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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/27/2001, 1 - STUDY SESSION: PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES council November 27,2001 acEnaa nepont '..N.A� C I T Y OF SAN LU IS O B I S P O FROM: Mike McCluskey, Director of Public Works Prepared By: Peggy Mandeville, Transportation Associate SUBJECT: STUDY SESSION: PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES CAO RECOMMENDATION: The City Council should: (1) receive a report on establishing a parking and access advisory body; (2) provide staff with direction regarding appropriate scope of responsibilities for the advisory body; and (3) authorize staff to consult with various advisory bodies and to return to Council with final recommendations regarding purpose, membership, and duties. DISCUSSION Background As a part of the City's 2001/2003 financial plan process, the City Council established a major goal to create a citywide parking and access advisory body (see Attachment 1, Major City Goals- Parking and Access Advisory Body). In the discussion that led to the major goal, the Council debated the need, the scope and the duties of the proposed body. That debate led to the title "Parking and Access" and the generalized scope of responsibilities shown in the budget document. It was clear that the Council consensus was a body devoted to assuring an even handed approach to: a) parking issues throughout the City — not just the downtown, and b) the provision of good pedestrian access — into the downtown and within subdivisions, as well as commercial and industrial development — via Council.adopted plans and policies that other advisory bodies would implement. The first task in the action plan for this goal was to direct staff to "research into other jurisdictions methods of similar advisory bodies, receive input from current advisory bodies on governance issues with and between advisory bodies" and"hold Council study session to discuss advisory body issues, such as purpose, scope of duties, membership and staff support and receive direction." Staff has completed its research, but is seeking direction from the City Council on the scope of responsibilities of the parking and access advisory body prior to receiving input from other advisory bodies. The number of other advisory bodies to contact will depend upon Council direction given at this Study Session. 1 1 Council Agenda Report:Parking and Access Advisory Body(Study Session) Page 2 Advisory Body Research Staff sent out an email message requesting a response from California cities with any type of transportation/traffic advisory body. Of the 23 cities that responded (see Attachment 2, Cities with Transportation Advisory Bodies), a variety of types of advisory bodies were identified, as shown below. No city however was found to have an advisory body similar to the one Council envisions. Type of Advisory Body #of Cities % of Cities Traffic advisory body 10 44% Transportation advisory body 6 26% Operations/safety advisory body 4 17% Joint planning/transportation advisory body 2 9% Parking advisory body 1 4% Advisory Body Scope, Since no other cities were found to have a similar advisory body that could be used as a basis, staff developed its own list of possible responsibilities for a parking and access advisory body (see Attachment 3, Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives). Six alternative advisory bodies (listed below) were developed. Each alternative included in Attachment 3 contains a list of associated duties,benefits, drawbacks, fiscal impacts, and governance impacts. 1. Ad Hoc Transportation Committee- operates on an as needed basis.. 2. Parking and Access Committee- creates a committee that advises the Council on parking and access issues. 3. Parking and Transportation Committee- creates a committee that advises the Council on parking and transportation issues. 4. Consolidated Parking and Transportation Committee—Advisory to Council- consolidates a new parking and transportation committee with the Mass Transportation and Bicycle Advisory Committees. 5. Consolidated Parking and Transportation Committee — Advisory to Planning Commission or ARC-consolidates a new parking and transportation committee with the Mass Transportation and Bicycle Advisory Committees with a level of responsibility similar to that of the Cultural Heritage Committee. 6. Parking and Transportation Commission- consolidates several committees into a Commission with the level of responsibility similar to that of the Planning Commission. Council Agenda Report:Parking and Access Advisory Body(Study Session) Page 3 Staff Recommendation Staff believes that the alternative that most closely reflects Council's direction to date is Alternative #2, the Parking and Access Committee. This Committee fully addresses the consensus reached at the February 3, 2001 Council Goal Setting Workshop. The focus of the over-arching goal established at the workshop was to create an advisory body that reviews and makes recommendations on citywide parking and access issues. No duplication of effort with existing advisory bodies results and only responsibilities now solely held by the Council are relinquished to a new advisory body for input prior to Council action. However, staff requests Council's confirmation that this alternative is the most appropriate prior to taking input from other advisory bodies on the governance issues with and between the proposed and existing advisory bodies. Although specific recommendations regarding membership categories will follow after advisory body consultation, staff envisions a membership that represents a broad cross section of the community