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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1979/10/17 AGENDA City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, October 17, 1979 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER OP~AL COMMUNICATIONS 1. Consideration of final environmental impact report, EIR-80-1, on proposed Growth Management Policies 2. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of proposed Growth Management Policies 3. Consideration of final environmental impact report, EIR-80-2, on proposed General Plan amendment for approximately 8 acres at Telegraph Canyon Road and Nacion Avenue 4. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to General Plan diagram to change designation of approximately 8 acres at Telegraph Canyon Road and Nacion Avenue from Visitor Commercial to High Density Residential 5. Consideration of final environmental impact report, EIR-79-9, on proposed General Plan amendment and rezoning of approximately 3.4 acres of city owned property adjacent to Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course 6. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to General Plan diagram to change designation of approximately 3.4 acres adjacent to Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course from Parks and Public Open Space to Visitor Commercial or Residential, 13-26 dwelling units per acre 7. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan ORAL COM~IUNICATIONS DIRECTOR'S REPORT COMMISSION COMMENTS To: City Planning Commission D.J. Peterson, Director of Planning Subject: Staff report on agenda items for Planning Commission Meeting of October 17, 1979 1. Consideration of final environmental impact report~ EIR-80-1, on proposed Growth Management Policies A. BACKGROUND After the public hearing on the draft of this environmental impact report it was pointed out that this EIR was not circulated through the State clearing- house and this project is one which could be of statewide or regional signif- icance. Staff concurs with this evaluation and, therefore, it will be necessary to reissue the draft EIR and send copies to the State clearinghouse. The draft EIR will be issued by the Environmental Review Committee on October ll, 1979 and a public hearing advertised for an appropriate Planning Commission meeting. B. RECOMMENDATION File this item. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 Page 2 2. PUBLIC HEARIHG: Consideration of proposed Growth Management Policies amendment to the General Plan A. BACKGROUND It has been determined that the EIR on this item must be processed through the state clearing house rather than the local clearing house (CPO). This procedure will take 60-75 days and will require another public hearing before the Planning Commission. B. RECOmmENDATION Continue the public hearing to January 23, 1980 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for fleeting of October 17, 1979 Page 3 3. Consideration of final environmental impaFt report EIR-80-2, on proposed General Plan amendment for approximately 8 acres at Telegraph Canyon Road and Nacion Avenue A. BACKGROUND The hearing on the draft of this environmental impact report was held on September 26, 1979 and consideration of the final EIR was scheduled for this meeting. The final EIR consists of a modification of the draft EIR, comments on the draft, and a response to the comments. B. RECOMMENDATION Certify that EIR-80-2 has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and the Environ- mental Review Policy of the City of Chula Vista and that the Commission will consider the information in the document as it formulates a decision on the proposed General Plan amendment. C. CHANGES IN THE EIR 1. New information on the attendance levels of schools in the project vicinity has become available since the draft EIR was prepared. They show that the High School is now 66 students over capacity; the Junior High School is 90 students below capacity and the elementary school is 10 students above capacity. Students may be bussed to other schools, however. 2. Additional traffic counts were taken on Nacion Avenue north of Telegraph Canyon Road from October 3, 1979 through October 8, 1979. The average ADT during this period was 3,500. The text of the report has been modified to reflect this additional count. D. COMMENTS/RESPONSES 1. Written comments were received and along with the transcript of the public hearing have been included as Section 4 of the final EIR. The response to those comments are in Section 5 of the report. 2. The comments presented during the public hearing generally reiterated the impacts identified in the EIR or were in opposition to the project. Any commen~requiring a change in the text of the EIR have been identified in Section 5 and the appropriate changes made in the text of the EIR. Some comments were on the specificity of the EIR which is appropriate for a General Plan amend- ment. 3. During the public hearing there was some discussion by the Planning Commission regarding the issue of "social conflict that could be generated by the interfacing of an R-1 property with high density." The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) defines the environment as the physical conditions which exist within the area which will be affected by a proposed project, including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, noise, historic or aesthetic resources. Although social issues may play a role in the decision to approve, conditionally approve or disapprove a project is not an appropriate area for analysis in an EIR. Accordingly, this issue is more appropriately considered as part of the General Plan amendment review. City Planning Commission Page 4 Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 4. