HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995/04/25 - Agenda Packet - Adjourned AGENDA
JOINT MEETING OF TIqF,
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
A. CALL TO ORDER
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Roll Call:
Alexander , Blanc , Curatalo , Gutierrez , Williams
Barker , Lumpp , McNiel , Melther ___, Tolstoy
B. ITEM(S) OF DISCUSSION
1. DISCUSSION ON THE VALUE OF PLANNING
2. DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMliNT AND PLANNING CQMlVIISSIQN
PARTICIPATION
3. DISCUSSION OF MODERNIZATION OF GENERAL PLAN AND $1JPPQRTING
DOCUMENTS
Joint City Council/Planning Commission Meeting
April 25, 1995
Page 2 ~-
4. DISCUSSION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES BASED ON PHILOSOPHY
5. ' DISCUSSION OF PLANNING VS. PROJECT PROCESSING
6. DISCUSSION OF THE DESIGN OF ON-SITE ANCILLARY STRUCTURES
7. DISCUSSION OF ZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL LOTS, I.E., MINIMUM LOT SIZE,
SIDEYARD AND STREET SETBACKS
8. DISCUSSION OF COMMERCIAL LAND USE AND MARKET STUDY (Continued
from April 19, 1995 City Council meeting)
9. DISCUSSION OF ITEMS OF MUTUAL INTEREST
C. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
ThIs~thetime~ndp~aeef~rthege~era~pubH~t~addces~theC~tyC~un~~andthePinn~~ngC~mm~s~ion~ State
law prohLbits the Council and the Commission from addressing any Issue not previously included on the Agenda.
The Cmancfi and the Commission may receive testimony and set the matter for a subsequent meeting. Comments
are to he limited to five minutes per individual
D. ADJOURNMENT
I, Debra J. Adams, City Clerk of the CIty of Rancho Cucamonga, hereby certify that a true, accurate copy of the
fo~gotng agenda was po~ted on April 20, 1995, seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting per Government Code
54954.2 at 10.500 Civk Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonge, CalifornLg.
SAN BERNARDINO
COUNTY
SUNDAY
April 16, 1995
S.B., Rancho Cucamonga:
A tale of two very different cities
· Though separated by only · ·
15 miles, San Bemardino Fifteen miles stand between San Bernardino is a study in
and Rancho Cucamonga am Rancho Cucamonga and San Be;'- how to build a wel I~rc mecca.
nardino -- 15 miles and a slew of
as different as night and day. disparities that go to extremes. The trend stz rted n the earl)'
1980s with low-end investors buy-
ByR~rmECCAFAiRLETRANEy There's the money: In Rancho ing inexpensn'e property in
SunStaffWriter Cucamonga, the average house* hopes or making money in the
hold income is more than $50,000 Southern Caliibrnia real estate
On a cool. misty Friday night a year. San Bernardino house- boom. Instead. they lost money
holds have an average income of the property decayed and the in-
in San Bernardino, officer Paul about$25,000ayear. vestments became a stock ofrun-
Willjams rolls out on patrol an There's the dole: In Rancho down rental housing that ac-
hour late. Cucamonga, 5 percent of the total counts for more than 50 percent
Willlares has to finish a homi- population is on welfare. In San of the c ty's housing. said City Ad-
cide report from the night before Bernardino, 40 percent, ministrator Shauna Clark.
-- not unusual in a police d~part- And. to be sure. there's the The Cty Council added to the
ment that logs six murders a crime: Rancho Cucamonga has a stock, They approved the build-
ies in America. San Bernardino low-income housing.
has ranked high on some of the
nation's most-dangerous-cities During the past five >'ears. the
IN SAN BERNARDINO lists. city has spent $7 million of rede-
velopment money either building
Myth & ::
in how to build for prosperit)'. mortgage assistance for poor faro-
Reality IIII ,,. o....
city incorporated in 19T6. its The low-rent propert.',' at-
I I I I founders set down a tightly ~on- tracted the poor.
one in an occasional series tro|]ed plan to encourage upscale "We started seeing a real exo-
month. housing and tree-lined streets. dus from Los Angeles, South-
The biggest button on the cus- They stuck to the plan. Central L.A.." said Wayne Harp.
tom-made computer terminals in The city that emerged San Bernardino's assistant police
San Bernardino police cars is a matched the blueprint, chief.
red key -- it says 11-11 -- and to "The reason for that is this "These folks were fleeing Los
push it is to alert dispatchers that planning process." said Dennis Angeles because it was cheaper
an officer is in trouble. Stout, who was mayor of Rancho to live out here.'*
On another Friday night. in Cucamonga for eight years and is The police Were the first to
Rancho Cucamonga -- a slow- now the county's district attor- see the trouble.
paced, rainy night -- Sgt. Tim nay. "It really. really works.
Wilson starts his patrol on sched- That's why the city has such a low "I th nk any police officer you
ule. crimerate." talk to will tell you there*s a link
The image drew the settlers. between run-down rental prop-
No 11-11 button dominates Mike Wasiuk moved his family arty and crime "Iiarp said,
the computer terminals in Ran- there from La Puerile in 1987 The image is hard to over-
cho Cucamonga's police cars. largely because of Rancho Cuca- come.
There's little need. monga's reputation. It hurts business for Marcela
In Rancho Cucamonga, police "We'd see stories in the paper Saunier. a real estate agent who
work is a different story. that said: 'There are only 30 gang lives in north San Bernardino.
"A lady called us the other members in Rancho Cues- "When I'm trying to sell a
monga.' '_' said Wasluke_38.
mght because her son refused to know they have bigheY building house, peop e say 'Any place but
eat vegetables," Wilson says. standards out here. I think a lot of San Bernardine,'" said Saunier,
"Another lady called because what they've done is really ere- 26.
there was a lizard on her screen.'* ated a nice environment.'*
Even [hough she li',es in a the streets of Rancho Cuca- The appearance of the docu-
nice neighborhood in the ibot- monga. Youngsters generall.x ments is telling:
hills, she's not offended by un- gree~ police with waves and San Bernardino's general
kind words toward the cty smiles plan at the time -- 93 pages long
"If it has a reputation. Ws be- On the streets of San Bernar- -- was written in I964. Its words
cause it deserves it." dino. youngsters tend to greet po- were typed in the uneven strikes
City o~cials are trying to get lice with their hands on their of a manual typewriter.
to the bottom ofthe problem. h~ads. Rancho Cucamo~a's plan --
With computer-generated I 351 pages written to guide the
maps. they re~ntly have studied newly incorporated city -- had
rental properties and violent ThecrimerateinSanBernar. the slick look of commercial
crime location. The maps show dino is 12.8 per 100.000 people. printing.
crimes clustered like measles on The crime rate in Rancho Cu- The introduction or Rancho
the rental properties -- a clear camonga is 4.8 per 100.000 peo- Cucamonga's plan states its put-
and dramatic correlation be- pie. according to the most recent pose clearly: The c t)' was found-
tween violent crime and rental FBI statistics. ed. it said. "to begin a process for
planning the orderly and e~c, mnt
property. The median rent in San Bet- design of a new community" It
"They matched very well," nardino is $422 per month. was a guide for tightly contin ed
said Ruth Parish. who coordi- The median rent in Rancho development.
hated the study. "The co~elation Cucamonga is $642 per month.
wassoobvious." By the late 1980s. when San
according to 1990Census data. Bernardino o~cials revised the
In other parts of the city. Half the housing in San Bet- city's 25-year-old plan. the lack or
places with few rentals. the map nardino is rentals. a modern plan was clear.
showed few violent crimes.
Only a third of the housing in The introduction to the gen-
I Rancho Cu~amonga is rentals. eral plan even made reference to
San Bernardino's unemplo)- it:
O~cer Willjams doesn't need merit rate is 10.7 percent. accord- "The extended time (without
a compuler-generated map to see ing to the state Economic Deve[- an updated plan) resulted in in-
that. opment Department. consistent data, policies and pro-
He spends much of his time in Rancho Cucamonga's unem- grams, and lack of conformance
the places that show up on the Ploymentrateis4.8percent. with community objectives ....
crime maps. The calls come even The statistics allude to a con- Many or the Plan's policies were
on quiet nights: children living in ventional finding in criminology vague and provided inadequate
filth, men hitting women, wom~n With poverty comes crime. The guidance or criteria for meaning-
hitting men. the neighbors' bul- link has come up in studies thai fullandusedecisions."
lets coming through the walls. go back to the 1930s. Further. it said, the goal of
He knows the houses that are "There is a strong corms- the plan by that time reflected "a
rented to gang members. and he tion." said Llad Phillips. an econ- consensus that there are current
knows the names of the people omist with the University of Call- . .. conditions which threaten the
quality and character of the Citv's
who rent them. There's nothing fornia, Santa Barbara. and an ·
he can do about them -- except authority on the issue. physical, economic, and social en-
keep answering the calls of beat- vironmen~s.'
~ngs, brawls and gunfire. "Economic opportunitie~
make a difference. For any par- Rancho Cucamonga'~ commit-
Gunfire is rare in Rancho Cu- ticular individual, it's going to de- ment to looking good and attract-
camonga. ing settlers was clear in its plan.
penal on their opportun t es. Oth- The words "high-quality- visual
And in Rancho the police er things 6eing equal, income
have time, Wilson said. They re- makes a difference." environment" come up often.
