HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1993/01/13 MINUTES OF A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING
OF THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF
CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA
Council Chambers
7:05 p.m. Public Services Building
Wednesday, January 13, 1993 276 Fourth Avenue. Chula Vista
ROLL CALL
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Fuller, Commissioners Carson, Martin
(arrived 7:15 p.m.), Moot, Ray (arrived 7:30
p.m.),' and Tarantino
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Tuchscher
STAFF PRESENT: Assistant Planning Director Lee, Principal Planner
Howard, Associate Planner Batchelder,
Environmental Coordinator Miller, Assistant City
Attorney Rudolf
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER
The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Chair Fuller, followed by a moment of silent
prayer.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
Chair Fuller dispensed with review of the composition of the Planning Commission, its
responsibilities and the format of the meeting.
MSUC (Carson/Tarantino) to excuse Commissioners Tuchscher, Martin, and Ray.
MOTION RESCINDED AND RESTATED:
MSUC (Carson/Tarantino) 4-0 to excuse Commissioner Tuchscher who had been delayed out
of town on a business matter.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MSUC (Carson/Tarantino) 4-0 to accept the minutes of November 12, 1992, as submitted.
MSUC (Carson/Moot) 4-0 to accept the minutes of December 2, 1992, as submitted.
PC Minutes -2- January 13, 1993
MSUC (Carson/Tarantino) 4-0 to accept the minutes of December 16, 1992, as submitted.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
ITEM 1. PUBLIC HEARING:
A. GPA-92-02 ENTERTAINING RECONSIDERATION OF CITY-
INITIATED AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC FACILITIES
ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED IN
JUNE 1992, WHICH IMPLEMENT AND SUPPLEMENT THE
APPROVED COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO HAZARDOUS WASTE
MANAGEMENT PLAN (continued from December 16, 1992)
B. GPA-92-02A - CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL CITY-INITIATED
AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC FACILITIES ELEMENT OF THE
GENERAL PLAN REFINING PORTIONS OF THE JUNE 1992
AMENDMENTS, AND RESTATING THE CITY'S "FAIR SHARE"
CONCEPTS REGARDING HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES
(continued from December 16, 1992)
C. PCA-92-02 - CONSIDERATION OF CITY-INITIATED AMENDMENTS
TO TITLE 19 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO DEFINE
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES AS CONDITIONAL USES IN
THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL ZONES, AND TO ESTABLISH A
SPECIFIC REVIEW PROCEDURE FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
APPLICATIONS FOR SUCH FACILITIES CONSISTENT WITH
STATE LAW (continued from December 16, 1992)
Associate Planner Batchelder gave the staff report and recommended, based on the responses
provided in Attachment 1 to the staff report, and through prior responses, that the
reconsideration of the previously adopted amendments be denied, the Negative Declaration be
adopted, the Planning Commission resolution adopted recommending that the City Council
approve the amendments contained in Exhibit B of the staff report, and recommending that the
City Council adopt the implementing ordinance amendments contained in Exhibit C of the staff
report.
Commissioner Tarantino questioned whether references to the "Chula Vista City School District"
should be changed to "Chula Vista Elementary School District" in the Public Facilities Element
of the General Plan. Mr. Batchelder answered that the language was outside the context of the
proposed amendments, and would need to be handled under another amendment. Chair Fuller
thought it may be handled administratively; however, Assistant City Attorney Rudolf felt it was
more than just housekeeping revisions and should be made as part of the next General Plan
amendment.
PC Minutes -3- January 13, 1993
Regarding the LAC, Commissioner Tarantino asked if the LAC was for each project or if the
environmental and public interest members change and City representatives remain the same.
Mr. Batchelder said the LAC was a project specific group to be appointed and then disbanded
after each project had gone through the approval process.
Commissioner Tarantino, regarding the fair share policy, page 3-59, found Exhibits A and
Exhibit B confusing. Mr. Batchelder explained that Exhibit A referred to the amendments
previously adopted in June 1992, and was included for reference, and that Exhibit B reflected
the amendments currently being proposed. He said Exhibit B was the final document.
Commissioner Moot, referring to the Ogden lawsuit, asked if the City challenging it was the
City of San Diego. Mr. Batchelder answered affirmatively, and added the last communication
received from them was a January 4, 1993, letter indicating reservation of their option to
comment further in conjunction with the City Council's consideration of the amendments.
This being the time and the place as advertised, the public hearing was opened.
Commissioner Moot asked if the attorney for Latham & Watkins had contacted staff indicating
if they were to be in attendance. Mr. Batchelder answered negatively.
No one else wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed.
MSUC (Martin/Carson) 6-0 (Commissioner Tuehseher excused) to deny reconsideration of
Resolution GPA-92-02.
MSUC (Carson/Martin) 6-0 (Commissioner Tuchscher excused) to adopt the Negative
Declaration prepared under IS-93-14 and further recommend that the City Council adopt
the Negative Declaration prepared under IS-93-14.
MS (Carson/Martin) to recommend that the City Council approve the draft City Council
resolution approving the General Plan Amendment currently proposed under GPA-92-02A,
contained in Exhibit B, and further recommend that City Council introduce for first
reading the attached draft City Council ordinance hnplementing the amenthnents to zoning
ordinance as contained in Exhibit C.
Commissioner Ray was concerned with the statement in the resolution stating that the public
hearing would be set by the Planning Commission. He questioned the Planning Commission
setting the time and date of the public hearings. Assistant City Attorney said he believed it was
boiler plate language and that the Environmental Coordinator closed the public review period
on the EIR and the Director of Planning actually set the public hearing date.
Assistant City Attorney Rudolf asked if the Commissioners would approve the resolution with
the potential correction by staff to conform with the actual party to set the time and place of the
public hearing. The maker agreed.
PC Minutes -4- January 13, 1993
Commissioner Moot, referring to the recommendation setting the conditional use permits, said
the Ogden case challenged the City of San Diego's criteria.
Associate Planner Batchelder said the challenge was that the City of San Diego did not have any
adopted procedures for the review of hazardous waste facilities, and yet was attempting to
impose conditions and procedures in absence of regulation. In this instance, the City of Chula
Vista is attempting to establish a process to be used to review such facilities.
Assistant City Attorney Rudolf concurred, and stated the purpose of Chula Vista's ordinance was
to establish processing requirements, and the criteria to grant or deny.
VOTE: 6-0
OTHER BUSINESS
· APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE TO
GROWTH MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT COMMISSION
MSUC (Fuller/Moot) 5-0-1 (Martin abstained) to appoint Coroanissloner Martin to
the Growth Management Oversight Connnission.
· DISCUSSION OF CHULA VISTA GREENBELT
Principal Planner Howard gave a presentation describing the greenbelt and the different
areas of the greenbelt and some of the issues involved.
Commissioner Ray asked the setback off the marsh area (midbayfront)--the buffer zone.
Assistant Planning Director 12.e said there was a 100' wide buffer that was not accessible
to the public, but there is an area interfacing on the north which is a public park which
flows into the residential area which is still park acreage as it wraps around to the north
heading east.
Commissioner Ray was concerned about the area immediately abutting the bay, the far
western piece immediately east of the buffer zone, and where the fence would be located.
He asked if that would be accessible to the general public. Mr. Lee said that would be
accessible; the fence would be adjacent to the marsh.
Commissioner Martin was concerned that the greenbelt be held intact and said he would
be sensitive to the location of the greenbelt to keep it intact during the building of new
projects. He wanted to reinforce to staff the Planning Commission's concern about the
maintenance of the greenbelt so applicants would not come in the future and build in the
area. Mr. Lee said all plans which had been brought up to date were consistent with the
General Plan and the limits of the greenbelt as depicted on the map.
PC Minutes -5- January 13, 1993
Chair Fuller noted that the planning done on the auto park in the Otay area allows that
portion of the greenbelt to be more accessible.
