
17:36:41 It's different from the other elements of the general plan and that it's required to be updated every 8 years and it's subject to you improve approval by the State of California and the State will use it to ensure that's an
17:36:55 alignment with the State's housing goals like all the area cities.
17:37:01 Fremont is in the process of updating its housing element, which will cover the period between 2023, and 2031
17:37:15 Purpose of the element is to establish a policy agenda for facilitating production of housing at all income levels.
17:37:19 To make community these needs. Additionally, the housing element is required to demonstrate that the jurisdiction has capacity to accommodate a share of the over the next 8 years, which is known as the regional housing needs allocation or
17:37:34 real process free, much fair share of the regions housing needs 2023, the 2031 planning period has been trying to be 12,897 units in tour, with the majority of that toll serving very low low
17:37:53 and moderate Income House
17:38:02 It's been a very long road to get to the point in the process where we are Now, when we have traffic we had kicked off the process really 2021 with analysis around the meeting process and really intense efforts
17:38:17 Haven't made so far in 2022 to engage with the community and to conduct a research analysis and an adult draft policies and programs which are Commission made a call.
17:38:31 We were before you earlier in the year to give it overview the housing element, and to discuss some additional findings from our
17:38:44 When we brought this item to the City Council at the very beginning of a year before, clear the rest of my council to go out to the community to listen and to meaningfully get meaningfully engage with the public about the house account.
17:39:00 Our approach to community engagement was multi-prong to conduct office hours where people could schedule time to talk with the house.
17:39:07 A element team to go after the community and the top, of people to visit the city's very sports commissions, and collect their feedback, to push out information through the various communication channels, and to engage in some regional conversations about
17:39:21 housing, recognizing that reaching lower income households, critical piece or engagement strategy, and that lowering, some residents often have limited accessibility on board commissions like this one do schedules language barriers
17:39:41 technology staff brought community outage directly to those residents.
17:39:47 Specifically we help listening sessions at home shelters and affordable housing, such as the Sunrise village Shelter, which serves unhoused families. pauling beaver and cottonwood affordable
17:40:05 developments and the O. Gardens apartments which serves low income disabled and deaf individuals continuing our engagement efforts throughout the entirety of this process, it's adoption, certification.
17:40:20 You've heard a lot in the community so far and what we tried to do is common themes from that engagement and translate those themes and the actual programs within the housing element.
17:40:34 Sure just a few important things that we heard first among all groups consult David.
17:40:41 How's the just and the most often heard concern There was a feeling that Fremont isn't a very desirable place to live, and that resulted way affordable units.
17:40:54 Often seem more demand than those jurisdictions.
17:41:00 There was consensus that the city needed to increase affordable housing production in order to meet the housing needs of the community.
17:41:09 We also heard a strong desire to find more opportunities for community input around housing.
17:41:15 It's promote the importance of housing in the community. We also heard that different segments in the community, like seniors and them and large families have special housing needs and planning efforts should be responsible to those very specific
17:41:31 needs. We also heard that their offers are opportunities to improve our development standards in our processes, to facilitate production of key housing types for the community like you, restricted a form of housing units and 80 use in
17:41:51 the draft document that we brought for tonight. we made an effort to try to connect with various themes in the data into each of the goals and policies and pros in the house.
17:42:04 And now that there's a draft available want to go back to the community, just to continue this dialogue to ensure we'll make him the right pulse within the housing element
17:42:20 In addition to community engagement, staff is conducted extensive analysis, including assessment of demographic to identify the community's housing, an assessment of constraints.
17:42:33 The housing production. You review the successes and showcase.
17:42:37 This housing element and assessment of their housing issues in the city.
17:42:42 These various analyses created a foundation with the top targeted policies and programs to meet the communities within the housing element.
17:42:54 Now i'd like to turn the presentation over to court and tell who's going to discuss some of the mobile programs in the draft houses.
17:43:05 Thank you, Ellen, and good evening, Commissioners.
17:43:08 My portion of the presentation is going to highlight new policies from our draft housing element as well as review the housing sites inventory, I'll begin by highlighting Those key.
17:43:22 New programs and keep in mind. These are just a small cross section of the 88 programs that are included in Chapter 2 of the draft housing element.
17:43:37 As waylan mentioned, we're moving barriers to the production of affordable housing is a key theme that we heard during community outreach and resultantly.
