HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 11/16/2000 (15) future conflicts when a:project has to come back before that,body for a formal,decision. The details•of
how thiscprocess would be implemented would determine;the:impact'on department workload,the time
pan of an,expanded preliminary review procedure. This.procedure would have to be carefully created,
with',specific standards of review if,it involves City decision-making bodies in order to avoid potential
line for the•preliminary review process (in order to allow these,items to be reviewed at regular meetings
of the Council, Planning Commission or SP''ARC);andithe length of agendas:
b) The'City Council could direct staff to immediately--develop the;necessary amendments to the Zoning
Ordinance:to clarify the types ofuses thatiare'permittedandconditionally permitted in the existing
zoning districts withinthe'boundaries of the eSpecific P1awarea.;This-process Would start with
discussions at the Planning Commission to determine the extent;of the amendments necessary to
implement this,,alternative: These regulations;would be adopted pnor to any anticipated Specific Plan
regulations and the amendments to existing-zoning.districts would'have to apply wherever those districts
are in the City. Since the Specific Plan is not=yet-adopted;4it could:not;technically"serve as the basis for
any Zoning Ordinance amendments:thatmight-applyorly within'its boundaries. It may be possible to
adopt these!regulations as an interim ordinance'under the�California Government Code while the
Specific Plan regulations are being developed.
c) The City Council could more clearly define its direction.of October,2000 as to how the Central Petaluma
Specific Plan shall be interpreted and implemented during thisperiod prior to its adoption. This could be
accomplished by providing,specific direction:as to possible standards.of-review and the intent of the
Specific Plan policies and recommendations;(for example, itcould clarify the role, if any, of the
"illustrative concept plan" in making determinations about appropriate land uses; it could clarify the
meaning of particular'land,use definitions or;policies, etc.).
d) Take nolaction at this time and allow the current:procedures to remain unchanged. Community
Development staff believe that we'areapplying the'policies;of the Central Petaluma Specific Plan and
the applicable provisions of the Zoning,-Ordinance appropriately and consistently and that no additional
steps City Council procedures are feces p g the Zoning Ordinance and more clearly
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qv e)* The Cit Council could focus on the broader issue of u datin f
defining the respective roles of SPARC and the=Planning.Comnussion.:Both-of these issues have been
discussed briefly on previous agendas, but without any conclusion or formal direction. The Community
Development Department does;not currently,have the staffres'ources or budget to undertake a major
review and;revision of the Zoning Ordinance, although/one is desperately needed. This discussion could
take place in the context of the scope and timing of the General Plan update or in the review of the
upcoming budget.
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4. FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Financial impacts will depend'on the alternative selected by the City Council, Potential:impacts to the City's
budget may includede need for additional staff resources or consultant:assistance to accomplish the preferred
alternative. There may also be,financial impacts to the.City'resulting;from?potential applicants who may choose
not to develop their property:becausse of additional processing requirements and extended processing times. This
May affect the overall;success.of the;Specific Plan in promoting new development and redevelopment in the
area.
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5. CONCLUSION:.
The City Council needs to address the issue of how applications are processed:within the boundaries of the
Central Petaluma.Specific.Plan area and provide some direction so it is clear to;applicants, staff and decision-
ers how projects_will be reviewed,during this period leading up to the adoption of the plan.
6. OUTCOMES OR•PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS THAT WILL IDENTIFY SUCCESS OR COMPLETION:
- These will depend.onthe alternative selected by the City Council.
7. -RECOMMENDATION:
Any direction provided by theCity Council should take into account the applicable questions listed above,;plus
any y;considerations thatymay come up in the.course of the,discussion Assuming that the Council will prefer'to
address larger.issues such as the need for a new/Zoning Ordinance and the roles and responsibilities,of the
Planning Commission and SPARC through separate, subsequent discussions, City management Would
recommend that",the Council provide direction at-this,time on which alternative the:Council would choose to -
pursue to.add`ressthe devel'opinent,review processor new regulations for the Central Petaluma Specific Plan
area.
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