Workforce Housing Study and Proposal Accepted

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The November Council Meeting was the first with a complement of four Council Members. The fifth (Group 2) position will not be filled until 2021. (If no one ‘jumps in the race’ by the end of November, former Mayor/Council Member Marcie Tinsley will be automatically deemed to have been elected.) All were present in Council Chambers for the meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, Vice-Mayor Pro-tem Rachelle Litt was ‘voted’ in as Vice-Mayor and various committee memberships that were previously attended by now County Commissioner Maria Marino, were assigned to others on the Council.

The topic(s) of Workforce Housing – Study and Report, CDBG Cares Act funding, and the updated five year plan for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) were presented as a single presentation by Joann Skaria, Planning Manager, AICP of the Planning and Zoning Dept. The talk covered Resolutions 63, 2020, Resolution 64, 2020 and Resolution 66, 2020 on the agenda.

Workforce Housing – The study covered a lot of possible solutions. Following are those that were recommended by the study and staff. “Staff recommends that upon adoption of this report, the City Council direct staff to proceed with the necessary recommended solutions, Comprehensive Plan Text Amendments, Land Development Regulations Text Amendments, and/ or Standard Operating Procedures, depending on the unique solution, outlining specific parameters and processes in order to move forward with the implementation.” Resolution 66, 2020 passed 4:0.

Workforce Housing Solutions
1. Non-Residential Square Footage Intensity Bonus – Recommended
2 . Residential Density Bonus – Recommended
3. Housing Trust Fund – Recommended
4. Impact Fee Credits – Recommended
5. Waiver of Building Permit Application Review Fee – Recommended
6. Expedited Permitting – Recommended
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7. Accessory Dwelling Units (AD Us) – Recommended
8. Community Contribution Tax Credit Program (CCTCP) – Recommended

Cares Act funding allows the $483K in covid-19 related funding to be applied to housing assistance (rental/mortgage) to residents whose livelihood was directly affected by Covid. The following chart shows the distribution of those funds as passed in Resolution 63, 2020.

 

The CDBG Five-Year plan was approved along with the proposed project for the first year – an infrastructure project (water lines) for Mary Circle and Dania Drive. Resolution 63, 2020 passed 4:0.

All other Ordinances/Resolutions passed 4:0. Of note:

• Ordinance 12, 2020 – First Reading – documented the change of Alcohol Sales in the City from 8am to 7am
• Resolution 62, 2020 approved changes to the McDonald’s at Promenade Plaza including two drive through lanes and improved landscaping.