Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1968/09/27,30 MINUTES OF A SPECIAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA September 27, 1968 & September 30, 1968 A special Planning Commission meeting was held on the above date at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Civic Center, 276 Guava Avenue, with the following members present: Hyde, York, Stewart, Rice, Adams, and Guyer. Absent: (with previous notification) Member Gregson. Also present: Director of Planning Warren, City Attorney Lindberg, and the following members of the Community Facilities Committee: Carol Smith, Hugh Christensen, Doris Odenthal, and Kyle Stewart. Chairman Hyde called the meeting to order stating the meeting was for the purpose of considering the proposed Civic Center Master Plan as prepared by the consulting firm of Knight & Gladieux Incorporated. iqr. John Lorini, representing the consulting firm, stated he can make a presen- tation if they so desire, or answer questions. The Commission agreed that Mr. Lorini should just answer the questions as they have all heard the presentation at a previous meeting. City Attorney Lindberg stated the Commission and the Community Facilities Committee should make separate motions of action on this Plan. The Committee is an ad hoc committee to consider the provision of community facilities in general; they are an advisory board to the City Council and should make such a report of the plan before them. The Commission's function is clear as set forth by the State Planning Act which states that their role in the examination of public facilities is as follows: before any street, roadway, etc., may be opened, public buildings may be pur- chased or demolished, the Commission must make a recommendation to the City Council. This is necessary in terms of whether the street or roadway conforms to the General Plan. It should not entail any disagreement or approval of the specifics of the General Plan, but whether the facilities in this area conform to the General Plan. Member Stewart, speaking as Vice-Chairman of the Community Facilities Committee, stated they cannot elect a Chairman at this particular meeting to replace Dr. Earl Kernahan since they do not have a quorum present. City Attorney Lindberg stated this Committee apparently cannot make a recommenda- tion on the Plan in the absence of a quorum. The Commission, on the other hand, can go ahead with their recommendation. Director of Planning Warren stated that he asked Mr. Lorini to be present today to answer questions that might come up. He briefly explained the Plan as being presented in two phases: first phase is for the Civic Center expansion, construc- tion of the police facility and removal of the fire station. This phase also includes removal of the post office and Chamber of Commerce building. In endorsing phase 1, the Commission should do it as a comprehensive one. This Plan does have an amount of flexibility--the buildings can be so designed to accommodate a fire station and the post office a little longer. Phase 2 shows these buildings gone -2- 9/27/68 from the site and the library has been constructed on the F Street School site and part of the Civic Center offices moved to the library building. The Plan is flexible to a certain degree but also rather complicated. The Commission should look at the total concept since each increment is somewhat dependent upon an orderly sequence of events. The staff feels the Plan works well, meets the needs of the City, and is not in conflict with the General Plan. As far as the plot plan and preliminary report is concerned, the staff recommends that the Commission endorse it. Mr. Lorini remarked that at his last presentation (September 23, 1968) the postmaster surprised them all by mentioning that they may operate from the present site for another eight years. They have done some thinking about this and have come up with two alternatives: (1) build the new library immedi- ately on the F Street School site so that the Civic Center expansion could take place in the library and not building the addition until the post office building is razed; (2) modify the Civic Center addition--move it further back (west) to bring it in line with the present police facility. In this way you can operate the new Civic Center site and still have the post office although the parking plan would be temporarily modified. Mr. Lorini stated they do not have a recon~endation on the subject; they want to take the position that the Plan shouldn't be altered; there are viable alternatives in the Plan. The cost between these two alternatives will be quite different. Member Rice asked if the addition would then be built on eastward after the postoffice is gone. Mr. Lorini felt this was possible; in the meantime, a walkway would have to be built on the east wing to the postoffice to create the plaza effect. Hugh Christensen, member of the Community Facilities Co~nittee, stated he was very pleased with the Plan, and agrees with everything the consultants have brought here. It is a feasible program. There are some things that should be made flexible depending on the postoffice and library; however, the concept is acceptable to him. He would like to go on record as agreeing with the Plan. Member Hyde questioned the points of closing the streets