At the June 2, 2020 City Council meeting, the City Council authorized the City Manager to apply for and receive the Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) Grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and enter into an agreement with the State for a grant of $500,000. LEAP is a one-time grant funding to cities and counties to update their planning documents and implement process improvements that will facilitate the acceleration of housing production and help local governments prepare for the 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment. The City is utilizing the LEAP Grant to complete a comprehensive re-write of the City's Zoning Code (Development Code Update). The Development Code Update process includes extensive community outreach. The City held five (5) community meetings within each of the City's Council Districts to make the meetings more accessible to the residents and to obtain public input. Public input was also received via email and through the Development Code Update website. Information obtained from the public was presented to the Development Code Update Subcommittee comprising of Commissioners Becerra and Gutierrez, and Councilmember Wu and former Mayor Castellanos. The draft Development Code is being prepared based on guidance obtained from the Subcommittee and comments received from the public. 

At the February 28, 2023 Planning Commission meeting, the City's Development Code Update Consultant provided the Planning Commission an update on the status of the Development Code. 

The Development Code Update is tentatively scheduled for Planning Commission review and consideration on October 10, 2023. The draft Development Code (Attachment No. 1), draft zoning map (Attachment No. 2), draft General Plan amendment (Attachment No, 3), Notice of Availability/Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration (Attachment No. 4), and draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration (Attachment No. 5) documents have been published and made available to the public on August 29, 2023. The public comment period on the environmental document is from August 29, 2023 to September 18, 2023. The documents are being provided to the Planning Commission prior to the October 10, 2023 public hearing in order to provide the Planning Commission sufficient time to review the draft Development Code and environmental document. 

Staff recommends that the Planning Commission accept the draft Development Code and environmental documents for future consideration. Planning Commission direction, and/or action is not recommended at this time.