including representation from the Downtown Association. Next Steps With Council direction on the preferred responsibilities of the parking and access advisory body, staff will seek input from affected advisory bodies which may include the Planning Commission, Architectural Review Commission, Mass Transportation Committee, and Bicycle Advisory Committee. Staff will then return to the Council for approval of the advisory body's formation, including a more detailed statement of purpose, membership categories, and specific duties. At this point, staff simply wishes to assure that we are on the right track. FISCAL IMPACTS Fiscal impacts of the six advisory body alternatives are provided in the Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives(Attachment 3). ATTACHMENTS 1. Major City Goals-Parking and Access Advisory Body 2. Cities with Transportation Advisory Bodies 3. Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives I:\Council Agenda ReportsTarking and Access Advisory Body Study Session.doc ATTACHMENT 1 POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES MAJOR CITY GOALS—PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY OBJECTIVE Community-Based Groups. The Chamber of Commerce has created a subcommittee on parking Establish a Citywide parking and access advisory issues, and in recent years has also made body. recommendations to the Council and provided a different venue for community input on parking DISCUSSION issues. Additionally,other community-based groups such as Save SLO Downtown have emerged to Background advise the Council on such issues. These groups have promoted a higher level of awareness of Council Advisory Bodies. Through the years, the pedestrian access issues to be considered City has received parking "advice" from various simultaneously with downtown parking issues. bodies. When the City's first Parking Management Plan was being developed in the mid-1980's, there Proposed Advisory Body Scope: Not Just the were two advisory bodies on parking issues: Downtown. The many points of view concerning Citywide Parking Committee and the Downtown how Downtown parking should be provided, and Association's (then called the Business how pedestrian access should be addressed, led the Improvement Area Committee) Parking Council to request forming a specific advisory body . Subcommittee. Because there was a high-level of on these key issues. Further, the Council was overlap in membership between these two advisory concerned that the City be treated as a whole and bodies, the Council eliminate([ the City-wide that the new advisory body be charged with advisory body shortly after approval of the Parking reviewing parking and pedestrian access issues Management Plan in 1987, and delegated the throughout the City rather than just in the primary advise role to the Downtown Association's Downtown. (DA) Parking Subcommittee. This group has been the primary source of camm®ity input on parking The work program-for.this objective will determine issues since then. the best fit of the advisory body and its relation to the existing' commissions 'and committees that In addition to overlapping membership, the Council currently advise the Council on transportation also based this change on their conclusion that with related issues regarding parlang.and pedestrian and adoption of overall policy guidance in the Parking bicycle access. Management Plan, main concerns would be focused - on the day-today operations of parking facilities, Challenges We Will Face in Achieving this Goal and the DA Parking Subcommittee would be closer to these issues. In short, this approach was There are many major challenges to achieving this predicated on the belief that major policy issues on goal: parking were resolved. In hindsight,this conclusion was pre-mature. 1. Developing duties and authority of the body as it relates to other Council advisory bodies. The Council has also created "ad hoc"task forces as needed on focused parking issues. For example, our Advisory bodies that.deal with these issues in highly-successful rate structure resulted from a one form or another include the Planning special task force formed by the Council in 1991 Commission, Architectural Review composed of representatives from the Downtown Commission, Mass Transportation Committee, Association, Chamber of Commerce, citizens at- Downtown Association, Bicycle Committee and large and City staff from Administration, Finance occasionally the Cultural heritage Committee. and Public Works. As such, reaching a clear understanding of the purpose and role of this new advisory body will B-d7 /—4 POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES ATTACHtwE9+IT 1 MAJOR CITY GOALS—PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY be essential in gaining "buy-in" from the other ACTION PLAN advisory bodies and the community at-large on its new role. Task Date- 2. "2. Determining the make-up and representation of 1• Complete research into other 7/01 to advisory body members. jurisdiction's methods of similar 10/01 advisory bodies;receive input 3. Determining a work program and scope of the from current advisory bodies on advisory body, including the nature and scope of governance issues with and the"City-wide"responsibility. between advisory bodies 2. Hold Council study session to 12/01 Although not requested by the Council, this discuss advisory body issues; might include the combining of various other such as purpose,scope of duties, committees that deal with transportation issues membership and staff support and such as the Mass Transportation Committee or receive direction Bicycle Committee into one advisory body on transportation matters. 