SCH Number 2025070498

Project Info

Title

2024-2029 Housing Element Update and Safety Element Update IS/ND

Description

The City of Sonora is updating the General Plan Housing and Safety Elements in order to align them with other General Plan Elements, as required by State law. Both updates strive to align with recently enacted State laws and meet State requirements. The Safety Element Update is intended to adopt new climate change and wildfire mitigation strategies that will help the City better prepare for possible new and more severe climate scenarios. The proposed Housing Element Update describes and analyzes the housing needs of Sonora residents and the issues confronted by the City, and provides goals, policies, and quantified objectives related to the maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing. In order to receive certification of the City’s 2024-2029 Housing Element by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the 5th and 6th Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) candidate site(s) are to be rezoned to accommodate by-right housing pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2 (c). Specifically, Program 3.1 requires the City to amend the City’s Municipal Code by adding Chapter 17.21, entitled Regional Housing Needs Assessment Overlay Zone District (RHNAOZD), to Title 17 of the City of Sonora Municipal Code. The RHNAOZD applies to the Lemke property (APN: 044-430-055), which is zoned R3 (maximum density of 21.75 du/acre). As an overlay zone, the RHNAOZD would layer on top of the base R3 zoning regulations, leaving in place the option to develop under the base zoning, but providing the opportunity to develop the property through a ministerial by-right approval process should an applicant propose 20 percent low-income deed restricted affordable housing. The Safety Element Update (SEU) analyzes potential natural and human-caused hazards to safety in the City and provides goals, policies, and actions to minimize these hazards. The SEU evaluates hazards that may affect existing and future development and growth and provides guidelines for protecting the community and minimizing harm to the extent feasible. The goal of the SEU is to reduce the risk of injury, death, property loss, and other hardships to acceptable levels. Periodic updates of the Safety Element ensure that goals and policies remain relevant and responsive to community needs, hazard situations, and State law. The proposed project includes two policy documents that do not include any actual development of parcels. No development is proposed.

3 documents in project