17:43:43 It's a central goal throughout the housing element the housing element incorporates key policy decisions.
17:43:50 That the planning commission and City Council have made to further affordable housing production.
17:43:54 This includes Councils recent and significant decision to cut traffic parkland and park facilities impact fees by 50% for affordable housing developers, which is included as program 49.
17:44:08 This decision will save affordable housing projects millions of dollars and allow public money to be utilized more efficiently for these projects.
17:44:20 Program 57 highlights. Another existing program which is offering shortened building, permit review times for a affordable housing projects.
17:44:28 This program helps, projects comply with their tax credit deadlines which mandates construction, beginning within a 180 days of receiving an award.
17:44:39 Finally, the housing element also creates new programs to incentivize affordable housing production program.
17:44:46 63, for example, calls for proactive outreach to Bart in order to bring affordable housing to the underutilized Fremont, Bart.
17:44:54 Station parking lot. Another important set of policies will remove zoning barriers for housing development more broadly, and I want to note that many of these policy ideas came from our previous conversation with the planning Commission on the
17:45:09 housing element back in March Program 31 calls for further simplifying the regulations that are applicable to access.
17:45:18 Read well units in order to make them easier for homeowners to construct program.
17:45:24 34 requires further reducing. parking requirements in transit oriented areas affordable housing developments that are constructed within these areas.
17:45:34 Currently don't have any parking requirements pursuant state law.
17:45:38 And so this policy would reduce parking requirements for all housing developments in order to create more consistency within those tod areas.
17:45:49 Finally program 36 would update the mixed use zoning standards to provide additional clarity for developers on how to actually apply these regulations to a greater variety of site. conditions.
17:46:04 The draft housing element also contains more than 10 programs to maintain consistency with State housing laws.
17:46:13 In particular, there are new requirements for developments that are proposed on housing element inventory sites.
17:46:19 So program 16 would codify State law that requires the replacement of units affordable to the same or lower income level as a condition of any development on a non-macon site with existing residential units
17:46:33 that's identified in the housing in inventory program. 44 would implement State law that requires by right approval of housing development that includes 20% of units as housing affordable to very low and low
17:46:48 income households on sites that are being reused.
17:46:51 To meet the 6 cycle Regional housing needs allocation that were previously identified in the other past 2 housing element cycles.
17:47:01 Other programs call for the city to modify the zoning ordinance for consistency with state requirements for particular uses.
17:47:09 Now these programs don't actually change the underlying regulations because State regulations already take precedence over city code.
17:47:18 However, updating the city code will make it easier for city staff, for nonprofits and for advocates. to understand the regulations that are applicable to these types of special facilities in Fremont.
17:47:31 No. as I mentioned what i've reviewed are just a small cross-section of all the programs in the draft housing element, and we encourage members of the public to review the entirety of chapter 2 in the draft
17:47:42 housing element on our website. The other component that i'll be reviewing today is the sites inventory analysis, and this is an inventory of land suitable for residential development, including vacant sites and non vacant
17:47:58 sites that have the potential for redevelopment. Flights in the inventory are located throughout the city, as you can see in the clipped maps on this slide.
17:48:08 Larger versions of these maps are included in chapter 8 of the draft housing element.
17:48:15 This table shows the relation of the sites in inventory to the regional housing needs.
17:48:23 Allocation or Rena sites. are categorized as low, moderate, or above moderate income, based on the minimum densities that they support, and their size.
17:48:34 So there's an assumption that sites that are between a half acre and 10 acres, with a permitted density of over 30 dwelling units per acre can support affordable, housing development smaller sites that
17:48:48 are under a half acre, with the same allowed densities are presumed to support moderate income developments.
17:49:01 Finally anything with a density that's under 30 dwelling units per acre, regardless of size is considered in the above moderate income category.
17:49:10 The identified housing sites include pipeline developments.
17:49:12 Adu projections and vacant and underutilized sites.
17:49:18 Pipeline development projects are specific projects that have pending or approved development applications that have been submitted to the city.
17:49:24 As you can see, these sites comprise a large portion of the identified above moderate income sites in particular, projected adu Development has also been factored into the sites inventory new for this housing element
17:49:40 cycle, the Association of Bay Area Governments analyzed rental data on 80 use in the region, and prepared an analysis to support assumptions on the affordability level of adus.
