CC MIN 2014-10-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

� RESOLUTION No. 15376 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY TO ADOPT THE NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR THE REDWOOQ CITY 2015-2023 HOUSING ELEMENT AND TO ADOPT THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY DRAFT 2015-2023 HOUSING ELEMENT M/S Aguirre/Pierce to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote. Mayor Gee asked that staff provide clarification on various items. Dr. Bell covered the following items: 1) in regards to the eight years Dr. Bell said that that State set that requirement and it is an eight year cycle, and 2) and he also added that the Plan is due to the State by the end of the year, and 3) lastly Dr. Bell noted that the programs listed are the ones that are more prescriptive in nature and we will have more clarity and these will come back to Council in early 2015 with further details and clarifications. Mr. Aknin also commented that while this is an eight year cycle, the Housing Element can be amended in the future. There is also a concern that if it does not get adopted within the timeline there are penalties and additional requirements, and one could open the City to lawsuits and make oneself non-eligible for a number of funds such for Transportation. One Council Member asked staff to address the concerns from the speakers that the Plan was not ambitious enough. Mr. Aknin said that Redwood City can always exceed the Plan and the programs will be more prescriptive. Vice Mayor Foust read the numbers from the staff report and she noted that Redwood City is home to 25 percent of the entire Habitat for Humanity projects in the bay area. She also asked staff to talk about water and Mr. Aknin said that an Environmental Impact Report was done and the average water use was analyzed and considered. One other Council Member noted that it is great to see that this got pre-approved by the State and it has not always been this way before. He concurred that this is an overarching policy document and that Redwood City has a history of exceeding its goals. This Council Member said that we have been very aggressive and he would challenge our aggressiveness against anybody else's aggressiveness. He believes that we will see this Plan come to its fruition and he believes that we should continue to make this our issue. Another Council Member said that we are planning for water use and our community and the City have been doing a good job in saving water and we are below what is allocated to us. She also added that the recycling water program helps very much. This Council Member noted that she is happy to see that all age groups were included. She also inquired about what other cities are doing to address the housing shortage. Mr. Aknin said that we are doing what other cities are doing and possibly exceeding it and we are all participating in the Nexus Study. This Council Member added that not all jurisdictions are happy with the RHNA numbers but in Redwood City we have embraced them. REVISED JOINT CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY BOARD October 20, 2014 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 6 MINUTE BOOK NO. 65 Page No. 258