HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc min 1997/04/29 MINUTES OF A SPECIAL JOINT MEETING/WORKSHOP OF THE
CITY OF CHULA VISTA CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING COI%!MISSION, AND
GROWTH MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMISSION
Tuesday, April 29, 1997
5:44 p.m.
Council Conference Room
City Hall Building
ROLL CALL:
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
ALSO PRESENT:
Councilmembers Moot, Salas, and Mayor Horton.
Planning Commissioners Aguilar, Davis, O'Neill, Thomas, Willett,
Chair Tarantirio.
Growth Management Oversight Commissioners Tarantino, O'Neill,
Dull, Willett, Peter, and Kell.
Councilmembers Padilia and Rindone.
Planning Commissioner Ray.
Growth Management Oversight Commissioners Allen, Hyde, and Chair
Hubbard.
John D. Goss, City Manager; John M. Kaheny, City Attorney; and
Carla J. Griffin, Acting Deputy City Clerk.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Gruwth Management Oversight ComnUssion Minutes from
April 10, 1997 (GMOC Members only).
MSC (Willett/Peter) to approve the minutes of April 10, 1997 as presented, approved 6-0-3, with
Commissioners Allen, Hyde, and Clrair tlubbard absent.
2. PUBLIC HEARING: PCM-97-03; REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMISSION'S 1996 ANNUAL REPORT - The GMOC's 1996 Annhal
Report on compliance with the City's Quality of Life Threshold Standards focuses on the period ii'om 7/1/95 to
6/30/96. Pertinent issues identified in latter 1996 and early 1997 are also included. The workshop provides an
opportunity to comprehensively review the Repurt's findings and recommendatiuns. Staff recommends that: (1) The
Planning Commission accept the 1996 GMOC Annual Report and recommendations as presented, and adopt a
motion recommending that the City Council do th~ same; and (2) That Council: (a) Acc¢pt the GMOC's 1996
Annual Report and the recommendations contained therein: (b) Direct staff to undertake the actions necessary to
implement those recommendations as presented in the 1996 GMOC Recommendations/Proposed Implementing
Actions Summary"; and (c) Authuorize the Mayor to finalize and forward to both school districts the draft
"Statements of Concern".
Robert Leiter, Director of Planning, stated that each year the GMOC holds a series of meetings to review
development tbrecasts tbr the City and then to evaluate the compliance of the City with the eleven Threshold
Standards that are in the Growth Management Ordinance. Following the cumpletion of that review, the GMOC
works with staff to prepare the annual report.
James F. Kell, Vice Chair, GMOC, presented the 1996 Annual Report and stated that several categories, from
Libraries on, Thresholds had been met, but Fire/EMS and Police Thresholds were not met.
Minutes
April 29. 1997
Page 2
Councilmember Salas asked if there was a way that the City could get the schools bnilt sooner in a new development
so that the schools are there when needed.
John M. Kaheny, City Attorney, responded that he would lt~ok into it.
Mayor Horton asked, in regard to the State mandating the smaller class size, if they were providing funding.
Ed Batchelder, Senior Planner, stated rather than that being a State mandated program, it is an option which the
districts can exercise, and in exchange tier that, the districts can receive additional money. There is some Ii~nding,
whether that tiJnding is entirely adequate to handle the impact created he could not say. He thought that was part
of what staff was looking at and was about to commence planning activities on several of the eastern area master
plans over the next 12 months, inclnded would be EastLake, Otay Ranch. and San Miguel Ranch. Staff is forming
a ,joint Community Planning Technical Committee which would be staffs of various City departments and affected
agencies, such as the school districts.
John Goss, City Manager, thought this might be an appropriate sut~}ect tn discuss at a oint meeting with the school
districts.
Frank Tarantino, Chair, Planning Commission, asked if there had been any discussion in terms of setting permanent
boundaries for EastLake High School which might alleviate the overcrowding at Bonita Vista High School.
Mr. Batcheider responded not at the present time, the district indicated that they are continuing to maintain several
optional attendance areas involving both EastLake High School and Bonita Vista High School. But he thought that
was a matter of ongoing courses in planning as school boundaries are ac~iusted as new schools are planned to come
on line as development occurs.
Councilmember Moot stated there is a statement that there is an overcrowding problem and was curious as to what
statistics or l:acts that conclusion :vas drawn l~om or whether it was observed.
Mr. Leiter responded that in the report there is infi~rmation presented by the elementary school district regarding
some specific issues of either doubling tip classrooms or overcrowding and this inli~rmation was prnvided to the City
by the school district as a basis for GMOC to review that issue.
Bob Thomas, Planning Commissioner, stated that on the question of overcrowding, he tinderstood that there was
a lot of special education children that were sharing library space and other rootn space. If those children of the
special education are classified, are those classifications included in the overcrowding criteria and will that be
rectified when the goals are met?
Mr. Batcheider responded that he believed that the special education children were included in the total enrollment
figtires presented to GMOC.
Dr. Lowell Billings, Chula Vista Elementary School District, stated that this had been an unprecedented year for
them in terms of facility needs. Class size reduction is an incentive base program. It was not mandated; but seeing
it as a tremendous opportunity to improve the instructional program. they moved tierward with implementation this
year. That created a need fi~r 150 new classroom spaces or teaching stations in the current year. Coupled with that
they had the addition of another 20 to 25 classrooms just fi~r growth. This legislation was passed in a year where
they are in between school constrtlction years so they did not have a new facility coming on line. What it did was
it absorbed all of their capacity within the district tbr fiiture growth. The State did provide some incentive funding
fi~r facilities. They are providing $25,000 per teaching station when the actual cost of installing a relocatable
classroom otien exceeds $50,000 per unit. They put in an application liar approximately 110 classrooms and that
was half funded hy the State. Pending some future legislation, they hope to have additional funding in excess of
$1.5 million next year to provide some additional buildings. They're seeking a lot of creative means to enhance
their facilities. One is the nse of public/private partnerships. The Edison project is going to bring in 15 new
classrooms at no cost to local taxpayers or State taxpayers and are also working with another private foundation to
Minntes
April 29, 1997
Page 3
build a school with private funds that ,,wmld be a public school. Schools are overcrowded, but see it as a short term
window, one that they hope to grow ont of in the near futnre. Lauderbach School is one of the more impacted sites
with over 1,100 students in attendance. They are developing a plan for moving to a multi-track, year-round
program in July of this year.
Commissioner Thomas asked Dr. Billings if he was correct to think that when the overcrowding was rectified, the
special education children ``vould have their own classrooms?
Dr. Billings responded that was their goal.
Carol Dull, Commissioner, GMOC, stated that in the report there are specific figures reflecting that with the
exception of EastLake High School, all high schools are operating above capacity and that Bonita Vista Middle
School exceeds its total capacity by 151 sindents.
Councihnember Moot asked how the threshold standard was determined. It was his feeling that if the schnol
districts were stating there was a problem and the City ,,vas relying on their filets, then it was appropriate to issue
a State of Concern. He asked if the school district would be offended by a letter of "Statement of Concern"'?
Mr. Batcheider responded that the standard essentially asks the districts to give a 12 to 18 month growth lbrecast
to address whether or not they feel there would be any issnes with respect to housing students associated with that
new growth. Usually what the districts are presenting the City with is a snapshot of what their existing conditions
are in terms of ntnnbers of schools, enrolhnent statistics of those various schools, then take the new enrolhnent,
divide it by school attendance area, project the number of new stndents, and then they can determine whether they
feell that they would have problems housing the students.
Cheryl Cox stated that a good healthy school district is one that has as many children that it can put into its schools
as the schools will comfbrtably hold. That is ',vhat makes a school district ectmlunically viable. We can't go around
saying that we can't handle the growth that is going on it onr classrooms, we have to be able to handle it. She
wished they conld come up with a way to create what several years ago we talked about and those were turn-key
schools. A developer says they want to put in a project, the school comes in first, the park comes in first, because
that makes that community in that development even more reasonable. She thought that a "Statement of Concern"
would indicate that they are helpless to begin addressing this situation and thought they were doing lots of things
to get towards a better end. They are building a new school, converting a school to multi-track, year-round, and
purchased additional property on one of their more crowded schools. If they don't get those needs addressed within
the next two year, she thought the school district would be raising the same issues as in a "Statement of Concern."
Councilmember Moot thought the GMOC recommendation was well taken and that it was probably appropriate to
have a "Statement of Concern," but he thought to do that without meeting with the school districts first and
informally discussing it might be taken the wrong way.
Mayor Horton thought they could approve this in concept contingent upon meeting with the different school entities
so that they can discuss this further.
Chair Tarantino stated that even though new classroom space is added to a campus, support facilities such as
restrooms and custodial help is not. He felt the quality of life is impacted on school sites by bringing in relocatables
and expanding the campus becanse the other facilities are not expanded along with them.
