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MULTIPLE AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 16 OF THE STOCKTON MUNICIPAL CODE TO COMPLY WITH THE STOCKTON 2040 GENERAL PLAN AND CHANGES TO STATE LAW.
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution recommending the City Council:
1. Find no further environmental review is required for the proposed amendments to Title 16 (Development Code) per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to 15183 (Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations (State CEQA Guidelines; and
2. Adopt an Ordinance amending Title 16 (Development Code) of the Stockton Municipal Code (SMC) Chapters 16.12 (Land Use Permit Requirements), 16.16 (Zoning Districts Established, Zoning Map Adopted), 16.20 (Allowable Land Uses and Permit Requirements), 16.24 (Zoning District Development Standards), 16.28 (Overlay Zoning District Land Use and Development Standards), 16.40 (Affordable Housing Incentives/Density Bonus Provisions), 16.48 (Fences, Hedges, and Walls), 16.60 (Noise Standards), 16.64 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Standards), 16.76 (Sign Standards), 16.80 (Standards for Specific Uses), 16.88 (Review Procedures), 16.92 (Implementation Procedures, Conditions, and Requirements), 16.120 (Design Review), 16.136 (Land Development Permits), 16.64 (Temporary Activity Permits), 16.180 (Applicability and Administration of Subdivision Regulations), 16.188 (Tentative Map and Tentative Parcel Map Filing and Processing), 16.216 (Boundary Changes), 16.220 (Cultural Resources), and 16.240 (Definitions/Glossary) .
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Summary
State law requires the Envision Stockton 2040 General Plan to be internally consistent with its implementing development standards (i.e., Zoning). Also, recent changes to state law require amendments to the City’s Development Code for compliance. These changes became effective January 1, 2020, and supersede any portion of City Ordinance, which may conflict with them. The proposed code amendments address consistency with the updated General Plan and state law requirements. Key proposed changes include the following:
• Density and Intensity
• Allowable Land Uses and Ministerial Reviews
• Clean-Ups and Revised Definitions
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Emergency Shelters
• Affordable Housing Density Bonus
DISCUSSION
Background
In 2016 the Stockton City Council directed City staff to overhaul the 2035 General Plan to better align the community vision with expected growth patterns within the next 20-years. After years of effort, the City Council adopted the Envision Stockton 2040 General Plan on December 4, 2018. As required by State Law, the City must amend Stockton’s development standards and zoning map to be consistent with the new General Plan. While the zoning map efforts will begin in the Spring of 2020, amendments to the development standards will occur in phases. The first phase consists of the changes presented in this report. In contrast, the last phase will align the land use zoning map with the General Plan land use map and is anticipated to be ready by late 2020, and may require additional environmental analysis.
The zoning map and text amendment efforts are intended to implement the General Plan by providing consistency between the recently adopted General Plan Update, the Development Code, and changes to State Law. While the Development Code has not been substantially amended since 2015, many state legislative bills have been signed into law by the Governor of California that affect the City’s land use regulations.
Present Situation
Staff is requesting the Planning Commission receive and forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the proposed code amendments as the first phase of General Plan implementation efforts to remove inconsistencies (Attachment A Existing Code). Proposed revisions to the Development Code text are provided at Attachment B (Proposed Ordinance - Redline Version) and are generally summarized as follows:
Required for General Plan Consistency
• Density and Intensity: standards for the zoning districts have been amended to comply with land use density and intensity changes in the adopted 2040 General Plan, which increase the allowable residential units in the Downtown Core from 87 units to the acre to 136 units to the acre; and increase allowable residentials units in the Greater Downtown from 29 units to 90 units to the acre. Density and floor area ratios have been updated in the zoning code for easier reference.
• Additional Land Uses: Allowable Land Use per Table 2-2 now include Vocational and Technical Schools. Amendments for Large Care Facilities.
• Clean-Ups: Sections 16.64.070 (Disabled/Handicapped Parking), section 16.80.220 (Mobile Homes), section 16.80.220 (Multifamily), section 16.84.020 (Review Authority), and 16.92.060 (Business License) were amended to clarify sections of the code.
