Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of October 27, 2020
Title
APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
WITH MILLER PLANNING ASSOCIATES TO PREPARE THE
UPDATE TO THE SUBDIVISION (“TITLE 16”) AND ZONING
(“TITLE 17”) ORDINANCES OF THE HERMOSA BEACH
MUNICIPAL CODE
(Community Development Director Ken Robertson)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Award a Professional Services Agreement with Miller Planning Associates to prepare the update to the Subdivision (“Title 16”) and Zoning (“Title 17”) Ordinances of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code;
2. Authorize the Mayor to execute and the City Clerk to attest the Professional Services Agreement(s) subject to approval by the City Attorney; and
3. Add estimated grant revenue of $160,000 from the California Department of Housing and Community Development to the 2020-21 Budget and appropriate $160,000 in the Grant Fund for the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Update.
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Executive Summary:
On August 22, 2017, the Hermosa Beach City Council unanimously adopted its first general plan update since 1979, PLAN Hermosa. PLAN Hermosa is the culmination of a multi-year community-wide effort to reflect on the community and its future and articulates a shared vision.
Zoning and subdivision regulations are one of the primary tools a city has for implementation of its general plan. Zoning and subdivision regulations translate the policies of a general plan into parcel-specific regulations, including land use regulations and development standards. The type and intensity of land uses that are permitted and how they perform will be critical to achieving PLAN Hermosa’s vision for neighborhood preservation and enhancement, economic development, coastal resource protection, environmental sustainability, and community health.
The Community Development Department released an RFP to update the Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances of the Hermosa Beach Municipal Code and received three proposals. This project is the second phase of the comprehensive zoning code update. The first phase of this project was the Zoning Code Assessment (Attachment 1), completed by Miller Planning Associates in May 2020.
The Zoning Code Assessment was an analysis of the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances for consistency with the General Plan, compliance with State and Federal law, the California Coastal Act, and current planning practices. Miller Planning Associates prepared a report that outlined the recommended changes to the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances and outlined a work program, including a community engagement strategy, to achieve adoption of revised Zoning and Subdivision ordinances in a timely manner.
Staff recommends the selection of Miller Planning Associates and the approval of the Professional Services Agreement.
Background:
Outline of Subdivision and Zoning Ordinance Update Process
Zoning is the primary tool a city has for implementation of the goals, policies, and programs in the General Plan. The major steps include project management and coordination and project initiation (Task 1-2); Public Engagement, which includes a public engagement program, project website and social media, and focus group review meetings (Task 3); Planning Commission and City Council Workshops (Task 4); Draft Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (Task 5); CEQA Compliance (Task 6); Public Hearings (Task 7); Final Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances (Task 8).
The Project schedule is anticipated to start in early November 2020 and be completed in 18 months.
Consultant Selection
On August 6, 2020, the City released the RFP 20-05 for the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Update. On September 8, 2020, three proposals were received and evaluated by the City’s Community Development Department Staff and a subcommittee of the Planning Commission comprised of Vice Chair Rice and Commissioner Izant. On September 29, 2020, the Section Committee interviewed two qualified candidates. Proposals were evaluated on each firm’s approach and methods, relevant experience and expertise, and timeframe and cost. The recommended consultant is Miller Planning Associates.
Miller Planning Associates is recommended based on experience in managing and preparing Zoning Ordinances to be consistent with state law and expertise in general plan implementation through zoning strategies. Martha Miller, Principal and Owner of Miller Planning Associates, has expertly managed the Zoning Code Assessment (Phase 1 of this project) and offers great insight to the opportunities and challenges that the City faces with implementing the goals, policies, and programs of the General Plan through the development of the zoning code.
One of the optional tasks of the RFP was the creation of an interactive web-based zoning code. The web-based approach to the zoning code would enable more graphics, have a more user-friendly layout, and allow for easier navigation through the code. The City received three proposals and will be considering the appropriate scope of service and the selection of a consultant.
Community Outreach
Community involvement would occur throughout the process with targeted workshops at key milestones, such as focus group review meetings, ongoing outreach via website and social media outreach, and community workshops to inform and seek input. One of the consultant’s first tasks would be working with staff to refine the public engagement program outlining a public process which allows community stakeholders, decisionmakers, and the public to review and comment on updated regulations as they are being formulated.
Community involvement would include up to five community workshops/study sessions, with decisionmakers at key stages during the process to provide opportunities for public education and informal comment on the choice(s) being considered. The workshops/study sessions may also be combined with online events, providing a forum for informal discussion with individual community members seeking to understand the new regulations. Straightforward and informational outreach materials would be created for each workshop/study session.
General Plan Consistency:
PLAN Hermosa, the City’s General Plan, was adopted by the City Council in August 2017. This Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance is the primary tool for the implementation of the goals, policies, programs of the General Plan.
Fiscal Impact:
The estimated cost for preparing the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance update is $257,100, of which $160,000 would be reimbursed by the SB2 Planning Grant in compliance with the Grant Agreement and the remaining amount of $97,100 would be funded through the General Plan Maintenance Fees in the General Fund. The 2020-21 Budget includes $219,962 in the General Fund, which was reappropriated from the 2019-20 Budget to cover the estimated cost of updating the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. The $160,000 in grant revenue would reduce the amount of City funds needed to complete the update.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has awarded the City the grant funds and will be administering the grant. The $160,000 grant must be spent by December 31, 2022 (FY 2021-22). The project is anticipated to be completed by April 2022. The remainder of the estimated cost would be provided by the General Plan Maintenance Fees, which are derived from fees collected at the building permit stage expressly for updating the General Plan, including required updates to the Zoning Code.
Attachments:
1. Request for Proposals
2. Proposal from Miller Planning Associates
3. Zoning Code Assessment Report
4. Draft Professional Services Agreement with Miller Planning Associates
Respectfully Submitted by: Melanie Emas, Assistant Planner
Concur: Ken Robertson, Community Development Director
Fiscal: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Legal Review: Mike Jenkins, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager