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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1991/10/23 Tape: 325 Side: 2 MINUTES OF A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers Wednesday. October 23, 1991 Public Services Buildin~ COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Fuller, Commissioners Carson, Casillas, Decker, Martin, and Tugenberg COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Assistant Planning Director Lee, Principal Planner Howard, Environmental Consultant Richardson, Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman, Senior Civil Engineer Ullrich, Traffic Engineer Rosenberg, Assistant City Attorney Rudolf PLEDGE OF ALLF. GIANCE - SILENT PRAYER The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Chair Fuller and was followed by a moment of silent prayer. .INTRODUCTORY REMARK,q Chair Fuller reviewed the composition of the Planning Commission, its responsibilities and the format of the meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None ITEM 1: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT EIR-91-01: CHULA VISTA AUTO CENTER Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman made some introductory remarks and gave an overview of the project. Environmental Consultant Richardson reported the public review of the EIR through the State Clearinghouse from September 5 through October 21, 1991, had been completed. Letters had PC Minutes -2- October 23, 1991 been submitted by CaiTrans and the Integrated Waste Management Board. The Chula Vista public review period began at the same time and would end at this public hearing. Letters had been received from the Sweetwater Union High School District regarding school impact fees, and from Jerry McNutt regarding traffic impacts to residential roadways in the area from test driving of cars from the auto center. Ms. Richardson said there had been numerous meetings: public meetings of the Otay Road ad hoc Task Force on June 12, October 2, and October 3; the Otay Valley Road Project Area Committee met September 23 and October 14; and the Resource Conservation Commission met on October 7. Ms. Richardson stated the Otay Valley Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee met on October 18. There had also been a memo prepared by Many Schmidt of the Parks & Recreation Department regarding design of the neighborhood park adjacent to the site. All of the comments, including the ones received at this public hearing, would be responded to in the Final EIR. Ms. Richardson then summarized the impacts and mitigation measures identified in the EIR. Commissioner Tugenberg, referencing the letter received from CaiTrans, asked if they referring to an intersection at 1-805 and Palomar. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, he questioned the impingement upon the operation of an auto park at 1-805 and Otay Valley Road. Traffic Engineer Rosenberg replied that it did not affect the auto park. Commissioner Decker felt oil changes should be addressed as hazardous waste. Also, chloroflouro carbons, which would be emitted from air conditioners, should be addressed. Ms. Richardson answered that none of the repair facilities at the site would be allowed to operate until permits were obtained from the agency. The permit would require them to meet all federal, state and local standards for these types of operations. Commissioner Decker, referencing the Swcetwater Union High School District letter, questioned the increase in households, since three of the four dealerships were already in existence in Chula Vista. Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman stated that the figures were based upon a SANDAG study which estimated the number of students generated from commercial and industrial types of facilities. The assumption was that people would be moving into the area to be employed at those facilities. Commissioner Decker felt that would be an incorrect assumption. He said he had done a survey by calling three dealerships in National City, who said approximately 1/3 of their people live within the National City area. The rest commute from somewhere else. Commissioner Decker questioned the 60 dB noise level for sensitive bird species. Mary Putnam of P&D Technologies answered that the 60 dB used in the analysis was derived from the City of San Diego Noise and Land Use Compatibility Matrix for wildlife compatibility. PC Minutes -3- October 23, 1991 Commissioner Casillas asked how the definition for "prime agricultural land" was used, since the land had not been farmed for a long period. Ms. Putnam explained that the terminology came from the Il. S. Department of Agriculture; the Soil Conservation Service had developed a ranking system for soils. · She explmned the criteria used in determining the definition; and that it was not dependent on the types of uses currently occurring on the site. Commissioner Casillas referred to the letter from Mr. McNutt and asked if the issue of test driving was answered. Environmental Consultant Richardson said it was not completely answered; the one access way onto Oleander had been eliminated. Assistant City Attorney Rudolf, regarding the suggestion of passing an ordinance prohibiting vehicles driving up Oleander, said he was working with the Traffic Engineer to address the legal aspect. Preliminary research indicated that the kind of ordinance requested was illegal; however, they were doing further research. Commissioner Tugenberg asked how many test drives the dealerships would generate per week. Chair Fuller commented this probably should be answered by the applicant during the public hearing. Answering Commissioner Decker's comment, Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman stated that the dealerships preferred to keep their salesmen taking test drives on controlled streets primarily within the auto park itself or perhaps on 1-805. Commissioner Martin questioned the location of the buffer and what it would made of. Ms. Richardson said the buffer was proposed to occur on the southern boundary. There would be a wall with landscaping on the south side of the wall. Commissioner Martin asked the flood history of the alley way. Senior Civil Engineer Ullrich said there was a 100-year flood plain, and the grading that was proposed on the Shinohara parcel would stop at that line because we are not allowed to infringe upon the floodway. Commissioner Martin, referencing page 5-4, asked if the cars were to be trucked in and what impact that would have. Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman answered that the new autos would be trucked in, and provisions were being made in the circulation pattern for the auto park. There would be a place for the trucks to pull in and unload out of the traffic patterns. Commissioner Carson asked if low-tolerant plants would be used as part of the screening. She would like to see that reinforced in the environmental impact. Commissioner Carson asked if the environmental impact report could include actually when the production had ceased on the agricultural land; how long they had continued to farm and when it was "recently" ceased. PC Minutes -4- October 23, 1991 Chair Fuller asked who was responsible now for the Otay Valley Road widening project, regarding payment. Mr. Kassman answered that the proposal was for an assessment district to be formed and the property owners would be responsible for paying on a yearly basis, or they would have the opportunity to pay all at once in the beginning. Chair Fuller asked if the applicant would have to assume some of those costs himself, if the project did not go through. Mr. Kassman stated that if the Otay Valley road widening project did not go through, the applicant would have to widen Otay Valley Road to a four-lane major arterial standard from 1-805 to Brandywine Avenue as a mitigation measure. This being the time and the place as advertised, the public hearing was opened. No one wishing to speak, Chair Fuller asked if the Commissioners would like the applicant to address the question about test driving. Commissioner Casillas asked whether there would be an economic analysis of some form, and specifically what it would cost the City to join in this venture. Redevelopment Coordinator Kassman stated staff had done some analyses and projection of sales for negotiations which had been ongoing with the proposed developers. Some of that information could be provided to the Commissioners. Normally, there would not be an economic section connected with this environmental impact report, because the project itself would not cause blighting influences in the area. The information, however, could be put in a summary form and made available to them. Chair Fuller asked if anyone had any questions of Mr. Fuller. No one had questions. Commissioner Carson asked for clarification regarding the economic analysis. The word "blighting" raised the question regarding whether the economic analysis should be part of the environmental impact report, since in other projects it was separate.' Mr. Kassman answered that the need to do an economic analysis was triggered when the proposed project may cause blighting impacts in the area. In this case, the development was basically undeveloped land and there would be an obvious economic positive effect for the City of Chula Vista. Chair Fuller again asked if anyone wished to speak while the public hearing was still open. John Krache, 358 East Millan, CV, said the Resource Conservation Commission suggested that the EIR consider the walls be built with the bays facing south and provide a mitigation to protect the wildlife and to keep the noise level from spreading outside the complex. Chair Fuller thanked Mr. Krache for adding that information. She called the Commission's attention also to the report received that evening from the Otay Valley Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee. She said that there had been considerable effort put into the planning of PC Minutes -5- October 23, 1991 the park and the valley, and some of the comments in the report were pertinent to be addressed in the FAIR. No one else wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed. Chair Fuller stated that this was the final opportunity for comments to the draft E/R and directed staff to prepare the final environmental impact report. ~ None DIRECTOR'S REPORT; Assistant Planning Director Lee updated the Commissioners on the scheduling of major projects. Additionally, he reminded them of their workshop the next Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m. He asked those who could attend the 4 p.m. session and dinner to let the secretary know. The workshop would consist of a presentation showing the interaction of boards and commissions, and also a presentation by Tony Lettieri regarding Otay Ranch. Commissioner Tugenberg asked that Mr. Lettieri update the Commission on the road system of the Otay Ranch across to the mesa. COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS[ Chair Fuller noted that an article was included in the ~ regarding the Growth Management Program. She felt the article answered very well the basic questions regarding growth. ADJOURNMENT at 7:50 p.m. to the Special Business Meeting of November 6, 1991, in the Council Chambers. iqancy l~pley, S~cretary/ Planning Commission (PCIO-23.Min)