Special Findings for Denying and Conditioning Very Low, Low or Moderate Income Housing, Farmworker Housing, and Emergency Shelters. In accordance with California Government Code Sections 65589.5(d)(1) through (5), and as it may be amended, the city shall not disapprove a housing development project, including farmworker housing as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 50199.7(h), for very low, low, or moderate income households, or an emergency shelter, or condition approval in a manner that renders the housing development project infeasible for development for the use of very low, low, or moderate income households, or an emergency shelter, including through the use of design review standards, unless it makes written findings, based upon a preponderance of the evidence in the record, as to one of the following:
1.
The city has adopted a housing element pursuant to this chapter that has been revised in accordance with Government Code Section 65588, is in substantial compliance with this chapter, and the city has met or exceeded its share of the regional housing need allocation pursuant to Government Code Section 65584 for the planning period for the income category proposed for the housing development project; provided, that any disapproval or conditional approval shall not be based on any of the reasons prohibited by Government Code Section 65008. If the housing development project includes a mix of income categories, and the jurisdiction has not met or exceeded its share of the regional housing need for one or more of those categories, then this subsection shall not be used to disapprove or conditionally approve the housing development project. The share of the regional housing need met by the jurisdiction shall be calculated consistently with the forms and definitions that may be adopted by the department of housing and community development pursuant to Government Code Section 65400. In the case of an emergency shelter, the jurisdiction shall have met or exceeded the need for emergency shelter, as identified pursuant to Government Code Section 65583(a)(7). Any disapproval or conditional approval pursuant to this subsection shall be in accordance with applicable law, rule, or standards; or
2.
The housing development project or emergency shelter as proposed would have a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety, and there is no feasible method to satisfactorily mitigate or avoid the specific adverse impact without rendering the development unaffordable to low and moderate income households or rendering the development of the emergency shelter financially infeasible. As used in this subsection, a "specific, adverse impact" means a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified written public health or safety standards, policies, or conditions as they existed on the date the application was deemed complete. The following shall not constitute a specific, adverse impact upon the public health or safety:
a.
Inconsistency with the zoning ordinance or general plan land use designation.
b.
The eligibility to claim a welfare exemption under Section 214(g) of the Revenue and Taxation Code; or
3.
The denial of the housing development project or imposition of conditions is required in order to comply with specific state or federal law, and there is no feasible method to comply without rendering the development unaffordable to low and moderate income households or rendering the development of the emergency shelter financially infeasible; or
4.
The housing development project or emergency shelter is proposed on land zoned for agriculture or resource preservation that is surrounded on at least two sides by land being used for agricultural or resource preservation purposes, or which does not have adequate water or wastewater facilities to serve the project; or
5.
The housing development project or emergency shelter is inconsistent with both the city’s zoning ordinance and general plan land use designation as specified in any element of the general plan as it existed on the date the application was deemed complete, and the jurisdiction has adopted a revised housing element in accordance with Government Code Section 65588 that is in substantial compliance with this section. For purposes of this section, a change to the zoning ordinance or general plan land use designation subsequent to the date the application was deemed complete shall not constitute a valid basis to disapprove or condition approval of the housing development project or emergency shelter.
a.
This subsection cannot be utilized to disapprove or conditionally approve a housing development project if the housing development project is proposed on a site that is identified as suitable or available for very low, low, or moderate income households in the city’s housing element, and consistent with the density specified in the housing element, even though it is inconsistent with both the jurisdiction’s zoning ordinance and general plan land use designation.
b.
If the local agency has failed to identify in the inventory of land in its housing element sites that can be developed for housing within the planning period and are sufficient to provide for the jurisdiction’s share of the regional housing need for all income levels pursuant to Government Code Section 65584, then this subsection shall not be utilized to disapprove or conditionally approve a housing development project proposed for a site designated in any element of the general plan for residential uses or designated in any element of the general plan for commercial uses if residential uses are permitted or conditionally permitted within commercial designations. In any action in court, the burden of proof shall be on the local agency to show that its housing element does identify adequate sites with appropriate zoning and development standards and with services and facilities to accommodate the local agency’s share of the regional housing need for the very low, low, and moderate income categories.
c.
If the local agency has failed to identify a zone or zones where emergency shelters are allowed as a permitted use without a conditional use or other discretionary permit, has failed to demonstrate that the identified zone or zones include sufficient capacity to accommodate the need for emergency shelter identified in Government Code Section 65583(a)(7), or has failed to demonstrate that the identified zone or zones can accommodate at least one emergency shelter, as required by Government Code Section 65583(a)(4), then this subsection shall not be utilized to disapprove or conditionally approve an emergency shelter proposed for a site designated in any element of the general plan for industrial, commercial, or multifamily residential uses. In any action in court, the burden of proof shall be on the local agency to show that its housing element does satisfy the requirements of Government Code Section 65583(a)(4).