HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995/04/25 - Agenda Packet - Adj. w/Planning,
AGENDA
JOINT MEETING OF THE
RANCHO CUCAMONGA CITY COUNCIL
and the
PLANNING COMMISSION
Adjourned Meeting
April 25, 1995 - 5:00 p.m.
Tri Communities Room
10500 Civic Center Drive
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call:
Alexander
Barker
A. CALL TO ORDER
, Biane , Curatalo , Gutierrez , Williams__
, Lumpp , McNiel __, Melcher , Tolstoy_
B. ITEM(S) OF DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION ON THE VALUE OF PLANNING
DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING COMMISSION
PARTICIPATION
DISCUSSION OF MODERNIZATION OF GENERAL PLAN AND SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTS
Joint City Council/Planning Commission Meeting
April 25, 1995
Page 2
,
5.
6.
7.
DISCUSSION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES BASED ON PHILOSOPHY
DISCUSSION OF PLANNING VS. PROJECT PROCESSING
DISCUSSION OF THE DESIGN OF ON-SITE ANCILLARY STRUCTURES
DISCUSSION OF ZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL LOTS. I.E.. MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
SIDEYARD AND STREET SETBACKS
DISCUSSION OF COMMERCIAL LAND USE AND MARKET STUDY (Continued
from April 19, 1995 City Council meeting)
DISCUSSION OF ITEMS OF MUTUAL INTEREST
C. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
This is the time and place for the general public to address the City Council and the Planning Commission. State
law prohibits the Council and the Commission from addressing any issue not previously included on the Agendak
The Council and the CommLuion may receive testimony and set the matter for a subsequent muting. Comments
are to he limited to five minutes per individual
D. ADJOURNMENT
I, Debra J. Adams, CRy Clerk of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, hereby certify that a true, accurate copy of the
foregoing agenda was posted on April 20, 1995, seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting per Government Code
54954.2 at 10500 CIvic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California..
r-
'l
SUNDAY
April 16, 1995
SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY
S.B., Rancho Cucamonga:
A tale of two very different cities
· Though separated by only
15 miles, San Bemardino
and Rancho Cucamonga are
as different as night and day,
By REBECCA FAIRLET RANEY
Sun Staff Writer
On a cool, misty Friday night
in San Bernardino, officer Paul
Williams rolls out on patrol an
hour late.
Williams has to finish a homi-
cide report from the night before
-- not unusual in a police d6part-
merit that logs six murders a
CRIME
IN SAN BERNARDINO
Myth &
I I I I
Reality III I
I I I I
ORe in an occasional series
month.
The biggest button on the cus-
tom-made computer terminals in
San Bernardino police cars is a
red key -- it says 11-11 -- and to
push it is to alert dispatchers that
an officer is in troume.
On another Friday night, in
Rancho Cucamonga -- a slow-
paced, rainy night -- Sgt. Tim
Wilson starts his patrol on sched-
ule.
No 11-11 button dominates
the computer terminals in Ran-
'cho Cucamonga's police cars.
There's little need.
In Rancho Cucamonga, police
work is a different story.
"A lady called us the other
night because her son refused to
eat vegetables," Wilson says.
"Another lady called because
there was a lizard on her screen."
·
Fifteen miles stand between
Rancho Cucamonga and San Ber-
nardino -- 15 miles and a slew of
disparities that go to extremes.
There's the money: In Rancho
Cucamonga, the average house-
hold income is more than $50.000
a year. San Bernardino house-
holds have an average income of
about $25,000 a year.
There's the dole: In Rancho
Cucamonga, 5 percent of the total
population is on welfare. In San
Bernardino, 40 percent.
And, to be sure, there's the
crime: Rancho Cucamonga has a
reputation as one of the safest cit-
ies in America. San Bernardino
has ranked high on some of the
nation's most-dangerous-cities
lists.
Rancho Cucamonga is a study
in how to build for prosperity.
From the outset, when the
city incorporated in 1976, its
founders set down a tightly con-
trolled plan to encourage upscale
housing and tree-lined streets.
They stuck to the plan.
