CC SR 20210216 E - Notice of Support of SBCCOG Regional Planner
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 02/16/2021
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter in support of
hiring a SBCCOG regional planner.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the SBCCOG Board of Directors in support
of hiring a regional planner to monitor and interpret land -use issues.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: McKenzie Bright, Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Draft letter of support for SBCCOG regional planner (page A-1)
B. Memo from SBCCOG Steering Committee to SBCCOG Board of Directors
regarding regional planner (page B-1)
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
Over the past several months, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG)
has been exploring a proposal to hire a regional planner who would work with member
cities on land use issues and monitor and interpret housing legislation as well as
enhancing the SBCCOG’s climate action work.
On February 8, 2021, the Steering Committee recommended that the Board of Directors
adopt the scope of work and special assessment for a regional planner.
The regional planner will work in consultation on community development directors to
assist cities in navigating the proliferation of state housing legislative proposals,
including tracking legislation, recommending advocacy positions to be taken by the
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SBCCOG, and supporting or participating in legislative advocacy on behalf of the
SBCCOG. The planner would also be a resource to cities in tracking compliance with
state housing law and providing technical assistance as needed.
In addition to local land use policies, the regional planner would work with other
SBCCOG and city staff on transportation planning, economic development, and
homelessness to ensure that policy, planning, and project development efforts are
coordinated.
The regional planner would also track, participate, and implement Southern California
Association of Governments (SCAG) regional plans, Regional Housing Needs
Allocation (RHNA) process, and Regional Early Action Program (REAP) programs.
SBCCOG intends to use funding from the REAP program as permissible to pay for part
of the position, with the remaining be assessed based on the population categories of
member cities. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes would be assessed approximately
$6,500 annually for the regional planner.
It is anticipated that the state Legislature will consider a record number of local land use
bills this session, and the City Council has strongly opposed legislation that seeks to
limit local land use authority. The SBCCOG regional planner could serve as a valuable
resource to the City related to land use legislation, as well as providing support to the
City and the SBCCOG on a variety of housing and planning policies and programs.
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the SBCCOG
Board of Directors, as drafted or with revisions, in support of hiring a re gional planner.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The City and the other three Peninsula cities are in the process of issuing a request for
proposal to consider hiring a lobbyist to assist in tracking and monitoring land use and
housing issues, among other possible issues, germane to the Peninsula. The Pe ninsula
cities are in the early stages of this proposal, and more information, including a joint
service agreement may be presented to the City Council later this year.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available
for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify revised language to add to the letter.
2. Do not authorize the Mayor to sign the letter.
3. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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February 16, 2021 Via Email
The Honorable Olivia Valentine
Chair, Board of Directors
South Bay Cities Council of Governments
2355 Crenshaw Boulevard, Suite 125
Torrance, CA 90501
SUBJECT: Notice of Support for SBCCOG Regional Planner
Dear Chair Valentine:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports SBCCOG’s hiring of a regional planner to
work under the direction of the SBCCOG on priorities established by the city community
development directors and the SBCCOG.
A regional planner tasked with working with cities on land use issues and monitoring
and interpreting housing legislation, as well as other portions of the SBCCOG strategic
plan will be an invaluable resource to the SBCCOG and to member cities including
Rancho Palos Verdes.
It is essential to have a unified message preserving local land use authority, particularly
with the anticipation that the state Legislature will consider a record number of local land
use and housing bills this session. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes is looking forward
to working with the SBCCOG, other cities, and the regional planner in navigating the
proliferation of state housing legislative proposals.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes has long supported the SBCCOG and appreciates its
many advocacy efforts and forum to work collaboratively with other South Bay cities.
We strongly encourage the board to approve the hiring of a regional planner to oversee
the SBCCOG’s housing and development program.
Sincerely,
Eric Alegria
Mayor
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Chair Valentine
February 16, 2021
Page 2
cc: SBCCOG Board of Directors
Jacki Bacharach, Executive Director, SBCCOG
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Ara Mihranian, City Manager
Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
A-2
South Bay Cities Council of Governments
January 28, 2021
TO: SBCCOG Board of Directors
FROM: SBCCOG Steering Committee
RE: Special Assessment for SBCCOG Regional Planner
Adherence to the Strategic Plan
Goal A: Environment, Transportation and Economic Development. Facilitate,
implement and/or educate members and others about environmental, transportation
and economic development programs that benefit the South Bay.
Goal B: Regional Advocacy. Advocate for the interests of the South Bay.
