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Minutes 1993-01-07 I:-! ... 71 MINUTES CONTINUED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1993 COMMUNITY CENTER, 211 VERNON AVENUE ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA The City Counoil of the City of Arroyo Grande met at 7:00 P.M., with Mayor Matthew Peter Gallagher, III presiding. The meeting was a continued Public Hearing on the Rancho Grande Park Expanded Initial study and Mitigated Negative Declaration. Also present at the meeting were Council Members Drew Brandy, Bernard Burke, Gene Moots and James Souza. Staff Members present were City Manager Chris Christiansen, city Attorney Judy Skousen, city Clerk Nancy Davis, Planning Director Doreen Liberto-Blanck, Parks and Recreation Director John Keisler, Recreation supervisor Douglas Perrin, Consultant Sandra Bierdzinski and Consultant Marty Inouye. '- 1. FLAG SALUTE Mayor Gallagher led the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag. 2. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS TONY OREFICE, 980 Robin Circle, suggested a meeting to discuss the possibility of a land exchange involving the YMCA, the Rancho Grande Park, Rancho Grande developers and the city. JIM BIGELOW, 781 Collado Corte, said the City's encouragement of homeowners associations has empowered political action groups. BOB TEETERS, 692 via Vaquero, supported Mr. Orefice's suggestions, and requested that the Council place a higher priority on providing and maintaining essential City services for all Arroyo Grande residents rather than providing another sports field dedicated to league use. ED MULLAHEY, 110 Rodeo Drive, said a sports complex in the Rancho Grande subdivision would lower property values. LOUIS QUINTANA of Nipomo said any decision made should be for the good of the youth. " TRACY THOMAS, 1152 Outland Court, referred to a previously- submitted petition containing more than 1,100 signatures of citizens supporting the original plan for the park. She said the city Council must decide what will benefit the majority of the residents of Arroyo Grande. She said that if the City Attorney has determined that all legal requirements have been met, the City Council has an obligation to the people of Arroyo Grande to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration on the original park plan and continue the development of the Rancho Grande Park at its designated site. FRED FLANNELL, 550 Via Vaquero, said the Rancho Grande homeowners have agreed to give up the passive park concept and accept a strother-Uke park with a grass playing field, basketball, - tennis, picnic areas, childrens' playground, etc., with a design suitable for a hillside area. ANDREA PEREJDA, 187 Via Bandolero, said she was disappointed in the City Council and at the amount of bitterness this issue has caused. DAVE CAMPBELL, 451 Platino Lane, said the city had just had an election and those elected had stated during the campaign that they were in favor of the park. He said the citizens have spoken. 1 ~.. ....., " ~..":.'r .. .. , . r ~ . . " .-._--_.. 72 " CITY COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 7, 1993 3. PUBLIC HEARING - RANCHO GRANDE PARK EXPANDED INITIAL STUDY AND MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION The Planning Director referred to letters written to the City Council concerning the Rancho Grande Park, and asked that they be made a part of the official record on the matter. It was so ordered. She also referred to her January 7, 1993, Staff Report on the Rancho Grande Park Expanded Initial Study and Negative Declaration. She said on February 11, 1992, the City Council authorized Staff to prepare an expanded initial study on the proposed Rancho Grande Park (based on the Original plan, and the Alternative plan recommended by the Parks and Recreation commission) to address i environmental concerns expressed by members of the public. She said the public review period on the Expanded Initial Study was , from July 31 to August 31, 1992. She said the Planning Commission , ....i reviewed the Expanded Initial Study during pUblic hearings in september, October and November, 1992. She said the Expanded Initial Study outlines the changes made by the Planning Commission in response to many of the comments and information received during the public hearings. She said on November 17, 1992, the Planning Commission adopted a Resolution for the Alternative Rancho Grande Park Plan and a Resolution for the Original Rancho Grande Park Plan, and the Resolutions recommend that the City Council adopt the Negative Declaration for both park plans. The Planning Director said the Council could accept the Planning Commission recommendations and adopt the submitted Resolutions, continue the item to a specific date or indefinitely, or direct Staff to prepare a full or focused Environmental Impact Report. MARTY INOUYE, principal at Omni-Means, Ltd., and project manager for the Traffic Impact Analysis for the Proposed Rancho Grande Park, told the Council that under existing and future conditions the proposed park would not create any significant additional