Villa Park council adopts housing element resolutions, introduces rezoning ordinances amid Smith Basin opposition

The Villa Park City Council on Tuesday adopted two resolutions to readopt the city’s 2021–2029 housing element and to approve the housing-element implementation project, and introduced two rezoning ordinances that the city says are required for final certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

The council’s action, taken by a 5-0 vote, advances a package of land-use map changes, zoning amendments and regulatory updates that staff and consultants said are needed to demonstrate the city’s development capacity under the regional housing needs assessment (RHNA). Council members introduced, but did not adopt, two ordinances that will return for a second reading at the council’s June meeting.

The meeting marked the culmination of a multi-year process. Ray Pasquale, the city’s planner, and Brian Delatore of consulting firm Kimley‑Horn told the council the housing element itself does not approve housing projects but documents the city’s capacity to accommodate its RHNA allocation, which the consultants said is 296 units for the 2021–2029 cycle.

“These housing elements are updated just to show that we have sufficient capacity. We have, you know, sufficient zoning, development standards, regulations to, allow…