HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/17/1998, 6 - ANNUAL REPORT ON THE GENERAL PLAN council M z
Council Agenda Report- General Plan Annual Report
Page 2
B. A summary of major public projects and a brief analysis of how they contributed to
meeting general plan goals—page 3;
C. An overview of programs, and recommendations on any new approaches that may be
necessary—pages 5 through 8;
D. A status report for each general plan program scheduled to be worked on during that year,
including discussion of whether that program's realization is progressing on schedule,and
recommendations for how it could better be kept on schedule if it is lagging — pages 5
through 8;
E. A status report on how the City is progressing with implementing its open space
preservation policies and programs—page 3;
F. Updated population or other information deemed important for the plan—page 2.
Council direction at this meeting would simply identify items for future consideration. General
Plan programs may be changed only after hearings on proposed amendments.
FISCAL IMPACT
Receiving the report will have no fiscal impacts. The fiscal impacts of proposed General Plan
amendments and implementation programs are discussed as those items are presented separately
to the Council for action.
ALTERNATIVES
No action is required. Council may continue discussion.
Attachments
Annual Report on the General Plan: 1997
city of san lues owspo
annual nepont
on the ceneRAI plan: 1997
The General Plan provides a comprehensive, long-range vision focusing on
preserving, or changing in desirable ways,the physical features of the community.
The General Plan is adopted and amended by the City Council, after considering
recommendations by citizens, appointed advisory bodies, other agencies, and City
staff.
Each year, the City publishes an Annual Report on the status of its General Plan
and actions taken to implement it during the year just ended. This report is to help
citizens and City officials understand recent decisions involving the General Plan.
It fulfills the requirements of state law, and the General Plan itself, which call for
an annual report.
For more information, contact the Community Development Department at 990
Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93401-3249; telephone 805 781-7172;
or visit the City's web site at: http://www/slonet.org/vv/slocity. 1
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General Plan Elements
State law requires each city and county to adopt a general plan that addresses seven topics.
Additional topics may be included. Each topic may be addressed in a separately published
document, or topics may be combined. The published sections of the General Plan are called
"elements." Table 1 shows the status of San Luis Obispo's General Plan elements.
Table 1
GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
ELEMENT REQUIRED OR DATE OF ADOPTION COMMENT
OPTIONAL OR MAJOR REVISION
Land Use Required 1994
Housing Required 1994
Open Space Required 1994
Circulation Required 1994 Includes"Scenic Roadways."
Conservation Required 1973 Update combining these topics is
Energy Conservation Optional 1981 scheduled for 1998.
Noise Required 1996
Safety Required 1978 Update combining these
Seismic Safety Required 1975 topics is in progress.
Parks&Recreation Optional 1995
Water& Wastewater Optional 1996 State law requires an"Urban Water
Management Management Plan"that need not
be art of the general plan.
The City also maintains a digest version of the General Plan. The digest makes all policies and
programs available in a single document.
Amendments
During 1997, the City approved the amendments listed in Table 2. There was no major citywide
change nor overall pattern among the individual changes that suggests a comprehensive re-
evaluation of goals or policies is necessary at this time.
Table 2
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS
Location or Area Initiated by; comment
Type Date Subject Change (acres)
LUE Jan 7 40 Prado Road General Retail to Office 9 City; reversed previous
map amendment
LUE Apr 1 Airport Area interim Allow before specific plan is City;to accommodate
text annexations adopted imminent development
LUE Apr 1 Offices, bakeries in Clarify allowance City; for consistency with
text Services& Manuf. Zoning Regulations
LUE Apr 1 Existing hillside Allow replacement in City; for equity
text houses limited situations
LUE, Apr 1 Map&text changes Accommodate residential 25 Applicant
Circu- concerning Prefumo development and permanent
lation Canyon area open space protection
"LUE"means Land Use Element.
General Plan Annual Report 1997 1 Cite of San Luis Obispo
Population Trends
A California Department of Finance estimate shows that while the number of occupied dwellings
increased by about 640 from 1990 to 1997, city resident population increased by only about 100
over that time. Apparently, residential construction was largely offset by a decline in average
household size. The next comprehensive look at population will be the U.S. Census in 2000.
