PC RES 2024-006 P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2024-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL, DETERMINE THE HOUSING ELEMENT PROJECT WAS
ADEQUATELY ASSESSED IN THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED
NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE 2021-2029 HOUSING
ELEMENT AND ASSOCIATED HOUSING PROGRAMS; APPROVE A
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR THE REVISED FINAL 2021-
2029 HOUSING ELEMENT (CASE NO. PLGP2022-0001)AS REVISED
MARCH 15, 2024 TO COMPLY WITH STATE HOUSING LAW;
APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE
ELEMENT AND LAND USE MAP FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THE
REVISED FINAL 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT; ADOPTION OF
ZONE CHANGES, ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS, COASTAL
SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENTS AND CODE AMENDMENTS TO
EFFECTUATE THE REVISED FINAL 2021-2029 HOUSING
ELEMENT; AND ADOPT UPDATED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
FOR ACCESSORY DWELLING & JUNIOR ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNITS TO COMPLY WITH STATE HOUSING LAW (CASE NOS.
PLGP2024-001, PLZC2024-001, PLCA2024-001 & PLCA 2024-002).
WHEREAS, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes is required by State Housing law to update
the Housing Element of its General Plan for the next planning period covering 2021-2029 (6th
Cycle) to include policies, strategies, and actions to facilitate the construction of new housing
and preservation of existing housing to meet the needs of the City's population during the 6th
Cycle period, as well as to accommodate the City's Regional Housing Needs Assessment
(RHNA) allocation for new housing units in various income categories throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, on August 24, 2021, the City Council and the Planning Commission
conducted a joint-study session as part of an extensive community engagement process, which
also included on-line surveying, messaging, stakeholder interviews and workshops to collect
public comments on the drafting of the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update; and
WHEREAS, on October 12, 2021, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public
hearing to hear public testimony, reviewed and commented on the Draft Housing Element,
which was forwarded to the City Council for consideration; and
WHEREAS, on October 19, 2021, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing to
hear public testimony and to review and comment on the Draft Housing Element. The City
Council directed City staff to make minor modifications and forward the revised Draft Housing
Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for
review; and
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WHEREAS, on November 19, 2021, the Draft Housing Element was transmitted to-HCD ----- - - -
for review and comment; and
WHEREAS, on January 18, 2022, HCD provided written comments to the City on the
Draft Housing Element; and
WHEREAS, on May 17, 2022, HCD staff visited the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, which
included a tour of the City to better understand site constraints and challenges facing the City
in the identification of new housing sites; and
WHEREAS, on July 26, 2022, a public notice was published in the Daily Breeze informing
the public of the City Council's consideration to adopt a Negative Declaration and approve a
General Plan Amendment for the City's 2021-2029 Final Draft Housing Element Update; and
WHEREAS, on August 9, 2022, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing to
consider adopting a resolution forwarding recommendations to the City Council to consider
adopting a Negative Declaration and approving a General Plan Amendment for the City's 2021-
2029 Final Draft Housing Element Update; and
WHEREAS, the Initial Study, that analyzed the reasonably foreseeable environmental
impacts from the adoption and implementation of the Housing Element, and Negative
Declaration were distributed for circulation and review from January 13, 2022 through February
14, 2022; and
WHEREAS, after issuing notice pursuant to the requirements of the City's Zoning Code
and the State CEQA Guidelines, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes held a
public hearing on August 11, 2022, at which time all interested parties were given an opportunity
to be heard and present evidence; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the Negative Declaration and the 2021-2029 Draft
Housing Element Update on August 11, 2022 and City staff submitted the documents to HCD;
and
WHEREAS, on October 14, 2022 HCD issued a letter to the City acknowledging receipt
if the 2021-2029 Draft Housing Element Update on August 30, 2022 and reporting the results
of HCD's review, noting that the adopted element addresses many statutory requirements
described in HCD's prior review, but that revisions are necessary to comply with the State
Housing Element Law; and
WHEREAS, between October 14, 2022 and September 14, 2023 the City coordinated
with HCD through an informal review process to revise the Housing Element for compliance
with State Housing Element Law, leading the City to prepare a comprehensive site by site
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analysis prepared by its consultant Dudek that provides details and justification for each site's
feasibility as a housing site; and
WHEREAS, on September 14, 2023 the City submitted for informal review a 2021-2029
Revised Draft Housing Element Update; and
WHEREAS, on November 17, 2023 City staff and HCD staff discussed the revisions and
the City explained the comprehensive site by site analysis; and
