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[CALL TO ORDER]
ALL RIGHT, THANKS EVERYONE.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 28TH, 2026 FOR OUR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
WE WILL START HERE BY TAKING ROLE.
AND, UM, I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY I'M IN A ROOM BY MYSELF.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE, PRESENT.
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE INTO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MAKE COMMENTS ON ITEMS OF PUBLIC INTEREST THAT ARE WITHIN THE PLANNING COMMISSION SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON THE CURRENT AGENDA.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO UP TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON, AND DEPENDING ON HOW MANY FOLKS ARE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, TIME WILL BE ALLOCATED IN EQUAL SHARES TOTALING NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES.
SO I WILL OPEN UP GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND ASK THE SPEAKERS TO BRING THEIR CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY'VE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, NOT SEEING ANY, UH, CLERK.
HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING? WE RECEIVED ONE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PRIOR TO THE MEETING THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED ONLINE, UH, FOR VIEWING.
ANY IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FOR GENERAL? NONE.
THEN WE'LL CLOSE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND CONTINUE ON TO PRESENTATIONS.
UM, AS THERE ARE NO PRESENTATION ITEMS DURING THIS MEETING, WE WILL CLOSE THAT MEETING ITEM AND CONTINUE ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
UM, BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY MINUTES TO REVIEW DURING THIS MEETING, SO WE WILL CLOSE THAT AND
[1. Public Hearing – Conduct a Public Hearing, Receive Public Comment, Provide Feedback on the Draft General Plan and Associated Draft Environmental Impact Report, and Consider Resolutions Recommending that the City Council Direct Staff to Prepare a Final Environmental Impact Report, and Upon Certification of the FEIR, Adopt the General Plan. MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING ITEM WERE PUBLISHED ON 04-23-2026.]
MOVE FORWARD TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION.UM, AND THAT BRINGS US TO MEETING ITEM ONE, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, UH, THAT IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING, RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN, AND ASSOCIATED DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, AND CONSIDER RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND UPON CERTIFICATION OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, ADOPT THE GENERAL PLAN.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEAR HEARING AND THEREFORE DOES REQUIRE DISCLOSING ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.
SO I'LL LOOK UP AND DOWN TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT ANY.
IN THAT CASE, WE WILL INVITE THE STAFF TO PRESENT.
I'M A PRINCIPAL WITH REMY ASSOCIATES AND ALTA PLANNING AND DESIGN COMPANY, AND I HAVE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THE CITY'S TEAM THROUGHOUT THE UPDATE TO THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.
AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN THIS EVENING TO, UM, INTRODUCE YOU TO THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN AND THE DRAFT EIR YOU.
YOU HAD QUITE AN EXTENSIVE, UM, PACKET SHARED WITH YOU IN ADVANCE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.
SO THIS SHOULD BE, UH, YOU SHOULD ALREADY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PURPOSES OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, IT'S TO CONDUCT A HEARING FOR BOTH THE GENERAL DRAFT, GENERAL PLAN AND THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
AND THEN FOR EACH OF THEM, UH, PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT.
SO FIRST, FOR THE DRAFT, EIR, AND ALSO FOR THE DRAFT GP.
AND THEN FOR EACH, ADOPT A RESOLUTION IN THE CASE OF THE EIR RECOMMENDING PREPARATION OF A FINAL EIR.
AND IN THE CASE OF THE GENERAL PLAN, CONSIDER A RELU RESOLUTION ADOPTING, UM, OR RECOMMENDING ADOPTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
UPON CERTIFICATION OF THE FINAL EIR.
UM, WE HAVE SEVEN PARTS TO THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IT WILL NOT BE ALL THAT LONG.
UM, IN FACT, THE INITIAL PORTIONS FOCUSED ON THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN WILL BE RELATIVELY SHORT.
A LONGER VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION WAS SHARED IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PRESENT THAT ENTIRE PRESENTATION.
AND SO I'LL QUICKLY REFRESH PEOPLE ON THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE, UH, BEEN, UH, UNDERGOING FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT DRAFT GENERAL PLAN, RECAP AGAIN BRIEFLY THE STATUS OF SOME GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UM, ALSO BRIEFLY RECAP WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST TIME WE MET WITH YOU, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS BACK IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, UM, IN DECEMBER.
THEN THE COUNCIL MADE A FINAL SET OF, UM, PROVIDED A FINAL SET OF DIRECTION ON WHAT ADJUSTMENTS THEY WANTED IN
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THE, UM, GENERAL PLAN LAND USE MAP DESIGNATIONS AND MAP ITSELF.AND SO WE'LL QUICKLY SUMMARIZE THOSE FOR YOU, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED THAT EVENING IN YOUR MEETING PACKET.
AND THEN FINALLY, VERY BRIEFLY, POINT OUT A FEW WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN IDENTIFY, UM, HOW THE GENERAL PLAN ADDRESSES MANY OF THE TOPICS THAT WERE CONSISTENTLY HIGH PRIORITIES EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, SOME OF THOSE WERE IN SLIDES IN THE DRAFT, UH, PRESENTATION SHARED WITH YOU.
THERE'S ALSO, I'LL ALSO SHOW YOU A FEW SPOTS IN THE GENERAL PLAN WHERE YOU CAN FIND RELATED INFORMATION.
AT THAT POINT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OLIVIA AND MATT, WHO ARE HERE WITH US ALSO THIS EVENING, TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE FINDINGS FROM THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
AND THEN WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.
AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING, WE'LL BE AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, AT THIS POINT, YOU'VE SEEN THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A FIVE YEAR PROCESS FOR UPDATING THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, LARGELY FOLLOWING THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN.
UM, BUT ALSO, UM, THROUGHOUT WE TOOK A NUMBER OF, UH, RELATED, UM, KIND OF SIDE EFFORTS.
THE FIRST BEING THE HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BACK IN EARLY 2023.
UM, ALSO CONSIDERED PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND THEN, UM, THE CITY, AS YOU KNOW, ALSO DID SOME CITY SPECIFIC FLOOD MODELING TO MAKE SURE THAT FLOOD, UH, AND, UH, FLOOD HAZARD RE RESILIENCE, UH, POLICIES IN THE GENERAL PLAN, UH, TRULY REFLECTED THE BEST UNDERSTANDING OF PROJECTED FLOOD AND SEA LEVEL RISE IMPACTS.
ALSO DURING THE PROCESS, A BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION, SORRY, THERE'S A TYPO ON THE SLIDE, UM, WAS ADOPTED.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST ASSURE YOU NOW THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF REFERENCES TO THE BLUEPRINT IN THE GENERAL PLAN, A GREAT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EFFORT WAS MADE TO ENSURE THE TWO ARE CONSISTENT.
AND SO THERE'S BOTH TEXTUAL REFERENCES TO, UM, THE BLUEPRINT AND RELATED MEASURES IN THAT BLUEPRINT AND GOALS AND POLICIES IN THE GP, AS WELL AS LOTS OF CROSS REFERENCES TO PORTIONS OF THE BLUEPRINT THAT ARE RELATED TO, UH, PORTIONS OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO DURING THE PROCESS, THE, UH, COMMUNITY REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY, UH, THROUGH MEASURE Y, WHICH IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE VERY FRONT END OF THE LAND USE ELEMENT.
AND THEN, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S ALREADY BEGUN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE ZONING CODE, STARTING WITH SOME OF THE KEY IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES FROM THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
SO ALL THAT HAPPENED WHILE WE WENT THROUGH THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OR DISCOVERY PHASE, A VISIONING PHASE, A POLICY DEVELOPMENT PHASE, A PROCESS OF CONSIDERING DIFFERENT LAND USE CHANGE OPTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE RELEASED THE DRAFT, UM, PLAN AND EIR, AND NOW WE'RE GETTING DOWN THE PATH TO ADOPTION, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING FOR ALL OF US.
JUST TO QUICKLY RECAP, UM, SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU'VE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED, BOTH IN POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IN INFLUENCING THE SHAPE OF THE LAND USE MAP, THIS IS A QUICK RECAP OF KIND OF THE PROCESS WE FOLLOW TO DEVELOP EACH OF THE POLICY FRAMEWORKS.
UM, IT CAME TO YOU, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES, BOTH, I THINK IT WAS 13 FRAMEWORKS OTHER THAN LAND USE THAT YOU REVIEWED THOROUGHLY.
I THINK OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE MEETINGS, IT WAS, AND THEN TOOK TWO AT LEAST BYS AT THE APPLE REVIEWING THE LAND USE ELEMENT.
WHILE THOSE WERE ALL, UM, GOING ALSO THROUGH EXTENSIVE, UH, COMMITTEE, COMMISSION AND BOARD REVIEW, AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE, UH, PUBLIC REVIEW AND ALL THAT INPUT WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE, UH, BROUGHT TOGETHER AND COMPILED THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN THAT SOMEWHAT CONCURRENTLY THE PROCESS WAS UNDERWAY OF RECONSIDERING THE GENERAL PLAN, LAND USE MAP AND DESIGNATIONS.
UM, AS WITH THE POLICY FRAMEWORKS, WE TOUCHED BASE WITH YOU SEVERAL POINTS ALONG THE WAY, AGAIN, MOST RECENTLY IN NOVEMBER TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH ON THE COUNCIL'S FINAL, UM, DIRECTION RELATED TO DESIGNATIONS AND MAPPING.
YOU CAN THANK YOUR FANTASTIC CITY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR COMING UP WITH THIS INFOGRAPHIC, WHICH REALLY I THINK HELPS, UH, BRING HOME THE EXTENT TO WHICH THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY COMMUNITY DRIVEN, UM, 137 ODD.
I THINK IT'S MORE THAN ACTUALLY OPPORTUNITY EXPLICIT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE INPUT OVER THE COURSE OF 233 HOURS OF, UM, COMMITTEE COMMISSION OR COUNCIL, UH, MEETING TIME.
WE HEARD FROM THOUSANDS OF CITY RE RE UH, RESIDENTS, UM, IT'S NOT ON THIS IMAGE, BUT, UH, WE SET
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A NEW GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS RECORD OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR A GENERAL PLAN UPDATE WITH 40 GPAC MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIVE YEARS.UM, I THINK WE MAY HAVE ALSO SET A PLANNING COMMISSION RECORD.
I THINK WE TALKED WITH YOU ABOUT THE GENERAL PLAN 16 OVER THE COURSE OF 16 DIFFERENT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS, WHICH SAYS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT HOW SERIOUSLY THIS COMMUNITY TAKES, UM, COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN NA NATURE OF THIS PLANNING PROCESS, TOUCHING BASE, NOT JUST WITH AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE SET UP EXPLICITLY TO INFORM DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN, BUT ALSO WITH THE NORMAL, UH, BODY WHOSE ROLE IT IS EXPLICITLY TO EXPLICITLY TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL ON ON LAND USE AND PLANNING DECISIONS.
SO WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE, AS I NOTED TO, TO ADOPTION AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING.
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AT A MEETING CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 18TH.
AND THEN, UH, BASED ON THE OUTCOMES TONIGHT AND THAT MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON MAY 18TH, UM, WE'LL BE HEADING TOWARDS ADOPTION OF THE GP AND CERTIFICATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.
QUICK, UM, OVERVIEW OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO ANY GREAT DETAIL, BUT JUST WANT TO GIVE, UH, FOLKS A SENSE OF SOME OF THE ORGANIZATION OF IT, HOW TO NAVIGATE IT, HOW TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND.
WHAT IS A RELATIVELY DENSE DOCUMENT.
THE, THE FIRST TWO AND THE SEVENTH ARE REALLY DESIGNED TO SUPPORT USERS' NAVIGATION OF THE PLAN, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN AFTER ADOPTION.
THE INTRODUCTION IS DESIGNED TO BE VERY SHORT AND SWEET, UH, EASY TO PICK UP AND FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU CAN FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE GENERAL PLAN.
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, LIKEWISE, IS DESIGNED TO GIVE A USER A VERY QUICK HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN SAYS AND DOES.
AND THEN CHAPTER SEVEN IS, UM, FAIRLY UNIQUE.
I'M NOT SURE I KNOW OF MANY OTHER GENERAL PLANS THAT HAVE AN ELEMENT DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO IMPLEMENTATION AND GOVERNANCE.
A LOT OF THE, THE IDEA FOR THAT CAME FROM A LOT OF, UM, IN SOME RESPECTS, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATION FOLKS HAD WITH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GENERAL PLAN HISTORICALLY.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A CLEAR PATHWAY FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PLAN ITSELF.
THAT CHAPTER IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY AN APPENDIX, UM, THAT OUTLINES IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL SOME OF THE KEY STEPS TO SUPPORT THAT IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AS DEFINED IN THAT ELEMENT.
AND THEN THE CORE OF THE ELEMENT IS CHAPTERS, UH, 3, 4, 5, AND SIX, WHICH I'LL, UH, PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF BRIEFLY, KIND OF AS A, AS AN INTEGRATED PACKAGE.
UM, SO WE, IN CONVERSATION WITH A GENERAL PLAN, UH, GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THOUGHT IT'D BE HELPFUL TO ORGANIZE THE GENERAL PLAN IN TERMS OF, UM, KIND OF THE FUNDAMENTAL, UM, LAYERS OF WHAT MAKES UP FOR A, UH, SUSTAINABLE, HEALTHY, COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
SO STARTING REALLY AT THAT BOTTOM FOUNDATIONAL LAYER IS CHAPTER THREE, WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE NATURAL RESOURCE SPACE THAT THE CITY, UM, IS BUILT UPON.
SO YOU HAVE THAT NATURAL FEATURES ELEMENT THAT TOUCHES ON, UH, ALL THE CRITICAL ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES THAT WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY VERY MUCH WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UH, THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT LIKEWISE, UM, ARE A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT, AS WELL AS SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND, UM, HUMAN CONTROL, MOST NOTABLY NATURAL HAZARDS.
AND, AND THEN THERE'S A FLOOD RESILIENCE CHAPTER, UH, UH, AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE KNOWN IMPACTS OF BOTH, UH, HISTORIC AND PROJECTED FUTURE FLOODING ON THE CITY.
SO THAT KIND OF SERVES AS THE, THE, THE FOUNDATION THAT DEFINES KIND OF THE PLANNING ENVELOPE, IF, IF YOU WILL, THE AREAS IN WHICH YOU, IT REALLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE THEN TO PLAN FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
AND SO LAYERED ON TOP OF THAT IS THE LAND USE ELEMENT AND THE HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH, WHICH REALLY DEFINE THE, THE AREAS IN WHICH THE PRIMARILY PRIVATE MARKET THEN, UM, WILL, WILL BE, UH, ALLOWED TO AND ENCOURAGED TO, UM, DEVELOP HOUSING AND NON-RESIDENTIAL AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN BASED ON THAT SETTLEMENT PATTERN DEFINED IN THOSE TWO ELEMENTS, UM, WE CRAFT THE SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED TO MAKE FOR A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
SO CERTAINLY TRANSPORTATION, UM, BUT ALSO PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES, INCLUDING WATER AND WASTEWATER.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE IDEA IS THAT IF YOU GET ALL THAT RIGHT, UM, WHAT WILL EMERGE ORGANICALLY WILL BE A VIBRANT ECONOMY, A VIBRANT ARTS AND CULTURAL, UH, UH, SENSE OF COMMUNITY, A HEALTHY AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, UH, AND, UH, LOW LEVELS OF NOISE.
AND WE GOT, I NEVER, I NEVER KNOW QUITE HOW TO
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FRAME THE NOISE ELEMENT.IT'S REQUIRED ELEMENT, BUT, BUT THAT TOO SHOULD BE MITIGATED IF ALL THE OTHER PIECES FALL TOGETHER NICELY.
AND THEN FINALLY ON TOP, UH, AS I NOTED IS, IS IF WE GET ALL THAT RIGHT AND HAVE ALL THE, THE POLICIES AND GOALS SET UP CORRECTLY AND HAVE A, HAVE A CLEAR PLAN THEN FOR IMPLEMENTATION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THIS CLEAR VISION THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS, UM, ESTABLISHED AND IS ARTICULATED IN THE, AND THE WHOLE GENERAL PLAN IS, IS INTENDED TO, UH, REALIZE, UM, SO QUICKLY EACH CHAPTER IS GENERALLY ORGANIZED IN A SIMILAR FASHION.
UH, THERE'S A TABLE OF CONTENTS.
AND SO EACH, EACH SECTION HAS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HOW THE ELEMENT IS ORGANIZED, UH, BACKGROUND AND CONTRACT CONTEXT SECTION THAT SUMMARIZES THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE RELATED TO THE ELEMENT, AS WELL AS A RECAP OF THE, THE VISION PILLARS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UM, THAT DROVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ELEMENT.
AND THEN A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE, THE WAY IN WHICH THE GOALS SINCE POLICIES ARE INTENDED TO ACHIEVE, UH, TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE, THE VISION, UM, AND THEN THE DETAILED GOALS, POLICIES AND ACTIONS THEMSELVES.
AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE ELEMENTS, SOMETIMES THERE'S END NOS AND THEN FIGURES AND TABLES.
SO AS I NOTED, THE BACKGROUND SECTION COVERS KIND OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, EXISTING CONDITIONS, VISION PILLARS, GUIDING PRINCIPLES, STRATEGY SUMMARY.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S A CONSISTENT LAYOUT.
YOU'LL FIND A, A GOAL, UH, CLEARLY ARTICULATED ON A PAGE.
AND THEN, UH, IN THE REDDISH MAROON COLOR, UM, THE POLICIES AND THEN THE ACTION ITEMS IN TEXT.
ONE QUICK NOTE THAT THE GOALS AND POLICIES HAVE WHAT WE CALL SIGNPOSTS.
THAT IS LIKE SHORT PHRASES DESCRIBED TO CAPTURE THE INTENT, BUT THE ACTUAL GOAL AND POLICY TEXT IS THE TEXT THAT FOLLOWS THAT SIGNPOST.
AND THEN JUST GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE TWO MAIN THINGS THAT ARE, UM, INCLUDED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION ELEMENT AND IN THE SUPPORTING APPENDIX.
ONE IS A, WHAT WE CALL AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
YOU'VE HAD SOMETHING SIMILAR SINCE THE, UH, FOR YOUR CURRENT GENERAL PLAN.
THE INTENT IS TO HAVE A COMPLETE, UM, MATRIX THAT'S ACTUALLY SET UP AS AN EXCEL, UH, SPREADSHEET WHERE YOU CAN SORT BY ELEMENT ACTION NUMBER, WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING'S A EIR MITIGATION MEASURE, ET CETERA, UM, AND USE IT AS A MEANS TO TRACK AND PRIORITIZE ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT I BELIEVE ARE UPWARDS OF A THOUSAND DIFFERENT ACTIONS IN YOUR GENERAL PLAN.
SO THE INTENT IS FOR STAFF TO USE THAT AN ONGOING BASIS AND TO SUPPORT THE, UH, REGULAR UPDATES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE ELEMENT, UH, TO, UH, THE COUNT, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO INFORM ANNUAL PRIORITIZATION.
I THINK I'M NOW GONNA PASS IT TO HEATHER, WHO'S GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON, UH, IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
YEAH, SO AS RON MENTIONED, UM, THERE'S A THOUSAND ACTIONS IN THE GENERAL PLANS.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK AHEAD FOR THE CITY, UM, FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY INITIATED, UM, AND ARE ALREADY, UM, STAFF, STAFF RESOURCES AND FOCUS, UH, ONE BEING THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.
SO THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL, UM, UPDATES MOST RECENTLY, THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE THAT HAVE ALREADY COME THROUGH.
WE ALSO HAD A STUDY SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT KIND OF THE APPROACH, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE ENTIRE ZONING CODE AND HOW TO PHASE IT AND FOCUSES ON IT, UM, WITHIN THE UPDATES.
SO ADDITIONAL PHASES WILL BE COMING FORWARD AND WE, UM, WILL BE MAKING FORWARD, UH, MOVEMENT ON THAT UPDATE.
PETALUMA NORTH STATION SPECIFIC PLAN.
THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT IS DISCUSSED IN THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, AS, AS A, AS A FOLLOW-UP IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS WAS FUNDED BY, UM, GRANT FROM, UM, MTC ABA, AND IT'S REALLY TO CREATE, UM, THE POLICY WITHIN THE DESIGNATED PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREA AROUND THE NORTH STATION.
SO EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP HELD, UM, IN MARCH.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO GET IN INVOLVED WITH THIS AND HAVE NOT YET, THE WEBSITE IS THERE, UM, TO JOIN, TO JOIN THAT EFFORT.
NEXT SLIDE, CENTRAL PETALUMA SPECIFIC PLAN.
ALSO, UM, GRANT FUNDED TO UPDATE THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, AND THAT IS SET TO KICK OFF, UM, MID MID-YEAR.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT BENCH
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THAT WAS SELECTED BY MTC, UM, AND, AND STARTING TO GET THAT SCOPE IN ORDER, UM, TO KICK THAT EFFORT OFF.AND THEN FAIRGROUNDS MASTER PLAN, UM, THIS IS VERY MUCH UNDERWAY.
I BELIEVE EVEN THE CONSULTANT SELECTION IS BEFORE COUNCIL ON MONDAY, UM, TO KICK OFF THAT, UM, PROCESS TO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THE PLAN FOR THE FAIRGROUNDS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY I'LL TOUCH ON INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT NEXT STEP WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, IS TO UPDATE THE CITY'S, UM, DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES.
SO THAT IS A PROCESS WHERE WE WILL BE LOOKING AT UPDATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UM, DOING NEXUS FEE STUDIES, AND ALL OF THAT WILL, UM, COME TOGETHER WITH THE UPDATED DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES, UM, THAT WILL, UM, HELP THE CITY FINANCE SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE GOALS, UM, TO IMPLEMENT THE VISION OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND IT BACK TO RON TO SUMMARIZE, UM, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION ON LAND USE.
YEAH, AND I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES BEFORE HANDING OFF TO OLIVIA AND, UM, MATT TO, UH, DISCUSS THE EIR.
SO, UM, AS I, AS WE NOTED A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY, WE LAST MET WITH YOU IN NOVEMBER.
UM, SO YOU HAD A CHANCE TO INFORM THE COUNCIL'S DECISION, UH, FINAL DIRECTION ON THE LAND USE MAP AND DESIGNATIONS, AND YOU HAVE THE RESOLUTION IN YOUR MEETING PACKET.
BUT, UM, BOTTOM LINE IS THEY DID, THEY WANT MADE A FEW FINAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LAND USE ELEMENT POLICIES.
ONE CAME STRAIGHT FROM A GPAC RECOMMENDATION TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE DON'T CONVERT COMPLETELY EXISTING I IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL CLUB CLUB, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, HUBS, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT TO HOUSING.
THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE RETAIN THEM A MIX OF USE AT THOSE HUBS.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, COUNCIL REQUESTED THAT WE BE EXPLICITLY INCLUDE, UM, A POLICY IN THE LAND USE ELEMENT TO ESTABLISH A 2,800 SQUARE FOOT, UH, MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
AND THEN ALSO ONE FINAL, UH, REQUEST FROM COUNCIL WAS TO, UH, AS PART OF THE CODE UPDATES INCLUDE A PROVISION TO ALLOW HEIGHT EXCEPTIONS FOR ROOF ACTIVATION, AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO THE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS AND MAP, UM, BASED ON BOTH THE GPAC AND YOUR CO UH, RECOMMENDATION AT THAT NOVEMBER MEETING, COUNSEL AGREED TO RE UH, ADD THE STATION MIXED USE DESIGNATION AND THEN APPLY IT IN A SINGLE LOCATION IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE SMART STATION DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN TO, TO COMPLIMENT THAT, ALSO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE DESIGNATIONS ON SOME OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, INCREASE SLIGHTLY THE ALLOWABLE DENSITY OF THE LUCKY SHOPPING CENTER, UM, AREA THAT'S IDENTIFIED ALSO AS A 15 MINUTE ACTIVITY CENTER UP ON PETALUMA BOULEVARD NORTH.
THERE WERE SOME, A HANDFUL OF OTHER THINGS, BUT YOU HAVE THE COMPLETE LIST IN THE RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THIS IS IT, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY POINT OUT FOR YOU, THERE'S, IT'S SUCH A VOLUMINOUS IN, IN MANY WAYS, COMPLEX, UM, GENERAL PLAN.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH A DIFFERENT CO A COUPLE DIFFERENT EXERCISES TO HELP PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHERE TO FIND WHAT THEY'RE MOST INTERESTED IN.
SO IN YOUR SLIDE DECK THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA SHARE ALL THE SLIDES OF TONIGHT, THERE WAS ONE, UM, BASICALLY A SET ASIDE THAT SUMMARIZES WHAT'S OTHERWISE ON THE WEBSITE THAT, UH, ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN IS BASICALLY KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW OF MANY OF THESE HIGH PRIORITY TOPICS THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS, SUMMARIZING WHAT WE'VE HEARD, AND THEN HOW THE GENERAL PLAN EXPLICITLY ADDRESSES THAT.
SO THERE'S KIND OF THAT RECAP IN THE SLIDES IN YOUR PACKET.
