Ordinance 2022-1839 - DENIED - Laserfiche WebLink

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Denied on Second Reading thereby increasing the supply of housing within the City, when affordable housing is provided as part of the residential development, as set forth in House Bill 21-1117; and WHEREAS, because rezoning property from commercial to residential uses is optional on the part of the property owner, the affordable housing required to support the rezoning does not impact the investment -backed expectations of a commercial property owner or otherwise constrain any existing property rights of a commercial property owner, and as such the City Council finds the affordable housing offered by a commercial property owner as a basis for rezoning property for residential uses must be satisfied by construction of on -site units and not by providing cash -in -lieu of the affordable housing or by providing off -site affordable housing; and WHEREAS, the City Council is also committed to examining its zoning and land use policies and to adopting appropriate amendments to is ordinances that it finds will further increase the overall density and availability of housing, but that enabling the rezoning of commercial property for residential uses as set forth herein will serve an essential public purpose of expanding the limited opportunities for affordable housing within the City while such examination is underway; and WHEREAS, the provisions set forth herein are necessary to support an appropriate level of residential housing within the City and provide continuing housing opportunities for very low- , low- and moderate -income households to help maintain a diverse housing stock that allows people to have better access to jobs and upgrade their economic status; and WHEREAS, because remaining land appropriate for residential development within the City is limited, it is essential that the option to rezone existing commercial property for residential uses provides for a reasonable proportion of such land be developed into housing units affordable to low-, moderate-, and middle -income residents and working people, particularly since new housing, in the absence of interventions, tends to be large and expensive, which both reduces opportunities for more affordable housing and contributes to a general rise in prices for all housing in the community, thus exacerbating the scarcity of affordable housing within the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1809, Series 2021 on June 15, 2021 to enact inclusionary housing requirements; and WHEREAS, while amending the City's zoning and inclusionary housing ordinances as set forth herein does not revise existing Comprehensive Plan policies regarding rezoning of property to allow residential development, the City Council finds this ordinance provides necessary support for amendment of the City's other policy documents in a manner that will meet the goals set forth herein; and WHEREAS, based on the foregoing findings, and in furtherance of the public health, safety, and welfare of the community, the City Council desires to adopt additional inclusionary housing requirements set forth herein. Ordinance No. 1839, Series 2022 Page 3 of 16