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to General Plan diagram to change designation of approximately 8 acres at Telegraph Canyon Road and Nacion Avenue from Visitor Commercial to High Density Residential A. BACKGROUND This proposal has been initiated by the Gersten Companies, who subsequently wish to rezone the property to establish a multi-family development. B. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Planning Commission closed the public hearing on the EIR on September 26. Acceptance of the final EIR is scheduled as the previous item on this agenda. C. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion recommending to the City Council that the General Plan designation of the subject property be changed from "Visitor Commercial" to "Residential, 13-26 DU/acre," and advising the Council that the subject property seems appro- priate for development near the middle to lower end of this density range. D. ANALYSIS 1. Existing land use, zoning and site conditions: The property is vacant and zoned C-V-P. The site is at grade with single- family dwellings to the west, and substantially below grade from dwellings to the north and the 1-805 freeway to the east. The Telegraph Canyon drainage channel separates the property from a neighborhood commercial center to the south. Access to the site is by way of Nacion Avenue. 2. Adjacent General Plan designations (see Exhibit A): North Medium Density Residential South Medium Density Residential East - Freeway West Medium Density Residential 3. Adjacent land use and zoning (see Exhibit B): North - R-1 single family dwellings South C-N commercial East - Freeway West - R-1-P single family dwellings 4. Availability of Visitor Commercial acreage. The site in question represents one of two remaining uncommitted Visitor Commercial properties along the 1-805 freeway corridor--the other being a one- acre parcel located at the northeast quadrant of 1-805 and Bonita Road. Visitor commercial uses are also authorized for the vacant nine-acre Bonita Glen Specific Plan site located at Bonita Road and Bonita Glen Drive. Furthermore, there are 116 acres planned for Visitor Commercial along the I-5 freeway corridor, including 56 acres zoned C-V Visitor Commercial and 60 acres within the Bayfront Area which are planned for Visitor Commercial and zoned P-C Planned Community. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 Page 5 5. Suitability for Visitor Commercial development. The property is located within a predominantly single family district with access by way of a residential collector street. It does not enjoy good visibility from the freeway. Visitor commercial development of this site, with the resulting increase in noise, traffic and urban activity, would certainly disrupt the neighborhood and adversely affect the single family character of the area. The freeway traveler who might be attracted to facilities at this location can be well served by the existing and developing Bonita Road/I-805 visitor district and the "Five Flags" motel and restaurant facility approved for Otay Valley Road/I-805. The City's primary focus for visitor serving facilities should remain in the Bayfront Area. As was stated in Copley International Corporation's, An Evaluation of the Visitor Industry in Chula Vista, (April 1979), "... it appears that the Bayfront is the logical region for visitor related development. Simultaneous development along I-5 and 1-805 would have the effect of spreading the visitor product thinly across the area. The resulting product would be scattered, and such a diffuse arrangement is poor merchandising." 6. Availability of multiple family property. While approximately 890 acres of land in Chula Vista is zoned for multiple family development, most of it is developed either with multiple family units or non-conforming uses. Vacant R-3 land of any size is scarce. 7. Suitability for High Density Residential development. The general location of the property--its proximity to commercial develop- ment, Telegraph Canyon Road, and the freeway--tend to make the property suitable for a density higher than single family. However, many of the same factors which argue against visitor commercial development of this site also argue against high density residential development. The property is definitely within a single family neighborhood, both in terms of its location, orientation and access in relation to adjacent single family dwellings, and its separation from the freeway to the east and the commercial district to the south. For this reason, staff has concluded that the property is best suited for a medium density multiple family development. The requested General Plan category of 13-26 DU/acre spans a sizable range. In staff's opinion the property could be appropriately developed at a density toward the middle to lower end of that range. .... : ............. El Rench del Rey '"::::::iiii!ii::::":::'.