HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-03-25 PC MINS MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA,
CALIFORNIA
March 25, 1964
A special meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Chula Vista
was held at 7:30 P. M. in the Council Chamber at the Civic Center on the
above date with the following members present: Comstock, Wilhite, Adams,Stevenso
and Guyer. Absent: Members Stewart and Johnson. Also Present: Acting
Planning Director Warren, Corwin Mocine, Consultant and Junior Planner Lee.
The Secretary of the Commission hereby states that she did post within 24
hours of adjournment as provided by law, the order of the Commission for
the adjourned meeting of March 16, 1964.
Chairman Stevenson opened the public hearing by stating the meeting was for
the purpose of presenting the General Plan. He further stated: ''We would
appreciate having the comments of any of you in the audience that would care
to speak in favor of a particular aspect of the plan or if there is something
that you are opposed to, we would like to hear about that, in order that necessary
adjustments can be made. So with that, Bruce, do you have any words of
wisdom for us ?
Bruce Warren: I have some comments. We want to thank those of you who
are here, for coming tonight. This is the first of two required public hearings
that will be held prior to a recommendation from the Planning Commission
concerning the adoption of the General Plan. Next Wednesday night, April 1,
we will be holding another public hearing at which the Planning Commission
will make recommendations concerning the adoption of the Plan to the present
City Council. The present City Council will then meet to discuss this General
Plan at which time they will, hopefully, endorse the Plan for the benefit of
the new City Council who will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of the
Flan in either May or June. The Plan is behind me on the board; it is basic-
ally our final General Plan. We had a Sketch Plan, a preliminary approach
to the General Plan, presented to us in November of last year and which was
circulated among several public agencies and organizations throughout the
entire Metropolitan area. The Plan behind me is basically the same Plan that
the Sketch Plan was; however, after receiving comments from the general
citizens on the Sketch Plan, some changes have been made and other changes
considered. Hopefully tonight, from the comments we receive from-you people
and next Wednesday night, the Planning Commission will be able to offer re-
commendations on the adoption of the final plan to the Council. Mr. Corwin
Mocine of the consulting firm of Williams and Mocine of San Francisco is here
tonight to present the General Plan to the Planning Commission and the public
after which public comment will be received. Tonight the Planning Commission
will make no decision on this, but will receive your comments and will consider
them for future recommendations. The report which has been handed out to
most of you, is a brief memorandum report. The final report will be much
more comprehensive than this; it will be published prior to the public hearing
by the new City Council in May or June. This outlines the basic goals and
concepts of the General Plan, and as I said, will be expanded upon in the future.
At this point I will turn the meeting over to Corwin Mocine for his presentation.
Corwin Mocine: Thank you Mr. Warren. Chairman and Members of the
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having worked in this community now for nearly two years and having
met with many of you before at public meetings that we've had. To have
reached this stage where we feel we are ready to present to you the re-
sults of our work with some sense of finality of firmness about the re-
commendations which we are prepared to make to you.
I think it might be worth taking a minute of time to start off by saying
what a Master Plan, or General Plan. What it is, what it attempts to
do and perhaps equally important, what it isn't. In our way of working
with Planning in this country in the United States, we have developed a
two or three stage process, two or three stage setup of tools and devices
with which we accomplish our Plan. The longest range, most far-reaching,
most general kind of planning for the long-range development of the com-
munity is what we call the General Plan. This 'is what we have here to-
night. This attempts to deal with the City fifteen or twenty years in ad-
vance, and the reason for this faiirly long-range view is because. we find
in the United States that cities, while they are changing or growing, are
changing and growing in a fairly regular, slow, orderly sort of rate and
that if one wants to accomplish really important improvements and changes
in the community, one has to take the fairly long-time scale into view;
however, you're always dealing only with details only with short-range
values, only with short-range goals. So the first stage of our three-tier
planning process is this long-range Plan which we have here tonight.
Next, we usually find in communities, and I'm sure this will be true here
in Chula Vista, that following the preparation and hopefully, the adoption
of the General Plan, the community will want'to turn its attention to the
various parts of the City. , On a more immediate basis, maybe half the
time span of the General Plan. More precision, more detail, more
immediacy, more concern with tomorrow's or next week's or next year's
problems, but still fitting in to the overall objectives, the overall goals
that we already set up in the General Plan itself.
Then finally we have two or three actual legal devices of which probably
the one most familar to most of you is the zoning ordinance which deals
with the uses of land, and the uses of buildings today and tomorrow and
next week and a very precise, very exact, way in terms of actual legal
regulations. Hopefully, this zoning ordinance, after the adoption of the
Plan and perhapsthe preparation of some district plans, some shorter
range plans, this zoning ordinance will then be brought into conformity
insofar as is possible to do so with the General Plan so that it may act
as an instrument, as a tool, as a device for moving the community along
the .road towards the accomplishment of these goals which the community
has decided to set for itself in the General Plan.
This then, perhaps, brings us in a fairly logical way (to,_Sconside ration
of what the goals of the community might be, because Planning by definition
is the establ' ishment of a process, or the establishment of a set of policies
for the. achievement of what we agree to be the objectives of what we have
in mind for ourselves. . And so, one of the first steps in developing a Plan
for a city is to reach some agreement on what the city wants to accomplish,
and the Plan can set its mind toward the accomplishment of those objectives.
Now, after a good deal of discussion first with a broad citizen's committee
of whom some members of you in the audience were undoultedly members
and participated in those meetings, then discussion with the Planning
Commission over a period of a couple of years, finally various public
meetings that we had in the past, we have developed a set of goals or
objectives for this community which seem to us, as your Consultants, to
represent what we take to be your thinking about your city.
These goals, we hope, will find a response among you, and if they don't ,
well, it is very important that we hear about this. I want to very quickly
go over the objectives of what this Plan encompasses because to under-
stand what we proposed in the Plan, it is necessary first to understand
what we are trying to accomplish by it. We.have set out, as we understand
it, your objectives in five specific directions.
First, to improvedand expand the economic base of the community, This
has to do with the welfare, the economic welfare of the. City with the jobs
+that are available, with the tax resources which the community has to
support its schools and public services; with the kind of services, public
services, in terms of stores and personal and public services available
to the people in the community, all these things and we particularly felt
that this was worthy of note because there are some signs and our research
report, which some of you may have copies of, and which all of you could
get copies of by asking the Commission. . . . our research report indicates
there are some problems in this city in terms of the economic base. The
unemployment rate is higher than it is in the State as a whole, that the jobs
and industry, for instance, are sharply concentrated in one particular kind
of industry without proper diversity. In other words, there the community
faces some needs in this direction and the Plan ought to respond to.
Second, to preserve and enhance the residential quality of Chula Vista. This
was made an objective of the Plan because I think the first thing we were
told when we came here to begin our work for you was that this town was
known as a "nice place to live. " And that this was one of the things that
they wanted to continue to be known for, and that it was important that what-
ever we did, these qualities. of this community be preserved. We hope that
the Plan pays proper attention to these values.
As a third objective, to provide attractive, convenient public facilities to
serve the anticipated population. There are two parts to this, first that we
find again by the studies that we made of the community and comparing it
with others with more or less generally accepted standards that there
are some areas in which security does not come up to what are considered
to be the best standards of the day in terms of, for instaiice, park and re-
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creation areas for one thing, and perhaps some streets and arterials
m for another. But that is a manageable kind of a thing,
circulation syste
no great problem if the population were not also growing in such a rapid
rate. Within this planning area as shown on the map here, our studies
today indicate somewhere just under 60, 000 people living as of now, and
by the end of the planning period, approximately 20 years hence, we est-
imate, and we think rather conservatively, that the population of this
area will be about three times -- somewhere between 2-1/2 and 3 times
the population of the present or presently in the area today.
So it isn't just the matter of meeting some accepted standards in terms of
today's population, it is one of these situations where you are going to have
to run fast in order to stand still. To meet these needs, it is necessary to
plan for expand for appropriate and adequate public services.
Fourth, to develop an efficient system of streets and highways serving
the City and linking the City to ;the metropolitan area and to Mexico. This
ties back to some of the others because in order to establish an appropriate
economic base, for instance, it is going to be very important that there be
good transportation into the City, through the City and between the City and
other parts of the area. One of the latent resources here is clearly the
tourist resource, and the tourist resource is related not only to Chula
Vista but also to.ethe Bay, to San Diego and to old Mexico. This means
that the attention of Chula Vista must not only be on its own internal cir-
culation system but upon its relationship to its regional and even state-
wide network.
Finally, and number five, to preserve and enhance the beauty of this
City which we see as being taking part in its relation to the Bay to the
mountains behind, to its rather unique, in terms of California communities,
clear definition of topography, bounded as it is by the water on one side
and the mountains on the other and the two great river valleys at each
extremity in such a way that it has the possibility of achieving a real sense
of coherence, a sense of individuality, a sense of special quality which
will set it apart from the run of California Cities. I might say, at the
same time here again there are some special problems which need to be
met, not the least of which is the fact that we're living here in essentially
a desert community. The last few days to the contrary notwithstanding,
the fact that some green space, the need for street trees, the need for
proper attention to the preservation of the attractive views of lakes and
water, the protection of the drainage ways - these kinds of things will do
much to enhance over the dry years, as well as the wet, the quality of the
community as a community. Now, this very briefly then has to do with the
basic objectives of the Plan and as I go over the main proposals of the Plan,
I will try to refer back to these from time to time to show you where we
feel that some of these things tie in with some of the objectives that we set
forth.
They are set forth at more length in the report that we have given you and
we have suggested rather specific ways in which some of these may be re-
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flected in actual community policies or future developments.
Now if I may, I will take a look at the Plan drawing or the Map here on
the board and try to explain to you how all this rather general discussion
that I have been giving you translates into fairly specific suggestions and
recommendations for the development of the City.
First, let me say that I think very properly our assignment was made
much bigger than the existing City. Most of you will recognize that the
city limits of Chula Vista are roughly somewhere along this line and that
the Map shows an area roughly three times as large as the existing city.
It was the agreement of ourselves and the city fathers who employed us that
this area shown here .generally in the colored are on the map represented
what you might say the natural area of development or growth or expansion
of this community; and as such ought to be planned as a whole. We shouldn't
allow ourselves to be trapped into concerning ourselves only with the area
within the present city limits. Here is the Otay Valley, . here roughly the
Sweetwater Valley, here the lakes and steeper.mountains, and here of
course, the Bay and within those general boundaries is the area which we
have been concerned and for which this Plan makes long-range proposals.
There are some parts of it of course outside the city limits will depend
for their carrying out on either the areas being annexed to Chula Vista
which we hope over the period of time will happen, or that the County of
San Diego will see fit to respect this Plan and translate some of its re-
commendations into their zoning and streets and other kinds of specific
proposals. Now perhaps as a way of talking about this Plan we might
divide the City into four or five rather general areas and discuss with
you what the Plan proposes within the several parts of the City.
First, let's talk about the western most part of the City, the shores and
the Bay, in a sort of a crescent running around up the two valleys approxi-
mately to the freeway and perhaps to Fourth Street and taking in the Chula
Vista tidelands and roughly running back as far as the railroad or the free-
way. This area, the waterfront area of Chula Vista, is largely designated
for industrial development. This would be a combination of both light in-
dustry shown by this light blue color, and more intensive or heavy industry,
shown by the dark blue color. Where we have indicated reserve in a couple
of locations, an area which we think is ultimately destined for industrial
development but which we don't believe is likely to come into industrial
use within the time span of twenty years which this plan attempts to look
for. Now this area of industrial development balance as it is between
heavy and light industry, is one of the,key.ways in which we believe that
the community can actually improve and diversify its industrial base, and
thereby improve its economic welfare.
We think that with the moving of the railroad onto the waterfront, with the
location of a heliport here, with the proper ties back into the community
in two or three locations we have indicated, that this can be an extremely
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valuable resource. We think that especially in the areas back closer to
the community in both sides here, that there ought to be reserved and
developed areas for very high quality of research and development kind
of industry of the sort which will bring new jobs and avery desirable jobs
into the community without necessarily adding to, for instance, adding to
the industrial waste and the air pollution and the other things which may be
undesirable in industrial development.
It is important to point out, however, that although the principal uses of
the waterfront area are industrial that we have also provided here at the
foot of "J" Street for a marine and recreational point of contact with the
Bay. We have referred this Plan to the Port of San Diego and have found
they agree with this scheme and they are hopefully willing and able to
develop this recreational center over the next few years so that the people
of Chula Vista will have an attractive place to keep and to launch boats, to
find opportunities for finding boats to go deep sea fishing, for picnicking
and other things that one does on the edge of the water. A point of contact
with the salt water which this City today lacks even though it is a water-
front City. With the remarkable recreational development of San Diego
Bay, it seems to us very important that this be respected and provided
for in the Plan. The heliport I mentioned, let me say just in passing, that
one after another of the major metropolitan areas of the United States are
finding that helicopter service between the main population centers of a
metropolitan complex, a metropolitan region, and between those centers
and perhaps the main airport are increasingly important. I find myself,
for instance, taking the .helicopter between Berkeley and the San Francisco
airport, more and more now as the easiest and even the cheapest way to
go about my work and I am sure this will be something that will happen here,
especially in this land where you hardly can look up into the sky without
seeing a helicopter flying around. S o it seems very natural that this would
come and it ought to be provided for.
Now let's turn our attention next to an area, say an area between the free-
ways and between the proposed South Bay freeway down the Sweetwater
Valley and "H" Street, this area, which constitutes the old historic part
of Chula Vista, and which in many ways will continue to be the most im-
portant central section of the community. Here we expect to see some
fairly substantial changes over a period of years. These changes are
already in evidence; one can see them happening almost every time I come
to town where more evidence of these processes going on. Most of you
will recognize that the colors here are fairly dark browns and yellows which
represent as you look at the key over here, high density and medium high
density and medium density residential development. Although historically,
this whole area was developed as a single-family residence area, there is,
as I said before, plenty of evidence already at hand and an increased multiple
residence development in this part of the city is strongly at work. We think
that this is a trend that is not disadvantageous to the community; one way
that communities can grow in the population scale that I indicated a few
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moments ago, is in terms of increasing density in.those parts of the
community that are best related, best adapted for increased multiple
residence use and clearly the olderi.more level part of the city best
served with street networks, best served with transit, best served
with shopping and schools, libraries, hospitals and all the rest, is the
part of City where this kind of multiple residence intensive use of residential
land can most likely and most logically take place. Also, the future develop-
ment of the Civic Center with this cultural and recreational attributes as
well as the Third Avenue shopping center can best be enhanced by an
intensification of a residential development in that immediate surroundings
to provide a market, to provide users, to provide convenient access to
those facilities for the people who live in those multiple-family units.
So we have a rather limited, but in terms of Chula Vista, a fairly ex=
tensive area of this fairly deep ground of density which is shown over
here as very high density which means 16 to 30 families or perhaps 60
to 75 persons per acre and which means probably, ultimately that the
majority of the area although not every lot, by any means, will be
developed with some sort of multiple story apartment developments.
Not all high rise apartments, because we are too far out from the .heart
of the metropolitan center. of San Diego to expect that, but nevertheless,
a rather intensive high density development. Next to that, between Third
Avenue and Broadway for the mos t part and this area between Broadway
and the Freeway, we have shown what we call high density which is from
8 to 15 families per acre and here to get the number of people you ought
to multiply by about three which would be anywhere from 24 to-45 persons
per acre. And then finally, an area of more upland area as you get into
the beginnings of the rising land and into the newer part of the community,
what we have called medium density which would be 4 to 7 families per
acre or anywhere from 12 to 18 people per acre and which would generally
represent a combination of single=family residence with some duplexes,
small limited number of small apartment houses. You will notice, that
in all of this, I have emphasized the mix and not the exact nature of a
particular building type; in other words, this is not a zoning ordinance
and this does not effect the zoning of any particular piece of property.
These colors on this map are not meant to indicate for instance that
everything within this brown area is going to be six stories high and
everything in this reddish brown area is going to be three stories high
and everything in this yellow area is going to be duplexes in every lot--
far from it, what we're talking about here is some sort of an average on
the basis of which we can establish the needs for schools, for parks, for
shopping, for street facilities, for all the services which go to support a
residential neighborhood. The zoning o.rdinanee which I referred to in
the beginning of my remarks will later have to translate these average
densities into specific particular lot zones. At that time, the makeup of
this mix will be worked out. . Some streets may very well be left single-
family and some different levels of multiple, but we expect over a period
of time that the average will come out about as shown here. Now, all
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these people living in this part of the community will be well-served by
the commercial center of Chula Vista. This commercial center in Chula
Vista as it works out, this is a development in the last few years which
most of you are aware of as I am, works out in a two-part, or if you want
to take in Unimart, maybe a three-part kind of a pattern. First we have
Third Avenue here, historic part of the City, which was always downtown
for the last 40 years in this community and which in many ways continues
to be, where the main banks are, where the main professional and service
offices are, where the financial institutions are located. Recently; we find
the retail activities which were once concentrated here to the exclusion
almost of anywhere else in the community, have found new locations;
principally here in the Chula Vista shopping center, to. some extent here,
and even in the future as 'time goes on in many other new centers through-
out the community. This doesn't mean, necessarily, a net loss; it simply
means a change and emphasis of activity and we will, as part of our re-
sponsibilities to the community before we are finished with our work for
you, make some specific recommendations about the development of the
Civic Center-Third Avenue area pointing out the Avenues for future
growth and development for new activities, for new service and useful-
ness
seful-
ness to the community which lie open to that area which will allow it to
continue to be a vital and important part of ;the .City. However, it's
useless to pretend that there has not been some change in patterns parti-
cularly reflected by the great development of the Chula Vista center.
One can't expect an old, and somewhat planned-in-another day kind of a
community, commercial community to complete on an even basis with
therczmost*modern shopping center design available to retailers today
with two or three major shopping centers in a whole combination of support-
ing retail institutions as well as pa-rking and all the rest.
I have also emphasized here in the Civic Center that the Plan proposes a
expansion here, the first step which has been taken by the City in pur-
chasing the school site. The Plan proposes further expansion of the
open space in this area in order that the City develop a real cultural and
recreation center here to serve all the citizens of the community in the
future: perhaps a small civic auditorium, a new library, meeting rooms
_ where all kinds of groups and associations in the community, open space
to compliment the shopping and office activity of the Third Avenue center
and the like.
We also see a different kind of a commercial need that the town has to pro-
vide for. Principally, along Broadway to some extent along the southern
extremity of Third Avenue, to some extent along parts of "E" Street, both'
between Broadway and the Freeway, and between Third Avenue and Fourth
Avenue. This we call Highway Commercial Use and here we see the kinds
of activities being concentrated which depend principally on the automobile
for their success. T;:e Here we see automobile dealers themselves, motel
and hotel accommodations, various plant and tree nurseries, all kinds .of
thugs=which you-nor-a?n
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things Which you normally expect to find and do find related to the buyer
who comes in a car and who expects.to be able to drive along the street
to find what he wants.
The extension of this, throughout the whole length of Broadwy, parts of
Third Avenue, is probably more than would be ideally desirable and if
we could think of a good way ;to limit or even to eliminate some of this
shoe-string development, we would so recommend but we don't find any
way in which we can foresee a change in the situation and therefore, it
seems to us most logical to acknowledge it, to plan for it and in every-
where that we can, to accommodate it with the best interests in the
community and to the best interest of the people that are involved.
Now, let's turn our attention to the older, flatter part of the City, lying
from "H" Street to the Otay Valley and roughly from bne Freeway to
the other. This is generally marked by either medium high, or medium
density developments, and this is not too different than what we find here
today. We say, therefore, that in this part of the City, probably overall
the least changes will take place in the next planning period.
This area will fill in the remaining vacant land; it will continue to be
principally a single family area with some limited multiple development.
There will be more multiples particularly along the southern extremity
of Third Avenue; there will be some intensive spots higher density, that is,
what we call high medium density at any rate, multiple residence. We'Ve
even shown an agriculture reserve continuing into the foreseeable future
because these seem to be well-farmedyar�tenriched and economically successful
agriculture lands -and we would like to see them continue.
We have indicated some areas for future industrial -use, indicated as in-
dustrial reserve, which we intend to mean probably industrial use beyond
the time span of this Plan. The area shown here for industrial in the blue
without the word 'reserve' attached is more than enough, we believe, to
accommodate all foreseeable industrial development that will come into
this community within the next 20 years and leave a reserve or a safety
margin of about a hundred percent. In other words, if we extrapolate in-
dustrial jobs, and translate that into a need for industrial acres, we have
shown here without considering the reserves, about double what we think
are likely to be needed. This isn't unwise because we can't be sure about
our projections for one thing, and for another thing, we need enou&hchoice
and enough reserve to keep the market flexible so people can find the .land
they need whiten they need -it. But we think it would be wise in terms of
these reserves that it be the conscious policy of the City not to encourage
those going into industrial use until these dthers are more or less filled in.
This, for various reasons, industry car/serve itself better and serve the
community better if it is more or less concentrated and these lands can be
put to good use residentially and even agriculturally in the meantime until
the time comes when it is, voluble for them to turn over into industrial uses,
thus bringing industrial traffic, industrial land uses, etc. , into new parts of
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the community.
The golfi course we have proposed of course leaving as a major although
private property a major resource of the community and we have also
suggested some new parks or expansions of existing la, rks as we have in
many parks of the City, because as I pointed out earlier, the park lands
in this community especially neighborhood and communitylparks do not
meet, at the present time, adequate standards.
Now, let's turn our attention next perhaps at once in a big over-view to
this great expansion area what we might call the foot-hill area east of the
Inland Freeway out to the San Miguel Freeway up to the base of the mountains
to the lakes to the east.
The key to the development of this area as we see it is the new college, the
new schools which are already under way, all three of them in this area
and the development here of a new commercial center which you might call
the heart or the core of this great new Chula Vista to the east. Here we
believe that appropriate kinds of garden-apartment and more intensive
residential development are making use of the convenience of the shopping
center of all the schools, of the college with all the resources it can pro-
vide would be very logical.
Around that, we see a much lower kind of development made up of medium density,
low density and even in this greenish color here on the steeper lands what we
call very low density which goes all the way from less than one person per
acre on the greenish-yellow to one to three on the bright yellow; this color
as I said up to four-.to seven on the ochre yellow in this whole area here.
This , of course, if the area which is going to have the greatest change over
the period of which this Plan is projected. The change which is all in the
future, the change which the community has a chance really to control , to
direct, to assure, so that this land which is the only way that Chula Vista
can grow will grow in such a way as to be a true credit to the city, something that ;
you will be proud to take into your community and be proud of it, and something
which you can say carries on the fine traditions which this community has
already established.
Several principals ought to be emphasized here: one thing is a concern about
topography. As we move out into this area, as most of you know, probably
better than I , that we are moving out into a fairly rough, rolling, even steep
kind of cut-up kind of a landscape, full of deep canyons and full of interesting
but rather irregular mesas around hilltops and even quite steep hillsides. We
have tried to suggest here on this Plan a pattern of development which respects
those differences in topography making the most intensive use of the levelest
and flattest parts , keeping the deepest canyons , in fact, open as open space; the
more rugged hillsides being reserved for the very low density pattern, sort of
small estates where a person can locate a house on the one level site and then
have an acre or two or three surrounding it and more rolling country, where we
expect to find horses and the thi.ngs that go with country living. So that, in
this whole area of the eastern part of the City, shown here fully developed
20 years hence, and it may very well be 30 since the growing capacity which we
indicate on this map is more than our anticipated population growth with the City.
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So we think there is again a reserve here involved of this total. -capacity; here is
only a portion of what the capacity of this more intensively developed part of the
old part of the City will be.
You will expect to find a more open kind of development. We have shown a major span
of green space at the bottom of Bonita Valley, partly for a length of open space
between the golf space and for flood control reasons. We have suggested a reservation
of the shores and lakes for future recreational land. We have also suggested a very
extensive agricultural reservation of land. U11tim ately; this agricultural reserve
will probably also go into residential use and this should be beyond the period of
our Plan. Residential is shown on the rougher land which can't be farmed, and keep
the farming on a land which is now completely farmed. Farming remains a major
economy for this community and it was so right down to the second World War.
There are many advantages of keeping this a green belt, combined with an agricultural
land here and open land here, as a sort of a frame around the community so that it
doesn ' t melt out indefinitely into the whole metropolitan complex of the greater
San Diego.
One other thing, we have indicated here in this bright red color at two or three
strategic locations what we have called "tourist commercial" activity and here is
another effort to improve the economic base of the community to take advantage of the
strategic location of Chula Vista between San Diego and the Border; to provide along
side the freeways, in attractive locations, in appropriate locations where high
quality motel and other types of tourist accommodations; tourist restaurants and that
sort of thing might verywell be located, taking advantage of the scenery, of the golf
courses of the riding trails , and what not. These may very well be one of the ways
in which the economy of the City can get a, major shot in the arm, because tourist
money is new money which comes into the City and which is one of the best ways to bol-
ster up a community's economy.
This is a fairly quick rundown, has to do with the basic land use pattern of the
present and the future community. Let me emphasize that all through this -community
we have suggested locations for elementary schools , shown here with the little square
school houses with the flags on top; the junior high schools , the senior high schools ,
college, for future park and recreation spaces , fire stations shown by the letter "F"
and located in appropriate locations , which I won 't try to point out to you.
For new neighborhood shopping centers and strategic street locations , as well as the
community shopping center that I mentioned earlier, and this is true not only in this
part of the City but in the old part as well .
The school here which is located between Broadway and the Freeway, for instance, in an
area ultimately designed for industrial - commercial use, we have proposed to relocate
into this area between Fourth Avenue and Broadway at such time as it seems appro=
priate to do so, and which time children would disappear from this block and the
school and the property would go where the children are.
Finally, I think I should take a minute or two to talk about the freeway network that
serves this whole new complex and I ' ll be finished, and we ' ll have time for some
questions and comments.
The basic scheme, of course, H founded on the system of freeways. The Montgomery
Freeway already existing here, the Inland Freeway located and about to be constructed
in this location. The San Miguel Freeway, about which public hearings were held in the
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last ten days or so up here at the base of the mountains , each of which serves a
function in a north-south direction. These are linked together by future, called
the long-range future, as is the San Miguel as well - I would guess at least right
close to our 20 year planning period, and Otay Freeway.
More immediately and under some parts of construction right now is the South Bay
Freeway down the Sweetwater Valley. These will serve principally the regional
transportation needs to bring traffic to Chula Vista from San Diego and other parts
of California, to bring traffic from other parts of the State to old Mexico, to allow
Chula Vista people to get in and around the whole metropolitan complex where their
jobs and their interests will be.
Within the community, of course, we have to reinforce those freeways with a network
with primary and secondary thoroughfares , and the plan makes these proposals with a
network of east-west streets starting with "E" Street, "H" Street, "L" Street and
Orange Street running from north to south and then with Broadway, Fourth Avenue,
Hilltop Drive and a new extension of the Otay Lakes Road, at this location running
from north to south.
Supplementing these major street networks , we have a secondary street network, most
of which will be familiar to you in the older part of the City: Third Avenue, "J"
Street, Naples Street, Palomar and various streets in this newly developed area,
many of which don 't yet exist.
Where circles are shown here, we indicate interconnections between this local street
network and this freeway system. Where the road goes across the freeway without a
circle, we expect that there will be a traffic separation but no access between, or
interconnection between the local system and the freeway system. It was pointed out
to me that this circle here is an error - our draftsman made a mistake and we didn 't
catch it - there would be a connection at "E" Street, one at "H" Street and one at
"J" Street, but not one at "G" Street, as shown here.
Now I think that pretty well covers that situation. Perhaps I should point out one
other thing. We have suggested with some enthusiasm, although with some reserva-
tions , the utilization of the power line right of way which extends right across
the City, all the way out to the lakes as you can see here. The extension of this
as a key element, what can ultimately be an open-space network in the community, this.
could become a hiking trail , it could become a riding trail , and it could connect
some parts with other parts just bg developing the open land which will forever remain
under that tower line. There are places in California where this has been done sur-
prisingly well and where the power line striding across the country has actually been
put to good use by this means.
Now I think, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Commission, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is
all I have to say, and I think that if there are questions or comments that I might
have any way to answer them, I will be happy to do so.
Virgil Stevenson: Thank you very much, Mr. Mocine. Now are there any questions to
appear before the public hearing? I know that most of you have seen this several
times. The public hearing in this matter has been opened. I might mention that
since this meeting is being recorded, we would appreciate that anyone, who has any
comments to make, come forward to the microphone, identify yourselves , tell .us where
you live and offer anything that comes to your mind - whether you are in favor of
this Plan or any element of it, or whether you are opposed to it.
Now, I certainly recognize that many of you in attendance may be seeing this for the
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first time, and it would be difficult for you to comment so rapidly; therefore, the
second half of this public hearing, as we mentioned earlier, will be held on the first
of April . But for those who have seen it previously and those who have comments , we
would certainly appreciate hearing whatever you have to say right now. So, is there
anyone in the audience who would care to speak?
Stephen Gassaway, speaking for the Sweetwater Valley Civic Association: First off,
let me say that the Civic Association appreciated the thoughtfulness of Chula Vista
asking people from the Sweetwater Valley to help in preliminary meetings and prelim-
inary suggestions , and we are most enthusiastic about this General Plan.
We would like to indicate, however, to draw your attention to the flood plain area
that on the map indicates tourist accommodations , and if that is to include motels ,
in this particular location where Highway 241 crosses Bonita Road, at that intersec-
tion now is a Baptist Church - that area is in the flood plain and has been innun-
dated several times in the last twelve years;and, at one time, a railroad ran by
there and was flooded in 1916 - that area was completely washed out. We think that
you ought to have another look at that particular intersection as it is in the flood
plain.
The second area that we would like to draw your attention to is the intersection, of
Otay Road and Bonita Road. That has been indicated for high density, and there again,
that flat area is subject to innundation. Furthermore, almost the entire area around
that particular intersection is of low density character. The Civic Association would
like to protest, and at the same time, recommend that those two intersections be
given some further attention by the experts with the possibility they might want to
modify the map in those two locations.
Stevenson: Thank you very much. Is. there anyone else here who would care to speak
at this time?
Jim Patten, Chula Vista Realty, 580 Third Avenue, Chula Vista: I notice this is a
beautiful theory, and I wish it can be developed in this way - immediately west of
the college site; if I 'm not mistaken, you have a high-density population, is that
the brown area?
Stevenson: Yes , that 's true.
Patten: Of course, I assume you worked from the topo map. I hope you can get that
high-density in there - I don 't believe that you can; as I recall that ground,
tried to sell it and found it rough.
notice also that there is a lack of neighborhood shopping centers. Now, I have
been impressed with the developments in the San Fernando Valley. Pretty near every
major thoroughfare going through there, there are along with major intersections,
neighborhood shopping facilities where accommodations such as service stations,
stores and rather large markets, primarily service stores. I think that we lack this
in this particular area.
I . would like to point out one, for instance - the intersections of Hilltop and "J"
Streets and where Telegraph Canyon Road, which I understand is planned for a major
thoroughfare, goes east; you have, I believe, single-family developments there, is
that correct?
Mocine: Yes. There are two schools on two corners there on medium dens.ity, also on
the other two corners.
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Patten: Right. Now in any direction that you go from there, you are two to three
miles away from any facility for convenient shopping.
Stevenson: How about the corner of Naples? It 's about two blocks , three-quarters of
a mile.
Mocine: At Hilltop and "J", you also have the market there.
Patten: You have a market, but nothing else.