impacts to the surrounding circulation. He recommended that the driveways on James Way be reduced to one driveway located more to the East where there would be vertical sight distance given the crown on James Way. He said if there were to be a driveway on Avenida De Diamante, that it should be located at the southern end of the park. He said if full access is not desired on Avenida De Diamante, there should be a gated emergency access. He recommended some straight perpendicular tangents of driveway on James Way, along with a fairly generous radius curve and some additional tangent area so that there would be adequate space for cars to cue to leave the park as well as enter. He said there should be a separation of inbound traffic from exiting traffic to make sure that people can enter and leave safely. He said there are some internal corner problems on the northwest corner of the park that required improvement for better sight distance. -.../ He said the traffic generation rates that were applied were developed locally and were relatively conservative compared to the national rates for parks. He said there were no significant problems with the circulation capacity of the surrounding area CO} f';''"'r, except around the Oak Park interchange that is now in the process I " of being approved. After being assured that the continued Public Hearing had been duly published and all legal requirements met, Mayor Gallagher declared the hearing open and said all persons would be heard regarding the matter. 2 ... 73 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 7, 1993 JOHN HARE, 613 Avenida De Diamante, president of the Rancho Grande Homeowners Association, said he spoke for 134 members of the group. He said the park should be built on a more level area, not in a residential neighborhood and nearer to major traffic arteries. He, said there are too many facilities packed into this small 10 acre park. He said the environmental impact of the park on the surrounding area should depend on how the park facilities are used as well as the facilities themselves. He described misalignments in park drawings that he said would cause encroachments, major relocations and unsafe traffic conditions. He said slopes are too steep and too much grading will be required. He said environmental impacts cannot be evaluated until the drawings are updated to show the changes the mitigation measures will require. He said the project is not adequately described either as to the proposed use of the facilities or the layout of the park, and it is premature to '-' review it at this time. JIM DE CECCO, representing Five Cities Girls Softball, said the City needs an active park with lights and a skimmed infield. KEN RUDE, 134 Avenida De Diamante, said law enforcement issues have not been mitigated. He said traffic safety is an issue at the James " Way entrance, where fire access is totally inadequate, and the Avenida De Diamante access road where there are sight distance limitations. RICHARD MONK of Hollister & Brace Attorneys at Law, representing a group of neighbors in the Royal Oaks and Miller Heights subdivisions. He referred to his January 5, 1993, letter to the City Council and asked that it be read into the record. He reviewed the history of the planning the park. He said his legal arguments included, "The Environmental Review for this Project Is an Impermissible 'Post-Hoc Rationalization' for the City's April 26, 1988, Approval of the Project: Inadequate Environmental Review; Inadequate Project Description, The Expanded Initial Study Is Inadequate: The Mitigated Negative Declaration Is Inadequate (Original Plan): The Mitigated Negative Declaration Is Inadequate (the commission Alternative)." JOHNW. BELSHER of Sinsheimer, schiebelhut & Baggett Attorneys at Law, representing the Rancho Grande Homeowners Association, referred to his January 7, 1993, letter to the Council. His arguments included, "The Proposed Implementation of the Park Plan is Inconsistent with the General Plan; Because the city Refuses to Readopt or Amend the Plan in Conjunction with the Negative Declaration, Mitigation is Illegally Considered: The 1988 Park Plan was Illegally Adopted: The proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Is Illegal as a 'Post Hoc Rationalization'; The Negative Declaration Fails to Identify a Legitimate Project; The Project Description is Legally Inadequate, The Negative Declaration must be Recirculated with an Accurate and Complete Project Description and with a Project Revised to Include all Mitigation; Mitigation which calls for Future Action or study by the city is Illegal: The City is Required to Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring Program for Each - Mitigation Measure: Noise Impacts are Significant - The Noise Mitigation Cannot be Achieved by Reliance on City Laws: Traffic Impacts are significant - Existing, Understated Traffic Impacts are Significant by the City's OWn Admission; Air Quality Impacts are significant - APCD Standards compel 8 Finding of Significance: The city Has Failed in Meeting the Basic Purpose of a Negative Declaration - Good Faith Evaluation and Response to Public Input." BILL FOSTER of 102 Via Bandolero referred to his January 7, 'I993 ,;' letter' to'the Council and said a complete Envir9nmental ,Impact Report should be done on the park, and his arguments were based on impacts of air quality, noise, light/glare, land use, " 3 74.