Development
Taken as a whole, the General Plan says housing construction should occur not much faster or
slower than one percent per year on average,that it should include a variety of housing types, and
that it should include dwellings affordable to low- and moderate-income residents. Table 3-A
summarizes residential construction since 1994. "Market Rate"refers to dwellings with no price
limits or direct subsidies, while "Below Market" refers to dwellings that do have a price limit or
subsidy intended to make them more affordable to low-income or moderate-income residents.
The table reflects only construction within the city limits.
Table 3-A
1995 - 1997 RESIDENTLAL DEVELOPMENT
Net Change Due to Completed Construction
(number of dwellings)
Single Family Multifamily Total Annual Growth Rate
Year Market Rate Below Market Market Rate Below Market Since 1994 (percent)
1995 32 0 14 20 66 0.36
1996 53 0 31 0 84 0.41
1997 1 118 0 16 0 134 0.51
The General Plan also says that the gap between housing demand (due to more jobs and college
enrollment) and supply should not increase. This overall direction is supplemented by a policy
that the City will consider setting nonresidential construction limits if the amount of
nonresidential floor area increases more than five percent in any five-year period, excluding the
first 300,000 square-feet built after 1994. (The 300,000-square-foot threshold was reached in
1997.) Table 3-B summarizes nonresidential construction since 1994. "Institutional" includes
schools, churches, and government buildings. The table reflects only construction within the city
limits. Projects in the unincorporated Airport Area or Cal Poly, for example, are not included.
Table 3-B
1995 - 1997 NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Net Change Due to Completed Construction
(gross floor area in square-feet)
Annual Growth Rate Since
Institu- Retail (incl. Service& Ware- 1994(%) Excluding first
Year tional Office motel,hotel) Manufacturing house Total Actual 300,000 sq ft
1995 -3,100 37,500 47,800 98,100 6,000 186,300 2.1 --
1996 0 24,700 0 21,600 12,300 58,600 1.4 —
1997 0 1 17,500 148,800 -10,150 1 27,450 1 183,600 1.6 1 0.5
General Pian Annual Report 1997 2 City of San Luis Obispo
Development of the Brickyard and Marigold projects contributed to the substantial increase in
retail space. The net decrease in "Service & Manufacturing" is due mainly to demolition of
several substandard buildings and buildings within a planned street widening, along the middle
segment of Higuera Street.
Capital Projects
Capital projects are the City's major investments in facilities and equipment. They are one way
to implement the General Plan. During each two-year budget cycle, the City evaluates its list of
proposed capital improvement projects for consistency with the General Plan.
During 1997,the City completed many small and two major capital projects,which were:
• Replacement of sewer mains in the area of Lincoln, Casa, and Murray streets;
• City Hall seismic and heating/cooling upgrades.
Open Space Protection
A basic General Plan goal is protecting the open land outside the City's urban reserve line, which
is the adopted growth boundary, as well as sensitive lands within the urban area. The Land Use
Element, Open Space Element, and Conservation Element address this subject in detail. In 1997,
the City approved a project which would permanently protect part of the Irish Hills above
Prefumo Creek while enabling some development between the creek and the hills. Also,
acquisition of part of the Bunnell Ranch on the northeast side of Bishop Peak was nearly
completed.
Affordable Housing
The City did the following in support of affordable housing:
• Continued to contribute to operation of the Orcutt Road homeless shelter
• Completed and helped operate the new Prado Road homeless services center
• Programmed Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) funds to help the Housing
Authority purchase property at Brizzolara and Nipomo streets for redevelopment with 30
units of affordable housing, for elderly and disabled persons
• Programmed CDBG funds for the Housing Authority to operate transitional housing, which
helps homeless adults live more independently
• Programmed CDBG funds for the County Economic Opportunity Commission to help
low-income households make safety repairs to their homes (removing architectural barriers,
correcting plumbing and electrical problems,and repairing structural problems)
• Revised the "Villa Rosa"conditions to make completion of this infill project more feasible
Also,Peoples' Self-Help Housing Corporation used Home Investment Partnership Funds to
purchase and rehabilitate five apartments.
