Calistoga council adopts zoning change to speed housing on three reuse parcels

The Calistoga City Council on Feb. 27 adopted a zoning ordinance amendment (ZOA2023-3) that makes three identified reuse parcels eligible for ministerial (by-right) approval when a residential project dedicates at least 20% of units to lower-income households. The move implements Action A6.1.2 of the City’s 2023–2031 Housing Element, which the California Department of Housing and Community Development certified last year.

Interim community building and planning director Sandra Meyer told the council the change responds to state law requiring reuse sites in the site inventory be available for ministerial review when they meet specified affordability thresholds. Meyer said the amendment would replace discretionary design review for qualifying projects with a set of objective design standards drawn from the city’s 2014 design guidelines, retaining local standards while streamlining review. She noted multi-family development in the R3 district currently has objective standards already (lot size, setbacks, coverage and height limits) and described parking as two spaces per unit plus a proposed guest-parking requirement of one space per four units.

During public comment, resident Charlotte Williams raised questions about construction delays on a nearby Lincoln Avenue affordable project and asked how the city could prevent slow contractor performance. The city manager and staff said delays described were contractor-related and not caused by the city. Councilmember Eisenberg and others pressed staff about whether ministerial review would reduce local control; staff reiterated that state law requires ministerial processing for qualifying reuse parcels (for low or very low income units), and that the objective standards are intended to preserve local design input.

Councilmember Cooper moved to adopt and waive further reading of ZOA2023-3; Councilmember Eisenberg seconded. Vice Mayor Lopez Ortega, who chaired the hearing while Mayor Williams and Councilmember Gift recused from this item, called for a voice vote. The motion passed by voice vote with the voting members present approving the amendment. The council directed staff to develop and return objective design standards related to the zoning code amendment for the council’s later review.

The ordinance affects specific assessor parcels listed in the staff report (reuse parcels identified in the housing element’s site inventory) and is intended to facilitate production of lower-income units consistent with the certified housing element. The council noted this action is mandated in part by state requirements but said it would continue separate discussions on middle‑income housing goals that are outside the scope of this particular state-driven item.

Staff said additional related items, including the objective design standards referenced in the amendment, will return to the council for separate consideration.