HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-18-2015 Item 20 Cal Poly Master Plan Update
Meeting Date: 8/18/2015
FROM: Derek Johnson, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Kim Murry, Deputy Director, Long Range Planning
SUBJECT: CITY PARTICIPATION IN THE CAL POLY MASTER PLAN UPDATE
PROCESS
RECOMMENDATION
1. Provide comments on the Draft Project Plan and form a City Council ad-hoc
subcommittee consisting of Councilman Ashbaugh and one additional Council member;
and
2. Direct the ad-hoc City Council subcommittee members to develop Guiding Principles for
the City’s participation in the Cal Poly Master Plan Update process for discussion by the
full Council on September 15, 2015.
DISCUSSION
Background
State Universities must develop master plans to guide decisions to meet the future academic and
space needs of the university and its students. The last major update to the Cal Poly Master Plan
was completed in 2001 and focused on the nearly 6,000 acre campus lands in San Luis Obispo
County, with a subsequent effort to address the nearly 3,200 acres of Cal Poly owned land within
Santa Cruz County. The 2001 update was adopted after a four year process that began with
academic strategic planning, followed by community task force input, draft plan development
and review, and preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Ultimately, the Master
Plan and EIR were approved by the State University Board of Trustees who has responsibility
for the State University system. The plan was intended to accommodate facilities, programs, and
staff to support education of approximately 20,900 (Fall) students.
In the Fall of 2014, Cal Poly announced its intent to update the Master Plan to address projected
growth over the next 20 years to meet student educational needs. Since that time, the University
requested City staff participation in several technical sub-committees and the Interim University
Planning Officer, Dr. Linda Dalton, has provided updates to the Council on several occasions.
The Cal Poly update team has hosted several workshops both on- and off-campus to garner input
at various stages of the plan development. Over the summer, the Cal Poly update team is
working to synthesize the input on the preliminary land use concepts to develop the description
of the master plan to be evaluated through the Environmental Impact Report. This will includ e
generalized location and types of facilities as well as academic format options for consideration
(i.e. traditional three quarter academic system versus year round programming). Attachment 1
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describes the key milestones involved in updating the Cal Poly Master Plan and identifies where
opportunities to provide input exist.
City Council Subcommittee
As the University works through its internal process, there will be additional opportunities for
the City representatives who participate on the Cal Poly Master Plan Committee (advising
President Armstrong) to provide input. The Council identified liaison to this Committee is Mr.
Ashbaugh and he is joined by the Community Development Director. Staff is recommending the
Council identify a second Council member to form a City Council Subcommittee on this issue.
The purpose of this ad-hoc sub-committee would be to:
Provide a broader Council Member perspective for the delegates of the Cal Poly Master
Plan Committee to carry forward.
Act as a resource to staff in determining if issues are adequately addressed in the EIR
process
Act as a liaison to Cal Poly to discuss issues as they emerge from the Master Plan
process
Guiding Principles
The purpose of guiding principles is to enable the delegation of staff, the City Council
Subcommittee on this issue and Council Member Ashbaugh as a member of the Cal Poly Master
Plan Committee- to reflect the policy direction of the entire City Council. Staff recommends that
staff assist the Council sub-committee of Mr. Ashbaugh and the additional appointee to identify
guiding principles and return to Council on September 15, 2015 with the proposed language.
The General Plan goals and policies provide the source for these principles, but it may be helpful
to create directional language that provides ongoing guidance as the City engages the University
with informal and formal comments relative to the development of the Master Plan and the
circulation of the EIR.
Master Plan Update and Environmental Review Process
Attachment 1 includes a diagram of the City’s participation opportunities in the Cal Poly Master
Plan update. There will be formal avenues in which to participate – for example technical
comments regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) during the public comment
period - as well as discussions that involve topics related to the Master Plan that may not be
specific to the EIR. The guiding principles will be helpful in directing the focus of City
representatives in those discussions.
CONCURRENCES
Community Development, Public Works, Utilities, Parks and Recreation, and Administration
staff and Council member Ashbaugh participated in Master Plan sub-committees late fall and
winter of 2014-15 and provided input.
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Updating the Cal Poly Master Plan will require preparation of an Environmental Impact Report
(EIR). The City will have an opportunity to comment on the technical information, conclusions,
and proposed mitigations included in the EIR.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct funding for this effort identified in the approved 2015-2017 Financial Plan.
