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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1987/09/22 Item 10• COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT Item to Meeting Date 9/22/87 ITEM TITLE: Resolution~~~Z ~ SfReconveyance of real property from the City of Chula Vista to Southwestern Community College District Report: Analysis of alternative sites for a botanical garden .~% SUBMITTED BY: Director of Parks and Recreation REVIEWED BY: City Manager (4/5ths Vote: Yes No X ) On May 7, 1987, the Southwestern Community College District requested a reconveyance of the botanical garden real property ownership on the college campus. Action was postponed to allow the City to consider whether there are feasible alternative site locations for a botanical garden before reconveying property back to the College District. RECOMMENDATION: Adopt resolution reverting real property to Southwestern Community College District, authorize Mayor to execute grant deed, and accept report on alternative botanical gardens sites. •ARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: Not applicable. DISCUSSION: In September 1986, Southwestern College requested that ownership of the real property deeded to the City in 1977 for a botanical garden on the college campus revert back to the College District. The College felt the time period for developing the site as a "botanical garden" had long passed and was no longer appropriate for this area. On May 7, 1987, Council continued action on this request to allow its representatives to meet with the Board of Trustees. As a result of this meeting, the City was given an extension to reconsider its interest in developing a garden park at the College site. Council on Piay 28th requested that alternative sites be considered and a report returned in September. Staff has surveyed six (6) areas within the City and identified several possible alternate sites. These areas are: 1. Bayfront 2. E1 Rancho Del Rey 3. Rohr-Sweetwater Park 4. Eastlake 5. Sweetwater Valley 6. Otay Valley All areas considered are within the City's incorporated limits, with the exception of the Sweetwater Valley site. I. MATRIX • To objectively evaluate and determine the viability of each potential site, an evaluation matrix (attachment A) was developed and used. Six "site desirability factors" were used to grade each site. A grading scale of one (1) to five (5) was used, with one (1) determined to be a low desirable factor of the site and five (5) a high desirable factor for the site. The factors used in this evaluation matrix were: • Page 2, Item to Meeting Date~~2 87 A. Size The "size" factor is defined as the total acreage of the studied site. The botanical garden master planned at Southwestern was 20 acres i n size. In comparison with the College site, each site was graded accordingly, with parcels larger in size receiving a higher grade. B. Accessibili Public roads in and around the site were evaluated. High desirability was assigned to sites with a greater traffic capacity on the roadway system visitors could use. C. Availability Availability is defined as the difficulty or lack of difficulty in acquiring ownership of a potential site or parcel. It refers to the parcel or site being readily available to purchase. Parcels under City ownership were graded a five (5) or a high desirability because of the relative ease in acquiring. In contrast, potential sites under private ownership were graded a one (1), or a low • desirability. D. Topography Topography is defined as the existing surface features or existing contours of each site, including the shape of the land (i.e. rectangular, lineal, et cetera). Generally speaking, a site with some elevation changes and relief is deemed a highly desirable site in contrast to a flat site which received a low desirability rating. E. Soil Condition The diversity of vegetation in a botanical garden demands that soil conditions be conducive to a variety of plant species. There were no soil surveys taken or available for review on each alternate site studied; however, enough general soil characteristics were known to evaluate and assign a grade. Obvious restricting soil factors ended up being the determining factor. A high desirability rating was given to those sites that were non-restricting to plant growth and a low rating was given to sites that would restrict a varied palette of plant material. F. Agency Involvement Agency involvement is defined as the responsiveness of the • controlling property owner to develop the site into a garden park. "Outside ownership" refers to any private or public entity that owns the site being considered. Those areas where outside owners would be interested in cooperating in developing a botanical garden received a high desirability rating. • II. POTENTIAL SITES Page 3, Item 10 Meeting Date 9/22/87 A summary of each proposed botanical garden site and this department's findings has been prepared. Included for your information is a site map for identifying the proposed locations (Attachment "B"). 1. Bayfront Area As part of the Bayfront Specific Plan, there are three parcels of land that could be considered for garden park development. One of the parcels, which is seven (7) acres in size, is adjacent to the existing Nature Interpretive Center. The second parcel, 11.6 acres in size, is adjacent to the tidelands. The third sit, approximately 9.0 acres in size, is adjacent to a designated public open space area. All three parcels are considerably smaller than the ideal size of 20 acres and are flat and void of natural topographic relief. The natural vistas to the bayfront would be interrupted by tree plantings on these sites. All sites on the Bayfront received a low desirability rating due to their flatness, high salinity content in the soil and their location in an environmentally sensitive area. It is expected that there would be environmental problems • associated with development of a garden park on the Bayfront and its introduction of non-native plants to this area. 2. E1 Rancho Del Rey The E1 Rancho Del Rey development is located between I-805 and Otay Lakes Road on the north and south side of East "H" Street. The Rancho Del Rey SPA I Plan has designated a neighborhood park of 6.0 acres, to be located adjacent to East "H" Street and the proposed Employment Park. The "H" Street park is to be a passive