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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-08-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - LACO GP AMEND (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval, 44, Item to be presented by: NEW BUSINESS Lynn M. Harris DATE: August 28, 1990 SUBJECT: County of Los Angeles General Plan Amendment DEPARTMENT: Community Development BACKGROUND In January, 1990, the County of Los Angeles commenced public hearings on a major -General Plan Amendment for the Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan. The County felt a need to undergo a comprehensive amendment in light of the numerous (45) projects which had been submitted.requesting general plan amendments which constituted over 38,000 proposed new dwelling units. In addition,.the County Land Use Policy map had not been amended to reflect revised projections from 1987 which indicated a year 2010 population of 270,000 and 93,400 dwelling units (up from the current plan buildout of 87,000 units). Therefore, 6,400 units could be added to the plan based on population and housing projections. The original County staff proposal in January provided for a dwelling unit increase above the current plan of 10,100 units. This includes an "overage factor." Of this amount, 7,600 additional units were allocated to the County unincorporated area and 2,500 units were allocated to the City area. The staff proposal was modified during the Regional Planning Commission hearing process to allow for a total of 12,500 additional units (10,000 in the County area and 2,500 in the City area). On May, 14, 1990 the Regional Planning Commission recommended to the Board of Supervisors the modified staff proposal to accommodate an additional 12,500 units within the Santa Clarita'Valley Area Plan (10,000 units in unincorporated area; 2,500 unit in the City). Based on the County's projection of an average of 2.89 persons per household in the year 2010, this equates to an increase of up to 36,125 additional persons beyond the present plan capacity, however, it is stated that the total population could not exceed 270,000. While the focus of the plan amendment is on residential units, large commercial acreages were also added to the proposed amendment, primarily in the Valencia area. The proposed General Plan Amendment would allow additional urban development in the Northriver Area; Upper Haskell and Seco Canyons; Westridge (west of I-5 at Valencia Blvd.); along Magic Mountain Parkway Northlake west of Castaic Lake; Plum Canyon and the adjacent ridgetop; Lost Canyon Road area (industrial); and various locations elsewhere in the Valley. Although the City has indicated that development in the Adopted:/ �� y� enda Item: Ag .� • 0 centralized City area should occur first and has requested a reversal of the allocation between the City and County, the City has previously gone on record as generally supportive of'most of the revised plan designations (with exceptions) if infrastructure planning and financing issues, including infrastructure deficiency issues are resolved prior to any project approvals and the City of Santa Clarita is given full involvement in the infrastructure problem -resolution process. We have asked that the County consider the approval of only those projects that provide major community benefits which are expected to meet future requirements and have the concurrence of both jurisdictions. . On August 30, 1990 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the proposed General Plan amendment to the Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan. The City of Santa Clarita has reviewed and. provided extensive comments to the. Regional Planning Commission and the Department of Regional Planning on the proposed General Plan amendment throughout the process. A summarized chronology of events is provided below: DATE ACTIVITY 12-4-89 City received a copy of.the County staff report, proposed General plan text amendments, draft environmental impact report and change area plan maps. 12-5-89 Copies of the above documents made and circulated to various City entities for comment. 1-2-90 City submitted a 31 page comment to the County of Los Angeles regarding the proposed plan amendment and environmental impact report. Major comments focused.on the concepts of a centralized planning approach for the valley, allocations between the City and County areas and the infrastructure deficit. Special emphasis was given to the need for joint infrastructure financing and implementations plans. A critique of the draft EIR was also included. 1-4-90 Regional Planning Commission hearing with presentations from Ken Pulskamp, Connie Worden and GPAC Vice -Chairman Thomas Sutton. 2-6-90 Continued hearing of the Regional Planning Commission. 2-20-90 Deadline established by the Regional Planning Commission for submittal of written testimony. 4-2-90 City received a copy of the new staff report and revised General Plan amendment map. 4-4-90 City submitted a 2 -page letter on the newly proposed map changes and policies. 4-4-90 After business hours, the City received a copy of the County's addendum to the draft EIR and response to comments. 4-5-90 Regional Planning Commission discussed the General Plan amendment, did not provide for any public testimony and continued the matter to May 14, 1990. 5-10-90 The City submitted comments to the County that the County addendum and response to agency comments was inadequate. 5-14-90 Regional Planning Commission recommended approval of the General Plan amendment as modified by staff to the Board of Supervisors. 