Jim Forgy, 1318 Costa Avenne. Chtda Vista, stated that he lived in the west-south of' Chula Vista and for over six
years the school district has known that they have an overcrowding problem in the west side uf Chnla Vista b~cause
that is the highest density. Without the action of Council, he felt nothing wiII be done.
Councilmember Moot stated that the City Council cannot dictate to the school district what to do, but we want to
help figure out the best way to address the issues and get them resolved.
Minntes
April 29, 1997
Page 4
Goss responded that over the last several years, the school districts have been looking for a school site in the west
part of the City and that there is really no the type of land available in one location tier that purpose. It is probably
as difficult liar th~ln as it is ti~r the City to find park sites.
Vice Chair Kell stated that the GMOC continues to snpport the CAD/RMS system, bnt that the Fire Department
is statistically in non-compliance with the Threshold and presented the report.
Chair Tarantino asked if anything was brought tip abont implementing a 311 service like San Diego is considering.
Jim Hardiman, Fire Chief, stated that as part of their discussion on the GMOC Threshold Standard, they did not
address specifically call screening as part of the process. There is a great deal of discussion both from the Police
and Fire becanse of the extraordinary number of 911 calls. There is also some legislation currently pending in
Sacramento that is somewhat opposite to the proposal to make an alternate 911 system. They do not think that
legislation has much of a possibility of passage, but there is some concern that some liability or down graded
response may have some negative impacts fi~r the citizens. They are doing a good job of sorting out what is a
critical call. Those kinds of considerations are worth looking at equal of operation and timbre planning to offset
some of the problems with 911 overload. They libel the CAD system, the process of sorting out calls, will have
an extraordinary benefit that will minimize the immediate need to go l~.~r any kind of alternate 91 I system. They
did not specifically look at that as an inm~ediate need to evalnate tier their Threshold Standard.
Vice Chair Kell stated that GMOC continues to support the CAD/RMS system for the Police Department and
presented the report.
Mayor Horton stated that the report indicates that there are more than 7,000 hlse alarms. She asked what types
of things staff wonld be recommending and if they woold be able to address this issoe by October.
Richard Emerson, Chief of Police. responded that they, like other cities, respond to 98.6% of the alarms being
false, either robbery or burglary alarms. They are going to take a look at some other programs. There are cities
that have strengthened the penalties, have worked with the people wire install alarms, set tip some standards for who
can be hooked up, and which alarms they will respond on. They do not want to turn away people, but they do want
to minimize false alarm calls. He indicated that he did think staff could retnrn by October to address this issue.
Conncilmember Moot asked if the alarm calls are categorized and if there was a diflbrence between which
percentage was shown as false.
Chief Emerson responded that robbery alarms are Priority I and burglary alarms are Priority II. If someone has
a problem with the alarm and it goes off continually in a one day period. maybe for a ti~urth or fifth time, because
there is some malfonction in the system, then it drops down to a Priority Ill or Priority IV call. Robbery alarms
are much fewer in mnnber than burglary. There are abont 6,000 bnrglary alarms to 1,000 robbery alarms in the
City. A mnch higher percentage of burglary alarms are fhlse.
Vice Chair Kell stated that the GMOC would like to be notified, or inclnded in the report next year, about how the
tidse alarm problem is being dealt with.
Councilmember Salas asked if there were any plans for substations like the City of San Diego or something like
"store fronts."
Chief Emerson responded that at this time there are no substations, but there are senior volunteers located in various
sections of the community. He believed that with the square mileage of the City, they could run out of one facility.
They are looking into having a "store front" concept, places where citizens can come and there would be an
interaction.
Vice Chair Kell presented the report on the Libraries.
Councilmember Salas asked how it is working ont in terms of the hours and compatibility of use having a library
at EastLake'?
Minutes
April 29, 1997
Page 5
David Palmer, Library Director, responded that the library at EastLake has many advantages, but most of all it
allowed them to provide library service in the eastern portion of the City mnch sooner than they would have been
able to otherwise through Development hnpact Fee collection. The disadvantage is the honrs. They only offer
library services for 24 hours a week and don't have services during the day until 3:30 p.m. That is a disadvantage
because they can not service the elementary schools in the district like they do in the western portion of the City.
Vice Chair Kell presented the report on Drainage, Sewer, and Water.
Councilmember Moot asked if the GMOC's recommendation had taken into acconnt an analysis of the problems
the City of San Diego is having with their reclaimed water system.
Mayor Horton stated that the newer parts of Chula Vista have a dual piping requirement. San Diego, even though
they knew they did not have a delivery system in place, built the reclaimed water plant.