- CITY COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 7, 1993 transportation/circulation, private driveway sight distances and aesthetics. CLYDE A. BRAGDON of 536 Via Vaquero referred to his January 7, 1993, letter to the Council and said there are inconsistencies and contradictions in the city's responses to the written and verbal comments of the public. He said he held the highest fire position in the United states when he worked for the federal government, and that a 55 foot turning radius is required for fire access to an area. SHERRY DODD of 849 Forest Glen Drive said she represented the children who need the park. She said she resides in close proximity to a hospital, a funeral home and an elementary school. She said she is not affected by those busy establishments. She said the neighbors of the proposed park should be able to live with -.J one ball field. MAURICE PHILIPS of 158 Avenida De Diamante referred to his January 7, 1993, letter to the Council and said the Rancho Grande Park is not appropriate for organized sports. He said that when he purchased his home he was told it would be a passive park. He said a full EIR should be done on the park. CHARLES LARUE of 411 Spanish Moss Way said he was concerned about the traffic on James Way between Rodeo and Rancho parkway. He said the traffic consultant should have looked at the area during the most intense times of traffic. SCOTT GREGORY of 425 Cuerda Corte read a letter written by his mother, who objected to all the trappings that would be associated with a sports complex, especially lights. FRED FLANNELL of 550 Via Vaquero referred to his January 7, 1993, letter to the Council. He discussed the various definitions in the' Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan of a "sports complex," a "community park" and a "neighborhood park/playground." He said the Rancho Grande Park should be a neighborhood park/playground with no intense recreation. He said the Terra De Oro Park should not contain a volleyball court, which is intense recreation. He said a Notice of Determination on Terra De Oro Park had been filed with the County five weeks too early. He said according to the Parks and Recreation Element, the City does not need more "community parks" or playing fields. GLORIA CALPERONI of Grover Beach said she represents 150 boys in the Babe Ruth League. She said there are more than 2,000 boys who could benefit from the one field planned for the Rancho Grande Park. She quoted from Mr. Spock of Star Trek saying, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." She said there are many athletes that needs this field. SHELLEY WYSONG of 1260 Poplar Street said there was exaggeration in some of the statements made by the opponents of the I park. She disputed the numbers of cars that would be parking for -' one game and said there would be far fewer than 100. She said the amphitheater would not be used on a daily basis. She said in her 20 years of softball play she had never seen a major tournament "'!' p event held on just one field. She said there is only one Summer , I. softball tournament played in Arroyo Grande each year. She said only one game with two teams could be played at one time. She said there would be more crime in a passive park because there would be less supervision. She said the park could be built with donations c"of7labor"and lIIaterials, not by having the City pay for it. '.\ . JIM TRINGAM of 670 Avenida De Diamante said the turning radius 4 - -- , ~ . " . 75 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 7, 1993 for fire apparatus if 55 feet. He said he wanted a neighborhood park similar to strother Park. He said there would be too much grading, and the City should spend its money on such things as a full-time fire department instead of a park. RICHARD PFOST of 109 Rodeo Drive said the park would be drawing kids from allover the county, not just neighborhood kids. He said Rodeo Drive and James Way intersection is a dangerous place to cross. LYN MORENO of 223 S. Elm street said she was in favor of an environmentally sound community park on the 10 acre Rancho Grande Park site and urged the council to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration on the original park plan. She said she was in favor of such park facilities as the athletic field that may be used for '-' organized league or tournament play, concrete bleachers for the athletic field, athletic field lights and permanent or portable sound amplification systems for any facility that would require the use of such equipment. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Brandy/Burke, and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting on Rancho Grande Park to 7:00 P.M. Thursday, 'I February 4, 1993 at the community Center, 211 Vernon Avenue, Arroyo Grande. ATTEST: a. CITY CLERK -- " .