Goal C: Member Networking and Communications. Sustain and strengthen Board and
member commitment to SBCCOG and its initiatives.
Background
Over the last few months, SBCCOG staff has been discussing with the Community
Development Directors and City Managers the idea of the SBCCOG hiring a planner
who would work with cities on land use issues and monitor and interpret housing
legislation as well as enhancing the SBCCOG’s climate action work. See attached
draft scope of work.
This discussion has been precipitated by the many issues that are coming to COG’s
dealing with land use. Not only the proliferation of state housing legislative proposals,
but also SCAG relying on the COGs to administer and develop the Regional Early
Action Program (REAP) for which we will be working on 4 projects with Community
Development Directors for several years. In the last two years, Gateway COG has
hired a planner for their region and they have found it very helpful.
This person would be a resource to address issues shared by all of the cities. In most
cases, the existing city staff are working to their limit, busy with their existing
workload.
The Community Development Directors, City Managers and Steering Committee have
been supportive of the proposal knowing that it would need to be financed through a
special assessment. A matrix of two possible special assessment scenarios is attached.
The first column is a breakdown of cities by size which is the same as the way we
financed the development of the cities’ climate actions plans. The second column has
one cost for all cities.
It is the staff’s intention to use funding from the REAP program as permissible to pay for
part of this position and if the entire assessment is not needed, the excess would roll over
into the following year reducing the assessment for that year. Gateway COG finances their
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planner through SB2 funds which cities receive every year which also could be a potential
source of funds for cities to pay the assessment.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the hiring of a planner for the subregion who would work under the direction of the
SBCCOG on priorities established by the City Community Development Directors and the
SBCCOG. The position will be funded by an assessment based on the population categories
(1s column) in the attached matrix.
B-2
Draft Scope of Work – South Bay COG Director of Regional Development*
*Regional Planning might be more descriptive but some funds won’t pay for planning
December 2020
The Director of Regional Development is responsible for conducting the agency’s housing and
development program as follows:
Always in consultation with the city Community Development Directors:
• Assist the COG and member jurisdictions in developing a coherent housing policy to ensure that
state policy goals to accelerate housing production are met, while also meeting the local needs
of communities in the SBCCOG region;
• Track state housing policy and legislation, recommend advocacy positions to be taken by the
SBCCOG Board and support or participate in legislative advocacy on behalf of the SBCCOG as
directed;
• Track and participate in the development of regional plans, particularly the Regional
Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) periodically developed by
SCAG; track and participate in related regional committee meetings (Technical Working Group,
Regional Council, Policy Committees, etc.); and keep COG members informed of their
implications;
• Track and participate in SCAG’s RHNA process, including RHNA Subcommittee meetings for the
distribution methodology, and keep COG members informed of the process and its implications;
• Oversee the implementation of the SCAG REAP programs that the SBCCOG has submitted on
behalf of SBCCOG cities;
• Work with other COG and city program staff, including transportation planning, economic
development, and homelessness to ensure that policy, planning, and project development
efforts are coordinated;
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of what cities are doing throughout the state on
complying with requirements, i.e. best practices, re: ADU’s, public participation, etc.;
• Track member jurisdictions’ compliance with state housing law and assure they receive technical
assistance as needed;
• Be a resource to cities on request – conducting research, assisting with RFP’s
• Further develop the agency’s climate planning initiatives by ensuring member jurisdictions
continue to use the Climate Action Planning Framework; update the CAP Framework and
develop additional tools as needed;
• Recommend and develop additional innovative planning programs as needed, and monitor and
share funding opportunities to help the South Bay Cities prosper economically, environmentally,
and socially.
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Special Assessment Proposed for Regional Planner
OVER 75,000 population
Carson 9,000 7060
Hawthorne 9,000 7060
Inglewood 9,000 7060
Los Angeles County 9,000 7060
Los Angeles City 9,000 7060
Torrance 9,000 7060
30,000 TO 75,000 population
Gardena 6,500 7060
Lawndale 6,500 7060
Manhattan Beach 6,500 7060
Rancho Palos Verdes 6,500 7060
Redondo Beach 6,500 7060
UNDER 30,000 population
El Segundo 4,000 7060
Hermosa Beach 4,000 7060
Lomita 4,000 7060
Palos Verdes Estates 4,000 7060
Rolling Hills 4,000 7060
Rolling Hills Estates 4,000 7060
TOTAL 110,500 120020
Gateway COG has a budget of $130,000 for this position. With their REAP funding, it is now closer to $150,000.
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