17:49:52 Now, previously Adus had to all be considered above moderate income units, but under the rental assumptions prepared by the Association of Bay area governments 60% of adu development could be counted as affordable to
17:50:07 lower incomes, 30% to moderate income, and only 10% as above moderate income.
17:50:14 And these assumptions, if approved by HCD.
17:50:18 Would allow Fremont to finally count Adus towards our low and moderate income.
17:50:24 Sites inventory and Rena, as we know that those rents are typically below market levels.
17:50:33 Finally, the table shows the total unit capacity of identified, vacant and underutilized sites.
17:50:40 As you can see, these make up the bulk of sites that are counted towards our site and inventory, notably in line with recommendations from HCD.
17:51:03 The city has planned for more low income qualified sites than required per arena.
17:51:06 The city has identified fewer of these extra sites in the above moderate income category, because such a large portion of that category is accommodated through pipeline projects
17:51:21 The city sites inventory plans, housing in areas of high opportunity where even the lowest income residents have access to education, employment, and a healthy environment.
17:51:32 These high opportunity areas also scored better in terms of state funding criteria for affordable housing development projects which further maximizes the funding chances for affordable housing projects in Fremont additionally 75% of inventory units
17:51:49 are located within priority development areas or pdas.
17:51:54 This is consistent with the general plans vision for strategic and transit-oriented development in those areas.
17:52:03 Finally, 65% of planned units are on those higher density.
17:52:08 Low and moderate income qualified sites which is in line with the city's prioritization of affordable housing options.
17:52:20 Now looking forward tonight's presentation is part of the kickoff of our review process for the draft housing element, and we have a 30 day review period that runs through August eighth 2022 once We receive comments
17:52:34 back from that public review, the Staff will incorporate those into the draft document and submit the revised Document to HCD.
17:52:42 For review. we're going to continue to pursue community Engagement opportunities after the close of the formal public Comment period, and we'll combine the Comments that we receive from HCD.
17:52:56 And the comments we continue to receive from the public into a final draft for planning commission, and eventually city council, consideration and adoption.
17:53:13 Notably we need to submit the draft housing element to HCD.
17:53:14 For review by January of 2,023, in order to remain in compliance with State law.
17:53:23 As a next step we encourage everyone to review the full draft housing element on our website at Fremont. Gov.
17:53:26 Slash housing element We'll also be hosting a housing element open house next Wednesday from 4 Pm. to 8 Pm.
17:53:36 At the downtown event center and during this event community members can drop in any time during those hours, and safer as long as they want to learn more about the housing element and provide feedback directly to staff.
17:53:47 It'll be an informal and collaborative event and we really encourage members of the public to attend.
17:53:59 We also are accepting comments electronically via housing element.
17:54:10 we'll continue to accept comments on the document from Now, all the way through certification, so that Concludes Staff's presentation this evening.
17:54:19 We're now available for any questions or comments that you may have so i'll turn it back to you chair.
17:54:23 Dalton. Thank you, Courtney Commissioners. do you have any clarifying questions or comments for staff on this housing element?
17:54:40 And I see Commissioner e as raised his hand recognized Commissioner E: you're muted. Yeah, I got it.
17:54:48 Yeah, Thank you. Yeah. This this was definitely Our a very thorough document to take a look at.
17:54:56 One of the questions I wanted to ask was you know as you know, in our previous re in a number cycle we had a difficulty reaching our very low and low income targets.
17:55:08 I'm just wondering how many changes did we make you know of this 88 programs in there to address this because I see that we have targets again for low and very low income, which are relatively percentage wise almost
17:55:23 the same as the previous arena numbers so i'm just curious to see how many various programs did we add in order to try to you know, try to reach these targets
17:55:44 You know, just like like the previous, like the previous cycle.
17:55:47 Meeting Our lower income targets is gonna continue Me is going to continue to be the most challenging.
17:55:55 Income level to to reach I don't have A. I have a number of new number of new programs will lead to a formal housing production in front of me but there's there's significant work
17:56:12 being done on top of. we're currently doing I will point out that the the city is doing quite a bit now to encourage production in the form.
17:56:22 There. There are many, many programs within the the are currently in engaging in to to encourage a full housing production, but just does build on consideration.
