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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft minutes - 12-04-2019CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE STEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2019 REGULAR MEETING – 6 P.M. I.CALL MEETING TO ORDER – 6 p.m. II.WELCOME AND ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT:Chair Nancy Gardner, Catherine O'Hara, Ed Selich, Debbie Stevens, Larry Tucker, Paul Watkins, (Ex Officio Member) Mayor Diane Dixon MEMBERS ABSENT: James Carlson Staff Present: Community Development Director Seimone Jurjis, Deputy Community Development Director Jim Campbell, City Traffic Engineer Tony Brine, Administrative Support Specialist Clarivel Rodriguez III.CONSENT CALENDAR a.Review Minutes of the November 6, 2019 Meeting Recommended Action: Approve the minutes of November 6, 2019 Jim Mosher corrected the spelling of Ms. DeSantis' surname. Motion by Committee Member Selich, seconded by Committee Member Stevens, to approve the minutes of the November 6, 2019 meeting as amended. Motion passed 6-0, Carlson absent. IV.PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Bruce Bartram, SPON President, requested the Steering Committee consider meeting on January 22, 2020 rather than January 15, 2020. Hoiyin Ip compared the City's Sustainability Plan with Palo Alto's Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. The Water Quality Committee wants to update the Sustainability Plan in parallel to the General Plan Update. Jim Mosher noted that the agenda did not include Kearns & West invoices or review of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consultant who will guide the drafting of the Housing Element. Deputy Community Development Director Jim Campbell advised that staff has no invoices to share with the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee directed staff to prepare the RFP, but he did not believe the Steering Committee directed staff to present it for review prior to Council review and approval. Staff is planning to present it to the Council but will be happy to present it to the Steering Committee in February, 2020. Chair Gardner continued the discussion of forming a subcommittee to review the RFP to the end of the meeting. Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020 General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes December 4, 2019 Page 2 of 6 V. CURRENT BUSINESS a. General Plan Diagnostic Memo and Element Guide Recommended Action: Receive and file Deputy Community Development Director Campbell presented the General Plan Diagnostic Memo and Element Guide and indicated that it will be available online and at future workshops and meetings. In response to inquiries from the Steering Committee, Deputy Community Development Director Campbell advised that staff and the Housing Element consultant will develop and analyze the required inventory of sites. State law requires the City to provide substantial evidence that a site will be developed, but substantial evidence is not defined. Staff would accept correspondence from a property owner indicating his interest in redeveloping his property within the next planning cycle as substantial evidence. Additional information demonstrating redevelopment is feasible would be better. If an owner expresses interest in redeveloping his property, the City is not obligated to rezone the property and amend the General Plan to accommodate redevelopment, but Deputy Community Development Director Campbell recommended that the City take the opportunity to rezone the property and amend the General Plan. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has indicated that it is preparing guidance for cities updating their Housing Elements. Staff has to proceed if the City submits its Housing Element on the due date. The existing certified Housing Element identifies the Airport office area and all Private Institutional zones within the community as zones where emergency shelters are allowed as a permitted use. The City is required to zone for five total housing units, including one unit for very low income, one unit for low income, and one unit for moderate income, in the current cycle. Production of lower- income housing is occurring at the current time, but the units have not been reported to HCD. Thus far, the City has not produced one unit of moderate-income housing. Staff proposes to update the Circulation, Land Use, and Housing Elements concurrently, conduct an environmental analysis, and plan for the impacts of development. The community can decide how to plan for the units allocated to Newport Beach so that the community's neighborhoods and values are protected. Staff is responsible for submitting an updated Housing Element to HCD on time. In general, Committee Members expressed strong concerns that a great deal of factual information is needed, that the process is rushed, that decisions need to align with community values and desires, that the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation is random, and that the community will focus on the Housing, Land Use, and Circulation Elements to the detriment of other General Plan Elements. The facts have changed considerably since the Council decided to proceed with the update, and the Council should reconsider its decision in light of new facts. The Council has directed staff to prepare an action plan for handling new housing legislation. Perhaps the action plan should address the General Plan Update in conjunction with new housing legislation. Charles Klobe noted the 2014 Bicycle Plan has not been updated since its adoption and should be updated prior to its incorporation into the General Plan Update. David Tanner suggested the City Council seek the City Attorney's guidance with respect to the City's compliance with recent housing legislation and any Municipal Code updates needed to implement new housing legislation and initiate a vulnerability assessment to identify the number and location of housing units that could be built without discretionary approvals. Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020 General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes December 4, 2019 Page 3 of 6 Deputy Community Development Director Campbell reported staff is reviewing ordinances, procedures, checklists, and existing development applications for compliance with new laws. Linda Watkins suggested the community not panic and carry on as planned. Jim Mosher asked if the Memorandum was an independent assessment of housing legislation or a collaboration between the consultant and staff. Staff should share their interpretations of the legislation if they differ from the opinions expressed in the Memo. The Memo does not mention the Greenlight Law. He noted errors in the Element Guide. Hoiyin Ip critiqued the Element Guide. Deputy Community Development Director Campbell stated RHNA allocations will be disclosed in February 2020, but the appeal process will extend through the summer of 2020. The allocation is subject to change throughout the appeal process and up to the final disclosure in October 2020. Staff has sought answers from HCD staff; however, HCD staff does not have answers at the current time. b. Council District Workshops Recap and Series II Workshop Recommendations Recommended Action: Recommend Kearns & West and City staff provide more detail regarding General Plan elements with a focus on traffic and the Circulation Element at the second series of workshops in early 2020. Jenna Tourje, Kearns & West, reported the workshops are part of a multipronged