6-8-90 Letter from James Hartl to Lynn Harris which concluded that environmental provisions had been met and required responses made. 8-16-90 The City received a copy of the County draft report on infrastructure financing in the Santa Clarita Valley. One of the City's most serious concerns expressed in communications,to the County -has been that of the adequate provision and financing of infrastructure. The draft report on infrastructure financing in the Santa Clarita Valley which was received on August 16, 1990 was undergoing a review at the time of preparation of.this report. It is being transmitted to Council members under separate cover for review. Generally, the report appears to be a major step forward in the identification of infrastructure financing mechanisms, however, falls short of recommending specific actions to ensure that adequate provision of infrastructure is provided. A draft resolution to the Board of Supervisors is attached for Council consideration. The draft resolution summarizes the key points which have been identified in previous City comments on the County Plan Amendment proposal, including City/County growth patterns; allocation of new units between the City and County areas; infrastructure needs; future densities; and environmental and other reporting considerations. RECOMMENDATION That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 90-174 for presentation to the Board of Supervisors on August 30, 1990. • RESOLUTION NO. 90-174 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGARDING THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY AREA PLAN WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is contemplating a major amendment to the Santa Clarita Valley Area Plan to accommodate additional housing, population and other development; and, WHEREAS, The City of Santa Clarita is the centrally located City within the Santa Clarita Valley;and, WHEREAS, The City of Santa Clarita is an "island" surrounded entirely by unincorporated land in the Santa Clarita Valley which is presently being planned under the jurisdiction of the County of Los Angeles; and WHEREAS, Services and infrastructure are interconnected within the Santa Clarita Valley, radiating outward from and inward to the centralized City of Santa Clarita; and, WHEREAS, Development and other activities within the Santa Clarita Valley as a whole have a substantial impact upon and bear a.close relationship to the City of Santa Clarita and its ability to comprehensively plan for the future; and, WHEREAS, The City of Santa Clarita has established a proposed Sphere of Influence and General Plan Planning Area encompassing the entire Santa Clarita Valley; and, WHEREAS, The City of Santa Clarita is the local government which is representative of and responsive to the Citizens of the Santa Clarita Valley; and, WHEREAS, The City of Santa Clarita has reviewed and provided extensive formal comment and testimony to the County of Los Angeles on the proposed General Plan Amendment and related Environmental Impact Report, all of which is part of the official record and is incorporated by reference herein; and WHEREAS, as summarized above, the City of Santa Clarita has a substantial interest in the proposed General Plan Amendment and all other activities within the Santa Clarita Valley; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DETERMINE AND FIND AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The City recognizes that growth will occur in the Santa Clarita Valley. Based on logical and orderly planning principles, and the efficient use of infrastructure and services, however, growth should occur within the centralized City area before radiating outward in a sprawl pattern. The allocation of new densities, therefore, should be reversed with 75-80% of the new growth assigned to the urbanized City area and the remaining 20-25I allocated to the County unincorporated area. SECTION 2. The City has inherited and been left with a condition of infrastructure deficiency especially with respect to roads, parks, schools, fire protection, libraries, water and sewer systems, and a growing cumulative impact due to previous ordinances, policies and development practices. In order to avoid and correct the shortfalls of the past, an infrastructure financing and implementation plan should be developed and adopted jointly by both the City of Santa Clarita and the County of Los Angeles which adequately accommodates both the provision of adequate project generated demands on the system as well as the existing infrastructure deficiency before any projects are approved. SECTION .3. The City requests that its comments on this Plan Amendment and related Environmental Impact Report, as well as all other comments regarding County activities within the Santa Clarita Valley, be given due consideration and adequate response in light of the City's preeminent. position, responsibility and interest in the Valley as a whole. SECTION 4. The City determines that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors should establish a policy consistent with the population and . density provisions of the proposed plan that density bonuses (conditional use permits) above the mid-range densities calculated for this Plan Amendment not be.granted unless for .the purposes of provision of bonafide low or moderate income or seniors housing as guaranteed by long-term agreements or fordensity transfers. SECTION 5. The City requests that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors should adopt and enforce strict provisions for protection of the environment, Significant Ecological Areas, oak tree habitat areas, ridgelines, hillsides, floodways and other sensitive areas through ordinances, policies, guidelines as well as individual project review prior to approval of any.new project. SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and certify this record to be a full, true, correct copy of the action taken. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this day of , 1990. JO ANNE DARCY, MAYOR ATTEST: DONNA GRINDEY, CITY CLERK u RESOLUTION NO. 90-174 Page 3 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, at a regular meeting thereof, held on the day of , 1990, by the following vote of the Council: AYES: 'COUNCILMEMBERS NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS DONNA GRINDEY, CITY CLERK