The city that emerged
matched the blueprint.
"The reason for that is this
planning process," said Dennis
Stout, who was mayor of Rancho
Cucamonga for eight years and is
now the county's district attor-
ney. "It really, really works.
That's why the city has such a low
crime rate."
The image drew the settlers.
Mike Wasiuk moved his family
there from La Puente in 1987
largely because of Rancho Cuca-
monga's reputation.
"We'd see stories in the paper
that said: 'There are only 30 gang
members in Rancho Cuca-
monga.' 'J said._W. asi~uk_~38. "1
know they have higher building
standards out here. I think a lot of
what they've done is really ere-
ated a nice environment,"
·
San Bernardino is a study in
how to build a welfare mecca.
The trend started in the early
1980s with low-end investors buy-
ing inexpensive property in
hopes of making money in the
Southern Calitbrnia real estate
boom. Instead. they lost money.
the property decayed and the in-
vestments became a stock of FUn-
down rental housing that ac-
counts for more than 50 percent
of the city's housing. said City Ad-
ministrator Shauna Clark.
The City Council added to the
stock. They approved the build-
ing of millions of dollars worth of
low-income housing.
During the past five years. the
city has spent $7 million of rede-
veloprecur money either building
low-income housing or providing
mortgage assistance for poor fam-
ilies.
The low-rent property at-
tracted the poor.
"We started seeing a real exo-
dus from Los Angeles, South-
Central L.A.." said Wayne Harp,
San Bernardino's assistant police
chief.
· 'These folks were fleeing Los
Angeles because it was cheaper
to live out here."
The police were the first to
see the trouble.
"I think any police o~cer you
talk to will tell you there's a link
between run-down rental prop-
erty and crime," tiarp said.
The image is hard to over-
come.
It hurts business for Marcela
Saunier. a real estate agent who
lives in north San Bernardino.
"When I'm trying to sell a
house, people say. 'Any place but
San Bernardinc.'" said Saunier,
26.
Even though she lives in a
nice neighborhood in the tbot-
hills, she's not offended by un-
kind words toward the city.
"If it has a reputation, it~s be-
cause it deserves it."
City officials are trying to get
to the bottom ofthe problem.
With computer-generated
maps, the)' recently have studied
rental properties and violent
crime locations. The maps show
crimes clustered like measles on
the rental properties -- a clear
and dramatic correlation be-
tween violent crime and rental
property.
"The)' matched very well,"
said Ruth Parish, who coordi-
nated the study. "The correlation
was so obvious."
In other parts of the city.
places with few rentals. the map
showed few ~iolent crimes.
·
Officer Willlares doesn't need
a computer-generated map to see
that.
He spends much of his time in
the places that show up on the
crime maps. The calls come even
on quiet nights: children living in
filth, men hitting women. women
hitting men. the neighbors' bul-
lets coming through the walls.
He knows the houses that are
rented to gang members. and he
knows the names of the people
who rent them. There's nothing
he can do about them -- except
keep answering the calls of beat-
ings. brawls and gunfire.
Gunfire is rare in Rancho Cu-
campriga.
And in Rancho the police
have time. Wilson said. They re-
spond to every call -- from re-
porting to a woman that police
found her stolen ID to resolving a
dispute between a woman and a
neighbor who was using her trash
can.
Sgt. Wilson spent an hour and
a half of one recent shift dealing
with three grade-school kids who
set off sprinklers in an aban-
doned building.
Wilson took time to lay down
the law after breaking through a
bogus story the boys told.
"You could have saved a
whole lot of time with honesty,"
he told the wide-eyed boys. "I am
not going to prosecute you. But I
don't want to find you in some-
one's business where you don't
belong."
From Wilson's perspective,
it's important to take,time to talk
about right and wrong with kids
the first time the)' get into 'trou-
ble.
He has a willing audience: On
the streets of Rancho Cuca-
monga. youngsters generall.v
greet police with waves and
smiles.
On the streets of San Bernar-
dino. youngsters tend to greet po-
lice with their hands on their
heads.
