Santa Rosa's program to boost the local economy by relaxing zoning rules has won an award from a statewide economic development association.
The city is one of two cities in the state that received the Award of Excellence from the Sacramento-based California Association of Local Economic Development.
The award recognized the city's "aggressive economic development zoning measures" undertaken in 2010 and 2011 to reduce red tape and improve the city's business climate following the recession.
The goals of the measures were to "reduce uncertainty in the entitlement process, expedite re-occupancy of vacant commercial properties and support local job creation," according to the city.
Measures included giving landlords an additional 18 months to find tenants before their non-conforming uses expire, making more uses allowed by right, deferring collection of impact fees until after construction, and allowing over-the-counter design review for small projects.
Additional changes in 2011 were aimed at helping properties get "development ready," including increasing the number of uses by right in business parks, rezoning of outdated commercial properties to make them more attractive for investment, amending rules for medical service and wine- and brewing-related businesses downtown, and creating a "same day" building permit program.
The measures enjoyed nearly unanimous support from the City Council, with the exception of the rezoning and General Plan amendment performed for a property on Yolanda Avenue once eyed for a Lowe's Home Improvement Center. That expense would normally have been borne by a project applicant.
City staff picked up the award in Long Beach on April 11. The City Council will hear a presentation on the award Tuesday.
Santa Rosa City Manager Kathy Millison was chairwoman of the organization known as CALED from 2009 to 2011.
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