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PC - Item 4A - Minutes of December 20, 2021Minutes of the PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING December 20, 2021 The regular meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order by Chair Berry at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — Commissioner Ung INVOCATION — Commissioner Lopez ROLL CALL — Commissioners Lopez, Ung, Vice -Chair Leung, and Chair Berry STAFF PRESENT — City Manager Molleda, City Attorney Thuyen, Planning & Economic Development Manager Valenzuela, Associate Planner Lao, and Commission Liaison Huang 1. EXPLANATION OF HEARING PROCEDURES AND APPEAL RIGHTS City Attorney Thuyen presented the procedure and appeal rights of the meeting. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS There being no comments, Chair Berry opened and closed the Public Comment period. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENT (MCA) 21-03 — Municipal Code Amendment 21-03 (MCA 21-03) is a City initiated amendment to Title 17 ("Zoning") of the Rosemead Municipal Code by bringing Section 17.30.120 up to compliance with State legislation regarding objective standards for emergency shelters in the City. The proposed amendment would update objective standards pertaining to capacity, location, parking, and client restrictions for emergency shelters in accordance with the provisions of Government Code Section 65583. MCA 21-03 is required as part of the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element Update (2021-2029) efforts. PC RESOLUTION 21-19 - A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 1002 FOR THE APPROVAL OF MUNICIPAL CODE AMENDMENT 21-03 (MCA 21-03), AMENDING ROSEMEAD MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 17.30.120 OF TITLE 17 (ZONING) TO COMPLY WITH OBJECTIVE STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS. STAFF RECOMMENDATION - It is recommended that the Planning Commission: 1. Conduct a public hearing and receive public testimony, and 2. Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-19 with findings, a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 1002 for the approval of MCA 21-03. Associate Planner Lao presented the staff report. Chair Berry opened the Public Hearing. Commissioner Ung noted that she was aware of the six-month period where people can stay at shelters and inquired about what occurs after the six-month period. She also inquired what the City would do and questioned if there are any limitations to the duration of the stay. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2021 Page 1 of Associate Planner Lao responded that the shelters are operated by private entities and are regulated by the State. She added they would decide how to help the individual after the six-month period. Seeing no additional questions, Chair Berry open the public testimony portion of the public hearing. He asked the audience if there was anyone who would like to speak on this matter. Seeing none, Chair Berry inquired if we received any written comments and if there are anyone online who would like to speak. Commissioner Liaison Huang responded that no written comment was received for this item, and there were no callers on the line who wished to speak. There being no public comment, Chair Berry closed the public comment period. Commissioner Lopez questioned who would pick the homes/housing for this project. Associate Planner Lao answered it would be the property owners of the M-1 properties. If a property owner wishes to construct an emergency shelter, they would put efforts in with a nonprofit or someone who specializes in these types of developments. Commissioner Lopez questioned if this would be private organizations putting in these shelters together. City Attorney Thuyen stated that is correct and expressed that we are amending the code to address zoning standards where it could be and does not mean anyone can open an emergency shelter. He expressed that these are the City's rules in terms of location and regulations. Commissioner Lopez inquired how one goes about and asked if an applicant would go to the City and request for permits to establish a shelter. He questioned if this amendment is to allow such use. Associate Planner Lao clarified that the City already allows it and expressed that the City is updating the regulations. Seeing no additional questions from the Commission, Chair Berry requested for motion and a second. City Attorney Thuyen clarified that the move to approve is to approve the recommendation. ACTION: Commissioner Lopez made a motion, seconded by Chair Berry, to: Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 21-19 with findings, a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 1002 for the approval of MCA 21-03. Vote resulted in: Ayes: Berry, Leung, Lopez, and Ung Noes: None Abstain: None Absent: None Roll call vote resulted in 4 Ayes and 0 Noes Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2021 Page 2 of 5 B. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT (GPA) 20-01— State housing law requires local governments to adequately facilitate the improvement and development of housing to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. As the official housing policy document of the City of Rosemead (City) — one of the mandatory elements of the General Plan — the City of Rosemead 2021-2029 Housing Element (Housing Element) analyzes existing housing conditions, describes existing and future housing needs, and identifies opportunities for improving and expanding the City's housing supply. In addition to the Housing Element update, the City is required by State lawto prepare a focused update to its Public Safety Element. Recent State legislation also requires that the City address the addition of Environmental Justice (EJ) policies when two or more elements of the General Plan are updated. New EJ policies have been incorporated within the Public Safety Element update. PC RESOLUTION 21-20 - A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 20-01, ADOPT THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POLICIES, AND ADDENDUM TO THE ROSEMEAD GENERAL PLAN UPDATE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SUBMIT THE 2021-2029 HOUSING ELEMENT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR STATE CERTIFICATION. STAFF RECOMMENDATION - It is recommended that the Planning Commission 1. Conduct a public hearing and receive public testimony, and 2. Adopt Planning Commission Resolution 21-20, a resolution recommending the City Council adopt Resolution 2021-66 for the approval of General Plan Amendment 20-01. Planning & Economic Development Manager Valenzuela introduced the item and turned the presentation to Diane Bathgate, Principal at RRM Design Group to discuss the project efforts. Ms. Bathgate provided a presentation titled "Rosemead — 2021- 2029 Housing Element & Public Safety Element Update'. Chair Berry opened the Public Hearing. Commissioner Ung questioned if there were any additional information on increasing some of the City's amenities due to the increase in housing such as additional parks or additional code requirements for mixed-use developments, such as landscaping. Ms. Bathgate expressed that it is scalable of the current park fees and requirements would apply to residential development as it is submitted. She added, some of the mixed-use overlays have incentives for providing amenities for development as it comes in, such as gaining additional development intensity, or provision of additional amenities. She also added, this is the kind of scalable with development business specific recommendation for industrial parks. She then said there are some recommendations in the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing and the Environmental Justice sections about looking at policy documents that are developed and making sure that there's a provable distribution of parks and amenities. She also said Senate Bill 35 Objective Design Standards Program includes the requirement for public amenities, so some of the zoning municipal code updates that are in the programs should include the requirement for even more amenities and those will come before the Planning Commission for review and approval before it gets codified. Chair Berry and Vice -Chair Leung thanked staff and the consultant for their hard work. Seeing no additional questions, Chair Berry open the public testimony portion of the public hearing. He asked the audience if there was anyone who would like to speak on this matter. City Attorney Thuyen reminded the public that public comments period is for those who would like to offer their thoughts, and the Commission may ask staff to answer the question. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2021 Page 3 of 5 Public Comment: Mike Kenny, resident and a teacher in Rosemead, addressed his interest in affordable housing and inquired if the Housing Element would define what affordable housing is. He added that there is a hemorrhaging number of families which reflex in the declining enrollments in our schools and has a major effect in our program. He questioned how the Housing Element defines affordable housing and if developers are incentivized to develop more affordable housing and added that whatever incentives are in place, it does not seem to be bringing in affordable housing. He also added, all the new developments even along the freeway corridor seems high priced. He questioned what is being done to make it possible for young families to still exist here. Seeing no additional public comment from the audience, Chair Berry inquired if we received any written comments and if there are anyone online who would like to speak. Commissioner Liaison Huang responded that no written comment was received for this item, and there were no callers on the line who wish to speak. Chair Berry closed the public comment period. City Attorney Thuyen questioned if the Planning Commission would like staff to address Mr. Kenny's concerns. Ms. Bathgate addressed Mr. Kenny's concern and explained that there are categories for very low, low, moderate, and above moderate -income levels. She added that the majority of Housing Element is to provide a range of housing options, particularly, needs that are difficult. Veronica Tam, Principal of Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. provided more details to address the definition of affordable housing. She said based on State and federal standards, a household should not be spending more than 30% of the gross household income on housing, so affordable housing generally stays within that threshold. Ms. Tam added that in order to develop that type of housing would require public subsidies, the lower the income level, the deeper the subsidies required. She added that most jurisdictions do not have a lot of access to resources especially with the elimination of redevelopment in California, so developing affordable housing is difficult. She said one tool that the City does have is density bonus which is one of the incentive to encourage or entice private developers to provide affordable housing. Planning & Economic Development Manager Valenzuela added that some of the mixed-use projects on Garvey Avenue are incorporating some low-income housing such as apartments or condos. Chair Berry inquired if there is a particular percentage we are trying to go for to help low-income residents. Ms. Bathgate stated that overall, 25% of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirement is targeting very low- income families and noted that a good percentage of households are at the tier where it's most needed. Chair Berry questioned the percentage of our residents that falls within that threshold and asked if we able to meet their needs. Ms. Bathgate explained that the State looks at local and regional needs to target each income category. She added, it looks at the immediate needs of Rosemead and how it corresponds to other San Gabriel Valley cities, other cities in the SCAG region, and the larger needs of the region in California. Commissioner Ung inquired if there are City resources that helps direct families to these locations with affordable housing. Associate Planner Lao stated that the City partners with LACDA's Housing Assistance Division Program, which provides Section 8 Rental Assistance vouchers, so residents would be directed there. Seeing no additional questions from the Commission, Chair Berry requested for motion and a second. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2021 Page 4 of 5 City Attorney Thuyen clarified to the Commissioner and the public, that the motion is to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 21-20, which recommends approval of General Plan Amendment 20-01. ACTION: Commissioner Ung made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Lopez, to: Adopt Planning Commission Resolution 21-20, a resolution recommending the City Council adopt Resolution 2021- 66 for the approval of General Plan Amendment 20-01. Vote resulted in: Ayes: Berry, Leung, Lopez, and Ung Noes: None Abstain: None Absent: None Roll call vote resulted in 4 Ayes and 0 Noes. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR A. PC MINUTES 11-15-21 Commissioner Lopez made a motion, seconded by Vice -Chair Leung, to approve PC Minutes 11-15-21 as presented. Vote resulted in: Ayes: Berry, Leung, Lopez, and Ung Noes: None Abstain: None Absent: None Roll call vote resulted in 4 Ayes and 0 Noes. 5. MATTERS FROM STAFF None &% 6. MATTERS FROM THE CHAIR & COMMISSIONERS None ADJOURNMENT Chair Berry adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. ATTEST. James Berry Chair Commission Secretary Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2021 Page 5 of 5