HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09241991 - H.7 H. 7
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 24, 1991 by the following vote :
AYES : Supervisors Fanden, Schroder,Torlakson and McPeak
NOES : None
ABSENT: Supervisor Powers
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT: Hearing' On The Composition and Function of Area
Planning Commissions .
On this date the Board of Supervisors heard an oral report
° from Harvey Bragdon, Community Development Department, on the
results of an August 6, 1991, Board of Supervisors direction to
contact the various cities and community organizations relative
to the issue of the composition and functions of the area
Planning Commissions . Mr. Bragdon commented on the four
responses received from the Alamo Improvement Association„ Alamo
Oaks Homeowners Association, Oakley Municipal Advisory Commission
and the Association for the Preservation of Danville Boulevard.
Vice-Chair McPeak clarified the purpose and history of the
matter before the Board for consideration today.
The hearing was opened and the following persons presented
testimony:
Earl Wetzel, P.O. Box 184, Byron representing the East
County Regional Planning Commission, spoke in opposition to the
reduction of the Commission from nine to seven members and he
requested the Board to reconsider its decision relative to the
number of peak hour trips used as a threshold for consideration
of requests by the Zoning Administrator;
Kris Peterson, 141 Tracy Lane, Alamo, representing Alamo
Improvement Association, read a letter from Michael Gibson, AIA,
dated September 17, 1991, expressing their position on the August
6, 1991, Internal Operations Committee report;
I
Seth Adams, P.O. Box 44 , Martinez, Program Director for Save
Mt . Diablo, commented on his lack of notice relative to this
issue and expressed concerns relative to the proposal;
Fred Messerini, 2222 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, Vice-Mayor,
representing the City of San Ramon City Council, commented on
concerns including the peak hour trips and the change of venue to
the Zoning Administrator;
Andrea Mackenzie, 11500 Skyline Boulevard, Oakland,
representing East Bay Regional Park District, expressed the Board
of Directors ' concerns relative to the plan and submitted written
comments .
The hearing was closed.
Supervisor Schroder commented on the history of area
planning commissions and their composition and role in the County
and their institution by the Board.
Harvey Bragdon commented on the reason for his
recommendations to the Board and the Internal Operations
Committee on issues including peak hour trips and he spoke in
rebuttal on issues including public notice, the role of the
Zoning Administrator, the appeal fee, and the role of the area
commissions .
Supervisor Torlakson commented on the history of the Board' s
commitment to fostering forums for greater public input and
greater local participation by establishing area planning
commissions, and advised he could not support the staff
recommendation, and he spoke in favor of leaving things the way
they were, and he commented on a possible experimental program
with the Zoning Administrator holding local hearings in close
concert with the Planning Commission, and he also commented on
the size of the Planning Commission.
Supervisor McPeak commented on the reasons for the Zoning
Administrator recommendation and she felt the number of peak hour
trips should be 25 rather than 100 and in terms of a pilot
program, and she suggested a year' s time for the Zoning
Administrator to review those projects that are 25 peak hour
trips, do it for six months, with a report to the Board, have
night meetings of the Zoning Administrator, and have longer lead
notice . Supervisor McPeak also spoke in support of going to
seven members .
Supervisor Fanden commented on the calculation for peak hour
trips, noticing, and she questioned the cost of evening meetings
and she spoke in favor of a trial period.
Supervisor Torlakson recommended a six month trial with a
report back in three months, 25 peak hour trip threshold, and the
trial period to commence in three to four weeks, and if there is
a dissatisfaction with the Zoning Administrator decision, an
automatic appeal would occur during the trial period.
Mr. Bragdon recommended using the regular process during the
trial period.
Supervisor Schroder requested further information on the
peak hour trips and the testimony given today.
The Board discussed the issues .
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the decision on the matter
of the composition and function of area planning commissions is
DEFERRED to the October 8, 1991, Decision Calendar and staff is
REQUESTED to respond to concerns raised today.
I hereby certify that this is a true andeorrectcopyof
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Su i On date shown,
cc : Community Development DepartmentATTESTED
PHIL T ELOR,Clerk of t Board
County Counsel pery andCoun �minlstrator
By
,Deputy
DATE:
REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM.
THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT
Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before
addressin the Board. p
NAME: (' .S �� �1 PHONE: PN
ADDRESS: 41 -Ti -c_.Y !-*t j c CITY: Mj=
I am speaking formyself OR organization: �G ww tA-r�e � Ism c
Check one: (NAME OF.ORGANIZATION)
I wish to speak on Agenda Item #
My comments will be: general for against
I wish to speak on the subject of 12--1 � s
I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the 13oard to consider.
DATE:
REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM .
THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) 3
Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before
addressing the Board.