I WANNA NOTE TOO, THAT THERE'S A COUPLE TOOLS IN THE GENERAL PLAN ITSELF TO ALSO HELP FIND DIFFERENT TOPICS IN THE VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH THE GENERAL PLAN ADDRESSES THEM.
ONE IS APPENDIX B, WHERE THERE'S, UM, POLICIES ORGANIZED IN TWO DIFFERENT WAY, ONE BY 18 DIFFERENT TOPICS AND THE OTHER BY THE 16 DIFFERENT SUB AREAS IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO KNOWING THAT THERE'S SO MUCH INTEREST, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY AT PRESERVING NATURAL SYSTEMS, UM, AT THE FRONT END OF THE NATURAL FEATURES ELEMENT ON PAGES ONE DASH TWO THROUGH ONE DASH FOUR, WE ALSO SUMMARIZED HOW NATURAL FEATURES AND SYSTEMS ARE PROTECTED AND PRESERVED ACROSS THE GENERAL PLAN TO SU TO SUPPLEMENT AND COMPLIMENT WHAT'S IN THE NATURAL FEATURES ELEMENT.
REALLY WHAT THE RECOGNITION IS, IS THAT THOUGH THERE ARE THE OR GENERAL PLAN IS ORGANIZED BY ELEMENT, NO
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SINGLE TOPIC LIVES IN ANY SINGULAR PLACE ACROSS THE GENERAL PLAN.UH, IN MANY CASES, A TOPIC ADDRESSES, UH, IS, IS ADDRESSED IN MULTIPLE ELEMENTS.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO HELP DEFINE THAT COMPLETE PICTURE THAT OF, OF ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH THE GENERAL PLAN ADDRESSES A PARTICULAR TOPIC OF INTEREST.
AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO OLIVIA AND MATT, WHO ARE GONNA GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THE DRAFT EIRI.
I AM A PRINCIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER.
UM, AND AS RON MENTIONED, UM, BOTH, UH, MATT AND I WILL BE CO-PRESENTING, UM, THIS SECTION OF THE STAFF REPORT THAT FOCUSES ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, UH, THAT WAS CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, UH, AS A PROGRAM LEVEL DOCUMENT.
SO STARTING OFF REALLY BIG PICTURE, WHAT IS CQA? THAT IS THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, UH, ABBREVIATED CQA.
IT'S SET FORTH IN THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE AND IT ESTABLISHES, UM, BOTH PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT MUST BE CARRIED OUT AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, EQA IS A PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS.
IT DOES MANDATE VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINES, NOTICES, AND PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT, UH, MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO TAKING ANY DISCRETIONARY ACTION ON A, ON A PROJECT.
UH, AND THESE ARE ALL COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS THOSE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS.
UH, AND THEN THERE ARE SPECIFIC SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS.
THOSE ARE THE, THE DETAILS, THE, UM, PROJECT DESCRIPTION, THOSE ARE THE FINDING STATEMENTS AND THE, UM, EVALUATION AND IMPACT ANALYSIS.
SO AGAIN, THE CENTRAL PURPOSE OF CQA IS TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMED DECISION MAKING SO THAT DECISION MAKERS AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF, UM, THE ACTION THAT THEY ARE DECIDING ON, ON.
UH, SO IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN EIR IS, THIS IS A BROAD PROGRAM LEVEL ANALYSIS.
IT DOES NOT EVALUATE AT THE SITE SPECIFIC OR PARCEL SPECIFIC LEVEL.
RATHER IT TAKES THAT, UM, BIG 30,000 FOOT VIEW TO CONSIDER THOSE GENERAL POLICY IMPLE IMPLEMENT, UH, IMPLICATIONS.
AND SO THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAY HAVE SEEN ON PROJECT LEVEL ANALYSIS WHERE YOU UNDERSTAND AND HAVE CERTAINTY.
EIR RECOGNIZES THAT THERE ARE THESE UNCERTAINTIES AT THE BROAD SCALE AND ACROSS THE LONG RANGE OF THAT PLANNING HORIZON.
SO IT MAKES THOSE IMPACT DETERMINATIONS AND TALKS ACCORDINGLY ABOUT THOSE IMPACTS.
UM, IT DOES, UH, GO INTO DETAIL AND ANALYZE AND EVALUATE WHAT IS REASONABLY FORESEEABLE, DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT DOES ANTICIPATE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT REFLECTIVE OF THOSE PROPOSED LAND USE DESIGNATIONS, AND, UM, RECOGNIZES THAT REDEVELOPMENT MAINTENANCE, UM, ONGOING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE, ARE ROUTINE PART OF THOSE ACTIVITIES AND IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES THAT, UM, DO HAPPEN AS PART OF GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS THE, EACH OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TOPIC AREAS THAT ARE DISCUSSED IN THE EIR.
THIS DOES, UH, MIRROR AND REFLECT THE APPENDIX G CHECKLIST.
UM, AND EACH OF THESE HAS A, UH, AN IMPACT DETERMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH IT, RANGING FROM NO IMPACT TO POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES THE LESS SIGNIFICANT, THE, UM, POTENTIALLY, UH, LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION, AND THEN THE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE.
UM, I'M GONNA PROVIDE, UH, A, UH, OVERVIEW OF HOW THE EIR, THE DRAFT DIR IS STRUCTURED.
SO, UH, UPFRONT YOU HAVE A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
THIS PRESENTS A, UM, NICE GO-TO TABLE THAT, UM, PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF EACH OF THE IMPACTS AND, UM, AND ITS LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AS WELL AS THE MITIGATION.
UH, THE DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION IS PRESENTED IN CHAPTER TWO.
UH, HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE GENERAL PLAN.
THE PROJECT HERE FOR QUA IS THE GENERAL PLAN.
UH, CHAPTER THREE IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING.
THIS IS WHAT ESTABLISHES THAT, UM, BASELINE, THAT FOUNDATION OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS BASED ON.
THAT'S BOTH THE EXISTING PHYSICAL CONTEXT AS WELL AS THE REGULATORY, UM, CONDITIONS.
SO, UM, UH, CHAPTER FOUR IS, UH, ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, IMPACT CHAPTER.
SO EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES THAT I SHOWED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, UM, AND THAT FOLLOWS A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION IN EACH CHAPTER.
IT PRESENTS THE SETTING, UH, IMPACTS DISCUSSION AND IDENTIFIES ANY MITIGATION MEASURES, UM, ALL OF THE POLICIES THAT WOULD AVOID OR REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS.
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IT PRESENTS A, AN IMPACT DETERMINATION.THERE'S ALSO A CUMULATIVE IMPACT, UH, ANALYSIS IN EACH CHAPTER AND AN ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS.
UM, THE APPENDICES AND ALL OF THE AM INFORMATION REFERENCED AND PACKAGED, UM, WITHIN THERE IS ALL PART OF THAT SUBSTANTIVE, UM, COMPONENT OF, OF CE QA THAT CE Q MANDATES.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT PROCEDURAL SLIDE, UH, SIDE OF THE EQUATION IN TERMS OF WHAT PROCESS HAS HAPPENED, UH, FROM START TO FINISH HERE, WHICH INITIATED WITH THE NOTICE OF PREPARATION, UM, THAT WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC, UH, REVIEW PROCESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
DURING THAT TIME, A, A SCOPING MEETING WAS HELD AND COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED AND COLLECTED THAT WERE, UM, THEN INFORMED THE ANALYSIS IN THE DRAFT.
DIR UH, THE DRAFT DIR IS NOW PUBLISHED AND AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT.
WE ARE IN THAT STAGE OF THE PROCESS WHERE WE ARE, UH, SOLICITING AND RECEIVING INPUT ON THE CONTENTS OF THE DRAFT DIR, UM, BOTH FROM THE PUBLIC COMMISSION COUNCIL AS WELL AS PUBLIC AGENCIES.
UM, AND, UH, THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S HEARING IS TO RECEIVE THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE, UM, PREPARATION OF THE FINAL EIR AND THAT WILL BE, UM, CONSIDERED BY COUNSEL FOR CERTIFICATION WITH, UM, THAT'S MY NEXT, NEXT SLIDE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE, UM, SOME OF THE, A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FINDINGS OF THE EIR, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF, UH, COMPARISONS BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN THAT WAS CERTIFIED, UM, PRE 2010, AND THE DRAFT EIR THAT'S NOW BEFORE YOU.
SO THIS, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY VERY MANY, MANY OTHER ONES, BUT THIS JUST GIVES A LITTLE SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE BIG, UH, CHANGES.
BUT THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT THIS NEW DRAFT, EIR, BRINGS THE CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS FOR A GENERAL PLAN, UM, UP TO DATE.
IT USES BEST PRACTICES, IT USES CURRENT METHODOLOGY, IT REFLECTS THE LATEST MODELING AND PROJECTIONS, UM, AND INCORPORATES CHANGES IN STATE REGULATION REGARDING HOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ARE EVALUATED.
UM, JUST LIKE THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN, THE DRAFT DIR DOES IDENTIFY A RANGE OF IMPACTS, UH, RANGING AGAIN FROM THE NO IMPACT UP TO THE, UH, SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE.
UH, SO JUST VERY BRIEFLY, THIS GIVES A QUICK, UH, REMINDER OF THOSE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS THAT WERE, UH, ADOPTED AS PART OF THE, THE CERTIFIED, UH, EIR AND THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN.
AND, UM, AS YOU ARE, YOU WILL HEAR SHORTLY, THERE ARE, UH, SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE, UH, FINDINGS IN THIS GENERAL PLAN AS WELL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT THESE ARE, UH, NOT UNCOMMON WITH THIS HIGH LEVEL AND, UM, BROAD, UH, ANALYSIS.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU SEE IN, UH, GENERAL PLAN EIR THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
SO THOSE ARE JUST REFERENCED AND, UM, LISTED HERE.
SO, UM, FOR, BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO MATT TO GO INTO THE DETAIL, UM, JUST THAT I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE, UM, FINDINGS AT THAT GENERAL PLAN LEVEL, UM, ARE COMMON, GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROGRAM LEVEL ANALYSIS.
AGAIN, IT'S THAT LENGTH OF TIME UNDER WHICH IT WILL BUILD OUT, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONTEXT MAY CHANGE OVER TIME.
UM, AND SO EVEN WHEN THE MOST RIGOROUS POLICIES AND MITIGATION ARE APPLIED, YOU MAY END UP WITH A A SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE.
SO, UM, THAT'S A LITTLE PREVIEW OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IN A MINUTE ABOUT, UH, THE DETAILS OF THE IMPACT FINDINGS, UH, FOR THE GENERAL PLANNING IR, AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MATT TO TALK THROUGH THIS.
JUST A QUICK REMINDER AND MAYBE GOING BACK A COUPLE SLIDES.
UM, THAT AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT 19 D DIFFERENT ISSUE AREAS THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE AND IF THERE IS AN IMPACT, IDENTIFY MITIGATION MEASURES, UH, TO REDUCE OR AVOID THOSE IMPACTS.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT ARE NOT ALL 19, WE'RE JUST FOCUSING ON THOSE ONES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS SIGNIFICANT AND THAT MITIGATION WAS REQUIRED.
FOR THE FIRST ONES THAT WE'VE LISTED, UM, THEY ARE CONSIDERED LESS SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION APPLIED.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONES BEFORE YOU'RE ON THE SCREEN, INCLUDING AIR QUALITY AS IT RELATES TO CONSTRUCTION EMISSIONS AND OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO SENSITIVE RECEPTORS, SENSOR RECEPTORS ARE ANY, UM, CLOSE, UH, ARE SENSITIVE RECEPTORS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A PROJECT.
UM, BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ARE AS IT RELATES TO SENSITIVE SPECIES AND, AND IN PARTICULAR, MIGRATORY BIRDS, CULTURAL RESOURCES RELATED TO ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS.
UM, GEOLOGISTS, SOILS RELATED TO PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES, UM, THERE IS SOME
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CONFUSION THERE.OFTEN FOLKS THINK OF PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES AS PART OF CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR SAL PURS PURPOSES BECAUSE IT'S SOIL RELATED, IT'S LISTED IN THE GEOLOGY AND SOILS SECTION, BUT IT ACTUALLY APPLIES SOME OF THE SAME MITIGATION, UH, TO REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS.
UH, FOR NOISE, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP AS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A NOISE ELEMENT, PART OF IT, UH, CONSTRUCTION RELATED, GROUND BORN, GROUND BORN VIBRATION, UM, IS A MITIGATION MEASURE.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CONSTRUCTION RELATED, UH, NOISE AS IT RELATES TO SIGNIFICANT UN AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS, AND THEN TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND THAT'S SPECIFIC TO CONSTRUCTION THAT MAY IMPACT, UH, RELATED TRIBAL RESOURCES.
SO NOW JUMPING IN AND DIVING A LITTLE IN MORE DETAIL, THE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING AS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT HISTORIC RESOURCES.
UH, SINCE THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN COVERS THE ENTIRE PLANNING AREA OVER A 25 YEAR PERIOD, THE CITY CANNOT, AT THIS TIME GUARANTEE THAT EVERY FUTURE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT OR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT CAN AVOID IMPACTS TO HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THAT INCLUDES BOTH DEMOLITION OF A, OF A POTENTIAL HISTORIC RESOURCE OR DAMAGE TO A HISTORIC RESOURCE.
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GENERAL PLAN WITH THE, UH, EMPHASIS ON INFILL IN THE, IN THE EXISTING URBANIZED AREAS, THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT EXISTING HISTORIC RESOURCES OR RESOURCES THAT MAY BECOME HISTORIC IN THE FUTURE OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS, UM, COULD BE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED.
AND WE CAN'T DISCLOSE WHERE AND WHEN EVERY ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES MAY BE.
THE OTHER PIECE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS THAT IF JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NOT CONSIDERED HISTORIC NOW DOESN'T MEAN IT WON'T BE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME IN CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA LAW, ANY STRUCTURE THAT'S AGED 50 YEARS OR OLDER IS POTENTIALLY HISTORIC AND REQUIRES SOME LEVEL OF REVIEW TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NOT A HISTORIC RESOURCE ON THAT SITE FOR OUR PURPOSES IN THE THRESHOLD WE TYPICALLY USE AS 45 YEARS OR OLDER TO BE CONSERVATIVE IN THAT APPROACH.
SO THINK ABOUT THAT OVER THE LIFE OF A 25 YEAR PROJECT, UH, PROJECT THAT WAS BUILT IN THE YEAR 2006 MAY BECOME HISTORIC OVER THE NEXT 40, OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
SO, UM, SOMETHING JUST TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE NEXT ISSUE AREA THAT WE FOCUSED ON, UM, IS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
AND THAT MAY COME OF SURPRISE CONSIDERING THE BLUEPRINT THAT WAS ADOPTED AND, AND, UM, AND THAT IS IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE GENERAL PLAN.
I WANNA PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT AS TO WHY WE ULTIMATELY DETERMINED IT WAS SIGNIFICANT, UNAVOIDABLE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING WITH A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
UH, THE BLUEPRINT ESTABLISHES A PATHWAY TOWARD CARBON NEUTRALITY AND KEEPS, UH, IN KEEPING BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND STATE TARGETS, WHICH IS THE THRESHOLD THAT WE, UH, FOLLOW IN FOR SQL LAW.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE CITY'S BLUEPRINT IS ACTUALLY GONNA GO BEYOND WHAT THE, WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES, WHICH IS 40% BELOW 1990 LEVELS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND THEN CARBON ON A PATHWAY TO CARBON NEUTRALITY BY THE YEAR 2045.
HOWEVER, UM, RIGHT AT THE MOMENT, THE GSG REDUCTIONS BUILT INTO THE BLUEPRINT CAN'T, CANNOT BE FULLY GUARANTEED, LARGELY BECAUSE OF SOME RECENT STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS, AS WELL AS SOME EXISTING CASE LAW, UM, THAT LIMITS PETALUMA'S ABILITY TO ADOPT STRICTER LOCAL BUILDING REGULATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO, TO IMPLEMENT THE MEASURES BUILT INTO THE BLUEPRINT AND THEREFORE MEET STATE TARGETS.
UM, IF STATE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION TARGETS ARE NOT MET, THE IMPACT IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNAVOIDABLE.
SO WE HAVE CONSERVATIVELY, I LANDED ON THAT REALM, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICIES CONSIDERED WITHIN THE BLUEPRINT ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
SO IF POLITICALLY THINGS CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE OR SOME CASE LAW CHANGES, WE CAN EV EASILY REVERT BACK TO THAT AND GET THE BENEFITS AND, AND REDUCE THAT IMPACT TO LESS SIGNIFICANT.
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, IT IS SIGNIFICANT, UNAVOIDABLE.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, RON.
UM, NOISE IS SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP EARLIER.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT GROUND BOARD VIBRATION, WHICH IS MITIGATABLE TO A LESS SIGNIFICANT LEVEL.
UM, THIS IMPACT IN PARTICULAR IS RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION RELATED NOISE LOCATED WITHIN 500 FEET OF NOISE SENSITIVE LAND USES BECAUSE NOISE IS A TEMPORARY CONDITION THAT MAY HAVE, UH, UH, EXTREME NOISE DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THE CITY HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO TRY AND LIMIT THAT BY, UH, ADVISING ON CONSTRUCTION HOURS AND REDUCING THINGS.
BUT THERE ARE NO, UM, WHILE THERE ARE MITIGATION MEASURES TO REDUCE MEASURES IN SOME, IN, IN, IN, IN MANY WAYS, WE CAN'T SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT IT WILL ALWAYS EX, UH, BE REDUCED TO BELOW THRESHOLD LEVELS AND THEREFORE IT'S DETERMINED TO BE SIGNIFICANT UN WILL THAT IS FAIRLY TYPICAL FOR MOST GENERAL PLANS.
AS NOTED IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS 2008 GENERAL PLAN, THAT WAS ALSO THE CASE.
UM, SO WHILE THE CITY IS DOING EVERYTHING ON ITS PART, BOTH
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IN THE NOISE ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN, AND AS PART OF MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE EIR, UH, THE IMPACT STILL REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT NO, AN UNAVOIDABLE.THE LAST ONE TO DISCUSS IS TRANSPORTATION.
UM, SIMILAR TO THE, UH, GSG RELATED QUESTION IN THE BLUEPRINT, WE ALSO HAVE A KIND OF AN INTERESTING SCENARIO HERE IN THAT THE CITY IS DOING EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER THROUGHOUT THE CIRCULATION ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, THROUGH A NUMBER OF STUDIES TO REDUCE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, WHICH IS THE QUA THRESHOLD THAT IS BEFORE US TO TRY AND REDUCE.
UM, HOWEVER, UH, DUE TO A VARIETY OF, OF, UM, CONDITIONS WITHIN PETALUMA, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE A, A FULL REDUCTION CONSISTENT WITH STATE TARGETS.
UM, WE CALL THIS THE VMT PARADOX, THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE STRONG POLICIES, THEY DON'T FULLY OFFSET REGIONAL TRAVEL PATTERNS.
UM, AND THEREFORE THAT THAT IS WHERE WE LAND.
SO AS NOTED IN THE SECOND BULLET THERE, DUE TO REGIONAL COMMUTES THAT ARE FAIRLY TYPICAL IN PETALUMA TO MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS LIKE MARIN, SAN FRANCISCO AND SANTA ROSA, UH, WE HAVE A HARD TIME KIND OF DEMONSTRATING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE VMT BELOW WHAT THE STATE TARGETS ARE, AND THEREFORE IT'S LANDED ON, UM, A SIGNIFICANT UNAVOIDABLE IMPACT THAT ALL THAT BEING SAID, LIKE GREENHOUSE GASES, THE CITY IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING ITS V ITS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN.
SO I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT POINT.
UH, SO BEFORE YOU, THERE ARE THE THREE ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT WERE LISTED.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA WRAP UP BY, UH, REITERATING WHAT OLIVIA ALLUDED TO, WHICH IS FOR LONG RANGE CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS, LIKE A GENERAL PLAN, SIGNIFICANT UN UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS ARE NOT UNCOMMON.
THE REASON WHY WE LAND THAT WAY IS IT ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE CITY SOME BENEFIT MOVING FORWARD.
IT PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE TRADE-OFFS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY GROWTH AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE INHERENT UNCERTAINTY ASSOCIATED WITH LONG-TERM PLANNING EFFORTS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, IT SHOULD NOT BE MISUNDERSTOOD AS PREDICTIONS, UM, THAT, AND THAT THOSE IMPACTS WILL OCCUR.
THEY SIMPLY ARE DISCLOSURES THAT THEY MAY OCCUR, AND THEREFORE WE'RE IDENTIFYING THE POTENTIAL NEED TO MITIGATE THOSE AT, AT A FUTURE LEVEL.
UM, AND THAT THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME TRADE OFFS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE POLICIES AND THE DIRECTION AND LAND USE DECISIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE AS WELL.
UM, LAST SLIDE, THE LAST PIECE I WANT TO JUST BRING UP IS THE, THE EIR IS ALSO REQUIRED TO ANALYZE, UH, ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT IN A PROJECT LEVEL ANALYSIS, WHICH IS FAIRLY TYPICAL.
THAT COMES BEFORE YOU ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, MAYBE A TWEAK TO THE PROJECT OR SLIGHTLY MODIFIED, UM, FOR A GENERAL PLAN, EIR ALTERNATIVES ARE USUALLY ALTERING LAND USE SCENARIOS FROM WHAT WAS PROPOSED AS PART OF THE, THE, THE, THE LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
UH, WE ARE ALWAYS REQUIRED AS ALTERNATIVE ONE STATES TO DO A NO PROJECT ALTERNATIVE.
THAT IS, IN ESSENCE THE EXISTING GENERAL PLAN CONTINUING WITHOUT BEING UPDATED.
UH, THE SECOND ONE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED WAS A FOCUS ON THE CORE, ACTUALLY MORE INTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CORE OF PETALUMA AS OPPOSED TO THE PERIPHERY.
AND THEN FLIPPING THAT ALTERNATIVE THREE LOOKED AT, OKAY, WHAT IF WE DID IT THE OPPOSITE WAY, WHICH IS LESS EMPHASIS ON THE CORE AND COMPLETE GROWTH ON THE PERIMETER OR THE CORRIDOR.
UM, AND THAT ANALYSIS IS REQUIRED BY CQA.
THE GOAL OF THOSE IS TO REDUCE OR AVOID SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE IR PROCESS.
UM, THE, WHAT THE ANALYSIS DEMONSTRATES IT WHEN YOU GET TO THE CONCLUSION IS THAT THERE'S SIMILAR TRADE-OFFS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES AS WELL FOR, SO SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS MAY GO DOWN COMPARED TO THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN, BUT MANY OF THEM ALSO GO UP.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A COST BENEFIT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BASED ON OUR REVIEW.
AND, AND THE FINDINGS IN THE EIR CITY STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE PROPOSED PROJECT, THE, THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN CONTINUES TO BE THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED AN ALTERNATIVE THAT SEEMS TO, UM, COMPLETELY ABSOLVE ALL THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE MOVING FORWARD.
SO WE WOULD CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN AS AS, AS BEFORE YOU.
AND, UM, I'LL JUST GONNA WRAP UP WITH A COUPLE SLIDES, UM, BEFORE I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, MATT MADDOX IS, UH, FULLY IN THE RECORD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, NOTE THAT HE'S A PRINCIPAL WITH RING CON CONSULTANTS, UM, AND RING CON IS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN TEAM PREPARING THE, UH, EIR.
SO JUST FOR, FOR THE RECORD, UM, SO YOU HAVE NOW HEARD A SUMMARY OF THE, UM, POTENTIAL, UH, EIR, THE FINDINGS AND THE CONCLUSIONS.
UM, THE DRAFT EIR DOES, UH, SATISFY BOTH THE PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS AS YOU'VE HEARD.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND IN THE, UH, DRAFT DIR ITSELF AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PLAN AND ALL OF THOSE, UM, REFERENCES AND ATTACHMENTS.
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UM, I DID WANT TO, UH, PULL UP THIS SLIDE AND, UH, OFFER A REMINDER THAT WE ARE ACTIVELY RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT DIR UH, SPEAKER CO SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.WILL, UM, COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM SPEAKERS THIS EVENING WILL BE CONSIDERED AND RESPONDED TO IN THE FINAL EIR AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ALSO, UM, PROVIDE WRITTEN COMMENTS BY THE END OF THE COMMENT PERIOD.
SO THIS PROVIDES THAT INFORMATION OF HOW YOU CAN DO THAT IF YOU ARE NOT, UM, SPEAKING TONIGHT, OR IF YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN COMMENT THAT IS DUE BY MAY 18TH.
UM, AND REMINDER THAT THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN AND THE DRAFT EIR WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERED, UM, AT THE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED MAY 18TH C CITY COUNCIL HEARING, WHICH AGAIN WILL PROVIDE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, AND I'LL JUST QUICKLY MENTION, WE ARE COLLECTING COMMENTS TO DATE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED A HANDFUL OF THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THOSE, UM, ARE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET AND HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO COLLECT THOSE, UM, AND COLLATE THEM THROUGH MAY 18TH, AND THEN THOSE WILL BE INCLUDED AND RESPONDED TO AS PART OF THE FINAL EIR.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE ARRIVED AT THE RECOMMENDATION.