Member Comstock: May I ask a question? What is your definition of a neighborhood
shopping facility?
Patten: I think the people in these particular areas should have the facility of
service stations; what 's that nice name for liquor stores?
Comstock: House of Spirits, or something like that.
Patten: Yes, a community center, a complete community center.
Comstock: Service type stores?
Patten: Yes.
Mocine: I 'd like to make a comment on that, perhaps .if I might. We 've shown here in
either this dark red color or this bright red color, the network of either existing
or proposed - out here they 're largely proposed centers which we tried to relate to
the anticipated population in such a way that there will be an adequate amount of
commercial property to serve the anticipated population. Using fairly accepted
standards of the number of families it takes to support different kinds of facilities.
The map tends to balance this out so that if you add more, you would be either reducing
the market available for some others , or for removing some. There is nothing that says
the locations we selected are sacred; it could go to the next intersection one way or
another; however, we think there are some advantages to keeping these well concentrated,
at points a mile or two apart as you go out into the farther out-parts , and maybe
a half-mile apart as you get closer down into the older parts of town, rather than
having them at every intersection as you suggest. I would guess that the people at
San Fernando Valley may be more than adequately supplied, as a matter of fact. ,
Patten: I 'm not trying to be facetious , I 'm only asking you because I don 't know. Is
this based on economic study of this thing or is. . . . . .
Mocine: it's based on an economic study to the extent that we have made population fore-
casts for the area. The colors on the map represent densities of development which, as
you pointed out may be on the high side, rather than the low side, and ,if the area is
developed to that extent, there will be so many people living there,which'we believe is
fair to assume will have so much expendable income and therefore can do so many dollars
of business.
Now this is , admittedly, a rough kind of economic analysis, but for this kind of
overall planning, its probably about all one can do. We didn't make a separate economic
analysis for each individual shopping center, because that's way beyond the limits of
this kind of planning, but we do say, we think we can demonstrate, total amount of land
shown on the map in commercial use is more than adequate, almost twice what would be
required to meet the needs of a certain dollar volume of business and a reasonable
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return per square foot of business. We say twice as much, because we think there
ought to be reserve, some room for the market to operate, there shouldn 't be any
monopoly created, and we are perfectly willing to be shown that there needs to be
more; but we think that to show this, there ought to be some concern with the balance
that we tried to show.
Patten: I 'm not familiar with the colors on this map and probably may be remiss about
a point or two. Have you provided any areas for multiple units in the eastern part
of the section, say from Hilltop east?
Mocine: Yes. Let me say first that in this yellow ochre color, the density is such
that it would normally be achieved by a combination of single-family residence with
limited numbers of quite low-density apartments , that is , duplexes and four-plexes
and the usual situation. In addition to that, we have showg' well , I can point out
a few of them right here, and here, and here, and this is the one that the Bonita
people haven 't been very happy with which we can understand their feelings , but there
is reason for our recommendation and as .you pointed out yourself, this whole area for
an even more intensive use.
would say that it is our understanding that selected locations which the zoning
ordinance will have to identify, the General Plan shouldnit try to, within this whole
area , it would be places for proper multiple development.
Patten: What is your prediction for the extension of "H" Street? Do you advocate
that it continues east or, the reason I ask this is that some two years ago, we moved
that beyond a doubt, it was not economically feasible to extend"H" Street.
Mocine: Well , "H" Street, and we should talk about this since you raised the question,
"H" Street is one of the controversial recommendations in this Plan along with this
development here and a few others which have already been identified here tonight.
We believe that there are some very good reasons why "H" Street is the most desirable
key traffic street through the center of the City, and we think that after some careful
exploration of topography and street building techniques , that it is perfectly possible
to build this street. Admittedly, it is more expensive than "J" Street, but it
serves the community we think, in a demonstratively better way than "J" Street does,
and therefore, our recommendation, as your Consultants , is that the Plan provide for
the future extension and development of "H" Street.
We said, right at the very beginning, , if the community after due consideration feels that
for all sorts of reasons including costs - but this shouldn 't be allowed to be the
controlling reason of our estimation- they would rather have "J" Street, this can be
done and the Plan will not. either rise or fall by this; we don 't think it will be quite
as good, so that's our proposal to you. We think because of the Chula Vista Shopping
Center here, because of the relationship to the old and historic part of Chula Vista
here, because of its direct connection to the whole complex at this location, because
of its connection to the freeway and waterfront, there are all sorts of reasons why
there are advantages to "H" as the best location.
Patten: If this is adopted, and we assume it will be, will it be a cut and dried Plan
or purely a guide?
Stevenson: Your last one. It 's a guide for the future development of the City, and as
Mr. Mocine has said, there will have to be certain zoning things accomplished in order
to carry this out as time goes on. This, basically, is a guide for the future
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development of the City, it is not anything that we are bound to by hard and fast
rules.
Patten: It can be changed?
Stevenson: Right.
Bruce Warren: May I make just a comment on this neighborhood shopping center on which
Mr. Patten was talking about. Mr. Mocine has already mentioned this - that we deter-
mined this is a guide. Each man perhaps setting down and preparing this Plan may
come up with a different projected population. Based on the projected population that
these people have come up with, the number of neighborhood shopping centers as shown
are sufficient to serve the needs of this population; however, I think that, in any
event, whether or not there are five neighborhood shopping centers shown in the region
of the college, if the need can be shown for more, then probably more will be provided
for.