• Definitions: Proposed amendments to the existing definitions for Accessory Dwelling Unit, Affordable Housing, Dwelling Group, and Emergency Shelters. Definitions added include: Gross-Acreage and Tiny Homes. The definition for Density Bonus was removed since Chapter 16.40 (Affordable Housing Incentives) references State Law for Density Bonus.
Required by State Law
• Accessory Dwelling Units: Recently approved State regulation (Assembly Bills (AB) 68, 587, 671, 881, and Senate Bill (SB) 13), further reduced local land use regulation on the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This includes the amount, location, setback, size, and tenancy of ADU ownership onsite. Staff will continue to summarize changes to State Law and coordinate efforts with the City’s Building Department to expedite the installation of these units consistent with local and State housing goals.
• Emergency Shelters: Minor changes were made to define temporary and permanent emergency shelters and temporary housing via a temporary event permit. Permanent still require discretionary review in certain zones while temporary shelters may be granted by staff with a director level review like other temporary uses for events. Emergency and transitional housing will continue to be allowed consistent with Table 2-2 of Title 16 and State housing law. This includes ensuring housing capacity for transitional and supportive housing.
• Large-Child Care Facilities: In accordance with SB 234, multiple changes were made to allow large-child care (7-14 children) facilities by-right consistent with changes to State Law. Large-Child Care will be treated as a residential use, like Small-Child Care (1-7 children) is today.
• State Density Bonus: Chapter 16.40 (Affordable Housing Incentives) has been revised per the following:
o Section 16.40.020- revised to reference current State Density Bonus Law. Additional incentives or waivers to standards will be processed accordance with Title 16. This include parking waivers beyond State Law and development agreements.
o Section 16.40.030 through 16.40.070-rescinded to reference State Density Bonus Law for the time being. Staff is currently exploring additional housing studies and incentives based on current market trends and best practices. These sections may be updated later at the conclusion of those housing efforts to bolster the City’s options for incentivizing densities beyond what is currently permitted by State Law.
Proposed for Streamlining and Best Management Practices
• Freeway and Highway Oriented Uses: Sections 16.20.020 was amended to permit certain automobile-oriented commercial uses by-right that are adjacent to freeway and highway corridors. The basis for allowing certain uses by-right adjacent to freeway and highway corridors is there is less likelihood for potential operational impacts with sensitive residential uses. Existing development standards in the Development Code will ensure uses operate in an accepted manner. A Use Permit with conditions of approval will remain a requirement for the same uses outside of the freeway and highway corridors.
• Additional Ministerial Reviews: Staff proposes revisions to Section 16.12.030 (land uses permitted) and Section 16.80.020 (Accessory Uses) to remove discretionary reviews for projects that demonstrate consistency with all applicable development standards.
• Design Review: amendments added to expedite specific design reviews for site improvements and minor improvements to historic properties. Minor changes also include exemptions for small mechanical equipment and electric vehicle parking.
• Parcel Maps: Tentative Parcel Maps are no longer required to go before the Development Review Committee (DRC) for recommendation to the CDD Director. The amendment is proposed to simply have the CDD Director render the approval/denial decision since Tentative Parcel Maps typically have very few development conditions if any at all.
Environmental Analysis
The proposed rezone is a discretionary “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and therefore requires analysis. State CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, provides that projects which are consistent with the development density established by a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning for which an environmental impact report (EIR) has been certified. An EIR was prepared and certified by the City Council as part of the Stockton General Plan (SCH# 2017052062).
The proposed development code text amendments are required to provide consistency with changes to the General Plan and State Law. They have been considered as part of the General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (SCH No. 2017052062). The EIR document provides a programmatic review of the potential impacts associated with the implementation of the General Plan. None of the potential changes being considered by the Commission relative to the text amendments and summarized herein will impact the analysis or conclusions of the General Plan EIR as the extent of the potential impacts and allowed density considered in the General Plan EIR. Future proposals based on the amendments would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for consistency with this review and the General Plan EIR.
Attachment A - Existing Code
Attachment B - Proposed Ordinance - Redline Version
This report was prepared by Planning Manager Matt Diaz, (209) 937-8598; matt.diaz@stocktonca.gov