Yorba Linda City Council opposes state bills dealing with density in residential zones

 

Two bills under consideration in the state Senate that would seriously erode local control of housing development and densities in residential zones have drawn vigorous opposition by Yorba Linda's City Council members.

Senate Bill 9 would require cities to approve housing developments containing two residential units in single-family residential zoning and permit developers to convert existing single-family homes into duplexes and then add up to two accessory dwelling units to the same parcel.

The bill also would require cities to approve single-family lot splits and allow construction of a single-family home and up to two accessory dwelling units on each lot for a total of six units on parcels originally zoned for single-family homes, according to a report from Allison Estes, assistant to City Manager Mark Pulone.

A resolution opposing the bill was adopted at the March 2 council meeting after a Feb. 18 letter opposing the bill and suggesting several amendments to the bill that would “address our concerns and remove our opposition” was sent to bill sponsor Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego).

The letter, signed by Mayor Peggy Huang, stated, “Aside from the gross disregard of local control, this bill puts Yorba Linda residents in danger,” because “nearly 80% of the city's jurisdictional boundary are located within areas constrained by various natural hazards.”

One example cited in the letter is that a “significant number of Yorba Linda homes” are in a “very high fire hazard severity zone,” as designated by California's Department of Forestry.

Because topography severely limits egress in several areas, “quickly and safely evacuating the existing population would pose a significant challenge,” and “increased density as cont-emplated under SB9 would exacerbate this problem and could result in the significant loss of life and property.”

Among nine amendments the city proposed for the bill are to allow cities “to take into account local conditions, such as hillsides, lot dimensions, natural hazards, available infrastructure … when approving or denying housing project applications.”

Others: “Prohibit developers from using SB9 in very high fire hazard severity zones,” allow cities “to determine a range of lot sizes suitable for SB9 development projects” and “clarify that a property owner using SB9 is limited to constructing two residential units, not two residential units and additional accessory dwelling units on the same parcel.”

The March 2 resolution lists the reasons the city opposes the bill but doesn't mention any of the amendments suggested in the Feb. 18 letter. The resolution notes the bill “would violate principles of democratic process and local control ….”

The city also opposes SB10, which has a provision that would allow local governments to override voter-approved initiatives. Both bills are scheduled for a hearing today, March 18, before the Senate Housing Committee.