Mr. Batchelder responded the GMOC did hear from the districts that reclaimed water and reclaimed water planning
is an issue. It will take a very coordinated action to bring abnnt a cost efl'~ctive reclaimed water market. Right
now with per unit of water it is more expensive to purchase the reclaimed water than potable water.
Vice Chair Kell presented the report on Parks and Recreation.
Mayor Horton asked if staff felt they could still meet the October goal.
Jerry Foncerrada, Deputy Director of Parks, responded that is their goal right now, they have been meeting every
week and are almost ready to finish up the telephone survey that was conducted in the eastern area. Once that is
done, it will just be a matter of philing the three chapters together and get the report ready.
Councilmember Moot asked what they would be looking at in terms of the size of a park or multiple parks in the
west part of the City and the size of Eucalyptus Park.
Mr. Batchelider responded that there is a shortage and th{mght they would need approximately 120 additional acres
of park land on the west side.
Mr. Foncerrada responded that Encalyptus Park is approximately 19 1/2 acres.
Councilmember Moot stated that realistically, from a space perspective, there `'vas probably not 120 acres on the
west side. Short of a bond issue, is there any realistic way to fired the constrnction of a new park or parks on the
west side.
Mr. Foncerrada responded at this time there was not 120 acres available <m the west side. They have been looking
at some unused thcilities at the high schools and at the middle schools. They conld possibly pick up almost 40 acres
in those areas throngh a .joint use program and they are also looking at a 20 acre site in the Otay Valley.
Mr. Goss responded that in next fiscal year's capital improvement program there is a suggestion on how to pursue
and utilize PAD fees that have been accumulating tier acquisition of parks on the ,,vest side of the City. There are
some potential park sites: 14 acres next to the KOA, but the neighbors don't want u park there, and potential sites
in the Otay River Valley. There is a possibility of accunmlating up to 50 acres in an area along the river valley
that could be used for active recreation and would be consistent with the regional park plans.
Councilmember Moot asked approximately how nmch it would cost to turn a 10 acre undeveloped site into an active
park,
Mr. Foncerrada responded that it would cost about $200,000 an acre.
Mr. Batcheider stated that in the context of the Parks Master Plan, staff talked about a possible adoption of a City-
wide standard that would remedy the conditions in the western part of the City which would be a 20 or more year
goal.
Minutes
April 29, 1997
Page 6
Patty Davis, Planning Commissioner, stated that she supported pedestrian parks and smaller parks and felt that the
philosophy here was that the parks had to be large ones with ball fields, expensive lights, etc. and did not think that
was cunducive to the west side.
Vice Chair Kell presented the reports on Air Quality, Fiscal, and Traffic.
Mr. Batcheider reported on, and cited the reasons liar, the recommended n~odi~cations fi-om the Engineering
Division included in the traffic rel3ort.
Councihnember Salas stated that last year's report seemed to have had more emphasis put on troubled streets and
asked if something has happened in terms of signaling or something that has lessened the severity of those "hot
spots".
Mr. Batcheider responded that essentially all the street segments that were driven were in compliance with the
threshold prograin. The reason you do not see a heavy emphasis in this year's reports is that the GMOC felt that
it had drawn that attention in prior years. What the Engineering Department has done is take the GMOC's
comments and prior reports abont the area where you wonld want to concentrate activity and built that into their
programs.
Chair Tarantino stated that the southhorned 1-805 and East "H" exit ramp, the southbound 1-805 at Telegraph Canyon
Road/"L" Street exit, and on northbound 1-805 the "L" Street/Telegraph Canyon Road exit, between the hours of
4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. is extremdy hazardous to exit tbr people who live in the eastern territories. The cars back
up and there is jogging in and out of lanes. On the East "H" Street exit, there is a blind curve in which the vehicles
have to approach the ramp and the traffic is usually backed tip and all of a sudden the cars are stopped. If someone
does not see it, there is a potential for a rear-ending accident. The same thing on 1-805 north when you take the
"L" Street/Telegraph Canyon exit proceeding east, the signal light there is not signalized to be green during the peak
hours, and there is its own right hand turn lane. Cars. if it's green. conld proceed without interfering with the
right-of-way traffic that is going west to east. Again the traffic backs np and there is a potential for lots of rear-end
accidents. He suggested that nmybe the City Council or staff could articulate to Caltrans that a flashing yellow light
be placed to warn people that traffic can back tip.
