Item 28 - Resolutions to Exempt Parcels from AB 2011 and SB 6

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Resolutions to Exempt Parcels from AB 2011 and SB 6 May 16, 2023 Page 3 3 4 5 0 provided under Senate Bill 35 (SB 35), which would make the project ministerial. There is no affordability requirement in this bill. A detailed list of criteria can be found in Exhibit 3. The provisions will sunset on January 1, 2033, unless extended through subsequent legislation. SB 6 also includes a provision that permits local governments from exempting parcels from streamlining permitted under the bill provided the local agency makes certain findings. To exempt parcels of land from SB 6 streamlining, a local agency must make written findings that either lost residential density caused by the exemption will be reallocated to other lots so that there is no net loss, or that the lost residential density can be accommodated on a site or sites allowing residential densities at or above the density for the housing development deemed appropriate to accommodate housing for lower income households in that jurisdiction. Impacts to the General Plan The City of Santa Ana recently completed a comprehensive update of its General Plan, including the adoption of a new land use plan, to guide future development and address the City's housing needs. That new land use plan includes over 770 acres of land that were re-designated to allow residential density at or exceeding 30 dwelling units per acre, which is the threshold established and deemed appropriate by State law to accommodate housing for lower income households for jurisdictions in a metropolitan county. The General Plan Update is the culmination of nearly seven years of work that included over 100 community meetings and workshops, surveys, focus groups, public hearings, and City resources to arrive at a plan that accurately reflects the core values of the Santa Ana community, bridges disparate views into a unifying vision, and accordingly plans for future development in a manner that respects established neighborhoods while meeting the needs of future generations. The General Plan Update, and the community input and engagement process used for the Update, resulted in the City Council’s adoption of five Focus Areas in which new mixed-use and residential development at medium and high densities may be constructed. Moreover, these areas are the subject of Zoning Code and public realm plan updates that will account for the infrastructure improvements needed to sustain new quality housing developments and communities in the long term. Projects submitted under the provisions of AB 2011 and SB 6 stand to undermine the recently adopted Land Use Element and the efforts of the community and City Council involved in creating the Element’s land use plan. 6th Cycle Housing Element Update The State of California Government Code Section 65302(c) mandates that each city include a housing element in their general plan. The Santa Ana Housing Element is required to identify and analyze existing and projected housing needs, and include statements of the City’s goals, policies, quantified objectives, and programs for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing for all income levels over an