The appropriate City staff will provide technical review and evaluation as part of assigned staff
duties.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council may decide not to create a City Council Subcommittee on this issue. Staff does
not recommend this approach as it will be helpful to identify Council representatives who
can engage the University on Master Plan issues and work with staff to prepare technical
comments during each phase of the process.
Attachments:
1 - CP Master Plan Project Plan
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Project Plan
Cal Poly Master Plan
PURPOSE
The purpose of this project is to ensure City participation in the Cal Poly Master Plan update
process to create a plan that is representative of the community interests.
BACKGROUND
Cal Poly is currently embarking on an update of the university’s 2001 Master Plan. The updated
plan will guide the general location, size and types of land uses, facilities, and circulation
systems necessary to support Cal Poly’s mission and enrollment over the next 20 years. The
process is expected to take approximately two years to complete and was initiated in summer
2014.
The university has recognized that community involvement is an important component of this
effort. Community and campus advisory committees have been established to provide formal
feedback and several public events have been hosted to encourage participation in the process
including two community open houses held in May 2015.
Cal Poly is a critical partner in the success of the City of San Luis Obispo. As such, it is in the best
interest of the City to ensure that the Master Plan process appropriately accounts for the
perspectives of the community. The City has already submitted a letter providing early input on
issue areas as well as general and specific concepts. The following plan seeks to ensure
participation in the remaining steps.
PROJECT STRATEGY AND SCOPE
This project establishes a strategy to ensure representation of community interests in the
Master Plan update process. This project is nested within the broader Cal Poly Master Plan
process which consists of the following phases:
Vision 2022 – Research, Assumptions & Analysis (Summer 2014)
Engagement – Committees & Outreach (Fall 2014)
Analysis – Evaluation & Testing (Winter 2014)
Synthesis – Draft Master Plan & Environmental Impact Report (Spring/Summer 2015)
Review – Refine, Finalize Master Plan & Environmental Impact Report (Fall 2015/Winter
2016)
This project will maximize opportunities for City and public involvement at each phase to
ensure the plan is aligned with the adopted guiding project principles and community interests
as illustrated below:
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Cal Poly Master Plan Page 2
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Cal Poly Master Plan Page 3
OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES
The project will accomplish the following objectives and deliverables:
1. Objective: Clarify the City’s role in Master Plan update process including formation of a
City Council subcommittee and internal staff team.
Deliverable: Staff report and presentation at the August 18, 2015 City Council meeting
resulting in identification of City Council subcommittee members (if desired).
2. Objective: Identify Guiding Project Principles to be used by the subcommittee and City
Council throughout the process.
Deliverable: Internal staff and subcommittee meetings to develop draft Guiding Project
Principles. Staff report and presentation at the September 15, 2015 City Council meeting
resulting in endorsement of Guiding Project Principles by the City Council.
3. Objective: Review preliminary information on a preferred alternative to identify
potential issues early in the process.
Deliverable: Meeting with Cal Poly and City staff team to review preliminary
information on a preferred alternative and a presentation by Cal Poly at the September
15, 2015 City Council meeting.
4. Objective: Provide opportunities for the general public to comment on the preferred
alternative.
Deliverable: Assist Cal Poly in marketing of public comment period, coordination of an
additional community workshop in October 2015.
5. Objective: Provide an opportunity for the City Council and Planning Commission to
review public feedback and take formal action on the preferred alternative.
Deliverable: Staff report and presentation at a joint City Council/Planning Commission
meeting on November 3, 2015 with adopted formal action on the preferred alternative.
6. Objective: Analyze and comment on Notice of Preparation.
Deliverable: Letter from the Community Development Director providing comments on
the Notice of Preparation.
7. Objective: Analyze and comment on Draft Environmental Impact Report.
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Cal Poly Master Plan Page 4
Deliverable: Letter, informed by input from the City Council Sub-Committee, from the
Community Development Director providing comments on the Draft Environmental
Impact Report.
8. Objective: Analyze and comment on Final Environmental Impact Report and Master
Plan.
Deliverable: Letter, informed by input from the City Council Sub-Committee, from the
Community Development Director providing comments on the Final Environmental
Impact Report and Master Plan.
