Elise Semonian, Planning Director and Sarah Price, Assistant Planner

Transcription

1 TOWN OF SAN ANSELMO STAFF REPORT January 27, 2017 For the Meeting of January 30, 2017 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Town Council Elise Semonian, Planning Director and Sarah Price, Assistant Planner Update on upcoming projects and proposed work plan RECOMMENDATION Receive presentation on upcoming projects. No action is recommended for any item at this meeting. Staff will return to the Planning Commission and Town Council for public hearings on each item and a complete report for discussion and action. These items have been listed individually in the agenda so that the Town Council and Planning Commission may comment on any item, suggest direction, or request information that may be useful to consider at the future meetings. PENDING AND UPCOMING PROJECTS 1. General Plan update. At the Strategic Planning Session in 2016, the Town Council supported update of the General Plan. Although the Housing Element has been periodically updated, the majority of the General Plan dates to Staff is recommending that the Town use staff resources and local Marin consultants, rather than large planning firms, to update the plan. A draft work plan is attached. Staff recommends having focused studies on the Town commercial areas and affordable housing sites to guide the discussion regarding commercial density and density bonuses. 2. Local Hazard Mitigation Plan update/safety Element of General Plan. This is currently the highest priority project for planning department staff. An adopted plan is necessary to maintain and secure grant funding for mitigation projects. Since the Town Council reviewed the plan in February 2016, staff has been responding to FEMA comments. Staff is formatting the plan so it can be adopted as a Town Safety Element, one of the required elements of a General Plan that the Town does not have. Incorporating the plan into the General Plan will qualify the Town for additional State disaster funds. When FEMA is prepared to accept the plan, staff will return to the Planning Commission and Town Council for plan review and adoption. 3. Open Space and Park Zoning Regulations (Memorial Park Initiative). In November 2015, the Town passed Measure D. Measure D amended the Town General Plan to preclude use of Memorial Park for a detention basin and added an implementation program that requires the Town to adopt a park lands zoning ordinance. In , staff worked with the Open Space 1

2 Committee to review the Open Space Element with the intent of updating that element of the General Plan and rezoning property acquired for open space to a new Open Space zoning designation. Staff intends to develop a parklands ordinance that covers open space and recreational parks. This work is now proposed to be coordinated with the General Plan update. 4. Residential density limit for commercial districts and density bonus ordinance. This project developed after a request for a density bonus and waivers of development standards for apartments in a commercial zoning district. In 2016, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a density limit of 20 to 30 units an acre for the commercial zoning districts, which would be consistent with the current General Plan Housing Element and would not need preparation of environmental documents. The Town Council considered the ordinance in September 2016 and recommended more study sessions and information on the issue. The draft General Plan update work plan includes studies that would guide this project. 5. Wireless Telecommunications Facilities ordinance and application checklist update to address current State and Federal laws. Town wireless communication regulations and applications have not been updated to reflect State and Federal laws that have eliminated much discretion over these applications and have set short timelines for their consideration. The Town still has the ability to regulate aesthetics of certain projects and the code needs to be updated to maximize Town discretion. In addition, wireless carriers are seeking to install facilities in community rights-of-way (including in front of single-family residences). The Town does not have adequate regulations to deal with the right-of-way issue. The Town Council approved a budget amendment to fund this project. The Telecom Law firm, an outside law firm that specializes in telecommunication law has been retained to prepare draft documents for Planning Commission and Town Council review and adoption within the next 6 months. 6. Codification of rules for signs on Town property, including banners and A-frame signs, and Wayfinding Sign Project. Staff initiated codification of the rules for signs on Town property, which are currently in a Council resolution. Staff also sought to address the many A-Frame signs that businesses have placed on Town property in violation of the current rules. The Planning Commission made recommendations to the Town Council in April The Town Council considered the regulations in May 2016 and recommended a trial period for A-frame signs on Town property and development of design guidelines. The Council also directed staff to consider revising the policy that allows organizations that directly compete with Town recreation programs to advertise on Town banners. Staff plans to return with the ordinance and specific design guidelines for A-frame signs on Town property in No hearing date is currently scheduled. Non-permitted signs are frequently appearing around the Town. Staff intends to notify businesses of the sign ordinance violations and provide notice of the next sign ordinance hearing. This will provide an opportunity for businesses to be heard prior to code enforcement and allow them to suggest other modifications to the sign code. For example, the Town could define real estate advertisements as merchandise so that they can legally be displayed in real estate office windows. 2

