HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1987/12/15 Item 20COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
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ITEM TITLE:
Meeting Date 12/15/87
SUBMITTED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
Public hearing to form Chula Vista Open Space Maintenance
District No. 17, Bel Air Ridge
Resolution ~3,3 ~ Establishing Open Space Maintenance
District No. 17 (Bel Air Ridge) contingent upon recordation of
a final subdivision map for sai property
Director of Public Works .,__
Director of Parks and Recr a on
City Manager ~t-~ (4/5ths Vote: Yes_No X )
The developer of Bel Air Ridge Subdivision has petitioned the City for the
formation of an open space maintenance district in accordance with the
criteria contained in the Municipal Code.
On November 24, 1987, the City Council set
a public hearing on the proposed formation
District No. 17. The boundaries of the
Attachment "A".
RECOMMENDATION: That Council:
Item 2D
December 15, 1987, as the date for
of Open Space District Maintenance
proposed district are shown on
1. Conduct the public hearing.
2. Adopt a resolution forming Open Space Maintenance District No. 17
contingent upon recordation of the Final Subdivision Map for the subject
property.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: The Planning Commission adopted a
resolution PCS-$7-7A on November 4, 1987, recommending the formation of an
open space maintenance district for Bel Air Ridge Subdivision.
DISCUSSION:
On June 16, 1987, the City Council approved the Tentative Map for Chula Vista
Tract 87-7, Bel Air Ridge Subdivision. The proposed subdivision is located on
the north side of East "J" Street, just west of Paseo Ladera and consists of
46 single family residential lots and one open space lot (Lot A). Lot A will
be 1.07 acres of primarily fill slope, approximately 90 feet in height, in the
south leg of Rice Canyon. Lot A will also contain a 48-inch storm drain which
collects the storm runoff from the subdivision and adjacent properties. The
outlet of the storm drain is near the bottom of the canyon.
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Page 2, Item 20
• Meeting Date?
Among the conditions of approval of the tentative map were the requirements
that the developer request that the subject property be included in an open
space district, and that the developer provide for maintenance of the outlet
of the storm drain. (The City will maintain the improved storm drain system
with General Fund monies.) Louis Cohen, the developer/owner of Bel Air Ridge
has submitted a letter dated August 21, 1987, in which he requests that the
subject property be included in an open space district.
The south leg of Rice Canyon, where the project is located, is typically a
narrow canyon with steep sides. There are very few places where a maintenance
vehicle can drive to the canyon bottom. Staff is of the opinion that, as
further development occurs adjacent to the canyon, the need to provide
maintenance to storm drain outlets and the canyon bottom will increase, and
that a comprehensive plan for such maintenance needs to be developed.
The proposed open space district would have two maintenance requirements: 1)
maintenance of the canyon vegetated areas (i.e., natural and manufactured
slopes), and 2) maintenance of storm drain outlets and the canyon bottom.
Initially, the maintenance will consist of maintenance of the slope contained
in Lot A of Bel Air Ridge Subdivision and maintenance of the outlet of the
storm drain to be constructed with the subdivision.
• Drainage Issues
The City is specifically identifying drainage maintenance as an item of work
in this open space district. Traditionally, open space district contractors,
besides maintaining landscaping and slopes, have maintained brow ditches.
However, until recently, they did not maintain other drainage facilities
(i.e., retention basins, outlet structures, natural vegetated lined
channels). Recent open space districts, for instance Bonita Long Canyon, do
provide for maintenance of the retention basin and canyon bottom channel by
the open space district.
It has always been City policy to maintain drainage facilities that were built
to City standards, i.e., concrete pipes or gunite channels. As the City has
been expanding into the eastern territories, many of the natural channels in
canyon bottoms will remain unpaved in order to retain a natural appearance and
allow wetland conditions to develop for preservation of wildlife. These
natural facilities will change in character from being dry most of the year,
except during rains, to being wet and damp all year long due to nuisance water
from developments upstream.
From a cost to property owner standpoint, in the past, developers were
required to install concrete improvements, which were expensive and those
costs were passed onto the homeowner in the price of the house. Natural
drainage facilities are cheaper to construct thus reducing the cost of
building a house, however, they are more expensive to maintain. Thus in
effect by including the maintenance as a responsibility of the property owner
• by being included in a maintenance district, capital costs (price of the
house) are lower while annual costs are increased by paying maintenance fees
as part of the open space district. Even in the new areas, all other drainage
facilities that are part of normal subdivision improvements, i.e., pipes and
concrete channels are still maintained by the City at the expense of the
general taxpayer.
