Planning commission recommends citywide zoning changes to align demolition and tenant protections with state law

The City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission on Oct. 2 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve proposed municipal code amendments that align the city’s demolition-conversion authorization permit and relocation requirements with state law, eliminate subjective findings for housing projects and move approval of certain demolition permits from the commission to the zoning administrator.

The changes are intended to clarify relocation assistance and replacement-housing requirements, add right-of-first-refusal language consistent with state law for lower-income households displaced by redevelopment, and streamline review by eliminating findings that are now legally required to be objective, Clara Stanger, senior planner, told the commission.

"Our ordinance already refers to the state codes, so we are consistent with the state in that, but we are adding additional language to ensure consistency with state law for relocation assistance, replacement housing, and right of first refusal," Stanger said.

Under the package described by staff, relocation-assistance rules would be adjusted so city practice aligns with state requirements; replacement housing would follow state replacement rules for units occupied by lower-income…