PC R 03-1899RESOLUTION NO. 03-1899
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE RECOMMENDING THAT
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT 03-002; AMENDING THE LAND USE MAP
TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR FOUR
PROPERTIES TO AGRICULTURE AND MODIFIYING
CORRESPONDING LANGUAGE IN THE LAND USE
ELEMENT, AND AMENDING THE -AGRICUTLURAL,
CONSERVATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT TO
REVISE IMPLEMENTATION POLICY FOR MITIGATION OF
CONVERTED AGRICULTURAL LANDS
WHEREAS, the City Council of Arroyo Grande adopted the updated General Plan on
October 9, 2001 and requires a comprehensive review and necessary revisions to the
Development Code and zoning map for consistency in accordance with Government
Code Section 65860; and
WHEREAS, the City has a responsibility to assure adherence to the General Plan in
meeting the needs and desires of the residents and the community; and
WHEREAS, on January 14, 2003, the City Council adopted Ordinance 536 which
established a moratorium on the acceptance of land use applications that seek to
develop parcels containing prime farmland soils and directed staff to prepare a study to
determine and assess the impacts of such conversion; and
WHEREAS, a public workshop was held on May 28, 2003 to solicit public input on the
preparation of the study; and
WHEREAS, June 17, July 1, and July 15, 2003, public hearings were held by the
Planning Commission to receive public input on the Report on the Conservation of
Agricultural Resources for the City of Arroyo Grande (Agricultural Report) attached
hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference; and
WHEREAS, after consideration of all testimony and all relevant evidence, the Planning
Commission recommended that the City Council initiate the preparation of an
amendment of the General Plan Land Use Map for four (4) prime agricultural properties
among other recommendations from the Agricultural Report; and
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2003, the City Council reviewed and considered the information
in the Agricultural Report, and other evidence presented at the hearings and contained
in the record of this matter and made the following findings:
A. Proximate prime agriculture within the City of Arroyo Grande is integral to the
character of the community and directly affects the City's economic and historical
RESOLUTION NO. 03-1899
PAGE 2
significance;
B. The City has demonstrated a long term commitment to agricultural preservation
through long-range planning, general plan policy, zoning, the right to farm
ordinance — 419 C.S., commission of the Coordinated Agriculture Support
Program study and ordinance 536;
C. Permitted conversion of prime farmlands have historically and consistently
caused detriment and eventual conversion of nearby or adjacent parcels to non
agricultural uses which in turn effect development pressure on other agricultural
lands;
D. Operating farms have not been consistently or adequately protected through the
dedication or maintenance of agricultural buffers;
E. The 2001 General Plan requires Municipal Code revisions to implement relevant
policies in the Agricultural and Open Space Element, the Economic Development
Element, and the Land Use Element, and further requires the adequate review of
land use proposals, the appropriate findings of fact and necessary conditions
and specific mitigations to effect long term preservation and to protect agriculture
as a significant and irreplaceable resource of the City;
F. Successful agricultural conservation easement programs exist in comparable
communities whereby state and federal funding was made available and
secured, and agricultural conservation easements for long term preservation
acquired and maintained and the establishment of such programs would be
supported by state agencies including the San Luis Coastal Resource
Conservation District and the California Coastal Conservancy in that an
agricultural easement program can benefit long term protection of agricultural
lands in Arroyo Grande through the use of linked easements;
G. Successful programs exist in comparable communities that promote agri-tourism
and agri-enterprise operations in both private and public sectors that
demonstrate an economic benefit for agriculture in urban and suburban areas;
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2003, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 3699, a portion
of which initiated the preparation of a General Plan Amendment redesignating the land
use for four (4) certain properties and modify the Land Use Element policy statement
LU5-13 and Agricultural, Open Space and Conservation Element Implementation Policy
AG142 among other recommendations from the Agricultural Report.
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the information and
public testimony presented at the public hearings, staff reports, and all other information
and documents that are part of the public record; and
RESOLUTION NO. 03-1899
PAGE 3
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the following General Plan Amendment
findings can be made in an affirmative manner:
The proposed amendment land use designation provides consistency with the
goals, objectives, policies and programs of the general plan and remedies
internal inconsistencies within the plan; and
2. The proposed amendment conserves agricultural resources and will not
adversely affect the public health, safety, and welfare; and
3. The potential environmental impacts of the proposed amendment are considered
and analyzed in the Certified Program EIR for the 2001 General Plan Update
and are considered insignificant as the change in land use designation reflects
the land use designations prior to the General Plan update as well as current
Agricultural district zoning and will have no potential environmental impacts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of
Arroyo Grande hereby recommends the following:
I. The land use category for the following properties shown in the 2001 General
Plan Update Urban Land Use Element Map shall be redesignated to
Agriculture as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein:
1. Assessors Parcel Number (APN) 007-621-023, generally located on the
southerly side of E. Cherry Avenue between Pacific Coast Railway Place
and Traffic Way, consisting of approximately 7.4 acres, owned by
Dorfman Homes Inc., current land use designation Mixed Use/Planned
Development proposed to be changed to Agriculture;
2. A portion of APN 007-621-073, generally located on the southerly side of
E. Cherry Avenue between Pacific Coast Railway Place and Traffic Way,
consisting of approximately 2.8 acres, owned by Dorfman Homes Inc.,
current land use designation Mixed Use/Planned Development
proposed to be changed to Agriculture;
3. APN 007-621-001, 1.6 acres, generally located on the southerly side of E.
Cherry Avenue near Pacific Coast Railway Place, owned by the Arroyo
Grande Valley Japanese Welfare Association, current land use
designation Mixed Use/Planned Development proposed to be changed
to Agriculture;
4. APN 007-761-022, approximately 4.9 acres, located at 1273 Branch Mill
Road, owned by Bruce Vanderveen, current land use designation Single
Family Residential — Low Density proposed to be changed to
Agriculture.
RESOLUTION NO. 03-1899
PAGE 4
II. The Land Use Element Policy Statement LU5-13 of the 2001 General Plan Land
Use Element shall be deleted in its entirety.
II. The Agriculture, Conservation and Open Space Element, Implementation Policy
AG 1-4.2 shall be amended as follows:
"Possible mitigation for loss of areas having prime farmland soils shall include
permanent protection of prime farmland soils at a ratio of at least 2:1 with regard to
the acreage of land removed from the capability for agricultural use. Permanent
protection may involve, but is not limited to, dedication of a perpetual agricultural or
conservation easement or other effective mechanism to ensure that the area chosen
as mitigation shall not be subject to loss of its prime farmland soils. Suitability of
location shall be determined by the City Council. The aim shall be to protect and
preserve prime farmland soils primarily within and contiguous to City boundaries,
secondly within the Urban land Use Element area, and thirdly within the larger Arroyo
Grande Valley and La Cienega Valley within the Area of Environmental Concern.
Other potential mitigation measures for loss of areas having prime farmland soils
include payment of in -lieu fees or such other mitigation acceptable to the City
Council."
On motion by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Guthrie, and by the
following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES: Commissioners Brown, Arnold and Chair Guthrie
NOES: Commissioners Fowler and Keen
ABSENT: None
the foregoing Resolution was adopted this 19th day of August 2003.
ATT ST:
L N REARDON-SMITH,
COMMISSION CLERK
A OC
ROB STRONG,
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
AMES GUTHRIE, CHAIR
1
1
1
Exhibit Al
1
1
Shaded area to change land use designation from
Mixed -Use (MU) to Agriculture (AG).
Exhibit A2
Shaded area to change land use designation trom
Low Density Residential (LD) to Agriculture (AG).
EXHIBIT A
1
1