HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-11-05_LUEAAC MinutesCity of Newport Beach
Land Use Element Amendment Advisory Committee Minutes
Date: November 5, 2013
Location: Newport Beach Central Library — 1000 Avocado Avenue
Friends Room
Members Present: Nancy Gardner, Council Member (Acting Chair)
Kory Kramer, Planning Commission
Larry Tucker, Planning Commission
Craig Batley, Member -At -Large
Michael Melby, Member -At -Large
Patricia Moore, Member -At -Large
Jim Walker, Member -At -Large
Paul Watkins, Member -At -Large
Members Absent: Edward Selich, Council Member (Chair)
Staff: Kim Brandt, Community Development Director
Brenda Wisneski, Deputy Community Development Director
Gregg Ramirez, Senior Planner
Dave Webb, Public Works Director
Leonie Mulvihill, Assistant City Attorney
Tony Brine, Traffic Engineer
Woodie Tescher, The Planning CenterlDC &E (consultant)
JoAnn Hadfield, The Planning CenterlDC &E (consultant)
Marissa Aho, The Planning CenterlDC &E (consultant)
Marlie Whiteman, Urban Crossroads (consultant)
Call Meeting to Order
The meeting was called to order at 3:31 p.m. by Acting Chair Gardner.
IL Approval of Minutes
Motion (Watkins) to approve minutes as augmented by the October 1's' audiotape with minor corrections submitted by
Jim Mosher.
III. Schedule of Land Use Element Goals and Policy Review
Wisenski indicated that comments received by Committee Members Tucker and Watkins were received and are
available in the Committee packets.
Tescher provided an overview of the transition from the land uses, which are now being evaluating for traffic and other
environmental impacts, to policies. A series of criteria to review the policies was distributed to the Committee. These
criteria include: clarity, completeness, redundancies, continuing relevance, feasibility and consistency with other
policies, procedures that the City is currently engaging in or has engaged in between the 2006 General Plan adoption
and today.
Tescher indicated that additional comments from the Committee would be welcome until November 8'h. Review of
policies will be conducted on December 3rd and January 7'h. Tescher also described categories of comments received
to date: clarifications (i.e. better definition and /or appropriateness), technical changes (i.e. Banning Ranch and
numbers), philosophical (i.e. policy's direction).
Gardner described how the wording of the General Plan was chosen very carefully. Asked the Committee to think
about if things have changed when reviewing the policies.
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November 05, 2013 Minutes
Page 2
A draft of policy recommendations will be sent out to the Committee (and will be posted online) between November
25`h and November 27'h in advance of Committee meeting on December 3`d.
IV. Goals & Policy Introduction
Tescher outlined "General Plan 101" review of the goals and policies. The PowerPoint will be available on City's
website and will be emailed to Committee members.
Tucker asked how the policies related to future General Plan amendments. Tescher discussed the internal
consistency requirements for the General Plan.
V. Scope of Policy Revisions
Tescher outlined the scope of future policy revisions. Identified Citizen Advisory Panel areas and best practices in
climate change and healthy communities that would be incorporated into the revised policy recommendations.
He indicated that staff will review other elements of the General Plan to identify if any of the proposed changes may
impact other elements and will subsequently need to be addressed to maintain internal consistency.
The Committee discussed what aspects of the project description would appear on a ballot for voters to review.
Tucker reiterated the need for reviewing and revising policies after 7 years independent of what would appear on the
ballot.
Hadfield confirmed that the policy changes may not be related to the land use changes and that the policies
recommended by the Committee will be within the scope of the SEIR.
Tescher indicated that the draft policies and recommended changes will be provided in a strike out version of the
existing plan.
VI. Next Steps
Tescher described the next steps for the Advisory Committee to review and discuss policy recommendations at the
December 3rd and January 7`" meetings.
VII. Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) Scoping Meeting
The Supplemental EIR Scoping Meeting will be held at 6:OOpm, November 5t", 2013 in the same meeting room as the
Advisory Committee meeting. The scoping meeting is mandated for the SEIR.
The NOP scoping period is from October 22nd to November 21s'. Notices were sent out to interested agencies and to
property owners within 300 feet of any potential areas of change. The project description will be refined, if necessary,
expanded, based on comments received at the scoping meting.
Comments can be made at the scoping meeting or via comment cards, letters or emails addressed to Gregg Ramirez
GRamirez(c)newoortbeachca.gov on the scope of the SEIR. It is anticipated that the Draft EIR will be available for
review at the beginning of March 2014.
VIII. Public Comments on Non - Agenda Items
Ryan Jones, Fritz Duda Company representative, submitted Attachment #3 in �acket. Staff recommendation is
to move forward with the existing project description and respect the October 1s deadline for additional requests
from land owners as a fairness to other property owners who have also made inquiries after the imposed
deadline and to maintain the project schedule.
The LUEAAC voted in support of the staff recommendation not to include the request. (4 Approved, 2 Opposed, 2
Abstained)
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November 05, 2013 Minutes
Page 3
Brian Adams, Courthouse Plaza Association representative, submitted Attachment #3 in packet. Applicant
requested floating units in the Airport Area be designated to a specific property in lieu of the existing "first come
first serve" policy. Staffs recommendation is to keep the residential units "floating."
The LUEAAC voted in support of the staff recommendation not to include the request. (8 Approved)
Staff identified that two of the potential land use changes that were to be studied by the SEIR (Fletcher and
Promontory Point) have been rescinded by the property owners.
IX. Adjournment Next Meeting Date: December 3, 2013, at 3:30 p.m.
The agenda for the Regular Meeting was posted on November 1, 2013, at 2:30 p.m., on the City Hall Electronic
Bulletin Board and on the agenda binder located in the entrance of the Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive.