Orinda City Council Approves Housing Element

After seven public hearings and four drafts, Orinda finally has some new housing development guidelines.

The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved the city's Housing Element as well as an ordinance that amends some of the zoning code.

The plan replaces the Housing Element adopted in 2004. The new guidelines cover the time period from 2007 to 2014. Since most of that period has passed, the document focuses on Orinda's housing decisions over the next 18 months.

The element approved Tuesday night contained minor revisions requested by the council at an Oct. 1 public hearing.

The element has five overall goals.

The first goal involves new housing production. The draft element encourages to develop a variety of types of housing for all income levels.

Specifically, it recommends construction of at least 50 new single-family homes suitable for moderate and above moderate income households. It also calls for development of at least 37 second units, 17 of which would be built between 2012 and 2014.

It also recommends completion of eight affordable unit at the former Pine Grove school site and 66 units of senior housing for low-income seniors at the Orinda Senior Housing Project.

The second goal encourages the city to promote the conservation and maintenance of Orinda’s current housing stock.

The third goal seeks to provide additional housing opportunities and sites for low and moderate income households.

The fourth goal is to reduce governmental constraints on housing production and preservation. Specifically, it recommends completing 80 percent of planning applications within two weeks.

The fifth goal urges the city to promote equal housing opportunities for all Orinda residents.

The report notes Orinda’s population rose 0.3 percent between 2000 and 2010 to 17,643 residents. Contra Costa County’s population rose 5.8 percent.

The median age of Orinda residents increased by 2.6 years to 47.8 years. The city has the second highest median age in the county’s 19 cities. The only city with a higher median age is Walnut Creek, whose numbers are skewed by the Rossmoor retirement community.

The report says seniors are the fastest growing segment of Orinda’s population and will continue to be so as Baby Boomers reach the age of 65.

Therefore, the report notes, the city’s most important housing emphasis should be on seniors.

The element also contains an overlay district to encourage higher density housing in parts of the city. One of the properties in that district is Santa Maria Church off Altarinda Road.