SIERRA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR! MEETINGMINUTES  Ta5z  August 15, 2024 Chair: Liz Fisher Mike Filippini  Vice Chair: James Kelley  Alan Teague  David Goicoechea  Location: Sierra County Courthouse I Board of Supervisiors Chambers I 100 Courthouse This meeting was open to the public for in-person vewigparlicpation, as well as available via  Square Downieville, CA 95936  video/eleconference.  1. CALLTOORDERROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 10:00AM.  Commissioners Present: Commissioners Goicoechea, Fisher, Filippini, Kelley, and Teague. Staff Present: Planning Director Brandon Pangman and Planner Corri Jimenez  2. APROVALOFAGENDA  Motion: Teague/Filippini. Approved without changes. Vote: 5/0  3. APPROVALOF MINUTES July 11,2024 minutes  Motion: Kelley/Filippini. Approved without changes. Vote: 5/0  4. CORRESPONDENCE None.  5. PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY  None. 6. WORKSHOPS  6.1 Permitted VS. Conditional Uses: Ministerial vs. Discretionary. Director Pangman discussed the upcoming Sierra County General Plan & Zoning Code update, and the direction staff! had received from the Board of Supervisors in 2012--referencing: Board Resolution No. 2012-066. The workshop presentation was on the importance ofunderstanding the difference between ministerial" versus  Page 1of4    discretionary' permits; and about thei implications ofl land use policies that categorize certain uses as Thel Director said the purpose oft this workshop-in: anticipation of the upcoming General Plan/Zoning Code Update project that was coming was to help the Commissioners understand that the project was not sO much about a significant update to the General Plan; and thel Board had already clarified what few "updates" it envisioned for the General Plan with Resolution # 2012-066. Instead, the project was more specifically about developing a comprehensive new. Zoning Codei intended to be consistent with, and implement the policies of, the General Plan we already have-asl lightly amended int those specific ways that the Board of Supervisors already provided direction on.  'permitted" versus conditional".  7. PUBLIC HEARINGS None.  8. BUSINESS REQUIRING ACTION OR DISCUSSION  8.1 Short-Term Rental Ordinance (amendment). Director Pangman summarized the Short-Term Rental (STR) Ordinance and the public hearing at thel Board of Supervisors on July 16, 2024 during which the proposed amendments that were recommended by the Commission were denied. Director Pangman reported that there was some discussion among the Supervisors about whether the "transferability" provisions could be redlined out and allow the rest oft the ordinance to be adopted without remanding it back to the Planning Commission, but County Counsel opined that, no, the entire ordinance should be remanded back to the Commission and then recommended back to the Commissioners Filippini and Kelly asked for clarity on what the Board's issues or concerns were. Director Pangman provided a brief overview to the Commission oftheir stated reasons why they directed staff to draft an STR ordinance: concerns about potential nuisances to neighbors, which was expressed by former Commissioner Baldridge; and the issue over the availability (or lack thereof) of affordable long-term and workforce housing, with sO many second homes in Sierra County remaining vacant or being under-utilized as seasonal vacation rentals. Planner Corri Jimenez said that staffi had conducted some research and recently reached out to the Sierra County Visitor's Bureau-who had conducted a poll of their own on the "vacant homes" issue particularly, and found that thel hospitality industry businesses were generally in favor of the ordinance and the need to regulate short term rentals. Ms. Jimenez reported that nuisance complaints from STRs were down significantly since the enforcement oft the new ordinance; but as far as the question ofwhether the new regulations were having a positive effect on the vacant housing issue or not, it was difficult to say and the data did not Ms. Jimenez then presented the staff report via Powerpoint presentation on the various issues with the ordinance identified by the various Supervisors -some of whom indicated they preferred the ordinance to remain more restrictive by doing away with the transferability provisions; others indicating that STRs had aj positive net effect (for example, providing supplemental income for property owners and contributing to an increase in Transient Occupancy Tax revenues for the county) and that we should consider relaxing the waiting period and expanding the allowable zones for STR  Board with further revisions prior to adoption.  support a conclusion.  permits.  