UH, SO PLANNING COMMISSION'S, UM, ROLE IN THE, IN THE GENERAL PLAN PROCESS IS TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL.
COUNSEL IS THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER.
UM, THIS EVENING THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS BEING ASKED TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN AND ON THE DRAFT DIR TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THOSE DRAFT DOCUMENTS.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION TAKE ACTION TO ADOPT TWO RESO RESOLUTIONS THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST IS THE RESOLUTION, RECOMMENDING PREPARATION OF THE FINAL EIR, INCLUDING ADDRESSING COMMENTS AND INPUT RECEIVED.
AND THAT ONCE THE FINAL EIR IS PREPARED THAT IT BE BROUGHT, BROUGHT DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL FOR CERTIFICATION AND CONSIDERATION.
THE SECOND RESOLUTION IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO COUNCIL TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE GENERAL PLAN EIR.
THAT WOULD BE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION OF THE FINAL EIR.
UH, AND THAT COMPLETES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A TEAM OF FOLKS HERE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND RECEIVE COMMENTS AND I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU CHAIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST IN TERMS OF OUR ORDER OF OPERATIONS HERE, WE'RE GOING TO DO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, UM, AND AS I'VE SAID AT PREVIOUS UH, MEETINGS, WE'LL TRY TO KEEP THOSE TWO, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT END IN A QUESTION MARK, UH, THAT WE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON BEFORE HANDING IT OVER TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND THEN AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'LL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR, UH, A MORE OPEN-ENDED DISCUSSION AND, AND COMMENT.
SO WITH THAT, LET'S, UH, TAKE IT TO THE COMMISSION FOR ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE FOR STAFF.
ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RECKSON, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ITERATIONS, SO GREAT TO SEE IT ALL COMING TOGETHER.
I'LL START OUT, I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY QUESTIONS PRETTY BRIEF AND I'LL LEAVE THE MORE ROBUST STUFF FOR COMMENTS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, JUST IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT KIND OF BUILD OUT WE'RE ANALYZING, I SAW A COUPLE NUMBERS REFERENCED IN THE DRAFT EIR UH, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS THAT BASED OFF ANALYSIS OF 6,449 RESIDENTIAL UNITS ADDED 1.4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF NON-RESIDENTIAL.
BUT THEN IT SAYS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS ONLY EXPLICITLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 2,400 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND 708,000 SQUARE FEET OF NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO I JUST WANNA SEE WHEN WE'RE ANALYZING ESPECIALLY THOSE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, IS IT JUST THE SMALLER NUMBER BASED ON THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES SINCE THE NO GROWTH ALREADY CAPTURES A LOT OF THAT IN THERE AND WE DON'T NEED TO ANALYZE THAT? OR WHAT'S THE NUMBER IN TERMS OF BUILD OUT THAT WE LOOKED AT? GREAT QUESTION COMMISSIONER AND, AND APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION 'CAUSE THAT IS A CONFUSING, UH, PIECE FROM A CUMULATIVE STANDPOINT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGER NUMBER.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF REGIONAL GROWTH BUILT IN THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING AND FACTORED IN.
THAT SMALLER NUMBER THAT YOU MENTIONED IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE LAND USE CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
SO, SO AS A WHOLE, FROM A SQL PURPOSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LARGER, BUT WE'RE MAKING NOTE THAT IN REALITY THE GENERAL PLAN IN AND OF ITSELF COMPARED TO THE EXISTING, THE EXISTING GENERAL PLAN WOULD HAVE SOME OF THAT SIMILAR GROWTH.
THE ONLY THE NET CHANGES THAT SMALLER NUMBER HOPE THAT CLARIFIES.
AND I THINK IT'S A MORE CONCERN.
UM, THEN MOVING TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THERE'S A BLURB IN THERE THAT CAUGHT ME AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THIS MIGHT BE PROCEDURAL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST HOW IT WORKS FOR PROGRAMMATIC EIRS.
THERE WAS A STATEMENT THAT NO CONTROVERSY WAS IDENTIFIED.
UH, AND OF COURSE WE'VE HAD SOME LIKE PRETTY SERIOUS CONTROVERSY OVER DENSITY OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS IN PETALUMA.
UH, I'M JUST WONDERING IF SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF AN EIR, YOU CAN ONLY REFERENCE CONTROVERSY RAISED DURING THE SCOPING MEETING,
[00:50:01]
OR DO YOU GUYS LOOK BROADLY AT LIKE WHAT ARE CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS IN THE CITY? I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD CHANGE.I MEAN, IT CHANGES SOME OF THE FOCUS AND FRAMING OF SOME OF THESE ITEMS. UH, SO IF YOU GUYS CAN JUST SPEAK, SPEAK TO HOW THAT WORKS.
FROM, FROM A SEQUENCE STANDPOINT, THAT'S TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR A CONTROVERSY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT THAT WE ARE ASSESSING AS PART OF THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION.
SO IN, IN A NORMAL PROJECT, IT MAY BE THAT A PROJECT WAS SUED AND THEREFORE IT'S BEING MOVING BACK AND WENT FROM AN INITIAL STUDY, NEGATIVE DECLARATION TO AN EIR BECAUSE OF COURT ORDER OR BECAUSE OF A A, AN APPEAL OR A LAWSUIT FOR, FOR OUR PURPOSE, IT MAKES IT CONFUSING AND THAT A GENERAL PLAN HAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS THAT MAY PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, SO WE DIDN'T IDENTIFY ANY FOR THAT PURPOSE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF OUTSIDE THE NORMAL SQL REALM FROM, FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
YEAH, WE CAN'T TRY TO ENCOMPASS LIKE EVERY OTHER PROJECT THAT COULD BE CONTENTIOUS.
I CAN SEE WHERE THAT WOULD BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
SO THANKS FOR SPEAKING TO THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MITIGATION MEASURES.
CU L ONE, UH, KATHERINE REINHARDT OBVIOUSLY I THINK FOR QUITE SOME TIME HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT A HISTORIC INVENTORY.
WAS THAT EVER CONSIDERED AS A MITIGATION MEASURE TO THAT IMPACT? WAS IT DEEMED, I THINK IT MIGHT'VE EVEN SAID THIS DEEMED INFEASIBLE.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT ITEM ABOUT A HISTORICAL RESOURCE INVENTORY AND WHERE THAT MIGHT FIT INTO THE PUZZLE OR IF IT WAS JUST PARKED TO THE SIDE FOR NOW? SURE.
AND INVENTORY IS ALWAYS WELCOME.
I, I THINK THE, THE REALITY FOR A GENERAL PLANER IS THAT AN INVENTORY WOULD, WOULD IDENTIFY POTENTIAL HISTORIC RESOURCES OR POT OR LIST EXISTING HISTORIC RESOURCES THAT MAY BE LISTED WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF A, OF MITIGATION AND REDUCING THE IMPACT TO HISTORIC RESOURCES AND INVENTORY WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT, IN THIS CASE, 25 PLUS YEARS, THAT THAT INVENTORY WOULD NEED TO BE UPDATED ON A ALMOST DAILY BASIS.
UM, SO IT ENDS UP BEING A, A WHILE.
IT'S A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR THE CITY FOR AS IT STANDS RIGHT TODAY.
UH, IT QUICKLY BECOMES OUTDATED AND THEREFORE IS NOT NECESSARILY MITIGATABLE TO A LESS SIGNIFICANT LEVEL.
SO BY ALL MEANS, AN INVENTORY WOULD BE A GREAT RESOURCE MOVING FORWARD AND, AND I'M WOULD, WE WILL LOOK UP TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME COMPONENTS BUILT INTO THE GENERAL PLAN FOR OTHER HISTORIC RESOURCES, INCLUDING INVENTORIES, BUT FOR A MITIGATION MEASURE, IT DOES NOT REDUCE IT TO A LESS SIGNIFICANT LEVEL.
UH, THAT, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UH, THEN 4.8 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT A COMMENT FROM DTSC.
I SEE DTSC REFERENCED, OBVIOUSLY AS WE POINT TO ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT BODIES, THEIR COMMENT, I WASN'T SURE IF TO INTERPRET THAT.
LIKE WE SHOULD EXPLO EXPLICITLY STATE THAT WE NEED TO, IF A SITE FALLS WITHIN DTSC PURVIEW REACH OUT PRIOR TO CONTAMINATION BEING FOUND.
UH, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY, LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL, HOW THEIR COMMENT FITS IN OR IF WE'VE ALREADY GOT IT COVERED? SURE.
I, I I BELIEVE WE ALREADY HAVE IT COVERED.
UM, I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED THAT DTSC SUBMITTED A GENERAL PLAN EIR COMMENT LETTER.
WE RECEIVE THEM ON A ROUTINE BASIS AS PART OF INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
UM, ANY PROJECT THAT HAS EITHER EXISTING CONTAMINATION OR, UM, THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND IN PETALUMA, NO DIFFERENT FORMER AG AGRICULTURE USE SITES OFTEN ARE CITED AND HAVE DTS OVERSIGHT BECAUSE OF PRIOR PESTICIDE USE.
AND WE SEE THAT A LOT WITH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE, THAT ARE BUILT ON FORMER AG SITES AS WELL WHERE DTSC TAKES OVER AS A REGULATORY AGENCY IN TERMS OF WHEN THERE IS CONSTRUCTION AND REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING SOIL.
SO THEIR LETTER WAS REALLY A KIND OF STANDARD LETTER, UM, UH, NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO PETALUMA.
SO THERE MAY BE CASES THAT POP UP WITH INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE GENERAL PLAN THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 25 YEARS THAT IF AND WHEN THERE IS A POTENTIAL SITE THAT HAS CONTAMINATION AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S IDENTIFIED THROUGH A PHASE ONE OR PHASE TWO EVALUATION OF THE SITE PRIOR TO, UH, THAT LAND USE BEING BEING APPROVED, UH, DTS, DTSC WOULD BECOME A REGULATORY AGENCY TO, TO PROVIDE THE OVERSIGHT AS AS IT RELATES TO, UH, SOIL CONTAMINATION AND REMEDIATION.
YEAH, I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS INTIMATING THAT LIKE, HEY, PHASE ONES ARE NOT ALWAYS REQUIRED.
MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE THE JURISDICTION BODY THAT WE'RE INVOLVED, IT WOULD'VE SEEMED LIKE AN ODD YEAH.
BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR SPEAKING TO THAT.
THIS IS ONE WHERE Y YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, UH, GINA BENEDETTI WENT OVER OUR NEW FLOOD MODELING AND WE SAW ALL THE TOOLS INCLUDING REAL TIME FLOOD MODELING.
AND IT WAS ONE THING WHEN, YOU KNOW, I ASKED ABOUT WHAT BUILD OUT, WE LOOKED AT, MY THOUGHT WAS CAN WE PLUG THE PROPOSED BUILD OUT, INCLUDING THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE COVERAGE, BUILDING COVERAGE INTO THE FLOOD MODEL AND SEE LIKE, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING TO MITIGATE THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE A TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO IDENTIFY REALLY IDENTIFY IMPACTS.
UM, MAYBE IMPACTS MORE THAN MITIGATIONS,
[00:55:01]
RIGHT? 'CAUSE IT WOULD SHOW US WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE WEIR IN OTHER AREAS.WAS THAT IN PLAY? IS IT JUST NOT, WE DON'T USE THE MODEL FOR THAT.
NOT NEEDED FOR CE QA 'CAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE COVERED THE BASES.
UH, IF YOU GUYS CAN SPEAK TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT AS STAFF IN THAT IT'S PRETTY ROBUST AS PART OF THE SAFETY ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN, WHICH IS THE PURPOSE OF WHEN THAT MODELING WAS DONE.
UH, IT, WE DIDN'T DO ROBUST MODELING AS PART OF THE IR MAINLY BECAUSE THAT MODELING WAS DONE WITH POLICIES THAT ALREADY REDUCED THAT IMPACT.
UH, AT THE, AT THE, AT THE GENERAL PLAN LEVEL.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CON CONSIDER AS PART OF THE FINAL ARE AND ADDING SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WERE IN THE GENERAL PLAN AS PART OF THAT HYDROLOGY MODELING BACK IN 20 23, 20 24 TO PULL IN TO, TO DISCLOSE THOSE IMPACTS, UH, IN MORE, UM, UH, WITH MORE DEFINITION THAN, THAN HOW IT IS NOW.
I THINK IN SOME WAYS WE'VE, WE'VE PROVIDED MORE OF A QUALITATIVE APPROACH IN THE IR WITH THE IDEA THAT ALL THE MODELING IS DONE AS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT'S THERE, WE HAVE IT, LET'S, BUT I THINK BRINGING SOME OF THOSE PIECES TOGETHER AND USING SOME OF THE IMAGERY, UM, WOULD, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AGAIN, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT TOOL AND WE HAVE A DISTINCT AMOUNT OF LIKE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND BUILDINGS IN MIND, IF WE HAVE A MODEL THAT CAN PLUG THAT IN AND SEE WHERE THE FLOOD WATERS GO, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT STEP.
BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO COMMENT.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TO THAT, UH, 4.14 TRANSPORTATION SECTION.
OBVIOUSLY WE JUST HAD A RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE CUTS, UM, ISSUES WITH FUNDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, IT'S NOT INCORPORATED HERE, IT'S TOO RECENT FOR WHEN THIS DRAFT WAS GENERATED.
HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH THIS DRAFT EIR PROCESS? BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPEAKING TO THE POSITIVES AND THE TRANSPORTATION THAT WE'RE GROWING FRANKLY IN THE DRAFT EIR AND THAT'S CONTRAINDICATED AT THE MOMENT.
HOW DO WE RECONCILE SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN A NEW THING EMERGES IN THE MIDST OF A PROGRAMMATIC ER IN THE MIDST? AND, AND AGAIN, THE EIR IS NOT FINALIZED UNTIL IT'S CERTIFIED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IF THERE'S NEW INFORMATION THAT ALTERS ANY OF THE FINDINGS OR ANALYSIS BUILT WITHIN THE R WE, WE WOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE FINAL A R AND UPDATE IF NEED BE.
AND POSSIBLY IF IT CHANGES SOME OF THE FINDINGS, WE NEED TO THEN DISCLOSE THOSE PIECES.
SO IF THERE'S NEW MITIGATION OR AN IMPACT BE GOES FROM LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT TO SIGNIFICANT, WE WOULD NEED TO DISCLOSE THAT AND, AND, AND REVISE THE ANALYSIS ACCORDINGLY.
UH, I THINK I, I HAVE OTHER ITEMS THAT COULD BE QUESTIONS, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF OPEN-ENDED AND MAYBE LONG COMMENTS.
SO I WILL PARK IT THERE AND PASS THE MIC TO THE NEXT PERSON.
CAN I ADD TO THAT, UM, ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGES WITH BUDGET AND RESOURCES ALSO, THE GENERAL PLAN IS A 25 YEAR DOCUMENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE GENERAL PLAN CALLS FOR OVER 25 YEARS THAT AREN'T GONNA BE DONE TOMORROW, NEXT YEAR, NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO THERE'S AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT SOME THAT NOT EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE DONE AND THAT THINGS WILL NEED TO CYCLE OVER THE LIFE OF, OF THE PLAN.
SO, UM, I THINK CURRENT BUDGET, UM, RESTRICTIONS OR CHANGES WITH SOME PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW DON'T NECESSARILY IMPACT IT THROUGH THE PLANNING HORIZON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ QUESTIONS? NO.
UM, BUILDING ON, UH, THE, THE LAST COMMENT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND THE SERVICE CUTS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE IN THE, OR LIKELY SEE IN THE, IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
UM, OUR FISCAL IMPACT STUDY DIDN'T ACTUALLY LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE GENERAL PLAN DID.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO, WHEN WE BRING THE GEN, THE FINAL EIR FORWARD TO LOOK AT, UM, THE FISCAL IMPACT OF DIFFERENT LAND USE ALTERNATIVES, ECONOMICS AND FISCAL ARE NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE IR IT'S VERY SPECIFIC FOR US TO KEEP OUT, RIGHT? I THINK THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
PROBABLY FOR, FOR CITY STAFF AND LARGER GENERAL PLAN STAFF.
I SUPPOSE, UM, IT'S NOT PART OF THE SCOPE, UM, OR THE BUDGET, UH, THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING UNDER WITH THE, WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, AND THEN NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF CERTAIN ALTERNATIVES AND LAND, UH, BUILDING TYPOLOGIES THAT WE'VE, UH, CREATED, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH, AS WE START TO SEE IMPLEMENTATION, UM, DOING ONE THING OR THE OTHER.
UM, HOW WOULD THIS EIR NEED TO BE UPDATED? UH, SHOULD
[01:00:01]
WE SEE LAND USE PATTERNS NOT, AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS, NOT SORT OF LIKE, UM, MIRRORING WHAT WE, UH, PLAN FOR, RIGHT? AND WE MIGHT, UM, LET'S SAY, UH, APPLY THERE'S A CERTAIN LAND USE THAT IS, THAT IS ACTUALLY FACILITATING GROWTH AND, AND BEING USED.WE MAY APPLY THAT TO OTHER PARCELS.
UM, HOW DOES THAT, UH, IMPACT THIS PROGRAMMATIC EIR AND WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE TO F FOSTER THAT? YEAH, I'LL START IN CITY STAFF.
THE, THE PROGRAM A R FOLLOWS THE BUILD OUT THAT WE DISCUSSED, UM, FOLLOWS WHAT THE, THE PROPOSED LAND USE MAP IS.
IF THERE ARE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THAT LAND USE DESIGNATION ON THE PARCEL AND THEN, AND, AND ALSO REQUIRING A ZONE CHANGE, THEY WOULD THEN INDIVIDUALLY REQUIRE A CQA, UH, DOCUMENT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE, THE CHANGE OF LAND USE.
SO THEY, IN OTHER, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WOULD NOT BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND THEN NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE, UM, EIR.
SO THEREFORE, SQA REQUIRES THEM THE CITY TO, WHEN REVIEWING THAT LAND USE CHANGE TO DO ANOTHER SQ DOCUMENT ON THAT INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
SO IF WE'RE SEEING A PATTERN OF THAT, THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO RETHINK, PERHAPS DO A, UM, SUPPLEMENTAL EIR OR A SUBSEQUENT ER RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM, A R SO, HEY, JUST, JUST AS A HYPOTHETICAL, MAYBE THE, THE MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL THAT WE ANTICIPATED FOR A LOT OF THE CORE IS NOT BEING REALIZED, MAYBE IT'S HIGH DENSITY, HIGHER DENSITY OR A LOWER DENSITY THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED BASED ON ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OR WHAT THE MARKET IS SEEING.
SO WE COULD APPLY A, THE CITY COULD APPLY A PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE OR LAND USE DESIGNATION CHANGE ON PARTICULAR AREAS OF THE CITY THAT AREN'T BEING DEVELOPED AT THE CLIP THAT WE ANTICIPATED, THAT WOULD THEN REQUIRE A FA, A FURTHER EIR ANALYSIS ON THAT PARTICULAR CHANGE.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN A, IN A SUBSEQUENT EIRA SUB OR A SUPPLEMENTAL EIR THAT WOULD BE ANALYZING JUST THAT UNIQUE CHANGE AND WHAT THE PHYSICAL IMPACTS ARE IN RELATION TO WHAT IS BEING DISCLOSED IN THIS CIR.
SO IF THERE ARE NEW IMPACTS, NOT THAT, THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, THEY WOULD NEED TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS AND IDENTIFY THEM.
AND IF THE ALL THE IMPACTS ARE, ARE STREAMLINED AND THERE'S NOT AN INCREASE OF IMPACTS, THEN IT CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THEN IT WOULD STILL REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION FOR THAT, FOR THAT LAND USE DESIGNATION CHANGE.
I THINK IS THAT WHERE, WHERE YOU YEAH, I MEAN THIS WHOLE STUFF IS A LOT OF HYPOTHETICAL, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, SO LET'S LIKE APPLY THIS TO A SPECIFIC SORT OF PARCEL RIGHT UP ON, UH, THE CORNER OF LIKE OLD REDWOOD HIGHWAY AND, UH, NORTH MCDOWELL.
THERE'S THE OFFICE PARK THERE THAT'S GONNA BE REZONED FOR MULTI OR LIKE MIXED USE, RIGHT? UM, SUPPOSE OTHER BUSINESS PARKS IN THAT AREA WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID THAT, THAT WAS GREAT.
LOOK AT THIS COOL COMMUNITY WE'RE BUILDING AND NOW I WANT TO DO IT TOO.
RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND DO LIKE ANOTHER SORT OF TARGETED EIR FOR THAT PROCESS AS WELL, JUST SO THAT WE CAN LIKE CONTINUE TO LIKE A LAND USE THAT IS ALREADY CONSISTENT WITH AN ADJACENT LAND USE.
IS THAT, UM, AND I REALIZE THIS IS STARTING TO GET SPECIFIC, BUT LIKE I, I THINK I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND THIS.
WELL, I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU'RE MAKING, YOU'RE MAKING A CHANGE, RIGHT? A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, YOU NEED TO DO SOME SORT OF SE L ANALYSIS.
WHAT THAT SQ ANALYSIS IS RANGES ON WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE CHANGES, RIGHT? SO WE DO, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE LAST GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
UM, THAT PROJECT HAD A COMPONENT THAT CHANGED THE LAND USE DESIGNATION ON PART OF THAT PARCEL.
AND IT WAS A PROJECT SPECIFIC GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
IT DID NOT NEED AN EIR, IT HAD SQUA DONE.
IT WAS A, I BELIEVE IT WAS A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, UM, THAT WAS DONE FOR THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE, DEPENDING HOW SIGNIFICANT OF THE CHANGES YOU'RE GOING TO NEED, CQA, WHETHER IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL EIR OR NOT, IS VERY SPECULATIVE, UM, TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD IS THERE IS, IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND GOVERNANCE, THERE IS DISCUSSION ABOUT TRYING TO DO MORE REGULAR, KIND OF HOLISTIC CHECKUPS WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND SO, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS, TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND CAN BE QUITE COSTLY, UM, TO GO THROUGH A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FOR A SPECIFIC PARCEL, AND INSTEAD TRYING TO THINK, LET'S DO REGULAR CHECK-INS.
AND THIS CAME UP WITH GPAC TWO, HOW DO WE, WE PUT OUT THE BEST INTENTIONS, THIS IS THE VISION.
WE'RE TRYING TO REALIZE WHAT IF WE GET X NUMBER OF YEARS ALONG AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THE VISION WE WANT, AND WE WANNA START THINKING ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE TO GET TO
[01:05:01]
THAT VISION? SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS ALSO WORKED INTO THAT IMPLEMENTATION AND GOVERNANCE IN THE HOPE THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME EFFICIENCIES IN, IN, UM, THINKING ABOUT THAT.I WORRY THAT COMPETING PRIORITIES WILL ALWAYS COME AT THE EXPENSE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BE, HAVE A PROJECT COMING FORWARD, IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING WE WANT.
AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PROJECT KERFLUFFLE.
UM, SO ON THIS THEN, UH, THE, THE FOCUS ON THE CORE SORT OF LIKE BROADLY ESTABLISHES LIKE 25% INCREASE.
AND, AND, AND THAT IS LIKE WHAT THAT PROJECT ALTERNATIVE IS.
WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO, UM, IDENTIFY MORE SPECIFIC, UH, MORE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF PROJECT ALTERNATIVES? BECAUSE IF WE STUDY A PROJECT ALTERNATIVE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT SELECTED, NOT THE THE PROJECT ALTERNATIVE, THE PROPOSED, UM, BUT SAY WE SAID WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT WHAT IF THIS WHOLE BUSINESS PARK WAS MIXED USE, RIGHT? LIKE, AND THAT'S A PROJECT ALTERNATIVE THAT'S NOT SELECTED, BUT WE, I, WE STUDY IT THROUGH THIS FINAL EIR PROCESS.
WE SAY, UM, OKAY, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT OR SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE.
LIKE WE COULD POTENTIALLY AVOID ANOTHER EIR.
THEY LIKE, UH, ADJACENT PARCELS COULD TIER ON THIS, THIS GENERAL PLAN EIR.
I CAN MAYBE OFFER SOME CONTEXT TO HELP, UM, UNDERSTAND.
SO THE WAY THAT SE QA WORKS IS THERE'S A HIERARCHY, RIGHT? SO, UM, THE GENERAL PLANNING IR IS, AND I MENTIONED THIS SERVES AS THAT PROGRAM LEVEL.
SO IT'S THE IDEAS THAT ENCAPS THIS LIKE REALLY BROAD, UM, POTENTIAL.
UH, AND THEN, AND THAT'S CALLED A TIER ONE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT OR A TIER ONE ANALYSIS, RIGHT? SO THEN, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE PROJECT LEVEL OR YOU HAVE NEXT STUFF COMING IN, THE IDEA IS THAT IT TEARS OFF OF THAT SO YOU CAN, UM, THEN HONE IN AND FOCUS ON THAT SPECIFIC THING.
SO I THINK THE, UM, YES, THERE'S AN UNLIMITED RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES THAT COULD BE ANALYZED.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE CAPTURES A RANGE, BUT OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, THE INPUT AND DIRECTION OF WHAT ELSE WE'RE SEEING BASED ON THE HISTORIC AND WHAT'S LIKELY TO COME.
UH, BUT THE IDEA OF THAT HIERARCHY IS INTENDED TO BE STRUCTURED SO THAT THAT GENERAL PLAN IR SERVES AS THAT FOUNDATION AND THEN ALLOWS THAT, UM, TIERING OR THE ADDED ON.
MATT MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE OTHER QUA PATHWAYS.
YOU COULD HAVE A SUPPLEMENT, YOU COULD HAVE A A, A, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL, YOU CAN HAVE AN ADDENDUM.
UM, PLANNING COMMISSION HAS SEEN A LOT OF 1 5, 1 8 THREES.
THAT'S A CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT OR A ZONING AMENDMENT.
UH, BUT THERE'S OTHER TOOLS, LIKE YOU CAN HAVE AN MND FOR EXAMPLE.
SO, UM, I WOULDN'T IMMEDIATELY THINK JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, WE HAVE TO NOW REOPEN THE WHOLE GENERAL PLAN.
THE IDEA IS THAT IT'S, UH, THAT FOUNDATIONAL, YOU KNOW, BASE DOCUMENT AND THEN EVERYTHING CAN BUILD ON THAT.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, JUST SO I'M CLEAR ON WHERE MY HEAD'S AT TOO, IS I'M JUST THINKING LIKE WE WANT TO CREATE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIKE RULES AND, AND GUARDRAILS, AND WE ALSO WANT TO CREATE FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND LIKE, WHAT IS ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE OFF AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SO THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT IN TRYING TO THINK ABOUT LIKE, HOW DO WE NOT CREATE, THROW UP A WHOLE BUNCH OF HURDLES IN THIS PROCESS AND, UM, TO, UH, CREATIVITY AND FLEXIBILITY AS WELL.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION FOR STAFF COMMISSIONER EBNER? UH, I JUST HAVE ONE SPECIFIC QUESTION RELATED TO THE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP OR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR DESIGN STANDARDS AND LIKE OUR OWN CITYWIDE OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS? I THINK THERE WAS REFERENCE TO BOTH BEING USED IN ONE OF THE IN ACTION HR 1.2 0.1, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ON SOME DEFINITION ON BOTH OF THOSE.
YEAH, I, I CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT.
SO, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS OR FEDERAL STANDARDS, UM, THAT ARE BEST PRACTICE KIND OF IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UM, THEY ARE GENERAL, THEY ARE THINGS LIKE, UM, DON'T CREATE A FALSE SENSE OF HISTORY THROUGH CHANGES TO A BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I CAN LIKE COME UP WITH OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD,
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE GENERAL, UM, GUIDELINES TO, UM, THINK ABOUT PRESERVATION, THINK ABOUT, UH, WHEN THERE'S GONNA BE A CHANGE.
ARE WE MAKING SURE WE'RE, WE'RE ABIDING BY THESE? THERE'S 10 OF THEM, UM, ARE LOCAL.
UM, OUR, EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS HAVE LOCAL GUIDELINES, AND THOSE ARE GET DOWN MORE SPECIFIC.
SO THOSE ARE OFTEN LOOKING, UM, AT SPECIFIC BUILDINGS LIKE IN THE
[01:10:01]
DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE GUIDELINES IDENTIFY WHICH ARE CONTRIBUTORS, WHICH AREN'T.THEY TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, UH, MAKING SURE IF YOU'RE GONNA DO NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT IT HAS A BASE, A MIDDLE, AND A TOP, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT THIS TO KIND OF, UM, COMPLEMENT THE HISTORIC SO IT, IT GETS MORE SPECIFIC.
IT TALKS ABOUT WE ONLY WANNA SEE BLADE SIGNS OR, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN KINDS OF SIGNS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC TO OUR SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.
UH, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION FOR, UH, IN THE LINE OF, YOU KNOW, ANALYZING AT FULL BUILD OUT FOR A 4.13 PUBLIC SERVICES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
DID WE LOOK AT THE RESPONSE TIMES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FULL BUILD OUT? UM, IN TERMS OF LIKE POPULATION TRAFFIC, THINGS LIKE THAT? WE LOOKED BASED ON THEIR EXISTING RESPONSE TIMES IS WHAT IS WHAT WE BASE IT ON.
WE DON'T DO MODELING TO ANTICIPATE NEW RESPONSE TIMES.
BUILT INTO THAT IS, THAT'S A LITTLE BEYOND OUR CAPABILITY.
THE, THE FIRE AND POLICE WERE CONTACTED, WE, WE ARE CLOSE, WE, WE ARE IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THEM IN TERMS OF IMPACTS AND, AND HAVE A NUMBER OF POLICIES BUILT IN THE GENERAL PLAN TO PROTECT THOSE ITEMS. WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT IS IN TERMS OF, UM, OF IMPACTS TO THOSE SERVICES IS, IS THE GROWTH GOING TO ANTICIPATE THE NEED TO BUILD A NEW STATION OR SERVICES THAT WOULD CAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE BUILT THAT THEN WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT EXISTING RESPONSE TIMES IN THE CURRENT SENSE TO DETERMINE IF IT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT, WOULD A NEW STATION NEED TO BE BUILT FROM THAT STANDPOINT? SO AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF MORE, IT'S A MORE IN THIS TYPE OF LEVEL NOW IT'S A BIT MORE QUALITATIVE.
WE, WE, WE ESTABLISH WHAT THE EXISTING RESPONSE TIMES ARE AND ARE THEY DETRIMENTAL OR, OR ON PAR WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS, UM, AND OR GOALS OF THE CITY AND THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN WOULD GROWTH HINDER THAT IN SOME WAY THAT THEN WOULD CAUSE THE NEED TO BUILD A NEW STATION THAT WOULD IN AND IN AND ITSELF HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT? I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
MY HEAD ALWAYS LOOKS FOR A METRIC WE ARE MANAGING TOO.
LIKE, DO WE NEED TO BUILD X FACILITIES? BECAUSE WITH THIS MANY PEOPLE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT TO REACH SAID RESPONSE BENCHMARKS.
BUT I ALSO SHOULD HAVE BAKED INTO THAT QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A CONSULTANT THAT MODELS, UH, RESPONSE TIMES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER BARNICLE.
YEAH, MY FINAL QUESTION, UM, THE, THE GROWTH IN, UH, POPULATION WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THOUSAND NEW HOMES, UM, WE'RE LIKE, BUILD OUT OF THIS IS, IS IT AC IT'S ACTUALLY LESS THAN OUR CURRENT GENERAL PLAN.
IS THAT ACCURATE? IT'S, IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT, AND RON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE, IT'S, IT WAS THAT DIFFERENCE OF LIKE, WELL, 6,400 TOTAL 2,400, RIGHT.
2,400 NEW, UM, NEW RESIDENCES IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE PROJECTED FOR THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN.
SO THERE IS SOME INCREASE, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS WHAT WE PROJECTED, WE'RE SO MUCH BELOW WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN 2025 PROJECTED THAT WHEN YOU LAYER ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THEY'RE NOT THAT MUCH MORE THAN WHAT OUR CURRENT GENERAL PLAN ESTIMATED.
JUST GIVEN THAT THERE'S SO MUCH CATCHING UP FROM YEAH.
THE 25 NUMBERS, JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, CURRENT GENERAL PLAN SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA BE 72,000 PEOPLE THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT THE, WHAT WE WERE FORECASTING, WE'D BE BACK IN 2008.
AND I THINK, UM, I, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY THIS OR RON, LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS WRONG.
I THINK THIS PROJECTS 79,000, UM, AS THE, THE LIKELY POPULATION IN 2050.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO BE HIGH LEVEL FOR SOME REASON THAT NUMBER IS VERY SPECIFIC.
BUT, BUT IN ESSENCE, WHEN YOU ADD THE POTENTIAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO THAT, THAT'S WHAT IT COMES OUT TO.
LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
ALRIGHT, THEN LET'S TURN IT OVER TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND BRING IT TO THE CLERK.
[01:15:04]
I'LL ASK THE CLERK IF WE'VE RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.YEAH, WE RECEIVED A FEW, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN PUBLISHED ONLINE.
I DID RECEIVE A PHYSICAL, PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED, SO THAT WILL BE SCANNED AND UPLOADED TO THE, UH, AGENDA TOMORROW.
I SEE WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE GETTING TURNED IN.
SO WHILE HE'S BRINGING ME THOSE, I'LL SAY THAT WE'LL START WITH ROBIN RILEY, FOLLOWED BY TIM MCKEE.
ROBIN, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE YOURS.
GOOD EVENING PLANNING COMMISSIONER OF CITY COUNCIL LIAISON, UH, CITY STAFF AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UH, MY NAME IS ROBIN RILEY AND I SERVED ON THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE DRAFT, UH, THAT WE PRODUCED TOGETHER, WHICH REPRESENTS, I THINK HAS BEEN SAID, UH, AN ASTOUNDINGLY COLLECTIVE, UH, WORK PRODUCT FEATURING INPUT FROM THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF MEETINGS.
UH, THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE BRIEFLY.
UH, FIRST, AS PETALUMA'S NEWEST LIBRARY COMMISSIONER, UH, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SHARE THAT THE SONOMA COUNTY LIBRARY IS CONSIDERING A PURCHASE OF A BUILDING IN NORTH PETALUMA.
IN FACT, TO PARCEL THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN REBAR POINTED OUT AT 1400, UH, NORTH MCDOWELL, UM, I SHARED THE GENERAL PLANS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THAT AREA WITH THENO COUNTY LIBRARY COMMISSION AND, UH, LIBRARY STAFF THERE.
UM, AND THEY WERE THRILLED WITH WHAT THEY HEARD, INCLUDING, FOR INSTANCE, THE 15 MINUTE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S PLANNED IN THAT AREA, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION OF ADDITIONAL BIKE LANES IN THAT AREA, AND VERY SPECIFICALLY THE CHANGE IN LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM OFFICE OR BUSINESS PARK TO A NEIGHBORHOOD HOOD CENTER MIXED USE, UH, WHICH MAKES THAT A MORE FLEXIBLE AND INTERESTING PROPERTY FOR THE LIBRARY.
SO, UM, JUST PLEASE REPORT THAT, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF THE LIBRARY MOVING ITS HEADQUARTERS FROM ROANOKE PARK TO PETALUMA.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US.
UM, THE SECOND THING, I, UH, SECONDLY JUST WEARING MY HAT AS A MEMBER OF THE NOW CONCLUDED GPAC.
UM, FIRST, WHILE I AM PROUD OF THE, UH, THE, THE WORK PRODUCT HERE AND HOW IT IS REPRESENTATIVE AND FORWARD LOOKING, I DO WANNA SHARE ONE, UH, RESERVATION.
AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
IT'S WHAT I HOPE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE IN THE NEXT INCREMENTAL UPDATES.
I'M NOT THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO AT OUR LAST MEETING WAS BOTH PROUD OF WHAT WE PRODUCED AND ALSO FELT THAT IT WAS TOO SHY ON MATTERS OF DENSITY AND HEIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY ISSUES, WE HAVE, UH, DEVELOPERS WHO THE PROJECTS WON'T PENCIL OUT.
AND UNTIL WE GET MORE BOLD ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND THE ECONOMICS JUST GET MORE AND MORE COMPLICATED, WE'RE NOT GONNA REALLY SEE THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE NEED TO BRING HOUSING PRICES DOWN.
UM, AND WITH IT VMT THAT SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A, A, A DISCUSSION OF THE APPROACH TO UPDATING THIS GENERAL PLAN IN A WAY THAT'S MAYBE INCREMENTAL BATCHING THINGS EVERY FEW YEARS.
UM, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE WITH THE PREVIOUS GENERAL PLAN.
SO I HAVE HOPE THAT AS, UH, WE AS A COMMUNITY CONFRONT, UH, THE REAL CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE MORE BOLD ABOUT THESE THINGS BY MOVING THE ENVELOPE.
UH, THE LAST DETAIL THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT HAD CHANGED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UM, I'M REALLY THRILLED TO SEE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ACCEPTED THE INPUT TO RESTORE THE, UH, EIGHT STORY LIMIT TO THE STATION MIXED USE DESIGNATION.
UH, THAT'S, UH, ADJACENT TO THE, UH, SMART DOWNTOWN STATION.
NEXT UP WE'VE GOT TIM MCGEE AND FOLLOWED BY DWAYNE BELLINGER.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TIM MCKEE AND I AM A CITIZEN RESIDENT AND I'M ALSO A FULL-TIME, YOU WANT ME TO GET THIS IN FULL-TIME REALTOR IN TOWN.
AND I'M SPEAKING ON A PETITION THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY NEIGHBOR JAMES WIRTH HERE ABOUT, UM, BALANCE A DU OVERSIGHT IN PETALUMA NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SPEAKING AS A PROFESSIONAL REALTOR, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF IF WE'RE BUILDING ON ZERO LOT LINE OR GRANDFATHERED IN PROPERTIES AS AN A DU, WE WANT PROPER OVERSIGHT FOR THOSE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE, TO MAINTAIN VALUES OF HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
SO NEIGHBORS, SO IF THE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BUILDING ON A PROPERTY LINE, IS IT BLOCKING OUT SUN? IS IT, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING DRAINAGE? IS IT A FIRE HAZARD? SO THESE COULD AFFECT THE VALUE OF THE HOME OF THE NEIGHBORS.
IT MIGHT INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE A DU BUILDER, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE
[01:20:01]
A MORE BALANCED OVERSIGHT OF THE GRANDFATHERED IN ELEMENT OF A DU CONSTRUCTION.THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH AND PEOPLE MOVING HERE FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, SO THE GRANDFATHERED IN ISSUE, WE HAVE PETITIONS ALREADY SUBMITTED, UM, ASSIGNED WITH OTHER REALTORS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WE'RE HOPING TO REQUIRE, UM, LIKE VERIFICATION OF GRANDFATHERED IN NON-CONFORMING UNITS AND ESTABLISH AND PUBLISH CLEAR WRITTEN CRITERIA FOR IN-KIND RECONSTRUCTION STANDARDS, INCLUDING HEIGHT, FOOTPRINT, AND LOCATION REQUIREMENTS, AND INCORPORATE INTO THE NEW GENERAL PLAN EXPLICIT POLICIES ADDRESSING FIRE SAFETY, DRAINAGE AND SETBACK VERIFICATION FOR ALL A DU PROJECTS PROPOSING ZERO SETBACK.
SO THESE, UM, AND HOPEFULLY GETTING A FORMAL WR WRITTEN RESPONSE PROCESS FOR NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS WHO RAISE DOCUMENTED COMPLIANCE CONCERNS ABOUT AN ACTIVE A DU PERMIT.
SO THESE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, HOPEFULLY DISCUSSED, UM, AS WE DEVELOP OUR A DU, UM, YOU KNOW, STANDARDS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN IN INCREASED IN 2020 WITH COVID, AND BASICALLY THE SQUARE FOOTAGE INCREASED FROM EIGHT 60 TO 1200, AND THAT'S GREAT.
MORE HOME OFFICES, MORE MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING AND THAT SORT OF THING IS ALLOWED FOR PEOPLE TO FLEX THEIR LIVES.
TIM MCKEE, LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, JAMES? NO, I SUBMITTED THE DOCUMENTS, EVERYTHING I WANNA SAY, SO THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'VE GOT DWAYNE BELLINGER FOLLOWED BY VERONICA OLSON, RIGHT? IT'S DWAYNE HERE.
UM, I FIRST OF ALL WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE PORTION ON, UH, UH, REQUIRING THAT THERE ARE GEM OF A COMMUNITY THERE AT THE, UM, HOR PARK THAT, THAT BE PRESERVED AS, UH, A A COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY AREA.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT MODEL FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH, UH, WITH PARKS AND SCHOOLS AND WALKABILITY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THAT, JUST WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU FOR KEEPING UP WITH THAT.
UM, AND UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO PARK DOWNTOWN, THE SPACES ARE TAKEN UP BY A TRUCK.
AND IT USED TO BE IN THE OLD DAYS, VEHICLES WERE NARROWER AND NOW, AND SO, SO I WOULD TIE THAT TO LOOKING AT OUR PLANS OF WHAT WE BUILT ON CORONA.
NOW CORONA MAY HAVE BEEN SUITABLE FOR TWO MODEL T'S PASSING AND HAVING A BICYCLE THREE ALSO ON THE STREET, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE.
WE HAVE TO PLAN THINGS SO THAT WE HAVE WIDER LANES AND BICYCLE LANES ALSO.
AND THE PLANNING OF CORONA HAS CREATED, IF YOU DRIVE ON CORONA, IT'S, IT'S, IT JUST MISTAKES WERE MADE CLEARLY.
AND WHAT I, WHAT I WANNA DO IS I WANNA SEE THE, THE, UH, PART OF THE, UH, TOWN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, UP AT THE, AROUND THE PETMAN NORTH STATION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, BOTH CORONA AND ELI PLANNED SO THAT THEY WERE, UH, ROADS THAT THEY WOULD BE AT LEAST A WALKABLE PATH ALONG ON ONE SIDE, IF NOT A BIKE PATH ON ONE SIDE OF BOTH CORONA AND ELI.
I WOULD ASK THAT WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER EXPANDING OUR AREA OF CONSIDERATION TO INCLUDE THE FIVE LOTS THAT WERE APPROVED AS EXPANSION AREAS IN THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY, UH, BY THE VOTERS.
AND FIVE LOTS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED BASED UPON SOMETHING DONE IN SACRAMENTO.
AND I, I WOULD ASK THAT WE, UM, SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT INCLUDING THERE'S, THERE'S FOUR, THREE ACRE LOTS, TWO AND A HALF ACRE LOTS, AND THERE'S ONE FIVE ACRES.
THAT WOULD BE A REAL NICE ADDITION TO MAKE IT, TO ROUND IT OUT AND, AND TO MAKE IT TO THE WHOLE AREA RUN SMOOTHLY AND PLANNING.
SO I'D ASK THAT WE CONSIDER THAT.
NEXT WE'VE GOT VERONICA, OLSON AND CLERK.
ARE THERE MORE CARDS? OKAY, UH, VERONICA.
AND THEN THERE'LL BE A COUPLE MORE
I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
I'M SO ALSO PROUD, UM, AS THE COMMUNITY LEAD FOR THE S STAT THAT SO MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY'S VISION GOT INTO THE GENERAL PLAN, WHICH WAS THE INTENTION.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL THE WORK.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE SMART STATION, MIXED, MIXED USE.
IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY'S VISION.
WE'RE MAKING A VERY SPECIFIC BET ON THIS PLAN.
WE'RE BETTING THAT AN EIGHT TO
[01:25:01]
11 STORY BUILDING FORM WILL DELIVER THE HOUSING, THE CLIMATE OUTCOMES AND THE STATIONARY WE'RE AIMING FOR.I DON'T THINK WE'VE SHOWN THAT BECAUSE THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION DRIVING THIS DECISION THAT BECAUSE DENSITY NEAR TRANSIT IS CLIMATE ALIGNED, MORE HEIGHT WILL BE, WILL PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
DENSITY IS ABOUT WHERE WE BUILD, HEIGHT IS ABOUT WHAT WE BUILD, AND THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME THING.
THE PLAN SUGGESTS FOCUSING ON GROWTH IN THE CORE.
I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW THAT EIGHT TO 11 STORY BUILDING FORM IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DELIVER HOUSING HERE ON FEASIBILITY, ON COST, ON EMISSIONS, LIVABILITY AND SENSE OF PLACE.
AND THAT PLAN GIVES US, AND THE PLAN GIVES US A WARNING.
IT SAYS EVEN FOUR STORY CONSTRUCTION IS CURRENTLY FINANCIALLY CONSTRAINED IN PET PETALUMA.
SO THIS IST A STEP UP, IT'S A LEAP INTO A DIFFERENT SYSTEM, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION COSTS, DELIVERY CONDITIONS.
AND THAT LEADS TO A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION, WHAT ACTUALLY GETS BUILT? NOT WHAT WE HOPE GETS BUILT, NOT WHAT WE MIGHT BUILD SOMEDAY.
WHAT GETS BUILT HERE STARTING NOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT DETERMINES WHAT THIS PLAN SUCCEEDS.
IF PRO IF PROJECTS DON'T PENCIL, THEY DON'T GET BUILT CAPACITY IS NOT THE SAME AS PRODUCTION.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GUESS HOW THIS PLAYS OUT AS CROSS CALIFORNIA.
WHAT ACTUALLY GETS BUILT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, MID-RISE, MIXED USE HOUSING, FOUR TO SIX STORIES.
THAT'S WHAT CREATES REAL DENSITY.
NOT BECAUSE CITIES LACK AMBITION, BUT BECAUSE THAT'S THE FORM THAT CAN BE DELIVERED.
FINANCE AND REPEATED NOT ONE PROJECT, A PATTERN.
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT WORKS WHEN A FORM CAN BE REPEATED, NOT JUST PERMITTED ON CLIMATE.
DENSITY NEAR TRANSIT MATTERS, BUT BUILDING FORM STILL MATTERS.
AND ON THE LONG-TERM ARGUMENT, I AGREE WE SHOULD PLAN AHEAD, BUT PLANS STILL HAVE TO FUNCTION AS IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORKS.
A 20 YEAR PLAN STILL HAS TO WORK IN YEAR ONE.
AND UNTIL WE CLOSE IT, WE'RE NOT CHOOSING THE MOST EFFECTIVE PATH, WE'RE CHOOSING THE TALLEST VERSION OF IT.
LAST UP WE HAVE PATRICIA TUTTLE BROWN, WHO GOT SOME TIME SEATED TO HER.
SO WE'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED TO ADJUST THIS CLOCK, SO WE'LL JUST SORT OF RE-APP THE THREE MINUTES ONCE YOU HIT YOUR FIRST, SO YOU, SO YOU'LL HAVE THAT COUNTDOWN AGAIN.
UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, I, I THOUGHT VERONICA'S, YOUR SPEECH WAS GREAT.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAID.
I THINK THAT'S MIXED USE IS FANTASTIC.
UM, THE REASON I BROUGHT ALL THESE THINGS UP HERE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT PLANS THAT HAD BEEN CREATED.
UM, THE BIKE PLAN, I WAS ACTUALLY WROTE MOST OF IT IN 1993 WHEN THE STAFF, THERE WAS HARDLY ANY STAFF CENTRAL PETALUMA SPECIFIC PLAN RELATES TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS, I WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS AS A CREATION OF, AND I LIVE AND WORK, UH, IN THE, WHAT WE CALL THE RIVERFRONT WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT, UM, I THINK SOMEONE SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF WATCHING THE PLANS AS PROJECTS RUN THROUGH THE CITY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A COMMENT IN, UM, THE GENERAL PLAN.
WHERE IS IT? I DON'T, IT'S SOMEWHERE HERE THAT, UM, THERE'S KIND OF A RIVERFRONT WAREHOUSE ZONING DISTRICT, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY HISTORIC.
BUT THE CENTRAL PI OF A SPECIFIC PLAN HAS A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC TEXT THAT SAYS, UM, THAT THAT, THAT WE NEED TO HONOR THE WAREHOUSES THAT, UH, WE NEED TO DO REBUILDING, NOT JUST TEARING DOWN.
AND IN 2005, UM, THOSE WAREHOUSES WERE TORN DOWN AND I AND SOME NEIGHBORS WHO CREATED A SHORT-LIVED FOR SECOND AND THIRD STREET NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO TO HAVE THOSE WHAT LATER BECAME TORN DOWN SAVED.
AND, UM, THE, UH, THE, THE LUMBER STORE, WE ALSO DESPERATELY TRIED TO SAVE.
THERE'S LANGUAGE IN OUR PLANS, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT.
AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I LOGGED UP HERE IS THE RIVERFRONT, THE RIVER PLAN.
HOW DID THAT WINE BUILDING ON, UH, UM, ON THE WATER DOWNTOWN BE ALLOWED TO
[01:30:01]
BUILD OVER THE WATER? NO PATHWAY.I MEAN, WHY THE PATHWAY SHOULD BE ON LAND AND THE BUILDING SHOULD HAVE BEEN SMALLER AND WHO IS TAKING CARE OF THAT? AND SO ONE THING ABOUT THE GENERAL PLAN, I FEEL IT SHOULD, UM, HAVE THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE CURRENTLY IN ADOPTION PLANS THAT, I MEAN, I SAT ON THE CENTRAL PETALUMA SPECIFIC PLAN FOR, AND I WENT TO EVERY RIVER FRONT RIVER ACCESS ENHANCEMENT MEETING.
AND THE, THE GENERAL PLAN SHOULD, SHOULD KNOW, NAME THOSE VERY CLEARLY AND NOT POSSIBLY EVEN THAT'S THE SECOND THREE MINUTES, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S IT'S BEGINNING.
UM, THAT I THINK IS, IS, IS NEVER, IS NOT IN THE PLAN AT ALL.
AND THE CITY HAS, UM, A, A PART OF THE WEBSITE WHERE THEY NAME SIX PLANS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEM AND YOU CAN PLUNK ON THEM AND THEY COME UP.
