RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND ADOPTING THE REVISED HOUSING ELEMENT AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE SAN MATEO COUNTY GENERAL PLAN

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that:

WHEREAS, the County adopted a Housing Element, pursuant to Sections 65580 through 65589 of the California Government Code, on December 16, 1982, its First Housing Element Revision on October 13, 1987, and its Second Housing Element Revision on October 8, 1991; and

WHEREAS, Section 65588(b)(2) of the California Government Code requires that local governments within the regional jurisdiction of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) now prepare their Third Housing Element Revision; and

WHEREAS, with guidance from a General Plan Housing Element Task Force appointed by the Board of Supervisors, staff has prepared a draft Housing Element updating the 1991 Housing Element and constituting the Third Housing Element Revision; and

WHEREAS, said draft Housing Element has been subject to public review before the Planning Commission at three public hearings (September 10, September 24, and November 12, 2003), and before the Board of Supervisors at one public hearing (December 16, 2003); and

WHEREAS, the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors made changes to the draft Housing Element to address concerns raised at the public hearings; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65585(b), the State Department of Housing and Community Development (State HCD) reviewed the draft Housing Element and reported its findings to the County in a letter dated August 23, 2003; and

WHEREAS, the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors considered State HCD's comments and amended the draft Housing Element to incorporate all of the changes and additions requested by State HCD; and

WHEREAS, State HCD indicated in their letter that, once the recommended revisions are completed, the Housing Element will, in their opinion, comply with the requirements of State Housing Element Law; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 65583 of the California Government Code, the Housing Element includes: (1) an identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting these needs; (2) a statement of San Mateo County's goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the maintenance, improvement, and development of housing; and (3) a program which sets forth a schedule of actions the County is undertaking or intends to undertake to implement the policies and achieve the goals and objectives; and

WHEREAS, the adoption of a General Plan or amendments thereto is a project as defined in the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970, as amended (CEQA), and the provisions of Title XIV, California Administrative Code, Guidelines for the implementation of CEQA; and

WHEREAS, a Negative Declaration has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and the State and San Mateo County CEQA Guidelines, assessing the impacts of adoption of the policies of said draft Housing Element; and

WHEREAS, no comments were received during the review period for the Negative Declaration that extended from October 7 to November 6, 2003; and

WHEREAS, the Negative Declaration was also subject to public review during the hearings conducted by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo:

1.

Finds that the Negative Declaration is complete, correct and adequate and prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and applicable State and County Guidelines.

2.

Finds that on the basis of the Initial Study, and comments received thereto, that no substantial evidence exists that the project, if subject to the mitigation measures contained in the Negative Declaration, will have a significant effect on the environment.

3.

Finds that the Negative Declaration reflects the independent judgment of San Mateo County.

4.

Certifies the Negative Declaration, consistent with parts 1, 2 and 3, above.

5.

Finds that the Housing Element substantially complies with the requirements contained in Articles 10.6 (Housing Elements) and 10.7 (Low and Moderate Income Housing Within the Coastal Zone) of Chapter 3 of Division I of Title 7 of the Planning and Zoning Law (California Government Code).

6.

Repeals the previously adopted 1991 Housing Element of the current County General Plan.

7.

Adopts the draft Housing Element as an amendment to the County's General Plan, incorporating it in the Community Development Volume of the General Plan as Chapter 14: Housing.

8.

Directs staff to initiate activities necessary to implement the Policies and Implementation Plan of the Housing Element.

9.

Directs the Planning Commission to initiate public hearings to amend the County Ordinance Code or other appropriate County regulations in order to carry out the Policies and Implementation Plan of the Housing Element.

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