Page 2of4    Discussion ensued about various alternatives and proposals for further amendments to the STR Ordinance. The Director reminded the Commission that the item was on Section 8 ofthe agenda and was not ai formal public hearing; it was for discussion and direction only, with the hope that some form of consensus could be reached with direction to stafft to prepare further amendments and then schedule the item fora a future public hearing, including formal notice and introduction ofar new draft Thel Director said he wanted to help steer the discussion and try to focus what he was hearing as direction: He said there seemed to be some consensus on striking transferability and not significantly expanding the use as "big picture" items, versus leaving the transferability and opening STR permit eligibility to all legal residences. Commissioner Teague corrected Mr. Pangman and said that 'consensus' indicates unanimity, and there was not currently consensus' on these issues. Commissioner Teague said he was in favor ofe either keeping transferability or reducing the waiting period [after purchasing al house] to only 1 year; and hes supports opening it up to all Zones except R- 3/MUR, and he does not support opening it up to alternate housing types, such as RVs and yurts; only Group R-3 single family residences. Commissioner Fisher said she did not support transferability and wanted to see more protection oft the community. The Director suggested staff will return with a draft ordinance that includes some options or alternatives that would include transferability or striking it; different waiting periods; and allowable Zones. He said the Planning Commission could discuss the options further at a public hearing and line-item vote on each ofthese alternative provisions, rather than merely a single vote on the whole ordinance- and send the final version back the Board of  ordinance prepared for their consideration.  Supervisors for reconsideration. 9. PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORTS  Director Pangman provided an overview of grant funding and other projects pertaining to the  following:  Sierra County Fire Ordinance #1130 is now in affect as of Aug. 1st and will bel lifted when the Forest Service lifts its Stage 2 restrictions or at the discretion oft the BOS. Broadband Internet Strategic Plan has been completed, and work continues with consultants on the Broadband Internet Infrastructure Design and survey work has begun The AT&T cell tower in Downieville is operating (although the permit has not yet been finaled until some final repairs are made to neighbors' driveway and yards). The CUP for the cell tower allows collocation ofother service providers, and we believe Verizon has begun discussions about this possibility but is awaiting the permit final. AS Sierra City Water Systems Consolidation Feasibility Study is underway ine evaluating the various small private water systems int the town. At last count, there are somewhere between 13-16 private water systems, and two (2) are State Small Water Systems. Some of the next generation of water purveyors do not want to maintain their inherited systems which is increasingly leading to reliability and operational issues. There is some interest in exploring the possibility of consolidating water systems throughout the community into ai more organized Community Service District or other entity; but a feasibility study must be completed as a first step and it should be community-based, rather than forced by the County. This effort was first organized under former Director Tim Beals a few years ago when all the purveyors met int the Board room and agreed to pursue funding to have a feasibility study done. It took another two years, but the State Department of Water Resources came through with the necessary funds and, with  in several of our communities.  Page 30 of4    Planning Department facilitation, this effort ist now underway. The study is expected to Sierra County Drought Resilient Plan preparation is underway, as mandated by SB: 552. The plan is to review short- and long-term contingency plans in the event that another prolonged drought results in the loss of domestic water supplies. The 7th Cycle (2024-2029) Sierra County Housing Element Update is currently undergoing 90-day review with California Housing & Community Development (HCD) and the agency has scheduled ai meeting with staff on August 29th to go over their comments and recommendations. This General Plan Amendment should be coming back tot the Planning Commission in the next few months for a public hearing. The General Plan-Zoning Code Update project is well underway, with initial efforts focusing on Housing policies sO that we can take advantage of several affordable housing-specific planning grants before they expire this year. Then we can return to the completion oft the rest of the draft policies that were mostly completed back in 2012- 2014, and start discussing workshop/public outreach efforts with the Commission and Numerous Forest Fire Resilience projects are under way in clearing vegetation around our communities, including the landscape-level North Yuba Project -which is already evident in the area along Highway 491 between Bassetts and Yuba Pass. Much more  bec completed in 2026.  the consultants soon.  forest thinning is coming.  10. PLANNING COMMISSIONERS REPORTS  None. 11., ADJOURNMENT  Motion to adjourn: Goicocchea/Kelly Vote:5/0 meeting will take place on September 12,2024.  The meeting was adjourned at 12:13pm. The next regularly-scheduled Planning Commission  Respectfully submitted, Corri Cierez/BWP Corri Jimenez /Brandon Pangman Planner III /Planning Director  Approved as Witnessed by: ELER Brandon Pangman Planning Commission Secretary  Page 4 of4