BUT THE CENTRAL PENDULUM OF SPECIFIC PLAN ONE DOESN'T COME UP.
SO, UM, WHAT I FEEL IS THAT WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE THAT AREN'T BEING SEEN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
I PRINTED OUT ACTUALLY THE WHOLE GENERAL PLAN, SO I COULD LOOK AT IT, BUT YOU'D NEVER KNOW THAT THERE ARE THESE PLANS IN ACTION.
AND THE THE LAST THING THAT I HAVE SAID BEFORE IS THAT I THINK IT'S A BIG MISTAKE TO ONLY HAVE THE SITE PLAN AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW PEOPLE BE STAFF.
I THINK WE NEED TO BRING BACK A PUBLIC VOTED ON BY COUNCIL, UM, MEMBERS LIKE SPARK WAS SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAS MORE INPUT AT THE BEGINNING OF PROJECTS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC IS SMART, THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE PUBLIC HAS FRIENDS.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE MY MAIN, MY MAIN THOUGHTS.
OKAY, WITH THAT WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL BRING THE MEETING BACK UP TO STAFF TO SEE IF THEY'D LIKE TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I CAN RATTLE OFF A FEW, IF PLEASE, THEY'LL LET ME DO THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT THE ORDER CORRECTLY, BUT, UM, UH, MR. WIRTH, AND I THINK IT WAS ALAN, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, WE HAD TIM, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, I BELIEVE, UM, WE DID PROVIDE A RESPONSE.
SO THIS IS A PROJECT LEVEL, UM, INQUIRY.
UH, WE PROVIDED A RESPONSE ON THURSDAY.
UM, AND I THINK WHILE OUR PLANNING MANAGERS OUT OF THE OFFICE, UM, THROUGH TOMORROW, UM, THERE'S AN OFFER FOR, FOR US TO SIT DOWN.
UM, SO I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK THROUGH, UM, AND PARTICIPATE IN THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION AROUND SETBACKS, ET CETERA, MAY HAPPEN.
UH, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF WHAT YOU'RE, UM, WHAT THE CONTENTION IS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STATE LAW FOCUSED AROUND A DU PRODUCTION.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THERE WE WANNA LOOK AT.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT TODAY AND DEFINITELY FOCUS ON THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.
UM, DWAYNE MENTIONED THE NORTH SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE LAND USE.
DWAYNE SITS ON THE, UM, THE WORKING GROUP.
THIS IS, SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD, UM, TO IDENTIFY, UM, A COMMUNITY VISION FOR THE SPECIFIC PLAN AREA.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BECOME BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL.
REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, LIBRARY HEADQUARTER POTENTIAL RELOCATION.
SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH ROBIN ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT CAPACITY VERSUS PRODUCTION FROM VERONICA.
UM, THERE'S AN UPCOMING, UM, FACILITATION BY URBAN CHAT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A CONTENTION THAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO, UM, AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH IS YOU CREATE THE CAPACITY, BUT THEN THE REALITY SETS OF WHAT ACTUALLY GETS WHAT CAN BE BUILT.
SO I, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THERE'S A COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS TO HELP IDENTIFY A PROJECT.
UM, AND SO I WOULD STAY TUNED FOR THAT.
UH, PATRICIA'S QUESTION ABOUT WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING? I, THE CPSP, UM, IS ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT ANYTIME WE DO HAVE A PROJECT THAT IS REVIEWED, UM, WE LOOK AT ALL ANY AND ALL PLANS AND POLICIES.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE DO TAKE A LOOK.
UM, THEY'RE NOT JUST PLANNED SITTING ON A SHELF.
UM, AND IF WE CAN STRENGTHEN THOSE TIES AND MAKE IT MORE CLEAR, UM, I'M ALL FOR IT.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, RE-LOOKING AT THE DISCRETIONARY
[01:35:01]
REVIEW PROCESS, UH, THE PLANNING REVIEW PROCESS.AND SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THE ZONING CODE TO REALLY LOOK AT, UM, HOW TO MAKE AN IMPACT, HOW TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROCESSES, UM, HELP FACILITATE, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT OUR GENERAL PLAN, UM, HAS A VISION FOR AND DOES IT TIMELY, UM, BUT ALSO ENGAGES WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK I'VE COVERED EVERYTHING, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE SHOWING UP TODAY.
UM, AND I'LL JUST ADD FOR DWAYNE THAT THERE IS, UH, AT LEAST THE SOUTHERN END OF ELI BOULEVARD IS UNDERGOING A PAVEMENT UPGRADES PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
SO GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT, UH, LANES ON COFIELD AS, OR, UH, COFIELD AND ELI IS THE SCOPE OF THAT PROJECT.
THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, UM, FOR DISCUSSION COMMENTS, UM, AND EVENTUAL CONSIDERATION OF THOSE RESOLUTIONS.
COMMISSIONER KUZEN, KICK US OFF.
AND I'M GONNA, UH, HAVE SOME PRETTY OPEN-ENDED THINGS.
I'LL TRY TO LET MY COMMENTS BREATHE TO LET, THEY'RE MOSTLY DIRECTED AT STAFF, BUT IF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WANNA JUMP IN, THEY HAVE AN OPINION, SOMETHING, I WANNA LEAVE SOME SPACE TO PING PONG THAT AND NOT JUST TALK A MILLION MILES AN HOUR.
UM, FIRST QUESTION, GENERAL PLAN CHANGES.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THE GENERAL PLAN, OSTENSIBLY AND THE DRAFT EIR.
BUT IS, WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY IT'S EFFECTIVELY CLOSED? I MEAN, WE WOULD'VE TO OPEN UP AND PULL BACK THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF ACTUALLY MAKING CHANGES TO THE GENERAL PLAN AT THIS POINT FOR US OR FOR COUNCIL AT THE MAY MEETING? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'LL RELY ON MATT AND OLIVIA TO LIKE TIE IT BACK TO ENVIRONMENTAL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UM, AND WHAT IS IN THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, THIS IS NOT, NOTHING IN HERE IS JUST, JUST BEEN CREATED, RIGHT? SO, UM, THIS GENERAL PLAN REFLECTS THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS, UH, HUNDREDS OF HOURS, SO MANY MEETINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPONDING TO EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, IT IS OUR, UM, ANTICIPATION, UM, OUR HOPE THAT THERE IS COMMENTS ABOUT REFINING, BUT THAT AT THIS POINT THERE ARE NOT SWEEPING, UM, OBVIOUSLY, AND IF THERE ARE ANY SWEEPING CHANGES RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT ENVIRONMENTAL TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CHANGES WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY REDUCTIONS, UM, THINGS THAT RESULT IN A LESS IMPACT, UM, WOULD NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL.
IS THAT, DID I, I'M GETTING SOME GOOD NODS.
I'M SAYING IT TOO, FOR THE PUBLIC WHO MAY BE HITTING THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
HARD TO BELIEVE FOR THOSE OF US UP HERE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING IT FOR SO LONG.
BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST SEEING THIS MEETING AND COUNCIL'S MEETING IN MAY, THERE, IT'S HARD TO MAKE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES AT THIS POINT.
IT HAS BEEN AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF HOURS.
UH, SO WE CAN'T REALLY GO BACK AND SUDDENLY MAKE DRASTIC CHANGES TO THE THINGS WE'RE WE'RE PROPOSING HERE.
IF I MIGHT OFFER A, AN ANALOGY, 'CAUSE I LOVE THEM, IT MIGHT FEEL TRIVIAL, BUT IT, IT WORKED IN OUR PRE-MEETING, WHICH IS THAT IMAGINE WE'RE ALL ON THE PROM COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE PICKED ENCHANTED FOREST.
WE ARE NOT GOING BACK TO CONSIDER UNDER THE SEA.
SO EVERYONE'S ON BOARD
BUT, UH, TO TRY AND PROPOSE JELLYFISH RIGHT NOW IS NOT REALLY GERMANE.
SO THAT WAS JUST, JUST TO OFFER TO THE ROOM.
I THINK THAT HITS IT, THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED TO COMMUNICATE.
I, I THINK THE OTHER ONE THAT'S KIND OF A BIGGER ONE THAT COMES INTO PLAY MORE WHEN WE'RE AT THIS LEVEL OF PROGRAMMATIC EIR AND IT'S SOMETHING I SOMETIMES GET FRUSTRATED ABOUT ON PROJECTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, A PROJECT LEVEL, EIR POINTS BACK TO THE PROGRAMMATIC AND TEARS OFF OF IT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT PROGRAMMATIC THAT OFTEN POINTS TO PROJECT LEVEL MITIGATION.
AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMETIMES WE'RE SAYING, HEY, THE ISSUE WILL BE DEALT WITH AND THEY'RE KIND OF, IT'S CIRCULAR.
IS THERE TENETS, UH, PRINCIPLES WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT IS A DEFERRED MITIGATION, RIGHT? WE'RE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD VERSUS WHAT IS REALLY A PROGRAMMATIC LEVEL LIMITATION WHERE WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PROJECT IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE TO RELY ON SOME LEVEL OF FUTURE REVIEW FOR EACH PROJECT.
IS THERE A GOLDEN RULE TO HELP US KNOW WHEN WE'RE CROSSING THAT LINE? 'CAUSE AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANNA LAND AT A PLACE WHERE WE EVER FEEL LIKE WE'RE POINTING THESE, THESE DOCUMENTS OF FUTURE EIR AND THE CIR ARE POINTING TO EACH OTHER TO
[01:40:01]
MITIGATE AN IMPACT.SO I THINK WHEN YOU, YOU BROUGHT UP THE MAGIC WORD DEFERRAL, THE CITY CANNOT DEFER MITIGATION.
IF WE'RE IDENTIFYING THERE'S AN IMPACT, WE CAN'T SAY LEGALLY THAT THE IMPACT IS MITIGATED BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HANDLE THAT IMPACT LATER.
THE WAY THE MITIGATION MEASURES ARE SET UP IN THE CIR IS PRESCRIPTIVE, MEANING THERE'S MULTIPLE STEPS FOR A LOT OF THE ISSUE AREAS.
ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES BELOW YOUR SITE, WE'RE GONNA FIRST REQUIRE AN ASSESSMENT BY A CULTURAL RESOURCE EXPERT TO IDENTIFY IS THERE POTENTIAL TO, FOR THAT TO BE THERE.
IF THERE IS POTENTIAL, THEN THE NEXT STEP IS LET'S DO A SUBSURFACE EVALUATION IN COMPLIANCE WITH CULTURAL RESOURCE STANDARDS GOING THROUGH, DID WE IDENTIFY ANYTHING? NO, THEN MOVE ON IT'S ISSUE, ISSUE DONE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLANNING IR IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, THEN THERE'S FURTHER MITIGATION, HOW TO CARE FOR THAT, REMOVE IT OR POTENTIALLY CHANGE THE PROJECT SO YOU COMPLETELY AVOID THAT IMPACT.
THAT'S KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT THE PROGRAMMATIC GOES DOWN TO THE PROJECT LEVEL BUT THEN REVERTS BACK TO THE PROGRAM IN A GOOD WAY IN THAT THERE'S PER PRESERVATIVE MITIGATION THAT THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS CAN FOLLOW.
AND THE WAY WE'VE SET UP THE MITIGATION MEASURES TO AVOID DEFERRAL IN THIS GENERAL PLAN ERROR IS TO HAVE THOSE STEPS LAID OUT.
ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK, WE HAVE A TON OF BIOLOGICAL MITIGATION MEASURES.
IS EVERY PROJECT GOING TO NEW NEED TO DO ALL 10 OF THE MITIGATION MEASURES? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AS SOON AS THEY DETERMINE THAT THERE IS NO IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SENSITIVE SPECIES ON THAT SITE DONE, THEY CAN MOVE ON, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, GET THE STREAMLINING BENEFITS OF FOLLOWING A PROGRAM, AR BEING CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND THEN, UH, GO FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT APPLICATION AS NEEDED.
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, THEN THEY'LL NEED TO DO THE NEXT STEP AND THAT GOES ONTO THE LOCAL PROJECT TO, TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LAYING OUT.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A 1 0 1 BUT YOU KNOW, VERY FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
WILL WE ANALYZE PROGRAMMATIC S AT THIS LEVEL? IT'S SO MANY PROJECTS WE'LL USE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT.
NOW, BUILDING OFF OF THAT, SOMETHING I THINK THAT ALMOST SPEAKS TO MS. TUTTLE BROWN'S, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT FUTURE PLANS, UPDATES, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN HERE ABOUT LIKE THE PETALUMA, THE NORTH STATION MASTER PLAN.
UH, THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC EITHER UPDATES TO PLANS OR NEW MASTER PLANS OR IZO UPDATES POINTED TO AS EFFECTIVE MITIGATIONS FOR IMPACTS WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
THIS MIGHT BE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT GENERAL PLANS DO.
IS THERE AN ANALYSIS, AND I ONLY BRING THIS UP BECAUSE WE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION AND GOVERNANCE SECTION, WHICH NOT A LOT OF GENERAL PLANS HAVE TO SAY.
WE'RE GONNA TRACK HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY HITTING THESE MARKERS.
IS THERE A MECHANISM THEN TO SAY, HEY, IF AN, IF A PROJECT IS GONNA HAVE A CERTAIN IMPACT IN ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES, DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE DONE THE MITIGATION FOR THAT? SO IF WE'RE SAYING, HEY, THERE'S AN IMPACT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES OR HISTORIC RESOURCES THAT'LL BE ADDRESSED WITH THIS GREAT PLAN IN THE FUTURE, AND THEN A PROJECT COMES UP THAT PUSHES THAT ISSUE, DO WE CHECK TO SAY WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY FINISH SAID PLAN OR YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROCEDURAL CAPACITY THING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LIKE HITTING OUR METRICS ON RELEVANT UPDATES BEFORE PROJECTS COME IN THAT ARE GONNA HAVE THOSE IMPACTS.
IS THERE A PROCESS FOR DOING THAT? IS THIS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF CQA? LIKE JUST HOW THIS IS DONE IN PRACTICE? LIKE I SAID, I DON'T SEE THAT WITH A LOT OF CITIES.
I DON'T EVEN SEE A GOVERNANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION SECTION WITH A LOT OF CITIES.
BUT I THOUGHT I'D BRING THAT UP.
'CAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING WHEN WE, WHEN WE PUSH THINGS TO FUTURE REVIEW OR FUTURE PLANS, UH, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A HUNDRED OF THEM, UH, IS TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE ACTUALLY UPDATING THOSE IN A TIMELY FASHION TO, TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT.
I'LL SPEAK MAYBE TO THE CQA IMPLEMENTATION OR OF MITIGATION MEASURES.
WHAT WHAT IS NOT BEFORE YOU TONIGHT THAT WILL BE BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FINAL AR IS A MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM ACRONYM HEAVY IN THE SQL WORLD MMRP THAT'S REQUIRED WITH ANY SQA PROJECT.
INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS HAVE THOSE AS WELL FOR A GENERAL PLENTY ARE LIKE THIS, THAT MMRP WILL HAVE ALL THOSE MITIGATION MEASURES THAT THEN IDENTIFIES FOR STAFF WHEN THEY'RE DOING CONSISTENCY CHECKS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS WHEN THEY COME ON, COME WHEN THEY RECEIVE AN APPLICATION AS PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
ALSO BUILT INTO THAT IS ACTUALLY AN MMRP CHECK FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
SO LIKE THAT EXAMPLE FOR THE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OR CULTURAL RESOURCES, STEP NUMBER ONE WOULD BE STAFF, STAFF LOOKING AT IT SAYING, OKAY, WELL IF IT, IF IT HAS A, IF THEY'RE IN AN AREA THAT HAS A POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE IMPACT, ARE THERE SENSITIVE SPECIES ON SITE? OKAY, QUESTION ONE.
NOW MITIGATION MEASURE BIO ONE APPLIES TO THIS SITE.
SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE A TO THE APPLICANT TO IDENTIFY AS PART OF THEIR REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION.
YOU NEED TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A, HAVE A BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT ON DONE TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S SENSITIVE SPECIES.
SO THAT MMRP IS THE STEP ON THE QUA END.
[01:45:01]
I WON'T SPEAK TO STAFF, UH, CITY STAFF HOW THAT GETS IMPLEMENTED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, BUT THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE CONNECTION THERE FROM THE, THIS PROGRAM EIR TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS FOR MITIGATION MEASURES.AND, AND THAT WOULD APPLY TO, EVEN IF IT IS LIKE A NEW PLAN OR AN UPDATED IEO STANDARD OR SOMETHING.
WELL, AND WITH THE, THE TIMING, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE GENERAL PLAN DOES HAVE A NUMBER OF, UM, UPDATES CALLED FOR.
RIGHT? SO, UH, LET'S UPDATE THE RIVER ACCESS AND ENHANCEMENT PLAN, THE CPSP, UM, UNTIL THOSE UPDATES HAPPEN, THERE IS STILL THAT PLAN.
UM, SO, SO YOU KNOW, WE SAY THE RIVER ACCESS AND ENHANCEMENT PLAN, I THINK WAS LAST, WAS, HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED, WAS DRAFTED IN THE, I BELIEVE THE NINETIES.
UM, AND SO WE DO CALL FOR AN UPDATE TO THAT.
WELL, UNTIL THAT UPDATE HAPPENS, THERE'S STILL THE RIVER ACCESS AND ENHANCEMENT PLAN.
AND SO IF SOMETHING COMES ALONG THAT RIVER ACCESS AND ENHANCEMENT PLAN IS STILL CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE PROJECT SPECIFIC.
THAT'S THE FLYING THE PLAN IS YOU'RE BUILDING IT THAT WE'VE OF COURSE WE'VE DONE DOING THIS WHOLE THIS WHOLE TIME PART PART OF IT HAS TO BE DONE THAT WAY.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, I KNOW I'M ASKING KIND OF OVERARCHING QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S HELPFUL.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST POLICY DOCUMENT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT.
SO HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE PIECES FIT TOGETHER, EVEN IF IT IS A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUILDING IT WHILE YOU'RE FLYING IT.
SO NOW MOVING TO MORE SECTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, 4.1 AESTHETICS.
UH, I'D SAY YOU COULD ARGUE THIS MIGHT APPLY TO 4.5 CULTURAL RESOURCES.
WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A DEFINED BUILD OUT.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE WISHED FOR WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT HEIGHT, DENSITY, FAR, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
NOW I'VE BEEN TOLD MANY TIMES WE DON'T WANNA PRESUPPOSE A BUILD OUT, WE DON'T WANNA SHARE IMAGES WHETHER IN THE GENERAL PLAN OR AN EIR DOCUMENT ASSESSING IMPACTS.
WE DON'T WANNA SHARE A BUILD OUT VISUAL THAT ISN'T REALITY 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT YET.
AND THEN HAVE EVERYONE GET MAD ABOUT THAT, RIGHT.
I JUST THINK I FALL IN LOVE WITH IT WELL OR FALL IN LOVE WITH IT.
THAT AND THAT WAS MY, THAT CUTS BOTH WAYS.
IT'S EITHER SCARY OR IT ISN'T.
UM, AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THERE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S NOT A, A CONTROVERSIAL THING.
WE TALK ABOUT HEIGHTENED DENSITY AT THE MOMENT.
NOT HAVING VISUALS REALLY MAKES IT HARD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE NOT SWIMMING IN THESE TERMS TO SEE WHAT WE, WHAT WE MEAN, LIKE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IN PRACTICE WE JUST DON'T DO IN AN EIR IN A GENERAL PLAN? OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE REFERENCE PHOTOS OF CURRENT RELEVANT STRUCTURES AND HISTORIC CHARACTER BUILDING STRUCTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IS THAT KIND OF MODELING, IS THAT JUST KIND OF STRETCHING TOO FAR INTO PREDICTING THINGS WE CAN'T PREDICT? AND THAT'S JUST HOW THAT IS.
UM, IS THERE EVER, HAVE WE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT? PETALUMA LOVES TO LEAD THE WAY.
I I JUST THINK THIS WOULD BE SO HELPFUL TO A LOT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, BUT I'D LOVE FOR STAFF COMMENT IN ANY COMMITTEE COMMENT, BUT WELL, THE ONE THING I WILL MENTION, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRIED TO USE SOME GRAPHICS AT, AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DISCUSSION, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH DISCUSSION TO LOOK AT SOME, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO DO SOME KIND OF VISUAL CUES OR VISUAL PREFERENCES ON SOME OF THE BOARDS AT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THAT KIND OF STUFF TO, TO TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO THAT ON A SCALE LIKE A GENERAL PLAN.
UH, WE DID DO THAT IN THE, UM, THE TOD UH, MASTER PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN STATION.
THAT SPECIFIC PLAN DID A LOT MORE WITH VISUALS.
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A SMALLER AREA LOOKING VERY SPECIFICALLY IT WAS RELATED TO OUR FORM-BASED CODE.
UM, AND SO OPTICO IS THE CONSULTANT THAT DID THAT PLAN FOR THE CITY.
AND UM, THAT, THAT SHOWED KIND OF THE VISION IN A, IN A MUCH GR MORE GRANULAR LEVEL THAN, UM, THAN A LOT OF OTHER PLANS THAT YOU SEE.
SO I THINK IT'S EASIER TO DO IT SOMETIMES KIND OF AT A SMALLER LEVEL THAN A CITYWIDE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD SAY THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION TOO JUST BECAUSE, UM, A LAND USE DESIGNATION MIGHT ALLOW FOR SIX STORIES, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT'S GOING TO ALL COME IN AND DEVELOP AS SIX STORIES.
WE HAVE HAD HUGE AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT ALLOW SIX STORIES.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN A SIX STORY BUILDING, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN ALLOWED UNDER THE SMART CODE.
SO IT'S VERY HARD AT A CITYWIDE LEVEL TO GRAPHICALLY, YOU KNOW, SHOW WHAT DEVELOPMENT MIGHT LOOK AT.
THERE'S SO MANY UNKNOWNS THERE.
TO THAT END ON, YOU KNOW, IMAGINING SORT OF THE ENVELOPE AT ITS AT ITS MAXIMAL ALLOWABLE.
[01:50:01]
DO WE HAVE ANY MINIMUMS ACROSS ANY OF OUR LAND USE DESIGNATIONS? YEAH, THE VAST MAJORITY HAVE MINIMUMS. AND THAT WAS DONE VERY INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, UM, LOW INTENSITY DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS WHERE THE INTENT REALLY WAS TO HAVE SOMETHING MUCH MORE MEDIUM OR HIGH DENSITY.SO JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE RECORD AND 'CAUSE I KNOW IT WAS POPULAR IN THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SUBMITTED, WHAT'S THE MINIMUM FOR THE STATION MIXED USE? UH, I DO NOT HAVE THESE THINGS COMMITTED ANYWAY, SO IT'LL TAKE ME A SECOND TO LOOK.
IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY OUR MINIMUMS ARE AROUND DENSITY.
UM, SO STATION MIXED USE, THE DENSITY MINIMUM IS 60 UNITS PER ACRE, BUT WITH THE HEIGHT IT'S MAXIMUMS WITH FAR, IT'S MAXIMUMS, THERE'S NOT MINIMUMS. GOT IT.
WE DO HAVE, UM, MINIMUMS IN THE SMART CODE AGAIN, IN THAT, IN THAT CENTRAL PETALUMA SPECIFIC PLAN AREA AND THE SMART CODE, THERE ARE MINIMUM HEIGHTS UM, IN, IN THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS INTO MATRIX SAYING OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL INFLUENCING DOCUMENTS DEPENDING ON WHERE YOUR LOT IS, RIGHT.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY THEN LIKE AS A VERY WEAK, CONSIDER ADDING MAYBE NOT WEAK, UH, MAYBE CONSIDER ADDING IF THAT'S APPOINTED SUCH EITHER INTERNALLY OR IN A FUTURE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT JUST GETS TO THE HEART OF SO MANY OF THESE ISSUES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T SHY AWAY FROM AND MAYBE WE SHOULD NOW, I DUNNO IF WE HAVE A BUDGET FOR AN ARCHITECT TO MAKE BIG CITYWIDE MAPS.
BUT ANYWAY, I THINK IF WE HAVE A DESIRED OUTCOME IN HEAD, IN OUR HEAD, A VISION IN OUR HEAD AS CITY PLANNERS AND PEOPLE THAT PUT THESE PLANS TOGETHER, SHARING THAT VISION MIGHT BE A POWERFUL TOOL.
BUT I I, I'LL KIND OF PARK THAT FOR FUTURE THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION.
UM, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY IN THE IZO PHASE TO HAVE MORE REQUIREMENTS FOR VISUAL DATA? IF THAT'S MAYBE THE PLACE TO PUT SUCH A REQUEST? YEAH, YOU MEAN FOR PROJECT SPECIFIC? YEAH, RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S PLANT THAT SEED THEN WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS AND WITH STAFF JUST WHERE WE CAN ADD VISUALS.
UH, I'LL, I'LL MOVE ON HERE SO I CAN, UM, SHARE SOME TIME.
SO I, I HAVE ONE BIG ONE THAT I'M ACTUALLY GONNA SAVE UNTIL AFTER OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CLEAR ANSWER.
UH, BUT I'D LOVE TO DISCUSS IT.
