Community-development director outlines 6,000-unit project pipeline, general-plan restart and wireless code updates
Loading...
Summary
Community Development Director Jaime Murillo told council members the department is managing 24 major housing projects (about 6,000 units) and plans to bring a draft general-plan update to council by May; staff also proposed wireless-code amendments, CDM corridor pilots, and prep work for the 7th-cycle RHNA process.
Community Development Director Jaime Murillo presented a year-ahead agenda focused on customer service, housing project workload and long-range planning.
Murillo said the department aims to review 80% of plan checks within one day and schedule 99% of inspections for the next day as staff adapts to a surge of major projects. He reported 24 major housing projects in the pipeline totaling roughly 6,000 units and highlighted that about 407 affordable/workforce units are included among entitled and pipeline projects.
Murillo outlined the general-plan update timeline and said the city hopes to bring draft elements to council review by May after concluding advisory committee work. He also described upcoming code amendments to streamline review of wireless telecommunications in the public right of way, and action items from a Corona del Mar corridor study that include parking management pilots and a proposed trolley service targeted for May 2027.
On housing mandates, Murillo noted the regional RHNA process begins now and the city will prepare to receive its allocation when SCAG finalizes methodology in 2027. He flagged potential consultant needs for the next housing-element cycle.
Next steps: staff will return with planning‑commission referrals, wireless-code amendments for March, and subsequent council hearings on general-plan elements and corridor improvements.