-. :::::::::::: '"::::::i!!!'":::ii!" ............... · :::::i!!i ......... :::~,.::::: .... . . '": iHIGHOEN$1~!i!! !i [!::: ............................. ----'--"-'--.-----..... -- EAST: ................... ............... :...... . ............... ::: ii'": ...... :'"ii~ : ...... !i~ w : :::::::: ...... ,~ ..................... :> .......... !'"i!i: ::..,:::EAST:::: ::NAPLES : :::ST:::: .......... :::: ...... : · '"': ............................. iiiiii~; .......... '"'"*'" '"'":":.-.-" ~:i ...... i:: EXHIBITA .... i~ ....... ' ....... '"' ~ :::::i ......... : .... :,,, ::::*--::o ~ . . ........... GENERAL PLAN DIAGRAM ...... :::::z ......... DESIGNATIONS" .,.. -- :::: ...' ' ':: , ........ PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CHULA VISTA GENERAL PLAN DIAGRAM · · · · · · · ° · · · · : . · · · DESIGNATION FROM VISITOR COMMER- FORAPPROX, 8ACRES ............ ~'. ' --('~.. EAS'~' "J" ST ' T. JA ~,~ ES S'F ' , ,/-- ~HALECREST i MILLAN MFD RETAIL EAST CONDOS ( UNDER CONST. ) EXHIBIT B GPA-80-I ~ow "LAND USE AND ZONING" PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CHULA VISTA GENERAL PLAN DIAGRAM MOSS ST, DESIGNATION FROM VISITOR COMMER- · CIAL TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL J FOR APPROX. 8 ACRES. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 Page 6 5. Consideration of final environmental impact report, EIR-79-9, on proposed General Plan amendment and rezonin9 of approximately 3.4 acres of cits ownea property adjacent to Chula Vista Mu,icipal Golf Course A. BACKGROUND The hearing on the draft of this environmental impact report was held on September 26, 1979 and no public presentations were made. Several letters of comment were received and have been incorporated as Section lO.O of the report along with comments made by the Planning Commission. B. RECOMMENDATION Certify that EIR-79-9 has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and the Environ- mental Review Policy of the City of Chula Vista and that the Planning Commission will consider the information in the final EIR as it reaches a decision on the project. C. DISCUSSION 1. The alternative of development of the site as a park with some type of active recreational use was raised in some of the letters of comment and by the Commission. This alternative has been added as Section 5.4 of the final EIR. 2. Many of the comments were against the project and are germane more to the questions of the General Plan amendment and the disposal of public land than to the EIR. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 Page 7 6. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to General Plan diagram to change designation of approximately 3.4 acres adjace,,t to Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course from Parks and Public Open Space to Visitor Commercial or Residential, 13-26 dwelling units per acre A. BACKGROUND Last spring Council initiated proceedings to have the subject property developed with a use which is complementary to the golf course. Among the uses discussed as being possible were a motel, restaurant, or commercial recreational uses, or multiple family uses. B. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Environmental Impact Report on this project, EIR-79-9, is the preceding item on the agenda. C. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion recommending to the City Council that GPA-79-6 be approved and that the designation of the subject property be changed from "Parks and Public Open Space" to "Visitor Commercial." D. ANALYSIS 1. Existing land use and zoning. The property is vacant and zoned A-D-F (agricultural). 2. Adjacent General Plan designations (see Exhibit A). North Parks and Public Open Space South - Retail Commercial East - Parks and Public Open Space West - High Density Residential 3. Adjacent land use and zoning (see Exhibit B). North A-D-F Municipal Golf Course South C-C-D Shopping Center East A-D-F Municipal Golf Course West R-3-G-D-F Apartments 4. The subject 3 acre property has 400 feet of frontage on Bonita Road and is located between The Glenn restaurant and the Vista Bonita apartments. It is across the street from the westerly portion of the Bonita Centre and backs up to the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course. By virtue of this location the site is suitable for medium density multiple family use or visitor/commercial recreational use. The visitor/commercial recreation use is compatible with the golf course and The Glenn restaurant. Such uses are not now present in the central Bonita area. While there is some doubt in staff's mind as to the market demand for a motel in this area, interest has been expressed in developing a commercial recrea- tion facility which may include racketball courts, swimming, sauna and exercise complex. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 Page 8 5. In staff's opinion, the site has little amenity value in and of itself. It does provide a window vista into the golf course but this feature is not particularly important as it is dwarfed by the large "window" and open space corridor extending from The Glenn restaurant on the west to Sweetwater Road on the east. EXHIBIT A GPA ' 79 - 6 "General Plan Designetioas" Amend the Generol Plan from "Perks & Public Open Space" to "Visitor Commerci.l" for apgeox. :5ecres. CITY r , ,, ,,, I l FRED H ROHR pARK ~Y/~£TWATER REGIONAL PARK C HU L,A vISTA M UNI Cl PAL GOLF cOURSE ~, VAC. ~ ~/ ~ ~ ~NITA CENTRE , R-~-P-8 '"-.. EXHIBIT B " ' GPA - 79 - 6 '" "/~, ~ "L~nd Use ond Zoning" · . ALLEN , ,, ,, ' A, ~ Amend the ~nerul Plen from "~ ~ ', ,' ,' (~.