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R98-068RESOLUTION NO. R98-~ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE STRATEGIES OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVE PLAN AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 420.9076, FLORIDA STATUTES, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (SHIP); AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. W~EREAS, the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Act (the ~ Act" ), Section 420.907 et seq., Florida Statutes, provides for the establishment of local housing assistance programs; and WHEREAS, the City of Boynton Beach receives funding under the State Housing Initiatives Partnership; and WHEREAS, the City of Boynton Beach, pursuant to the Act, adopted Ordinance No. 097-11 on May 6, 1997, providing for the establishment of a local assistance program, providing for the implementation and administration of the program, and providing for an affordable housing assistance trust fund; and W-~EREAS, Section 420.9076, Florida Statutes, Ordinance No. O97-11 and subsequent amendments thereto require the City of Boynton Beach to adopt local housing incentzve strategies; and W~EREAS, the City Commmssion of the City of Boynton Beach deems it to be in the best interests of the residents of the City of Boynton Beach and the City's SHIP Program to approve and accept the strategies of the affordable housing incentive plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, THAT: Section ..... 1 In accordance with the State Houszng Initiative Partnership Act, the City Commission of the City. of Boynton Beach, Florida hereby approves and adopts the strategies of the Affordable Housing Incentive Plan, as required by Section 420.9076, Florida Statutes, Ordinance No. 097-11 and amendments thereto. A copy of the strategzes for the Affordable Housing Incentive Plan is attached hereto and mncorporated herein as Exhibit ~ A." Section 2. That this Resolution shall become effectmve zmmediately upon passage. PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of April, 1998. A. TFST: Cit~y Clerk Rev. ~/98 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA Commissioner Commissioner SHIP INCENTIVE PLAN The City of Boynton Beachl Florida adopted its Affordable Housing Incentive Plan on April 7th, 1998, in compliance with Florida Administrative Code and Section 420.9076. Florida Statutes based on recommendations made by the Affordable Housing (SHIP) Board. This board held public meetings to review the established policies and procedures, ordinances, regulations and the City's Consolidated Plan, and has made recommendations on specific issues for the purpose of encouraging and facilitating affordable housing and protecting property values. The Advisory Board consisted of the following citizenry: (a) One citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry (b) One citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage banking industry (c) One citizen who'is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building (d) One citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for Iow-income (e) One citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing (f) One citizen who is a real-estate professional (g) Three other members appointed who are not in any of these categories The following incentives were reviewed and evaluated by the Advisory Board, and these incentives are the result of recommendations for the Plan. 1. The Expedited process of permits for Affordable Housing Projects. The City of Boynton Beach does not currently distinguish between affordable housing and other types of residential development projects. The SHIP Advisory Board recommends that priority be given to the processing of projects that may be certified by the developer as "Affordable" as defined in Chapter 91-37.002(3), Florida Administrative Code and consistent with the statutory definition provided in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Act. It has been determined that the estimated time to review applications for residential structures from intake to comments is 10 business days. 'In an effort to expedite the permitting process, the board recommends that prototype plans be adopted and used that can eliminate the review process, whereby permits could be obtained within five days, minimizing delays in construction activity and costs associated with such delays. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · To develop and approve design prototype plans by December 31, 1998. To expedite all permit applications certified as affordable units within 5 days. Appoint a liaison from Department of Development to serve in capacity of expeditor to all projects certified as an Affordable Housing Project. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: Upon Plan approval and adoption. 2. The modification of impact fee requirements including reduction of waiver of fees and other methods of fee payment for affordable housing. There is currently no provision for waiving impact fees. However, the City of Boynton Beach .has in the past funded the Infill Construction Program from the general fund. These funds subsidized the cost of new construction for affordable units by paying permit and impact fees for new construction for very Iow and Iow income families building new affordable homes within the CDBG target area. Palm Beach County allows existing use credit for residential construction on vacant lots that had pdor residential use. This credit applies to the residential and road impact fees, and can yield savings of up to approximately two thousand dollars per home. Participating builders of affordable housing will be encouraged to apply for this credit and pass it on to the homebuyer. The City Manager will be petitioned to waive payment of development application, plan check and permit fees for all eligible projects certified as affordable housing projects. This also will reduce the fees imposed on new construction. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · Continue ongoing process as long as commission agrees to fund. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation' Upon Plan approval and adoption. 3. The allowance of increased density levels for affordable housing. (Comprehensive Plan, Housing Element, Policy 6.1.3) The Housing Element provides for review of zoning regulations for the purpose of allowing increased density to encourage in provision of affordable housing. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · The City of Boynton Beach will adopt an ordinance amending zoning regulations that will provide for an increase in residential density for the purpose of providing affordable housing. This density bonus will be subject to compatibility with the surrounding natural and physical environment, site constraints, and concurrency management requirements. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: May 2nd, 1999. 4. The reservation of infrastructure capacity for housing for very Iow- income persons and Iow-income persons. A reservation mechanism is not necessary, as adequate capacity exists to serve any Infill project initiated within the CDBG target area. This assumption regarding roads, utilities and recreation is based on available acreage and density limits of the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan. State concurrency laws require us to maintain adequate public facilities for everyone and build new facilities once we reach 90% capacity. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · None. 5. The allowance of affordable accessory residential units in residential zoning districts. Zoning regulations allow accessory buildings in districts as long as they conform with the minimum building and site regulations that are generally applicable in the district where the building is to be located. Recommendation of Advisory 13oard: · Maintain flexible existing practice in dealing with this issue on a case by case basis as needed. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: Upon Plan approval and adoption. 6. The reduction of parking and setback requirements for affordable housing. Current regulations require off street parking for two (2) vehicles. In an effort to maintain the value of property, while at the same time not causing any adverse 'effect on affordable housing, there shall be no modifications to current regulations governing this issue. Setback requirements in the targeted area require a frontage of 25 feet. The city has in the past worked effectively with developers in an effort to design and produce units that have dealt with this issue without causing any adverse effect on affordable housing. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · Maintain current flexible practice in dealing with this issue on a case by case basis as needed. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: Upon Plan approval and adoption. 7. The allowance of zero lot-line configurations for affordable housing. The City of Boynton Beach's current zoning codes do not permit zero lot-lines in districts that are not Planned Unit Developments, as it violates the City's set back requirements. However, with the existing minimum lot size requirements in the CDBG target area of 6000 to 7500 square feet, it is felt that this size lot is sufficient enough to accommodate desired development of affordable housing. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · None. 8. The modification of street requirements for affordable housing. Due to concerns for safety and aesthetics there will be no modifications to current regulations governing streets. In the older platted sections, waivers of sidewalk requirements have been granted for developers on a case by case basis. These variances are usually granted in areas that are generally consistent with the surrounding area. Consideration may be made in instances where costs involved will hinder producing an affordable unit. CDBG dollars have been expended on many of the streets within the target area to install sidewalks and curbing. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · The avoidance of the variance process with the certification of those areas consistent with no sidewalks by the developer. · The liaison from the Department of Development will expedite this certification process for affordable housing projects. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: Upon Plan Approval and adoption. Sm The establishment of a process which the City of Boynton Beach considers, before the adoption of any new legislation which may increase the cost of housing. The Department of Development's various divisions, including the Division of Community Redevelopment, will review any and all policies, procedures, ordinances, regulations and plan provisions to determine what effects if any they may have on the cost of producing affordable units prior to their passage. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · The City Manager will disperse all information concerning ordinances in sufficient time needed to evaluate and comment on any impact it may have on affordable housing: · Recommended Schedule for Implementation: Upon Plan Approval and adoption. 10.The preparation of a printed inventory of locally owned public lands suitable for affordable housing. The Division of Community Redevelopment maintains maps of the current inventory of all vacant land including those properties owned by the City of Boynton Beach and Palm Beach County within the target area. The City funds land acquisition in an effort to acquire land for potential pre-qualified homebuyers. This effort has resulted in considerable cost saving in producing affordable units. Recommendation of Advisory Board: · Keep track also of all privately owned vacant land that can potentially be used for program. · Recommended Schedule for Implementation To continue with ongoing effort.