UM, AND THEN, YEAH, AND THEN UH, YOU KNOW, 4.1 LAND USE AND PLANNING.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE ITEMS HERE.
ONE OF THEM IS I DIDN'T NOTICE AN EXPLICIT MENTION OF EXAMINING AND I COULD SAY MAYBE IN THE GENERAL PLAN, AND THIS MIGHT BE LIKE A SMALL REFINEMENT, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK WE LIST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FEE STRUCTURES, THINGS WE'RE EXAMINING THAT ARE BARRIER SEATING PROJECTS DONE.
AND WE CALL FOR OBVIOUSLY A PIVOT TO KIND OF MORE GENTLE DENSITY INFILL, LIKE REALLY PROMOTING PROJECTS THAT AREN'T THAT, THAT ARE KIND OF SMALLER OF SCALE.
DO WE HAVE AN EXPLICIT LOOK AT THE BUILDING CODE? IS THERE ANY MOVEMENT THERE? UH, AND I ONLY BRING THAT UP BECAUSE, UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS I'VE NOW GOTTEN TO SIT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TRYING TO GET PROJECTS APPROVED AND BOY, THE BUILDING CODE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU NEED A TITLE 13 CONSULTANT OR WHATEVER IT IS FOR ONE LIGHT FIXTURE, YOU START WONDERING WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GENERAL PLAN? UM, JUST, OR CAN WE, IS IT WORTH PUTTING IN THERE LIKE CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, BUILDING CODE TWEAKS ESPECIALLY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TAILOR THIS TO SMALLER PROJECTS, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER PROJECTS WHERE SOME OF THIS STUFF STARTS TO GET ONEROUS IF SOMEONE'S LIKE DOING AN EXPANSION OR DOING, ESPECIALLY SPLITTING A COMMERCIAL UNIT, WHICH WE REALLY WANT.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS AROUND THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING I CAN PLANT AS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER? UM, OR MAYBE YOU CAN SAY, HEY, THAT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE.
UM, SO BUILDING CODE IS OBVIOUSLY STATE, UM, SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS THAT, SO WE CAN'T, SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT ABLE TO KIND OF SAY WHICH ONES THE CITY HAS THE DISCRETION TO CHANGE VERSUS OTHER, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT REDUCING, UM, BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF PROJECTS.
BRIAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD? JUST, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BALANCE.
SO WE RECENTLY ADOPTED THE THREE YEAR, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF STATE ENERGY AROUND, UM, HAVING THE BUILDING CODE HELP FACILITATE MORE HOUSING, UH, SMALLER, FASTER, UM, LESS RESTRICTIONS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE TRACKING BOTH BUILDING AND FIRE
[01:55:01]
CODE.UM, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE LOOKED AT WITH RESPECT TO SINGLE STAIR.
UM, SO THERE'S ENOUGH MOVEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE GENERAL PLAN ITSELF, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD POLICY, UH, SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR, UM, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
UM, THAT IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY TO LOOK AT.
I'LL JUST SAY REAL QUICK TO THE, YEAH, HEATHER'S WRIGHT, THE STATE BUILDING CODE THAT PREEMPTS US.
UNLESS THERE'S SPECIFIC STATUTES THAT SAY WE CAN MAKE, UH, LIKE LOCAL AMENDMENTS, THAT'S THE MAIN ONE.
AND THERE'S SPECIFIC FINDINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE REGARDING, UH, CLIMATE GEO, GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHIC FOR WHY IT'S NEEDED HERE IN PETALUMA.
AND THEY NEED TO BE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
SO IT WOULD BE HARDER, I THINK FOR, YEAH, FUTURE BUILDING.
AND THERE'S THE AB ONE 30 THAT REALLY PUTS THE MORATORIUM ON LOCAL BUILDING AMENDMENTS, I THINK TILL 2030.
SO OUR HANDS ARE PRETTY TIED WITH THAT.
AND JUST STAYING ON THIS LINE OF THINKING, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER EBNER HAD SOME COMMENTS YEAH, I GUESS RELATED TO BUILDING CODE, UM, NOT THE PURVIEW OF THIS HEARING, BUT UM, I THINK JUST EXPEDITED REVIEW OR MORE, MORE EXPANDED OVER THE COUNTER REVIEW COULD HELP WITH THOSE SMALLER PROJECTS.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE CODE MIGHT NOT BE LESSENED, CITI COULD MAYBE HELP IMPROVE TIMELINES AND THE EASE OF APPROVALS.
UH, YEAH, I WOULD SAY YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY INTERNAL REFINEMENTS, 'CAUSE THAT IS SOMETIMES THE THING, UH, WHERE JUST TWO DEPARTMENTS LIKE BUILDING AND PLANNING AREN'T TALKING QUICKLY AND IT TAKES A COUPLE WEEKS AND THAT'S A GREAT, UH, GREAT POINT.
UM, OKAY THEN I'LL RUN THROUGH MY LAST COUPLE AND AGAIN, TRY TO LET 'EM BREATHE SO PEOPLE CAN JUMP IN.
THANK YOU FOR FACILITATING THAT.
UH, 4.12 POPULATION AND HOUSING.
THERE'S A COUPLE PIECES I SAW IN THERE REFERENCING STATE HOUSING LAW AND ARENA, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT FALLING INTO SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE IS LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS BECAUSE OF STATE LAW AND RENA.
UM, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE PARTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE PART IN 4.12, IT SAYS GROWTH ANTICIPATED UNDER THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE IS INTENDED IN PART TO MEET REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS OVER THE LONG TERM AS IT IS, UH, INCLUDES STATE MANDATED HOUSING GOALS.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH STAKE REQUIREMENTS FOR RENA AND WOULD BE WITHIN GROWTH FORECAST FOR SOUTH SONOMA COUNTY IN PLANNED BAY AREA 2050.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT'S IMPROPER, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SAYING, OH WELL THEN IT'S MITIGATED, IT'S PLANNED.
RENA WANTS US TO BUILD, THEREFORE THE IMPACTS ESPECIALLY OF LIKE GENTLE DENSITY AND THE BUILD OUT THAT WE'RE FACILITATING IS COVERED.
UM, DO YOU GUYS THINK THAT IS A NON-ISSUE? I'M KIND OF TEEING THAT UP HOPING YOU SAY YES.
WELL, IT'S NOT OUR MITIGATION, UH, BUT I JUST WANNA CALL THAT OUT AND JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE CAREFUL OF THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT REFERENCING STATE MANDATED DRIVERS OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AS LIKE A MITIGATION OF THE IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S SAYING.
AND I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT, WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS ACTUALLY ASKING, WHICH IS, IS THE PROJECT INDUCING SUBSTANTIAL UNPLANNED POPULATION GROWTH IN AN AREA DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY? AND THE POINT OF THAT DOCUMENT AND KIND OF REF THE REFERENCE THERE TO PLAN BAY AREA AND IS PLAN BAY AREA IT THROUGH ABA AND MTC DETERMINE THE READ ALLOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE REGION.
SO THEY COME UP WITH THE GROWTH ANTICIPATED FOR THE REGION, DO ECONOMIC FORECASTS AND, AND POPULATION FORECASTS.
ALL OF THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE ANTICIPATED AS PART OF THIS GENERAL PLAN ARE IN LINE WITH THE, THE METHODOLOGY THAT THEY'RE USING, INCLUDING THE ARENA ALLOCATIONS AND, AND, AND THAT, SO THAT'S WHAT THAT STATEMENT IS, IS ANTICIPATED THERE'S GOING TO BE GROWTH IN PETALUMA WE'RE ANTICIPATING GROWTH.
WE MIGHT BE OVERESTIMATING GROWTH, BUT WE'RE COMPLETELY IN LINE WITH WHAT THE REGION IS ANTICIPATING.
SO THEREFORE IT'S NOT UNPLANNED.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING GROWTH AND THEREFORE WE'RE CONSISTENT.
THAT WAS REALLY, UH, WELL PUT.
UH, AND THEN MY LAST ONES ARE IN ONE POINT, OR EXCUSE ME, 4.14.
UM, OR ACTUALLY 4.14, THEN ONE FOR, FOR SECTION SIX.
SO FOR TRANSPORTATION, I JUST WANNA CALL OUT.
IT SEEMS, AND THIS IS MORE OF A GENERAL PLAN THING FOR STAFF, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE BRIAN OR UH, HEATHER OR RON, UH, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SIGNALING SOME PRETTY STRONG POLICY DIRECTIONS UNDER MITIGATION MEASURES.
UH, I THINK THIS IS LISTED ELSEWHERE.
IT'S LISTED IN MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE DRAFT DIR, BUT I THINK IT'S LISTED ELSEWHERE.
UH, AND THINGS LIKE VMT REDUCTION IN BANKING.
UH, SO ACTION TDM THREE OF THE BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION ADOPT A VT VMT BASED DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE WITH S-C-T-C-A, THAT'S A PRETTY STRONG DIRECTION AS WELL AS PARKING REFORM.
UH, AGAIN, NOW THIS IS GETTING BACK TO THE BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION.
I DON'T WANNA RE-LITIGATE, UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY STRIKING POLICY DIRECTION THAT, OF ITEMS THAT I THINK, UH, ARE REALLY, I THOUGHT WERE BEING CURRENTLY DEBATED.
SO LIKE FOR THE PARKING REFORMS, IT SAYS MEET TARGET UTILIZATION RATES AT KEY DESTINATIONS THROUGH DYNAMIC PRICING, KIND OF EVERYTHING, BUT SAYING AD PAID PARKING, WHICH I KNOW IS A
[02:00:01]
POLICY DIRECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I JUST WANT TO SEE IS, IS INCLUDING IT HERE, IS THIS GETTING US REALLY PRESCRIPTIVE DOWN SOME OF THESE ROADS? THE, THE ONE THAT PARTICULARLY I DON'T LOVE IS T DM, ONE OF THE BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION ADOPT A MODERN TDM POLICY FOR EMPLOYERS.THAT REP REQUIRES EMPLOYERS TO SUBMIT AN A, AN EMISSION REDUCTION PLAN TO THE CITY TO MEET OUR GHG TARGETS.
LIKE, I DON'T WANT A SMALL BUSINESSES TO HAVE TO DO AN EMISSION PLAN.
I, I GET THERE'S MATH BEHIND IT, BUT I, I THINK THAT'S JUST NOT WORTH THE, IS NOT WORTH THE SQUEEZE IS PUTTING IT IN HERE JUST PAR FOR THE COURSE.
SO WE'RE MENTIONING IT HERE TO TIE IT TOGETHER.
IS IT GIVING IT MORE TEETH AND PUTTING US ON A PATH WE CAN'T DIVERT FROM? UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT'LL IMPACT PEOPLE.
AND I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND HOW FIRM WE ARE NOW AFTER HAVING THEM IN HERE.
IT'S, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S, I'M REFERENCING IMPACTS FROM THE DRAFT EIR, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST BAKED INTO THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND I ALSO, UM, COMING UP WITH THE TDM POLICY, THERE ARE THRESHOLDS FOR HOW MANY EMPLOYEES A, A, A COMPANY HAS TO TRIGGER THE REQUIREMENT FOR A TDM.
I THINK OUR CURRENT TDM DOESN'T APPLY UNTIL THERE'S A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, SO IT'S, WE HAVE A CURRENT ONE.
IT'S NOT A VERY, IT'S VERY, IT DOES NOT MEET CURRENT STANDARDS FOR WHAT A TDM, UM, POLICY WOULD BE, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE, AND THE THRESHOLD IS A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO I THINK WHEN YOU'RE DEVELOPING A POLICY, UM, IT DOESN'T GET, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE LANGUAGE IN WHAT'S IN THE, UM, BLUEPRINT GETS DOWN TO THE SPECIFICS OF DEVELOP A POLICY AT 22 EMPLOYEE ALL BUSINESSES OF 22 EMPLOYEES.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S STILL FLEXIBILITY TO DEVELOP THAT POLICY AND EXACTLY WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT POLICY WOULD BE AND THE APPLICABILITY OF THAT POLICY.
AND, AND IF I COULD JUST ADD, I'M LOOKING AT THAT SECTION OF THE BLUEPRINT, AND IT ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY HAS A SEPARATE CLAUSE, UM, IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES.
SO IT VERY MUCH ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT'S BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ELABORATE TD UH, PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND I GUESS WHEN WE DO LIST IT AS A MITIGATION ON THE DRAFT, DIR IT KIND OF SAYS LIKE, WE, WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
THIS IS MITIGATING AN IMPACT OF OUR, OF OUR GENERAL PLAN.
IT'S NOT A MITIGATION MEASURE, IT'S A POLICY THAT HELPS REDUCE THE IMPACT.
IT'S NOT A REQUIRED MITIGATION MEASURE, IT'S PREVENTING US FROM GETTING TO THAT THRESHOLD THAT'S BEING AN IMPACT.
UH, SO THEN, UM, I'LL, LIKE I SAID, I'M GONNA SAVE ONE OR TWO FOR IF WE HAVE TIME, LET OTHER PEOPLE GET IN, BUT ALTERNATIVES, IS THERE A WORLD, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRE DECEMBER, 2025 LAND USE CHANGE.
IS THAT REPRESENTED IN THE CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVE, OR IS THAT WORTH ADDING AS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE? JUST BECAUSE I THINK WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE ORIGINAL MODEL IN MIND.
IS THAT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO SAY BEFORE WE ADDED BACK THESE DIFFERENT AREAS? UM, OR HOW DOES THAT DECISION MAKING IS THAT, IS THAT JUST, THAT IS ITERATION NOT REALLY DISTINCT ENOUGH TO REACH A THRESHOLD OF LIKE A SEQUEL ALTERNATIVE? LIKE, I MEAN, I JUST CALLED IT THE DECEMBER, 2025 ALTERNATIVE.
UM, BUT JUST BEFORE THE CHANGES WERE MADE TO GOLDEN EAGLE AND THE SMART PARCEL, IS THAT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE ANALYZED? AGAIN, I'M THINKING HOLES IN THE BOAT.
COULD SOMEONE CHALLENGE IT BASED ON THAT, OR IS THAT JUST NOT ENOUGH OF A CHANGE WARRANT? I, I DON'T THINK WE NEED IT AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
IT WAS A CHANGE AND, UM, AND DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO THAT WAS, AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE LAND USE, UH, PREFERRED LAND USE MAP AND DESIGNATION STANDARDS, THAT WAS TO CREATE THE FRAMEWORK TO START THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR THE, UM, TECHNICAL STUDIES FOR THE EIR.
SO THE EIR IS BASED ON, ON THAT.
UM, AND IF, IF THERE WAS A CHANGE THAT HAPPENED, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A LESS, IF IT'S A CHANGE TO REDUCE IMPACTS, THEN IT FALLS WITHIN THE ANALYSIS THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TO SOME OF THOSE THAT WERE A LITTLE MORE OUT THERE.
AGAIN, I'LL SAVE ONE OR TWO AND I WILL YIELD TO PASS THE MIC TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER.
OTHER COMMENTS? DISCUSSION POINTS FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP? COMMISSIONER HILT ONLINE? ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO OKAY.
[02:05:01]
I AM VIRTUAL AND I'M IN THE ROOM BY MYSELF, SO I KNOW I NEED TO SAY THAT, AND I, I'M VERY GOOD AT DOING THAT.I GUESS, UM, ONE THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP, YOU KNOW, IT, IT JUST, MY COMMENT, MY COMMENT REALLY THINKS IS MORE ABOUT, THIS IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL DOCUMENT, UM, AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE WHERE IT GETS IMPLEMENTED IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT.
AND I, AND MY, MY COMMENT IS GONNA REFLECT THAT ALTITUDE, IF YOU WILL.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF WORK AND TIME WENT INTO THIS AND A LOT OF YEARS.
UH, IT, IT'S A VERY FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT, AND I THINK IT OFFERS SOME REALLY GOOD, UM, GOOD GUIDEPOSTS ON A MAP OF SORTS, IF YOU WILL.
I'M JUST HOPING THAT DURING IMPLEMENTATION WE CAN MOVE INCREMENTALLY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE EITHER IN THIS PLAN OR IN ITS IMPLEMENTING DOCUMENTS THAT WILL ALLOW INCREMENTALISM AND, AND MAYBE AN EXAMPLE HERE, I'D RATHER SEE US MAKE SMALLER MISTAKES AND A LARGER MISTAKE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS SORT OF, UM, IT WAS, I, WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO ONE OF OUR FELLOWS CITIZENS SPEAK TONIGHT, I BELIEVE THEIR NAME WAS VERONICA, AND THERE WAS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING HEIGHT, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE IN, IN PETALUMA.
IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE ABILITY TO, AT ONE POINT, MAYBE THERE'S A NEED TO HAVE A 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 STORY BUILDING OVER BY THE SMART STATION, BUT WHAT HAPPENS, THAT'S A, THAT'S A HUGE LEAP FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW.
IT'S MORE THAN AN INCREMENTAL LEAP.
AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IN THE FUTURE, THAT SOMETHING WILL CHANGE AND WE'LL HAVE ONE LARGE 11 STORY, 10 STORY, NINE STORY BUILDING THERE, AND THAT, THAT VIEW SCAPE AND THAT, THAT, THAT WHAT THAT'S GONNA END UP LOOKING LIKE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT OR THE EIFFEL TOWER.
IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
AND THAT, THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANNA SAY IS I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE INCREMENTALLY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE, AND HMM, YEAH, SO I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE, UH, SOMETHING SIMILAR, BUT KIND OF FROM THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, THE TALLEST BUILDING RIGHT NOW IN PETALUMA IS THE DAIRYMAN'S FEED AND SUPPLY CO.
AND THAT IS A HISTORIC BUILDING AT THIS POINT.
IT IS IN AND OF ITSELF 150 FEET TALL.
SO WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT THE SIGHT LINE AND CITYSCAPE OF WHAT PETALUMA IS, WE ALREADY HAVE A BUILDING THAT IS THAT TALL IN DOWNTOWN PETALUMA.
UM, AND I THINK PEOPLE JUST KIND OF FORGET THAT IT'S THERE, OR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE FOR SO LONG, IT'S NOT REALLY SEEN AS A POINT OF REFERENCE FOR HOW TALL BUILDINGS AND PETALUMA ACTUALLY ARE.
UM, WHENEVER I WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN, I LOOK AROUND TO SEE WHAT I CAN SEE.
THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SEE IS THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU.
WHENEVER I'M FROM THE FREEWAY, THE ONLY BUILDING THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM THE FREEWAY IS THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PETALUMA, WE DON'T, AS, AS HAS BEEN SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS GOING TO BE.
UM, I THINK INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE FUTURE IS NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE EXACTLY ENVISIONED IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
UM, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LIKE A JETSONS SORT OF FUTURE HERE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY GROUNDED IN REALITY THAT IS BUILT FOR THE FUTURE THAT WE ARE LIKELY GOING TO HAVE TO REALIZE IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE SORTS OF POTENTIALS WITHIN OUR CODES, REGULATIONS, AND LAWS THAT ALLOW FOR PETALUMA TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND GROW IN THE WAY THAT IT NEEDS TO, BOTH BECAUSE OF POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN CALIFORNIA, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ITS VIABILITY AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVEN CENTER, UM, IN AND OF ITSELF, AND TO JUST ALSO MEET DEMAND FOR WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO WANT TO LIVE IN PETALUMA.
UM, I FEAR THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO NOT THINK ABOUT THOSE SORTS OF POTENTIALS, NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL, THAT THERE WILL BE AN 11 STORY BUILDING THERE, BUT IF WE DON'T ENVISION A PETALUMA THAT WHERE THAT'S POSSIBLE, THEN WE'VE REALLY LIMITED WHAT PETALUMA CAN BE.
AND I JUST WANNA IN PUT THAT STATEMENT OUT THERE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT PETALUMA HAS BEEN, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A VERY, VERY FORWARD LOOKING COMMUNITY FROM ALL THE WAY BACK WHEN, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BUILT WHAT WAS ONCE CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE TALLEST
[02:10:01]
BUILDINGS ON THE ENTIRE WEST COAST, BUT FOR THAT DREAM AND ENVISIONING OF A FUTURE WHERE THERE COULD BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT POTENTIAL.SO I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE IN MIND WHILE ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE WILL NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD.
IF I COULD ADD TO THAT REALLY QUICK, I, I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE EITHER GONNA HAVE TO GROW OUTWARD OR UPWARD, AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE IF WE GO IN EITHER DIRECTION, A MORE INCREMENTAL APPROACH THAN HAVING SOMETHING STALLED IN THERE THAT LOOKS OUT OF PLACE.
OH, JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT, UH, OUT OUTWARD IS, UH, NOT HAPPENING
SO, SO, SO UPWARD IS THE WAY, AND YOU KNOW, I I ALSO APPRECIATE THE REMINDER, UM, FROM, FROM COMMISSIONER GOLDMAN THAT WE DO HAVE SOME PRETTY TALL
UM, EVEN IF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENCES ARE NOT, UM, WE DO HAVE VIEW SHED, UH, PRECEDENT THERE.
AND I THINK WE ARE CONSTANTLY BEING REMINDED, UM, WHETHER IT'S PROJECT BASED OR SOMETHING PROGRAMMATIC OF LIKE THIS NATURE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BODY, AND PARTICULARLY A DOCUMENT LIKE THE GENERAL PLAN WE ARE DOING, DEALING WITH A TON OF HYPOTHETICALS, AND ALL OF THOSE HYPOTHETICALS ARE TRYING TO SORT OF GIVE YOU THE OUTLINE OF WHAT CAN EXIST WITHIN IT.
UM, AND I THINK IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL SORT OF PROJECT OUT TO THE MAXIMAL AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO EVERY SINGLE MAX, UM, THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE PETALUMA TO ME.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT HOW DEVELOPMENT COMES ACROSS THIS DESK.
UM, SO WHEN IT COMES TO ENVISIONING THE FUTURE AND WHAT WE NEED, AND IN, IN SOME CASES WHAT WE NEED TO CATCH UP, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY, LET'S DO INCREMENTAL, BUT IF WE'VE BEEN SO STUNTED FOR DECADES, YOU, YOU KIND OF NEED TO LEAPFROG A LITTLE BIT
UM, SO I THINK WHEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THOSE POTENTIAL MAXIMUM ENVELOPES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THAT IS NOT PREDICTIVE.
THAT IS NOT GUARANTEED, THAT IS JUST THE SORT OF MAX ALLOWABLE.
AND THERE'S A LOT MORE MEETINGS TO HAPPEN BEFORE ANYTHING GETS BUILT FOR MAX ALLOWABLE.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE MERELY TRYING TO SORT OF ENVISION, UM, THE ENVELOPE.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, AGAIN, A LOT OF HYPOTHETICALS, WHICH IS TOUGH.
COULD I ADD A THOUGHT MAYBE TO THE IDEA OF GUARDRAILS, THE MENTION OF OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS THROUGHOUT THE GENERAL PLAN HAS, AS A DESIGN ORIENTED COMMISSIONER HERE? I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I KNOW OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS HAVE COME UP IN TALKS WITH THE ICO AND OUR CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE LAND USE, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT PRIORITIZED AS AN IMPLEMENTATION TO JUST BROADEN THE SCOPE OF OUR OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS OR THE APPLICABILITY OF THEM.
UM, I THINK THEY WERE APPLIED IN THE GENERAL PLAN TO INFILL SITES.
THAT'S A BIG AREA WHERE GROWTH CAN HAPPEN, NOT UP OR NOT OUT, BUT WITHIN, UM, AND KIND OF MORE BROADLY TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE LEVERAGE OR CONTROL ON THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AS MUCH SAY IN, UM, AS THEY COME HERE TO THE COMMISSION.
SO I'LL JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE AND, UM, SEE IF IT STICKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT MORE JETSONS, I SUPPOSE.
UM, I THINK AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES LIKE WAYMO IS ALREADY APPROVED TO COME TO PETALUMA.
IT'S JUST A BUSINESS DECISION AWAY FOR THEM FROM COMING, RIGHT? AND SO THE POTENTIAL FOR US HAVING DISRUPTIVE MOBILITY ON OUR STREETS IS, IS ABSOLUTELY THERE.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR LAND USE PATTERNS AND THE LIFESTYLES THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN PETALUMA, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE SORTS OF NEW MODELS OF MOBILITY COMING IN ARE, ARE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, I THINK THE, JUST FOCUSING ON THE SMART STATION AREA THERE, UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S SIX STORIES IN UNLIMITED DENSITY.
UM, GOING TO EIGHT STORIES AND MAKING IT WHAT, A HUNDRED AND 120 UNITS PER ACRE SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY INCREMENTAL STEP ACTUALLY WHEN YOU, IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING HAPPEN WITH SIX STORIES AND UNLIMITED DENSITY.
AND, UM, I LOOK AT THIS AS WE'RE CREATING THE FLEX, LIKE PROVIDING MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
[02:15:01]
DOES IT PROVIDE ALL THE FLEXIBILITY I'D LIKE TO SEE? NO, BUT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.IT'S A ULTIMATELY A, YOU KNOW, A CALCULATED POLICY AND POLITICAL NEGOTIATION WITH, UM, EVERYBODY DOING WHAT THEY THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, SO I, I LOOK AT ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AS FAIRLY INCREMENTAL FOR THE MOST PART.