17:56:39 Yeah, Commissioner, ye. So one of the biggest barriers to creating affordable housing is the financial barrier there.
17:56:56 Just isn't, enough money out there to contribute the funds to subsidize to the development of portable units throughout the city, and it's not unique to Fremont that's a common problem
17:57:01 statewide to be addressed through additional investment.
17:57:05 And so we do that in our own way, through our periodic notices the funding availability, using the funds from market rate.
17:57:13 Development, but we also have, and this is a change from the last housing element.
17:57:20 We also have made some changes to how we charge our fees and so specifically affordable housing development get a 50% break on our impact fees, and that's huge for hum for making them more feasible that's something that we've
17:57:36 we've already implemented before this housing element came forward. But it's not enough. Ultimately, you know there are going to need to be additional investments that come in the form of those fees that you read developers get
17:57:49 charge that we then leverage with other investments. they need to grow in order to push more affordable developments.
17:58:01 Forward I also want to add, Hi, this is Lucy Hughes housing manager.
17:58:07 I also want to add that we also underwent, recently and affordable housing ordinance revision.
17:58:17 Back in November. It took, in fact, this year, January of this year we increase the fee for market rate development on housing
17:58:22 So then we collect, we can collect more fees for the development of lower income rental development, affordable rental development, and also based on the ordinance change.
17:58:34 We also increase our on-site percentage to 15%.
17:58:40 So. those are the 2 big changes that the city undertook to facilitate the increase of affordable housing production.
17:58:51 I just wanna say thank you because I think that's what we need to do It's going to be a multi-prong approach in order to try to address this from their last arena number cycle that you know we didn't
17:59:00 make those numbers not even come come close and so hopefully this time we can hit those numbers. That's I guess you know that's what i'm hoping for with a lot of these new changes as all of you have just mentioned thank
17:59:13 you
17:59:18 Recognize Commissioner Zhang. Yeah, I have a 2 clarification questions.
17:59:26 One is, is educational resource as one of the element we want to consider.
17:59:33 For example, American higher area is kind of the the student. capacity is gonna load it.
17:59:44 But, on the other hand, Mission San Francisco and
17:59:52 The other question is actually the regarding this number here about pipeline development.
17:59:59 We is is this: 1,383 low income housing include the the Home Key Project.
18:00:09 We have planned, or is it it doesn't let me take the first one.
18:00:18 For a very long time with the school district, and referring projects that come to us for them for their understanding and sort of planning into their hum attendance areas.
18:00:33 And those attendees have changed over time in relation to you know where the growth is happening in Fremont.
18:00:39 Fact is the growth and fremont's been happening intentionally.
18:00:43 So along our primary traffic corridors stream up Boulevard Spine and the pdas around their Bart stations and Ace and and so
18:00:56 To the extent that those developments happen, and consistently among those will continue to push out periodic to activity updates to the school district so that they can namely, respond to those and and also to send referrals.
18:01:09 On individual applications to come in we can't as a city camper.
18:01:16 It wouldn't be it wouldn't be feasible for us to temper development in certain places to sort of
18:01:22 You know, anticipate that there may be growing enrollment in those areas.
18:01:30 We need to be able to to welcome development where the general plan calls for it, and what we What we tried to do is to just make sure that the school district has early knowledge.
18:01:39 So everything coming forward and they have I think they we tend Wayland.
18:01:44 The other part. was about funky right in the to answer the second part of the question.
18:01:50 The The Home Key Project sign is included as one of the is included within the pending projects.
18:01:59 We can that calculation
18:02:07 I see. Yeah, I I just heard that this was kind of denied as a at first, but I guess the city will continue.
18:02:15 Pursue that found in some for sure. You just wanna clarify that.
18:02:21 Yeah, I have another question regarding the outreach.
18:02:26 One of the point you mentioned that for low income outreach.
18:02:34 Yeah, i'll kind of access. of a meteors and language barriers that can prevent the many of the citizens will get this getting involved about this element.
18:02:47 I wonder whether we have a multi-language materials.
18:02:51 For like Chinese. and and yeah, any Spanish and other languages
18:03:00 I can feel that question. So on our housing element website, we have our introductory video which has been closed.
18:03:08 Captioned, translated into, I want to say, 7 different languages that does include Chinese that does include Spanish as well as other languages that are spoken within the community.
18:03:17 The city is new website. Redesign actually has a new translation feature that allows for pretty universal.
18:03:26 You know, translation accessibility for all the website texts, and then for our outreach events, we really catered them to who we knew the population was at those different affordable housing developments.
18:03:36 So we spoke with their you know, managers ahead of time understood the language, distribution and at all of the developments.
18:03:43 It was primarily mandarin speaking residents, and so we had our events in our outreach materials in Mandarin Chinese for those events, as well as the one conference which serve deaf residents
18:03:56 we also had Asl translation for that event as well
18:04:05 I i'd like to thank you stuff for putting this comprehensive a draft and this is very informative.
18:04:13 And Yeah, Hopefully, we can get more. Thank you.
18:04:21 Further questions from the Commissioners. Anyone I will ask some clarifying questions.
18:04:54 Hey? I guess I just wanted to name some of these programs here on program 20.
18:04:59 The Development review process, and for well i'll give away tia to my answer.
18:05:07 When it comes to us reporting developments to our notices of funding availability.
18:05:13 I think there is a more in depth analysis of their ability to perform. We're giving money in those instances, and so we want to make sure that they have the capacity to do that for regular development that come through our our you
18:05:30 know pipeline whether they be home. Someone is doing a to use small residential developments, large residential development and local development review. You know, frameworks don't allow us to reach in and to require financial information about
18:05:48 the development, and, in fact, recent density, bonus and other law specifically says that we cannot look into those things.
18:05:57 They would take their word for it so it is frustrating when a project sits for a long time, because through a combination of maybe the developer themselves struggles or the economy, it doesn't move forward. and you know that's unfortunate but it's
18:06:13 not something that we can score and take into account when we're approving or denying their develop.
18:06:20 Okay, Thank you. on item. So program. 33 exploring options to add intensity to high resource. single family neighborhoods.
18:06:32 So, for example, in Irvington tod we we can distinctly sort of see the remnants of the almost red lining in my college, where the between the north and northeast and southwest parts of the
18:06:55 td and I i'm wondering if that's taken into account in the addition of intensity in terms of how a neighborhood could that is traditionally single family home will be intensified in the same
18:07:13 way that a more urbanized area of the tod will be.
18:07:19 I can take that question. So the policy of adding additional intensity to those higher resource, single family neighborhoods, was a policy that came directly out of our affirmatively furthering fair housing analysis.
18:07:34 And so it is definitely a policy that is intended to consider the past effects of segregation and redlining on those types of urban forums.
18:07:44 The balance is really about both, the, you know, trying to rectify those harms and trying to do it in a way that feasibly leads to development that does rectify those harms.
18:07:57 And so with single family small lots, you know, I think a large part of this policy is really looking at what ways are most feasible to intensify those lots which may not be.
18:08:07 You know, an urban town center for him, but may be as what suggested in the policy, a form that includes something like bonus, a to use that provide more rental opportunities within those higher income neighborhoods and So
18:08:19 it. Certainly you know, the effects of equity would be deeply looked at in consideration of whatever policy we did end up implementing to make sure that the final program and the final actual product of implementing that policy.
18:08:34 Had, you know, the intended effects of undoing the legacy of segregation.
18:08:40 Okay. Then program 40 regarding underutilized sites.
18:08:55 Does the inventory of underutilized sites?
18:08:59 And if it does, are the people in who own those homes notified that their residences are labeled as underutilized by the city.
18:09:14 So the they can an underutilized site referenced Our the What are the housing on the inventory sites listed in the housing element as opportunities for development.
18:09:28 The The purpose of this program is to is to inform the public and the development community that these are sites that the city has looked at, and we believe has the potential to to intensify with with housing in the in the
18:09:46 future. So I think some of the some feedback that you've heard back in our in our outreach from the development community was that they do use the housing housing element as as a way to informed where they look
18:10:03 at for opportunities to to develop housing. So this program would which tried to better communicate that these sites are available for for housing development to and to better market that their their availability.
18:10:25 But but does that include like occupied residential phones?
18:10:31 That, could. Some of the sites some of the sites that are listed are or occupying by by uses, including single family homes or commercial tenants?
18:10:43 Some are making. But there are. there are. There are sites that Okay, yeah.
18:10:51 And I I see that, like full half of the projected sites are in that category.
18:10:58 Is that right? that's correct so I i'm just wondering about the the understanding of the owners or residents of those sites?
18:11:12 It sort of feels like there's a target on them and I I wanna be clear that the city lets them know that they're putting their property in front of developers as potential redevelopment opportunities does that make sense
18:11:38 Most of the See, I speak to that. most of the sites that are shown on the sites inventory.
18:11:45 Kind of routinely, you know categories that were routinely shown on there.
18:11:50 Such as in past years include things like older shopping centers and things like that.
18:11:57 When it. When you look at the housing outlet this year, one of the things is different.
18:12:01 Is that when there are adus and things like that that we can count those, and we should be counting those, and it's consistent among other cities, and the extent that those have been proposed, and we've been counting those
18:12:13 as part of the units. Yes, those individual you know houses are now included in the city document.
18:12:23 But there's there's really no way to escape that that listing, asking if we've contacted each homeowner individually.
18:12:29 No we've not to to let them know that it's on this list.
18:12:35 Okay, And then a program 44, the bywide approval of projects.
18:12:41 That that seems to have some terms associated with it that i'm not super clear on this these are sites that are being used to meet the 6 cycle arena that represent a reuse of sites previously
18:12:58 identified. Can you clarify that for me
18:13:07 Sure i'll i'll give you i'll give It try so the it's about coming 2023 to 2031 housing element cycle is considered the 6 cycle housing view The cycle is the
18:13:24 is the is the cycle. we're currently in which is 23, and
18:13:36 And then the the was the one that directly preceded that one.
18:13:38 So under state wall if we're using we're using sites from the fourth or fifth cycle.
18:13:48 We, We do need to provide for by right processing of housing development proposals on those sites. Wednesday at least 20%.
18:13:59 Affordable units as part of that development. Okay, do.
18:14:07 Do we? I guess my last question would be do we analyze, incoming development, whether residential or commercial.
18:14:20 As it it's, impact upon further housing needs that is, do we look at developments that come through here, whether they're commercial or residential, and say, this is going to increase our housing needs in the city of
18:14:37 Fremont. But we analyze things that way so there's There's not necessarily an analysis that occurs at a project level, but the basis of our affordable housing ordinance and our affordable housing commercial
18:14:53 linkage feed is about the generated housing need that comes out of proposed projects.
18:14:59 And so, in order to establish those fees, the Cindy completed a nexus study that looked at the potential impacts.
18:15:09 To, you know, additional low income, very low and moderate income housing that is driven by new development of various types.
18:15:15 So that that's residential or commercial and so those fees can essentially be thought of as you know, a a mitigation for lack of a better word to you know essentially offset the impacts of the demand for housing.
18:15:32 generated by new development projects, and so while it's not analyzed on a project by project level.
18:15:38 It is something that the city considers through the imposition of those fees.
18:15:42 Okay, Thank you. I share recognizes to Mr. Boss.
18:15:46 Right. I also want to reiterate. This is pretty good work, so I appreciate all the efforts by staff.
18:15:55 One of the things that came to mind is, you guys were talking about community outreach.
18:16:02 We know that the demographics of Fremont are going to change over time, especially with the refugee population coming in from Afghanistan?
18:16:09 Have we looked at what the impact of them getting to the religious centers, getting to where they actually need to be, instead of just looking at transit, but looking at it from from what the new demographics might be looking for
18:16:30 So. So the city, you know. framework of of all kinds of uses, you know, is is what the zoning is all about.
18:16:37 We are. We're providing nodes you know connected to where people live, where people work, how they get their right transit, etc.
18:16:45 I'm not sure that you know by ethnicity.
18:16:54 You know we've looked at you know for example I know that Centerville has a particularly you know, at some point I've heard of reference to a little couple right has particular you know demographic realities
18:17:07 and you know, within that community are there are There you know kind of ways in which the community gets around and uses different services and and uses that are different from other communities. I'm not sure we've gone to that level
18:17:23 of granularity. But to the extent that we're planning for enough commercial enough residential and the transit to get around, and the pedestrian you know connectivity.
18:17:36 I think we're we're providing the you know the means for that to happen.
18:17:39 That's a that's a market you know driven thing that you know that it's it's pretty pretty difficult to anticipate like to talk about that more with you but but that's that's
18:17:52 pretty Keep
18:17:58 Alright, do we have any further questions from the Commissioners?
18:18:01 If not, I would like to move to public communication on this item or any other item.
18:18:09 Trish. Do we have speakers? Yes, this is Tricia.
18:18:12 We do have speakers. I see one hand raised so we have one speaker.
18:18:19 If there's only one speaker let's give him 3 min.
18:18:23 Actually I see 2 hands now. Okay, okay, I'll go ahead and introduce the first speaker.
18:18:30 Lisa dance. Go ahead and you're allowed to Speak hi!
18:18:35 Thank you My Name's Lisa danz and I'm.
18:18:37 A member of Fremont for everyone and we've been doing our best to read through this draft.
18:18:43 Understand it, and come up with some feedback. Sorry for the background noise i'm on a train.
18:18:48 I first off, I want to say I appreciate the hard work and the responsiveness to feedback, and I'm. particularly excited to see the reduced parking requirements included, although i'm always in favor of reducing those
18:18:58 even further citywide I am concerned that the site inventory is overly optimistic about what will actually be built, and we've shared more detailed feedback about this in written form because it's a little easier to get
18:19:09 into detail there. but broadly like I said i'm worried that we're being overly optimistic, and that we really do need a bit of a higher buffer.
18:19:20 I think we should be applying a likelihood of development factor based on past data.
18:19:24 For example, looking just at the sites in table 8, 16, where a B, 397 applies.
18:19:30 There are 3,685 units that have that designation which, as was previously mentioned, indicates that they've already appeared in at least 2 housing elements, and that's about 60% of the arena total from last
18:19:43 cycle, or if I did my math right, about 40% of the total number of units in last cycle site inventory, which is a very significant percentage, And that's not the exact right number to use for this analysis, because some of
18:19:55 the units might have been from other cycles and because there's probably other units that did not get developed.
18:20:01 But maybe only in one cycle, so it should only be directly correct.
18:20:05 But I think it's most likely an underestimate and goes to show that I we really need to be assuming that a lot of the units said, we think that are on the list are not necessarily going to get developed in real life and so we need
18:20:18 to plan on that, and have much larger buffers to account for it.
18:20:22 Thank you. Thank you. Trist. We have another speaker. Yes, Chair, we have 2 more speakers.
18:20:33 Go ahead. Okay, I am going to. Now introduce the next speaker, Renee Bias.
18:20:40 You have permission to speak. Go ahead
18:20:49 Hi! yes, good evening. members of the planning commission.
18:20:52 I wanna first thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.
18:20:54 My name is Renee Bias, and I represent the Norcal Carpeters Union.
18:20:57 I'm here today to speak about 3 simple things which will benefit
18:21:01 The city of Fremont, and also the housing element.
18:21:04 I believe these 3 things should also be basic labor. standards one. That's the use of apprenticeship programs, meaning every worker is trained to do the work correctly.
18:21:12 And also safely number 2 that's healthcare for all workers and number 3.
18:21:17 That's local higher You see projects, that invest in apprenticeships prevailing. wage, health care and local, higher are the best deal for construction workers, and the community.
18:21:26 This allows workers and their families to live in the communities that they work in.
18:21:31 This also means those wages that are earned will be reinvested back into the local community as they spend their earnings and their tax dollars will also help fund local schools. and government.
18:21:41 So for all these reasons, the carpenters urged the planning commissioners of Fremont to adopt these labor standards as a requirement for the housing element and that's the use of apprenticeship programs
18:21:51 healthcare and local hire. I believe you guys are doing a fantastic job.
18:21:54 I love everything. i'm hearing we just want to add some labor standards.
18:21:58 Thank you for your time, and have a great evening. Thank you, Mr.
18:22:01 Byans. just do we have another speaker
18:22:10 Annie. i'm now allowing you to speak go ahead.
18:22:17 Thank you. Yeah, I'm Annie I'm also a member of Fremont for everyone just like Lisa and I Co-chair.
18:22:23 The Policy Committee of Fremont for everyone as as Lisa mentioned the premium for everyone Policy Committee has already done a preliminary review of the stock housing element.
18:22:35 I'd like to thank staff for all of the hard work that they so clearly have.
