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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1989/06/28 Tape: 301 Side: 2 MINUTES OF A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers Wednesday, June 28, 1989 Public Services Building ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Carson, Commissioners Cannon, Casillas, Fuller, Grasser and Tugenberg COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Shipe with notification STAFF PRESENT: Director of Planning Krempl, Principal Planner Lee, Assistant Planner B. Reid, Senior Civil Engineer Daoust, Deputy City Attorney Fritsch and Sunbow Consultant Nunes PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Chairman Carson and was followed by a moment of silent prayer. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Chairman Carson reviewed the composition of the Planning Commission, its responsibilities and the format of the meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None 1. PUBLIC HEARING: PCM-89-20 AND PCS-89-8 - CONSIDERATION OF A SECTIONAL PLANNING AREA PLAN AND TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP KNOWN AS WOODCREST SOUTHWESTERN, CHULA VISTA TRACT 89-8, LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TELEGRAPH CANYON ROAD BETWEEN APACHE DRIVE AND BUENA VISTA WAY WOODCREST DEVELOPMENT {CONTINUED) Principal Planner Lee stated that the applicant had requested a further continuance to the meeting of July 12, 1989 for the purpose of determining another access into the property and that staff supported the request. Commissioner Cannon said he would abstain from voting because of a potential conflict of interest. MSC {Tugenberg/Fuller) 5-0-1, Cannon abstained, to continue the item to the meeting of July 12, 1989. -- PC MINUTES -2- June 28, 1989 2. PUBLIC HEARING: EXTENSION OF P-79-013 AND PCC-86-34M - REQUEST FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO OPERATE AN AUTO RECYCLING YARD AT 3513 AND 3517 MAIN STREET - CAROLE AND JOHN MARQUEZ Assistant Planner Barbara Reid requested continuance of the item to the meeting of June 26 based on the fact that the Attorney had located a section of the Municipal Code which states that the Director of Planning shall have the discretion to notice a public hearing when it is considered that it would be in the City's best interest to notice the hearing again. There is also a time period requirement which is different from the one previously advertised. MSUC {Tugenberg/Fuller) 6-0 to continue the item to the meeting of July 26, 1989. 3. PUBLIC HEARING: DRAFT SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT EIR-89-2, PJkNCHO DEL REY SPA II Assistant Planner Reid stated that the item was Phase II of Rancho del Rey II and that SPA I was already under construction. The 192 acre site is located northeast of the intersection of East "H" Street and Ridgeback Road and proposes the construction of 567 single-family dwelling units, community facilities and a neighborhood park. Also included is the expansion of an existing borrow site located along the eastern edge of SPA II. Ms. Reid listed the environmental issues considered for the proposed project and noted that the EIR included an analysis of the project's conformance with the City's Threshold Policy standards for fire, police, sewer, water, parks/recreation and drainage as well as alternatives to the project. She introduced Betty Dehoney and Mary Putnam from P.D. Technologies, Inc., of San Diego, the environmental consultants responsible for the preparation of the Draft Supplemental EIR who will address the mitigation measures proposed. Staff recommends that a public hearing on the Draft EIR be conducted, the public hearing closed and the consultant and staff given any desired direction for the preparation of the Final EIR. Planner Reid stated that the areas in which significant environmental effects were observed were as follows: {a) soils and geology grading of the ridge tops and filling of the canyons and side slopes; (b) biology - Fish and Game Department lists the loss of the coastal sage scrub, loss of potential wetlands and concern about the cactus wren habitat; {c) archeology - loss of archeological site W-3432 inadvertently destroyed during grading; {d) transportation access the impacts although significant are mitigable assuming road widening and intersection changes are made; {e) public services - inadequate water supply and the location of 69KV lines through several residential lots. Ms. Reid concluded saying the alternatives were already considered in the Master EIR and are mentioned here for reference only. She then presented the consultants to address the mitigation measures proposed. Betty Dehoney reviewed the mitigation measures as follows: ~ PC MINUTES -3- June 28, 1989 (a) Soils and geology - most of these are mitigable throug~ ~tandard grading practices with conventional equipment and with some ripping of cemented beds. The visual impacts of cut and fill can be mitigated by adherence to the SPA II Community Guidelines such as landscaping. {b) Biology - Ms. Dehoney presented graphics illustrating the location of the black-tailed gnatcatcher, the coastal sage scrub habitat and indicating areas of heavy disturbance through grading, areas retained as open space, and areas where sightings of the gnatcatcher and other species have been observed. Mitigation for the cactus wren will be accomplished by retention of 2/3 of the population in open space. (c) Archeology - it was discovered that site W-3432 was destroyed through grading for a water pipeline to go to SPA I. Mitigation is provided in a compensatory mitigation program consisting of additional field study and research on other sites in the area, probably in SPA III. {d) Transportation access - the addition of 4,388 daily trips would result in congestion of area roadways. The mitigation program provided is a step- by-step phasing program tied to a level of development; i.e., acreages of commercial and industrial development within SPA I and SPA II as well as residential dwelling units. A long discussion ensued caused by confusion resulting from the threshold standard at the intersection of "H" Street and 1-805 being spoken of as both LOS "C" and utilization of the figure of 56,500 ADT and the