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File Number: 21-687 <br />streamlined review process by the same applicant, AMG & Associates (the “Applicant”). The first <br />project is located at 110 East 14th Street and consists of 221 units, all of which are studios. The <br />project, which utilized a state density bonus, will be one hundred percent (100%) affordable at the <br />moderate, low and very low-income levels. The second project is located at 15693 East 14th <br />Street and consists of 497 units, of which 405 units are studios and 92 units are one-bedrooms. <br />This project is the first multi-family development to be approved under the Bay Fair TOD Specific <br />Plan and will be fifty percent (50%) affordable at the low and very low-income levels. Under the <br />City’s existing fee schedule, the Park Impact Fees for the two projects are $3,923,192 and <br />$8,822,744 respectively. The two projects are collectively referred to as the “Projects.” <br />The Applicant requests that the City waive a portion of the Park Impact Fees for the Projects. The <br />Applicant contends that because the Projects are primarily composed of studio apartments, the <br />anticipated occupancy factor is well below the 2.02 people per multi-family unit upon which the <br />Park Impact Fee is based. Specifically, the Applicant reports that the average occupancy factor <br />for its portfolio of units is 1.25 people per studio and 1.75 people per one bedroom. <br />Analysis <br />The City Council has discretion to waive impact fees for particular projects. Staff carefully <br />reviewed the request for a partial fee waiver from the Applicant and believes that granting a <br />partial waiver of the Park Impact Fee is appropriate. The Projects are unique in that they are <br />overwhelmingly studio apartment units. The Park Impact Fee was established based on an <br />assumed occupancy rate of 2.02 people per multifamily unit. That assumed occupancy rate is not <br />supposed to be an exact measure of the average occupancy of each unit in a specific project, but <br />rather the average occupancy rate of new multi-family units generally. Some projects may have a <br />slightly higher average occupancy rate, and some projects may have a slightly lower occupancy <br />rate. However, while most residential projects have a range of unit sizes, often including <br />2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units, the Applicant’s Projects are comprised of smaller studio units. <br />Staff is not aware of any past or proposed project in San Leandro that is similarly comprised of <br />mostly studio units. <br />The Applicant requests that the Park Impact Fee be reduced proportionately to reflect an <br />assumed occupancy of 1.25 people per studio and 1.75 people per one bedroom. Staff believes <br />this request is reasonable given that all units in the Projects are restricted as affordable units <br />(except for manager’s units). California law establishes assumed household sizes for affordable <br />housing units. Specifically, state law assumes an affordable studio unit is occupied by a <br />household of 1 person, and that a one-bedroom unit is occupied by a household of 2 people. <br />While these assumed occupancy rates are not directly applicable to the Applicant’s request, they <br />are a relevant point of comparison. The assumed occupancy rates requested by the Applicant are <br />roughly comparable to similar standards established by State Law. <br />Proportionately decreasing the Park Impact Fee based on the Applicant’s request would result in <br />a fee reduction of approximately 38% percent for studio units and a fee reduction of <br />approximately 13% for one-bedroom units. This would result in a waiver of $1,495,474 for 110 <br />East 14th Street, resulting in a Park Impact Fee of $2,427,718 for FY2021-2022, and a waiver of <br />$2,958,872 for 15693 East 14th Street, resulting in a Park Impact Fee of $5,863,872 for <br />FY2021-2022. The total combined fee waiver for both Projects would be $4,454,346 and the total <br />Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 12/2/2021 <br />153