City planning staff presented options for complying with state law requiring cities to allow low-barrier navigation centers (LBNCs) by right in zones that permit mixed use or multi-family residential. The item grew from a housing-element implementation requirement tied to state certification.

Principal Planner Thomas Gorham told council that Assembly Bill 101 (the 2019 law that requires cities to allow low-barrier navigation centers in specified zones) means the city must identify at least one zone where LBNCs are allowed by right; staff identified the city's Commercial Neighborhood (CN) zone as meeting the statutory characteristic because it allows mixed use. To meet the requirement and to create candidate sites that could accommodate future LBNCs, staff identified four vacant parcels that could be changed to the CN designation through a general plan amendment and zone change. The four candidate parcels are:
- Site A: near Hall Avenue and 26th Street (currently light industrial/general manufacturing designation);
- Site B: both sides of Mission Boulevard between Campbell and Hunter (currently commercial retail/general commercial);
- Site C: north side of Limonite between Mann Avenue and Ridgeway (commercial retail/scenic commercial highway zoning);
- Site D: Land Use Area 14 (vacant, earlier identified for commercial neighborhood use; a 46-unit apartment application is pending on the site and would still be processed independently).

Planner Gorham also presented a review of existing assisted-living, sober-living and faith-based facilities, and five places of worship with surrounding zoning that could meet CN criteria. He cautioned the council that rezoning parcels with existing uses can create nonconforming development issues and said staff's recommended approach was to prioritize vacant parcels so the map amendment would not create legal nonconforming uses.

Council members asked substantive questions about permanence: the original state law had a sunset provision (January 2027) that would have allowed cities to revisit LBNC by-right status; staff noted that a subsequent state bill removed the sunset clause and that once the city adopts by-right standards in its CN zone those changes would remain until state law changed or the city created another mixed-use zone and amended the code. Several councilmembers asked for more time to analyze the candidate parcels and to visit sites. One councilmember asked whether property owners had been notified; staff said no, not until council directs staff to pursue a rezoning because notice would be required for formal land-use changes.

Council direction: Council members asked staff to return in one month with additional analysis and, before proceeding with a zone or general plan amendment, requested more outreach and the opportunity to inspect candidate parcels. The council did not adopt any ordinance or map amendment at the meeting.

Clarifying details:
- State policy: staff cited Assembly Bill 101 (2019) and subsequent state action removing a potential sunset clause; staff emphasized the obligation to identify zones that allow mixed use or multi-family for LBNCs.
- Staff recommended vacant candidate sites to avoid creating legal nonconforming development problems.
- No formal rezoning was initiated; council instructed staff to return with more analysis and community outreach.

Next steps: Staff will prepare further analysis on the four candidate sites, map impacts and notification steps and return to council in approximately one month per council direction.