The overlay designation AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay, is intended to encourage the provision of affordable housing to lower-income households by allowing substantial increases in density.
The following regulations shall apply to the AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay designation and to any land use designation where the AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay designation is applicable. The following specific rules and regulations established in this chapter shall apply in combination with the land use designations established in Division 2 of Title 17.
(Ord. 21-501 § 9)
A. 
An AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay, may be applied to all or a portion of a site that is deemed suitable by the Town Council for the development of affordable housing.
B. 
The Town Council may approve the following densities, as an alternative to those allowed under Section 17.160.030 of this title for projects with an Affordable Housing Overlay proposing to construct 10 or more dwelling units of which 25% or more will be reserved for lower-income households and will be rented or sold at levels that do not exceed 80% of area median income:
Minimum Percent Affordable
Density Bonus
25%
100%
40%
110%
55%
120%
70%
130%
85%
140%
100%
150%
C. 
Calculation of Density Bonus.
1. 
The density bonus units shall not be included when determining the number of housing units that are to be affordable.
2. 
For purposes of calculating a density bonus, a fraction of a unit shall be rounded up to the nearest whole unit.
D. 
Additional Incentives and Concessions. The Town may provide incentives and concessions to projects on sites designated AHO that qualify for a town density bonus in order to make such units economically feasible. Possible assistance includes the following:
1. 
Direct financial aid (e.g., Housing Opportunity Fund, Community Development Block Grant funding) in the form of a loan or a grant to subsidize or provide low-interest financing for on-or off-site improvements, land purchase, or construction costs;
2. 
Waived, reduced or deferred building permit and/or development impact fees;
3. 
Priority consideration during the review process;
4. 
Concessions or waivers from development regulations in accordance with the provisions of California Government Code Sections 65915 through 65918 (State Density Bonus Law); or
5. 
A request for approval of incentives and/or concessions pursuant to this subsection shall be made along with applicable related planning application requests for the project as regulated by Division 5 of Title 17.
E. 
AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay. When the AHO, Affordable Housing Overlay is applied to all or any portion of a site with land use designation PC, Primary Commercial, and new development is proposed for which a Master Development Plan pursuant to Chapter 17.192 of this title is required, the Master Development Plan shall require construction of 3.5 affordable housing units per gross acre for low-income households either on site or on an off-site location not already designated for such in the Housing Element. This requirement shall be accompanied by and may be adjusted in accordance with a nexus study demonstrating the need therefor.
(Ord. 22-512 § 1)