3. Council approves formation of 01/02 advisory body;staff begins 4. Ensuring resources for adequate staff support. recruitment 4. Council hold interviews with 03/02 Providing the necessary staff reports, research advisory body candidates and attendance at meetings to appropriately staff this new advisory body will take time from other 5. New advisory body holds fust 6/02 currently performed work. Advisory bodiesmeetmg. tend to set their own work programs that may or may not coincide with Council goals and RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT objectives. This will be one of the key items to be addressed as part of the Action Plan. 1. Public Worsts will act as the lead department on this goal. 5. Meeting any expectations that this advisory body will make addressing parking issues easier. 2. Administration will assist in determining project This advisory body will provide an.added and objectives.and.coordinating discussions with the visorY Y P Council, community organizations and the hopefully improved forum for public discussion public on parking issues. However, this should.not be viewed as a vehicle for expediting conflict 3. City Clerk's Office will assist Council members resolution. Dae to the intensity of diverse in recruiting and.interviewing candidates. community opinions on the parking and access issues that will be heard by this advisory body, FINANCL&L AND STAFF RESOURCES it is highly unlikely that forming it will result in REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL fewer speakers, less confrontation or shorter hearings at Council(or other public)meetings. Minimal direct costs will be incurredin coordinating public workshops, meetings, recruitments and interviews. We believe these can be absorbed within existing resources. Assessing advisory staff and other support needs for the new advisory body and its impact on other City programs B-48 /��� O ATTACHMENT �. POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES MAJOR CPTY GOALS=PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY is part of the Action Plan workscope. Accordingly, we will not know added resource needs or impacts (if any)until we complete this analysis in Fall 2001. GENERAL FUND REVENUE POTENTIAL It is unlikely that forming a new parking and access advisory body will produce any.new revenue for the General Fund. OUTCOME—FINAL WORK PRODUCT Creating a parking and access advisory body will provide an additional resource to the Council in determining the appropriate policies, programs and projects regarding pig and access issues Citywide; and provide the community at-large, neighborhood groups, downtown organizations, property owners and merchants with an additional forum to express public opinion regarding often emotional and controversial issues. B-49 /� j ATTACHMENT NO: Z Ld0 LO J z z z Z Z z z z m rnrncornco 3: IN0) 0) 0m0 (n 3: Im 3 33 3 3 3 mmmrrm ommmmomom omo o o o o o o � 0) 0) 0) 0) 0) Y 1 M M O) M O M O O z, 0) m z z z z z z - Y Y Y Y Y Y W Z) Z) :D W Q z W w W 0 z Lli U) Z w m z z z V w z ° 0 o 0 0 � 0 0 0 00 O m N cn } mm U � LO Ir Uw >- 22 w w2U 0z0 � �0Z 0 0 � U U O 2 z r U 0 w w Z z Uy O w Q 0 > U W U F- 2 Q 0' 0 N o O 2 0 Q w w 0 0 0 2 2 z } a z N \ n 0 0 O N � p F � . k N N m 2 p w w 0 W U U z > la- } 2 Ula- 0 o V U W (n u Q o U O Q O U O O o z U U p p c7 U O Z p U x � o a a a U U w a 2 Lna U U z a Q m 0 z 2a oLLazQ LL ma !� W LL z0zz Z O a a X z U m o a a < uo F a a. U ° z Q o o a o a IL � o Y N a o p F U w U f- O N z 2 a Q w w w N w N ¢ U z Z Z LLI� ~ m It H � ~ Z w U- < ~ z C a a Q Z w a W w z r 0 a J o m (n o Q a = o m 3 a z O a Y J ° W = I � a 2 z w w z dap Z ri a Q w w z p z Q U Um = �j Z pOw laWUw WZN Z ZQ � � Oliaw ¢ ►p- LLI oa OWN U C) m m U lr/ ATTACHMENT 3 PARKING AND ACCESS ADVISORY BODY ALTERNATIVES Alternative advisory body structures are outlined below. Duties in bold print represent responsibilities in addition to the preceding alternative. Alternative#1: Ad Hoc Transportation Committee Operates on an as needed basis. Duties: At the request of the City Council; (Transportation/Circulation) 1. Review City plans,programs, issues and City projects regarding transportation and circulation (ie. Pedestrian Transportation Plan, LO VR interchange design, Parking Management Plan, new roadway alignments) Benefits: Allows Council to receive input from a specialized committee on a specific transportation issue or City project. Drawbacks: Staff resources diverted from other City Council goals when Ad Hoc Committee assigned work. Council action on the project/issue may be delayed due to time needed for Committee review and input. Potential for overlap/confusion with duties of other advisory bodies. Fiscal Impacts: Staff time available within existing resources. Governance Impacts: Recommendations made to City Council (CC), Mass Transportation Committee (MTC), Bicycle Advisory Committee(BAC), Architectural Review Commission(ARC), or Planning Commission(PC) depending on City Council direction. Staff support for Downtown Association Parking Committee continues. Alternative#2: Parking and Access Committee 77771 Creates a new committee that advises the City Council on parking and access issues. Meets quarterly or more frequently as needed. Duties: (Parking) 1. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking(ie. amendments to the Parking Management Plan) / V6 ATTACHMENT 3 Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives Page 2 2. Review parking rates,fees and fines 3. Review neighborhood parking districts 4. Review Citywide parking standards 5. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for parking projects (Parking Demand Management) 6. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking demand management 7. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for Parking Demand Management projects (Pedestrian Access) 8. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding pedestrian access 9. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for pedestrian access projects Benefits: Specific attention given to parking and access issues on a city-wide basis. Drawbacks: Council action on the plans and programs may be delayed due to time needed for Committee review and input. Fiscal Impacts: Given quarterly meetings,basic Committee support can be accomplished within existing staff resources. Governance Impacts: Staff support of DA Parking Committee eliminated. Alternative#3: Parking and Transportation Committee Creates a new parking and transportation committee while maintaining the Mass Transportation Committee(MTC) and Bicycle Advisory Committee(BAC) as separate committees. Meets quarterly or more frequently as needed. Duties: (Parking) 1. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking(ie. amendments to the Parking Management Plan) 2. Review parking rates,fees and fines 3. Review neighborhood parking districts 4. Review Citywide parking standards 5. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for parking projects Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committee%ommission duties. Q ATTACHMENT 3 Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives Page 3 (Parking Demand Management) 6. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking demand management 7. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for Parking Demand Management projects (Pedestrian Access) 8. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding pedestrian access 9. Participate in the City s financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for pedestrian access projects (Parking/Transportation/Circulation) 10. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transportation and circulation, (Le. Circulation Element updates and amendments, Neighborhood Traffic Management Guidelines amendments, and trip demand management programs). The Transit Master Plan and Bicycle Transportation Plan would not be reviewed by this body and would remain the responsibility of the MTC and BAC respectively. 11. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for City parking, transportation and circulation projects. Benefits: Specific attention given to parking, transportation and circulation issues. Drawbacks: Council action on City plans and programs may be delayed due to time needed for Committee review and input. Overlap or confusion of duties with other Committees/Commissions. Fiscal Impacts: Given quarterly meetings,basic Committee support can be accomplished within existing staff resources. Governance Impacts: Staff support of DA Parking Committee eliminated. Alternative 94: Consolidated Parking and Transportation Committee— 7 Advisory to City Council Consolidates new parking and transportation committee with Mass Transportation and Bicycle Advisory Committees into one Committee. Meets quarterly or more frequently as needed. Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committeelcommission duties. - ATTACHMENT Parldng and Access Advisory Body Altematives Page 4 Duties: (Parking) 1. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking(ie. amendments to the Parking Management Plan) 2. Review parking rates,fees and fines 3. Review neighborhood parking districts 4. Review Citywide parking standards S. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for parking projects (Parking Demand Management) S. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking demand management 6. Participate in the City's f nancial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for Parking Demand Management projects (Pedestrian Access) 7. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding pedestrian access 8. Participate in the City s financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for pedestrian access projects (Parking/Transportation/Circulation) 9. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transportation and circulation, (ie. Circulation Element updates and amendments, Neighborhood Traffic Management Guidelines amendments, and trip demand management programs). . 10. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for City parking, transportation and circulation projects. (Transit) II.Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transit(ie. Short and Long range Transit Master Plan updates). 12. Assist with an ongoing program of public transit in the City and Cal Poly. 13. Make recommendations to the City Council regarding transit routes, schedules, capital projects,fares, marketing and additional services. 14. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for transit projects. (Bicycle Transportation) 15. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding bicycle transportation (ie. Bicycle Transportation Plan updates) 16. Provide oversight and policy direction on matters related to bicycle transportation in the City and its relationship to bicycling outside the City. 17. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for bicycle projects. Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committeelcommission duties. / ATTACHMENT 3 Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives Page 5 Benefits: Specific attention given to parking, transportation and circulation issues. Drawbacks: Council action on the plans and programs may be delayed due to time needed for Committee review and input. Eliminates input from committees specializing in specific aspects of transportation(ie. transit and bicycle transportation) Overlap of duties with Planning Commission. Fiscal Impacts: Given quarterly meetings,basic Committee support can be accomplished within existing staff resources. Governance Impacts: Eliminates DA Parking, MTC and BAC. Alternative#5: Consolidated Parking and Transportation Committee— Advisory to Planning Commission or ARC Consolidates new committee with Mass Transportation and Bicycle Advisory Committees into a Committee with a level of responsibility similar to that of the Cultural Heritage Committee. Meets monthly or more frequently as needed. Duties: (Parking) 1. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking(ie. amendments to the Parking Management Plan) 2. Review parking rates,fees and fines 3. Review neighborhood parking districts 4. Review Citywide parking standards 5. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for parking projects (Parking Demand Management) 6. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking demand management 7. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for Parking Demand Management projects (Pedestrian Access) 8. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding pedestrian access 9. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for pedestrian access projects Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committee%ommission duties. ATTACHMENT Z' Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives - Page 6 (Parking/Transportation/Circulation) 10. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transportation and circulation, (ie. Circulation Element updates and amendments; Neighborhood Traffic Management Guidelines amendments, and trip demand management programs). 11. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for City parking, transportation and circulation projects. (Transit) 12. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transit (ie. Short and Long range Transit Master Plan updates). 13. Assist with an ongoing program of public transit in the City and Cal Poly. 14. Make recommendations to the.City Council regarding transit routes, schedules, capital projects,fares, marketing and additional services. 15. Participate in the City s financial goal setting process providing recommendations for transit projects. (Bicycle Transportation) 16. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding bicycle transportation (ie. Bicycle Transportation Plan updates) 17. Provide oversight and policy direction on matters related to bicycle transportation in the City and its relationship to bicycling outside the City. 18.Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for bicycle projects. (Development Review) 19. Reviews transportation/circulation components of subdivisions. 20.Reviews transportation/circulaton components of specific plans and planned development requests. Benefits: Specific attention given to parking, transportation and circulation issues. Drawbacks: Final action on the plans, programs, and development projects will be significantly delayed due to time needed for Committee review and input. Fiscal 1 Impacts: Given monthly meetings, additional staff resources would be needed. Governance Impacts: Eliminates DA Parking, BAC,MTC. PC assumes new areas of responsibility: Access,parking and transportation management. Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committeelcommission duties. ATTACHMEN Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives Page 7 Alternative#6: Parking and Transportation Commission Consolidates new parking and transportation committee with Mass Transportation and Bicycle Advisory Committees into a Commission with a level of responsibility similar to that of the Planning Commission. Meets biweekly. Duties: (Parking) 1. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking(ie. amendments to the Parking Management Plan) 2. Review parking rates,fees and fines 3. Review neighborhood parking districts 4. Review Citywide parking standards S. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for parking projects (Parking Demand Management) 6. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding parking demand management 7. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for Parking Demand Management projects (Pedestrian Access) 8. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding pedestrian access 9. Participate in the City's financial plan goal setting process providing recommendations for pedestrian access projects (Parking/Transportation✓Circulation) 10. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transportation and circulation, (i.e. Circulation Element updates and amendments, Neighborhood Traffic Management Guidelines amendments, and trip demand management programs). 11. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for City parking, transportation and circulation projects. (Transit) 12. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding transit (ie. Short and Long range Transit Master Plan updates). 13. Assist with an ongoingprogram ofpublic transit in the City and Cal Poly. 14. Make recommendations to the City Council regarding transit routes, schedules, capital projects,fares, marketing and additional services. 15. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for transit projects. Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committee%ommission duties. ATTACHME14T 3 Parking and Access Advisory Body Alternatives — Page 8 (Bicycle Transportation) 16. Review City initiated plans and programs regarding bicycle transportation (ie. Bicycle Transportation Plan updates) 17. Provide oversight and policy direction on matters related to bicycle transportation in the City and its relationship to bicycling outside the City. 18. Participate in the City's financial goal setting process providing recommendations for bicycle projects. (Development Review) 19. Reviews transportation/circulation components of subdivisions. 