What is your position on High Density housing in Fountain Valley?
I am against it.
The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) is a requirement of State housing law that requires California cities to submit within their General Plan a plan to provide a total of 4,800+ units for all income levels. This state mandate is rather unpopular and how to identify which sites and what type of zoning will be used to comply is a matter of disagreement and anxiety within our community. The quickest method to reach the number of RHNA units is for high density development.
Fountain Valley is primarily a residential community and that is what attracts many people to want to live here. While the state has mandated the number of units it has not mandated how to reach that number i.e., we are not required to build high density dwellings. Our Planning Commission believes that Fountain Valley can reach its RHNA goal without adopting more than 65 units per acre. I appreciate the diligent and thorough review they conducted and support their recommendation. I am not opposed to growth and responsible development. I am opposed to selecting high density locations to build high density structures. We welcome positive change and look forward to the new neighbors and businesses to our city while striving to preserve Fountain Valley as a Nice Place to Live for everyone.
What should our policy be regarding AirBNB and other short-term rentals in Fountain Valley?
Ban them completely.
I am opposed to STR’s operating in residential neighborhoods. For years Fountain Valley has turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the growing number of short-term rentals (STR’s) within our neighborhoods. STR’s have never been allowed within our city and yet the City Council has been unable and/or unwilling to enforce the ban on them. I support the recent actions by both the Planning Commission and City Council votes of 5-0 to maintain the ban on STR’s in Fountain Valley. The city is now in the process of drafting how the ban will work, what the consequences for violating the ban will be, and how the city will execute enforcement. None of our neighbors should have to be subjected to loud noise, limited parking, and the potential safety risks involved with frequent transient visitors.
There is a major problem with street parking in our city, especially in areas where there are apartment dwellings nearby. How do you plan to address that issue, especially considering state housing mandates and projects like Slater Investments?
- Require street parking permits.
- Require more parking spaces for new developments.
Parking is currently a problem throughout Fountain Valley and will become more challenging as we build new housing. I would recommend a thorough study be conducted on how we might be able to zone specific parking problem areas to require permits and what impact that will have. When new housing projects are presented by developers for council consideration they should be required to include sufficient parking based upon expected occupancy.
Which of these ideas do you think are good ideas for increasing city revenue?
- Bring more business into the city.
Attract business through streamlining and expediating the administrative process to obtain a license. Provide reasonable incentives for owners of multiple businesses. Ensure law enforcement has adequate resources to keep F.V. a safe place to conduct business.
Short-term rentals (STR’s) are banned in F.V. and can provide revenue by collecting the back taxes owed by the operators and through the collection of fines for noncompliance.
Should Fountain Valley increase its TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) from 9% to 10% to be at the same level as nearby cities?
Yes (increase TOT tax)
The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) also known as a “bed tax” is a tax percentage based upon the rent charged to transient guests in hotels/motels, etc. Currently Fountain Valley has one of the lowest TOT rates compared to neighboring cities. We could slightly increase the TOT while remaining a competitive location for hotel/motels to operate.
Additional statement:
I am asking for your vote to serve on the Fountain Valley City Council. My wife and I were married at Holy Spirit Catholic Church over 20 years ago. Our daughter and son were born in Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. As a multiracial family we appreciate the welcomeness, diversity and feeling of community. I am dedicated to preserving Fountain Valley as a “Nice Place to Live” for all residents, homeowners, renters, families, seniors, and young professionals, from every background. We have lived and traveled to many places and realize how fortunate we are to be here.
My campaign priorities remain:
- Responsibly manage development opportunities to ensure they are in the best interest of our community.
- Ensure Public Safety & Health by providing necessary resources to law enforcement, first responders, and medical professionals.
- Support local businesses and attract new businesses.
- Advocate for transparency and accountability in all budgetary transactions.
We are a grassroots campaign and welcome you to join our team as a volunteer or make a generous donation at https://michaelmaufvcc.com/. Thank you.