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Home My WebLink About2017 06 20 AIS CCIAGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 6/20/2017 Meeting Type: Regular Meeting Staff Contact/Dept.: Sandy Belson/DPW Staff Phone No: 541-736-7135 Estimated Time: 15 Minutes COMMITTEE FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT (CCI) Council Goal: Promote and Enhance our Hometown Feel while Focusing on Livability and Environmental Quality ITEM TITLE: ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT PROGRAM ACTION REQUESTED: Review and approve the attached Citizen Involvement Plan for amendments to the requirements for accessory dwelling units in the Springfield Development Code ISSUE STATEMENT: The City Council has been developing an affordable housing strategy with the goal of increasing the supply and accessibility of affordable housing in Springfield throughout the housing continuum. One of the strategies is to encourage the construction of accessory dwelling units. There are three ways that the City is encouraging accessory dwelling units. A. Temporarily waiving the city’s system development charges for accessory dwelling units from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019. B. Promoting awareness of possibilities for accessory dwelling units C. Revising the development code to make it easier and potentially less expensive to add an accessory dwelling unit It is item C that is of primary concern for the Committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI). The CCI must review and approve the Citizen Involvement Plan for the preparation and adoption of land use legislation to ensure compliance with Section II of Springfield’s Citizen Involvement Program. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Draft Citizen Involvement Plan for Accessory Dwelling Unit Code Amendments DISCUSSION: Staff has prepared a Citizen Involvement Plan (CIP) that provides adequate opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the land use planning process for amending the accessory dwelling unit regulations within the Springfield Development Code. The City is also developing a community outreach and communication plan to more generally promote awareness of the possibilities for accessory dwelling units. At times these two efforts will overlap. For example, informing citizens about potential code amendments and soliciting input will also promote awareness of the possibilities for accessory dwelling units. As such the CCI may also have ideas to share for the broader outreach efforts. Draft Citizen Involvement Plan for ADU Code Amendments Page 1 DRAFT CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT PLAN (CIP) for Accessory Dwelling Unit Code Amendments Project Background In October 2016 the Springfield City Council began its analysis of housing affordability in Springfield and started developing options to increase affordable housing within the city. According to the data analysis presented to Council 10/10/2016, the City of Springfield is currently experiencing a housing shortage. The housing supply is limited at all levels and rental vacancy rates are very low, less than 1%, with the lowest vacancy rates for small rental units. Housing costs in Springfield are increasing faster than household incomes. The City Council has been developing a strategy in response to this problem. Among the options presented to Council at work sessions on November 28, 2016, February 13, 2017, April 10, 2017, and May 1, 2017, a program to encourage infill development and bolster Springfield’s housing stock through accessory dwelling units (ADUs) was one of the most immediately actionable steps that could be taken. ADUs can increase housing density within areas zoned Low Density Residential. This increased density will increase the housing available to Springfield residents without expanding the Springfield Urban Growth Boundary or drastically altering the character in LDR zoned neighborhoods. This infill development via ADUs will help to answer the demand for market-rate rental housing in Springfield while preserving the character of Springfield’s existing neighborhoods. Council finds that accessory dwelling units provide a number of public policy benefits, including: A. Increasing the number and type of affordable housing units without consuming land in the city’s limited inventory of developed land; in particular, accessory dwelling units increase the supply of small rental units for which the vacancy rate is lowest; B. Increasing the density in existing neighborhoods and taking advantage of the existing infrastructure; C. Creating opportunities for intergenerational living and on-site caretakers/assistants; D. Diversifying the demographics of an existing neighborhood; E. Providing financial benefit to property owners; and Attachment 1, Page 1 of 4 Draft Citizen Involvement Plan for ADU Code Amendments Page 2 F. Triggering economic development at a local scale by providing work to local builders and contractors; The Springfield ADU Program seeks to increase the presence of ADUs within the City of Springfield through waiver of SDCs1, increased public awareness of the possibilities for ADUS, and the reduction in regulatory hurdles in the Springfield Development Code. The forthcoming amendment of the Springfield Development Code should encourage further ADU construction. Council has identified areas where the code could be amended to reduce regulatory barriers and expand the opportunities for ADUs. This Citizen Involvement Plan (CIP) explains how the City will garner public input regarding proposed Development Code Changes. Goal of Citizen Involvement Plan To provide citizens the opportunity to participate in the preparation and adoption of amendments to the Springfield Development Code. Input Desired Springfield Development Code section 5.4-100 addresses what constitutes an accessory dwelling unit, its purpose, the zones in which it can be constructed, and applicable design parameters. The amendments to the development code will require consideration of how to achieve the following two objectives: REDUCING REGULATORY CHALLENGES TO NEW ADU CONSTRUCTION The core aim of amending the Springfield Development Code is to encourage development of ADUs within the City by reducing regulatory hurdles to new development. As such, developers, home builders and home owners should advise on how to reduce regulation to spur development. MAINTAINING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER The Springfield Development Code, in part, is intended to protect the character of existing neighborhoods within the City. Given that, it is important to retain these protections while reducing regulations on ADU construction. Those interested in the topic can provide insight into how home owners and renters view changes to ADU regulation in their neighborhoods. 1 On June 5, 2017, the City Council temporarily waived the city’s Systems Development Charges (SDC) for new ADU construction. The City has also asked Willamalane Park District and Springfield Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission to waive their SDCs as well to further incentivize property owners to invest in ADUs. Attachment 1, Page 2 of 4 Draft Citizen Involvement Plan for ADU Code Amendments Page 3 Citizen Involvement Strategies GENERAL PUBLIC OUTREACH General public outreach will utilize the media and the internet to reach a broad population. Media coverage – The city will prepare periodic press releases. City website – A page on the city’s website will provide information about the proposed code amendments, specific information about how to provide input on the code amendments, and contact information for the project manager City’s Facebook page – Posts will alert viewers about the code amendment process. Springfield Connection - The city’s email newsletter will contain articles about the code amendment process. As people express interest, the city will develop an interested parties list in order to maintain contact with those who want to follow the land use process. INTEREST GROUP OUTREACH Staff will solicit input from developer interest groups and community interest groups. Developer Interest Groups Invitations will be sent to people involved in the development community including contractors, builders, architects, real estate professionals, and non-profit affordable housing developers. At a minimum, invitations will be sent to the Home Builders Association of Lane County, Springfield Board of Realtors, NEDCO and residential property management companies operating within Springfield. Community Interest Groups Efforts will be made to involve the Game Farm Neighbors and notify the Washburne Neighborhood2. Staff will also reach out to community groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, City Club, and the League of Women Voters. PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION The Planning Commission will hold at least one work session to consider Council’s direction for potential code amendments and to incorporate input collected through the general public outreach and interest group outreach. The city will advertise the work 2 Accessory dwelling units are not allowed in the Washburne Neighborhood, so that neighbor hood would not be directly affected by any of the proposed amendments to the development code. Attachment 1, Page 3 of 4 Draft Citizen Involvement Plan for ADU Code Amendments Page 4 session through the internet as mentioned above and will send notice to those on the interested parties mailing list and through standard methods for advertising a public meeting. PUBLIC HEARINGS Pursuant to Springfield Development Code 5.1-140(B), notice of all public hearings pertaining to amending the Springfield Development Code will be published in the Register-Guard newspaper. Both the Planning Commission and the City Council will hold public hearings on the proposed legislative amendments. NOTICE TO DEPARTMENT OF LAND CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT The State of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) will be notified of development code amendments prior to the Springfield Planning Commission public hearing on proposed to changes. DLCD will be notified after these same amendments have been adopted by the Springfield City Council. S:\_PC Staff Reports\2017 Planning Commission\2017-06-20\CCI - ADU Citizen Involvement Plan\ATT 1 - DRAFT CIP.docx Attachment 1, Page 4 of 4