The County is legally obligated to address, and where possible, remove governmental constraints affecting the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing. Removing constraints on housing development can help address housing needs in the county by expediting construction and lowering development costs.
Goal: HE-4
Continue to reduce and, where feasible and practical, remove County-imposed constraints that impede the development of affordable housing.
The County shall update its policies, regulations, standards and procedures to apply objective development standards to residential housing projects through a ministerial entitlement process, when required by state law.
The County shall modify local regulations, as appropriate, to streamline regulatory processes, remove unnecessary obstacles to planned densities, and provide flexibility.
The County shall encourage water and sanitation providers to pursue available funding to upgrade, expand, or develop utilities including wastewater/sewer, water, broadband and other necessary utilities to serve existing and future housing at all income levels.[5]
[5] Additional goals and policies related to infrastructure needs for development are in Chapter 5, Public Facilities, Services and Infrastructure Element.
The County shall promote innovative housing types and encourage alternative materials and construction techniques to reduce costs.
Program “C”[6]in the Land Use and Community Character Element will contribute towards implementing this policy.
[6] Expansion of Allowed Housing types – The County shall research existing regulatory impediments to the creation of new housing types that have the potential to fulfill unmet housing needs (e.g., tiny homes, co-housing developments) and if necessary, shall amend applicable ordinances to allow for their development.