The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About17 - General Plan Update Steering Committee Bi-Monthly Update to the City CouncilTO: CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH City Council Staff Report September 12, 2023 Agenda Item No. 17 HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Seimone Jurjis, Community Development Director - 949-644-3232, sjurjis@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Benjamin M. Zdeba, AICP, Principal Planner - 949-644-3253, bzdeba@newportbeachca.gov TITLE: General Plan Update Steering Committee Bi-Monthly Update to the City Council ABSTRACT: The General Plan Update Steering Committee (Steering Committee) held three meetings since its June 13, 2023 report to the City Council. This report provides an update to the City Council on the Steering Committee's recent discussions and actions taken. RECOMMENDATIONS: a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and b) Receive and file the report. DISCUSSION: The Steering Committee is chaired by Nancy Gardner with Phillip Brown and Kimberly Carter as members. Its primary purpose is to guide the 30-member General Plan Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee) and to report to the City Council. Below is a list and recap of each meeting the Steering Committee held since its June 13, 2023 update to the City Council. Recap of the June 26, 2023, Steering Committee Meeting The Steering Committee received an update regarding a refined scope of work for Dudek, the City of Newport Beach's (City) General Plan Update consultant, and was informed that authorization for the Professional Services Agreement would be going to the City Council on June 27, 2023. The Steering Committee was also informed that the City and its environmental consultant on the Housing Element implementation program, Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc., would be releasing the Notice of Preparation (NOP) related to the programmatic Environmental Impact Report and that a scoping meeting would be held soon thereafter. The NOP was issued on June 27, 2023, and the scoping meeting was held on July 10, 2023. 17-1 General Plan Update Steering Committee (GPUSC) Bi-Monthly Update to the City Council September 12, 2023 Page 2 The Steering Committee recapped an Advisory Committee discussion that occurred on June 12, regarding the Land Use Element's goals and policies related to Banning Ranch. Although there was general interest to recommend removing residential development from Banning Ranch, the Advisory Committee ultimately decided to table the matter to seek input from the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA), the current property owner. The Steering Committee appointed Committee Member Kimberly Carter as the liaison between the Steering Committee and the newly formed Advisory Committee's Outreach Subcommittee. Recap of the July 19, 2023 Steering Committee Meeting The Steering Committee discussed the Advisory Committee's lack of a motion to move forward the draft Land Use Element Policy revisions that are necessary to implement the Housing Element's housing strategy, as required by state law. Instead, it was recapped that the Advisory Committee had sent the draft revisions back to the Advisory Committee's Land Use Element Subcommittee for a focused review on (1) the potential for increased density limits in each focus area; and (2) the inclusion of Banning Ranch as a site for housing considering the July 14, 2023, letter received by the MCRA. A copy was sent to the Advisory Committee. The Steering Committee was informed that Dudek's contract was executed and that work commenced. Recap of the August 21, 2023 Steering Committee Meeting The Steering Committee recounted that the Advisory Committee's Land Use Element Subcommittee met on July 26, 2023, to review the Land Use Element Policy revisions for Housing Element implementation. Earlier that evening, the Advisory Committee considered the modified revisions that included a higher density limit in most of the housing strategy focus areas without increasing the overall housing unit caps identified in the certified Housing Element. However, the initial motion supporting the higher densities narrowly failed (8 ayes — 10 noes) and the Advisory Committee ultimately moved the draft revisions with the original lower densities as identified in the Housing Element. The Advisory Committee also decided (16 ayes — 2 noes) to recommend that the City Council consider removal of housing potential from Banning Ranch. The Steering Committee supported the Advisory Committee's recommendations. This is discussed first in Chair Gardner's memo to the City Council, which is included as Attachment A to this staff report. The recommendations related to the Land Use Element will be discussed at a Planning Commission study session scheduled for September 21, 2023. The Steering Committee discussed potential topics and future speakers for the Advisory Committee and its subcommittees. This is also discussed in Attachment A. 17-2 General Plan Update Steering Committee (GPUSC) Bi-Monthly Update to the City Council September 12, 2023 Page 3 Committee Member Carter, the liaison to the Advisory Committee's Outreach Subcommittee, provided an update on the Subcommittee's progress. It was noted that the Subcommittee met on August 9, 2023, to provide initial guidance to Dudek and its subconsultant Kearns & West on an Outreach and Engagement Plan to effectively reach the community. It was also reported that Kearns & West would be providing a draft Outreach and Engagement Plan for the Subcommittee's review on Monday, August 28, 2023. This topic is also discussed in Attachment A. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact related to this item. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. NOTICING: The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). ATTACHMENT: Attachment A — Steering Committee Chair Gardner's Memo to the City Council 17-3 Attachment A Steering Committee Chair Gardner's Memo to the City Council 17-4 GPUSC Report to Council GPAC August 21 meeting LAND USE ELEMENT There were two items proposed by the LU subcommittee for GPAC consideration. The first was to increase density in focus areas. GPAC narrowly rejected this. It was made clear by those in opposition that they didn't have a blanket objection to increased density. Their main concern was that the proposal was to increase density in all the focus areas, rather than evaluating each area on its own. The second proposal was to eliminate Banning Ranch from the LU element since the land has now been purchased and has deed restrictions against development. Staff contacted the new owner about potential removal, and the new owner supports the removal. FUTURE SPEAKERS GPAC members have requested speakers on several topics including projections on future developments in technology, office use and more information on how to achieve RHNA workforce housing goals. Some speakers would address the committee as a whole, others specific subcommittees, but the material would be available to all.* GPUSC supports reasonable expenditures for this. OUTREACH The outreach subcommittee met with the consultant to provide suggestions for the outreach plan which will be presented to the subcommittee shortly. *Staff is working with the consultant to develop a central location for GPAC information such as notes from and presentations to subcommittee meetings so that every GPAC member has full access. Nancy Gardner GPUSC Chair 17-5