Madera County adopts 2024'2032 housing element after public comments on timelines and disadvantaged communities

The Madera County Board of Supervisors approved the county's 2024'2032 housing element, associated rezones and code amendments on second reading Tuesday, adopting implementing ordinances and a resolution on a 5-0 vote.

Jamie Backs, principal planner with the Community and Economic Development Department, told the board the update identifies sites across unincorporated communities for the regional housing needs allocation and requests rezoning for 89 sites to allow multifamily development where infrastructure (water and sewer) is available. Backs said the county determined the item is exempt from CEQA under sections 15060(c)(2) and 15061(b)(3) and that the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) had issued a letter of substantial compliance.

Public commenters raised substantive concerns before the vote. Ashley Marie Suarez, a policy advocate with Leadership Council, said numeric objectives for programs such as housing rehabilitation, rental assistance, and weatherization are too low to serve the county's 23 unincorporated communities and asked the board to increase targets and accelerate timelines. “A 100-foot buffer does not protect residents from the adverse health effects of continuous pesticide usage,” Suarez urged, calling for a 1,000-foot buffer and earlier program starts.

Andrea Uribe, also with Leadership Council, asked for stronger analysis to meet Senate Bill 244 requirements for disadvantaged unincorporated communities (DUCs). She flagged specific discrepancies between figures in the housing element and the land use element, including differing well-yield numbers cited for a community well (one document lists 500 gallons per minute, another 673 gpm), and urged the county to correct inconsistencies before adopting the plan.

Backs and staff responded that outreach and coordination with cities and other agencies were part of the process, that sites were selected with available water and sewer infrastructure in mind, and that the county will send the certified element back to HCD following board action. After public comment and a brief board discussion the supervisors moved to approve the second reading and adoption. The motion passed 5-0.

The adopted package includes rezones to allow higher-density residential development in identified communities, updates to density standards and tenant-protection programs, and programs intended to support affordable housing and streamline development review. Staff noted there is no immediate construction proposed by the action; adoption establishes policy and zoning changes that allow future development applications.