assertion that LOS "C" would be an interim standard with LOS "D" being acceptable in the area of East "H" Street until SR 125 would be ultimately constructed. This was finally summarized by Commissioner Cannon's interpretation that the level of service at "H" Street east of Hidden Vista Road would not exceed LOS "D" for more than 2 hours per day. Commissioner Carson suggested that page 67, the second paragraph, would be an appropriate place to indicate what the level of service would be in numbers at that time and eliminate the foregoing confusion. Commissioner Casillas asked at what point should the City put a hold on con- struction if SR 125 does not go in? Director Krempl replied that if SR 125 were not put in and the threshold standards were exceeded, the City would proceed to a moratorium with a public hearing before Council. Commissioner Cannon then asked if the threshold standards were exceeded and the project had already been approved, would not the building permits cease to be issued? He was answered affirmatively. Commissioner Carson had questions regarding (a) Page 42 of the EIR, last paragraph, what control would be used to protect the birds who are endangered by domestic pets in the canyon? (b) Page 46, under Wildlife Corridors, what would be designed to restrict movement of wildlife across the road? (c) Page 47, Transplant Area, how will the thornmint be protected from impact over and above the fencing mentioned? '~ PC MINUTES -4- June 28, 1989 Betty Dehoney replied that the mitigation measures would be designed to discourage incursion into the open space and would include fencing that would provide barriers for off road vehicles. The domestic pets' incursion is difficult to mitigate and there are not really effective means of restricting pets other than signage. A new mitigation monitoring program will be prepared shortly in compliance with AB 3180 and transplantation of the thornmint plus further protection of the area will be prepared in that monitoring program. This being the time and the place as advertised, the public hearing was opened. Craig Fukuyama, 2727 Hoover Ave., National City, representing Rancho del Rey Partnership spoke to the level of service at "H" Street east of Hidden Vista. He said that west of Hidden Vista between the freeway on-ramp and Hidden Vista is part of the work that is controlled by CalTrans because it is an interchange improvement and therefore east of Hidden Vista was selected as the threshold point. The requirement i n--~eir Specific Plan states that all traffic in and around Rancho del Rey shall maintain a level of Service "C" (LOS C). The 56,500 threshold was set as part of the SPA I traffic analysis which set 56,500 as the operating level of LOS C. Mr. Fukuyama confirmed that if 56,500 were exceeded in the annual monitoring program they were, in essence, in a moratorium and will cease to be issued further building permits. In terms of other projects that would contribute and potentially cause the 56,500 traffic count to be exceeded, the the Regional or Eastern Territories Level of Service "C" operational standard would apply and those developers would also be discontinued from issuing building permits. One of the conditions of the Rancho del Rey Specific Plan, regardless of what the current threshold analysis does provide for, is that the LOS C is maintained 24 hours a day because the exception for the threshold did not exist at the time the SPA I Plan was approved. Mr. Fukuyama confirmed that part of the final improvement requirements for the community park and equestrian trail system included the prohibition of all-terrain vehicles from accessing the canyon area through the use of removable bollards and locked gates at appropriate places to access utility maintenance vehicles and prohibit others. The original SPA, Rancho del Rey EIR 1985 did not provide maps indicating location of the archeological sites in that property, therefore when it was discovered that site W-3432 had been destroyed accidentally, there was nothing to indicate if the site was significant or not. As a compensatory mitigation, the developer has agreed to conduct an archeology site study in SPA III along with an academic study for site research within a 2-mile radius and to turn the reports over to the Museum of Man and San Diego State University. Andy Campbell, Administrator of Planning, Sweetwater Union High School District, ll30 Fifth Ave., CV, updated the Commission on the schools in the Eastern Corridor. No one else wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed. ~ PC MINUTES -5- June 28, 1989 Commissioner Cannon requested that the EIR "bring into conformance the current threshold standards and, at least, put in a one-liner with regard to keeping a Level of Service "C" on page 67 of that report." Commissioner Carson requested that her questions on the biology issues be addressed in the report. In response to a question, staff said the Final EIR would be considered at the Special Meeting on July 19, 1989. OTHER BUSINESS: 1. General Plan Update - Reconsideration of Land Use Plan Text Director Krempl said the item had been placed on the Agenda at the Commission's request for an opportunity to discuss the General Plan subsequent to their public hearing. He noted that Council had continued consideration of the General Plan Update until July 10, 1989; two members of the Commission had spoken before Council individually; and the Commission had been provided with the statement presented to Council by Crossroads indicating that Sections 6.2 and 6.3 of the Land Use Element (Exceeding Target Residential Densities and Clustering of Residential Developments) should be adopted as interim-only policies to allow EastLake Greens to continue to be processed. The interim adoption, however, would not presume upon any favorable action on EastLake Greens. In the interim period, both Sections should be referred to staff and formation of a broadly based Task Force be convened to review, restudy and make recommendations for modification of those policies within a timely fashion. Until this has been accomplished and considered by Council, no new projects affected by those policies at the General Plan level would be brought forward for public hearing and consideration. In