The purpose of the Workforce Housing (WH) Combining District is to implement policies and programs of the Sonoma County Housing Element by increasing the supply of housing for the local workforce in close proximity to job centers or major transit services.

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)

The WH combining district may be applied to properties within designated urban service areas with the following base zones:

(a)

LC (Limited Commercial) District;

(b)

C2 (Retail Business and Service) District;

(c)

MP (Industrial Park) District;

(d)

M3 (Rural Industrial) District;

(e)

M1 (Limited Industrial); and

(f)

PF (Public Facilities) District

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)

Parcels proposed for rezoning to add the Workforce Housing Combining District must meet all of the following criteria:

(a)

Parcel must be located within an Urban Service Area.

(b)

There is adequate sewer and water capacity to serve the projected residential development.

(c)

The proposed parcel would accommodate housing for on-site commercial or industrial uses; or the parcel is located within three thousand feet (3,000′) from any one (1) of the following:

(1)

A passenger rail or transit station with headways of sixty (60) minutes or less during peak hours;

(2)

An employment node that encompasses an aggregate of:

i.

Three (3) acres of commercial-zoned land;

ii.

Ten (10) acres of industrial-zoned land; or

iii.

Any combination of (i) and (ii) that provides an equivalent ratio;

(d)

The proposed rezoning is consistent with the overall goals, objectives, policies and programs of the general plan and any applicable area or specific plans as amended from time to time;

(e)

The proposed rezoning is consistent with the allowable residential densities and other limitations of the Comprehensive Airport Land Use Plan (CALUP) as amended from time to time.

(f)

Parcel is not adjacent to incompatible land uses that emit noxious levels of noise, odor, and other pollutants, nor adjacent to lands zoned for such uses.

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)

The following uses are permitted in addition to those allowed by the underlying base zone, in compliance with all applicable provisions of Article 89 (Affordable Housing Program) and subject to design review:

(a)

Multi-family housing projects providing at least ten percent (10%) of the total units affordable to very low- and extremely low-income households;

(b)

Multi-family housing projects providing at least fifteen percent (15%) of the total units affordable to low- and very low-income households;

(c)

Planned developments and condominiums providing at least twenty percent (20%) of the total units affordable to low- and moderate-income households;

(d)

Housing opportunity rental (Type A) projects providing at least forty percent (40%) of the total units affordable to very low- and low-income households;

(e)

Housing opportunity ownership (Type C) projects providing at least twenty percent (20%) of the total units affordable, with one-half of the total number of required affordable units shall be provided as affordable to low-income households; the remaining affordable units may be provided as affordable to households with moderate or low incomes;

(f)

Mixed-use projects in compliance with Section 26-88-123 (Mixed Use Developments) providing at least twenty percent (20%) of the total residential floor area affordable to lower-income households.

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)

(a)

Multifamily, mixed-use, or ownership housing projects providing less than the minimum affordable units required of Section 26-75-030;

(b)

Multifamily, mixed-use, or ownership housing projects that do not meet all of the development criteria or design standards.

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)

Workforce housing projects shall conform to the residential densities and development standards listed in Section 26-24-030 (R3 High Density Residential), except as set forth below:

(1)

Workforce housing projects shall have a minimum residential density of sixteen (16) units per acre and a maximum residential density of twenty four (24) units per acre based on the calculation of density unit equivalents for High Density Residential provided in Section 26-24-030. Additional density may be granted in compliance with Article 89 (Affordable Housing Program).

(2)

Vacation rentals or other transient occupancies are prohibited in workforce housing.

(3)

As a condition of approval, workforce housing projects must notify prospective tenants of the potential for noise disturbance or future noise disturbance.

(Ord. No. 6247, § II(Exh. F), 10-23-2018)