Planning staff seeks direction on seventh-cycle housing element; HPAC, planning commission to review administrative draft

Mariposa County planning staff presented an administrative draft of the seventh-cycle housing element on April 1 and asked the Board of Supervisors for direction on goals, priorities and new program proposals before the draft goes to the Planning Commission and then to the state for review.

The housing element is the state-required chapter of the general plan that evaluates housing needs and sets local policies and programs to encourage housing production for all income levels. Staff said the county's administrative draft incorporates public workshops, Housing Program Advisory Committee (HPAC) input, the Integrated Mobility and Housing Strategy (IMHS), and recent local planning work, including revisions to development codes and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) resources.

Why it matters: The housing element guides zoning and regulatory changes that affect where and how housing can be built in the county. Staff emphasized that the county itself does not build housing but must ensure zoning and permitting processes do not obstruct development and that an adequate supply of appropriately zoned sites exists for housing producers.

Draft priorities and programs: Staff highlighted several programs and policy areas under consideration: - ADU streamlining and a pre-approved plan gallery: staff has posted six pre-reviewed ADU plan sets (available through San Diego County's shared program) to speed permitting and help homeowners build accessory units; the county's website now includes ADU tools, ROI calculators and an online appointment system for planners. - Development-code changes to reduce barriers: updates in progress include new standards for RV/park-model seasonal housing, clarified definitions and permit pathways for emergency shelters and transitional housing, and streamlined processes for ADUs and density bonuses. - Wildfire and recovery planning: staff recommended adding programs from the Community Wildfire Prevention Plan that emphasize home hardening, defensible space, and regional fuel-reduction coordination as housing-element priorities, recognizing insurance, material and labor pressures on post-fire rebuilding. - Site assessment and proactive outreach: planners used GIS scoring to identify town-area parcels with lower hazard exposure, available services and higher potential to support higher-density housing; staff noted the Field of Dreams parcel and other locally significant sites from the IMHS as candidates for further study.

Board input requested: Staff asked the board to confirm whether the 2019 housing goals still reflect county priorities, to endorse proposed new programs (for example, pursuing pro-housing designation with the state, establishing a local housing trust fund, and pursuing partnerships with the National Park Service and park partners), and to direct staff on wildfire-related deliverables and measurable objectives.

What the board said: Supervisors generally signaled support for the draft goals and for continued work on ADU streamlining and wildfire resilience measures. Several supervisors urged staff to ensure the housing element and the development-code update are tightly aligned so that policy intent becomes enforceable, practical code language. The board also asked staff to bring back clearly defined program deliverables and timelines.

Next steps: Staff will present the administrative draft to the Planning Commission on May 2, submit a public draft to the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by early June for review, and return to the board after HCD's comment period and Planning Commission recommendation. Planning staff said a small contract specialist has been retained to confirm state compliance before final submittal.