The crime rate in San Bernar-
dino is 12.8 per 100.000 people.
The crime rate in Rancho Cu-
camonga is 4.8 per 100,000 peo-
ple. according to the most recent
FBI statistics.
The median rent in San Ber-
nardino is $422 per month.
The median rent in Rancho
Cucamonga is $642 per month.
according to 1990 Census data.
Half the housing in San Ber-
nardino is rentals.
Only a third of the housing in
Rancho Cuc. amonga is rentals.
San Bernardino's unemploy-
ment rate is 10.7 percent. accord-
ing to the state Economic Devel-
opment Department.
Rancho Cucamonga's unem-
ployment rate is 4.8 percent.
The statistics allude to a con-
ventional finding in criminology:
With poverty comes crime. The
link has come up in studies that
go back to the 1930s.
"There is a strong connec-
tion," said Llad Phillips. an econ-
omist with the University of Cali-
fornia. Santa Barbara, and an
authority on the issue.
"Economic opportunities
make a difference. For any par-
ticular individual. it's going to de-
pend on thei. r opportunities. Oth-
er things being equal, income
makes a difference."
Dale Sechrest, California
State University, San Bernardi-
no, criminologist. contends pov-
erty in San Bernardino fosters
crime.
"If people don't have money.
they'll go find it," he said.
"People are raised in an envi
ronment and they see opportuni-
ty for crime ,-- the opportunity to
make money illegitimately -- the
opportunity to sell drugs. Where-
as a kid in Rancho Cucamonga
sees a job at the gas station on the
corner as opportunity."
The current conditions in the
cities started with the region's
rapid development in the late
'70s.
Rancho Cucamonga was pre-
pared for it. San Bernardino
wasn't.
The state of preparation is ob-
vious in the cities' general plans
--- their basic blueprints for de
velopment.
The appearance of the docu-
ments is telling:
San Bernardino's general
plan at the time -- 93 pages long
-- was written in 1964. Its words
were typed in the uneven strikes
of a manual typewriter.
Rancho Cucamonga's plan --
351 pages written to guide the
newly incorporated city-- had
the slick look of commercial
printing.
The introduction of Rancho
Cucamonga's plan states its pur-
pose clearly: The city was found-
ed. it said. "to begin a process for
planning the orderly and effic. mnl
design of a new community." It
was a guide for tightly controlled
development.
By the late 1980s. when San
Bernardino officials revised the
city's 25-year-old plan. the lack of
a modern plan was clear.
The introduction to the gen-
eral plan even made reference to
it:
"The extended time (without
an updated plan) resulted in in-
consistent data, policies and pro-
grams, and lack of conformance
with community objectives ....
Many of the Plan's policies were
vague and provided inadequate
guidance or criteria for meaning-
ful land use decisions."
Further, it said, the goal of
the plan by that time reflected "a
consensus that there are current
... conditions which threaten the
quality and character of the City's
physical, economic, and social en-
vironments."
Rancho Cucamonga'~ commit-
ment to looking good and attract-
ing settlers was clear in its plan.
The words "high-qualit'y visual
environment" come up often.
Five pages are devoted just to
policies on trees, including a
· 'Tree Planting Guidelines-and
Standards" section detailing
items such as planting eucalyptus
in medians. placing "round-head-
ed" trees on curbside planting
strips and spreading evergreens
between rows ofparking stalls.
San Bernardino's old plan
had this line on landscaping:
· 'Where possible. landscaping
should be encouraged."
Rancho Cucamonga's housing
segment -- which took up three
chapters -- stressed the use of
master planning to guide devel-
opment. Master planning means
approving only large housing pro-
jects with specific guide'lines on
street layout, lot size, sidex~'alks.
and architecture.
"The plan is not just a piece of
paper," he said. "It's something
that actually happens. The basic
premises that were set down
were followed."
The plan made a place people
wish they could live.
Terrie Blanco ~> one oi them.
Bianco, 34. lives m Upland but
takes her children to the park in
Rancho Cucamonga because. she
believes. they're around a better-
behaved set ofkids there.