park primarily for employees of the Employment Park. Currently, the City is discussing with the developer how this site should be developed. The conceptual plan for the "H" Street park site show it as a developed park site adjacent to a proposed library and fire training center. Proposed amenities for this area are picnic facilities, a par course, and a large turfed area. A garden park could be master planned for this area as part of the developers responsibility. The site received a high rating overall. While the size of parcel is less than the 20 acres, it received high ratings in all other categories. It should be noted that accessibility to this location is better than at the Southwestern College site. 3. Rohr-Sweetwater Park • The Rohr-Sweetwater Park is owned in fee title by the City. The area encompasses over 67 acres with varied topography. The Master Plan developed and approved in 1986 for the Parks and Recreation Department includes a small botanical garden. The garden is 3/4 ~~. • Page 4, Item l0 Meeting Date g/22/87 acres in size. The creation of a large botanical garden would impact the approved Master Plan for the park. There is, however, one element to the master plan that could be developed into a botanical garden area. Located along the most westerly portion of the park site, a "memorial tree grove" is planned. A botanical garden element could be developed in this area. There is approximately 3 acres available for developing a garden here. 4. Eastlake The planned community of Eastlake is located approximately 1 mile east of Otay Lakes Road and will comprise a total of 3,073 acres upon completion of development. As part of Eastlake I, Route 125 will intersect the Eastlake Hills and Shores projects on the west and the Eastlake Business Center on the east. A lineal thematic corridor is planned along the Route 125 right-of-way and will serve as a connecting link between all neighborhoods and activity centers. There is approximately 26 acres within this right-of-way and it is intended to be developed into a City Urban Forestry Program. This corridor is currently included in the Eastlake Master Homeowners Association and is designated as open space. • A lineal garden park could be located adjacent to the community center at Eastlake Shores in the right-of-way corridor. The park would reflect positively on Eastlake and the surrounding business centers. The garden could be master planned and plans prepared by Eastlake. Eastlake would probably request credit for master planning this park. There are, however, several low rated site desirability factors about this site. This site received a low grade in accessibility since there currently are no access roads to this site and the completion of I-125 is expected to be a minimum of 5 years away. Upon construction of I-125, a frontage road would be required to provide vehicular access to the property. The site topography also received a low desirability grade. Basically the corridor will be primarily sloping upward from roadway to the homes above. 5. Sweetwater Valley Park Discussion between County and City officials have been held regarding developing botanical elements in the County of San Diego regional park corridor along Bonita Road. Mr. Robert Copper, Director of Parks and Recreation for the County of San Diego, believes that a full-scale botanical garden would not be possible in the area because the regional park area has been designated as a • native riparian habitat, inhabited by the least Bell Virio, an endangered bird species. The introduction of non-native plant material would probably not be allowed in any environmental review study. d , .~ :: • Page 5, Item to Meeting Date g 22 87 This site also received low desirability in size, availability due to ecological restraints and low rating in topography and agency involvement. The County is currently focusing its resources on the campground development above the Sweetwater Reservoir. To receive any cooperative efforts from the County on developing this alternate site, a change in County priorities would be necessary. 6. Otay Valley Most of the land in the study area of the Otay Valley is currently under private ownership. Usable land has been zoned for industrial and commercial uses and the cost of developable land in this region is relatively expensive. There is, however, vacant marginal territory located in the Otay River floodplain and associated wetlands that might be considered as an alternate garden park site. There are physical and regulatory constraints associated with development in this area however. The Otay River floodplain has been designated as a major wildlife and riparian habitat. It is subject to both Federal and State regulations which severely limit its use. Any specific plan proposal for the floodplain would require close coordination with the State and Federal authorities. Developing this area into parkland would be consistent with the purposes and goals outlined in the Montgomery Specific Plan (Draft) for thi s area. III. SUMMARY In analyzing the funding of the various sites identified above, there appears to be only two areas that would be conducive for a botanical garden site. These two sites are the E1 Rancho Del Rey area and the Rohr-Sweetwater Park which are owned by the City. Title to property would facilitate efforts to obtain state and federal grants for the development of the project. The E1 Rancho Del Rey location would probably be the most visible site from a main arterial roadway. In comparison to the Southwestern College site, the E1 Rancho Del Rey site would probably be rated slightly lower. The site at Southwestern has several of the elements desirable for creation of a botanical garden. The existing site at Southwestern would be rated high in size, topography and soil conditions on the rating matrix. Accessibility to the site is not as good due to the development of residential homes adjacent to the site. An access road to the site would transverse a condominium development. If this site was to be developed, the question of public access and parking would have to be resolved with the College District. There is a feasible alternative site so reversion of college property could take place without damaging the City future options future if it • desired to pursue the creation of a Botanical Garden. FISCAL IMPACT: Not applicable. WPC 0836R ~,.