San Anselmo GPAC reviews adopted housing element, discusses implementation and trade-offs

Town of San Anselmo planning staff updated the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) on the town’s recently adopted housing element and the group spent more than an hour questioning staff about implementation, funding and how housing objectives intersect with circulation, conservation and economic development.

The discussion covered why the housing element must be updated on an eight-year state schedule, how the town identified roughly 745 housing units of capacity—largely along arterial corridors—and what programs and regulatory changes have been adopted or are planned to support housing creation.

The housing element identifies sites concentrated near transit and services and allows higher densities in targeted areas. Lindsay (planning staff liaison) told GPAC members the town increased maximum densities in many residential zones from about 20 units per acre to 30 units per acre and that “most” of the state‑allocated housing capacity is within the identified arterial “balloons.” The element also includes an inclusionary housing ordinance requiring 20% affordable units on qualifying multifamily projects and an option for developers to pay an in‑lieu fee instead of constructing units; planning staff said…