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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/11/1981City Council Minutes August 11, 1981 - 7:00 P.M. Page 2 F. Whale Rock Committee Mayor Billig No meetings in the last month. G. Zone 9 Advisory Committee Councilman Dunin No meetings in the last month. 2.. EDNA -ISLAY SPECIFIC PLAN The City Council held a public hearing on the presentation and review of the draft of the Edna -Islay Specific Plan recommended by the Planning Commission. (A)appeal of environmental determination by Robert L. Stern, (B) discussion of draft specific plan and EIR. Mayor Billig stated that this meeting was simply a study session where the city staff would present the Planning Commission's report and summary of the plan. The consultants for the property owners would also be given an opportunity to make their presentation. The council could then ask questions to clarify issues and identify additional information that they would need at further meetings. The City Council would also need to make a finding on the appeal by Robert Stern of the environmental determination. Terry Sanville, Senior Planner stated that the Planning Commission had completed its review of the draft Edna -Islay Specific Plan and EIR. The City Council would need to schedule public hearings to review and certify the EIR and either approve, amend and approve or reject the specific plan. The Planning Commission completed its initial review of the draft plan in March 1981. The consultants prepared a draft plan and submitted it to the planning staff for checking. The staff determined that the draft report included provisions which had not been authorized by the commission. These issues (e.g. large lot housing on Islay Hill, design of the Orcutt /Tank Farm'Road intersection) were resolved at the commissions June 10th meeting. The addendum to the 1 EIR was revised to include the commissions final decisions. On June 24, 1981 the Community Development Director reviewed the revised'addendum and determined that no additional environmental documents needed to be produced as a result of the commissions actions. He stated that staff was submitting an additional report supplemental to previous reports sent to the Planning.Commission. It was focusing on alternatives and issues previously not covered in written reports but discussed and acted on by the Planning Commission public hearings. He stated that the City Council should certify the draft EIR with its addendum as meeting City and State EIR guidelines. The City Council also needed to adopt the Edna -Islay Specific Plan with the changes recommended in the latter part of the report. He then gave a brief background report summary of the project Sandy Merriam, principal of Merriam, Deasy and Whisenant, presented the Edna side of this project and gave a brief description of those significant areas that were of concern. He stated that this was the third specific plan ever to come before the City Council and it had been enjoyable to work on this large of a segment of the City and being able to plan it all at one time. Vic Montgomery, MDW, presented the consultants report for the owners for the east side of the project known as the Islay area, that area east of the railroad tracks. He spoke on 8 issues as follows: 1. Connection of Highway 227 to Orcutt Road and how they arrived at going to use an underpass as opposed to the overpass. 2. The idea of using the connection system as a linear park. 3. Islay Hill. Although some pedistrian access has been made to the hill it is a very limited access. 4. Mitigation of noise - Southern Pacific Railroad. He stated that private recreational facilities would be used to form a buffer for the residential areas to help avoid the noise of the train. 5. Flood control. They were asking the Council to lower their flood control standard. 6. Orcutt Road /Tank Farm Road intersection. This intersection would be put in a T formation hoping to slow down the traffic coming in all directions. 7. Housing. The overall density for this section is 5.7 dwelling units per acre which is below the maximum allowed. 8. Process. Throughout this procedure there had been alot of ups and downs between the staff, consultants, and property owners in City Council Minutes August 11, 1951 - 7:00 P.M. Page 3 their review of the project. They felt that they had all worked well together and examined every avenue of possibility. 9. He felt that the project had been a very professional project and he would look forward to this new neighborhood being in the City. John Aausbaugh, MDW, addressed two concerns: 1) drainage, 2) density. With regard to .number 1, he stated it had always been city policy that every effort be made that drainage plans be such that the water drained off of the property. With regard to item 2, density, he stated that the Islay portion. of the project had an average of 5.7 units per acre. The Edna side had 7.5 units per acre. He stated that development phasing would take place over at least a 10 year span. Chuck French, property owner, spoke in support of his project and the need for additional housing in the City of San Luis Obispo. He stated that they had worked with the Housing Authority and subsequently added rental housing and low income housing to the project. Assembly Bill 1151 would allow an additional 25% bonus if a developer provided low and moderate cost housing. The Housing Authority spoke in favor of the project. Councilman Bond was concerned with the additional traffic that would be created on Broad Street as a result of this new development and its effect on other city facilities such as fire, police, and schools. Councilwoman Dovey agreed with Councilman Bond's concerns and added that she was concerned with the