NAME: 5 eTt Aj A Nl S PHONE:
ADDRESS:
I am speaking formyself OR organization: �Avt,
Check one: NAME OF ORGANIT-\TION)
I wish to speak on Agenda Item # }-)
My comments will be: general -, for against �.
I wish to speak on the subject of
I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider.
DATE: _
REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM
THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT)
Complete this form and place .it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before
addressing the Board.
NAME: ��� ��G��S.�GCi�// . PHONE: -2 ZY ,2-?30
ADDRESS: o?p2 //ttU / ON CITY: ��/� /I/`/IYfD/l1-
I am speaking formyself OR organization: 7-/ OF _�y AW01V
Check one: (NAME OF ORGANI7.ATION)
I wish to speak on Agenda Item #
My comments will be: general for against
I wish to speak on the subject of
I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider.
DATE:/ -"I i
REQUEST To SPEAK FORM
(THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) S
Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before
addressing the Board.
NAME: AN DIZFA-,- MkG Kril4 Til e� PHONE: 531 -9500
ADDRESS: 11500 CITY: c)-A,1e-�I
I am speaking formyself OR organization: r As-f 8_6660706-L- PA-PJe--
(NAMk OF ORGANIZATION)
Check one:
I wish to speak on Agenda Item #
My comments will be: general for against V
I wish to speak on the subject of
I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider.
S
DATE:
REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM
THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) c
Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum before
addressing the Board.
NAME: Fes- P,, L- W2=r Ta PHONE: 6,13 Vq/ 6
K -B/ c� T CITY: C/ /-Z-,!;,x)
ADDRESS: �- b ° Q� --
I am speaking formyself OR organization: Fas7-I
Check one: INAmE OF ORGANIZATION)
✓ I wish to speak on Agenda Item # �T
My comments will be: general for against
I wish to speak on the subject of
I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider.
_
E A S T B A Y BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James H.Duncan,President
Harlan Kessel,Vice President
EGIONAL PARKS RJocelyn Combs,Treasurer
Oliver Holmes
John O'Donnell
Ted Radke
Caaoll Williams ..
Pat O'Brien
RECEIVED General Manager
September 24, 1991 /-'7
SEP 2 41991
Harvey Bragdon
Community Development Director CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Contra Costa County CONTRA COSTA CO.
651 Pine Street, 4th Floor
Martinez, CA 94553
Re: Report on Respective Roles and Responsibilities of the County
Planning Commission and Regional Planning Commissions
Dear Mr. Bragdon:
I
The Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District has asked staff 'to express
the District's strong concerns over a proposed plan to shift the responsibility forI reviewing
subdivision proposals which generate less than 100 peak hour trips from the countywide
planning commission and two regional planning commissions to the Zoning Administrator.
By shifting the forum of review, a shortened public review and forum for subdivisions will
be instituted; one that could undercut the District's and other .public agencies full
participation in the review of these projects.
The increase in number of Zoning Administrator-approved projects could impead the
District's ability to identify and resolve planning and land use issues in a cooperative
manner. Like other public agencies, the District must devote staff time and resources to
monitoring development proposals,both large and small, that are adjacent to our parklands.
The majority of park-related conflicts come from small subdivisions adjacent to or within
agricultural and topographically-constrained parcels. Site location and patterns of
development, in combination with steep topography can exacerbate landslide and fire
hazards along parkland/development boundaries. The District often has to bear: increased
costs of maintenance, operation and potential liability when development is sited adjacent
to parkland. There may also be opportunities lost for completing important public parkland
expansions or trail connections that are identified in the District Master Plan.
While the proposed shift of subdivision review to the Zoning_Administrator may free up
more time for the Commissions to address long range policy issues, it could also ;encourage
unnecessary appeals, not on the merits of the project per se, but on the lack of adequate
time for public review and comment. The District typically receives agendas from Contra
Costa County on Fridays. Zoning Administrator hearings occur on Mondays. We are
concerned that there will be insufficient time to review subdivision proposals and evaluate
any potential impacts on regional trails and parkland prior to the Zoning Administrator
hearing.
0c
East Bay Regional Park District %� 11500 Skyline Boulevard Oakland,CA 94619-2443
Administrative Offices \� 510-531-9300 FAX 510-531-3239 `I
I
i
In our opinion, this abreviated process is not in the best interests of an open and
participatory planning process in general and, in particular, the Park District's responsibility
for providing and protecting regional parklands in Contra Costa County.
qb
ereert E. Doyl
AGM, Land Ac isition and Advanced Planning
cc: EBRPD Board of Directors
Pat O'Brien
Board of Supervisors
A:\cccsub.rev
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CL) It; ?
RECEIVED
A&Ao-4,imno-w FOR BSEP 1 91991
P. O. BOX 271 • ALAMO, CALIFORNIA 94507 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERV1S6RS
CONTRA COSTA CO.
FINE COUNTRY LIVING
September 17, 1991
Mr. Harvey Bragdon
Community Development Department
651 Pine Street, 4th Floor, North Wing
Martinez, CA 94553
Re: Internal Operations Committee Report on the Respective Roles
and Responsibilities of the County Planning Commission
and Regional Planning Commissions
Dear Harvey:
The Alamo Improvement Association has received and reviewed your
September 5, 1991 notice regarding the proposals contained in the subject,report.
These proposals have been considered by our Planning Committee and Board of
Directors and the Association wishes to communicate its opposition to the particular
proposals contained in the Internal Operations ("I.0.") Committee report relating to
transfer of jurisdiction from the Planning Commission to the Zoning Administrator.
Specifically, we object to any further loss of jurisdiction of the San Ramon Valley
Regional Planning Commission. In addition, we have had some difficulty in
determining the exact nature of the proposals from the documentation provided.
The reports provided with your September 5, 1991 letter are ambiguous as to
the extent of the proposed transfer of jurisdiction. The July 22, 19911.0. Committee
report to the Board of Supervisors contains no provision that all projects which
would require rezonings or general plan amendments would continue to be heard
by the Planning Commissions. The 1.0. Committee report states that "requests for
entitlements" (not subdivisions) which generate 100 peak hour trips or less would
be delegated to the Zoning Administrator. In addition, neither your reportto the
I.O. Committee nor the Committee's report to the Board of Supervisors refers to any
proposal to hold Zoning Administrator hearings in the evening in the affected
communities, as suggested in your September 5, 1991 letter. Such hearings are
presently held in Martinez in the daytime. The expectation of having such hearings
locally in the evening seems somewhat speculative at this point. Finally, it is unclear
from the reports exactly what the nature of the Planning Commission's involvement
might be in "policy.formulation, growth management decision making and overall
planning functions" that would require elimination of such a substantial portion of
the Commission's current duties. On the contrary, the fact that several Planning
Mr. Harvey Bragdon
September 17, 1991
Page 2
Commission meetings have been cancelled in recent months due to lack of agenda
items seems to suggest that the Planning Commission could take on these duties in
addition to their current responsibilities.
Regardless of these uncertainities, the Association believes that the proposed
transfer of jurisdiction from the Planning Commission to the Zoning Administrator
is not in the best interests of Alamo, the San Ramon Valley or Contra Costa County
for the following reasons:
1. In our view, the past decisions of the Planning Commission, overall, have
been more thorough,well considered and sensitive to local concerns than
have the decisions of the Zoning Administrator.
2. Based upon commonly accepted peak hour trip generation rates, 100
peak hour trips would equate to approximately 100 single family detached
dwellings, 180 medium density condominiums, 150 high density
apartments, 17,000 sq. ft. of convenience retail, a hotel of 270 rooms or
a 73,000 sq. ft. office building. Such projects. are too large to be
adjudicated by one County employee. They should remain in the
jurisdiction of an independent Planning Commission composed of local
citizens.
3. Many significant projects in Alamo would still be transferred to the
Zoning Administrator for review, even under the less expansive view of
the jurisdiction transfer described in your September 5, 1991 letter. A
good example in Alamo is the Post Property. This is an infill parcel
currently proposed for a subdivision of 95 lots with no rezoning. The
parcel has major issues of grading, storm drainage, planning approach,
relationship to existing development, etc. Such projects need the higher
standard of care offered by the Planning Commission's review.
4. The planning process in a county jurisdiction, because of the diverse
communities and the greater territory involved,is inherently more remote
from the issues and effects of a given project than a local city planning
process. At the same time, there is a great deal more urban
development(of the type usually occurring under a local city jurisdiction)
occurring under the jurisdiction of Contra Costa County than is occurring
in other county jurisdictions. Under these circumstances, a proposal to
make the County planning process even more remote from. the local
communities is indeed ironic. Instead, we hope that the Board would
seek ways by which to make the planning process closer and. more
responsive to the affected public.
I .
Mr. Harvey Bragdon
September 17, 1991
Page 3
In summary, we agree with the I.O. Committee's recommendation to increase
the Planning Commission's role in growth management and policy formulation.
However, when the Board considers these matters on September 24, 1991, we urge
the Board not to adopt the Committee's recommendation to transfer any portion of .
the Planning Commission's present existing jurisdiction over current planning
matters.
Yours very truly,
e. A �...,
Michael A. Gibson
Chairman, Planning Committee
MAG.jm
cc: Supervisor Robert Shroder
Board of Supervisors
San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Commissioners
Kevin Gailey, City of Danville
Herb Moniez, City of San Ramon
Round Hill Property Owners Association
Alamo Oaks Homeowners Association
Vernal Area Improvement Association
Las Trampas Ridgelands Association
Stonegate Homeowners Association
Tri-Valley Herald
San Ramon Valley Times