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Home My WebLink AboutCC Resolution 4059RESOLUTION N0: : 4059 RESOLUTION OF:THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPROVING AMENDMENT TO:GENERAL PLAN' WHEREAS, on September 19, 1966, by Resolution No. 3495, the City of San Rafael adopted a General Plan for the City and its sur- rounding area; and WHEREAS, said General Plan is entitled "San Rafael General Plan 1966" and was prepared by WILLIAM SPANGLE & ASSOCIATES -- DAN COLEMAN ASSOCIATES in collaboration with the City of San Rafael and consists of a "Forward" with one page, a "Summary of Findings" with pages two through seventeen, and "The San Rafael General Plan" con- sisting of pages nineteen through forty-five; and WHEREAS, it is now proposed to amend said General Plan by adding thereto Part VI - Housing Element a copy of which is attached hereto marked EXHIBIT "A" and incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, the City Council and the Planning Commission of said City have held public hearings and given the notices thereof required by law in order to amend said General Plan; and WHEREAS, the approval by the Planning Commission of said amend- ment was made by resolution of the Commission carried by the Affirma- tive votes of not less than a majority of its total voting members; NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: I. That the General Plan described above is hereby amended so as to add thereto Part VI - Housing Element a copy of which is set forth on EXHIBIT "A" which is attached hereto. 2. That a copy of said amendment (EXHIBIT "A") shall be en- dorsed by the Mayor showing that said amendment has been approved by this Council and the Chairman of the Planning Commission shall also endorse such amendment showing that said amendment was approved by the Planning Commission and after such endorsements, such copy +Shall be filed with the original General Plan. I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the Council of the City of San Rafael, Marin County, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the''218t day of 'June' , 1971, by the following vote, to -wit: AYES: COUNCILMEN: Barbier, Jensen, Miskimen, Mulryan and Mayor Bettini NOES: COUNCILMEN: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEN: None MARION A. GRADY, City Clerk -2- CITY OF SAN RAFAEL PART VI - HOUSING ELEMENT 1. The Problem. There is a housing crisis in San Rafael of serious dimensions. Ari increasingly large segment of those who live or work here cannot afford the cost of housing accommodations in the City. This problem, which is national in scope, is caused by numerous factors including the high costs of land, interest, labor and taxes, and the increasing number of retired or elderly persons - whose income is fixed - who reside here. That the situation is a serious one in San Rafael is amply documented by available data. In 1968, according to the F. H. A. Market Analyses of Marin County, the vacancy rate was 1.9% for all housing in the City; the situation became worse in 1969, when the percentage dropped to 1.8%. It is well known that a vacancy rate of around 5% is necessary for a healthy housing market. This is particularly true in Marin County, where all housing is costly and shortages affect the less wealthy most seriously. Census data show clearly that the number of residents who cannot afford the rents or the selling price for housing here greatly increased during the last decade. At the same time the stock of older housing in San Rafael - which is the chief housing resource for such individuals - is being constantly eroded. It is estimated that, on the average, between 15 and 20 dwelling units of such housing is being demolished yearly. 2. Obstacles to the Solution of the Problem. a) Community attitudes. In several parts of the City where there are significant undeveloped areas zoned R-1, the attitudes of those who reside in adjoining single family areas deters the City from permitting increased residential density through rezoning or other methods. Because land cost is so large a part of housing cost, this makes it difficult to reduce the overall cost of housing or even to develop for residential use some of these areas. b) The scarcity of relatively flat land which is vacant makes housing costly. c) The high cost of housing due to high interest rates, high labor costs and other nonlocal factors. d) The difficulty of obtaining governmental subsidies to lower housing costs. e) The inadequacy or data needed for the solution of the problem of preserving older housing. 3. Goal of the City_. To insure a supply of housing of satisfactory quantity, variety and price range to supply the current and changing needs of the community and of those who work here. rA LPA ca?. 4. Planning Activities. a) Cooperation with the County in order to obtain an up-to-date survey of the housing stock in the older areas of the City, where the less costly housing is largely located. b) Creation of a citizens committee will be at the discretion of the City Council. c) Further analysis of all available legal and technical tools which may assist the City in achieving adequate housing for all members of the community. These tools may include; -1 Providing lowered tax assessment on older single family houses to ease the housing shortage in exchange for improvements to the properties. -2 Use by the City of existing federal and state legislation in aid of housing. -3 Encouragement to and cooperation with nonprofit and limited profit housing corporations. -4 Analyses of various methods of increasing the permissible housing density - such as use of air rights for housing, allowing the construction of a second residence on certain single family lots, and multiple uses on lots in certain areas. -5 Requiring developers to replace housing units demolished in the course of nonresidential development. 5. Implementation. a) Adopt ordinance permitting Mobile Home Parks. -1 Thereby increasing availability of housing alternatives for retired persons who find their existing old large houses too large and expensive for their current needs and financial ability. -2 Thereby making these larger older and moderate price homes available on the market and of service to younger families with several children. -3 Thereby providing a substitute for that portion of the population which formerly was able to buy new single family homes in the $20,000 - $35,000 range. b) Survey physical condition of existing older homes and establish through adoption of proper laws areas wherein these houses will be preserved rather than replaced. To the extent necessary,work for legislative changes that will permit adjustment of assessed values to facilitate this goal. -2 c) Reduce_ land cost per,dwelling uzni t by more widespread use of P -C, P -U -D and other zoning at medium residential densities in undeveloped areas now zoned for single family use. d) Stimulate the formation or non profit and limited dividend soons_ors for moderate income housing. This includes cooperation with organizations such as the Ecumenical Association for Housing and C.A.S.A. that are working in that direction. e) Save older_ housing by rezoning from industrial, commercial or multiple family zoning to R-2 or R-1 areas wherein the predominant existing development pattern consists of older moderately priced single family residences and duplexes and wherein the structural condition is such that these residences could be maintained. f) Reduce cost of new housing. The City should strive to facilitate the construc- t i on of new less expc:ns i ve residential units. g) The provision of adequate transportation is recognized by the City as being important to the solution of the housing problems and the City will assist with efforts toward this end. This General Plan Amendment was approved by the Planning Commission of the City o -f San Rafael on February 23, 1971 and thereafter approved June 22, 1971 as the same relates to the amendments recom- mended by the City Council. This General Plan Amendment with recommended changes was approved by the City Council June 21, 1971. SAN RAVEL PLANNING COMMISSION J Vice Chairman CITY OF SAN RAFAEL (��dat ��iti C. Pau' Eettini, iieyor