Minutes 1986-05-21 SP
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CITY COUNCIL MAY 21, 1986
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA 1 :00 P.M.
The City Council Study Session and Regular Adjourned meeting was called
to order by Mayor Pro Tern Matt Gallagher. Upon roll call Councilmembers
Johnson, Moots and Porter were present. Mayor B'Ann Smith was absent.
Planning Director Stanley Eisner said that California State Planning
Law prescribes seven elements of the General Plan. He said his department
is now working to complete them for the City. He said there is also a list
of elements which are permitted, but not mandated. He said one of these
is the Historical Element, and if the Council wishes to have one, the
Planning Department could develop a preliminary study on what it would
enta i l.
Councilmember Gallagher suggested that those buildings with historic
significance should be cataloged first.
Associate Planner Nancy Iversen
told the Council about a new organization, the Arroyo Grande Alliance for
Preservation. She said the organization is in the process of obtaining a
non-profit status. She said its main goal is preservation, and its members
would be interested in working on an inventory of historic buildings.
Mrs. Iversen also listed materials and information in the Planning
Office at this time which would be helpful in developing an historic element.
Associate Planner Peter Rosen said historic preservation also could be
included in a Conservation Element, since that element requires historic
preservation to some degree.
There was more Council/Staff discussion on the subject, including
grants for historic preservation, rights of an individual who owns an historic
structure, historic preservation ordinances, and the use of volunteers from
the public.
On motion of Councilmember Johnson, seconded by Councilmember Moots, and
unanimously carried to give direction to the staff that the Council would
like more information about General Plan Historic Preservation and Parks and
Recreation Elements, information about State grants, and the feasibility of
adopting such an element in our City. Mr. Porter said that he would like to
know exactly what constitutes and determines historic value.
Councilmembers opened the discussion of Grand Avenue Commercial Zoning.
Mr. Eisner referred to the Zoning Map showing undeveloped and underdeveloped
commercial property in the City. He discussed the types of businesses being
built and those that generated sales taxes for the City. He said the Rancho
Grande and Oak Park Acres developments had the greatest potential for sales
tax and were not necessarily covered by the City Zoning Ordinance.
Councilmember Gallagher said he is concerned about too many businesses on
Grand Avenue not being the type that generate sales taxes. There was a dis-
cussion of using the land use permit orocess. Councilmember Moots said he
felt the City \\Quid have to go with I'klat the "market" dictates. Mr. Eisner said
there is a point beyond which planning cannot go - it becomes "restraint of
trade."
There was discussion of encouraging development, inventorying the under-
developed properties on Grand Avenue, and working with the realtors on this.
ELAINE WOHL of the Times-Press-Recorder asked what percentage of Grand
Avenue is underdeveloped. Mr. Eisner said he couldn't answer, but that the
staff had looked at the commercially zoned land not in use.
MARIE CATTOIR of 195 Orchid Lane said the Council would be setting itself
up in a contradictory position if it used the land use permit process for
commercial development. She said it removed the liberty of choice of uses.
CITY COUNCIL MA Y 21, 1986
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA PAGE TWO
Mr. Eisner said the Planning Department Activities Review was given to
the Council several months ago. He said now his department is working on
completing the seven elements of the General Plan.
Mayor Smith entered the meeting at 2:40 P.M.
Mr. Eisner said for the immediate future the Planning Department will be
presenting to the Council a General Plan Amendment on the use of agriculture
land, and a Reversion to Acreage Ordinance. He said Mr. Rosen is completing
and update of environmental procedures. He said an update of Development
Guidelines is being done also. He said the Planning Department had received
a letter of praise on its Design Guidelines for the Village from the State
Office of Historical Preservation.
Councilmember Porter asked for a clarification of the components of the
Agriculture Land Use Element and the pieces of land less than 10 acres that have
been declared to have prime agriculture soils. Mr. Eisner said there will be
a recommendation coming to the Council from the Planning Commission.
Councilmember Porter said discussions at the Zone 3 Water Advisory
Committee covered water discharged from Lopez Dam. Councilmembers said the
water was needed for agriculture and the farmers here could not survive without
it. They said ponds may be needed because of siltation. On motion of
Councilmember Porter, seconded by Councilmember Johnson, and unanimously
carried, to request that the Zone 3 Committee keep the 4,200 acre feet of
water discharged downstream from Lopez Dam for underground recharge.
Mayor Smith reported on the Mayors and City Managers meeting she had
just attended. She said a steering committee will be formed to discuss the
State Water Project and educate the public.
She said as a result of the Vision 2000 Conference, economic planning
directors are applying to become a non-profit corporation composed of members
of the public, the private sector, and district boards to better organize
and plan economically for this region.
On motion of Councilmember Gallagher, seconded by Councilmember Johnson,
and unanimously carried, to adjourn the meeting at 3:07 P.M.
MAYOR
ATTEST: