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Home My WebLink AboutRCC MIN 1998/05/18 - - DRAFT MINUTES OF A SCHEDULED REGULAR MEETING Resource Conservation Commission Chula Vista, California 6:30 p.m. Conference Room #1 Monday, May 18, 1998 Public Services Building CALL MEETING TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:54 p.m. by Chair Yamada. ROLL CALL/MOTION TO EXCUSE: PRESENT: Chair Yamada, Commissioners Marquez, Burrascano and Fisher ABSENT: Commissioner Bull (excused) Commissioner Thomas (excused) STAFF PRESENT: Joe Monaco, Environmental Projects Manager Rick Rosaler, Principal Planner Barbara Reid, Environmental Projects Manager OTHERS: Kim Kilkenny, Otay Ranch Company APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Marquez suggested a minor revision to her comment under "Commissioner's Comments". It was MSC (Marquez/Burrascano) vote 4-0-0-2 to approve the minutes of May 4, 1998 as revised. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None NEW BUSINESS: Item 2 was taken out of order to accommodate Mr. Monaco's request to leave at 7:00 p.m. 2. Review of EIR-98-02, City of Chula Vista Bayfront Draft EIR: Environmental Projects Manager, Joe Monaco, reviewed the Bayfront and Town Center I Redevelopment Plan Amendments Program EIR. It basically addresses changes to the Bayfront and Town Center Plans. Those plans are linked financially and their amendments to financial elements which is why the plan amendment applies to both project areas. For the Bayfront planning area, we are adding 145 acres that is under the jurisdiction of the Port. The total additional acreage is 397.6. We did that to follow parcel lines. It allows us to collect tax increment on future development. It also allows us to use financial tools for assistance in development/redevelopment activities down there. We are extending the life of the plan out for another 10 years. For Town Center I, we are extending the life for another 10-15 years depending on the different components. That is the only change in the Town Center I plan. There are no land use changes proposed for either planning areas. We are proposing to amend the Bayfront plan area only to conform it to the existing LCP. It hasn't been updated since the mid-70s when the plan was first conceived, and the LCP has DRAFT - - DkAFT RCC Minutes - 2 - May 18, 1998 gone through several amendments since then. We did not find any environmental impacts associated with extension of the life of the redevelopment plan areas. So, the Town Center I Redevelopment Plan Amendment is really not considered in this document; it is mostly just the addition of territory in the Bayfront. We are not changing any land uses with this plan or proposing any development projects. This is just an overlay of a redevelopment plan to be able to use redevelopment financial tools to assist in development or redevelopment in those areas. When future projects come in down the line that would physically impact these areas, then they would require their own separate CEQA review. Commission Comments Commissioner Marquez asked who would get the money if it were not put in the redevelopment? Mr. Monaco responded that it would be various taxing entities. Commissioner Fisher asked why this area had not initially been included in the original Bayfront plan. Mr. Monaco responded that it is under the Ports' jurisdiction. Ideally, it should have been included in the original plan. It was MSC (Burrascano/Fisher) vote 4-0-0-2 to accept the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for the Town Center I Bayfront Redevelopment Plan Amendment as being sufficient. Commissioner Marquez made a motion that the Draft EIR should not go forward even though the EIR is adequate because of her impression on the lack of past success of redevelopment projects by the City of Chula Vista. Not hearing a second, the motion failed. 1. Otay Ranch Resource Management Plan Update: Principal Planner, Rick Rosaler, distributed maps showing the approved conveyance area and the recommended conveyance area. The General Development Plan (GDP) identifies that there will be a Resource Preserve for the Otay Ranch. The 11,375 acres that is reflected on the maps is mitigation for the 9,100 acres of development. The Resource Management Plan (RMP) Phase I called for the preparation of the conveyance schedule for the orderly conveyance of this land to the Preserve Owner/Manger (POM) as the Ranch developed. With the approval of SPA One, there were two areas that were identified for conveyance. At the time SPA One was approved, the Baldwin Company owned these two areas and was prepared to convey them to the POM with development of SPA One. Since that time, they have lost control of that area; the area is now owned by New Millennium Homes and the Estate