Yorba Linda City Council opposes potential state legislation limiting local zoning control; boosts city funds with uncashed checks, unclaimed deposits

Two Yorba Linda matters merit attention this week: forceful opposition by a unanimous City Council to potential state legislation that would limit local control over zoning and a notable boost to the city treasury from uncashed checks and unclaimed deposits dating back to 1993.

At the tail-end of last week's council meeting, Yorba Linda's elected leaders approved sending a strongly-worded letter to state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), sponsor of a bill that would “undermine” locally adopted general plans and housing elements, according to the letter.

The bill, SB-827, “would exempt certain housing projects from locally developed and adopted height limitations, densities, parking requirements and design review standards” by allowing private housing developers and transit agencies exemptions from these controls in specified situations.

The situations include housing within one-half mile of a “major transit stop” or along a “high-quality transit corridor” that “could be miles away from an actual bus stop,” the letter stated.

The letter noted that Yorba Linda and other cities already are required to zone at densities “at levels necessary” to meet the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation obligations.

And the letter, signed by Mayor Gene Hernandez, stated the bill “would provide developers a means to generate additional profits without any requirement to build affordable housing.”

The letter added: “Exempting large-scale developments from general plans, housing elements and zoning ordinances goes against the principles of local democracy and public engagement.”

Public engagement, according to the letter, “often leads to better projects” and “disregarding such processes will increase public distrust in government and could lead to additional ballot measures dealing with growth management.”

Copies of the letter were sent to local representatives state Senator Josh Newman, Assemblyman Phillip Chen and Congressman Ed Royce, two senate committees and officials with the League of California Cities and Association of California Cities.

My Oct. 20, 2017, column reported on a new policy regarding city-issued checks that have gone uncashed and deposits that have gone unclaimed for three or more years. The policy states that after a public notice, the money would be transferred to the city's general fund.

Full-page advertisements listing $1.06 million in unclaimed funds were published in this newspaper Dec. 7 and 14, with a claims period ending Jan. 21. Some 45 percent of the funds were claimed by that date, leaving $585,981 to be transferred to the general fund.

Interestingly, one large cash deposit returned was from Shapell Industries, now Toll Brothers, according to a report by Finance Director Scott Catlett. He stated that $26,000 on deposit for completion of a 1995 tract had never been returned after required improvements were made.