HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 6/17/2003 * PLEASE NOTE: Since the Glendale City Council does not take formal action at
the Workshops, Workshop minutes are not approved by the City Council.
MINUTES
CITY OF GLENDALE
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
June 17, 2003
1:30 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Elaine M. Scruggs, Vice Mayor Thomas R. Eggleston, and
Councilmembers Joyce V. Clark, Steven E. Frate, David M. Goulet,
H. Phillip Lieberman, and Manuel D. Martinez
ABSENT: Councilmember Manuel D. Martinez
ALSO PRESENT: Ed Beasley, City Manager; Pam Kavanaugh, Assistant City
Manager; Rick Flaaen, City Attorney; and Pamela Hanna, City
Clerk
1. RESIDENTIAL INFILL HOUSING REBATE PROGRAM
CITY STAFF PRESENTING THIS ITEM: Ms. Gloria Santiago-Espino, Community
Housing and Revitalization Director, Mr. Gilbert Lopez, Community Revitalization
Director and Mr. Kevin Jackson, Community Housing Senior Management Assistant
This is a request for City Council to review staff recommendations for the Residential
Infill Housing Rebate Program and provide direction.
The Mayor and City Council approved this program on July 20, 1999 during a Council
workshop session. It was established as a pilot program to encourage the construction
of single-family homes on vacant lots within the three neighborhoods listed below. See
attached map of current eligible areas.
• Lamar Road to Maryland Avenue, 51St Avgnue to Grand Avenue
• Hayward Avenue to Glendale Avenue, 55t Avenue to 59th Avenue
• Glendale Avenue to Maryland Avenue, 59th Avenue to 67th Avenue
The program rebates 60% of development impact fees to developers who construct
single-family homes within the eligible areas. Currently, impact fees total $7,887 and
the rebate amount is $4,700. The base budget allocation is $50,000; it funds 10
rebates. The Economic Development Department is responsible for the program
budget.
The Building Safety Department approves applications for rebates on a first come, first
serve basis when developers obtain building permits. Developers receive rebates once
the construction of a home is complete and Building Safety has issued a certificate of
occupancy. Since the program began in 1999, Building Safety has approved 30 rebates
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and issued 27.
The Housing Task Force, which includes staff from the Community Housing and
Revitalization, Planning, Building Safety, Community Partnerships, and Economic
Development departments, has evaluated the program. During the evaluation, the
Housing Task Force engaged in ongoing round table discussions with private and
nonprofit developers, local banks, and infill housing professionals from other cities.
Also, as part of the evaluation, Housing Task Force members reviewed State legislation
passed in 2002 that enables cities to establish infill incentive programs under certain
conditions.
Staff recommendations are as follows:
1. Establish the program so that it is consistent with the new State legislation. The
legislation requires cities to determine that at least three of six qualifying
conditions exist within the area selected as an infill incentive district. The
following conditions have been found to exist within the proposed infill
boundaries.
• A large number of vacant lots
• A large number of vacant, older, or dilapidated structures
• A large number of places where nuisances occur
The legislation also requires cities to adopt an infill incentive plan, and rebating
development impact fees satisfies this requirement.
2. Expand the program boundaries to include the area between 43rd Avenue (east),
67 Avenue (west), Northern Avenue (north), and Camelback Road (south). See
attached map of proposed eligible area.
3. Reduce the rebate proportion from 60% to 40% of development impact fees.
This change will allow funding for 15 rebates instead of 10.
4. Establish the program by ordinance to make it a permanent City program. This
recommendation supports the implementation of the land use, redevelopment,
housing, and neighborhood elements of the Glendale 2025 General Plan,
adopted by the Mayor and City Council on May 28, 2002. According to these
General Plan elements, residential infill:
• Promotes efficient growth by developing property already served by
streets, utilities, and other services, while also preserving and regenerating
established areas of the City.
• Leverages other City neighborhood preservation and revitalization efforts.
• Helps implement the City Center Master Plan.
• Expands homeownership opportunities.
• Improves the quality of life for Glendale residents by maintaining older
neighborhoods and preserving home values.
5. Transfer budget responsibility for the program from the Economic Development
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Department to the Community Housing and Revitalization Department.
The infill program was discussed during the following workshop sessions: March 3,
1998, January 19, 1999, July 6, 1999, and July 20, 1999.
The Mayor and City Council authorized the creation of the pilot program during the July
20, 1999 workshop session. See agenda item 3 of attached minutes.
The Housing Task Force conducted a round table discussion with private and nonprofit
developers on May 21, 2002.
When the pilot program began, staff mailed notices to all owners of vacant property
within the eligible areas and to local housing developers. Efforts to publicize the
program have continued through the distribution of brochures.
If the Mayor and City Council approve the recommendations, staff will publicize the
program in a similar manner as before, by mailing notices to all owners of vacant
property in the new eligible area, local developers, and the banking community. The
program will also continue to be publicized through the distribution of the revised
brochure.
The program budget for FY 2004 is $50,000 and is maintained in a non-departmental
account. The account number is 01-7325.
The recommendation was to review staff recommendations for the Residential Infill
Housing Rebate Program and provide direction.
Councilmember Goulet asked if there was unanimous support from both non-profit and
commercial residential home builders. Ms. Santiago responded yes. Councilmember
Goulet pointed out the non-profit builders have always taken issue with the amount of
money they pay in fees. He asked if they expect non-profit developers to build fewer
homes as a result of the reduced rebates. Ms. Santiago said the reduced rebate
amount still provides an incentive to non-profit developers, noting the city also supports
the developments through Community Development Block Grant Funds, the Home
Investment Partnership Program and General Funds.
Councilmember Lieberman stated he is in favor of the expanded territory, which will
now include older sections of the Cactus and Yucca Districts. He referred to a memo
he received from Councilmember Martinez in which he stated he does not support the
reduced rebates, but would support increasing the city's contribution to the program.
Councilmember Lieberman said he will support the reduced rebates if, in fact, the
developers have indicated the reduction will not deter them from building homes.
Mayor Scruggs pointed out the Council sets funding for the program every year, based
on available funds.
In response to Vice Mayor Eggleston's question, Mr. Flaaen explained new state
legislation formalizes infill incentive programs as long as local municipalities establish
formal implementation guidelines through an ordinance. He noted the legislation does
not require the Council to allocate money to the program.
Councilmember Clark voiced her opinion it is a valuable program, stating she supports
the increased boundaries. She asked if the city did any outreach to individual home
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builders and, if so, what was their reaction to the reduced rebates. Ms. Santiago said
notices were sent to all builders when the program first started in 1999 and they intend
to send notices again with regard to the changes. She noted individual builders were
invited to participate in the original focus groups.
Councilmember Frate said he was assured by Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jackson that Las
Cosinos will not be negatively impacted by the reduction, therefore, he will support
staff's recommendation.
Councilmember Goulet asked if any of the properties included in the new boundaries
will have to be rezoned. Mr. Froke stated the majority of the downtown area is zoned
R3, while the perimeters of the recommended boundaries are zoned single-family. He
stated most of the infill developments they process require, at most, a variance with
regard to building setbacks.
Mayor Scruggs voiced Council's unanimous support and directed staff to move forward
with the ordinance.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
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