Planning commission recommends council adopt housing-element changes, adds Chapter 10.83 and rezones 10 acres at old winery
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Summary
The Tulare Planning Commission recommended the city council approve amendments to the zoning code to add Chapter 10.83 (by-right approvals), an amendment to the General Plan and a rezone of 10 acres (APN 149-070-008) from RM-2 to RM-4 to meet the city’s RHNA; state HCD has found the draft substantially compliant.
The Tulare Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt amendments implementing the city’s updated housing element, including adding Chapter 10.83 to the zoning ordinance to enable by-right (ministerial) approvals and rezoning a 10-acre portion of the old winery parcel (Assessor’s Parcel No. 149-070-008) from medium-density to high-density residential (RM-2 to RM-4).
Mario, the city’s Community Development Director, summarized the multi-jurisdictional housing element update process, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) obligations and the state review. He said State HCD has indicated the draft is substantially compliant and that the city must adopt the housing element and take implementing zoning and general-plan actions. “This is for the housing element,” Mario said, adding that the city prepared multiple drafts, engaged the community through workshops and surveys and worked with HCD through a number of iterations to reach substantial compliance.
Staff presented the housing needs assessment showing Tulare is heavily weighted toward single-family detached housing (roughly 77% of units) and has relatively few studios and one-bedroom units compared with state averages. Staff said the site inventory yields capacity for roughly 2,491 housing units on vacant or underdeveloped private parcels; most opportunity sites are privately owned and the city identified one parcel that requires rezoning (the old winery site along Mooney) to meet low-income and high-density unit shortfalls.
The housing plan sets seven goals, including regional collaboration, by-right approvals, affordability programs, preservation, and affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH) actions to avoid concentrating apartments in a single neighborhood. Mario explained the state’s by-right/ministerial requirement: if a project meets zoning and development standards on an identified site, it may proceed without discretionary entitlements. Staff said the proposed Chapter 10.83 clarifies those by-right approvals and streamlining provisions in the zoning code.
A commissioner asked about farmworker, senior, and special-needs housing locations; staff pointed to existing projects such as the Sonora farmworker development by Wilson Elementary, Bardsley Gardens Apartments and Santa Fe Commons (some units constructed with USDA funding) and described the navigation center and shelter under construction at the Hillman campus (near O'Neil and Walnut) that will combine congregate shelter space with navigation services and county behavioral-health supports.
A motion to adopt the resolution recommending City Council approval of the zoning text amendment (Chapter 10.83), the General Plan amendment and rezoning of APN 149-070-008 (10 acres), and an addendum to the certified 2014 General Plan EIR was moved and seconded; the motion carried by roll call (Commissioner Henard: Aye; Commissioner Cantu: Aye; Chair Miller: Aye). Staff noted a typographical error in the staff report referencing Merced County; staff acknowledged it was a consultant’s typo and not relevant to the Tulare findings.
The commission’s recommendation advances the package to the City Council for final action; staff and consultants will continue implementation steps and ministerial revisions as required.
