HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012/01/24 Item 08~~ CITY COUNCIL
~~ AGENDA STATEMENT
~`~~ CITY OF
CHUTA VISTA
JANUARY 24, 2012, Item ~ _
ITEM TITLE: ~ RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CHULA VISTA APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT
FUNDS AND PROVIDING SUCH AUTHORIZATIONS
NECESSARY TO OBTAIN THE GRANT FUNDING AND
AGREEMENT TO COMPLY WITH ALL LAWS
SUBMITTED BY: ERIC CROCKETT, ASSISTANrT DIRECTOR OF
DEVELOPMENT SER ICES lyv/J
REVIEWED BY: CITY MANAGER
ASSISTANT CIT ANAGER/„~~j~
4/STHS VOTE: YES ~ NO ~X
SUMMARY
The Port of San Diego is applying, on behalf of the City of Chula Vista, for a Sustainable
Communities planning grant for the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan area. The
proposal is for a Greenbelt Link that will create a sustainable bayfront park corridor that
serves the City of Chula Vista's Economically Disadvantaged Communities ("EDC")
located in the western urban core. The grant funds would be used to create landscape
design guidelines, design the interconnecting park system and bicycle and pedestrian path
connections within the Chula Vista Bayfront. Additionally, it will create and implement
the Bayfront Cultural and Design Committee to advise in addressing the design of parks,
multiuse pathways, buffer and habitat protection areas. This is a locally funded project
that does not receive federal monies. If the application is accepted, staff will return to
Council for approval of an agreement to carry out development of the proposal and to
recommend accepting and appropriating the grant funds.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed activity, consisting of
approval to submit a Sustainable Communities planning grant application for the Chula
Vista Bayfront Master Plan Area for compliance with the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a" Project" as defined
under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because the proposal consists of a
governmental action that does not have the assurance that the funding requested will be
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approved for specific project(s) which may result in a potentially significant physical
impact to the environment. Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060 (c)(3) of the State
CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is
necessary at this time. Although environmental review is not necessary at this time, once
the scope and funding of the individual project(s) have been defined, environmental
review will be required for each project and the appropriate environmental determination
will be made.
RECOMMENDATION
Council adopt the Resolution.
BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
The Legislature and Governor of the State of California have provided funds for the
Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentives Program under the Safe
Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection
Bond Act of 2006.
The Strategic Growth Council has been delegated the responsibility for the administration of
this grant program, establishing necessary procedures. These procedures include a
commitment from all award recipients to meet threshold requirements, and the procedures
require a resolution certifying the approval of application by the Applicant's governing
board before submission of the application to the State.
This project would establish sustainable pazks, open space, wildlife habitat protection and
green connectors that link the City's EDC with parks and recreational facilities, including
access to San Diego bay. The Greenbelt Link would create and promote pedestrian and
bicycle access to the Chula Vista bayfront through a system of sustainable parks linked
by multiuse pathways and promenades. The adjacent Sweetwater Marsh National
Wildlife Refuge would be protected and enhanced by a limited use buffer area with
outlook stations along the multiuse pathway to provide viewing areas of the bay and
wildlife. This project links the bayfront's parks and outdoor recreational amenities with
public transit and the economically disadvantaged downtown corridor of Chula Vista.
The Bayshore Bikeway, which circumnavigates the southern San Diego Bay, would be
connected to the project and provide an extraordinary diversion along the Chula Vista's
bayfront via the Greenbelt Link. In partnership with multiple agencies, the project will
solicit extensive public participation and community input.
The Greenbelt Link is located within the City of Chula Vista and Port tidelands in San
Diego County, situated on the southeastern edge of the San Diego Bay (Figure 1) and
located approximately 1.5 miles west of the City's traditional commercial downtown area
(Third Avenue). The project site encompasses approximately 556 acres that includes 497
acres of land area and 59 acres of water area. The planning area is bordered by the
Sweetwater Mazsh National Wildlife Refuge, the mouth of the Sweetwater River, and the
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South Bay Unit of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge which includes the salt
evaporation ponds at the southern end of San Diego Bay.
The proposed project lies within the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan (CVBMP) area.
A wide range of land uses currently exist within the CVBMP boundary. These include
commercial, retail, industrial, wazehousing, natural open space, marinas, active and
passive pazks, marine/visitor-related uses, bikeways, transit corridor, and roads. The
Greenbelt Link will include connections to the traditional street grid creating intensive
urban infill, and bike and pedestrian paths to connect the short distance between the EDC
and the bayfront amenities. Along this connecting corridor is a multimodal light rail stop
connecting Chula Vista with Tijuana, Mexico to the South and the rest of the San Diego
region to the North. This public transit stop has the ability to provide access to the rest of
the State and Nation.
The Greenbelt Link supports the state's AB 32 GHG emission reduction targets,
implements SB 375, and supports the creation of a sustainable community through the
following process:
• Community Involvement and public outreach efforts are imperative to creating a
sustainable community on the waterfront for the City of Chula Vista's
economically disadvantaged families. The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan
includes a Settlement Agreement with the Bayfront Coalition member
organizations (Environmental Health Coalition, San Diego Audubon Society, San
Diego Coastkeeper, Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation, Southwest
Wetlands Interpretative Assoc., The Surfrider Foundation and Empower San
Diego) and the City of Chula Vista, the San Diego Unified Port District, and the
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Chula Vista. The established Settlement
Agreement requires the Bayfront Coalition to establish and formalize a Bayfront
Cultural and Design Committee (BCDC) to advise in addressing the design of
parks, multiuse pathways, buffer and habitat protection areas. Membership in the
BCDC will include at least one member each from the District, Chula Vista
Planning Commission, Design Review committee, and Resource Conservation
Committee. We would like to use this Sustainable Communities Planning and
Incentives Grant Funding for the creation and implementation of the BCDC.
• Impacts from global sea rise will be addressed through shoreline areas that should
be natural and gradually sloped and planted in a manner that would stabilize the
bank without the need for additional riprap areas. Upland slopes should be
contoured to provide a very gentle grade so to maximize tidal elevation of
transitional areas to accommodate impacts from global sea rise.
• Best practices in the Greenbelt Link protect create a unique opportunity to
demonstrate the viability of sustainable practices. The desired outcome of the
planning process is to incorporate best practices by creating park areas that utilize
low water-use ground cover alternatives whenever possible. The landscaping will
increase the permeability of the soil thus improving stormwater runoff and
improve air quality.
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• Healthy lifestyle is a focus in the Greenbelt Link because it will promote health
and fitness by encouraging the use of bicycles and pedestrian walkways to access
the parks and recreational amenities in the bayfront.
• Reduce Green House Gasses by virtually eliminating the need for automobiles to
transition between the residential neighborhoods to the bayfront and significantly
reduce GHG and vehicle emissions. The park areas will be planted with GHG
reducing trees and vegetation.
The Greenbelt Link will increase pedestrian and bicycle usage throughout the Chula
Vista Bayfront by creating multiuse pathways throughout which will reduce the
amount of vehicle miles traveled. The project will enhance public health and safety
by using dedicated paths that encourage walking, jogging and bicycle usage on
dedicated paths eliminating the hazards of co-usage with vehicles. The landscaping
and vegetation will consist of non-invasive plant species consistent with the adjacent
wildlife habitat areas and ground cover that will filter and enhance the quality of
stormwater runoff.
Intended local outcomes include:
• The creation of sustainable community Landscape Design Guidelines, a design
for the park system and bicycle and pedestrian path connections between EDCs
and the bayfront
• The creation and implementation of the model BCDC public outreach process
• An increase in active transportation and a decrease in automobile usage
• Decrease in GHG emissions from vehicles
• Increased water quality from using sustainable vegetation and landscaping and
green technology for materials
• Increase in open space usage
• Improve public health by encouraging recreation and active transportation
• Improvements in neighborhood vitality
• Stimulation of the local and regional economy providing jobs
Regional outcomes:
• Improve regional air quality by decreasing automobile usage and planting trees
• Increase use of regional public transportation because of connection
• Reduce usage of trees by using wood from a certified Forest Stewardship Council
forest
DECISION MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council and has found no property
holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action.
CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. If the resolution is approved, the City will apply
for Sustainable Community grant funds. If a grant is awarded, staff will return to Council
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to approve a contract with the State of California and recommend accepting and
appropriating the grant funds into the Capital Improvement Program.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
If a grant is awarded, staff will return to Council to approve a contract with the State of
California and recommend accepting and appropriating the grant funds into the Capital
Improvement Program.
ATTACHMENTS
-Map of "Greenbelt Link -Chula Vista Bayfront Parks"
Prepm~ed by: Janrce Kluth, Senior Project Coordinator, Development Services Department
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'GREENBELT LINK - CHULA VISTA BAYFRONT PARKS'
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CHULA VISTA APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT FUNDS
AND PROVIDING SUCH AUTHORIZATIONS NECESSARY
TO OBTAIN THE GRANT FUNDING AND AGREEMENT TO
COMPLY WITH ALL LAWS
WHEREAS, the Legislature and Governor of the State of California have provided funds
for the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentives Program under the Safe
Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond
Act of 2006 (Proposition 84); and
WHEREAS, the Strategic Growth Council has been delegated the responsibility for the
administration of this grant program, establishing necessary procedures; and
WHEREAS, said procedures require all award recipients commit to threshold
requirements; and
WHEREAS, said procedures established by the Strategic Growth Council require a
resolution certifying the approval of application(s) by the Applicant's governing board before
submission of said application(s) to the State; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant, if selected, will enter into an agreement with the State of
California to cazry out the development of the proposal.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Chula Vista City Council:
1. Approves the filing of an application for the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan area in
order to become a more sustainable community; and
2. Certifies that Applicant will have sufficient funds to develop the Proposal or will secure
the resources to do so; and
3. Certifies that the Proposal will comply with any applicable laws and regulations
including being consistent with the State's Planning Priorities identified in Government Code
section 65041.1 and summarized below:
a. Promote infill development and invest in existing communities
b. Protect, preserve and enhance agricultural land and natural resources; and
c. Encourage location and resource efficient new development; and
4. Certifies that threshold requirements outlined in the guidelines, including consideration
of Ocean Protection Council Sea Level Rise Guidance will be met; and
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Resolution 2012-
Page 2
5. Agrees to reduce, on as permanent a basis as feasible, greenhouse gas emissions
consistent with California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing
with Section 3850) of the Health and Safety Code); any applicable regional plan; and
6. Agrees to meet the Collaboration Requirements of the focus area applicable to the
Proposal; and includes all required documents in the application package; and
7. Appoints the City Manager, or designee, as agent to conduct all negotiations, execute and
submit all documents including, but not limited to applications, agreements, payment requests
and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project(s).
Presented by
Gary Halbert, P.E., AICP
Assistant City Manager
Development Services Director
Approved as to form by
Glen oo in '
~Q City ey
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