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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Resolution 2018-31 10/23/2018RESOLUTION 2018-31 CITY OF PETALUMA PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT NON -SUBSTANTIVE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY OF PETALUMA GENERAL PLAN 2025 WHEREAS, Petaluma City Council passed Resolution 2008-084 N.C.S on May 19, 2008 adopting the General Plan 2025, a comprehensive and integrated statement of development policies and principles that guide future growth and development within Petaluma; and WHEREAS, General Plan 2025 established written policies as well as supporting figure and table exhibits to assist with policy comprehension and establish technical background context for written policies; and WHEREAS, through its implementation since 2008, the City and private property owners have successfully implemented or completed various improvements that were identified in General Plan 2025, leaving the static maps that incorporated into General Plan 2025 inconsistent with the current status of conditions in the community; and WHEREAS, the written text of General Plan 2025 included references to plans and studies that have, since the plan was adopted, been substantially revised, while other plans and studies that were anticipated have been published. These changes have created inconsistent references within General Plan 2025; and WHEREAS, General Plan 2025 established that the City is governed by a Floodway land use designation. The Floodway designation delineates the channel of the Petaluma River or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the "base flood" without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than one foot. No new development is allowed within the Floodway; and WHEREAS, General Plan 2025 establishes that the Floodway designation is determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and amendments to the FIRM would subsequently will be reflected on the City's General Plan Land Use Map and other figure exhibits. WHEREAS, on February 19, 2014 FEMA published an updated FIRM and amendments that has not yet been incorporated and reflected in General Plan 2025, making the plan inconsistent with stated policy in General Plan 2025; and WHEREAS, the City of Petaluma City Council adopted as its Goals and Priorities for 2017 and 2018: Goal III, Priority 1, which directs City of Petaluma staff to review and amend the Elements of the General Plan 2025 to reflect changes since its adoption in 2008. This direction includes updates to figures to reflect the latest FEMA FIRM data, updating figures and text to reflect implementation, and to incorporate or update references to new and updated plans and studies; and WHEREAS, the General Plan 2025 Amendment to update figures to reflect the latest FEMA FIRM data, update figures and text to reflect implementation, and incorporate or update references to new and updated plans and studies constitute non -substantive amendments to the City's general plan that do not affect the use of property within the City beyond what is policy today; and Planning Commission Resolution No. 2018-31 Page 1 WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65358, the City of Petaluma can only amend a mandatory Element of the General Plan up to four times per calendar year. Subject to that limitation, an amendment may be made at any time, as determined by the local legislative body, and separate amendments may be combined and evaluated together as one Amendment action.; and WHEREAS, City staff has conducted a thorough review of General Plan 2025 text, the implementation status of improvements identified in the plan, General Plan references, and figure and table exhibits to document a comprehensive list of required edits to the General Plan 2025 to correct non - substantive errata, mapping errors, omissions, inaccurate references, and other insignificant discrepancies; and WHEREAS, the proposed amendments are exempt from further environmental review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b) (3) ("General Rule"), as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed amendments may have a significant effect on the environment. WHEREAS, on October 11, 2018, public notice was published in the Argus Courier in compliance with state and local law; and WHEREAS, on October 23, 2018, after notice thereof having been duly, regularly and lawfully given, a public hearing was held by the Planning Commission to review the General Plan 2025 Amendment, where all persons interested had the opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, on October 23, 2018, the Planning Commission considered the staff report dated October 23, 2018, analyzing the General Plan Amendment, including the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") determination included therein; and WHEREAS, on October 23, 2018, the Planning Commission recommended the City Council approve a General Plan Amendment to incorporate non -substantive changes to General Plan 2025 figure exhibits, table exhibits, and written text. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission as follows: A. The Planning Commission recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed General Plan 2025 Amendment, as conditioned below and attached hereto as Exhibits 1 through 15, based on the following findings: 1. The proposed Amendment is non -substantive and in the public's interest in that the Amendment corrects inconsistencies and inaccuracies contained in General Plan 2025, the Amendment does not affect General Plan 2025 policies, and General Plan 2025 anticipated the proposed Amendments when it was adopted in 2008. 2. The Amendment is consistent and compatible with the rest of the General Plan. 3. The proposed Amendment would be not to be detrimental to public health, safety, or welfare. B. The General Plan 2025 Amendment is categorically exempt from the State CEQA Guidelines and the City of Petaluma Environmental Guidelines per § 15061(b) (3) (Review for Exemption, General Rule) of the CEQA Guidelines, as there is no possibility that the amendments to the plan may have a significant effect on the environment. C. The attached General Plan 2025 Amendment, Exhibit F, Street Classifications, shall be revised to show the proposed Arterial known as the "Caulfield Crossing" connecting Lakeville Street across the Petaluma River to Petaluma Boulevard South; and that the "Copeland Street Extension", a proposed Collector from Copeland Street at Madison Street crossing the Petaluma River to Petaluma Boulevard North at Oak Street, shall be removed as the river crossing has been found not feasible. Planning Commission Resolution No. 2018-31 Page 2 ADOPTED this 23rd day of October, 2018, by the following vote: Commission Member Aye No Absent Abstain Councilmember Healy X Chair Marzo X Vice Chair Alonso X Bauer X Benedetti- Petnic X Gomez X Wolpert X ATTEST: rij I � '; ®r Heat er Hines, Com `' ssion Secretary f`'y APPRO�fER S TO FORM: Eric Danly, Cit, Attorney Planning Commission Resolution No. 2018-31 Page 3