Planning commission hears status report on 6th‑cycle housing element; rezones and code changes planned

The Livingston City Planning Commission received an informational status report on the city’s sixth‑cycle housing element update, General Plan Amendment GPA‑24‑02, from Miguel Galvez, contract city planner. The update covers Jan. 31, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2032, and documents the city’s work to identify sites, code changes and programs intended to meet its regional housing needs allocation (RHNA).

The housing element is a required part of the city’s General Plan and must be updated every eight years. Galvez told commissioners the draft was prepared as part of a Merced County multi‑jurisdictional effort led by the Merced County Association of Governments and Rincon Consultants and is posted as Appendix E on the regional housing element website. He said the document’s certification is necessary to maintain eligibility for many state grant programs and to reflect recent changes in state housing law.

Why it matters: the update specifies a local site inventory, policies and code amendments intended to ensure the community has land zoned to accommodate the RHNA and to address fair‑housing requirements. Livingston’s RHNA for the period is 1,097 total units, with a breakdown the planner presented as 311 very‑low, 213 low, 169 moderate and 404 above‑moderate units.

State review and required revisions Galvez outlined the exchange with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The city submitted an initial draft in July 2024, received a first set of HCD comments and submitted revisions on March 14, 2025. A second letter from HCD dated May 8, 2025, requested additional work, including a more robust evaluation of the prior cycle’s program effectiveness and analysis addressing “affirmatively furthering fair housing,” consistency with other General Plan elements and constraints affecting persons with disabilities. Galvez said the city submitted responses to HCD on Oct. 13, 2025.

Planned programs and code changes Galvez described draft programs included in the housing element: identifying adequate sites to meet the RHNA (Program 2); amending local procedures to allow qualifying housing projects to be approved by right (Program 3); and a package of municipal code and zoning amendments (Program 6) to facilitate housing development. Program 7 would redesignate several identified vacant or underdeveloped parcels from low‑density to high‑density residential zoning. The planner said about six properties are proposed for general plan amendment and concurrent rezones; a map of those parcels will be presented to the commission when the item returns.

Affordable projects and feasibility Galvez said Livingston is working with affordable‑housing developers and that two affordable projects are under construction on B Street, each described in the presentation as roughly 80 units (one on the north side and one on the south side of B Street). He noted these projects typically require tax‑credit financing and other state assistance routed through the city.

Public outreach and schedule The city has held community workshops, an online survey, outreach at events (including National Night Out) and meetings with for‑profit and nonprofit developers. Galvez said initial drafts were posted for a 30‑day public review and later 7‑day review periods required by state law; staff reported no public comments during a recent October 3–10 review window. He told commissioners that, subject to HCD’s response, the city intends to bring the package of general plan amendments and rezonings to the Planning Commission in November and to the City Council in December for formal hearings and adoption.

Public comment A resident identified as Miss Acouey read a prepared letter opposing further outward expansion of the city’s sphere of influence and urging protection of farmland and groundwater. She said the community should favor compact, mixed‑use and transit‑oriented development near the proposed ACE train stop and cautioned against sprawl that consumes agricultural land and requires expanded infrastructure.

Director’s report and related items In the Planning Director’s report, staff summarized recent City Council activity related to the General Plan update and zoning code amendments. The Council held hearings Aug. 5 and Sept. 2, 2025, and on Sept. 2 scheduled a second reading and adoption of a zoning ordinance amendment (second reading scheduled for Oct. 21, 2025). Staff said a package of zoning ordinance amendments tied to the housing element will return to the commission. The commission agreed to reschedule its Nov. 11 meeting (Veterans Day) to Thursday, Nov. 13, to consider the housing‑element–related items, including a use permit for a VA housing proposal, the comprehensive zoning amendments and the six proposed general plan amendments and rezonings.

No formal action taken Galvez and staff emphasized the presentation was informational only; the commission did not vote on the housing element at this meeting. The commission was encouraged to receive public comments; no regulatory action or adoption occurred that evening. The next steps remain HCD’s 90‑day review and the scheduling of public hearings for any formal General Plan and zoning changes.

(Reporter’s note: project and developer names in the presentation were unclear in the transcript; the presentation identified two 80‑unit affordable projects on the north and south sides of B Street but did not provide unambiguous developer names.)