CITY OF SIGNAL HILL 2175 Cherry Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755-3799 AGENDA ITEM TO: FROM: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SCOTT CHARNEY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT: 2013 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT Summary: Government Code Section 65400 mandates that all cities submit to their legislative bodies an annual report on the status of the General Plan and progress in its implementation. Recommendation: Authorize submittal of the Annual Progress Report to the Governor s Office of Planning and Research and the Department of Housing and Community Development. Fiscal Impact: None. Background: The Governor s Office of Planning and Research recommends that all California cities prepare an annual progress report on the status and implementation of the General Plan. The last comprehensive revision of the Signal Hill General Plan occurred in 1986. The Land Use Element was updated in 1989 and 2001. The Housing Element was updated in 1989, 2002, 2008 and 2014. The Circulation and Noise Elements were updated in 2010.
Page 2 Analysis: The annual review of the General Plan provides an opportunity to reflect upon the progress made during the past year. The attached progress report is for calendar year 2013 (Attachment A). It provides an analysis of achievement of goals and implementation of policies for each of the General Plan elements. Land Use Element The Land Use Element of the General Plan is Signal Hill s vision of its future and sets forth goals, policies and objectives for the land use, the community and physical environment. Notable Land Use achievements in 2013 include: Projects Completed: Applebee s restaurant and bar at Gateway retail center at 899 E. Spring Street opened. Construction completed at new Police Station and Emergency Operations Center at 2745 Walnut Avenue. Construction completed at temporary showroom for the Glenn E. Thomas FIAT dealership at 2002 E. Spring Street. Installation of charging stations for electric vehicles completed at Glenn E. Thomas FIAT dealership at 2002 E. Spring Street. 99 Only Store opened. Completed work at new optical center at Costco at 2200 E. Willow Street. Pacificwalk/Signal Hill Collection construction completed at 54-unit townhomestyle condominium project on Pacific Coast Highway at Orizaba Avenue. Installation of traffic signal completed as well. Construction completed on second units at two properties (3329 Cerritos and 3332 Falcon Avenues). Construction completed on conversion of an existing duplex structure to a singlefamily dwelling and construction of a detached second unit at 1866 Stanley Avenue. Construction completed on two single-family dwellings at 1972-1974 Dawson Avenue. Second unit at 3347 Brayton Avenue. Projects Under Construction: Office building at 2665 Walnut Avenue. Aragon development 81-unit townhome-style condominium project on Orizaba Avenue, south of 19th Street. Renewed permits for religious facility at 995 E. 27th Street.
Page 3 Projects Approved: Approved plans for gas station at Costco at 2200 E. Willow Street. Approved expansion and renovation plans for Long Beach Honda at 1500 E. Spring Street. Approved plans for final building at Signal Hill Gateway Center featuring Chipotle, Sprint and Starbucks as well as ATM kiosk for Bank of America. Approved plans for medical office building at 845 E. Willow Street. Ordinances: Adopted Construction Time Limit Ordinance. Adopted revised development standards for properties with oil wells in response to changes at State Department of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. Amended the Zoning Ordinance to comply with State mandates regarding development of emergency shelters. Adopted new regulations for new and existing trucking yard operations focusing on minimizing nuisances such as traffic, dust, and hours of operation. The specific plan for the affordable housing project at 1500 E. Hill Street was amended to comply with State mandates regarding density and the development review process. In addition, a Request for Qualifications for interested developers was circulated. Housing Element The Housing Element identifies constraints and opportunities in creating affordable housing in the City and serves as a comprehensive strategy of goals, policies and programs to preserve, upgrade, and create housing in general. It is the only element that is reviewed separately by the State Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). It should be noted that although in 2013, the City began the process of updating the Housing Element for the next planning period (2013-2021), the following discussion refers to the current, 2008-2014 Housing Element. In 2012, HCD certified the 2008-2014 Housing Element and found it to be in full compliance with State housing element law. Signal Hill s Regional Housing Needs Assessment allocation (commonly called RHNA) was 222 units for the period of January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2014. The Housing Element demonstrates that the City has identified adequate sites to accommodate development of the RHNA allocation. State law does not, however, require that the housing be built. The Annual Housing Element progress report tracks the production of housing. Recently, HCD mandated that the Annual Housing Element progress reports be submitted in a format approved by the Department pursuant to Government Code Section 65583. Accordingly, staff prepared the Housing Element portion of the General Plan progress report in the State prescribed format. Achievements in 2013 include:
