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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01231990 - T.6 T. 6 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order. on January 23 , 1990 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson and Fanden NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Hearing on Buchanan Field General Plan Amendment, Buchanan Field Master Plan and EIR, Proposed Lease Agreement with Buchanan Fields Golf Course, Inc. and Circulation Improvements Upgrading the Transportation System The Board has before it for hearing at this time the following matters: THE BUCHANAN FIELD GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, a proposal to amend the County General Plan for the Buchanan Field Airport property and to redesignate lands east of Marsh Drive and East of John Glenn Drive from Office to Commercial and to make other minor map shifts. The amendment covers the Land Use, Circulation, Noise and Recreation Elements of the County General Plan ( 1-89-CO) . THE BUCHANAN FIELD MASTER PLAN, a policy document that provides direction for the growth and development of the airport through the year 2010. Included within this master plan consideration are the airport layout plan, airport access plan, and airport approach and clear zone plan. Key elements of the Master Plan update include forecasts of future aviation activity, airfield design requirements, building area requirements and alternative air passage terminal sites. Potential changes to the Interim Airport Access Plan are based on air carrier and commuter airline activity forecasts. PROPOSED LEASE AGREEMENT between Buchanan Fields Golf Course, Inc. and Contra Costa County. CIRCULATION IMPROVEMENTS to compliment the aforementioned plans by upgrading the transportation system. James Cutler, Community Development Department, reviewed the dimensions of the recommendations before the Board this date and noted that for purposes of compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) , an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared for this project and that the EIR and the responses has been provided to the Board. J. Michael Walford, Public Works Director, reviewed the circulation improvements proposed to compliment the aforesaid general plan amendment and Airport Master Plan. David Hodges, Hodges & Shutt, consultants for the Buchanan Field Master Plan, commented on the master plan update and the technical aspects and refinement thereof. He noted that Buchanan Field is expected to remain primarily a general aviation airport and the master plan does not propose substantially increasing activity or size. He noted that his firm believed that the revenue from the airport will be adequate to support the County' s share of the cost of developing the airport. Scott Tandy, Assistant County Administrator, reviewed the history of the negotiations with respect to the lease for the greenbelt area and continued discussions with the current leaseholder, as well as reviewing other proposals that might be coming forth. De Royce Bell, County Administrator' s Office, elaborated on the history of the lease negotiations and advised that staff would like to have direction to continue to work on the lease. He noted that staff is trying to obtain further verified information on the second proposal in order to make a good judgment. Board members discussed their various concerns with staff, including funding for proposed extension of Diamond Boulevard and intersection improvements and construction of a new terminal on the West side of the airport. The Chair declared the public hearing open and the following persons appeared to speak: John Mulhall, Mayor of the City of Pleasant Hill, read a January 16, 1990 letter from the City of Pleasant Hill requesting a continuance of this public hearing to an evening meeting. He noted that the City Council is of the opinion that there is a need for more public input and that there are still serious omissions in the Draft Environmental Impact Report. Joe Tanner, City Manager of the City of Pleasant Hill, requested a meeting with Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Concord and People over Planes Organization to negotiate some of the perceived problems with the Master Plan and EIR. Paul-Andre Schabracq, Planner for the City of Pleasant Hill, advised that there were problems with the EIR. He commented that he agreed with the comments of People over Planes. Virginia Schaefer, CCC Aviation Advisory Committee, commented that the proposed Master Plan makes good sound orderly government. She advised that the Advisory Committee had held extra evening meetings on various issues in the Plan and on the EIR. She urged the Board to go ahead with the Master Plan. Joe Campbell, 1717 Solano Way, #33 , Concord 94520, pilot, advised that he had attended 50 public meetings, 80 per cent of which were evening meetings. He advised that he felt that the EIR is correct and the Master Plan is appropriate, and urged the Board to move forward. Bob Drake, Community Development Department, staff for the Airport Land Use Commission, advised that the Commission had studied and held public meetings on the EIR and the Master Plan. He noted that the Commission found the proposed Master Plan to be consistent with adopted ALUC policy and had made several recommendations for the Board to include in any approval of the Master Plan or General Plan Amendment. Kathy Adams, President of the Concord Chamber of Commerce, urged the Board to move on and approve the Master Plan. Harry York, Executive Vice President, Concord Chamber of Commerce, supported the Master Plan and the extension of Diamond Boulevard, declaring it to be a critical element of traffic circulation and a major