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P24-0720, 0 Vineyard Ave Planning Commission 6 of 7 General Plan – Housing Element Program 1.1 of the Housing Element required the City to maintain the existing zoning of and also rezone (i.e., apply additional zoning districts) to appropriate areas/sites (housing opportunity sites) to allow residential uses consistent with the Housing Element. The subject site was rezoned by applying the HOZ zoning, to accommodate development of the parcel, with three acres reserved for park and open space. The proposed amendments are internally consistent with Geneal Plan goals, policies and programs in that the amount of park and open space on the site will remain the same, while allowing greater community input in the provision of the facilities. There is no change in the allowable density of the site or any other standard governing the site’s development, which must continue to remain consistent with the adopted Objective Design Standards for Housing Element Sites and other applicable standards. Splitting the park/open space will maintain a landscape buffer that is in keeping with the development along Vineyard Avenue, while providing park facilities adjacent to an existing walking and bicycling trail on Old Vineyard Avenue, a location with less adjacent traffic and potentially more in keeping with the desired environment for a neighborhood park. Climate Action Plan (CAP) Strategies The CAP includes a strategy to “encourage and facilitate more walking and cycling trips.” The proposed amendments are consistent with this strategy in that they may allow more residents to access a park adjacent to Old Vineyard Avenue by foot or bicycle. Consistency with VACSP and Zoning The proposed amendments are consistent with the VACSP in that the VACSP projected that future play fields and play areas on the elementary school site would be open as recreational areas for residents during non-school hours. The Housing Element rezoning of this site provided for three acres of park and open space area. The proposed amendment would maintain the total amount of open space/recreational areas on the site, while providing more flexibility about how this open space is configured. Additionally, the land use pattern within the VACSP includes vineyards/open space abutting along Vineyard Avenue. The proposed amendment would allow a future project to maintain consistency with this land use pattern. ALTERNATIVES Staff believes the amendments are reasonable and consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan and zoning district. However, alternatives to the proposal that could be considered by the Planning Commission include: 1. Denial of the application. Such an action would prevent the applicant from modifying their project to include two park/open space areas. 2. Approval of the General Plan Amendments with modifications. The Planning Commission could modify the specific language proposed. PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS Notices of this application were sent to surrounding property owners and tenants within a 1,000-foot radius of the site and a notification was posted on-site per the on-site project notification policy. Staff has provided the location and noticing map as Exhibit C for reference.