BACKGROUND

The Mayor and City Council have received a request from California Cities for Local Control Citizens Grassroots Group (Group) to consider a Resolution of support for actions to further strengthen local control related to local zoning and housing issues. City staff has reviewed the background of this Group, and would describe it as a grassroots coalition that is relatively limited in scope, resources, or abilities. Their mission statement is presented as follows:

"Our mission is to spread awareness and enlist support to ensure that Cities can continue to manage their own land use and zoning issues, and not allow the State Legislature to mandate changes to our Cities that will remove local control and be detrimental to our communities."

The group is reaching out to cities and local officials to educate and request that they support the cause of the Group in signing petitions, requesting the passage of resolutions, and seek allies for possible legal action against the State to promote efforts for ballot initiatives. There are approximately 80 cities that have approved some form of the proposed resolution as of April 24, 2023 (attachment 2).

The concept of grassroots groups is not new and from time to time arises in response to issues important to the group and tend to fade as the specific issues or sponsor(s) change. This Group originated out of the legislature sessions over the past few years, and the mandates on local agencies that have resulted, particularly, with respect to housing and housing related legislation. The impacts to Carmel-by-the-Sea have yet to be fully realized as the implementation of this legislation has just begun, but is expected to affect how the community grows over the upcoming years. Some of the frustration felt by local agencies has been the one-size fits all methodology and thus reduces the City's ability to self-determine through development policies and regulations at the local level.

From staff's research, there is no financial commitment and the proposed resolution does not prevent the City from considering a different stance than this Group in the future. If the City Council so desires, a symbolic resolution is attached for consideration that highlights the need for retaining local control, and supports the ideas of local democracy, authority and control for local zoning and housing issues, as well as other important priorities.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends the City Council consider approving the attached Resolution, expressing support for actions to further strengthen local democracy, authority, and control as related to local zoning and housing issues with California Cities FOR Local Control grassroots organization.