of Patrick. The Otay Ranch Company came in and suggested that the conveyance schedule be amended to add lands that they did control in the Proctor Valley area. In talking to our appraiser, he informed us that, with just two property owners, the City would constrained the marketplace because we have to go to one of these two owners to buy Preserve land, and, therefore, the City would be under duress. We would have to buy from them; we would not have a choice. McMillin, who does not have any open space to convey and will have DRAFT - Df:AFT RCC Minutes - 3 - May 18, 1998 to pay the in-lieu fee, have asked to open it all up and delete the conveyance schedule guidelines. The Planning Commission was not comfortable with that and sent staff back to reconsider some additional lands. Mr. Rosaler then referred to the recommended conveyance area exhibit stating that staff went back and looked at the guidelines that were adopted as part of RMP I. In those guidelines it talked about "keystone" parcels that the Preserve should be based on. Staff identified about five different areas. Staff is recommending that the conveyance schedule be amended to add these lands to it. This takes us from two property owners to seven property owners and adds vernal pool areas on Otay Mesa, wetland restoration areas in Otay Valley, Coastal sage scrub in Salt Creek and Gnatcatcher population areas in central Proctor Valley and western San Ysidro Mountain parcels to the conveyance schedule. Staff asked Tina Thomas (special counsel with Remy, Thomas & Moose) if we can add to the conveyance schedule, and Ms. Thomas stated that, as long as the biologists finds that the "keystone" parcels are all of high biological value, we can do an addendum to the conveyance schedule. Mr. Kim Kilkenny (Otay Ranch Company, 11975 EI Camino Real, Suite 104, San Diego, CA 92130) indicated that both Fish & Game and Fish & Wildlife support the staff recommendation. Mr. Rosaler indicated that staff has been directed by City Council to prepare an In-lieu Fee Program for the acquisition of open space for those owners that do not have open space to convey. Commission Comments Commissioner Fisher asked why this addendum had not come to RCC for review before going to the Planning Commission? Ms. Barbara Reid, Environmental Projects Manager, indicated that, traditionally, Negative Declarations and Environmental Impacts Reports come to the RCC but not addendums. Chair Yamada suggested staff draw on the input and expertise of RCC as part of the analysis before making recommendations and decisions are made. Mr. Rosaler indicated that staff will come to RCC with amendments in the future. 3. Review of IS-98-29, CO? Reduction Plan: Ms. Reid indicated that the City is proposing adoption of a policy document addressing emissions of carbon dioxide. The report has 19 action measures for implementation. The measures are estimated to cost $25M in capitol outlays and another $5M in annual operating and maintenance expenses until the year 2010. The savings are projected to include $16M in reduced energy expenses, $5M in avoided CO2 damage and about $109M in avoided vehicle driving expenses. Basically, there are no significant impacts that are found in the Negative Declaration because it is expected to improve the environment. DRAFT - Dr~FT RCC Minutes - 4 - May 18, 1998 Commission Comments Commissioner Fisher asked will, when and how will the action measures would be implemented? Ms. Reid indicated that the City has already initiated several projects aimed to reducing CO2 levels such as the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles and installation of energy efficient lighting in municipal buildings. Eight of the proposed action measures can be classified as land use policy statements. Chair Yamada asked Ms. Reid to bring back to RCC a status of things that have been done already. MSC (Marquez/Burrascano) vote 4-0-0-2 to approve Negative Declaration IS-98-29 as adequate. MSC (Fisher/Burrascano) vote 4-0-0-2 that the City adopt a General Plan Amendment per the CO2 Reduction Plan. OLD BUSINESS: None. STAFF COMMENTS: None. CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS: On this Otay Ranch issue, RCC definitely wants to see issues before they become acted on so RCC has a chance to have some input in the process. COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS: Chair Yamada reminded the Commission of the A wards dinner on Thursday, May 21, 1998. The other Commissioners indicated that they did not get an invitation. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned by Chair Yamada at 8:27 p.m. to the regular meeting of June 1, 1998 at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room 1. Respectfully submitted, Linda Bond, Recorder (a:\Jlb\rccminutes\rc051898.min) DRAFT