Page 3, Item 20
• Meeting Date~fTT-/$7
Landscape Maintenance
The slope in Lot A is a fill slope, approximately 90 feet high, located on the
south slope of Rice Canyon (south leg). The top 10 feet of the slope is
private property (to allow for the construction of decks). The remaining
slope is located in Lot "A" and will be maintained by the open space
district. The slope is a non-irrigated slope, designed for low maintenance
requirements, but some maintenance (weed abatement, etc) is inevitable. The
developer's landscape architect estimates that the annual cost of maintaining
the slope will be $2,800 or $60.87 per lot. The cost per lot is expected to
diminish when subsequent developments are annexed to the district. Fee title
to Lot A will be granted to the City in conjunction with approval of the
Subdivision Map for Bel Air Ridge.
Maintenance District Drainage Costs
Maintenance of the outlet of the storm drain will contain two aspects: weed
abatement and erosion repair. In both aspects, design techniques are being
utilized to prevent the need for any major work. A rip rap energy dissipator
is to be constructed at the outlet to eliminate erosion problems, and the rock
will be grouted to prevent weeds from obstructing the outlet. Staff's concern
is that any construction in a watercourse must consider the unpredictable
• effects of large volumes of water and high velocities, and therefore, must
have some provision for maintenance.
Since the nature and frequency of occurrence of the maintenance requirements
for the outlet are unpredictable, it is difficult to realistically estimate
the cost of such maintenance. This aspect of maintenance does not easily
conform to normal open space contracting procedure. It is proposed that City
forces perform any needed maintenance that is beyond the scope of a normal
open space contract. A fund would be created for the purpose of reimbursing
the City for said work. The fund would be initially financed by the
developer, and would be replenished through tax assessments. The Public Works
Department, which will be performing the storm drain maintenance estimates
that the maintenance requirement will probably require one five-man crew-day
or approximately $900.00 per year. This would require an assessment of $19.56
per lot per year. The developer will deposit with the City $2,000 to create
the initial fund. Initially, there will be no assessment for maintenance of
the storm drain outlet. On a regular basis, the maintenance cost for the
storm drain outlet will be reviewed, and City costs for actual maintenance
performed will be reimbursed from the fund. The cost of that reimbursement
will then be passed on to the property owners in the form of increased
assessments. The total estimated assessments are shown on Attachment "6".
Open Space Maintenance Administration
The Public Works Department will assume total responsibility for the drainage
issue as it relates to the Open Space District administration while the Parks
• and Recreation Department will assume responsibility for administration of the
landscaping maintenance. Cleaning of brow ditches will still be done by the
landscape contractor.
Page 4, Item 20
• Meeting Date-T~TT~j$7
The boundary of the proposed open space district will be the subdivision
boundary of Chula Vista Tract 87-7 (Bel Air Ridge Subdivision). The district
will initially contain 46 single family lots and one open space lot (Lot A).
The adjacent undeveloped properties are owned by Rancho del Rey partnership,
and are currently identified as SPA II. Precisely when the adjacent
properties are to be developed is uncertain, but when such development occurs,
the properties will be required to annex to the proposed open space district,
and to participate in the development of a comprehensive plan for access and
maintenance of the canyon.
As of this time, the developer has not completed all of the requirements
necessary for approval of the Subdivision Map. There are numerous items
remaining to be completed, including offsite right-of-way, the subdivision
improvement agreements, bonds and fees. Fee interest to lot "A" is to be
granted to the City in conjunction with approval and recordation of the Final
Nlap for the subject property. Staff is of the opinion that the appropriate
action for the City Council to take is to hold the public hearing and, if
Council approves the Open Space District, to pass a resolution stating that
the district is formed contingent upon recordation of the Final Subdivision
Map for the subject property, and that if such map is not recorded prior to
expiration of the Tentative Map, said district shall be dissolved.
• Plats are available for Council viewing.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
JPL/mag:
WPC 3413E
Chula Vista, ~aiifornia
Dated