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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1990/09/05 . e - . . Tape: 312 Side: 2 MINUTES OF A SPECIAL BUSINESS MEETING OF THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA 7:00 p.m. Wednesday. September 5. 1990 Counc i 1 Chambers Public Services Buildinq ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Vice-Chair Fuller, Commissioners Carson, Cartmill, Casillas, Decker, and Tugenberg COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Chair Grasser Horton, with notification STAFF PRESENT: Pl anni ng Di rector Leiter, Ass i stant Di rector Lee, Sen i or Pl anner Environmental Review Coordinator Reid, Planner Sullard, Assistant City Attorney Planning Bazzel, Contract Fritsch PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Vice-Chair Fuller and was followed by a moment of silent prayer. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Vice-Chair Fuller reviewed the composition of the Planning Commission, its responsibilities and the format of the meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None Items I, 3, and 4 were considered together. ITEM I: CONSIDERATION OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT EIR-89-3, SALT CREEK RANCH ITEM 3: CONSIDERATION OF CEQA FINDINGS EIR-89-3, SALT CREEK RANCH ITEM 4: CONSIDERATION OF STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS EIR-89-3, SALT CREEK RANCH Environmental Review Coordinator Doug Reid stated that he would be discussing Items 1, 3, and 4 and drew the Commission's attention to a letter recently received from the U. S. Fish & Wildl ife Service. He said that staff had not had ample time to fully evaluate the letter, nor had the consultants on the EIR; therefore, staff recommended that after the staff presentation and after the public hearing, the hearing be continued for one week to focus only on the letter from U. S. Fish & Wildlife. Mr. Reid drew the Commission's attention MINUTES -2- September 5. 1990 to Design Alternative A Modified which illustrated the modifications on the easterly side of the project. Mr. Reid stated that the EIR and CEQA Findings identified six significant environmental impacts, most of which were cumulative in nature such as land form, aesthetic considerations, air quality, water supply, energy consumpt i on, etc. The bi 01 ogi ca 1 impact, however, was site specific. He then introduced Jeanne Munoz of ERCE. Ms. Munoz discussed the cumulative impacts of the project, and the project specific impacts which were mitigable. She pointed out that the noise impact would need to be considered again at the SPA plan level, and that there may be potential impacts from traffic on Hunte Parkway, Lane Avenue, and East "H" Street. She stated this project would be similar to other projects in the eastern territory, including impacts to biological resources. She then turned the presentation over to Steve Lacey, a senior biologist with ERCE. Mr. Lacey showed slides of the biological resources data for the project. The concerns with this project, according to Mr. Lacey, were basically native grassland, coastal sage scrub, wetlands, and habitat for the California Gnatcatcher and the Cactus Wren. He showed the corridors through the property, the community park area, and the natural habitat area. He explained how the planned corridor would be effective in mitigating the impact to inhabitants of the area. Commi ss i oner Carson asked when the potent i a 1 corridor mi ght be establ i shed. Environmental Review Coordinator Reid stated that most of that corridor would be established during the Otay Ranch project. Commi ss i oner Decker was concerned with the dust wh i ch woul d settl e on the sensitive pl ants, and asked if it had been considered. Mr. Lacey answered they had found little information regarding elimination of the plants because of dust. Commi ss i oner Tugenberg asked if blast i ng was st i 11 goi ng to be done. Ms. Munoz stated it may be necessary to some extent. Upon Commi ss i oner Cartmi 11 ' s query, Pl ann i ng Di rector Lei ter answered that a task force had been set up by Council to set up ordinance requirements as well as a process to implement setting aside acreage for churches. ~ Commissioner Fuller queried staff as to when Fish & Wildlife would get i nvo 1 ved in the project, and why they weren't i nvo 1 ved from the beg i nn i ng. Environmental Review Coordinator Reid answered that there were committees being set up at that time and that the Fish & Wildl ife Service, Cal ifornia Fish & Game, the project biologist were getting involved very early on specific projects. U. S. Fish & Wildlife is participating practically on a monthly basis on the Otay Ranch Project. On the Salt Creek Ranch project, an Environmental Constraints Inventory was prepared and provided to the developer. This was information relative to the sensitivities on the site. - e - " . MINUTES -3- September 5. 