and the acquisition of public property for private use. City Attorney Lindberg commented that this is involved--the Commission's considera- tion has to go to all of these aspects. In recommending this Plan as meeting the requirements of and conforming to the General Plan, the Commission must go into all these facets: the acquisition of real property, the closing of streets, etc. Mr. Lindberg suggested that the Commission adopt a resolution on this matter to be forwarded to the Council rather than doing it by minute action. Approval of this Plan would encompass the acquisition of public property. The Commission spoke individually of their approval of the Plan. -3- 9/27/68 Mrs. Carol Smith, member of the Community Facilities Committee, agreed with the Commission but felt they should consider some of the specific parts: timing and implementation of this Plan, if it will be effective as an overall Plan. They should be sure it will work. She is primarily concerned with the library aspect of the Plan and the points not covered by the Plan. She is also concerned about how this study was formed--was it based more on the public survey where the library placed toward the end of the list in regard to spending public money. Mrs. Smith then referred to a letter written by the Librarian to Mr. Fred Ross City Administrator, noting these points. ' Chairman Hyde commented that the Commission must consider the matter in regard to land use of the property involved and the nature of the Plan itself rather than the detailed mechanics. City Attorney Lindberg declared he recognizes lqrs. Smith's interest in the library as Chairman of the Library Board; however, the issue of timing, need, priority, and such is not the concern of the Planning Commission. They should be looking at the overall General Plan and then it must be up to the different departments of the City to pull this together. The consultants have presented the City with a Plan, it can be modified or amended, and it is now up to the Commission to deter- mine whether this Plan conforms and whether it is timely. The question is different as to the adequacy or inadequacy of the library. The Commission discussed the lack of a quorum of the Community Facilities Committee and that they will need to call a meeting to make their recommendation. Mrs. Smith pointed out that this Plan does not conform to the report put out by their Library Consultant. He suggested the new library be located on the southwest corner of Fourth Avenue and F Street instead of the center of the lot as proposed by these consultants. These consultants have given no specific reason in their report for moving the library site. Mr. Lorini declared that they are well aware of the Library Consultant's report and the site he recommended. Their version was to drop the terrain 8 feet for the lake and in order to do this, the library had to be placed in the center of the lot. The problem of reconciliation always arises when you have two consultants. In doing a master plan like this one, everyone gives up a little something. The library consultant was looking at the library needs only; Knight and Gladieux had to take into consideration the entire Civic Center complex. In building this new library, the cost would be $1,500,000. In view of this they looked at the total requirements of Chula Vista and noted the police facility to have top priority. Based upon space analysis of the Civic Center, additions must be made or the quality of the government service will suffer. They looked at the additional bonding and the apparent willingness of the City to take on additional money, and felt they could not ask the City to take on the additional $1,500,000 project in phase 1. Mr. Lorini remarked that they would have difficulty in defending their position if they advocated this procedure. As a consequence, the library falls into phase 2 for which they can defend their position; and from a cost standpoint they recommend their second alternative as the better one. Member Adams asked if the matter of the library bond was within the scope of the Planning Commission. -4- 9/27/68 City Attorney Lindberg felt they should look at the location as it relates to the problems of the General Plan. Whether the library is located 200 feet into the lot or l0 feet from the corner of Fourth and F Street is a consideration of the Commission only if that shift of location is going to have an effect on the General Plan. This Commission must be planners, not architects or engineers getting down to exact specifics. The Commission is concerned with the full Plan as this becomes a part of the package of the General Plan. Basically, the Commission should fi nd out whether the library can even go into the Civic Center location; both consultants have so recommended and so should the Commission. Mrs. Doris Odenthal, member of the Community Facilities Committee, ascertained that the Commission will be approving the overall Plan and not the study, or the timing, etc. Mr. Lindberg indicated this was true; when you get down to timing, you get down to the question of economics and whether funds are available and the other aspects of financing. Mrs. Odenthal remarked tnat this should be made clear. Director Warren suggested that Mr. Lindberg's interpretation of the Commission's function here was a