Where new affordable housing might go
Easily, the topic I’m most often asked to address in this column concerns city plans to implement state mandates for low-cost housing. Readers want to know exactly where new, affordable units might be built.
City officials are taking several avenues to meet the state’s controversial requirements for low-cost housing, also described as “affordable” and “work-force” housing, including the purchase and overhaul of existing apartment and condominium units.
But, invariably, residents ask: Where will new multi-family units be located?
Naturally, the city can’t force construction of low-cost housing on land the city doesn’t own, but the city has identified several parcels as amenable for higher densities, paving the way for rezoning should landowners seek the profits such development can bring.
Some of these parcels were outlined in 2009 and 2010 columns, but the list was revised recently and put out for additional analysis as required by the California Environmental Quality Act. Here’s the updated list examined by the Planning Commission Aug. 31:
--Six parcels totaling 21.4 acres that could handle 641 units at a 30-unit-per-acre density level: three vacant, two with structures and a nursery. The largest is part of the nursery, near Bastanchury Road and Lakeview Avenue, with six acres for a potential 180 units.
Two vacant parcels are in Savi Ranch, the only eastend sites on the list: the former Mitsubishi Motors, with 3.2 acres for a potential 96 units, and 2.8 closeby acres on Old Canal Road for a potential 84 units.
The third vacant site is new to the list, nearly five acres at the city’s southern entrance at Lakeview and Mariposa avenues, with a potential for 149 units. Also new is a small .34 acre at 4622 Plumosa Drive, the former water district headquarters, for possibly 10 units.
A highly visible location is the former medical office building at Yorba Linda Boulevard and Prospect Avenue, a 4.08 acre site with a potential for 122 units at the western border.
--Two parcels totaling just over seven acres that could handle 141 units at a 20-unit-per-acre density level: the vacant “strawberry field” along Lakeview Avenue just south of Lemon Drive (4.7 acres, 94 units) and the vacant land a bit north on Lakeview Avenue at Altrudy Lane (2.39 acres, 47 units).
--Six parcels totaling 24.5 acres that could handle 245 units at a 10-unit-per-acre
level, the level long identified in planning documents as high-density for the city.
The largest parcel is the west part of the nursery land at Bastanchury Road and Lakeview Avenue (next to the nursery portion identified for 30-units-per-acre) with 6.84 acres for a potential 68 units. The east parcel equestrian site has 4.11 acres for a possible 41 units.
Two other large sites are the so-called Nixon Archive site—once suggested to house the President’s White House papers—across from the library along Yorba Linda Boulevard and the vacant Prospect Avenue “greenhouse.” The former is 5.9 acres for a possible 59 units, the latter 5.5 acres for a potential 55 units.
Rounding out the list are 1.68 acres at Wabash Avenue and Rose Drive for 17 units (now occupied by a house and small warehouse) and a half-acre on Eureka Avenue and Lemon Drive for five units (now occupied by a car wash and retail).
The new total: 1,027 potential units on 53 acres.
City officials are taking several avenues to meet the state’s controversial requirements for low-cost housing, also described as “affordable” and “work-force” housing, including the purchase and overhaul of existing apartment and condominium units.
But, invariably, residents ask: Where will new multi-family units be located?
Naturally, the city can’t force construction of low-cost housing on land the city doesn’t own, but the city has identified several parcels as amenable for higher densities, paving the way for rezoning should landowners seek the profits such development can bring.
Some of these parcels were outlined in 2009 and 2010 columns, but the list was revised recently and put out for additional analysis as required by the California Environmental Quality Act. Here’s the updated list examined by the Planning Commission Aug. 31:
--Six parcels totaling 21.4 acres that could handle 641 units at a 30-unit-per-acre density level: three vacant, two with structures and a nursery. The largest is part of the nursery, near Bastanchury Road and Lakeview Avenue, with six acres for a potential 180 units.
Two vacant parcels are in Savi Ranch, the only eastend sites on the list: the former Mitsubishi Motors, with 3.2 acres for a potential 96 units, and 2.8 closeby acres on Old Canal Road for a potential 84 units.
The third vacant site is new to the list, nearly five acres at the city’s southern entrance at Lakeview and Mariposa avenues, with a potential for 149 units. Also new is a small .34 acre at 4622 Plumosa Drive, the former water district headquarters, for possibly 10 units.
A highly visible location is the former medical office building at Yorba Linda Boulevard and Prospect Avenue, a 4.08 acre site with a potential for 122 units at the western border.
--Two parcels totaling just over seven acres that could handle 141 units at a 20-unit-per-acre density level: the vacant “strawberry field” along Lakeview Avenue just south of Lemon Drive (4.7 acres, 94 units) and the vacant land a bit north on Lakeview Avenue at Altrudy Lane (2.39 acres, 47 units).
--Six parcels totaling 24.5 acres that could handle 245 units at a 10-unit-per-acre
level, the level long identified in planning documents as high-density for the city.
The largest parcel is the west part of the nursery land at Bastanchury Road and Lakeview Avenue (next to the nursery portion identified for 30-units-per-acre) with 6.84 acres for a potential 68 units. The east parcel equestrian site has 4.11 acres for a possible 41 units.
Two other large sites are the so-called Nixon Archive site—once suggested to house the President’s White House papers—across from the library along Yorba Linda Boulevard and the vacant Prospect Avenue “greenhouse.” The former is 5.9 acres for a possible 59 units, the latter 5.5 acres for a potential 55 units.
Rounding out the list are 1.68 acres at Wabash Avenue and Rose Drive for 17 units (now occupied by a house and small warehouse) and a half-acre on Eureka Avenue and Lemon Drive for five units (now occupied by a car wash and retail).
The new total: 1,027 potential units on 53 acres.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
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