"ls there any chance for the
lower class to live here?" she said.
wishfully. "Ifl was financially set.
I wouldn't mind living here."
The housing segment in San
Bernardino~s updated general
plan stresses the opposite of Ran-
cho Cucamonga's plan: affordable
and low-income housing.
Eight pages in the housing
section go into how the city can
encourage low-end housing.
The plan states this goal: "Ob-
jective: Use available local. state
and federal housing funds to the
fullest extent possible to meet the
housing assistance needs of lower
income households."
Three pages of related po
dies follow.
While the city has spent $
million building more low-incomt
housing during the past five
years, it has spent much less --
$4.8 million -- refurbishing run-
down units.
The policy to add low-income
housing was set in response to a
state mandate.
"At that time. from the state
level, we had to do it." said Jack
Rei!ly, a former city planning di-
rector who was on ~he City Coun-
cil when the plan was approved.
"Many cities objected. It
seemed there was nothing much
we could do."
Rancho Cucamonga was sub-
ject to the same mandate, but ex.
ecuted it differently.
"It's done in high quality,"
Stout said. "There's a very strict
maintenance provision. You don't
had;e-to let affordable housing de-
stroy your city."
San Bernardino is adopting
that philosophy.
City.A_dminis_trator Clark
hopes the city turns toward fixing
run-down property instead of
building more.
"We have more than our
share," she said.
"I'd like to see the city focus
RDA money on attracting jobs in-
stead of low-income housing. I'd
like to see it go to improving what
we have before we build more."
But Clark does not believe
that San Bernardino's lack of an
updated general plan for 25 years
damaged the city's development.
"I honestly don't think that
was a contributing factor," she
said. "The new general plan --
has it turned the crime rate
around? It hasn't."
But the effects of the decline
of housing stock have not been
lost on lifetime residents of San
Bernardino.
Lucille Patterson, 43, believes
it's the root of San Bernardino's
problems.
"We cannot stand what's hap-
pening in San Bernardino," she
said. "It needs to be more pleas-
ant, more decent, more hospita-
ble.'
In San Bernardino, the city is
working on a new attack on blight
that has brought the city its~mm
reputation, sending city ears and
fire trucks on slow patrols
through neighborhoods to identi-
fy run-down housing.
Fourteen people are being
hired to help in the Rental Hous-
ing Program. The City Council
has already approved more than
a half-million dollars for the pro-
gram.
Clark has high ambitions.
"I'd like to see i~alf the rental
property converted to owner-oc-
cupied." she said.
"1 think in the next five year~,
we can show a drop in crime and
an increase in property values."
By contrast. the talk of the fu-
ture in Rancho Cucamonga is not
filled with the sense of bailout
and mobilization.
It's much simpler.
"If the leadership has the for-
titude to continue, it's only the
beginning," Stout said.
If Clark's ambitions come to
pass. maybe a Friday night police
shift in San Bernardino someday
will wrap up more like one in
Rancho Cucamonga.
As of 10:30 p.m. -- close to
shift change -- no calls were pen-
ding in Rancho Cucamonga.
An officer spotted a stolen
truck. Six police units were on
hand to help. The officers were
well-covered as the driver and
passenger were instructed to
back out of the truck slowly with
their hands on their heads.
In H. ancho Uucamonga.
son said, this was excitement.
The end of a qui~it Frida.~
night in San Bernardino gave Of-
fieer Williams a different oppor-
tunity.
He had the time to cruise Base
Line and make it tough for the
hookers to do business there.
He followed their customers
and asked them if they had ever
heard of AIDS. He asked them
about their wives.
Even on a quiet night. he fig-
ured. he could still keep someone
from dying.
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
CUCAMONGA i~ "' .... " "' :' .....
.
·
])
SUN STAFF
~Y MINahe Sun ~ ..... E'ilC PARS~i,he'S~n
Ranch6 Cu~mon~ Civic Center San ~rnardino CiW Hall.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA
Founded: 1976
Population: 115,000
Median household Income: $50,349/year
Median re.t: $642/ m0nth
Residents on welfare: 5 percent
Usemldoymeet rate: 4.8 percent
Crime rate= 4.8 per 100,000
SAN BERNARDINO
Founded: 1810
Population: 187,000
Median household Income:. $25 ,533/year
Median rent: $422/m0nth
Reeldents on welfare: 40 percent
Unemployment rate: 10.7 ~ercent
Crime rate: 12.8 per 100,000
PLANNING
The Planning Division creates and maintains an environment for positive economic development
opportunities resulting in viable, quality environment for living and working. The primary objectives
of the Planning Division are: to develop comprehensive plans to achieve this goal; to implement the
plans through efficient and effective management of growth and review of all development proposals;
and to maintain a balanced, quality environment in developed areas of the community. Responsibility
for meeting these goals and objectives rests with Current Planning and Advance Planning sections.
Highlights for the 1995/96 fiscal year include:
Economic uncertainties will likely continue to result in limited smaller residential projects.
This will limit the developer's financial exposure. Many of these will be in-fill developments
which may result in greater community involvement.
Commercial growth will continue to grow with several large shopping centers planned or
under construction, such as Town Center Square, Terra Vista Promenade, and Masi Plaza.
Business retention and attraction will continue to result in industrial expansion with projects
such as Mission Foods and BlIP Steel.
The Northtown Housing Development Corporation, using City Redevelopment Set Aside
funding, has an aggressive program to construct affordable detached and attached dwelling
units in the Northtown area.
There will continue to be an even greater interest in our Home Improvement Program in
1995/96.
PLANNING COMMISSION
The Planning Commission is required by the State law to review and act on matters dealing with
planning and land use throughout the City. The five member advisory body to the City Council is
charged with ensuring that the quality of development within the City retains its high standards.
I A F INAL\GAILNMEMO SXBUD C OM. WPD
PLANNING DIVISION
Function
Planning is one division of the Community Development DepartmenC. The Planning
Division functions as the professional and technical advisor to the City Council,
Planning Commission, and Historic Preservation Commission on policy matters and
issues concerning the planning and physical development of the community. To
provide a comprehensive planning program, the Division is divided into two
sections: Current Planning and Advanced Planning.
Current Planning is primarily responsible for review and processing of
development applications. This involves Design Review, Technical Review,
Environmental Review, plan checking, and inspection. Other critical duties
include providing information to the public and enforcement of City codes.
Advanced planning deals with the administration and update of the General Plan
and specific plans, overseeing historic preservation, conducting special studies,
administering the community Development Block Grant Program, and monitoring
intergovernmental relations.
Major accomplishments of the Planning Division have related to providing planning
documents which articulate community goals and objectives, provide policies and
procedures to regulate development, and establish design guidelines and technical
standards to promote quality development. The results of this effort have been
the following plans:
- General Plan
- Development Code
- Industrial Area Specific Plan
- Haven Avenue Overlay District
- Etiwanda Specific Plan
- Victoria Community Plan
- Terra Vista Community Plan
- Caryn Community Plan
- Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan
- Etiwanda North Specific Plan
Trails Implementation Plan
Divisional Goals
The following is a listing of the primary goals for the Planning Division.
1. Encourage proactive rather than reactive long-range planning by initiating
special studies, such as the Etiwanda North Specific Plan, to recognize and
solve problems before they occur and take advantage of opportunities while
they exist.
2. Promote citizen awareness in support of community goals, objectives,
policies, and programs.
3. Provide the highest quality planning services by improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of the Development Review and Inspection process, improve the
overall quality and responsiveness to public inquiries, and enhance the
responsiveness of the Code Enforcement program to maintain the image and
appearance of the community and eliminate public nuisances.
4. Continue to update and maintain the City's General and specific plans.
5. Provide technical assistance to the City Council, Planning Commission,
Historic Preservation Commission, the general public, other City departments,
and other City commissions.
A. Relationship to the entire community.
I. Would the proposed change be contrary to the
General Plan land use policies map'?
2. Is the proposed change incompatible with established
land use patterns?
3. Would the proposed change alter the population
density pattern and thereby increase the load on
public facilities such as schools. sewers. streets etc.,
beyond community desires. plans, or capabilities?
