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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/12/2004MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2004 - 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, 990 PALM STREET SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA ROLL CALL: Council Members Present: Council Members John Ewan, Christine Mulholland, Allen K. Settle, Vice Mayor Ken Schwartz and Mayor Dave Romero City Staff: Present: Ken Hampian, City Administrative Officer; Jonathan Lowell, City Attorney; Audrey Hooper, City Clerk; Wendy George, Assistant City Administrative Officer; John Mandeville, Community Development Director; Bill Statler, Finance Director; Mike McCluskey, Public Works Director; Mike Draze, Deputy Director Community Development; Tim Bochum, Deputy Director Public Works; Gary Henderson, Water Division Manager; Dave Hix, Deputy Director Utilities/Wastewater PUBLIC HEARING ' 1. ADOPTION OF THE MARGARITA AREA SPECIFIC PLAN (MASP) AND FINAL PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, AND RELATED GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING CHANGES. (CONTINUED FROM SEPTEMBER 28, 2004) Community Development Director Mandeville and Deputy Director Community Development Draze commenced the staff presentation. This presentation included a discussion regarding: 1) the Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) which includes a chapter on the MASP and the sections in the MASP which reflect components of the ALUP; 2) affordable housing; 3) Specific Plan Implementation; and 4) General Plan and Zoning Changes. Water Division Manager Henderson and Deputy Director Utilities/Wastewater Hix discussed the water and wastewater systems and infrastructure that will service the Margarita and Airport areas. Finance Director Statler discussed the Public Facilities Financing Plan and responded to questions raised by Council Member Mulholland related to financing options. Public Works Director McCluskey discussed several design options for Santa Fe Road for the long term (twenty plus years down the road) and displayed visual renderings of those options. Deputy Director Community Development. Draze referred to a red file item from Terry Simons as well as staff's response and explained that staff would recommend Council endorse staff follow -up on right -of -way acquisition as part of tonight's actions. City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 12, 2004,7:00 p.m. Page 2 Staff responded to questions raised related to affordable housing, financing, circulation and annexation issues, as well as the impact on development in the vicinity of Chumash Village. Mayor Romero opened the public hearing. Mary Beth Schroeder. San Luis Obispo, objected to the proposal and said Council should stop mixed use developments. Sam Vlahos. San Luis Obispo, new resident in Chumash Village, expressed concerns related to environmental and health issues. He asked for information related to what type of buffering of noise, dust, etc., will occur between residents adjacent to the project and the project itself during construction. Terry Simons, representing the Damon - Garcia family, encouraged Council to give staff a mandate to commence negotiations with property owners for the acquisition of right -of -way so that the Prado Road project can proceed. He spoke in support of manufactured housing as affordable housing and of the need to plan for the expansion of the Santa Fe Road corridor. Bonnie Wollam, Chumash Village resident, submitted a petition from fifty -nine Chumash Village Mobile Home Park residents (on file in the Community Development Department) asking that a traffic signal be installed at 30357 South Higuera Street to ensure safety and minimize traffic issues resulting from the increased number of drivers on South Higuera. Elizabeth Kyle- Righetti. Chumash Village resident, asked Council to consider limiting to single -story, low density any new housing behind the existing sixteen residences along the Chumash Village fence line. Mila Vuiovich- LaBarre, submitted for the record a letter from Chumash Council Chief Mark Virgil, who is concerned about the possible existence of a 5,000 year old archeological site that may be endangered if this project proceeds without further study. She questioned whether there is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD) that would deal with future attendance. She also questioned whether the EIR adequately addressed the proposal for Tank Farm Road and asked for a written response to her letter containing her concerns. (Both documents are on file in the Community Development Department.) Eugene Jud. San Luis Obispo, suggested that and questioned why the Dalidio EIR differs from the MASP as it relates to Prado Road. He suggested that the public needs additional time to review the MASP and that it should then be referred back to the Planning Commission. Bill Wilson. San Luis Obispo, questioned why the alignment of Prado Road wasn't Included in the original bond description. He asked Council to have the roads and fields staked out so he can see how they'll work. Gary Fowler, San Luis Obispo, said he was speaking as Chairman of the County Commission on Aging. He opposed action on the MASP until after the election, suggested a light rail system should be pursued, and expressed opposition on roundabouts. Paul Brown. San Luis Obispo, spoke as President of the Property Owners Association of San Luis Obispo. He said that their goal is to encourage Council to annex property within City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 12, 2004,7:00 p.m. Page 3 the MASP and the Airport areas and allow flexiblity to the greatest degree in order to provide as much work force housing as possible. Andrew Carter, San Luis Obispo, spoke in support of the MASP, particularly noting the provision for affordable housing for existing residents and that the transportation component is necessary for the entire south side of the City, including existing areas. Roberta Dengate, property owner adjacent to the southeast corner of the MASP area, acknowledged the need for affordable housing, but expressed concern about what will occur when that area develops, including the possibility of two -story housing. Larry Stabler. San Luis Obispo, suggested there are faults in the Airport Land Use Map contained in the MASP EIR and asked Council to send the Plan to the Planning Commission for further review. His concerns had to do, in part, with the need for an airport safety zone in the vicinity of the mobile home park. He also opposed the proposed medium density along the fence