~.~ ~ & Public Open Spuce" to" Visitor City Planning Commission Page 9 Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 7. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of amendment to Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan A. BACKGROUND 1. The City Council, meeting in regular session on February 3, 1976, adopted the following statement of comprehensive policy pertaining to the acqui- sition and development of municipal park sites with in lieu fees collected under Section 17.10 of the Chula Vista Municipal Code: '~ecause citywide and regional parks benefit all areas of the city, funds collected under Section 17.10 of the Municipal Code need not be used so~ely for the purchase of neighborhood and co,unity parks, but ~ay be used for the acquisition and development of citywide or regional parks for the benefit of residents of the subdivision from which they are collected." 2. The proposed amendment to the Parks and Recreation Element would incorporate the policy adopted on February 3, 1976. The amendment would also create a planning-administrative mechanism--the Park Administration District-- which would facilitate the execution of the Council's policy for the expenditure of Section 17.10 funds. 3. An Initial Study, IS-79-40, of possible adverse environmental impacts of the project was conducted by the Environmental Review Coordinator on February 5, 1979. The study concluded that there would be no significant environmental effects and recommended that the Planning Commission adopt the Negative Declaration. B. RECOM~ENDATION 1. Adopt the Negative Declaration on IS-79-40 and find that the subject project will have no significant environmental impact. 2. Recommend that the City Council amend Section II C ll of the Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan to read as follows: SECTION II - PARK AND RECREATION POLICY C. Policies ll. a. Lands dedicated and/or fees collected pursuant to Section 17.10 (Park land dedication) of the Chula Vista Municipal Code will be used to reduce the amount of general fund monies necessary to provide parks in developing areas. b. As a general rule, the in lieu park acquisition and development fees collected under the provisions of Section 17.10 of the Chula Vista Municipal Code will be devoted to the acquisition, development, or expansion of park sites which are within the Community Park Districts where the subdivider's project is sited. Page 10 City Planning Commissi~., Agenda Items for Meeting of October 17, 1979 c. The City of Chula Vista, notwithstanding the general~ rule expressed in the above paragraph, may utilize in lieu fees for the acquisition and development of citywide or urban parks which serve the park and recreation needs of the general public as well as those of the residents of the involved subdivision. d. This policy does not authorize the use of in lieu fees for the acquisition and development of neighborhood parks outside of the Park Administration District within which the new subdivision is located, except where it can be shown that, by virtue of access and distance, an external neighbor- hood park would better serve the residents of the subdivision than the neighborhood park located within the Park Administra- tion District for the said subdivision. e. For the purposes of this element, a citywide or urban park is defined as a multi-community park which serves the major park and recreational needs of the residents of one or more Park Administration Districts. In smaller cities, the subject type of park is traditionally called a "city" or "central': park. From the standpoint of recreational operations, a citywide or urban park is a "mini-regional park," and requires a site of approximately 50 acres. 3. Recommend that the City Council adopt the attached "Plan Diagram of Park Administration and Community Park Districts" as an addendum to the Parks and Recreation General Plan Element. ANALYSIS 1. The proposed amendment would make the policy adopted by Council on February 3, 1976 a part of the text of the Parks and Recreation Element of the Chula Vista General Plan. Since the said policy addresses the expenditure of funds for the acquisition and development of park sites over a protracted period of time, its inclusion within the General Plan would be both supportable and orderly. 2. The proposed amendment, by adding the policy of the said resolution to the main body of the City's policy on parks and recreation, would improve the public's access to the former. The reader of the Parks and Recreation Element should be able to find within the document-at-hand all of the City's major statements of policy on the subject matter. 3. The proposed amendment also textually and graphically introduces the concept of "Park Administration Districts" to the Parks and Recreation Element. 4. The adoption of the proposed amendment's several proposals is essential to the effective administration of Section 17.10 of the ~tunicipal Code and would promote sound park planning within the Chula Vista Planning Area.