1990 Commissioner Fuller was also concerned with the outdated information the City was using regarding the number of schools, and the sites noted in the draft EIR. Environmental Coordinator Reid noted the document was prepared over a two-year period. Commissioner Casillas asked if the applicant had addressed the issue of affordable housing and what type of program they might be recommending to the City. Environmental Coordinator Reid stated the applicant would be working with the Community Development Department and Planning staff to develop a proposal, which would be identified at the SPA level. Commissioner Casillas noted there had been three nests of Cactus Wren in the eastern area. Mr. Lacey said there were three identified areas of the birds' nests in cactus thickets, and they focus on the preservation of those areas as part of the open space. Upon Commi ss i oner Cas ill as' query, Mr. Lacey said there may be Cactus Wren nests to the east, and the north in the San Mi gue 1 area. ITEM 2: PUBLIC HEARING: CONSIDERATION OF SALT CREEK RANCH GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND PLANNED COMMUNITY DISTRICT (P-C) PRE-ZONING PCM-90-2 - The Baldwin Vista Company Consultant John Sull ard gave the history of the General Development Pl an. He stated the Salt Creek Development Plan had been reviewed for compliance with the City's General Plan, its Land Use Plan, and its threshold requirements. He then revi ewed the vari ous submi tta 1 s of the 1 and use plan and the changes which had been made. Mr. Sullard noted there was revegetation of disturbed open space, an. agreement to participate in multi-species habitat preservation plans, undercrossings for wildlife and trails, and full mitigation of wetland impacts. Consultant Sull ard recommended approval of the General Development Plan which staff felt was in conformance with the General Plan criteria, that there was an adequacy of public facilities to serve the anticipated population, that there were adequately sized and located non-residential uses on the property, that there were a sufficient number of streets and thoroughfares, and that there was coordination and compatibility with the deve 1 opment of the surround i ng 1 and. He also recommended approval of the prezon i ng of the Salt Creek Ranch to the Pl anned Commun ity PC Di stri ct zone which would enable annexation to the City through LAFCO requirements and would also provide for the orderly planning and long-term development of eastern territories and would provide adequate community facil ities and preserve and enhance the Salt Creek area as a corridor and provide vital components to the Chula Vista greenbelt in the eastern territories. Commi ss i oner Tugenberg asked for just i fi cat i on of the movement from base to mid point of density. Consultant Sullard answered that the three criteria stated in the General Pl an had been met, and felt it was compat i b 1 e with the surrounding land uses. The mid range was only set as a maximum, not a minimum density. MINUTES -4- SeDtember 5. 1990 Commissioner Tugenberg was concerned with the graduated density in the individual sub-areas, when each sub-area already had graduated densities. Mr. Sullard answered that it was by definition of the General Plan, not by logic. Commissioner Tugenberg said that he was looking for something special in the project that justified the mid-range density. Pl anni ng Di rector lei ter exp 1 a i ned the criteri a for establ i shi ng the dens ity for mid-point density and for anything above mid-point. Rikki Alberson, Baldwin Vista Associates, 11995 El Camino Real, San Diego, spoke in favor of the project, and showed slides of some of the unique aspects of the project, concentrat i ng especi ally on greenbelts, hous i n9 dens ity and types, and grading. She requested support of the project. No one else wishin9 to speak, the public hearing was closed. MSUC (Tugenberg/Carson) 6-0 to cont i nue the heari ng unt i 1 the meet i ng of September 12, 1990, at which time the Commission will only entertain the comments which pertain to coastal sage habitat issues and any other items as the Commission requests. (Commissioner Grasser was absent.) ADJOURNMENT AT 8:45 p.m. to the Joint Redevelopment Agency/Planning Commission meeting on September 6, 1990, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Y1 .~ . 1/ J, <( /1- ~A1 jJ//2LC'f~ Nancy Ripl~?i, Secretary ! Plannin9 Commission WPC 8341P