line of the mobile home park, asked that a greenbelt be provided to screen new development and provide proper drainage, and asked that a minimum six -foot concrete block wall be erected to protect the park during construction and after the project is finalized. Scott Lathrop, San Luis Obispo, supported the MASP and asked Council to proceed particularly because of the need for housing. He suggested that the extension of Santa Fe Road should be reviewed as part of the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP) because that is when more of the property owners will be affected by the AASP. Dave Watson, representing King Ventures, noted that some of the issues raised tonight can be addressed when subdvisions are brought forward. He said King Ventures will forgo any interest in an alley adjacent to Chumash Valley and so will comply with the 20 -foot setback. In addition, they will comply with the request for six -foot block walls. He explained that they will handle drainage issues with the drainage structures. He suggested that a 25 -foot limit be established for building height. He acknolwedged the concerns of the Chumash Village residents and discussed King Ventures' efforts to work with the residents. Mayor Romero closed the public hearing. Council recessed from 9:18 to 9:30 p.m. During the discussion that ensued, staff answered questions and responded to concerns raised. Council Member Mulholland expressed concern that the language proposed by staff is too broad. She said that special consideration should be given to restricting the height and providing as much setback as possible to protect the privacy and view shed of the 16 adjacent mobile homes in the Chumash Village Mobile Home Park. Council Member Ewan concurred, but suggested that Council should not establish a specific height restriction, that this issue should be referred to the Architectural Review Commission when a project moves forward. Community Development Director Mandeville suggested including the following language in the motion: "To the maximum extent feasible, the privacy of existing residential uses ' adjacent to the planning area shall be protected and views from existing residences adjacent to the Margarita Area to the South Hills shall be incorporated into the design of new development." Page 4 City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 12,2004,7:00 p.m- Council Member Settle and Council Member Mulholland said they thought there should be a statement limiting the structures to single -story and that the recommended language is too broad. Council Member Ewan, Vice Mayor Schwartz and Mavor Romero concurred with the language proposed by staff. Discussion followed regarding the Santa Fe Road right -of -way. Mavor Romero spoke in support of option 4a and explained why he thinks right -of -way should be retained for Santa Fe Road so that it will eventually be four lanes with a median. Council Member Settle said he also supports option 4a with roundabouts. Council Member Ewan discussed why he was initially inclined to support option 2, but after discussion during which staff responded to questions, he indicated his support of option 4a. Council Member Settle also commented that he supported option 4a because of its flexibility. Vice Mavor Schwartz spoke in support of option 4a as well. Council Member Mulholland spoke in opposition to the Prado Road alignment. She said that the short piece of Santa Fe Road is part of the ALUP and that she was having difficulty knowing how to design a road when there is no plan for it in front of Council. She thought it was premature to make this decision since the land use is not yet in front of Council. Council Member Ewan suggested that Council should direct staff to proceed with negotiating with property owners for acquisition of right -of -way for the completion of Prado Road. Council Member Settle concurred. Council Member Mulholland disagreed, noting that there is already an entrance off Prado Road onto the freeway for northbound travelers and, if desired, drivers could use South Higuera to travel southbound on the freeway. Neither route would result in traffic in front of Chumash Village on South Higuera Street. Moved by Ewan/Settle to approve the CAO recommendations incorporating the language proposed by staff. Deputy Director Community Development Draze explained that it is necessary for page two of the resolution (page 1 -52 of the agenda report), item 5, to be revised to reflect that there are three significant and unavoidable impacts identified in the EIR rather than two. The third impact has to do with growth inducement. All of the findings are included in the staff report for all three mitigations. The resolution will be revised accordingly. Council Member Mulholland asked that the motion be broken into two actions so that the resolution and ordinance could be acted on separately. She stated for the record that she supports housing in the MASP area, but does not support the circulation plan, the northern alignment of Prado Road or the statement of overriding considerations. City Council Meeting Tuesday, October 12, 2004, 7:00 p.m. Page 5 Mayor Romero stated, for the record, that he has some discomfort with the plan to narrow Tank Farm Road to two lanes along its length, but with the understanding that this matter can be discussed when the airport area comes under consideration, he will support the motion. Following a brief discussion, Council Member Ewan indicated that he did not want to make separate motions. Council Member Settle concurred. However, they clarified the motion as follows: ACTION: Ewan/Settle moved to approve the CAO recommendations with amendments as indicated: Recommendations 1) through 3) were approved, with the majority of the Council supporting Option 4a for the design of Santa Fe Road and directing staff to pursue an agreement with property owners for the acquisition of right -of -way for Prado Road. Resolution No. 9615 (2004 Series) was adopted, amending page 2, Section 1, item 5, to reflect that there are three (instead of two) unavoidable impacts, the third one having to do with growth inducement. Ordinance No. 1463 (2004 Series) was introduced, with the incorporation of language that will provide, to the maximum extent feasible, for the privacy and view to the South Hills of existing residential uses adjacent to the planning area; motion carried 4:1, Mulholland opposed. There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Romero adjourned the meeting at 10:40 p.m. to Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. 1 APPROVED BY COUNCIL: 11/16%1004 1 Audrey Hoop r City Clerk