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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18-21RESOLUTION 18-21 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ACTIONS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN LOCAL DEMOCRACY, AUTHORITY, AND CONTROL AS RELATED TO LOCAL ZONING AND HOUSING ISSUES, AND EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SB 9 WHEREAS, the legislature of the State of California each year proposes, passes, and has signed into law a number of bills addressing a range of housing issues; and WHEREAS, the legislature of the State of California does not allow sufficient time between each legislative cycle to determine if the legislation is successful in bringing about the change for the State of California's housing issues; and WHEREAS, the majority of these bills usurp the authority of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves the land use policies and practices that best suit each city and its residents and instead impose mandates that do not consider the needs and differences of jurisdictions throughout the State of California; and WHEREAS, The Town of Los Altos Hills is uniquely situated in a semi -rural, hillside environment with physical limitations to vehicular access, water and sewer infrastructure capacities, steep slopes with soils and geological constraints, riparian creels corridors and native oak woodlands; and these unique landscape, geological, topographical and terrain characteristics require focused site planning and analysis to minimize risks related to wildland fires, earthquakes and other natural hazards, and to minimize impacts to unique and sensitive environmental settings; and WHEREAS, the ability of local jurisdictions to determine for themselves appropriate projects and regulations which uphold the Town's ability to maintain the semi -rural, hillside character of the community; are suitable and practical for the community; and do not unduly impact the community's infrastructure and environment, rather than having these decisions imposed upon cities without regard to the circumstances of each individual jurisdiction is a matter of great importance to the Town of Los Altos Hills among other items related to local zoning and housing issues; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills feels strongly that our local government is best able to assess the needs of our community and objects to the proliferation of State legislation that deprives us of that ability. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills does hereby resolve as follows: 1. The Town of Los Altos Hills is opposed to the current practice of the legislature of the State of California of continually proposing and passing multitudes of bills that directly impact and interfere with the ability of local jurisdictions to control their own destiny through use of the zoning authority that has been granted to them. Resolution 18-21 Page 1 2. The Town of Los Altos Hills is specifically opposed to Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) which would allow subdivisions by -right regardless of the density limits set by the Town's General Plan or Zoning Ordinance, and preclude the Town's ability to enforce appropriate regulations, conditions and limitations to ensure orderly and compatible growth and development that does not overburden the community's infrastructure and minimizes risks related to wildland fires, earthquakes and other natural hazards. 3. The Town of Los Altos Hills will explore various ways to protect the ability of jurisdictions to retain local control over zoning as each individual city within the State of California is best suited to determine how the zoning in their city should be allocated in order to meet the housing needs of the community. 4. That the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions. The above and foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills at a regular meeting held on 18th of March 2021 by the following vote: AYES: Tankha, Tyson, Mok, Schmidt, Swan NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Deborah Padovan, City Clerk go Kavita Tankha, Mayor Resolution 18-21 Page 2