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Minutes 2001-09-04 SP MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2001 COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 214 E. BRANCH STREET ARROYO GRANpE, CALIFORNIA 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor lady called the Special City Council meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL City Council: Council Members Runels, Lubin, Dickens; Mayor Pro Tem Ferrara; and Mayor Lady were present. City Staff: City Manager Adams; City Attorney Carmel; Director of Administrative Services Wetmore; Director of Public Works Spagnolo; Acting Community Development Director Heffernon; and General Plan Update and EIR Consultant Rob Strong were present. 3. FLAG SALUTE Mayor Lady led the Flag Salute. Mayor Lady requested the Council switch the order of Agenda Items #4 and #5 in order to take action on one item of business prior to the start of the General Plan Update item. Council unanimously concurred. 5. AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT FOR TELEVISING GENERAL PLAN UPDATE PUBLIC HEARINGS City Manager Adams presented the staff report and responded to questions from Council regarding the status of the pilot program. Council Member Dickens moved to authorize the City Manager to contract for services associated with cable casting of General Plan Update Public Hearings and allocate $800 for related expenses. Council Member Lubin seconded the motion, and on the following roll-call vote, to wit: ) AYES: Dickens, Lubin, Runels, Ferrara, Lady . NOES: None ABSENT: None There being 5 AYES and 0 NOES, the motion is hereby declared to be passed. Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 2 City Manager Adams gave a brief overview of the format for the meeting, which would include proceeding with discussion and wrapping up with the draft Circulation Element; beginning review of the policies in the remaining Elements; requesting that the focus be on direction for changes; and accepting public comments. City Manager Adams also reported on follow-up items from the last meeting, which included confirmation that the Halcyon/EI Camino. intersection would be studied within a week's time and that funds were included in the current budget to accommodate the study; that draft wording had been prepared for Policy CT2-1 and would be presented by the General Plan Consultant; and a request that the Council reach agreement on a general policy within the Circulation Element of the General Plan with regard to level of service prior to formalizing the Level . of Service Policy document. City Manager Adams also reported that there had been some concerns expressed in the community with regard to potential changes to Highway 227. Mayor Lady asked Consultant Strong to address those concerns. Consultant Strong referred to a flyer that had been circulated in the community referencing the possible designation of E. Cherry Avenue as a Highway 227 by-pass. He indicated that E. Cherry Avenue is currently a collector street and is identified as a collector street in the current General Plan Update. He said no change to Cherry Avenue is included or intended in the proposed General Plan Update and that any future change would be treated as a separate project and would be subject to separate and full environmental review, as well as consideration by the Traffic and Planning Commissions and ultimately, the City Council. Director of Public Works Spagnolo clarified that the existing maps/designations have not been changed. City Attorney. Carmel added that any material modification would be subject to full environmental review. 4. CITIZENS' INPUT. COMMENTS. AND SUGGESTIONS: Jim Talbot, resident of Falcon Ridge Estates, read and submitted a letter for the record regarding the impact on the community of the alternatives in the EI Campo Road/101 Interchange Project Study Report. He expressed interest in preserving the private nature of the roads in Falcon Ridge Estates and opposed spending additional funds to study the alternative for a four-lane arterial route presented at the last meeting. He stated that Falcon Ridge could support any type of frontage road that allowed improved circulation without going through their development. Jeanette Tripodi, 521 E. Cherry, opposed any realignment of Highway 227. Tony Janowicz, 447 Lierly, referred to 7E on the draft General Plan map and stated he was left with a vague idea of what was discussed for this land use area. Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 3 Wayne King, representing the owners of the Vanderveen property, requested that the Council consider including the property in the draft General Plan Update with a designation of single-family residential medium density. Otis Page, 606 Myrtle, read from portions of the Brown Act, referring to the proceedings during the August 16, 2001 Special City Council Meeting regarding the General Plan Update. Twila Martin, Miller Circle, stated her comments relate to the draft Noise Element of the General Plan. She read and submitted a letter for the record regarding her concerns with live music at Branch Street Deli. She requested that the City place restrictions on Branch Street Deli and not issue additional permits to other businesses and/or organizations wanting to play live music in the Village. Bruce Vanderveen, 1273 Branch Mill Road, spoke about land conservation and easements and agreed they were valuable for certain properties. He stated his property was not suitable for farming and asked the Council to consider a change in zoning from agricultural to single family residential. Dean Coker, representing Castlerock Development, displayed a diagram depicting the open space in the Rancho Grande development. He read and submitted a letter for the record regarding open space that has been dedicated within Rancho Grande and noted that the plan currently under consideration for the development of Tract 1998 incorporates a 64% dedication of open space. Carl Bockhahn, 139 E. Cherry Avenue, expressed concerns about drainage and traffic with regard to potential development and a Highway 227 connection through E. Cherry Avenue. Nanci Parker, 1127 Vard Loomis Lane, expressed concern with a potential Highway 227 by-pass and acknowledged the previous comments made with regard to the issue; however, she referred to page CE-10 in the draft Circulation Element that indicates E. Cherry and Branch Mill connection alternatives to Highway 227. She stated that as long as this is listed as a study area in the General Plan, the issue is still alive. She suggested that E. Cherry not be the sole alternative for potential connection. Consultant Strong responded that Ms. Parker was referring to implementation measures, which were not intended to be part of the General Plan. He explained that the policies and objectives make up the General Plan. Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 4 City Manager Adams clarified that there was no intent to study E. Cherry as an arterial; it would remain as two lanes. He said no specific route was being proposed at this time. Linda Osty, 309 E. Cherry, spoke in opposition of designating E. Cherry as an arterial route. Bob Throndson, Falcon Ridge resident, read and submitted a letter for the record opposing the study of the additional alternative as part of the EI Campo PSR. Laurie Williams, 411 E. Cherry, spoke in favor of preserving the parcel on E. Cherry as agriculture. Bob Brownson, 653 Asilo, sP9kein opposition to further development of Tract 1998, stating that natural resources need to be protected. Patty Welsh, 1151 Pradera, urged the City to look closer at impacts when considering future development in Rancho Grande. Polly Tullis, 236 Garden, spoke in on behalf of Grace Stilwell and her opposition to a Highway 227 connection through her property. She stated that Ms. Stilwell still had concerns with regard to the drainage issue and the eminent domain of her property. City Attorney Carmel clarified that there was no plans for a roadway through Ms. Stilwell's property; clarified that the eminent domain action was dismissed and there was no pending condemnation related to her property; and explained that Ms. Stilwell graciously entered into a temporary drainage easement agreement on the property for which the City was paying a negotiated fair market value. Michael Thomas, 267 E. Cherry, spoke in favor of preserving the parcel on E. Cherry as agriculture. He also spoke of the speeding problems on E. Cherry. Lisa Thomas, 267 E. Cherry, stated she would also like to see the speed limit reduced on E. Cherry Avenue. Kristen Barneich, 212 Canyon Way, spoke in support of preserving prime farmland. I She spoke in opposition of the conversion of E. Cherry from Agriculture to Single Family Residential. Dan Dirkus, 267 E. Cherry, spoke about the traffic problems on E. Cherry and the related dangers to kids. He requested the Chief of Police place the speed trailer on E. Cherry and do a traffic study. Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 5 Tim Brown, 125 Allen, stated it was a contradiction to have a policy in the General Plan about no net-loss of prime agriculture land and then consider converting the prime agricultural land on E. Cherry. Carolyn Freedman, 545 E. Cherry, referred to the land .between E. Cherry and Myrtle and asked how many peak hour trips would be added to E. Cherry were it to be developed. Mayor Lady deferred the question to Consultant Strong for response. Charmaine Hauber, 603 E. Cherry, spoke about the traffic problems on E. Cherry and spoke in support of preserving agricultural land. Polly Tullis, 236 Garden, spoke in opposition to the idea of a roadway going through the creek. She expressed concern regarding the noise factor for those on Myrtle and Garden Streets. Larry Turner, 323 Noguera, asked for clarification about the study area that was being referred to and expressed concerns regarding drainage issues as related to potential zone changes and future development. 