Municipal Code Amendments – Housing Element Program 20 Implementation

The City of Sonoma is implementing Housing Element Program 20 through amendments to its Municipal Code Title 19 to align with California Government Code Section 65583.2(i), enabling by-right development on sites listed in Appendix A of the Housing Element when at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households. This regulatory change is designed to meet previously identified Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) obligations consistent with state law, streamlining approval processes for qualifying projects by eliminating discretionary review. The amendment is being pursued as a ministerial text change to the zoning code, exempt from environmental review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), and focuses solely on updating local ordinance language rather than initiating construction or procurement of physical goods or services. The project is forecasted with a posted date of January 29, 2026, and the place of performance is clearly identified as Sonoma, California, with the City of Sonoma’s Community Development Department serving as the lead agency. Jennifer Gates, the Community Development Director, is the primary point of contact for program inquiries but is not designated as a Contracting Officer’s Representative or Procuring Contracting Officer, reflecting the non-procurement nature of this legislative action. No federal acquisition regulations, contract clauses, pricing data, payment terms, delivery schedules, inspection requirements, or procurement evaluation criteria apply, as this initiative is a local land use and zoning adjustment executed through municipal legislative authority. There are no solicitations, contracts, vendors, or financial obligations involved; the activity is exclusively an internal municipal code revision to facilitate compliance with state housing mandates.