Report Prepared by: Mike Conway, Assistant to the City Manager
Title
SUBJECT: Approve Opposition to Senate Bill 35 and Senate Bill 649
REPORT IN BRIEF
Approve the opposition to Senate Bill (SB) 35, Affordable Housing: Streamlined Approval Process, and SB 649, Wireless and Small Cell Telecommunications Facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving the opposition of SB 35 (Weiner), Affordable Housing: Streamlined Approval Process, and SB 649, (Hueso) Wireless and Small Cell Telecommunications Facilities.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended by staff (identify specific findings and/or conditions amended to be addressed in the motion); or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in the motion); or,
5. Continue to a future meeting (date and time to be specified in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2015-16 Adopted Budget
DISCUSSION
SB 35, Affordable Housing: Streamlined Approval Process, has been introduced by State Sen. Scott Weiner, D-San Francisco. The bill claims to address the state's need for market rate and affordable housing by turning the approval process into ministerial action. However, in the process it appears to bypass public input, preventing neighborhood concerns about traffic, parking and other development impacts from being heard. While the intent of the bill is good - providing relief from the state's soaring home prices - it takes away public review of many multifamily housing projects and requires approval of affordable housing projects with very limited exceptions.
SB 649, Wireless and Small Cell Telecommunications Facilities has been introduced by State Senator Ben Hueso, D-San Diego. This bill would prohibit local review of "small cell" wireless antennas, which also includes equipment such as meters,...
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