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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORRESPONDENCE - WSCity Council Meeting Correspondence 12/5/2017 item No. WS WORK STUDY SESSION - DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION ORDINANCES Date of Correspondence 1 121512017 *RA - Recommended Action Name Steven C. LaMotte Representative of Chapter Executive Officer, BIA/OC In Favor In opposition of RA*. of RA*. Yes No Tuesday, December 5, 2017 Page 1 of 1 Mitre -Ramirez, Norma From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Fyi Thanks, Vince C. Fregoso, AICP City of Santa Ana Planning and Building Agency 20 Civic Center Plaza, M-20 Santa Ana, CA 92701 T: (714) 667-2713 F: (714) 973-1461 www.santa-ana.org/pba Fregoso, Vince Tuesday, December 5, 2017 2:50 PM Huizar, Maria; Mitre -Ramirez, Norma; Orozco, Norma FW: BIA/OC Support Letter - Small Lot Ordinance Study Session Item BIAOC - Study Session Small Lot Support letter 12.5.17.pdf From: Steve La Motte [ Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2017 2:48 PM To: City Council Cc: Pulido, Miguel; Sarmiento, Vicente; Martinez, Michele; Solorio, Jose; Benavides, David; Villegas, Juan; Tinajero, Sal Subject: BIA/OC Support Letter - Small Lot Ordinance Study Session Item Mayor and City Council Members, Please see the attached letter supporting tonight's Small Lot Ordinance policy discussion. Please also refer to my recent op-ed speaking to the Small Lot Development and the benefits that come with it (Link Below). The Small Lot will offer future Orange County generations the opportunity at home ownership as all of OC moves more towards an infill environment. http://www.latimes.com/socaI/daily-pilot/opinion/tn-dpt-me-commentary-sundae-20170905-story htmI Best, Steven C. LaMotte Chapter Executive Officer Building Industry Association I Orange County Chapter (BIA/OC) 24 Executive Park, Ste 100 Irvine, CA 92614 (949) 553-9500 ext. 863 (949) 777-3863 Direct SLaMotte@biaoc.com Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER December 5, 2017 Mayor Miguel Pulido City of Santa Ana 22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Work Study Session - Small Lot Ordinance — Support Dear Mayor Pulido and Council, The Building Industry Association of Southern California, Orange County Chapter (BIA/OC) is a non-profit trade association with over 1,100 -member companies employing over 100,000 people affiliated with the home building industry. The Orange County Chapter represents the largest member base within BIA Southern California. Our mission is to champion housing as the foundation of vibrant and sustainable communities. As a key stakeholder in Orange County, the BIA/OC would like to offer our support for the proposed Small Lot Ordinance, as approved by the Planning Commission. Over the next 25 years, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) predicts a population increase of 400,000 residents in Orange County. Additionally, according to a recent report by the California Legislative Analyst's Office, Orange County needs an additional 7,000 homes per year to meet demand. Statewide, that number increases to a staggering 100,000 homes. With the adoption of the Small Lot Ordinance, the City of Santa Ana will be adequately prepared to absorb this influx and contribute to the overall housing stock of the County and State while maintaining its overall character and charm. Further, we are pleased to see the environmentally positive land use elements being contemplated within this plan. Adding more efficient, attainable housing in centrally located Santa Ana, close to jobs and essential services, will help in balancing Orange County's jobs to housing ratio, assist in alleviating traffic, and may contribute to State -mandated environmental and regional planning policies. y BIH PRESIDENT PHIL BODEM MERITAGE HOMES VICE PRESIDENT MIKE GARTLAN KB HOME TREASURER RICK WOOD TRI POINTE HOMES SECRETARY SUNTI KUMJIM MBKHOMES IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT JIM YATES RANCHO MISSION VIEJO TRADE CONTRACTOR V.P. ALAN BOUDREAU BOUDREAU PIPELINE CORPORATION ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT MARK HIMMELSTEIN NEWMEYER & DILLION, LLP MEMBER -AT -LARGE LAURAARCHULETA JAMBOREE HOUSING MEMBER -AT -LARGE SCOTTSTARKEY STARKEY COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE OFFICER STEVE LA MOW E In approving the terms of this ordinance, Santa Ana will truly be promoting housing affordability and ownership opportunities that generations before us were able to enjoy. As always, we remain a resource to the City on important issues that are related to the well being of our local communities. Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration. Respectfully, Steven C. LaMotte Chapter Executive Officer Ease the O.C. housing crisis by allowing development on small lots - Daily Pilot Pagel of 3 Commentary Ease the O.C. housing crisis by allowing development on small lots The Rancho Mission Viejo neighborhood of Sendero near San Juan Capistrano. One way to ease Orange County's housing supply shortfall is small -lot development, Steven LaMotte writes. (Mark Boater / Los Angeles Times) By Steven LaMotte SEPTEMBER 5, 2017, 12:25 PM The Orange County housing story continues to read the same: low supply, high demand and increasing costs. The Orange County Business Council puts the housing supply shortfall at 50,000 to 62,000 units per year. And, just recently, the O.C. Register reported that home listings were at a four-year low in Orange County and throughout Southern California. At the state level, the Department of Housing and Community Development's recently released Housing Assessment Report predicts that California will need 1.8 million units by 2025, or t8o,000 new units annually, to meet population and household growth. Undoubtedly, the cost to buy a home continues to rise. In March, the Saddleback College South Orange County EconQQomic Report placed the 2oi6 O.C. median home price at $728,500, with the average sales Su rt prl� usultU b rily gi icng up to 5TfJ%1I1 W-)Cr7. http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinion/tn-dpt-me-commentary-sunday-2017090... 12/5/2017 Ease the O.C. housing crisis by allowing development on small lots - Daily Pilot Page 2 of 3 It should come as no surprise that home ownership rates are at an all-time low, with Orange and Los Angeles counties facing the lowest in the nation. While many factors have contributed to our current crisis, let's not ignore the simple concept of supply and demand, and figure out how to increase supply. So, how do local policymakers work to generate more for -sale housing as available land remains scarce, and the American dream of owning a home continues to remain just that — a dream? One solution: small lot development. Southern California is no stranger to the small lot home. Passed in 2005, Los Angeles was already struggling with a lack of land, attainable housing and a twiddling home ownership rate and looked to a smaller, innovative for -sale product to increase supply. In a nutshell, the city would subdivide lots within existing multifamily and commercial zones to accommodate detached townhomes that would allow buyers to own the unit and land underneath. According to the city, from 20o6-13, in a recessionary economic climate, more than 16o subdivision cases were filed, resulting in the approval of over i,5oo individual lots. In Orange County, Costa Mesa recognized similar characteristics and in 2014 passed the first small lot ordinance in the county. The code change aimed at creating flexibility for developers by removing the required minimum distance between buildings, reducing setbacks and open space requirements, and by allowing live/work units on land zoned for multifamily units — all without increasing density. This O.C.-style small lot has seemingly done well, as you will easily spot the modern homes driving through the streets of Costa Mesa. According to the city, 120 units have been approved since the ordinance's inception, with more in the process. Townhomes and condominiums have always been a practical way to increase attainable for -sale housing, but with higher -than -average fees, financing costs and insurance premiums, they can still be difficult to build and sell. The small lot ordinance creates a townhome-style product with the same benefits and ownership perks as your traditional single-family ranch home, making it a great product for the first-time buyer. Small lots are efficient, create less of a footprint and can be built on underutilized commercial and industrial zones as many businesses look to the online market, subsequently reducing traffic in these areas. Homeownership rates may continue to struggle if nothing is done. Now is the time for local policymakers and elected officials to look at innovative ways to increase for -sale housing supply by amending their building codes to accommodate the small lot development. STEVEN LaMOTTE is the chapter executive officer for the Building Industry Assn., Orange County Chapter. Copyright© 2017, Daily Pilot ThisiklQa�11�A'�f>'i���#elate[pp�q��;e, Housing Market Subscribe for on y 99¢ http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/opinionitn-dpt-me-commentary-sunday-2017090... 12/5/2017 Ease the O.C. housing crisis by allowing development on small lots - Daily Pilot Page 3 of 3 Support Quality/ Journalism START NOW) for only 99¢ http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilotlopinioiVtn-dpt-me-commentary-sunday-2017090... 12/5/2017