Foster City is reviewing the first state comments about its draft housing element document, with the City Council balancing state requirements with limited availability.
The council discussed feedback from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, about its draft housing element at a Nov. 15 meeting. The housing element establishes the city’s housing goals over eight years and details where and what type of housing will be allowed. A city must create a compliant housing element by the state deadline of Jan. 31 or face potential litigation and loss of local control in development and planning. The city submitted its first draft on July 5 and received full comments from HCD in an Oct. 3 letter, with the council discussing how to meet its state housing goals and balance residential and commercial needs.
“It’s time the Foster City community understands that these important conversations and discussions are not about Manhattanizing Foster City,” Mayor Richa Awasthi said. “It is not about housing or no housing. These discussions and conversations are about proactively managing change. Our community must understand that change is inevitable and, if proactively managed, can be positive. Change can be better than the status quo and being stagnant, and most importantly, change is needed for us to remain sustainable.”
The council deliberated on changing or adding several properties to its site inventory, which identifies specific sites and parcels available for residential development to meet housing element needs. The council directed staff to add the property at 1601 Beach Park Blvd. to its site housing inventory for residential use. The site was previously home to a church and preschool but has been vacant for a decade. The surrounding neighborhood is a mix of single-family homes, townhomes, apartment buildings and a shopping center. Previous development proposals include a 32-unit townhome proposal. A council majority favored adding the property, provided the housing was consistent with the rest of the neighborhood.
“I think it would be beneficial to the community for someone who has been waiting a long time to redevelop that [site],” Councilmember Patrick Sullivan said.
However, Councilmember Sanjay Gehani felt it was wrong to add it to the list without more review.
“I’m appalled that we are going to move this into the site inventory list without additional information, and it should come through the normal process,” Gehani said.
Another property at 1291-1295 E. Hillsdale Blvd. was initially left out of the site inventory but was up for mixed-use reconsideration, The council was against allowing mixed use at the site, given it had enough site inventory and backup for its housing element. The property mainly contains medical offices and is not far from the Hillbarn Theatre. For 1010 Metro Center Blvd., the owner requested the site that formerly has Orchard Supply Hardware allow commercial, high-density residential or mixed use. The council was against turning the site into residential zoning and instead wanted mixed use. Councilmember Patrick Sullivan asked for more information about how it would affect businesses and the city’s vitality.
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“You really need a study to look at it to make an affirmative move in that direction,” Sullivan said.
Vice Mayor Jon Froomin wanted to keep the area commercial to ensure retail could survive in the city.
“This site is one of the last prime locations in our community that has right on and right off the freeway access,” Froomin said.
HCD has asked Foster City for further data and evaluation of the effectiveness of housing programs and analysis of how the housing element will affect the potential displacement of low- and moderate-income residents and renters. The city will include more achievement metrics and consider new programs to address state feedback. HCD also wanted an analysis of land use constraints so developers could build housing.
“It’s OK to get these comments back from the state,” Gehani said. “It’s perfectly normal to get some of these comments back from HCD. There’s not a major issue that has been brought forth here. This is part of the normal process.”
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