5. CONSIDERATION OF THE 2001 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE POLICY DOCUMENTS AND ELEMENTS AND FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (FEIR) Consultant Strong reviewed the proposed modification to Policy CT2-1 in the draft Circulation Element, explaining that the modified language would provide the Council with more flexibility in interpreting the provisions of the level of service policy. Director Spagnolo reviewed the options for modifying Policy CT2-3, which addresses the requirement for a traffic study for projects involving 20 or more estimated peak hour trips. Council and staff discussion ensued regarding policies CT2-1 and CT2-3. Council Members Lubin, Runels, Dickens, Mayor Pro Tem Ferrara, and Mayor Lady supported the proposed modification to Policy CT2-1 and supported Policy CT2-3 as written. Mayor Pro Tern Ferrara suggested that the Council review the Level of Service Policy more often, particularly the trip generation factor. Mayor Pro Tem Ferrara further suggested that there be language added that subjects Policy CT2-3 to the current Level of Service Policy and that the word "guidelines" be changed to "policy". ! Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 6 There was consensus of the Council regarding the revised language of Policies CT2- 1 and CT2-3 as follows: CT2-1 - Where deficiencies exist, mitigate to an LOS 'D' at a minimum and plan improvements to achieve LOS 'C' (LOS 'E' or 'F' unacceptable = significant adverse impact unless statement of overri~ing considerations or CEQA findings approved). The design and funding for such planned improvements shall be sufficiently definite to enable construction within a r~asonable period of time. CT2-3 - Require that General Plan Amendments, Rezoning Applications or development projects involving 20 or more estimated peak hour trip additions provide traffic studies according to City policy, . subject to LOS Policy refinements. Council Member Dickens referred to inconsistencies between the draft Circulation Element maps and the Traffic Analysis performed by Higgins and Associates with regard to the identification of E. Cherry Street as a collector and a minor arterial. He asked why the two documents were inconsistent. Consultant Strong responded by explaining how the Traffic Model Analysis is used, and that the minor artariallabel for E. Cherry is incorrect. Council Member Dickens questioned the wording in the draft Circulation Element about E. Cherry Avenue as a study area for connection alternatives. In response to questions and comments, Consultant Strong clarified that the Public Works Standards for street section and design on pages CE-5 and CE-6 would not be part of the General Plan Update and also suggested deleting the Implementation Measures listed on pages CE-10 and CE-11 as they would not be part of the Policy document. There was consensus of the Council regarding the revisions noted. I I Consultant Strong reviewed Policy Ag1-4.2 and responded to comments and questions from Council. Council discussion ensued with regard to possible mitigation for loss of areas having prime farmland soils. Council comments included the fact that there was not enough agricultural land in Arroyo Grande to replace agricultural land on a 2: 1 ratio; clarifying the intent of the policy to discourage loss of prime farmland soils; the need to implement mitigation measures that are unique; how the General Plan policies are used if an objective could not.be met; suggestions to either delete Policy Ag1-4.2 or modify the language; the impact of government restrictions on farmland; the use of conservation easements to preserve farmland; the creation of an in-lieu fee as a mitigation measure; and consideration of a policy requiring protection of prime farmland soils in another suitable location at a ratio of 1 :1. I Special City Council Meeting September 4, 2001 Page 7 Discussion ensued concerning the establishment of a variety of mitigation measures prior to considering a statement of overriding . considerations with regard to the conversion of agricultural land. There was consensus of the Council to direct Consultant Strong to modify the language in Policy Ag1-4.2 to modify the replacement land ratio to 1: 1, include a variety of other broad potential mitigation measures and bring it back to a future meeting for further consideration. Council Member Dickens referred to Policy Ag1-1.1 regarding the two classifications of prime farmland soils and suggested that the Council choose one definition or the other. He distributed a handout to Council and staff on prime farmland as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture. Significant discussion ensued with regard to the definition of prime farmland soils. There was consensus of the Council to direct Consultant Strong to research the matter and provide a recommendation to the Council on the definition of prime farmland soils at a later date. Council Member Dickens referred to Policy Ag1-4.1 and recommended the word "active" be deleted in the following clause: "...(including residential yards/gardens and active. recreational areas)". The Council concurred with Council Member Dickens'recommendation. Discussion on the draft Agriculture and Conservation/Open Space Element concluded. 6. ADJOURNMENT At 11 :25 p.m. Mayor Lady continued the Public Hearing to a Special Meeting on Thursday, September 6,2001, at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 214 E. Branch Street. MICha~: A~La~~ Attest: