Memorandum
Date: January 13, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Mireya G. Turner, Community Development Director
Michelle Irace, Senior Planner
Subject: SECOND READING - Consideration of Ordinance to Amend Chapter 21, Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 27 and 68 of the Lake County Zoning Code to Implement General Plan Sixth Cycle Housing Element Policies HE-38, 38, HE-59, HE-60, HE-61, HE-71, HE-72 and HE-73; and a Policy for Implementation of HE-6
Executive Summary: The Housing Element (HE) is a chapter of the Lake County General Plan. It is updated every seven years, as required by state law. The HE describes the County housing demographics, identifies obstacles to housing development, and lists policies and actions to take to lower these obstacles, and encourage housing development.
The Lake County General Plan Housing Element (Sixth Cycle, 2019-2027), was approved by the Board on March 26, 2019, and found to be in substantial compliance with Housing Element Law by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on September 16, 2020.
The Housing Element contains numerous policies and programs to support housing development in the unincorporated areas of the county. Department Staff have been in ongoing contact with HCD regarding the implementation of a number of Housing Element policies and actions. Policy HE-58 is the first of six HE Implementation Actions to be accomplished within the next few months. HCD requested HE-58 be separated from the larger implementation project in order to lessen its timeline. As such, on November 13, 2025, Staff brought a Draft Ordinance for the Planning Commission’s recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding implementation of Policy HE-58. On November 18, 2025, the Board approved the first reading of the ordinance, with adoption following on December 9, 2025.
This draft ordinance and policy complete the County’s list of implementation tasks for the Sixth Cycle Housing Element. The Planning Commission approved a recommendation of approval of both the draft ordinance and policy at the December 11, 2025 meeting.
This draft ordinance was approved for its first reading by the Board, on January 6, 2026 (4-1, Supervisor Owen No), and advanced to the next agenda for second reading and possible adoption. After the Board meeting, Staff realized the definition of affordable housing was inadvertently omitted. Since this is a substantive addition, Staff requests the Board consider the amended ordinance, and approve a first reading of the amended ordinance, with an advancement of the amended ordinance for second reading and possible adoption at the next available Board meeting.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
Table 1, Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments
|
Existing HE Policy |
Proposed Zoning Amendments or Other Actions for Implementation |
HE-6: County shall develop policies and procedures to give priority or expedited processing to residential developments that include a significant portion of units restricted to very-low, low-, or moderate-income households. |
No zoning amendment needed, but CDD staff have prepared a written internal policy for adoption (Attachment 1). |
HE-38: The County shall consider adopting amendments to the zoning ordinance that would allow additional residential development in community commercial areas, where appropriate services area available. |
Amend Article 19: Community Commercial (C2) to allow several types of residential housing development with reduced development standards. |
HE-59: The Zoning Ordinance shall be amended to allow supportive housing by right in Commercial or other zoning designations that have access to support services. |
Amend the following articles to allow supportive housing by-right: 9 Suburban Reserve (SR); 10, Single-Family Residential (R1); 11 Two-Family Residential (R2); 12 Multi-Family Residential (R3); 13 Planned Development Residential (PDR); 18 Local Commercial (CL); 19 Community Commercial (C2) Amend Article 68 to add “Supportive Services” definition. |
HE-60: The Zoning Ordinance shall be amended to set the maximum stay in an emergency shelter at 180 days, and to remove the requirement that such shelters not be located within 300 feet of one another. |
Amend Article 27 to remove setback to other facilities; remove parking requirements; remove minimum number of beds required, increase maximum length of stays. |
HE-61: The Zoning Ordinance shall be amended to accommodate agricultural employee housing of 6 to 12 units or up to 36 beds in all zones permitting agriculture as a permitted use. |
Amend the following articles to allow agricultural employee housing with a Minor Use Permit: Article 4: Agricultural Preserve District (APZ); Article 5: Agricultural District (A); Article 6: Timberland Preserve District (TPZ); Article 7: Rural Lands District (RL); Article 8: Rural Residential District (RR) Amend Article 27 to allow Agricultural Employee Housing with a Minor Use Permit Amend Article 68 to add “Agricultural Employee Housing” definition |
HE-71: The Zoning Ordinance shall be amended to allow residential unit(s) located on the second story or higher, limited to one (1) dwelling unit per 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area, and subject to the parking requirements of Section 21-46 with a Minor Use Permit |
Amend Article 19 to remove the Minor Use Permit requirement and allow by right. Also remove parking requirements. |
HE-72: The County will amend the Zoning Ordinance to remove the minor use permit requirement for multi-family developments with 20 or more units, to remove the constraint on development and possible barrier to construction of affordable housing units. |
Amend Articles 12, Multi-Family Residential (R3) and Article 19 Community Commercial (C2) to remove Minor Use Permit requirement for multifamily with 20+ units |
HE-73: Per AB 101 (2019), review the County’s zoning ordinance and make revisions if necessary, to allow low barrier navigation centers for the homeless per Government Code 65660-65668. |
Amend Article 19 Community Commercial District (C2) to allow low barrier navigation centers by-right, subject to objective development standards Add definition of “Low Barrier Navigation Center” to Article 68 |
Environmental Review: The series of Municipal Code text amendments, as required by State law to implement the County’s Housing Element, would not result in a significant effect on the environment, as they do not automatically grant any entitlements or include specific development proposals. All future development is required to obtain applicable permits such as Building Permits, Zoning Clearances, Grading Permits, Environmental Health Clearances, Air Quality Permits, etc. which contain regulations intended to protect the environment and ensure health and safety. Additionally, future development that is not ministerial would be subject to CEQA review. For these reasons, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed text amendments would not result in a significant effect on the environment, and the proposed revisions to the Municipal Code are exempt from further review under CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3).
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Recommended Action: 1) Approve the first reading of the ordinance, as amended, to be read in title only; and 2) Advance the ordinance to the next available Board agenda for second reading and possible adoption.