additional buses that would be required. Councilman Settle thought that this was a good development for the city and the largest single development ever planned at one time for the city. He felt it could.provide good housing and.it would be able to help the Housing Authority. His primary concerns were the impact on municipal capacities, specifically water. He was also.concerned with the density bonus issue. He stated that.there was 724 units planned for the Edna site, this was over the allowed fixed.units per acre. He was also concerned with the phasing because of the impact on facilities and the consistency -- with the general plan. He was concerned with catch basins and how they were going to deal with water runoff. Councilman Dunin stated he was very impressed with the consultant's approach. The water-issue did not bother him as he felt that there was sufficient water in the city. He felt that the density was alright as the City Council had recently increased the allowed density for this zone of 7 units per acre. He felt that the growth pattern was a good one and.in the right direction.. as this development was the same distance from the center'of downtown. He did have a problem with the choice of having an underpass as opposed to an overpass.on.Orcutt Road. He was also concerned with further impact on the school system. He liked the approach of the mixed housing.. He was pleased that there had been such good cooperation between the consultants, developers and staff. He was concerned as to the effect on municipal capacities such as the additional manpower needed for the police department as this would require additional patrol units and additional people and he wasn't sure that the taxes received from new home owners would be sufficient -td offset the expenses that the taxpayers within the city would have to Hear. Mayor Billig stated that she had several concerns, many of them already ex- pressed by the other councilmembers. She felt that the water supply issue was an important one. She was not convinced that the city had sufficient: water as we do not have the resources to enlarge-the treatment plant and therefore a shortage of water might exist. She had a problem with the density and the phasing. She felt that there were several growth inducing impacts expecially between the current city limits and the project outer limits which might require additional annexation of the property outside. She had a problem with the drainage, she did not feel it was within the growth management guidelines recently set by the city. She was concerned about the traffic volumes on other areas of the city,.specifically Broad Street. She felt we needed to look not only at the capital costs but over a long period of time the maintenance costs as well. She felt this needed to be 0 1 I City Council Minutes August 1.1.E 1481 7;QO.�,k1. Page 4 looked at comparing the economics as well as the environmental impacts, i.e. the air quality. She did feel that this was an innovative project, she liked the mixed use of housing. The project provided for good bike paths and showed sensitivity and had a good planning approach. Robert Stern spoke on behalf of his appeal of the EIR and he stated that he felt additional studies needed to be made in the following areas: 1) Well and septic tanks in the agricultural zone; 2) He had serious concerns regarding water runoff; 3) The proposed locations for storage tanks on Orcutt Road. He stated that the EIR indicated that the additional flood problems were minor and would be mitigated by the County. He disagreed with this. Adele Stern also spoke in support of Mr. Stern's appeal. She was concerned with the additional traffic on Orcutt and Islay Hill open space. She did not feel the EIR covered sufficiently the noise and flooding problems. Mary Lou Latz spoke in support of keeping Isly Hill as open space as this was one of the seven Morros and she felt should be left for all people to enjoy. She would rather see a trade off if there had to be one of additional homes being allowed and given greater density then to try to build anything at the foot of Islay Hill. Robert Stern stated that he would like to see the density cut in half. He felt that the property owners and consultants were using the highest maximum density allowed and there was no reason why they couldn't use the lowest or a more moderate level. He felt this in turn would cut in half many of the other problems. Several of the councilmembers stated that they were concerned as to exactly how much it was going to cost city taxpayers as far as adding additional municipal services by the demand created by this housing project. The staff was directed.to look into this and research, review and make recommendations to the council. Upon general consensus, the Council continued their consideration of the EIR appeal by Robert Stern to August 31, 1981 at 12:10 P.M. There being no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Billig adjourned the meeting - 9:50 P.M. Pamela Voges, City Clerk i APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON: 8/18/81 M I N U.T E S REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY.COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1981 - 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 990 PALM STREET SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA Roll Call Councilmembers. Present: Alan Bond, GlennaDeane Dovey, Ron Dunin, and Mayor Melanie Billig Absent: Allen Settle City Staff Present: Geoff Grote, Acting City Administrative Officer; George Thacher, City Attorney; Pamela Voges, City Clerk; Richard Minor, Fire Chief; Ann McKibbin, Personnel Director; Roger Neuman, Police Chief; Dave Romero, Public Services Director; Henry Engen, Community Development Director