Mr. Goss stated that one of the advantages is to have the preliminary version of the GMOC's report in time to teed
into the Capital hnprovement Prograin and that is happening on an informal basis. The CIP that is coming up later
this week is going to propose an expenditure of $1.1 million fi'om the transportation DIF to make the Phase II
interchange improvements at 1-805 and Telegraph Canyon Road/"L" Street. There are several phases of
improvements at the interchange that need to be made and plugged into the TransDif. Phase 11 will be proposed
li~r Council to approve in the budget for next year.
Councilmember Moot stated that he thought the City should start coordinating with Caltrans regarding the stopping
of traffic actually on the freeway at the oftLramps, because it appears to be a significant problem. While we do not
look at that roadway under our Threshold Standards, we might want to figtlre ont a way with Caltrans to monitor
that as part of our Growth Management Program. If it is a recommendation fi'om the Planning Commission that
we incorporate and look at those li'eeway exits as part uf this annual process, he would support that
recommendation.
Mr. Batcheider responded that it is his understanding that the Engineering Division is working with Caltrans on
various stages of evaluation for improvements on a number of those interchanges.
Vice Chair Kell presented the report on the review of Potential Higher and Adult Edncation Threshold.
John Willett, Planning Commissioner, stated that currently the adult division serves uver 38,000 students at three
major campnses. The main campus offers classes 14 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, 8 hours on Friday,
and smaller schedules tin Saturday. The adult school presently serves adult sindents at 30 off-site campus locations.
With the new welfare law, people have to go to work and a lot of those people need to take classes to help them
get .jubs. As the City grows, there will need to be more locations t~lr adult edncation. To survive in today's
technology, they are going to need higher educational courses.
Minutes
April 29, 1997
Page 7
Mayor Horton stated that San Diego State University would like to expand, have a hcility in Chula Vista and have
it off the ground and open in five years. They have a meeting with Dr. Weber fi'om San Diego State on Thursday
and will be meeting with Southwestern College and UCSD to try to come up with a model program that may be
diffi~rent than the norm.
Kevin O'Neil. Commissioner, GMOC, stated that parks and libraries are nice, but the City has sewers, drainage
and water so they also need to consider solid waste as a threshold. Solid waste has been taken lbr granted, but the
City cannot fi~nction without these. He thought they needed to look at other means of disposal or handling of this.
Finding another landfill in the coastal plain of San Diego County would be like trying to find another airport.
Recycling helps a lot; but it is going to become more difficult to dispose of; they might have to look at exporting.
Mayor Horton responded that the City is involved in different options and that SANDAG has come up with a
regional plan to address some of the issues that have to do with solid waste and landfills and options fi~r the thture.
MSC (Willett/Davis) that the Phmning Cnmmission adopt the GMOC recnmmendations as sated in their
report. Appruved 5-0-2 with Cmnmissinner Ray and Thinhas abseul.
MSC (Moot/Salas) that the City Council approve the GMOC report, oot as a Threshold Standard, but as an
Advisory Standard and report on any issues involving the freeway entrances and exits by cnnsultation with
Caltrans so that we can monitor any developing problems at the freeway intersections and in an advisory way,
try to incorporate that in our analysis; and in an advisory capacity, to formally look at a yearly report on the
solid waste issues as well, because it is a gruwing issue that while we are nut ready to develop a threshold
standard on it, a yearly report on the status, if incorporated in this report, would be appropriate. Approved
3-0-2 with Padilia and Rindone absent.
Mr. Leiter asked for a clarification on the nlotion and the "Statements of Concern."
Councilmember Moot responded that it was his understanding that the staff recommendation was to go first and
formally to the school district and then based on those discussions make a decision as to whether to issue a lirahal
"Statements of Concern" and thought that was going to get them where they wanted to go.
Mayor Horton responded that they are supporting the recommendations of the GMOC, but should wait on the
"Statements of Concern" until after they met with the school districts.
Councilmember Salas responded that she understood that they were going to advise the school district that the letter
was coming as a courtesy to them, but felt that thle matter of the school deficiencies is important enough and
pressing enough that they should go forward with sending the "Statements of Concern."
Mr. Batcheider responded that he thought what he had heard was that Council wanted to wait on the "Statements
of Concern" until such time as Council had an opportunity to schedule and hold a joint discussion with the school
districts.
Mr. Goss stated that he could run both letters by the superintendents and get their reactions. There may be some
changes that in their judgement would make it totally acceptable without stepping on anybody's toes; and if he found
that out, he can bring it back in that form.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None.
The meeting/workshop adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
ADJOIIRNMENT
Respectfully submitted,
BEVERLY A. AUTHELET, CMC/AAE, City Clerk
Ca ~ rk