20. Reviews transportation/circulation components of specific plans and planned development requests. (Development Review) 21. Reviews transportation circulation components of environmental documents. (Council Referrals) 22.Make recommendations to the Council on transportation circulations issues that have been referred to them by the City Council. Benefits: Specific attention given to parking, transportation and circulation issues. Drawbacks: Final action on the plans,programs, and development projects will be significantly delayed due to time needed for Commission review and input. The Planning Commission and Architectural Review Commission no longer able to make environmental determinations- all must go to City Council. Eliminates input from committees specializing in specific aspects of transportation(ie..parking, transit, and bicycle transportation). Fiscal Impacts: Given biweekly meetings, additional staff resources needed. Governance Impacts: Eliminates DA Parking, BAC,MTC. Eliminates PC and ARC findings/recommendations on projects re: transportation. G:\Transportation CommitteesTarking&Access\Committee altematives.doc Bold print=New duty. Not included in previous committee%ommission duties. �S • DATEA. 'NG AGEND _ITEM # MEM® ErCOUNCIL ._...._E/CDD DIR L°I'CAo C: FIN DIR ACAO El FIRE November 23, 2001 EATTORNEY Pifw D RHIEF 2"'bLERK/0RIG G POLICE CHF To: Council Colleawes O DEPT HEAD ❑ REC DIR From: Ken Schwartz m' d 1 ❑ UTIL DIR /���, � � te►euN� ❑ HR DIR Copies: Ken Hampian, endy/George, John Mandeville,Peggy Man ev' e, e McCluskey and Jeff Jorgensen Re: Item 1, Parldng and Access Advisory Body Scope of Responsibilities, Council Study Session,Tuesday,November 27,2001 The staff report leaves out one viable option we are all familiar with when we read EIR's— specifically, "no project"or in this case, "no advisory body." I favor the `no advisory body' option for these reasons: 1. First and foremost, the proposed new body would be redundant. We need less redundancy,not more. 2. The tentative responsibilities listed by staff will further emasculate the responsibilities that properly belong to the Planning Commission. We need to make the Planning Commission more responsible, not less. 3. Creation of a new advisory body that has such obvious redundancy with the Planning Commission will place the City Council in a position of having to referee between two citizen advisory groups. This is not good. We need to nip this problem in the bud. 4. We are paying far too much attention to"policy planning"and not enough attention to "physical planning."(This became painfully evident during'the PC's first report to the Council on the Big Box size cap issue.) City planning is a process that ultimately translates"goaWpolicies"into physical form. What makes a city work well and be attractive(or work poorly and appear ugly)is found in its physical reality. If those who recommend or who make policy do not have the ability to see physical ramifications of those policies that are positive, the result will be chaos. We need to hold the Planning Commission to its fundamental duty to produce a workable, attractive and economically viable city. We should do nothing that would dilute this responsibility of our PC. 5. The Planning Commission has a lawful duty to intertwine land use and circulation issues —these are the key elements of our general plan and are translated into standards found in our zoning ordinance(which includes parking requirements)and street ROW specifications. We need to remind ourselves that the PC is the one advisory body the law requires to cant'a comprehensive understanding of how a city works as a whole. Again, we should do nothing to dilute that responsibility. 6. Judging from reviews of recent PC agendas, I don't believe asking the PC to be the responsive and responsible advisory body for this work would be an undue burden. 7. Since the Goals Setting Workshops in February,The Council has inti ted aR(ECEIVED structuring of Council agendas that gives greater attention to the advice rendeVyour 2 ,' 2003 SLO CITY CLERK • Page 2 of 2 8. various citizens' advisory bodies. Council members now have a much more clear understanding of the reactions of the public and our advisory body members to the professional recommendations of our staff as well as the reasoning of our advisory bodies for the recommendations they make to as. It is my considered opinion that this change in agenda structuring has and will continue to have a beneficial effect on the members of our advisory bodies. I believe it will hold each member more responsible not only for their individual positions and votes,but for the collective work of their advisory body. This should bring significant benefits to the City! We need to give this new process breathing room. 9. It would be far better for the Council to sit down with our PC and plarming staff and review our expectations of them. In my opinion, these expectations should include all of the concerns raised on the matter of parking and access. We need to stimulate initiative and new ideas;we should not squash that spirit by imposing a new layer of advice simply because that stimulus has been previously missing. Please take my thoughts into consideration as we go into this study session. Thank you. I" From: Wendy George To: Reynolds, Diane Date: 11/20/01 3:03PM Subject: Re: Council Agenda I think Lee was going to follow up on being sure that Marie Rosenwasser at Cuesta gets a copy of the agenda. Thanks. >>> Diane Reynolds 11/20/01 09:27AM>>> ...for meeting on Tuesday, November 27 at Noon. • 10 `. VJ