KEY PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS
1. Continued support from the City Council on the City’s role in the process
2. Active and collaborative dialogue with stakeholder groups
3. Continued participation of community members
PROJECT CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS
Project Constraints
While the City clearly has a role to play in the Master Plan update, the process is ultimately led
and governed by Cal Poly. In addition, there are a variety of perspectives in the community
about the growth and expansion of Cal Poly. Every effort will be made to account for each point
of view, but the City Council will have the ultimate responsibility for representing the
community’s perspective.
PROJECT TEAM
Derek Johnson - Community Development
Kim Murry – Community Development
Tim Bochum/Jake Hudson – Public Works
Shelly Stanwyck – Parks and Recreation
Bob Hill – Natural Resources Manager
Chris Staley – Police
Garret Olson – Fire
Aaron Floyd/Dave Hix – Utilities
Michael Codron - Administration
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
As this is a Cal Poly process, it will be their responsibility to ensure that community engagement
takes place. The City, however, will provide links to the Cal Poly website and all available
information to the community to ensure it has access to update information.
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Cal Poly Master Plan Page 5
PROJECT TASKS AND SCHEDULE
Task Who When
1. Identify City Council Subcommittee (City Council
meeting) Council Aug. 18, 2015
2. Review Preliminary Preferred Alternative Information
Internal staff meetings
Guiding Project Principles drafted by Council sub-
committee and staff
City staff
Council and City
staff
Late Aug., 2015
Late Aug. – Sept.
2015
3. City Council Meeting
Presentation by Cal Poly of Preliminary Preferred
Alternative Information
Endorsement of Guiding Project Principles
Cal Poly
Council Sept. 15, 2015
4. Public Feedback on Preferred Alternative
Public Comment Period
Community Workshop
Community
Sept.-Oct., 2015
Oct. 2015
5. Formal Council Action on Preferred Alternative (City
Council meeting or City Council/Planning Commission
Joint meeting)
Council
Planning
Commission
Nov. 3, 2015
6. Provide Comments on Notice of Preparation City staff Jan. 2016
7. Provide Comments on Draft Environmental Impact
Report City staff Spring 2016
8. Provide Comments on Final Environmental Impact
Report and Master Plan City staff Fall 2016
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CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING AGENDA
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ) SS.
CITY Of SAN LUIS OBISPO )
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING — CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR AGENDA OF: August 18, 2015
I, Kevin Christian, declare as follows:
That I am the Administrative Assistant for the City of San Luis Obispo; that a copy of the above
referenced meeting agenda of August 18, 2015 was posted on the bulletin board outside City Hall,
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, and on the City's website www.slocity.org at 3:30
p.m. on August 11, 2015.
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
tFPfW-HRISTIAN
ADMIN ASSISTANT
Cal Poly Master Plan Update –
Project Plan
City Council Meeting
August 18, 2015
1
Recommendation
1.Appoint a second Council member to join Council
member Ashbaugh on a CP Master Plan Sub-
Committee; and
2.Direct staff to assist the Sub-Committee in drafting
Guiding Principles for review by Council on
September 15th
2
Master Plan Update Process
3
Role of Ad-Hoc Sub-committee
Draft a set of Guiding Principles for Council
endorsement to provide direction
Provide a broader Council perspective for the
delegates to the CP Master Plan Committee
Act as a resource to staff in determining if issues are
adequately addressed in EIR process
Act as a liaison to Cal Poly to discuss issues as they
emerge from the Master Plan process
4
City Participation
September 15th
Cal Poly presentation regarding Master Plan preferred
land use scenario; and
Council discussion of Guiding Principles
Nov 3rd (tentative)
Joint Council - Planning Commission session
Provide feedback on preferred land use scenario and
hear feedback from October workshops
5
Next Steps
Provide input on more refined land use scenario
Provide input to Notice of Preparation of EIR and
Draft and Final EIRs, when available
Continue discussions with University regarding town-
gown relationships and interactions
Seek positive outcomes through process
6
Recommendation
1.Appoint a second Council member to join Council
member Ashbaugh on a CP Master Plan Sub-
Committee; and
2.Direct staff to assist the Sub-Committee in drafting
Guiding Principles for review by Council on
September 15th
7