response to Commissioner Cannon, Director Krempl noted that no specific action was expected of the Commission; however, this was an opportunity for them to provide any additional input if desired. Commissioner Cannon supported the formation of a Task Force as recommended because the breadth of the General Plan allows for a significant amount of discretion and, based on the Commission's discussions with EastLake, perhaps too much discretion. Director Krempl replied to Commissioner Carson that he considered Mr. Hyde's definition of "timely fashion" to be realistic with perhaps one caveat. As he reviewed the forthcoming projects, those at the environmental impact stage are not involved; the Rancho del Rey is beyond the General Plan level and therefore not affected; Sunbow is contemplating coming in at the target density. The one project that might be affected would be EastLake III/Olympic Training Center which is scheduled for consideration in the August/September time span. He is hopeful that the re-analysis will be within the 30-60 day timeframe which would not really overburden any project consideration. MSUC (Cannon/Fuller) 6-0, to recommend to Council that a Task Force be appointed to review Sections 6.2 and 6.3 of the proposed General Plan in order to determine and clarify the target residential densities and density transfers. -- PC MINUTES -6- June 28, 1989 2. Appointment to Otay Ranch Interjurisdictional Task Force In response to the Director's request for a representative to serve on the Otay Ranch Interjurisdictional Task Force. Commissioner Tugenberg volunteered to be that representative. The Commission approved. Commissioner Carson requested that staff look into the fact that she has apparently been appointed to~one-~f--~he-~4~m~i~e~--fe~-~4~l~-Vi~a-~)O~ without her consent, the Otay River Valley Regional Park Committee 3. Overview of Sunbow II/Project Description and Issue Identification Director Krempl stated that because of the heavy schedule of meetings for the Commission, a preview of the Sunbow II Project highlighting the process and outlining some of the key issues was being presented at this meeting instead of in the usual workshop session. The presentation was for informational purposes only and no action was required. He then introduced Manuel Nunes, the Consultant for the Sunbow II Project. Mr. Nunes said he and the applicant would provide an overview of an on-coming project called Sunbow and receive comments or concerns and answer questions. The applicant, the Del Sur Partnership, is comprised of Great American Development Company, Patrick Development, Guttman Construction and Stafford Gardner. The project is a 602-acre property which is basically an extension of Sunbow I. The submittal is a request for approval of a general development plan and a planned community prezoning {P-C zoning). The property is located south of Telegraph Canyon Road adjacent to the Chula Vista Medical Center, the Sunbow I project and Greg Rogers Park. The property is located in currently unincorporated territory and is contained within the County's Otay Mesa Sub-regional Planning Area and is designated Residential-7. An application has been filed with LAFCO for annexation to the City of Chula Vista. The proposal is essentially a residential community comprising 1,946 dwellings including single- and multiple-family units to be developed within 18 planning areas. Included also is a lO-acre village center, a 10-acre community recreational center, a 46-acre light-industrial park, 176 acres of open space in the Poggi Canyon area and there is a commitment in the General Plan for one church site and one fire station. Mr. Nunes said the principal issues included consistency with General Plan policies, land use compatibility, development character, open space/recreation, Poggi Canyon Scenic Corridor, traffic circulation, grading, schools, churches, affordable housing, public facilities, water/sewer/drainage, and biologically sensitive resources. The Draft EIR is scheduled for a public hearing on July 19 followed by the General Development Plan on August 9, 1989. Tom Davis, Tierra Planning and Design, planning consultants for the Sunbow Planned Community, indicated that it was the intent of the Del Sur Partnership to provide a high-quality self-contained community surrounding the Chula Vista Medical Center, and their goal is to be consistent totally with the General Plan Update. ~ PC MINUTES -7- June 28, 1989 Commissioner Cannon said that the General Plan had indicated East Orange Avenue to have interchanges at sporadic intervals to enable traffic to access residential streets on an "at-will pattern"; he asked if the developer was complying with that intent as he saw only one access indicated. Mr. Davis said the intention was to tie-in to the existing Brandywine connection and restrict a limited access to the light-industrial area. This would be the only access in the East Orange Avenue Corridor until a couple of miles eastward at Baldwin's access. Commissioner Tugenberg asked if a tour of the property could be arranged prior to its presentation to the Commission. Commissioner Carson then asked if the tour could be noticed so all members could participate. The Director replied affirmatively. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Director Krempl indicated that the Joint Planning Commission/Montgomery Planning Committee/Growth Management Oversight Committee Meeting was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms 2 and 3 on July 19, 1989. He suggested and it was agreed to by the Commission, that a catered dinner be provided to the Planning Commission between the 5:30 meeting and the Special Planning Commission Meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. He noted that the Montgomery Planning Committee would also be having their meeting at 7:00 in the two conference rooms. COMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioner Casillas said he had received an invitation to a seminar to be held on July 12, 1989. The Secretary was requested to make the necessary arrangements. ADJOURNMENT AT 8:17 p.m. to the Regular Business Meeting of July 12, 1989 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. ~IL~ ~C~etary Planning Commission WPC 7030P