Chair Fuller asked staff to indicate the location of the university site.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Assistant Planning Director Lee stated that the information had been received for the Planners
Conference and noted that there was enough budget for two Commissioners to attend, possibly
three. He distributed the brochures and gave them information regarding flights, etc. He asked
the Commissioners to review it and get back to staff. Commissioner Moot said that because of
his schedule, he would be willing to be third and let the others go.
Mr. Lee distributed an updated schedule of meetings and asked that the March 10 meeting be
canceled because of the Conference and that a meeting be held on March 3 instead.
Regarding Joe Casillas' position on the Housing Advisory Commission, Mr. Lee said that Joe
was still serving.
Regarding the water offset program, Mr. Lee had talked to Barbara Bamberger who had been
working on the water retrofit program which was drafted up and presented in draft form to the
City Council. There had been significant opposition by the Realty Board, and Mr. Lee was not
sure of the next step. Barbara Bamberger had been tentatively scheduled for the March
workshop.
Mr. Lee reminded the Commissioners of the January 27 joint meeting with the County of San
Diego with a Planning Commission meeting to follow. Again, on February 17, there would be
a joint meeting with a break between.
Chair Fuller asked about the retrofit ordinance, if it was the first reading of the ordinance. Mr.
Lee said it had been pulled from the Council agenda, and there were many issues.
COMMISSION COMMENTS
Chair Fuller asked about the letter the Commissioners received from Mr. Harter and what he
was referring to. Mr. Lee said that Mr. Harter had applied for a subdivision map through the
City. Staff had attempted to work with him but had had several disagreements, and had held
a joint meeting with the Deputy City Manager. City staff had asked Mr. Harter to refile if he
wished to proceed with his project. After several letters to Mr. Harter and no contact from him
during the year, a letter was sent to him closing out the account which resulted in the letter to
the Commission. Another meeting was held with Mr. Harter and he was advised that he needed
to file with the City a filing fee and proceed. Mr. Lee was not aware of Mr. Harter's decision.
PC Minutes -6- January 13, 1993
Chair Fuller said that Commissioner Tuchscher had asked that an item be added to the next
agenda re the university siting. He felt more discussion was needed on the university siting
because of the ramifications of the current site and the lack of information the Commission had.
He felt the County Planning Commission would be looking to the City for more direction in
matters which would affect Chula Vista. Chair Fuller suggested that possibly a workshop or
some setting where members of the Blue Ribbon Committee or university siting committee could
attend. It was agreeable with the other Commissioners.
Commissioner Carson felt the County Commissioners thought it was a dead issue. She needed
input on that. Chair Fuller felt the County Commissioners were not interested, rather than it
being a dead issue. They needed to know if that was a viable location. Assistant Planning
Director Lee thought the apprehension on the part of the County was that they felt a site of 400
acres and 300 acres of it had a lot of environmental constraints, this was not a real site, and that
it did not meet anyone's criteria.
Commissioner Martin requested, if a workshop was held, a definition of a university site--do
they need office space, low income housing, land, parking ratio per ratio of student per hundred,
or was it a bargaining chip?
Commissioner Ray commented that any site picked would not be suitable because none would
be large enough.
Chair Fuller felt the Blue Ribbon Committee would have some of those answers. Commissioner
Martin felt this was the time for a university to come in. They could design the type of housing
they wanted, the type of roads, etc. He believed the village could be designed with the
university in mind rather than wait until after the fact.
Assistant Planning Director Lee noted that the time to discuss those issues or questions regarding
the western region was at the Otay Ranch meetings. He noted that a Housing Advisory meeting
would be held also, if any of the Commissioners were interested.
ADJOURNMENT at 8:25 p.m. to the Joint Planning Commission/County Commission Special
Meeting of January 15, 1993 at 3:30 p.m. at the County Department of Planning and Land Use
Room; and to the Joint Planning Commission/County Commission Special Meeting of
January 27, 1993 at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 276 Fourth Avenue, followed by a
Regular Business Meeting of the Chula Vista Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers.
Nancy Ri~ley, Sec~tary
Planning Commission