HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 23-082, Constitutional Amendment to Protect Local Land Use Control RESOLUTION NO. 23-082
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA
IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED STATEWIDE INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT TO PROTECT LOCAL LAND USE CONTROL
WHEREAS, California's housing crisis is primarily due to a failure to provide enough
housing (to own or rent) that is affordable for working-class and lower-income Californians; and
WHEREAS, this crisis has worsened due to massive reductions in available funding to
help local governments encourage more affordable housing production; and
WHEREAS,the involvement of large financial institutions and speculators in our housing
markets and recent state laws that usurp the power of local government to exercise its constitutional
authority to make local land use planning and zoning decisions have combined to further restrict
affordable housing options and displace many working-class families; and
WHEREAS, Attachment A to this resolution is a proposed statewide initiative referred to
by its proponents as the Our Neighborhood Voices Initiative that has qualified for circulation as a
proposed statewide initiative with the goal of being placed on the November 2024 ballot; and
WHEREAS, if the initiative qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters, it would
amend the California Constitution to protect the ability of local communities to make local land
use planning and zoning decisions, and to clarify the process to resolve conflicts between current
or future state and local land use planning and zoning laws;
WHEREAS, this constitutional amendment is expressly intended to authorize local laws
to override conflicting state land use planning and zoning statutes while ensuring that specified
laws remain in full force and effect; and
WHEREAS, the City Council by Resolution No 21-075 unanimously supported a similar
initiative that had been proposed for the November 2022 ballot.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saratoga does
hereby support the proposed statewide initiative regarding local land use formally titled the
Constitutional Amendment to Protect Local Land Use Control and reaffirms its desire to protect
the ability of local communities to make local land use planning and zoning decisions.
Resolution 23-082
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The above and foregoing resolution was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Saratoga
City Council held on the 181" day of October 2023 by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS AFTAB, PAGE, WALIA, VICE MAYOR ZHAO,
MAYOR FITZSIMMONS
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
Kookie Fitzsimmons, Mayor
ATTEST:
CA,,114-
Britt Avrit, MMC, City Clerk
1702567.1