One Housing Element program yet to be implemented would facilitate inclusion of affordable
dwellings in all new development projects, or payment of a fee to help provide such housing. In
1997, a consultant to the City updated the market information that will be used to advance the
program in 1998.No below-market dwellings were built in 1997 (Table 3-A).
General Plan Annual:Report 1.997 3 City of San Luis Obispo
' b
Historic Preservation
The City began participating in the Mills Act program that reduces property taxes for qualifying
rehabilitation of historic structures,and approved Mills Act contracts with 15 properties.
Other Activities
Several other City activities involve the General Plan. The significant accomplishments were:
Specific Plans:
• Margarita Area - Completed and distributed to area property owners a draft specific plan, in
preparation for Council endorsement so the draft can be used for areawide infrastructure
planning and environmental review.
• Airport Area - Developed a funding strategy, prepared a scope of work, and hired a
consultant team to complete the specific plan, related facilities and financial plans, and
environmental review.
Water: Certified the final Environmental Impact Report for the Water Reuse Project.
Transportation:
• Adopted the Short-range Transit Plan;
• Drafted the Access &Downtown Parking Plan,and started the EIR for it.
Annexations: The City took steps to finalize these annexations.
• "PG&E/Thoma"at South Higuera Street and Vachell Lane;
• "Emie Ball"and"Spice Hunter/Sonic"on Tank Farm Road;
• "Prefumo Canyon Homes" on Prefumo Canyon Road.
Downtown
• Adopted incentives to encourage strengthening of unreinforced masonry buildings;
• Certified the final Environmental Impact Report for the Marsh Street Garage expansion.
Program Summary
The General Plan contains an ambitious array of programs covering many types of City
activities. The Housing Element, in particular, includes many programs with specific time
frames. The City Council, as part of the budget cycle, formally reconsiders program priorities
and support levels every two years, while General Plan elements are usually revised only every
five years or more. The two-year priority determinations made by the City Council supersede the
target program-completion dates in the General Plan. So, actual program work often varies from
the originally targeted completion dates. In addition, some programs depend on participation by
other agencies. Table 4 (following) summarizes the programs, other than routine activities,
which adopted schedules or recent City Council action indicate should have seen substantial
progress during 1997. For those programs that have been delayed beyond originally intended
time frames, suggestions are made for accelerating the programs or for revising the appropriate
General Plan element to extend or delete them. (Program item numbers are from the General
Plan Digest; program dates are from the separately published elements, which may have
identifying numbers for the programs different from those in the Digest.)
General Plan Annual Report 1997 4 City of San Luis Obispo
Table 4
GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
PROGRAM STATUS
Program Topic
Number Target Date(if any) Status Recommendation
LU 1.16.8 City-County Agreement Staff-review draft prepared; No program change needed.
OS 1.3.1 presentation to decision makers
needs to be coordinated with
response to inconsistent County
area plan update.
LU 2.13 Inclusionary housing Staff-review draft prepared; No program change needed.
H 2.3.1 ordinance(10/94) economic feasibility study
updated.
LU 1.17.1 Transfer of development Council received draft; No program change needed.
LU 6.3.2 credit description of"sending areas"
OS 1.3.6 refined. (Tabled pending
activation of County program.)
LU 7.11 Airport Area Specific Draft plan being prepared with No program change needed.
Plan consultant help. Complete&adopt specific plan.
H 2.3.2 Housing trust fund Staff-review draft prepared. No program change needed.
(10/94)
H 2.3.5 Innovative, efficient No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
housing(3/95) program priorities. available.
H 3.3.1 Housing rehab loans City approved$50,000 CDBG No program change needed.
(6/95) funds for home repair program Continue to seek loan funding
through EOC, for seniors and opportunities.
low-income households.
H 3.3.9 Housing as noncon- No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
forming use(6/96) program priorities. available.
H 3.3.2, Housing conservation No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
3.3.3,3.3.4 downtown(11/95) program priorities. available.
