Question whether to ask voters to change rules
The Healdsburg City Council meets Monday, May 21 to discuss whether to move forward with a ballot measure that would loosen growth controls in the community, targeted to low income and middle income rentals.
The current Growth Management Ordinance (GMO) was adopted by voters in 2001 in response to the rapid build-out of Parkland Farms at the north end of Healdsburg.
Even GMO supporters agree that the 30-unit a year restriction has impeded the creation of apartment projects that would provide more housing options for workers and families.
But, the devil is in the details and there is little agreement on how, or if, to modify the GMO to fill the housing gaps. Measure R, an attempt to eliminate the GMO in favor of a city-adopted growth plan, failed in the 2016 election.
Healdsburg City Councilmember Shaun McCaffery has pushed the rest of the council to consider a GMO modification.
The city council staff report for Monday’s meeting describes the concept as follows: “Amend the GMO to exempt a fixed number of multifamily rental housing units from the 30 units per year currently allowed by the GMO. These rental units, intended for ‘middle income households’ (units affordable to households earning up to 140 percent Area Median Income) would be subject to a regulatory agreement with the developer/owner of the units to ensure long term affordability.”
The council is on a tight schedule. If a GMO modification is to go forward, environmental studies have to be completed, ballot language has to be written and checked for legality and public hearings have to be held.
In order to make an August deadline for a November 6 ballot initiative, the council has to move quickly.
In addition to Monday’s meeting, the council has a second meeting scheduled, for Thursday, May 31, to continue the discussion and possibly finalize its intent.
Both meetings are scheduled for Healdsburg City Hall, 401 Grove Street, at 5 p.m. (note that the May 21 meeting begins an hour earlier than the usual 6 p.m. start time)