Page 4 In 2013, 50 building permits were issued for new dwelling units. This raises the running tally of housing produced during the planning period to 232 units, which exceeded the RHNA allocation of 222 units. The City can accommodate an additional 31 low income housing units, but development of the units has not occurred to date. The City conducted community outreach and began preparation of the 2013-2021 Housing Element Update with the goal of adoption and submittal to HCD prior to February 12, 2014, in order to qualify for an eight year cycle for the next update. Circulation Element The Circulation Element establishes guidelines and policy direction for the development and maintenance of a comprehensive transportation system in the city and works with other general plan elements and regional transportation planning documents to plan for long-term development, maintenance, and enhancement of the area s circulation system. Key achievements for 2013 include: Completed the acquisition of properties for the Cherry Avenue widening project and the City received the authorization to go to bid on the construction and move into the construction phase. Noise Element The Noise Element establishes goals, policies and implementation measures to limit the community s exposure to excessive noise levels. Accomplishments for 2013 include: Enforcement of noise standards incorporated as a part of the 2010 Building Codes. In 2013, the analysis of negative impacts associated with the twelve existing trucking yards was completed and an ordinance amendment was adopted that included new development standards for existing trucking yards and began implementation of compliance plans for property improvements and maintenance. As part of the review, a traffic study was prepared analyzing current and alternative truck routes in the City. Environmental Resources and Parks and Recreation Master Plan State law allows local governments to combine two or more elements according to local needs and existing conditions. This was done in Signal Hill through the combination of the Open Space and Conservation Elements into the Environmental Resources Element in 1986. In 1989, the General Plan was amended to include the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to provide a blueprint for the development of the City s parks and trails system.
Page 5 In 2008, the Parks and Recreation Commission and Community Services Department completed a Recreation Needs Assessment which will provide the basis for updating the Environmental Resources Element. Work on an update of this element will begin when funding becomes available. Key achievements for Environmental Resources and Parks in 2013 include: In 2013, the Sustainable City Committee continued to work on local urban environmental goals. In December 2013, the City Council reviewed plans for the community garden at 1917 E. 21 st Street and gave authorization to go out to bid for the project. Construction plans for the new library to be located across the street from City Hall are 50% complete, however, funding is uncertain due to the State s dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency. Safety Element The State mandated Safety and Seismic Safety Elements have been combined into the Safety Element. RGP Planning and Development Services prepared a draft Update of the 1986 Safety Element. Information about the Oil Code and oil field operations is included in the Safety Element. Recently, the Division of Gas & Geothermal Resources modified their review process regarding well certification and construction site plan review. The modification requires that the City prepare a comprehensive update of the Oil Code. Preparation is ongoing. In order to have the most up to date information in the General Plan, the Safety Element will not be scheduled for Planning Commission and City Council review until the Oil Code update is completed. The following discussion refers to the current Safety Element from 1986. Achievements in 2013 include: Construction of the Emergency Operations Center at the police station at 2745 Walnut Avenue was completed. Staff worked with Signal Hill Petroleum to establish a notification system for upcoming well work. Signal Hill Petroleum provides a courtesy notice to nearby residents and the City about the type of work that will be done, the duration of the work, what to expect with the work and contact information for Signal Hill Petroleum. The City continued to work on a comprehensive update of the Oil Code in response to changes made by the Division of Gas & Geothermal Resources. Approved: Kenneth C. Farfsing