LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week to hold public hearings on amendments to the city's municipal code and review the city's draft housing element.
The commission will meet beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
A report from Planning Services Manager Andrew Britton to the commission explains that the city is in the process of updating the housing element.
As part of that process, city staff and the city's consultant reviewed the 2009 Lakeport Housing Element's implementation and identified programs in the city zoning ordinance that were not yet implemented.
The proposed ordinance to the commission includes modifying the city's municipal code in order to implement current housing element programs related to mixed use residential development, multifamily development, emergency shelters, extremely low income and special needs household incentives, employee housing, residential care facilities, residential care homes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.
The commission also will consider the 2014 Draft Housing Element and make a recommendation to Lakeport City Council for its adoption.
Britton's report on the housing element to the council explains that state law mandates that each city and county update their housing element regularly, with specific deadlines established by the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
The housing element – one of seven mandatory elements that comprise a local agency’s general plan according to state law – “is considered to be the primary policy document to guide the development, rehabilitation and preservation of housing for all economic segments of the local population,” Britton reported.
It's an amendment to the general plan that includes analysis of the city’s population, housing and employment characteristics, housing development during the previous housing element cycle, characteristics of the housing market, and housing needs of special populations, Britton's report explained.
He said the housing element includes “a five-year implementation plan with goals, policies and programs developed to meet the housing needs of the City as identified from the public outreach activities as well as our research.”
City staff is recommending that that the planning commission forward to the Lakeport City Council a recommendation to submit the draft housing element – with any proposed changes requested by the commission – to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for a 60-day public review period.
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