IT'S LIKE THE IT, YOU KNOW, THE STEP DOWN MIXED USE ALONG CORRIDORS.
WE WENT FROM 30 UNITS AN ACRE TO 45 UNITS AN ACRE.
I WOULD'VE LOVED FOR IT TO BE 70, RIGHT? AT FOUR STORIES, BUT IT WASN'T.
UM, IT'S AT, IT'S AT, UH, IT'S AT 45.
SO I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY INCREMENTAL STEP UP.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I HOPE THAT WHEN WE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS NOT THAT THIS IS LIKE A, UM, A MASSIVE SHIFT AND A MASSIVE CHANGE, BUT ACTUALLY IT'S A FAIRLY, UH, MODEST, THOUGHTFUL, UM, INCREMENTAL CHANGES TO OUR LAND USE TO TRY AND, UM, SEE THINGS HAPPEN THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVEN'T BEEN HAPPENING.
UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHEN WE LOOK, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROJECT GOING ON WHERE THEY'RE MAPPING PROPERTY TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S ASTONISHING HOW, UH, HOW BAD SOME OF THE ECONOMICS OF SOME OF OUR PRIME REAL ESTATE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, WE'VE GOTTA SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN IF WE WANT TO HAVE, IF WE WANNA STOP HAVING TRANSIT CUTS, IF WE WANT TO HAVE NICE THINGS, WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND THAT MEANS THAT OUR, OUR PRIME REAL ESTATE'S GOTTA GOTTA DO ITS JOB.
AND PART OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR, OUR, WHAT WE SEE IN THE GENERAL PLAN, A LOT OF THAT IS WHAT WE SEE IN THE ZONING CODE.
SOME OF IT'S WHAT WE SEE IN OUR IMPACT FEE STRUCTURES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A WHOLE SCHEME THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER HERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST LAYER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE'RE CREATING THE, THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO TRY NOT TO CREATE MORE LAYERS OF, OF CRAP THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH LATER ON.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, UM, WE DON'T EXPLICITLY CALL OUT SINGLE STARE.
I'D LOVE TO, UM, WE DON'T EXPLICITLY CALL OUT MANUFACTURE HOUSING AND INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, BUT THERE'S SOME LIKE REALLY PROMISING STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING WITH LIKE MANUFACTURED ROW HOUSING AND, AND WHATNOT THAT COULD REALLY DISRUPT BRINGING, UM, BRINGING NEW HOUSING ONLINE THAT IS AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING THAT IN THIS, IN THIS GENERAL PLAN.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE, BUT THAT'S LIKE, ONE OF MY MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, THE, THE FINAL.
SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I HAVE TWO MORE COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA DO THE ONE ON THE EIR.
UM, WE SORT OF CREATED SOME ARBITRARY BOUNDARIES AROUND LIKE WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE STOPPING OUR AREAS OF CHANGE.
LIKE ON PETALUMA BOULEVARD, WE STOPPED IT AT, WHAT WAS IT LIKE, NOT SYCAMORE, UM, BUT LIKE, UH, TRYING TO JUST SEE WHERE WAS IT? IT IS, UH, NOT SHASTA, WHATEVER THAT OTHER LITTLE STREET THERE IS PAST IT, RIGHT? BUT WE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE JUST STOPPED IT, AND THEN ON ONE SIDE IT WAS MULTI-FAMILY, THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S LIKE JUST COMMERCIAL.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF REALLY, CURRENTLY, THERE'S SOME COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THERE, BUT REALLY IT'S UNDERPERFORMING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.
CERTAINLY THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES UP AT THE NORTH END BY RED OLD REDWOOD HIGHWAY ARE UNDERPERFORMING.
AND, UM, MY THOUGHT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE EIR WAS LIKE, SHOULD WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE WHERE WE ACTUALLY EXTEND THE ZONING? THERE ARE THE, THE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS, LIKE A SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE SO THAT WE, THERE IS NO MND PROCESS IF SOMEONE, IF ONE OF THE OTHER BUSINESS PARK WANTS TO DO IT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE IS LIKE, INSTEAD OF MORE OF A BROAD ALTERNATIVE OF FOCUS ON THE CORE OR THE CORRIDOR IS LIKE, LOOK AT THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE KIND OF LIKE STICKING OUR FOOT IN THE WATER WITH LIKE REZONING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
AND IF IT DOES, THAT'S AMAZING BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR TAX BASE IS GROWING, WE'VE GOT MORE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING WORKING, AND MAKE IT REALLY EASY FROM AN IMPLEMENTATION STANDPOINT TO DO THAT TO WHERE IT'S LITERALLY A, YOU KNOW, A COUNCIL VOTE.
IT'S NOT AN MND, IT'S NOT ANYTHING.
IT'S LITERALLY JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT WORKED.
LET'S, LET'S EXTEND IT TO ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THERE AND SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WANTS TO DO IT TOO.
UM, THAT WAS LIKE, MY MAIN POINT OF FEEDBACK ON THE EIR IS LIKE, SHOULD WE HAVE A TARGETED ALTERNATIVE THAT'S LIKE, IF THIS WORKS, LIKE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO EXPAND IT WITH A SIMPLE COUNCIL VOTE.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S, UM, ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAD ON THE EIR, UM, ON THE GENERAL PLAN.
UM, I THINK MOST OF THE STUFF'S THERE.
[02:20:03]
WE REALLY TALK ABOUT LEANING INTO THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AS LIKE ONE OF OUR CORE PARTS OF OUR IDENTITY.AND, UM, AND I LIKE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THAT RECENTLY.
AND IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S A NEED TO REALLY SORT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
LIKE, UM, LIKE THE COOLEST CONVERSATION THAT SOMEONE BROUGHT TO ME WAS LIKE, THE MARINA RIGHT NOW WE'RE LIKE TOTALLY IN UNDERWATER.
WE HAVEN'T PAID A DIME OF OUR LOAN.
WE'VE HAD IT FOR TWO DECADES OR FIVE DECADES, OR WHATEVER THE HELL IT IS, RIGHT? AND LIKE, IT'S A DEFUNCT MARINA FOR THE MOST PART.
LIKE, THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE, BUT LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BOATS COMING IN.
WE DON'T HAVE LIKE, A LOT GOING ON THERE.
AND LIKE, COULD WE ATTRACT A SATELLITE CAMPUS OF AN ART, AN ART INSTITUTION TO COME THERE AND SET UP SHOP ON, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THERE ON OUR MARINA AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS PART OF LOCATING THERE, THEY BUILD THE PATH UNDER THE, THE 1 0 1 AND WE HAVE THAT LIKE, LOVELY CONNECTION MADE, YOU KNOW, BUT LIKE SOME SORT OF LIKE CREATIVE INNOVATION AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YES, WE'VE GOTTA PROCESS THE, THE PERMITS FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES TO COME IN.
WE ALSO NEED TO BRING IN BIG INSTITUTIONS, UM, AS WELL AND BRING THEIR MONEY AND THEIR STUDENTS AND IMPORT THAT WEALTH.
UM, AND SO SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF LIKE, IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION OF LIKE REALLY LOOKING AT LIKE INSTITUTIONAL, UM, INSTITUTIONAL ACTORS AND LIKE HOW WE BRING THEM INTO OUR CITY, FIND THEM SPACES AND CREATE, UM, LIKE WHERE IT REALLY ALIGNS WITH OUR, UH, OUR GENERAL PLAN TOO, AND I THOUGHT THAT ONE DID IN PARTICULAR.
SO THOSE ARE LIKE THE TWO BIG PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE.
UM, BUT I THINK JUST IN GENERAL, AS WE WALK AWAY FROM THIS AS A PLANNING COMMISSION, LIKE WE SHOULD REALLY BE THINKING ABOUT THIS AS LIKE A BUNCH OF INCREMENTAL CHANGES TO TRY AND BRING ABOUT LIKE, FUTURE THAT WE WANNA SEE.
UM, AND LIKE, I DON'T, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE, UM, BUT I THINK I'M, I'M HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE.
I'M PROUD OF THE STAFF THAT HAVE WORKED ON IT AND DEFINITELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMISSION WHO'VE WEIGHED IN ON THIS FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND YEARS.
ON THAT INSTITUTION PIECE, DOES STAFF HAVE A, A THOUGHT, I MEAN, I, MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY EXCLUDED, BUT BRIAN, YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT IT BE MORE EXPLICITLY PURSUED.
I, I THINK THAT IN THE DRAFT GENERAL PLAN, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO TALK ABOUT RECRUIT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION OF LIKE REALLY RECRUITING INSTITUTIONAL OR SOMEONE WHO CAN COME IN AND LOOK IN LIKE THE DIFFERENT LEVERS THAT WE HAVE AROUND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WORKED IN LANCASTER AND THEY BROUGHT BYD IN, AND THEY GAVE THEM LIKE MASSIVE TAX INCENTIVES, BUT BYD INVESTED, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THEIR CITY, RIGHT? AND, UM, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A BYD BECAUSE OUR HOUSING'S WAY TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE.
BUT I THINK WE COULD GET AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION POTENTIALLY, AND LIKE SSU ELIMINATED ITS ENTIRE ART PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SWOOP IN THERE OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT IT JUST FEELS LIKE, UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT LIKE BIG ACTORS WHERE PEOPLE CAN BRING IN THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, TO OUR CITY, UM, PUTTING THAT AS A STRATEGY IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTION TO TRY AND REALLY CAPTURE THE, UM, LIKE SOME REALLY LIKE IDENTITY SHIFTING SORT OF INNOVATION ON THAT FRONT.
I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THAT, IN THAT SECTION.
I DIDN'T SEE, UM, LIKE IT REALLY CALLED OUT AND REFERENCED.
I GUESS JUST A QUICK COUPLE QUICK THOUGHTS ON THAT POINT.
E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ELEMENTS ARE ALWAYS TOUGH IN A GENERAL PLAN BECAUSE THEY'RE BY NATURE GENERAL, AND I THINK, UM, THIS ELEMENTS EVEN SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR A MORE SPECIFIC STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE CITY.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS AN ENTIRE, UM, GOAL AREA OF FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON SUPPORTING NEW AND, AND EXISTING BUSINESSES AND EXPANDING, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, ENCOURAGING ADDITIONAL, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT WITHIN THE CITY.
IT DOESN'T GET TO THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY, LIKE SPECIFIC TO THE MARINA FOR INSTANCE, OR SPECIFIC INSTITUTIONAL USES.
YEAH, MAYBE THAT WAS SOME OF THE THING THAT WAS JARRING FOR ME.
IT WAS LIKE, MAYBE WE NEED TO FLAG A FEW AREAS OF REDEVELOPMENT ON LIKE CITY PROPERTIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THE MARINA IS SOMETHING WHERE WE NEED
[02:25:01]
A VISION FOR IT AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.AND MAYBE THAT'S THE POLICY IS JUST LIKE, MAYBE I'M JUST LIKE HUNG UP ON THE FACT THAT LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR OUR MARINA RIGHT NOW, AND IF
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S ALWAYS UNDERWATER.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S, IT'S NOT A, LIKE, IT SHOULD BE A HUGE ASSET FOR OUR CITY AND LIKE, WE JUST NEED TO BRING THE CREATIVE JUICES OF OUR CITY.
AND THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT THERE.
MAYBE IT'S, IT'S JUST FOCUSED ON THE MARINA OR WHATEVER, BUT I CAN MAKE A COMMENT ON THE ALTERNATIVES QUESTION ABOUT ACROSS THE STREET IF THERE'S A CHANGE OR HEY, SOMETHING'S WORKING WELL, ONE OF THE OPTIONS, AND I MAYBE DISSUADE FROM THE CONVERSATION OF WE NEED TO ADD MORE AND MORE ALTERNATIVES.
THE ALTERNATIVES ARE PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN IS PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
ONE OTHER OPTION THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS THAT TO, TO, UH, STREAMLINE THOSE APPLICATIONS COMING IN.
THERE'S ALSO OTHER AVENUES, WHICH IS IF THE, IF A PROPOSED LAND USE OR AN EX A LAND USE OF A NEIGHBORING PARCEL WOULD LIKE TO BE CHANGED.
THE PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN GIVES YOU SOME OPTIONS.
AND THE, AND THE, AND THE PROGRAMMATIC EIR GIVES YOU SOME OPTIONS TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE OTHER APPLICA, IT WOULD STILL INVOLVE A LAND USE DESIGNATION CHANGE, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE EVENING.
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S A FULL BLOWN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT IN EVERY INSTANCE.
THERE'S OTHER, UH, OTHER ROUTES THAT COULD BE DONE.
A 1 5, 1 8, 3 CONSISTENCY CHECKLIST WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, OR THE PLAN IS AN OPTION IF YOU CAN DETERMINE THAT, THAT BY CHANGING THOSE HANDFUL OF SITES NEIGHBORING AN AN ADJACENT LAND USE MAKES GOOD SENSE, IS IN LINE WITH THE GOALS OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
BUT IT'S A SLIGHT LAND USE CHANGE THAT'S A, A MUCH MORE STREAMLINED S QL DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY CAN PREPARE, UM, RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
THE OTHER OPTION IS AN ADDENDUM TO THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE GENERAL PLANER.
IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE CHANGING A HANDFUL OF PARCELS, UH, AT A LATER STAGE.
THOSE ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE FOR MOST GENERAL PLANS AND GENERAL PLANER IS DOWN IN LATER YEARS.
UM, AS YOU GET THROUGH, IT'S NOT IN EVERY INSTANCE YOU CAN DO THAT.
IT, IF THERE'S, BUT WHAT IT DOES DEMONSTRATE IS IF THERE'S NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE OF IMPACTS COMPARED TO WHAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE EIR BY CHANGING THOSE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS, YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE, WITH THOSE DOCUMENTS IN A MUCH MORE STREAMLINED FASHION THAN REQUIRING A, A FULL BLOWN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL PARCEL.
SO IT'S HARD TO DO THAT ON A SCALE ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY, BUT IN SMALL PIECES OR INDIVIDUAL PARCELS OR A HANDFUL OF PARCELS ADJACENT WHERE YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENCY, THAT MIGHT MAKE SOME GOOD SENSE.
SORRY, ONE OTHER QUICK NOTE ON THE MARINA, THERE IS A, UH, ENTIRE POLICY INSTEAD OF ACTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE MARINA IN THE FACIL PUBLIC FACILITIES ELEMENT.
SO FAC DASH 1.4, UM, IT, IT DOES SPEAK TO SOME OF YOUR IDEAS, BUT MAYBE THERE'S AN, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIFICITY YOU MIGHT SUGGEST ADDING TO THAT, UM, THAT SET OF ACTIONS.
SO TAKE A LOOK AND LET US KNOW.
UH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE, THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT STAFF HAVE PUT INTO GETTING THIS GENERAL PLAN TOGETHER, AND OBVIOUSLY THE GPAC AND, AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATION THAT HAVE SHAPED THIS.
IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE, UH, AS I STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON THE EIR AND, AND THE, THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF, UH, AS THEY'RE PROPOSED.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, THERE'S A ONE COUPLE POINTS I HAVE THAT I JUST REALLY WANNA EMPHASIZE, HOW, HOW MUCH, UH, I APPRECIATE AND, AND AM GRATEFUL FOR, UH, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, ACTED ON OUR RECOMMENDATION TO REINSTATE THE, UH, STATION MIXED USE LAND USE DESIGNATION ON THAT LAND THAT'S NEXT TO THE DOWNTOWN SMART STATION.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MADE SURE TO SPECIFY THAT NEARBY, UM, PARCELS, UH, HAD THE, UH, URBAN CORRIDOR, UH, MIXED USE DESIGNATION AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT REALLY, UM, I THINK IS A, A VERY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT TO OUR LAND USE DESIGNATIONS IN THE GENERAL PLAN, UH, AND OUR COMMITMENT TO, UM, UH, CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IN THE URBAN CORE.
UH, SO I, I, I FEEL LIKE WE, WE ARE BEING SOMEWHAT INCREMENTAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT SMART STATION MIXED USE IS THE,
[02:30:01]
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HEIGHT, TALLEST DESIGNATION, BUT IT'S ONLY ON ONE PARCEL IN THE ENTIRE CITY, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS MUCH MORE MODEST.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, WHAT I THINK WE HAVE NOW IS, IS NOT AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH GIVEN THE, THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT GENERATIONS ARE FACING IF THEY WANNA STAY IN PETALUMA AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE.
SO, UM, I REALLY JUST WANNA, UH, APPRECIATE WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL DID TO, TO DO THOSE STEPS AND FINALIZE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION IN A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS NOTICED.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FALSE NARRATIVE THAT THAT WASN'T PUBLICLY NOTICED AND THERE WASN'T AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT IS, UH, TREMENDOUSLY FALSE.
UH, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, ADVANCED AVAILABILITY OF OUR RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE AND IN THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
UH, AND THEN THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR, FOR MAKING THOSE THOSE CHANGES.
UM, UH, I WANT TO, UM, QUICKLY MAKE THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A WRITTEN COMMENT FROM, FROM MS. OLSON AND, AND, AND SHE GAVE, UH, SOME ORAL COMMENTS HERE TONIGHT, UM, ABOUT THAT STATION MIXED USE DESIGNATION.
UH, THE WRITTEN COMMENTS TALK ABOUT AN AESTHETIC IMPACT THAT NEEDS TO BE BETTER ANALYZED.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, DEFER TO STAFF ON WHETHER THE EIR NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO ADDRESS THAT AESTHETIC IMPACT.
UM, AND IT, IT SEEMS TO REALLY KIND OF GO AFTER AN 11 STORY BUILDING AS HAVING AN AESTHETIC IMPACT.
UM, QUITE FRANKLY, IF WE BUILT 11 STORIES OF 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PETALUMA, I WOULD BE ECSTATIC, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PROPERTIES THAT COME THROUGH WITH LIKE FIVE OR 10 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IT BARELY DENTS THE DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR ARENA OBLIGATIONS FROM THE LAST ARENA, FROM THE LAST CYCLE IN OUR HOUSING ELEMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, UM, TO, TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF WHO, WHAT INCOME CATEGORIES, UH, UH, OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I EMBRACE THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A COMMITMENT TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, THAT WORKING PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT GENERATIONS, UH, CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT DESIGNATION SHOULD STAY IN THE, THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT THERE IS AN AESTHETIC IMPACT FOR THAT LAND USE DESIGNATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE, THE EIR AND I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR STAFF'S REACTION TO THIS, AND MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES' REACTION TO THIS AS WELL.
BUT I THINK THE ALTERNATIVE SECTION SHOULD BE, UM, BROADENED TO INCLUDE ANOTHER PROJECT ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS ONE THAT WAS REJECTED.
IT'S THE, UH, THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY EXPANSION.
AND THERE IS A, THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY CAN BE EXPANDED TO PROVIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE NOT GONNA PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE URBAN CORE OR MORE DENSE HOUSING BY THE STATION, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A PROJECT ALTERNATIVE THAT SAYS, LET'S EXPAND THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY AND BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON PRIME FARMLAND.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IMPACTS WILL THAT HAVE RELATIVE TO THE IMPACTS THAT ARE ALLEGED TO COME FROM A 8, 9, 10, 11 STORY BUILDING NEXT TO THE SMART STATION.
I THINK THAT COMPARISON WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR DECISION MAKERS, UM, AS WE WEIGH THE IMPACTS OF THESE POLICY CHANGES.
SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THAT PROJECT ALTERNATIVE ON THE TABLE.
UH, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT ON THE PERIPHERY OF PETALUMA HAS WAY MORE IMPACTS AND DOESN'T MEET EVEN MORE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT, LIKE OBJECTIVE FOUR FOR SOCIAL EQUITY OR VMT, FOR EXAMPLE, TRANSPORTATION, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF OBJECTIVES.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO SEE WHERE ARE WE GONNA BUILD THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING? IS IT GONNA BE IN IN THE CORE NEAR TRANSPORTATION, OR IS IT GONNA BE OUT ON PRIME FARMLAND? UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE MAYBE SOME FEEDBACK FROM STAFF ON, ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE CORRECTED, BUT I I I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, AS A COMMUNITY, UH, NEED TO
[02:35:01]
DO A LOT MORE FOR, UH, SOME INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY, UH, FOR, FOR YOUNGER PETALUMA TO, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.AND EVERY CHOICE WE'LL HAVE TRADE-OFFS IN REGARDS TO THE, THAT ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED THAT WAS EXPANDING THE, THE UGB.
UM, AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED ON PAGE, SORRY, LET ME FIND IT HERE.
SIX DASH THREE OF THE, OF THE DRAFT EIR.
UM, I THINK WE'RE ALIGNED IN TERMS OF WHY WE ULTIMATELY REJECTED IT.
UM, AND, AND KIND OF THE REASONS WHICH IS EXACTLY AS YOU HIT, IT DOESN'T MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GENERAL PLAN, UH, OF THE PROJECT.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE OF, UH, OF VOTE, UM, THAT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED, WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE ABILITY AT, FOR RIGHT NOW FOR US TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, AND IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, IT WAS ULTIMATELY REJECTED.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO SOMEWHAT WHAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN SUMMARIZING THE ALTERNATIVES, THE GOAL OF THE SQL ALTERNATIVES PIECE IS REALLY TO REDUCE AND AVOID ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
SO PROJECTS THAT WOULD INCREASE IMPACTS COMPARED TO THE PROPOSED GENERALLY ARE REJECTED.
UM, THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S, WE FELT IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR TO, FOR US TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED 'CAUSE IT WAS ONE THAT WE KICKED AROUND, BUT HAS WAY TOO MANY, UM, HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE A VIABLE, REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE WITHOUT IT BEING SPECULATIVE THAT IT ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL COULD ADOPT THAT ALTERNATIVE.
SO THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY IT WAS ULTIMATELY REJECTED.
AND I THINK ALONG THE SAME LINES OF, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE LIKE THAT JUST WOULDN'T REALLY BE IN LINE WITH THE DIRECTION GOING BACK FOR THE FIVE YEAR PROCESS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE GPAC AND CITY COUNCIL AND, AND THIS PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE DIRECTION FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, UM, IN ADDITION TO IT WOULD CREATE A LOT MORE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE OR AVOID.
UM, SO THAT IS THE REASON, AND I'LL JUST ADD ON THE AESTHETICS PART.
WE LEARNED DURING THE DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC OVERLAY, IT WAS PUBLIC RESOURCE CODE 2 1 0 9 9 THAT, UH, RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE HIGH ECONOMIC CENTERS.
I THINK WITHIN INFILL NEAR TRANSIT AREAS, AESTHETICS AND PARKING IMPACTS AREN'T CALC OR, UH, CONSIDERED FOR QUA CHAIR.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING'S CONSIDERED NOW FOR C QA, I MEAN, SQUA, RIGHT? I MEAN, I MEAN, IT IS NOT JUST PARKING AND IN AESTHETICS ANYMORE FOR INFILL PROJECTS, RIGHT? EVERYTHING IS EXEMPT FROM SQUA.
AM I, AM I ACCURATE THERE OR NO? NOT EVERYTHING IS EXEMPT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A SLEW OF EXEMPTIONS THAT HAVE COME ON SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSING, RIGHT? UM, PROJECTS AND THOSE THAT MEET, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR INFILL.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, THE CRITERIA THAT HAS TO BE MET FOR THOSE TO QUALIFY FOR THOSE EXEMPTIONS.
SO I, UM, I REALLY LIKE WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER NEWELL WAS SAYING, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS ALIGN OUR, OUR POLICIES WITH OUR VALUES, WHAT WE SAY OUR VALUES ARE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE WORKSHOPS THAT REALLY FRUSTRATED ME WAS WHEN WE HAD LIKE, HERE'S THE THREE STORY AND THE FOUR STORY AND THE FIVE STORY, AND LIKE EVERYBODY ALWAYS GOES TO THE THREE STORY, BUT LIKE, UH, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, BUT LIKE WHAT, LIKE WHAT IF THEY KNEW THAT LIKE THE, THE APARTMENTS IN THE THREE STORY BUILDING COST $500 MORE THAN, THAN THE FOUR STORY AND, AND $500 MORE THAN THE FIVE STORY.
UM, AND WE DON'T, UM, BUT LIKE, HOW, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DO WE SQUARE THAT WITH OUR VALUES FOR TRYING TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD? AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LIKE I REALLY GOT FRUSTRATED WITH, WITH THE VISUALS WITHOUT REALLY HELPING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS FROM A VALUE STANDPOINT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, I THINK THE, THE EIGHT TO 11 STORY EXAMPLE IS A GOOD, UH, LIKE LET'S RUN WITH THAT.
LET'S SAY WE HAVE AN 11 STORY BUILDING THAT MEANS THAT UNDER STATE DENSITY BONUS, I THINK 50% OF THOSE UNITS WOULD HAVE TO BE LIKE DEED RESTRICTED TO LIKE SUPER AFFORDABLE AND, AND, AND LOW INCOME.
SO WE'RE PUTTING LIKE A WHOLE MESS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE, MOST IN NEED PEOPLE RIGHT NEXT TO TRANSIT, TO ACCESS THE REGIONAL JOB MARKET RIGHT NEXT TO RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN.