approach to outreach. Total attendance at workshops was 210-215 people. A good mix of repeat attendees and new attendees was present at all the workshops. The workshops revealed different concerns in each district. The top ten values disclosed during the workshops are natural resources, community character, quality of life, property values, property values in terms of education, safety, schools, traffic, views, character, and a sense of value or the community has value. During the workshops, participants placed Legos on the locations in the city where they thought housing should be developed. Website visits from unique individuals total 1,600, and 168 people have registered on the website. Users are visiting at least five pages of the website. A marketing effort involving ten different platforms will encourage people to engage with the Newport, Together website. Workshop attendance appears to depend on the district. Invitation methods will be adjusted as needed. In reply to inquiries, Ms. Tourje related that the total attendance did not include repeat attendees. The orange Legos on the map represent a higher density of housing. Committee Member Tucker expressed disappointment with the attendance at workshops. Dennis Baker remarked on the difficulty of reaching all members of the community. David Tanner suggested the Steering Committee evaluate the questions being asked at the workshops because the questions are not eliciting the community's sentiments. When the community realizes the extent of the situation, the answers will change. Jim Mosher recommended staff video record one of the upcoming workshops to document the activities. Only one of the 168 visitors to the website has left comments. A survey would obtain more accurate information about community values. Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020 General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes December 4, 2019 Page 4 of 6 Committee Member Selich remarked that in his experience community members who are upset attend public meetings. No matter the notification process, people who are not interested will not attend meetings. Hoiyin Ip suggested combining district workshops to reduce costs. c. Stakeholders List and Interview Format Recommended Actions: (1) Review and provide feedback on the initial draft of the stakeholders list; and (2) recommend staff conduct the initial stakeholder interviews and come back with common themes to summarize the interviews. Committee Members recommended adding Newport Banning Ranch LLC, Pacific Life, Speak Up Newport, Harbor Commission, Aviation Committee, real estate brokers, homeowner or community associations, and Sanders Property and removing Jazz Semiconductor, Fletcher Jones, Glidewell Dental, and hotels. Community Development Director Jurjis reported staff will provide the Steering Committee with an updated list. Charles Klobe agreed with removing Hyundai Capital, Glidewell Dental, and Starboard Realty Partners. Santa Ana Unified School District is on the list because children living on the Airport property will attend Santa Ana Unified School District schools. Seventeenth Street is a shopping district for many Newport Beach residents, and circulation there should be considered. There is no business related to the Harbor on the list. Jim Mosher requested the topics for the interviews. He suggested few people have read the General Plan, and most on the list will not have an opinion about the General Plan. Perhaps the list should include former employees and former Board, Commission, and Council Members. Hoiyin Ip wants the City to continue to build partnerships. Susan DeSantis suggested interviews focus on challenges facing the City of Newport Beach and opportunities that address the challenges. Linda Watkins remarked on the difficulties of catching and holding the community's attention. d. Establishment of a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) Recommended Action: Recommend to the City Council the formation of a General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC). Community Development Director Jurjis reported staff needs a body to make policy decisions. Traditionally, the GPAC has made policy decisions. Committee Members preferred to delay formation of the GPAC until the vision guide is complete, until the City Council has reconsidered the update process, and until the RHNA allocation and other information are known. Committee Members reiterated dismay regarding the process for updating the Housing Element and General Plan. Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020 General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes December 4, 2019 Page 5 of 6 Chair Dixon suggested a General Plan Housing Committee that included community members, an engagement process, and detailed analysis of new housing laws. Dennis Baker hoped the Steering Committee would provide specific recommendations to the Council. Perhaps staff can negotiate with HCD. Charles Klobe noted surrounding cities have larger RHNA allocations to plan. The City should take some time to update the Housing Element correctly. The City Council should seek the City Attorney's advance regarding the City's vulnerability. Jim Mosher suggested updating the Housing Element and then ensuring its consistency with the General Plan is backwards. In reply to queries, Deputy Community Development Director Campbell explained that the Housing Element could not be amended after its certification to ensure the various elements are consistent. Chair Gardner proposed that the Steering Committee recommend the City Council delay forming the General Plan Advisory Committee; staff review new housing laws with the City Council; the City Council adopt a deliberate approach to move forward but not so expeditiously as to compromise the community's values and goals; and the City Council reexamine its initial thoughts about the General Plan Update process. Ms. Tourje reviewed Phase 2 engagement objectives and the purpose of Phase 2 workshops and popup engagement. The scope of Phase 2 engagement is adaptable to the Steering Committee's needs. Committee Members discussed suspending Phase 2 engagement until the Council provides direction and forming a committee to proceed with updating the Housing, Land Use, and Circulation Elements. Community Development Director Jurjis advised that staff will likely recommend the City Council form some type of citizens’ advisory committee to begin work on the Housing Element. Based upon the Steering Committee's discussion, he did not believe the GPAC needed to be formed right away. Committee Member Tucker suggested review of the RFP for a Housing Element consultant is not within the Steering Committee's purview. The Steering Committee discussed SB 35 and objective design standards. At Committee Member Selich's suggestion, the Steering Committee agreed to direct staff to provide the RFP to the Steering Committee, and Committee Members interested in commenting should provide their comments to staff within two days. VI. STEERING COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON- DISCUSSION ITEM) Chair Gardner announced that the January meeting will be held on January 16 if Council Chambers is available. If not, the meeting will be held on January 15. Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020 General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes December 4, 2019 Page 6 of 6 VI. ADJOURNMENT – 8:50 p.m. Next Meeting: January 15, 2020, 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers Committee Dissolved on January 14, 2020