WHEREAS, on November 30, 2023 HCD confirmed the list of concerns that were
discussed on November 17, 2023 with added final comments from HCD; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2023 City staff and HCD staff discussed the City's
responses to the November 30, 2023 list of concerns and HCD had to still review the
comprehensive site by site analysis; and
WHEREAS, on January 25, 2024 City staff and HCD staff discussed the City's responses
and HCD staff recommended the City submit the revised document for formal review; and
WHEREAS, the City submitted to HCD for formal review the 2021-2029 Draft Housing
Element Update dated January 30, 2024 both electronically and hard copy with an official
submittal date of February 7, 2024 after the required posting and noticing period; and
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2024 City staff and HCD staff discussed the formal review and
HCD provided final revisions to be made; and
WHEREAS, on March 14, 2024 City staff submitted the final revisions and HCD staff
confirmed that there were no additional comments and provided instructions to post the
revisions on the City's website and email the link to all individuals and organizations that have
previously requested notices relating to the City's housing element for at least 7 days, and then
officially submit the revisions as part of the formal review; and
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2024 City staff posted the final revisions on the City's website
and emailed the link to all individuals and organizations that had previously requested notices;
and
WHEREAS, on March 22, 2024, seven days following the posting and emailing of the
revised document, City staff submitted the revisions to HCD staff to complete the formal review;
and
WHEREAS, to effectuate the Housing Element by implementing zoning revisions that will
accommodate the capacity for the housing as proposed in the Housing Element Update to meet
the City's RHNA obligation, City staff prepared amendments to the General Plan Land Use
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Element, Local Coastal Program (Coastal Specific Plan), and Zoning Code including the Zoning
Map; and
WHEREAS, Addendum No. 1 to the adopted Negative Declaration has been prepared to
amend the Negative Declaration's project description to describe revisions to the draft Housing
Element document, the related General Plan Land Use Element, the Coastal Specific Plan, and
the zoning implementing the Housing Element, and provide analysis regarding whether the
amendments to the project description require subsequent environmental review; and
WHEREAS, on March 26, 2024, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed
public hearing to consider adopting a resolution forwarding recommendations to the City Council
to consider making a determination the Negative Declaration, as amended by Addendum No.
1, adequately assessed the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts from the adoption
and implementation of the revised Housing Element, approving a General Plan Amendment for
the City's 2021-2029 Final Draft Housing Element Update, a General Plan Amendment for the
Land Use Element, a Local Coastal Plan (Coastal Specific Plan)Amendment, Zoning Changes
inclusive of Zoning Map amendments and Code Amendments, to effectuate the Housing
Element.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by
reference.
Section 2: The update to the City's General Plan Housing Element and related
actions to effectuate the updated Housing Element are necessary to comply with State law
and a r e consistent with the General Plan
Section 3: The proposed project is an amendment to the Rancho Palos Verdes
General Plan Housing Element, and corresponding General Plan Land Use Element, Local
Coastal Plan, and ZoningCode revisions, in accordance with State Law requirements. The
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Housing Element, Land Use Element, and Local Coastal Plan are policy documents that
include policies, strategies, and actions to facilitate the construction of new housing and
preservation of existinghousingto meet the needs of the City's population. As such, the
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proposed amendment will not create or result in any significant impacts to the General Plan,
Local Coastal Plan, or Zoning Code, nor be in conflict with any applicable environmental plans
or policies, be incompatible with existing land uses, affect agricultural resources, or disrupt the
h sical arrangement of the established community. Therefore, there will be no significant land
physical g Yg
,use or planning impacts associated with this project.
Section 4: The proposed project does not include any physical modifications or
alterations of the existing land or structures. Any physical modifications or alterations to existing
land and/or structures as a result of the project objectives will be addressed through separate
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environmental analysis consistent with CEQA. As such, there will be no significant exposure to
Aesthetics, Agriculture Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources,
Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards/Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water
Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services,
Recreation, Transportation/Traffic, or Utilities/Service Systems, as a result of the proposed
project. Further, for this reason, the proposed project does not have impacts that are individually
limited but cumulatively considerable, nor have environmental impacts that would cause
substantial adverse effects on human beings, directly or indirectly.
