The year 2022 is in the rear-view mirror, and on Jan. 28 at 9am the Gilroy City Council will meet for our bi-annual strategic planning session. This is where the 2023-2024 legislative work plan and City Council Goals will be established. This will be the foundation for the upcoming two-year budget process.
This year I will focus on continuing to move Gilroy into the 21st century, building upon the relationships I’ve made, legislative items in our work plan, and introducing new items. We will focus on our Zoning Ordinance (Bike Parking, Noise Impacting Residentially Zoned Properties), Tobacco Prevention, Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, Housing Element 2023-2031, In-Lieu Fees/Nexus Studies, Parking Management/Enforcement, Transportation Demand Management/Vehicle Miles Traveled Policy, Community Plan to End Homelessness, Safe Parking Program, Transitional Modular Housing and State Legislative Bills.
There are several State housing laws that went into effect Jan. 1 and we will need to focus on implementing and updating these.
AB2011 allows for ministerial, by-right approval for affordable housing on commercially-zoned lands; allows such approvals for mixed-income housing along commercial corridors as long as the projects meet specified affordability, labor and environmental criteria.
AB2097 eliminates parking mandates for homes and commercial buildings around transit.
AB2234 post-entitlement timeline requirements when building permits are pulled based on how many units are proposed.
AB2221/SB897 requiring ministerial approval of ADU applications within 60 days, prohibiting local agencies from imposing height and setback standards beyond state-set limits, and requiring local agencies to allow ADUs to be sold separately from the lot’s primary dwelling if specified conditions are met.
Each year the Mayor assigns Councilmembers to represent the City Council on regional and local committees. For 2023 I will join the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), CalTrain Local Policy Maker Group (LPMG) (Alternate), and I will continue to serve on the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority JPA Board.
All of these legislative changes will make Gilroy more livable for all and the path forward is clear to me. It will require everyone’s voices to be heard during public comment, focused work from my student interns, and I’ll be here to guide you through it. From my office and family, I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.
Zach Hilton is a Gilroy City Councilmember.