Patten: I agree with this whole-heartedly, based on population projection; however,
question the locale of some of these. Now I discussed this, I don't mind telling you
that, the corner of Hilltop and "J" has schools on two corners , across the street there
are -houses in the $12,000 and $13 ,000 class. South and west side of the corner is
really some mixed up houses , in fact, we can say that there are some stuff there
that shouldn't be there. This is a very high, a very busy corner as far as traffic
count is concerned. In my opinion, it is not unreasonable to say that it should be
redeveloped before very long as single-family residences , and I think that this
particular locality should be given further consideration.
Stevenson: Well , as you know Jim, this subject came up once before. Actually, it was
a rezoning case and at that time, it was considered that what they intended to put in
there was not compatible with the existence of schools. Now this is not to say that
something won 't happen in the future, as I 'm sure you 're aware of.
Patten: I 'm merely pointing out that they maintain on this plan that it should remain
as R-1 .
Mocine: I 've tried to make this clear, Mr. Patten. This color, this yellow color,
doesn 't say R-1 , isn 't supposed to be R-1 , doesn't necessarily recommend R-l . This
says medium density and this is a combination of different kinds of uses that might
very well be at that corner - some kind of multiple.
Warren: We have a similar situation just east of the City in another subdivision.
They referred to the Sketch Plan indicating that this land can be developed at such
and such a specific density that was mentioned on the map; however, in some cases,
depending upon the circumstances involved, this may average out to this specific
density, but in certain areas , lot sizes may vary resulting in open areas related to it.
Patten: 0. K.
Stevenson: Thank you very much.
Manuel Kugler, Judge of the Municipal Court, Chula Vista: This comment is simply to
be implied as a pat on the back for the City. I do want to say that as a former
City Attorney of Chula Vista, and as a member of one of the citizen's planning com-
mittees , the Community Facilities Committee, and as a citizen interested in the future
development of this entire area, I want to say that your Board, the Planning Commission,
Mr. Mocine and the Staff, City Council , the Administration, and all of the citizens
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who have joined together on these various citizen 's committees , deserve I feel a
pat on the back for having developed this Plan ultimately, having ultimately reached
this point where you can look forward to 1990 with some comprehension and some
understanding. I think that this Plan is obviously nothing more than a General Plan,
not a specific Plan, and I think it is well for the City, and I want to commend you.
(Audience clapped) .
Stevenson: I want to say don 't stop now, we're not used to this!
H. Mander: I believe I 'm one of the owners of that park that I see, for the first
time, that is going to be proposed. Now my land lies west of Hilltop Junior High
School , approximately 400 feet south of Hilltop and "J". My question is this: If
this plan is adopted, does it freeze that land so that the owners cannot do anything
with this, except to know that inevitably the City will pick it up? Is this what's
going to happen?
Stevenson: Well , as I understand your question right, the land that you now own is
zoned and it will stay zoned that way until it is changed, and certainly, anytime
that it is changed, you, above all people will know about it. I 'm fairly confident
that this certainly won 't have any effect on your land other than the guide indica-
tion here is that the area that you live in will be of what, medium density?
Mocine: His problem, Mr. Chairman, is that he happens to own all or part of this
area which is indicated for a park, a badly needed park, I might say. In answer to
your specific question, Sir, the Plan doesn 't put any restrictions on your property,
until the City is ready and willing to pay for it; in the meantime, you have a
perfect right to use it for whatever you are using it for right now.
Mander: Well , I was thinking of putting some homes out there, but if this is what 's
going to happen, well , I might as well start dreaming of something else, so if, at
this time, or if the City is bound to pick the land up, , I ' ll just perish the thought.
have no objections to the Park; matter of fact, I think I was one of the first
that suggested such a thing, because I love. to see parks when they are adjacent to
schools. I ' ll probably lose a lot of money on this thing, but I would like to get
the feeling of the Council and the Planning Commission just how they feel about
this - that this will be a Central Park. If you are, well , I ' ll think about some-
thing else.
Stevenson: Very good. Thank -you. Is there anything further this evening?
Ronald M. Komendera: Gentlemen, I would .like to tell you that I am verymuch in favor
of this Plan. One thing I am most happy 'to see developing is something which myself
and members of the Boating Club are happy to see, which we were verymuch concerned
with is the recreational area that you people have planned for the foot of "J" Street.
Also, I 'm very happy to see that according to the Map here, that there is a la.r.ge
number of recreational parks planned for which I feel we have a definite need.
Stevenson: Anyone else who would care to speak? If not, I think we are ready for the
motion.
Member Adams: I was wondering if it wouldn 't be a good idea to have a short recess
to let the people here circulate around this Map and then, if we called the meeting
to order again, we might possibly have some more comments.
Stevenson: Well , I think in view of the fact that these people have come down , perhaps
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April 1 might not be so convenient for them. I think Ed 's idea is very good.
Suppose we take five or ten minutes and those of you who care to stay, look at
it closer. We' ll reconvene in about five minutes.
Warren: The map will be available in the Planning Office during the week.
Recess.
Stevenson: Now, does anyone wish to make any comments? If not, I think we are all
set for a motion to adjourn the meeting until April 1st. Do I hear a motion?
Member Guyer: I make that motion, Mr. Chairman.
Stevenson: Fine, do I hear a second?
Member Comstock: I second the motion.
Stevenson: All in favor signify by saying, "Aye".
Motion carried unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 9: 15 P.M.
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