bit too academic; that in the interest of time the Commission may limit their consideration to a simple determination of conformity to the General Plan, but need not do so. In fact this does not represent a very thorough approach. Dr. Aaron Mannis, 685 Third Avenue, asked if the Commission approved the Plan in concept, does it limit the boundaries of expansion. City Attorney Lindberg advised that the approval of this Plan is a green light to go ahead with the Plan as outlined. This Plan is subject to review and modification. The Commission, by their favorable recommendation of this Plan does preclude any additional programming of other facilities to be located outside this perimeter. If such modification is made, the Plan can come back to them. Mrs. Odenthal commented that she liked the overall Plan very much but was concerned over the library aspect. Dr. Mannis discussed the Plan and made the following comments: (1) if the Commission puts their stamp of approval on this Plan, they will be endorsing it as the Chula Vista Master Plan for the future; (2) certain facilities took priority and must come in p~ase I--this he can understand. If you look at it this way, you are serving the City for its immediate needs. The Plan is good but it is not totally acceptable as to concept--his concept is to include all those functions that people want in a Civic Center: auditorium, cultural activities, satellite post office, a chamber of commerce building, etc. It may not be up to the consul- tants to point out where these facilities should go, but space should be provided for these facilities to be put in at some time in the future. This was his concern six years ago when he recommended to the City Council that they buy the vacant lands in the area in order to do this. (Dr. Mannis pointed to the railroad property at the southeast corner of Fourth and F Street, and that property presently owned by Frank Ferreira south of Fourth Avenue which housed the packing -5- 9/27/68 sheds at one time, and the area east of this presently leased by Mr. Berenson, partner in the Chula Vista Shopping Center on Fourth and F Streets on which he is proposing to construct an apartment complex). He felt the City should condemn the property and if the price is right, to go ahead and purchase it. The present Plan as presented by these consultants is totally inadequate; they should reevaluate the space needs now. If the City gets the idea that you are approving this concept, then in l0 years the City will be in trouble. Dr. ~annis urged them to qualify their approval of this concept, and reiterated that the Plan leaves out too many things that everyone agrees belong in a Civic Center. Member York remarked that he was in complete sympathy with Dr. Mannis's feelings. The City Council has commissioned a firm of consultants to do a study and they brought back their findings. The Council now asks the Commission to find that the Plan is in conformance with the General Plan. The other comments are not pertinent to this Plan. The Plan is subject to review on an annual basis. The subject of expansion of the Plan should be thoroughly reviewed and the people interested in this should bring the matter up at Council hearing. Iqr. Lorini answered some of the statements made by Dr. Mannis. The facilities mentioned by Dr. Mannis as belonging in the Civic Center Plan are ones that the consultants do not feel belong in this complex. The post office, for instance, is a light industrial operation and what they are proposing is a light recrea- tional atmosphere in this Plan. The fire station as well as the post office, by its very nature, does not belong in this Plan. As to the County facilities, they do not have any great interest in expanding their facilities on this site-- they look at the location of where they can best serve the public needs. The proposed lake is luxurious, but when the City reaches a population of 200,000 you will be glad you have it. Mr. Frank Ferreira, 3715 Putter Drive, Bonita, suggested an alternative to the Plan by purchasing the railroad property (southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and F Street) putting the post office building on the northwest corner of Third Avenue and Parkway, and flipping the lake over on that property presently leased by Mr. Berensen (directly east of the property owned by Mr. Ferreira south of Fourth Avenue). ' MSUC (Guyer-Adams) A resolution be made up by the City Attorney to be forwarded to the City Council stating that the Planning Commission finds the Plan to be in conformance with the General Plan. In this resolution, mention should be made of the acquisition of certain property within the Civic Center area and the vacation of portions of certain streets in the Civic Center area. The resolution to be brought back to the Commission prior to their workshop meeting to be held at 7:30 p.m., September 30, 1968. ADJOURNMENT MSUC (Adams-York) Meeting adjourn to 7:15 p.m., Monday, September 30 1968. The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary September 30, 1968 MSUC (York-Guyer) Resolution of the Planning Commission of the City of RESOLUTION NO. 540 Chula Vista Reporting that the Civic Center Plan as Submitted by the Planning Consultants of Knight & Gladieux is in Conformity with the Adopted General Plan or Part Thereof