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…