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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRCC MIN 2003/11/17DRAFT MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION November 17, 2003 Ken Lee Building Conference Room 430 "F" Street MEETING CALLED TO ORDER by Chair Teresa Thomas at 4:16 p.m. ROLL CALL/MOTION TO EXCUSE MSC (Bensoussan/Reid) to excuse Commissioner John Chavez. Vote: (4-0-0-1) with Diaz absent. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Teresa Thomas, Vice-Chair Doug Reid, Commissioners Stanley Jasek, Pamela Bensoussan and Juan Diaz (5:18) STAFF PRESENT: Marilyn Ponseggi, Environmental Review Coordinator Maria Muett, Associate Planner Paul Hellman, Environmental Projects Manager Jack Griffin, Director of General Services Elizabeth Hull, Deputy City Attorney III Lynnette Tessitore-Lopez, Associate Planner Linda Bond, Recording Secretary GUESTS PRESENT: Charlie Bull, RECON Dave Baum, MJK Real Estate Katherine Baker, Studio C Architects Ruth Alter, Archaeos APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. NEW BUSINESS MSC (Reid/Bensoussan) to re-order the agenda so that Item #2 be presented first. Vote: (4-0-0-2) with Diaz and Chavez absent. 2. IS-04-013 -Chula Vista Civic Center Expansion and Renovation Project Mr. Paul Hellman (Environmental Projects Manager) reported that the Civic Center is currently under renovation. What is before the RCC are changes, which have occurred to the project since the time the Master Plan for the Civic Center was approved by the City Council in July 2001 and which were not addressed in the environmental document adopted for the project (Mitigated Negative Declaration IS-01-017). Those changes consist of the following: DRAFT DRAFT RCC Minutes - 2 - November 17 2003 • The City Hall building is proposed to be demolished and reconstructed, which would include new Council Chambers. The existing Council Chambers in the Public Services Building would be reconfigured as additional office space. The main entry of the existing City Hall building would be replicated in the fagade of the new building. • The existing visitor parking between the current Police Headquarters and Public Services Building would be converted to an "arrival court" with no parking within the court. However, there would be a short vehicle turnaround area to drop-off and pick-up passengers. • Although the Master Plan identifies the relocation of Fire Station No. 1 to the Ken Lee Building site, this element was not addressed in the environmental document adopted for the project. The environmental issues associated with the relocation of Fire Station No. 1 are addressed in the current environmental document. A City vehicle fueling station is no longer proposed on the future Fire Station No. 1 site. Mr. Hellman indicated that issues identified as potential environmental impacts under the current proposal consist of: • Cultural Resources: Neither the City Hall building nor Fire Station No. 1 were found to be historically or architecturally significant; therefore, no impacts would result from their demolition. • Noise: The only noise issues requiring analysis were those pertaining to future Fire Station No. 1. Vehicle sirens are exempt under the City's Municipal Code regulations, and vehicle siren noise would be essentially the same as existing conditions given the close proximity of the existing station to the future station location. Emergency generator and HVAC equipment will be required to comply with the City's noise ordinance. • Hazardous Materials: All buildings to be renovated or demolished contain some level of hazardous materials including asbestos and lead-based paint. Assessment and abatement of hazardous materials shall be performed in accordance with all applicable local, State and Federal laws and regulations prior to renovation and demolition activities. Commission Comments Commissioner Bensoussan asked if the fountain was going away. Mr. Jack Griffin (Director of General Services) stated that it would be removed and replaced with a reflecting pool water feature further south within the proposed enlarged plaza area. Commissioner Bensoussan inquired about the sculpture planned for the plaza area. Mr. Griffin indicated that there is a line item in the budget for civic art but that no specific concepts have been identified yet. Commissioner Bensoussan was concerned about the demolition of the Legislative Building. Ms. Marilyn Ponseggi (Environmental Review Coordinator) indicated that the adopted DRAFT DRAFT RCC Minutes - 3 - November 17, 2003 Master Plan identified the demolition of this building; therefore, it is not a part of the project and environmental document that the RCC is presently considering. Vice-Chair Reid felt that the RCC should raise a red flag. Chair Thomas asked if there would be another Ken Lee Building. Mr. Griffin indicated that the renaming of one of the existing Civic Center buildings to honor Mr. Lee is under consideration, most likely the Public Services Building since the City's primary planning functions will continue to be housed there. MSC (Reid/Jasek) that it be determined that the Initial Study is adequate and recommend that the City Council adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration. Vote: (4- 0-0-2)tyith Diaz and Chavez absent. MSC (Bensoussan/Reid) to make a recommendation that the Legislative Building be looked at again with respect to its historic significance and the possibility of an alternative to demolishing the building such as relocating it. Vote: (4-0-0-2) with Diaz and Chavez absent. 1. IS-03-035 - MJK Chula Vista, 201 Broadway Ms. Maria Muett (Associate Planner) reported that the 0.32-acre project site is located on the southeast corner of Broadway and "E" Street. The project proposal consists of the demolition of a vacant gasoline station and the construction of a one-story commercial building to accommodate a restaurant and retail use. The two areas of potential environmental effect pertain to air quality and lead and asbestos removal. Mitigation measures contained in the Mitigated Negative Declaration would mitigate these impacts to below a level of significance. In order to assess potential hazards associated with the proposed project with respect to the former gas station, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments were prepared. Based on the findings of these assessments, the County Department of Environmental Health deemed that the proposed change of land use was acceptable and site clearance was given. Commissioner Diaz arrived at 5:18 p.m. Commissioner Comments Vice-Chair Reid stated that he is not sure if the mitigation measure addressing the potential release of asbestos and lead-based paint during demolition is necessary since the service station has already been demolished. Ms. Muett stated that the analysis is based upon the status of the site at the time the application was submitted, and that the applicant is still required to submit evidence that it was accomplished. Vice-Chair Reid noted that the checklist states that the property is designated as Thoroughfare Commercial under the General Plan, and that the document states that the site is "identified in the General Plan within the Chula Vista Urban Core". Mr. Hellman stated that page 2, Item C, identifies the zone and the General Plan designation and that Urban Core is not the designation, but rather an overlay district. DRAFT DRAFT RCC Minutes - 4 - November 17, 2003 Chair Thomas quoted page 7, Mitigation, #4: "Soil disturbance and travel on unpaved surfaces shall be suspended when wind speeds exceed 25 miles per hour." She would like to have added that there be a restriction on blowers. Mr. Hellman stated that the mitigation measure addresses construction activities and that blowers are not typically utilized during construction. In reference to page 7, Mitigation, #5, Chair Thomas would like to have curtains or barriers erected during those periods when there is heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic adjacent to the construction site. Ms. Ponseggi indicated that staff could discuss this with the Engineering Department, but mitigation measures must be commensurate with the degree of project impacts. Commissioner Bensoussan asked what restaurant would be going on the site. Ms. Katherine Baker (Studio C Architects) indicated that it would be a "Wanna Taco". Commissioner Jasek asked what page 2, Item C: "...strong corner identification, and creation of a signature Gateway project" meant. Ms. Muett stated that certain areas in the City are identified as Gateways in the General Plan. Commissioner Jasek asked for clarification of the zoning for that corner. It is Thoroughfare Commercial, but should not zoning for a Gateway corner of the City have some other restrictive zoning measures in place to keep undesirable retail operations from locating in these areas? Ms. Ponseggi stated that there are policies in the General Plan that refer to Gateway locations and the types of development and design features that are acceptable in these locations. MSC (Jasek/Reid) that the RCC determine that the Initial Study is adequate and the Mitigated Negative Declaration be adopted. Vote: (5-0-0-1) with Chavez absent. 3. Presentation on Evaluation of Historic Preservation in Chula Vista Chair Thomas requested that the RCC members receive a copy of the report. Commissioner Bensoussan was concerned with the change in the document title. Ms. Ponseggi stated that the City Attorney's office changed the title of the document just before it went to City Council because they deemed it was not technically a strategic plan. Ms. Lynnette Tessitore-Lopez (Associate Planner) reported that in 2002 an ad hoc Historic Preservation Committee was formed to review the existing historic preservation efforts in Chula Vista, to identify key tasks to be performed to better historic preservation in Chula Vista and to develop recommendations regarding what the City of Chula Vista Historic Preservation Program should be and how to get there. Ms. Tessitore-Lopez gave a brief PowerPoint presentation, which included the following: • Existing Framework Goals and Objectives • Situation Analysis • Issues and Recommended Actions DRAFT DRAFT RCC Minutes - 5 - November 17 2003 Ms. Tessitore-Lopez indicated that staff would be going before City Council with an implementation proposal (work program) after the first of the year. Mr. Charlie Bull (ad hoc Historic Preservation Committee member) stated that the RCC should read the report as it has all the detail. Commissioner Bensoussan expressed her disappointment with the brief presentation because she did not feel the other Commissioners had a good grasp of what the plan is. Ms. Tessitore-Lopez apologized because she thought all the Commissioners had been given a copy of the report. Ms. Ponseggi stated that staff could get the Commissioners a copy of the report this week and put it on a future agenda. Commissioner Bensoussan recommended that, instead of coming back to the RCC with the document, it be presented to the General Plan Update Environmental and Open Space Subcommittee, which includes the RCC members. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COORDINATOR COMMENTS Ms. Ponseggi handed out the "County of San Diego Integrated Waste Management Plan - Countywide Siting Element Amendment 2003". She asked the Commissioners to review the document and be prepared to give comments, as it would be on the January 5, 2004 agenda. Ms. Ponseggi stated that she would not be available fora 6:00 p.m. RCC meeting on December 1, 2003, but she would be available fora 4:00 p.m. meeting. She asked the Commissioners if they would be willing to meet at 4:00 p.m. The five Commissioners that were present agreed by common consent that they would be available at 4:00 p.m. Ms. Ponseggi announced that on November 18, 2003, the Mayor would be recommending the appointment of Tracy Means to the RCC. If the recommendation is voted on favorably, Ms. Means would be sworn in at the November 25, 2003 City Council meeting. CHAIR COMMENTS: Chair Thomas encouraged the RCC members to attend one of the upcoming General Plan Update community workshops. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: None ADJOURNMENT: Chair Thomas adjourned the meeting at 6:18 p.m. to a regular meeting on Monday, December 1, 2003, at 4:00 p.m. in the Ken Lee Building Conference Room, 430 "F" Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Prepared by: Lin a Bond, Recording Secretary (A: \I I b\RCC#3\RCC 111703 M i ns. doc) DRAFT