Section 5: As discussed in the Initial Study, which is incorporated herein by reference,
the project does not have any potential to achieve short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term,
environmental goals, nor will the project have impacts which are individually limited, but
cumulatively considerable.
Section 6: The Planning Commission finds that the Revised Final Draft Housing
Element, which includes all revisions based on HCD's comments from the October 14, 2022
letter on the Draft Housing Element adopted on August 11, 2022 and subsequent informal
review discussions, adequately responds to the concerns addressed by HCD and is
substantially compliant with the State Housing Element Law and recommends that the City
Council approve the Final Housing Element as revised March 15, 2024 (Exhibit A), which
includes revisions requested by HCD, and with any final edits that may be recommended by
HCD, in order to further encourage the provision of housing in a manner which adequately
serves the needs of all present and future community residents in compliance with State
law.
Section 7: The Planning Commission has reviewed the Negative Declaration adopted
on August 11, 2022 and Addendum No. 1 dated March 2024 and recommends the City Council
determine, based upon on its independent judgment, after consideration of the whole of the
administrative record, the project was assessed in Negative Declaration adopted on August 11,
2022; and pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15162 and 15164, and the Addendum No 1, attached
as Exhibit B, that no major revisions are required to the Negative Declaration and no subsequent
EIR or negative declaration is required for approval of the project.
Section 8: The Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments to the 2018
General Plan Land Use Element (Exhibit C) to include a Mixed-Use Overlay District, a
Residential Overlay District, and an amendment to the Land Use Map to include those overlay
districts and to reclassify two residential properties (Assessor Parcel No. 7573-006-024 and
Assessor Parcel No. 7578-002-011) to a higher density, and recommends City Council adopt
these amendments to effectuate the Final Draft Housing Element.
Section 9: The Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments to the Local
Coastal Program (LCP)(Coastal Specific Plan) and Land Use Map (Exhibit D) to change the
land use of one residentially-designated property (Assessor Parcel No. 7573-006-024) in
Subregion 4 to allow for higher density up to 22 dwelling units per acre, and recommends City
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Council adopt these amendments to effectuate the Final Draft Housing Element.
Section 10: The Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments to Title 17
(Zoning) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (Exhibit E)to include a Mixed Use Overlay
District, a Residential Overlay District, Definitions and an amendment to the Zoning Map to
include those overlay districts and to reclassify two residential properties (Assessor Parcel No.
7573-006-024 and Assessor Parcel No. 7578-002-011) to a higher density, and recommends
City Council adopt these amendments to effectuate the Final Draft Housing Element.
Section 11: The Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments to the Zoning
Code regulations related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling
(JADUS) Units (Exhibit F) to bring the code in compliance with state requirements for ADU &
JADU ordinances and recommends City Council adopt these amendments to effectuate the
Final Draft Housing Element, with any final edits that may be recommended by HCD.
Section 12: The Planning Commission makes the additional recommendations to City
Council for their consideration:
1. Require that the MUOD and ROD parking is covered parking;
2. Add the façade articulation requirements that are in the MUOD to the ROD
regulations;
3. Only qualify the MUOD and ROD developable areas for these development
standards, specifically the developable areas on the Salvation Army site and the
UCLA sites,
4. Consider the proximity of the Clipper Site #16 on the sites inventory to the landslide
complex and the geological impact of development at the site and communicate with
HCD to consider the removal of this site or shifting the units to another site;
5. Provide a site by site potential impacts summary page of information to City Council;
6. Consider not eliminating view preservation for the two sites #16 and #17 that are
proposed for upzoning.
FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission forward a copy of this resolution to
the City Council so the Council will be informed of the action of the Planning Commission.
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PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 26th day of March, 2024 by the following vote:
AYES: BRACH, NELSON, NULMAN, PERESTAM, SAADATNEJADI, VICE CHAIR
SANTAROSA, CHAIR CHURA
NOES: NONE
ABSTENTIONS: NONE
RECUSALS: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
• Qi4A--
David C h u ra
Chair
Br fd'' orbes, AICP
Director of Community Development; and
Secretary of the Planning Commission
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