LIKE, UM, IS THAT A TRADE OFF WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE AS A CITY, UM, FROM A VALUE STANDPOINT, UM, TO PUT LIKE TO, TO SEE AN 11 STORY BUILDING THERE? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, BUT I'M WILLING TO TAKE THAT RISK BECAUSE, UH, IN THE END OF THE DAY,
[02:40:01]
LIKE, WE NEED HOUSING FOR PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE, THE, THE FEAR OF AN 11 STORY BUILDING.UM, WHAT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY OF, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF UNITS OF HOUSING RIGHT NEXT TO TRANSIT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST IN OUR CITY, BECAUSE WE CAN NEVER GET ENOUGH OF IT.
AND, UM, THAT, LIKE, I JUST, I LIKE WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THE VALUES AND LIKE, WHAT IS THERE, AND NOT JUST WHAT THINGS LOOK AT LIKE, BUT ALSO LIKE WHO CAN LIVE IN OUR CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE 15 MINUTE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GREAT ON PAPER.
UM, BUT THE BEST 15 MINUTE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE ONES WHERE YOU CAN WALK TO WORK.
AND IF I CAN WALK TO MY, LIKE, TO MY COFFEE SHOP, BUT MY BARISTA HAS TO DRIVE 40 MINUTES, THAT'S NOT A 15 MINUTE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, REALLY CENTER THE VALUES OF, OF OUR CITY AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR POLICIES, UM, AND AS WE THINK ABOUT TRADE-OFFS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CHANGE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, I GRADUATED IN 2003, IT WAS LIKE 56,000 PEOPLE WHEN I GRADUATED, MORE OR LESS THAN 60,000 PEOPLE TODAY, OVER 20 YEARS LATER, LIKE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MASSIVE CHANGE IN PETALUMA IN TERMS OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE HERE, BUT WHAT WE ARE TRYING, TALKING ABOUT IS MASSIVE CHANGE IN THE COST OF BUYING A HOME.
WE'VE PUSHED WORKING PEOPLE OUT.
WE HAVE WAGED CLASS WAR ON THE BACKS OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH HOUSING SUPPLY.
AND SO, UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING BACK ON US WANTING TO BUILD HOUSING, UM, I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THEY HAVE A HOME IN THIS CITY.
UM, AND LIKE OUR JOB IS TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HOMES AND TO CENTER THEIR NEEDS AND TO, AND TO TRY AND CREATE A CITY THAT WORKS FOR THEM.
BECAUSE THE TRAJECTORY OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED RIGHT NOW IS NOT A TRAJECTORY OF AN INCLUSIVE CITY.
IT'S, IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY, IT HELP US ON OUR VALUES.
LIKE, I JUST SAW A THING 15% DECLINE BY 2032 IN SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS IN CALIFORNIA.
LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S BIRTH RATES, THAT'S HOUSING COSTS, THAT'S ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT LIKE THAT, I MEAN, PE CITY OF PENAL, PENA CITY SCHOOLS IS OUR LARGEST EMPLOYER, RIGHT? LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE ARE DIRE, DIRE NUMBERS AND WE'VE GOT TO LIKE DO SOMETHING TO COURSE CORRECT ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AND TALKING MORE ABOUT LIKE WHY WE'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND HOW WE'RE CENTERING OUR VALUES, I THINK IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
YEAH, JUST TO ECHO THAT, I, I THINK THE THING I KEEP COMING BACK TO IS THAT SIX HAS BEEN ON OFFER AND WE'RE NOT GETTING NOTHING.
SO OPENING IT UP TO EIGHT AND DENSITY BONUS LAWS, WHAT THEY ARE POTENTIALLY GOING HIGHER, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S I THINK A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT SITE IN PARTICULAR.
I'VE, I'VE HAD FRIENDS COME UP FROM MARIN COUNTY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GOTTA HOOF IT THROUGH 10 MINUTES OF NOT VERY NICE, UH, YOU KNOW, LAKEVILLE ADJACENT, SUN BAKED, UH, UH, WALK TO SOME OF THE NICER STUFF DOWNTOWN.
SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS AROUND THE SCALE, YOU CAN BUILD A TALL BUILDING THAT FEELS THAT IT IS WITHIN SCALE FOR, UH, A PEDESTRIAN.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY THERE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE NOT JUST HOUSING THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED, BUT A GATHERING PLACE, UH, AND AND A RESOURCE FOR THOSE IN AND AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY IF WE CAN ACTUALLY ENTICE A PROJECT BY CHANGING UP WHAT IS ALLOWED THERE, UM, IN THE HOPES THAT IT CAN ACTUALLY SUIT A DEVELOPER.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE FLEXIBILITY, NOT PRESCRIBING.
AND NOT TO OFFER, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS A DEBATE OVER THIS 'CAUSE I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THE VISION YOU'RE LAYING OUT.
I UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENTS THERE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST ADD TO THIS, THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S NATIONWIDE.
UM, THERE'S OTHER DRIVERS, THERE'S FINANCIAL DRIVERS, THERE'S EQUITY DRIVERS FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN HOMES.
I HATE THE COMP REAL ESTATE MARKET AND FINANCING THAT DRIVES PRICES UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS THAT ARE BUYING UP HOUSING.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DRIVERS BEHIND THIS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT IN IS THINKING WE'RE GONNA FIX THE HOUSING PROBLEM BY EVEN ADDING EIGHT STORIES.
AND, AND FRANKLY I DON'T THINK WE'LL SEE 11 STORY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
'CAUSE NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO BUILD IT.
THEY WOULD BUILD MARKET RATE WAY BEFORE THEY BUILD AFFORDABLE.
AND, AND ALSO AFFORDABLE PROJECTS DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS.
[02:45:01]
A LOT OF 'EM ARE EXEMPT FROM PROPERTY TAX.SO IT, SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE DREAM VISION, BUT I WILL SAY IT BUILDS INTO MY BIGGER POINT WHERE I APPRECIATE PEOPLE SHARING A VISION.
AND THIS GETS BACK TO MY POINT ABOUT LIKE VISUALS, RIGHT? WE HEAR SO MUCH DEBATE ABOUT SIZE, UM, SIZE AND MASS AND HEIGHT, AND OF COURSE THERE'S FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
ARE WE GONNA FIX THE HOUSING MARKET BY ALLOWING THIS? I THINK WE NEED TO ENVISION IT.
AND I THINK WHAT WHAT IS CONFUSING FOR ME SOMETIMES IS IN CITY MEETINGS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSENSUS VISION FROM STAFF AND A LOT OF INVOLVED PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT I DON'T KNOW IS COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IT CAN LOOK LIKE SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WANT, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
IT'S LIKE, LET'S SAY WE'RE SIGNALING THE ZONING BECAUSE WE WANT IT, HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GET A DEFINITIVE PROGRESS IN THAT COMMUNITY DEBATE OF LIKE, DO WE WANT THIS? OR DOES THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT THIS OR NOT? MAKE THE ARGUMENTS SHOW IT.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ON THE CONSENSUS DIRECTION WITHOUT SAYING THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WANT, IT'S, IT GETS, IT GETS FRUSTRATING AND IT GETS TO BE A LITTLE BIT, UM, IT JUST, I THINK CONFUSING FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY LIKE FOR THE GENERAL PLAN, I THINK IT DOES DO A GOOD JOB OF SHARING THE VISION.
I THINK WHERE WE CAN ADD VISUALS, WHERE WE CAN OWN THE ZONING AND LAND USE ALTERNATIVES TO SAY, YES, THIS IS WHAT I WANT AND HERE'S WHY.
HERE ARE THE NUMEROUS BENEFITS, HERE ARE HOW WE MAKE A DENT IN HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
HERE IS HOW WE BRING NEW PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOOK AT DEMOGRAPHICS.
I THINK PART OF THIS MAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT IN 20 YEARS WHERE WE MAY HAVE HOUSING FALLING THROUGH OUR FINGERS BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS IN SONOMA, YEAH, THERE'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, BUT THERE'S MORTALITY RATES AS WELL.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT MORE PROPERTIES COME ON THE MARKET.
UM, SO ANYWAY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AFFECTING THIS, BUT I, I JUST WANT US TO OWN WHATEVER THAT VISION IS.
IF IT'S EXPANDING THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY, BUILDING 11 STORY AFFORDABLE THERE, AWESOME.
IF IT'S BUILDING IT DOWNTOWN, AWESOME.
BUT I WANT US TO BE KIND OF FULL DISCLOSURE IN THAT PROCESS, UH, NOT TO TAKE US OFF THIS, I WILL GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE IF THERE'S SOMETHING COMING UP.
AGAIN, I I DON'T REBUT THAT VISION.
I JUST WANT US TO LIKE GET CLEAR ABOUT THE VISION AND, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE GENERAL PLAN'S THE RIGHT PLACE TO COMMUNICATE THIS WHOLE LIKE HOUSING PRICE DRIVER DEBATE, OR NOT EVEN DEBATE EXPLORATION.
BUT ANYWAY, O ONE ITEM I WANNA MAKE SURE I MENTION THAT.
I DON'T FORGET, IN READING OUR RESOLUTIONS, WE'RE MOVING STRAIGHT FROM DRAFT EIR TO THEN GIVING A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF PREPARING THE GENERAL PLAN AND MOVING.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE IT BEFORE IT GOES TO FINALS.
THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED NOW THAT'S STAFF REPORT SAYS WE CAN REQUEST IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BENEFITS WOULD BE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A TON OF APPRECIABLE CHANGES.
I MEAN, WE WILL ANALYZE PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
UM, JUST WANNA PUT THAT TO THE ACCOUNT IF ANYONE THINKS THAT WE SHOULD REQUEST IT BACK OR STAFF THINKS THERE'S ANY ADVANTAGE TO THAT, I WOULD GUESS NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE IT CURRENTLY DEFAULTED TO NOT COMING BACK.
UH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LIKE ELEVATE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, AND YEAH, I GUESS THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE MY FINAL THOUGHTS.
I CAN KEEP BLABBING ON THIS STUFF FOREVER, BUT THOSE ARE MY FINAL THOUGHTS.
YEAH, WE WORTH NOTING THAT THIS IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S LAST BITE AT THIS, AT THIS APPLE.
UM, BRIAN, DID YOU WANNA JUST QUICKLY, I DIDN'T WANNA LOSE TWO THINGS.
UM, THE COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER NEWELL WHO WAS PART OF THE GPAC, SO HE IS AWARE OF, UH, VERY INTENTIONAL, UM, UH, SORT OF I'D SAY PAUSE ON, UM, LOOKING AT ANY POTENTIAL EXPANSION, UM, AS PART OF THE LIKELY THE NORTH SPECIFIC PLAN.
AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOME THOUGHT THERE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO ANNEXATION TO EVEN CON CONTEMPLATE THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS THE WISE CHOICE AT THE TIME.
UM, AND SO THAT TIME HAS COME TO US NOW AND SO WE'LL BE COMING INTO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, WE'VE STARTED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I DO THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY SITE FOR US TO CONSIDER AND WE'LL HAVE THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY AS PART OF THE NORTH SPECIFIC PLAN.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THAT IS TO COME.
AND THEN I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE, UM, AT THIS POINT I DON'T SEE, UM, QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FROM THE DISCUSSION WITH PLANNING COMMISSION THAT WOULD WARRANT, UH, RETURN.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S TOTALLY WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW.
UM, IF THERE'S A COMFORT LEVEL TO NOT DO THAT, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
CAN I JUST MAKE ONE CLARIFYING POINT ABOUT THAT? SO THE, THIS WOULD THEN BE THE PACKAGE THAT IS DISCUSSED ON THE 18TH, RIGHT? IT, SO ANY CHANGE THAT, LET'S SAY THAT WE DO ASK FOR IT
[02:50:01]
BACK, WOULD THAT THEN POTENTIALLY PUSH BACK THAT DATE FOR THE 18TH OR WOULD THAT THEN COME BACK AGAIN? HYPOTHETICALLY COME BACK TO US.AND I THINK THAT THERE'S ONE MEETING BEFORE ON OR ON THE 12TH, BUT IT WOULDN'T, SO, SO AS THE RESOLUTIONS ARE STRUCTURED, AGAIN, ESSENTIALLY JUST WALKING THROUGH THIS, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A MOOT POINT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ASK FOR IT BACK BECAUSE THERE ISN'T REALLY TIME TO THEN FURTHER DISCUSS OR WOULD IT BE NO, SOME OTHER, UH, PURPOSE FOR US GETTING IT AVERSION BACK SO I CAN PROVIDE CLARIFICATION.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY ABOUT, UM, PREPARATION AND REVIEW OF THE FINAL EIR.
SO YOU ARE NOW SEEING THE DRAFT.
UM, YOUR RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO COUNCIL ON THE 18TH TO CONSIDER THE DRAFT AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD.
UH, WE PREPARE THE FINAL EIR AND THAT FINAL ER IS MERELY A COLLECTION OF ALL THE COMMENTS AND RESPONSES TO THOSE.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT THAT'S NOT GONNA ADD, UM, NEW SUBSTANTIVE STUFF.
IF IT DOES, THEN THAT SUGARS A WHOLE NEW PROCESS, RIGHT? SO THE, UM, HOPE EAR AND THE ASK FROM STAFF IS TO RECOMMEND IT MOVING FORWARD GIVEN THE, UM, EXTENSIVE, UH, PATH THAT WE HAVE COME THROUGH HERE AND ALLOWING, UM, COUNSEL TO THEN TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION AND MOVE DIRECTLY FORWARD WITH CONSIDERING CERTIFICATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND IN ALL CASES, IT'S A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING FOR THE GENERAL PLAN.
IF THERE WERE A FEW KEY THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PASS FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER DIRECTING AS PART OF THE FINAL, THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE RESOLUTION.
UH, THE CONVERSATION THUS FAR IS NOT HUGE CHANGES.
IT'S MORE LIKE SMALL REFINEMENTS.
SO AGAIN, UH, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE GENERAL PLAN TO COME BACK.
UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE BROUGHT STRAIGHT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, THAT IS YOUR PURVIEW.
UM, AND IT IS AN OPTION, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED ABOUT PERHAPS REFINEMENTS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, ELEMENT OR ADDING ATTENTION TO DESIGN GUIDELINES OR SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THOSE, THOSE REFINEMENTS COULD GO FORWARD AS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION OR
SO TO CLARIFY, ONCE THERE IS A FINAL EIR AND, AND THAT WILL, WILL THE FINAL EIR AND THE FINAL GENERAL PLAN COME TO US AND THEN, OKAY, SO I JUST GO STRAIGHT AS IT'S SET UP AND IN THE PACKAGE IT WOULD GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
STRAIGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL? YES.
I'LL JUST SAY I WANT THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GET STARTED ON THE ZONING CODE YESTERDAY.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO LIKE GET STARTED ON IMPLEMENTATION WOULD BE MY, UH, ENCOURAGEMENT.
YEAH, I, I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT AND RETURNING FOR THE FINAL IS LIKELY UNNECESSARY.
DO WE HAVE ANY STRONG PUSHBACK ON THAT? I AGREE WITH THAT.
SO GIVEN THAT WE'RE, UM, COMFORTABLE WITH THE STRUCTURE OF THE RESOLUTION AS IT'S LAID OUT, THAT THIS WOULD BE OUR FINAL APPROACH AT THE EIR PROCESS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PLAN, UM, JUST LOOKING AT THE CLOCK HERE, DO WE WANT TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND THEN COME BACK TO DISCUSS WHAT REFINEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE FOR THE RESOLUTIONS AND THEN VOTE ON THOSE.
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY? SO LET'S TAKE FIVE, UM, THINK ABOUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY RISES TO THE LEVEL OF, UH, NEEDING TO BE, UH, BAKED INTO THE RESOLUTION.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BRINGING IT BACK HERE AT 9 0 9.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR, UM, DISCUSSION AROUND WHETHER THESE RESOLUTIONS NEED ANY ADDITIONS.
UM, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT A COMMISSIONER HAS A WISHLIST ITEM THAT WE OUGHT TO DISCUSS AND POTENTIALLY ADD, I'LL LET FOLKS, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A VARIETY OF SORT OF DISCUSSION ITEMS TO THE EXTENT THAT STAFF HAS ANY THAT THEY THINK RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A RESOLUTION EDIT, HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
OR MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESOLUTION EDITS AND WE CAN VOTE ON THE AS IS.
UH, NO, THE, I I'M WONDERING ON THE FLOOD MODELING PIECE, IS THAT WORTH MENTIONING OR DOES THE GENERAL PLAN SAY LIKE, WE WILL USE THIS REAL TIME FLOOD MODELING, DON'T WORRY.
IS IT WORTH SAYING THAT FOR THIS PROPOSED BUILD OUT
[02:55:01]
OR THIS PLANNED BUILD OUT, WE'LL JUST PLUG IT INTO THE MODEL WITH IT BUILT OUT, PERMEATE, IMPERVIOUS SURFACES, IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AND ALL, AND SEE HOW THAT MODEL GOES.IS THAT WORTH PUTTING IN HERE ANYWHERE? CAN WE, IS THAT A DIFFERENT PATH? I, I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THE RAMIFICATIONS CLEARLY OF, UH, OF QUITE THAT SPECIFIC OF AN ASK IN TERMS OF PUTTING IN THE BUILD OUT OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT'S VERY HARD TO KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, AN, AN INCREASE OF THIS MANY UNITS, WHERE ARE THEY GOING? WHERE THEY GO IS GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE MODEL.
RIGHT? AND I WILL SAY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WHEN WE HAD, UM, OH GOD, WHAT ARE THE CONSULTANTS' NAMES SEBASTIAN AND CO IN FOR, UM, THE, THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE QUESTION IN PARTICULAR, I WAS LIKE, WHAT IF IT WAS EVERYTHING? HE IS LIKE ACTUALLY NOT A BIG IMPACT THAT LIKE, EVEN IF YOU PAVE PARADISE, IT DOESN'T REALLY DO A TON TO, UH, TO THE FLOOD MODELING.
I JUST WANT TO RESEARCH FLOOD'S A BIG THING AND I WANT TO USE THE FANCY TOOLS, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND I THINK THAT GOES FROM MY SAME THING ABOUT DRAWINGS AS, OR VISUALS 3D MODELING IS LIKE, MAYBE THAT'S AN IEO LEVEL PROJECT LEVEL CLARIFICATION.
SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY TWO THAT COULD HAVE, I WILL TABLE THOSE AND SAY I'M KIND OF FINE WITH THE WAY IT IS.
COULD I ASK A QUESTION JUST RELATED TO ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN FLOOD CONSTRAINTS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA? LIKE I, I ASSUME THAT'S ALL PART OF THE EIR AND THAT'S ALL BEEN REVIEWED, BUT JUST GIVEN THE FLOOD, LIKE THIS IS A 25 YEAR PLAN AND FLOODING IS ANTICIPATED, LIKE ARE WE EXPECTING ANY ADDITIONAL FEMA REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD GO AGAINST, SAY, THE DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE FOR DOWNTOWN OR ANYWHERE ELSE NEARBY THE RIVER? UM, MATT START AND THEN I CAN ADD, YEAH, I'LL DO MY BEST IN, IN TERMS OF FEMA REQUIREMENTS, THE FE THE CURRENT FEMA REQUIREMENTS ARE BUILT IN TO BOTH THE GENERAL PLAN AND, AND THE IR ANALYSIS.
SO, SO IF, IF SOMETHING WERE TO CHANGE A FEMA REQUIREMENTS OR, UM, THE FEMA'S MODELING CHANGES, WHICH IS A COMMON THING THAT WE ARE UPDATED, THE SAFETY ELEMENT HAS TO BE UPDATED EVERY EIGHT YEARS.
I'M NOT FORGETTING THEN THERE'S NEWER REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF UPDATING THE SAFETY ELEMENT THAT HAS TO HAPPEN MORE ROUTINELY THAN THE GENERAL PLAN.
SO IF THERE WERE TO BE SOME OF THOSE NEW REQUIREMENTS, THOSE WOULD BE BUILT BACK IN AND THAT WOULD BE SAFETY ELEMENT, SAFETY ELEMENT SLASH GENERAL PLAN AMENDED ACCORDINGLY.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, UM, THE WAY THE GENERAL PLAN IS LAID OUT ACTUALLY, UM, DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS LIMITATIONS EXCEED FEMA REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS IN THE GENERAL PLAN CURRENTLY, UM, IS, IS CONSISTENT WITH PETALUMA'S VALUES, UM, AND MEETS FEMA REQUIREMENTS AND EXCEEDS FEMA REQUIREMENTS.
OTHER PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION ADJUSTMENTS? IF WE HAVE NONE, I'D HAPPILY TAKE A MOTION ON ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS IF SOMEONE WANTS TO, BOTH OF WHICH ARE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AS A REMINDER, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
I'M LOOKING FOR THE RESOLUTION NUMBERS.
UM, I, I WAS TRYING TO BASICALLY, ONE SECOND.
I WANT IT TO SOUND FANCY INSTEAD OF THE RESOLUTIONS BEFORE US.
UM, BUT IF THAT'S SUFFICIENT, I'LL SAY I WOULD PUT FORWARD A VOTE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTIONS, UH, AS LISTED IN ATTACHMENT ONE AND TWO.
UM, TO MOVE FORWARD AS IS, LET'S TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME IF WE COULD, I THINK.
THE RESOLUTION IF YOU JUST RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, I'LL PUT FORWARD A VOTE FOR THE RESOLUTION OF THE PEDAL AND PLANNING COMMISSION, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PETALUMA GENERAL PLAN.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER KUZEN AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GOLDMAN.
AND WE'LL CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT NO ONE'S IN THE ROOM.
CHAIR MOSES? YES, IT IS APPROVED.
[03:00:01]
THANK YOU.AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A SEPARATE MOTION ON RESOLUTION TWO.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF THE PETALUMA PLANNING COMMISSION, RECOMMENDING THAT FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION OF THE PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE GENERAL PLAN AND RESCIND THE GENERAL PLAN.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER NEWELL AND A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE.
COMMISSIONER HILT? UM, STILL, VIRTUALLY, STILL ALONE AND, YES.
CHAIR MOSES? YES, IT IS APPROVED.
AND AGAIN, BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GPAC TEAM, THE WHOLE STAFF TEAM WHO'S BEEN WORKING SO HARD ON THIS GENERAL PLAN AND THE DRAFT DIR AND, UH, ONWARD AND UPWARD TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND WITH THAT WE WILL CLOSE MEETING ITEM ONE AND CONTINUE
[COMMITTEE COMMENT]
ON TO THE AGENDA WITH COMMISSION COMMENT, AND WE CAN GO DOWN THE LINE STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BARNAL, WHO'S GOT NOTHING.COMMENTS FROM ANYTHING? UH, I'VE PARTICIPATED IN TWO, UH, OF THE, UM, NORTH SPECIFIC, UH, STATION PLAN, STATION PLAN, UH, WORK GROUP MEETINGS.
UH, AND WE HAVE A THIRD MEETING COMING UP, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO, UH, UH, HAVE AN INFORMATION ITEM ON THE, UH, PLANNING EFFORTS.
UH, IT'S VERY INTERESTING, UH, PROCESS, UM, AND, UH, EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HELP THOSE NORTHERN NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR TOWN.
JUST GONNA ECHO, KEITH MIGHT SAY THIS GONNA ECHO A BIG THANK YOU TO HEATHER HINES, BEN ANDERSON FOR THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE OR URBAN FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
APRIL 20TH, WE GOT AN ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION THAT WAS REALLY A CELEBRATION OF LIKE A WHOLE NEW ERA OF TREE POLICY, BUT NOW ALL THE HARD, HARD WORK STARTS AND HOW TO ACTUALLY DO IT.
SO WE DID THE FUN PART AND HOW THE HARD WORK STARTS.
UM, STILL, VIRTUALLY STILL ALONE.
UM, UH, I'M FOLLOWING UP ON, ON DARREN'S THE, THE, THE TREE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME, UH, SUBGROUP COMMITTEES THAT DEAL WITH, I I WOULD JUST TERM THEM GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND GREATER ENGAGEMENT IN, IN EDUCATING CITIZENS ABOUT OUR TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE AND, UH, OTHER THINGS ABOUT GROWING AND PLANTING TREES.
[STAFF COMMENT]
ON TO STAFF COMMENT AND WE'LL HEAR FROM HEATHER HINES IF YOU'VE GOT ANY.I HAVE A FEW, UM, A FEW UPDATES JUST THAT THE TWO REGULAR MEETINGS OF, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ARE GOING TO BE CANCELED AND A SPECIAL MEETING ON MAY 19TH THAT I BELIEVE THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A QUORUM CHECK SENT OUT.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE, JUST AN UPDATE FROM CITY COUNCIL THAT, UM, THE PCD AMENDMENT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION ON, UM, WAS UNANIMOUSLY INTRODUCED.
AND WE'LL HAVE A SECOND READING ON CONSENT ON MONDAY AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS OR FINAL COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY LOOKING AROUND? SEEING? NO.
ALRIGHT, THEN WE'LL ADJOURN HERE AT NINE 19.