4. Are present districl boundaries properly drawn in
relation to existing conditions or development plans,
with respect to size, shape. position and the like?
B. Changed conditions
I. Have the basic land use conditions remained
unchanged since adoption of the existing zoning?
2. Has development of the area conformed to existing
regulations?
C. Public welfare
I. Will the change adversely influence living condilions
in the neighborhood?
2. Will the change create or excessively increase
traffic congestion'?
3. Will the change adversely affect property values in
adjacent areas?
4. Will the change be a deterrent to the improvement or
development of adjacent property in accord with
existing regulations?
5. Will the change constitute a grant of special
privilege to an individual as contrasted to the
general welfare?
D. Reasonableness
I. Can the property be used in accordance with the
existing zoning regulations?
2. Is the change ~quested out of scale with the n~eds
of the neighborhood or the community?
3. Are there adequate sites for the proposed use in
districts permitting such use?
4. Will an undesirable precedent be set by allowing
the zone change at this location. at this time?
E. Economic Considerations When Reviewing
a Proposed Project
I. Employment
a. Short term -- construction jobs.
b. Long term -- what kinds of jobs will be
available? Will they use the particular skills of the
locally unemployed? If not. where will the
employees come from? Wq~at will wages he?
2. Impact on Housing Supply
a. What are the particular housing needs of the a~a?
b. What will be provided (price. siR)?
c. What effect will it have on the existing housing?
ZONE CHANGE CHECKLIST
C'Questions To Ask"~
0
0
0
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O
N
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),
the environmental effects of a project must he taken into
account when considering a general plan, zoning permits,
rezonings, zoning variances, specific plans, subdivisions and
any other projects within the meaning of the Act.
CEQA establishes the framework for environmental
protection in stx ;mportant ways:
· ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: CEQA establishes a State-
wide policy of environmental protection;
· SOLVING PROBLEMS: CEQA provides a mechanism for
identifying and solving environmental problems;
· PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: CEQA increases a cilizen's
ability to participate in governmental decision-making.
· COMMUNICAT|ON AND COORDINATION: CEQA
enhances communication and coordination among
governmental agencies;
· DISCLOSING INFORMATION: CEQA requires
government decision makers Io disclose the environmental
impacts of their actions;
· GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY: CEQA
requires government decision makers to explain their
decisions.
Patterned after the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) was enacted by the state legislature in 1970. It
applies to local government-initiated plans, projects, and
regulations and to private projects requiring discretionary
approval from a state or local agency.
The basic purpose of the California Environmental Quality
Act is to:
I ) Inform governmental decision makers and the public
about the potentially significant environmental effects of
proposed projects;
2) Identify ways that environmental impacts can be
avoided or significantly reduced:
3) Prevent significant, avoidable impacts to the environment
by requiring changes in projects through the use
of alternalives or mitigation measures when the
government agency rinds the changes to be feasible; and
4) Disclose to the public the reasons why a governmental
agency approved the project if significant environmental
effects are involved. (Guidelines Section 15002).
CEQA requires agencies to prepare and use an initial study
of environmental effects of a proposed project. If the initial
study reveals that the project may have signilK:ant
environmental effects which cannot be mitigated, the agency
must prepare an environmental impact report.
CEQA states that public agencies shouM not approve
projects as proposed if there am feasible altematives or
mitigation measures available which would substantially
lessen the significant environmental effects of such projects.
However, CEQA also states that if the lead agency finds that
specific economic, social or other condilions make infeasible
such project altematives or such mitigalion measures,
individual projects may be appmved in spite of significant
environmental effects.
Public input and participation is the key component of the
CEQA process. and controversy and conflict can be
minimized if the public and affected agencies are involved in
the process from the beginning.
i
(iENERAL PI~AN PR()('ESS
Legal Authority
Ihc Calil'onUa Legi,il;.lltlre intended thai local govemlncnls
,,.'1 for h Ihclr dcvclopn~cnt policies. objectives and ,.landards
m ;s ~cncral plan composed of various elcmcnt~ of land use
{( ;,~ t. ('~KIe 65(t30. 65302. 65302.2t.
Ihc ,.2choral plan~ and their con,,liltncnl elements arc now the
I.~L;iI c,n,,lilulion,i wilh which all local devclopmenl in ils
i11;111`. mid varied phases IllLI',I c,mplv.
Elements
I'ndcr Calili}rnia planning law. each oily mu~t adopt a
tomprchcnsivc. hmg-lcrm general plan li}r the physical
tic,. ch~pn~cnl tfi' a city and of any land outside ils boundaries
~ hich. in ils it.dgment. telales to ils planning. The general
plan aRd its elements mu,~l comprise an inlcgrated. internally
co,v,i~tent and compatible stalement of policy for the
adoplmg agency. The general plan nol only includes a text.
,,oiling IOrlh objectives. principles. stamlanls and plan
prop¢~,,als. hul also a diagram or map. Under slate law. each
crib", general plan must contain ,,even mamlatory elements:
I,and lINe · Housing · ()pen Space · Safety
('irculalion · Conservation · Noise
Fhe general plan with ils mandalory elements must meet the
requirements contained in the ,;tale law or il will be deemed
legally inadequate and no valid land use approval can be
granled.
Adoption Process
Fhe adoplion of a general plan or any amendments must
hdlow the provisions of Govemmenl Code §65350 et seq.
rhe adoplion is by resolution if the cily has a planning
commP;sion. and then one public hearing by the cily council.
Approval by the planning commission musl be done by the
arlim~ative votes of nol less than a majority of its total voting
members (Government Code §§65354).
'Fhe "General Plan Process" flow chart on the opposite page
identifies the eight steps which are generally followed in
l,nnulating and adopling an element of a community
general plan.
l'he chart on the opposite page also identifies "potenlial
m~pacts Io consider in asNessing general plan alternatives."
These impacts are categorized as environmental. land use.
,cryice. economic. and social impacts.
I
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April 20, 1995
SUBJECT: .~!¢ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PREPARATION OF A COMMERCIAL
~ ?~2~ USE AND MARKET STUDY.
~of Rancho Cucamonga is in the process of evaluating current economic trends, constraints,
opportunities and practices of commercial/retail activities as they relate to our General Plan.
Because economic development is an integral component of the City's planning activities, we
seeking a qualified consultant to prepare a commercial land use and market study. Recently
attention has focused on the commercial retail sector of our community because of the positive fiscal
impact it has on the City's overall economic base.
In September 1987, the City of Rancho Cucamonga adopted the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan
(FSP) to provide land use policies and standards for future development of public and private
projects along Foothill Boulevard. In deciding land use designations, the City had the benefit of a
baseline economic study from which to determine appropriate levels of commercial development
within the community. From the study it was determined that while the City did not have enough
existing retail commercial development to meet the needs of the community, the City had a surplus
of commercially zoned land.
In 1991 the City used a second report to evaluate a proposed commercial amendment along Foothill
Boulevard. The focus of this second study was to find if the assumptions and conclusions made in
the first study ('87) were still valid. The conclusion was that some retail commercial land could be
added with little or no negative economic impact to the City or to existing commercial land values.
In light of significant changes in recent years in the development environment, the City wishes to
take a fresh look at not only the General Plan, as it relates to commercial/retail activities, but the
current economic basis upon which decisions should be made with respect to land use decisions.
SCOPE OF WORK: The Scope of Work will consist of the preparation of a study that outlines, in
a clear and logical format, the tasks envisioned necessary to complete the project. Data is to be
obtained through a combination of field surveys and secondary sources. Local economic
development data to be collected and analyzed includes:
City wide commercial (retail, office, and quasi-industrial retail services) land use inventory,
developed and undeveloped.
2. Local and market area economic base:
a. major employment sources
b. retail performance analysis
c. current r ' eakages and sectoffal strengths
Identify c ? ~'~~ojected market conditions that define the major retail, general
commerci~ffice development opportunities (and shortcomings) within the City.