18:22:39 But in and all of the time and care that they've dedicated to.
18:22:43 They've dedicated to this very important document. the preliminary view which was sent out to all planning commission members, as well as all staff who are here at this meeting.
18:22:56 Or sorry what's that out early this afternoon and I definitely encourage you to read it it primarily focuses on the sites inventory as well as the policies and program.
18:23:09 Section and as that's quite detailed i'm not going to be able to cover absolutely everything here.
18:23:15 But the top level analysis is that I think that we're generally on the right track with this housing element.
18:23:23 But we just need to go a little bit further I have the preliminary analysis of the sites inventory shows that, as Lisa said, there are some concerns with those sites many of those sites we don't
18:23:35 think are going to be developed in the near future either due to what's already there, or the fact that they just haven't been developed.
18:23:44 I'm gonna additionally would be interested in improving some of the policies and programs.
18:23:49 Things like increasing gentle mixed use sooning to allow walkable neighborhood corner stores.
18:23:57 I'm looking at how new developments impact our rena goals.
18:24:03 Making sure that we design just developments to be a walkable and bikable with multiple entrances and exits, and that we increase that we increase noncar infrastructure.
18:24:16 So thank you. Thank you, Annie. Yeah. So we have one more speaker, one more hand.
18:24:27 Let me go ahead and introduce that speaker Sandra Kirby.
18:24:30 You're now allowed to speak go ahead
18:24:37 Thank you. My name's Sandra Herbie Moore hi fonated. and first of all, thank you to the Commissioners for your excellent questions involved, I would like to address a question that Robert Dalton had and that is
18:24:54 maybe a preview or a an analysis of the developers, so that we want to run into problems like we had in the last 5 years.
18:25:07 This would also pertain to the management of the affordable housing units as well, and then also full revenue housing; that we also might include perhaps the same stringent requirements are required of renters to to add that perhaps a credit
18:25:31 check and check on on different managers and renters should be available to the sentence as well.
18:25:42 I believe that there has been some carmen I don't know if Craig's secular might have experience in this or not.
18:25:48 But we have had the questionable you know people with maybe prior histories of, you know, situations going on that tenants and Jeffrey.
18:26:03 So i'd like to add that I would also like to put words the Fremont for everyone analysis of the draft, and to to give my thumbs up on that I I read the whole thing i'm also a member
18:26:20 of Fremont for everyone. Thank you. Thank you, Sandra. But, Chair, Dalton, we do not have any more speakers to air air.
18:26:36 Their closing thoughts on this, if they have any
18:26:44 Anyone any comments closing comments here? Any other questions for Staff?
18:26:50 No, it's that's the case then I will take this opportunity to during this meeting, and I guess we're going to be back here again at 7 o'clock set chair before you do may make a quick comment.
18:27:10 Sure so I just wanted to make sure the public is aware we do have a regular meeting tonight at 7 o'clock to speak about a variety of other items.
18:27:20 And anybody can show up to that and speak to
18:27:23 Speak to general oral communications as well this has been a work session, and while there's no action taken by the Commission, I do want to make sure the public is aware they can give comments until August the
18:27:35 eighth on the draft public draft, the housing element.
18:27:39 And actually after that date. we we will also welcome comments. though we will plan on turning that document around for preliminary review by the State.
18:27:48 And so that's. Why, there's that that timeline So thank you very much for your input and we'll take all that along with the public comment.
18:27:55 We'll summarize and and take it forward with the modified document.
18:28:01 Very good, Thank you, Joe. So oh, Commissioner Steckler, I was chairman.
18:28:10 I would just like to add a couple of other commissioners
18:28:17 Accomplished presentation as well for Staff. I will say this about upcoming regular agenda, about all the reports excellent reports.
18:28:35 Thank you. Thank you. Craig and Commissioner Zhang. Yeah.
18:28:42 In addition to appreciate the the work for some stop. I also like to thank for the comments from the community.
18:28:51 Actually the the freeman for everyone, and the the comments are extremely thorough and helpful.
18:28:59 I actually I I indeed learn quite a bit from their comments.
18:29:04 Yeah, thank you very much, very good I'll echo both of those sentiments.
18:29:09 Thank you, Staff, and thank you for the public comments if there's nothing else Here, then, i'm going to adjourn this meeting at 6 29.