traffic improvement. He advised the Chamber favors moving the terminal to the Western location; the continued use of helicopters, but suggested moving training to an outside location; supports the limitation of number of aircraft based at Buchanan Field; and supports the use of excess land for commercial uses after airport uses are satisfied; and believes the EIR responds to concerns and that the responses have properly addressed these concerns. . Don Mount, 1309 Grazz Lane, Concord spoke in opposition, citing air quality, noise, size of terminal and impact on quality of life. Clement Shute, 396 Hayes Street, San Francisco, representing People over Planes, listed concerns including that increasing the size of the terminal building might be encouraging growth. He requested that the Board not take action to approve Master Plan nor certify the EIR. John Mulhall advised that the same problems continue to come up and have not been addressed. He noted that the City of Pleasant Hill is trying to avoid litigation, that they would like to sit down and negotiate and deal with the problems in a cooperative manner. Supervisor Powers commented that the process must be public and open. He inquired what the problems are so that Board might address them in public. John Jackson, 1818 Hoover Court, Concord, pilot from Concord, commented on the benefits of Buchanan Field to the community and advised that he favored the EIR and the Master Plan and would like to see them finalized. Russell Roe, 2121 Walnut Street, Martinez, mechanic at Buchanan Field, urged approval of the EIR and the Master Plan. S. M. Skaggs, P. O. Box V, Walnut Creek, attorney for Messrs. Gore, Strickland and Straface, (who have submitted a proposal for a lease on the greenbelt area now leased by Buchanan Fields Golf Course, Inc. ) urged the Board to continue the matter and asked that staff be directed to meet with his clients to obtain additional information. He reviewed the business history and background of his clients and requested the opportunity to convince staff of the viability of their proposal. Christine Callahan, 2204 Concord Boulevard., Concord, Attorney for Buchanan. Fields Golf Course, Inc. , agreed that the matter should be continued, commenting that she wanted the opportunity to discuss with staff the new comparables submitted to the Board this day, as well as some old ones. She asked that leasehold improvement investments made by the tenant be considered when comparables are reviewed. She expressed concern with regard to the other proposal before the Board and advised that she was under the impression that staff had been instructed to negotiate with her client exclusively, and read from her transcript of the motion made by Supervisor McPeak at the previous meeting on this matter. Supervisor McPeak commented that the County began the process of renegotiating the lease due to the need to realign Diamond Boulevard and provide circulation around Concord Avenue and I-680. She noted that the motion she had offered in July is precisely where she had intended the action to be and that was still her position. Supervisor McPeak moved that this hearing be continued to an evening meeting and that the hearing on the EIR, the General Plan Amendment, Buchanan Field Master Plan and the Circulation Improvements be separated out from the golf course. lease which could be continued to another time. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Torlakson. Supervisor Schroder questioned the need for an evening meeting, stating that he was of the opinion that the Board ought to transact Board business during the business day at regularly scheduled meetings. Supervisor McPeak advised that she was responding to a formal request from another jurisdiction, the City of Pleasant Hill, as well as residents who are neighbors to Buchanan Field. Supervisor Powers moved to amend the motion to continue the hearing on the EIR, General Plan Amendment, Master Plan and Circulation to 3 : 00 p.m. on February 27, 1990. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Fanden. The vote on the motion was as follows: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Schroder and Fanden NOES: Supervisors McPeak and Torlakson I The Board then voted on the amended motion to separate the issues and continue the EIR, General Plan Amendment, Master Plan and circulation to February 27, 1990 at 3 :00 p.m. , which passed unanimously. IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED THAT the hearing on the Environmental Impact Report, General Plan Amendment, Master Plan and Circulation Improvements is CONTINUED to February 27, 1990 at 3 : 00 p.m. ; and as requested by Supervisor McPeak, the County Administrator, County Counsel, Public Works Director and the Director of Community Development are DIRECTED to meet with those people in opposition to the proposed EIR, General Plan Amendment, Master Plan and proposed circulation improvements to identify their concerns and then prepare a report for the Board on clarification of the issues and remedies proposed by concerned parties. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT the Public Works Director is REQUESTED to report on his progress in finding a helicopter training flight alternative location. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT the hearing on the proposed lease agreement with Buchanan Fields Golf Course is CONTINUED to March 20,. 1990 at 2 : 00 p.m. I fiereby certify that this is a true and cmrtect copy of an eation taken and entered on ft minutes of the Board of Su on the a 3110WIL O ATTESTED: PHIL BAT ELOR,CIeAc of the Boats of Supervisors and County Administrator cc: Community Development BY _ .Deputy Public Works County Counsel County Administrator General Services