Staff announces July review draft and Aug. 25 public hearing for housing element; workshop this Saturday

City planning staff told the council that the housing element update will include a community workshop this Saturday at the Grange from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an online survey, and that the city expects to release a public‑review draft in mid‑July. A required public hearing is scheduled for the council’s regular meeting on Aug. 25; the hearing will precede formal submittal of the document to the Department of Housing and Community Development for its statutorily mandated review.

The presentation emphasized that while the city can shape some local programs — such as accessory dwelling unit incentives, density‑bonus programs, and objective design standards — certain components are evaluated by HCD for compliance with state law. "There is an in‑person community workshop this Saturday at the Grange from 10:30 to 12:30," the planner said, inviting residents to the drop‑in session. Staff also described additional outreach channels including a city web page, email contact form, paper copies at city offices, and one‑on‑one stakeholder interviews. Councilmembers asked about how much direct influence residents can have; staff reiterated that the HCD review sets many compliance requirements but that the element still allows the city to adopt locally tailored programs and incentives.