3. DemographiC profile of consumer strength:
,!?~, i~:i~!!'~;/~, :~:~iii~ 1trends community and market area levels.
.... i~a.. ~'~i~!!~:~... popu ationat
;" bii!~ household characteristics (size, age, mix and purchasing power)
:::~: o. housing absorption estimates
4. Econometric model of future retail potential:
1995/96 conditions; and
two future horizon dates 2000 and 2010
Dollar values are to be translated into square footage and acreage potentials using
various capture rate assumptions.
Above-mentioned studies should be formatted to provide answers/direction on the following
questions/issues:
What types of commercial and related uses are needed to satisfy the City's fiscal
balance?
What levels of commercial development establish a threshold beyond which it is
likely that a healthy business environment and stable tax base will be significantly
eroded? What is the commercial land absorption ability for the City in the next 5 to
10 years?
Are the currently designated commercial land use areas ~scally balanced in context
of other land uses (i.e., residential in support of commercial development; industrial
employment in support of commercial)? If not, where should commercial land be
added, or reduced?
Does development of commercial uses in the industrial area dilute the City's fiscal
balance, and, if so, to what extent?
How does additional new commercial land affect the existing occupied commercial
sites in terms of vacancy factors?
TIME LINE: The contract for services is planned to begin in early June 1995, and to conclude in
November 1995. ~ '~ d~tes are as follows: '
Co~acc~(ed by Consultant by May 25, 1995
· .~~8 be confirmed by City Council on June 7, 1995
· ~;. ·~i~4:Consultant to submit 10 copies of ascreen check of the economic and market analysis
~!~hll ~i% by August 17, 1995. City will respond to screen check copy by September 14, 1995.
?!~;Z~:~':!'~ The consultant will attend two meetings (last week of June and July) with City staff
"~ ~ to review progress of work.
· Consultant to submit 10 copies of final economic and market analysis by September
28, 1995
· Consultant to attend one Planning Commission meeting in October 1995.
· Job Completed after attendance at City Council meeting in November 1995.
We are inviting interested parties to submit a letter of qualifications containing the following
information:
Statement of personnel available to work on this project
Statement of ability to commit to the scope of work
Statement of ability to meet the time constraints of this project
Statement of ability to produce the required documents on schedule
Fee schedule
Statement of general qualifications
Submit a statement of interest as soon as possible to Brad Buller, City Planner, P.O. Box 807,
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729. Letters of interest and all accompanying literature must be
submitted to the City no later than 5:30 p.m., Thursday, May 11, 1995. If you have any questions,
please call Alan Warren, Larry Henderson or me at (909) 989-1861.
Sincerely,
Brad Buller
City Planner
H:XADVANCE\ECONXRFQECON 1 .WPD
DECLARATION OF POSTING OF AGENDA
JAN SUTTON states and declares as follows:
I presently am, and at all times mentioned herein have been, the Deputy City Clerk of the City of
Rancho Cucamonga. Acting in that capacity, on April 20, 1995, at 3:50 p.m., I posted a true and correct copy
of the meeting agenda dated April 25, 1995 at 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct and that this declaration was
executed on April 20, 1995 at Rancho Cucamonga.
DEBRA J. ADAMS, CMC, CITY CLERK
City of Rancho Cucamonga
BY:
City of Rancho Cucamonga
Open Letter
to the
Rancho Cucamonga Mayor and City Council
April 25, 1995
Good evening, Mayor Alexander and City Council Members.
My name is Donald Kurth. I reside at 10569 Apple Lane, Rancho Cucamonga.
I would like to make it clear that I am speaking to you in the capacity of a
private citizen. I shall try to limit my comments to Mayor Alexander's ten
second rule for opposing points of view.
Mayor Alexander, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Curatalo, and Mr. Biane: The
last time we met here, the four of you caught yourselves in a
bald faced lie. At this time, the citizens of Rancho Cucamonga
would like you to follow the example set by that great American
president, Richard Milhouse Nixon. And that recommendation is:
resign. Resign, my dishonest friends. Resign while you can
still do so with some modicum of honor.
Thank you for your time.
cityc425.stm