3 The Economic Development Committee is currently working on a program for new wayfinding signs that will be presented to the community in Impact of new marijuana laws. In November 2015, the Town Council received information on new State medical marijuana laws and town zoning regulations. At that time, the Council was comfortable with the existing prohibition on marijuana uses and allowing deliveries of medical marijuana in Town from businesses located outside of the Town. Since that time, California voters legalized recreational use of marijuana. Staff recommends that the Town Council reconsider this issue and specifically allow or prohibit any medical and/or recreational marijuana uses (retail, manufacturing, delivery, etc.) in the zoning code prior to January 2018 when State licensing will begin. 9. Red Hill and Memorial Ridge Trail project. Since 1976, the Town has proposed development of new trails on Red Hill and Memorial Ridge (the ridge between San Francisco Boulevard and Sunny Hills). The Open Space Committee has been actively working on making the trails a reality since Public Works has held at least one community meeting on the project. Public works department staff will bring the project, which includes agreements with the County and Sunny Hills Services, to the Town Council for approval and an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act in February or March 2017, after mailed notification to neighbors adjacent to the project sites. 10. San Francisco Boulevard Traffic Calming. The Public Works Department has been working on a plan for traffic calming on San Francisco Boulevard, including roundabouts, that was presented at neighborhood meetings in The Planning Commission will consider the plan on February 6, 2017, and the Town Council is scheduled to consider the project on February 14, Memorial Park Master Plan. The Town has completed the first phase of the master plan process that consisted of several public workshops with community members and stakeholders soliciting ideas for improvement of the park. Phase two is commencing with additional workshops to consider conceptual plans. Town Manager Elect Dave Donery has scheduled presentation of the plan to the Planning Commission on May 1, 2017, followed by presentation to the Town Council. 12. Discussion of Sober Living Facilities. The Town has received a petition from about 30 residents of the Lincoln Park neighborhood requesting the town to limit group homes to seven residents. This is in response to a sober living facility established in a seven-bedroom residence on Lincoln Park that is estimated to have over 10 residents. Neighbors have concern with traffic safety and other impacts that the new residents and their guests have brought to the street. The Town must consider the impact that any regulation may have on other communal living facilities in the Town, such as the two Tam Houses that provide 21 rooms for low-income seniors. The Town Attorney has been requested to present a report on the issue to the Town Council in February or March

4 13. Historical structure inventory. The Town Council directed staff to develop an inventory of history structures at the Council strategic planning session. Staff has spoken with Judy Coy of the Town Historical Society. Staff believes this is an important project but it will involve significant staff time and public participation. Staff recommends keeping the project on the long-term work plan but scheduling the work after the General Plan update. In the meantime, projects will continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis. 14. Low Impact Development projects. The Public Works Department is proposing landscape plans for the Magnolia Street Parking Lot, Greenfield Avenue parklet (at Lincoln Park, Pedestrian Improvements Project ), and green waste pad at the Town s Corporation Yard at the end of San Francisco Boulevard. The projects are intended to demonstrate methods for reducing storm water runoff, prevent pollution from entering the creek, and improve pedestrian connectivity between Imagination Park, the downtown area, and the Magnolia Avenue parking lot. Public Works hosted at least two community meetings on the projects. The Planning Commission considered the projects in December 2016 and made recommendations to staff. The Planning Commission considered if the projects were consistent with the General Plan, particularly the Magnolia lot that is proposed to be developed with affordable housing built over the parking lot. The Town Council will be considering these projects in February or March Median Master Landscape Plan. The Town Council has directed staff to prepare a master median landscape plan for the Town. The Public Works department has retained consultants to prepare the plan and expects to have the plan under public review and completed within 8-12 months. Public Works will hold at least two community meetings on the plan before presenting the project to the Town Council. 16. Climate Action Plan update. The Town Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2011 and scheduled for update every 5 years. Planning Department Staff is working with the Quality of Life Committee to present the progress on the 2011 plan, climate action goals, and a report on emissions generated from the community from 2005 through 2014 (the most recent year data is available) in February or March Update fee schedules. The Town building and planning fee schedules and Town municipal code fines (the bail schedule) need to be updated. The Town will seek requests for proposals to conduct a building and planning fee study in The cost of the fee study will be considered with the budget. 17. Flood Control. On January 24, 2017, the Town Council recommended an alternative to the Memorial Park detention project to be used as the basis for the Project Description in the CEQA Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the San Anselmo Flood Protection Project. This alternative includes a detention basin at the former Sunnyside Nursery in Fairfax, downtown San Anselmo Creek improvements, and the removal of Building Bridge #2 ( San Anselmo Avenue occupied by L Appart restaurant, Coldwell Banker real estate, San Anselmo Optometry and The Ranch Salon). Work on the EIR is anticipated to take one year. The County will begin preliminary design of the projects during the EIR phase. The Town Council has received a 4

5 presentation on other creek improvements from Building Bridge 2 to the Ross town border. But, those projects are not yet funded. Respectfully submitted, Elise Semonian Planning Director Attachment 1 PowerPoint Presentation Slides for Workshop Attachment 2 Draft Work Program for General Plan 5