H 3.3.6 Prevent private house- No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
moving restrictions program priorities; demolition available.
(2/96) and moving regulations were
updated(program H 3.3.5).
H 3.3.7 Seismic upgrade No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
education(8/95) program priorities;there have available.
been some efforts by lenders,
utilities, news media.
H 3.3.8 Seismic upgrade New rehab loan program drafted; No program change needed.
funding(6/96) URM retrofit program underway Implement whole program.
H33.10 Revise codes that No staff work,due to other Implement as resources are
discourage housing program priorities. available.
(6/96)
H 4.3.1 Revise regulations that Regulations reviewed. Delete program. City
discourage mixed- (Even if program 4.3.1 is deleted, regulations do not segregate
income housing(12/96) goal 4.1.1 and policies 4.2.1, housing. Most new construction
4.2.2,and 4.2.3 encourage mixed will be in specific plan areas,
income housing and would which will integrate housing
remain.) types.
General Plan :annual Report 199' 5 City of San Luis Obispo
Table 4 Continued
PROGRAM STATUS
Program Topic
Number Target Date(if any) Status Recommendation
H 5.3.1 Revise regulations that Regulations reviewed. Delete program. City regulations
discourage housing (Even if program 5.3.1 is do not segregate housing. Most
variety(12/96) deleted,policy 4.2.1,goal 5.1.1 new construction will be in
and policy 5.2.4 which require specific plan areas,which will
variety and integration would integrate housing types.
remain.)
H 6.3.2 Consider zoning change No staff work, due to other Give program higher priority if
to require dwellings in program priorities.Can more universal implementation is
new neighborhood consider requiring project-by- desired.
commercial projects project.
(6/95)
H 6.33 Require upper level No staff work, due to other Give program higher priority if
dwellings downtown program priorities. Can consid- universal implementation is
(6/95) er requiring project-by-project. desired.
H 6.3.5 Medium-high density in Primary planning area is almost Reconsider program after
Edna-Islay(2/95) built-out. Council did not sup- remaining annexation is
port higher density in considered.
secondary(annexation)area in
Land Use Element update.
H 63.6 First priority for No action. Water offsets are Reconsider program in upcoming
residential in service available in order completed; revision of Water& Wastewater
allocations(2/95) recent changes for annexations Management Element.
did not distinguish residential
vs.commercial.
H 7.3.4 Visibility for safety Revised ARC Guidelines under Implement as resources are
(7/94) review. available.
H 8.3.5 On-campus fraternities Student housing study Implement as resources are
(9/95) underway. available.
H 93.2 Solar water heating No action. Program may Consider deleting program,
(6/96) conflict with State depending on committee advice
requirements. (see next item).
H 9.3.3 Energy committee No staff work, due to other Implement as resources are
(6/96) program priorities. available.
H 9.3.4 Revise solar access No staff work,due to other Implement as resources are
(6/96) program priorities. available.
H 10.3.7 Consider adopting No action beyond monitoring is Satisfied by monitoring required
nonresidential growth needed at this time. by LUE,until growth exceeds
management(7/95) amount specific in LUE.
H 11.3.1 Adopt regulations to Required consistency of discre- Consider narrowing scope of
prevent housing on tionary approvals with General program,following Safety
unsuitable sites(6/95) Plan achieves same result. Element update scheduled for
1998.
OS 3.3.3 Designate,zone creek Protection achieved through Revise policy to achieve
corridors as open space creek setback and other require- equivalent protection without
ments, but each creek corridor having to amend zoning map for
not zoned due to information each creek corridor.
needed to determine corridor on
each parcel.
General Plan Annual Report 199', 6 Citi• of'San Luis Obispo
Table 4 Continued
PROGRAM STATUS
Program Topic
Number Target Date(if any) Status Recommendation
OS 9.3.1 Prohibit commercial No action. Needs to be No program change needed.
mining included in batch of Zoning
Regulations revisions.
OS 11.3.2 Scenic corridor No staff work,due to other No program change needed.
OS 11.3.3 standards program priorities;other ARC
CI 14.9 Guidelines work underway.
OS 15.3.2 Parcel transfer tax for Open space funding advisory Consider revising or deleting pro-
open space maintenance group rejected transfer tax as gram along with other General
part of funding package. Plan"clean-up" items.
CI 1.6 thru Trip reduction Since element adopted, State Revise programs for consistency
1.10 law changed to prohibit mand- with State law.
atory trip reduction;City is
pursuing voluntary efforts thru
downtown access plan and its
own operations
Cl 2.8 thru Transit service Short-range transit plan No program change needed.
2.13 adopted; no work on long-range
plan;downtown trolley main-
tained;minimal efforts for
regional service,target riders
CI 3.8, College biking Minimal efforts. No program change needed.
3.10,3.11
CI 3.9 Update bike plan Done in 1993. Revise to say"maintain Bicycle
Transportation Plan consistent
with Circulation Element."
CI 3.12 Zoning standards for No action. Needs to be No program change needed.
bike parking& showers included in batch of Zoning
Regulations revisions.
CI 3.13 Railroad bike path Acquisition and design in No program change needed.
progress; phase 1 started
CI 4.7 Adopt Pedestrian Trans- Draft for staff review No program change needed.
portation Plan completed.
Cl 6.5,6.6, Neighborhood traffic Augusta,Ramona,and Leff No program change needed.
6.7 management streets resolved;final evalua-
tion of Chorro St.pending;
Oceanaire not pursued by
residents; citywide guidelines
set for Council consideration
CI 7.6, 7.7 Traffic counts and Staff work started; modal-split No program change needed.
resident surveys survey completed in March.
CI 8.8 Building setbacks lines Some streets have set-back No program change needed.
(beyond zoning, for lines;some to be set in specific
future widening) plans;no other work done
Cl 8.9, 8.10 Prado Road phased Included in review&prepara- No program change needed.
extension and state tion of plans for Dalidio,Prado
highway designation Road,and Margarita areas
General Plan annual Report 1.997 7 City of San Luis Obispo
Table 4 Continued
PROGRAM STATUS
Program Topic
Number Target Date (if any) Status Recommendation
CI 8.11 Adopt standards for Adopted bike plan covers bike No program change needed.
street medians,park- lanes; pedestrian plan to cover
ways,signs, utilities, sidewalks,parkways; previous
sidewalks, bike lanes draft median plan_ not adopted.
CI 8.13 Feasibility study of Council voted to defer this If lack of arterial connection
arterial connection project; project appears incon- confirmed in Railroad District
between Santa Barbara sistent with neighborhood Plan,delete program in next
Ave and Santa Rosa St character,historic preservation, element update. .
(6/96) bicycle,pedestrian, and transit
efforts in this area.
CI 9.4 Truck delivery limits for No action. Needs to be No program change needed.
home occupations included in batch of Zoning
Regulations revisions.
Cl 10.7 Encourage quieter City staff has been involved No program change needed.
aircraft with airport master plan update.
CI 10.8 Encourage update of City staff has done so in contact No program change needed.
Airport Land Use Plan with County staff.
Cl 11.6 Morning, evening daily Amtrak San Diegan now serves No program change needed.
train service San Luis Obispo, in addition to
long-distance trains
Cl 11.7 Regional agency study Route 101 study considered and No program change needed.
of rail service within dismissed.
county
Cl 12.5, Downtown parking Comprehensive study done; No program change needed.
12.7, 12.8 environmental review of plan
started.
CI 14.8 Enhance views along No.action. No program change needed.
Highway 101
CI 14.9 Revise ARC Guidelines Staff work on revised No program change needed.
to include view protec- guidelines started.
tion along scenic roads
Cl 14.11 Amortize billboards No action; need to verify No program change needed.
along scenic roadways effects of state law on specific
billboards.
CI 14.12 Prohibit new billboards No action; need to verify No program change needed.
along scenic roadways effects of state law on specific
situation_s.
CI 15.13 Establish impact fees Done. No program change needed.
General Plan Annual Report 1997 8 City of San Luis Obispo