spond to every call -- From re- Dale Sechrest. California Five pages aredevoted just ~o
Dotting to a woman that police State University, San Bernardi- policies on trees, including a
found her stolen ID to resok'ing a no. criminologist. contends pov- "Tree Planting Guidelines e~
dispute between a woman and a erty in San Bernardino fosters Standards" section detailing
neighbor who was using her trash crime. items such as planting eucalyptus
in medians. placing "round-head-
can. "If people don't have money ed" trees on curbside planting
Sgt. Wilson spent an hour and they'll go find it," he said. '
a half of one recent shi~ dealing strips and spreading evergreens
with three grade-school kids who "People are raised in an envi between rows of parking stalls.
set off sprinklers in an aban- ronment and they see opportuni-
doned building. ty for crime ~ the opportunity to San Bernardino's old plan
make money illegitimately -- the had this line on landscaping:
Wilson took time to lay down opportunity to sell drugs. Where- "Where possible, landscaping
the law a~er breaking through a ~ a kid in Racho Cucamonga should be encouraged."
bogus stor)' t he boys to d sees a job at the gas station on the Rancho Cucamonga's housing
"You could have saved a corner as opportunity.' segment -- which took up three
whole lot of time with honesty," chapters -- strewed the use of
he told the wide-eyed boys. "Iam I master planning to ~ide devel-
not going to prosecute you. But I opment. M~ter planning means
don't want to find you in some- The cu~ent conditions in the approving only large housing pro-
one's business where )'ou don't cities started with the region's jects with specific guidelines on
~long.' rapid development in the late street layout, lot size, sidewalks,
'70s.
From Wilson's perspective. and architecture.
it's im~nant to take.time to talk Rancho Cucamonga was pre- "The plan is not just a piece of
about righl and wrong with kids pared for it. San Bernardino paper." he said. "It's something
the first time they get into'trou- wasn't. that actually happens. The b~zc
ble. The state ofpreparation is o~ premises that were set down
He h~ a willing audience: On vious in the cities' general plans were followS.'
-- their b~ic blueprin~ for dF The pl~ made a place p~ple
velopment. wish they ~uld live.
Bidrico, 34. lives m Upland but problems. we can show a drop in drnrne and sonsald. th~sx~asexcltement
takes her children to the park in "We cannot stand what's hap- an increase in property values." The end of a quiet Frlda~
Rancho Cucamonga because, she pentrig zn San Bernardino," she By contrast. the talk of the fu- night in San Bernardino gave
believes, they're a~ound a better- said. "It needs to be more pleas- lure in Rancho Cueamonga is not ricer Willtams a different oppor-
behavedsetofkidsthere, ant, more decent, more hospita- filled with the sense of bailout tuntry.
"Is there any chance for the bte," and mobilization. He had the time to cruise Base
lower class to live here?" she said. lt's much simpler. Line and make it tough for the
wishfully "Ifl was rinancialh' set · "If the leadership has the for- hookers to do business there.
l wouldn't mlnd living here" In San Bernardtrio. the city is tirade to continue. it's only the He followed their customers
The housing segment in San working on a new attack on blight beginning," Stout said. and asked them if they had ever
heard of AIDS. He asked them
Bernardino's updated genera} that has brought the city its,gsim If Clark+s ambitions come to about theirwives.
plan stresses the opposite of Ran- reputation. sending city cars and pass. maybe a Friday night police
cho Cucamonga's plan: affordable fire trucks on slow patrols shift in San Bernardino somerid:, Even on a quiet night. he fig-
and low-income housing. through neighborhoods to identi- will wrap up more like one in ured. he could still keep someone
Eight pages in the housin~ fy run-down housing. Rancho Cucamonga. from dying.
section go into how the city can Fourteen people are being As of 10:30 p,m. -- close to
encourage low-end housing. hired to help in the Rental Hous- shift change -- no calls were pen-
The plan states this goal: "Oh- ing Program. The City Council ding in Rancho Cucamonga.
jective: Use available local. state has already approved more than An officer spotted a stolen
and federal housing funds to the a half-million dollars for the pro- truck. Six police units were on
fullest extent possible to meet the gram. hand to help. The officers were
housing assistance needs of lower Clark has high ambitions. well-covered as the driver and
income households." "I'd like to see half the rental passenger were instructed to
k
Three pages of related po property converted to owner-oc- back out of the truc slowly with
cies foltow. cupled." she said. their hands on their heads.
While the city has spent $
million budding more low-incomt
housing during the past five
years. it has spent much less --
$4.8 million -- refurbishing run- ~ '
dow. u.its. A TALE OF TWO CITIES
The policy to add low-income
state mandate.
"At that time, from the state :
level. we had to do it." said Jack
Reilly, a former city planning di-
"Many cities objected. It
ject to the same mandate, but ex
ecuted it differently.
"lt's done in high quality,"
Stout said. "There's a very strict
ha~;e to let affordable housing de- '%'.
stroy your city," SUN STAFF
San Bernardino is adopting
that philosophy.
City Administrator Clark
hopes the city turns toward fixing
run-down property instead of
building more.
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 or an
updated general plan for 25 years Nm. LV mlN/The Sun ERiC PARSONS/The Sun
damaged the city's development. Ranch6 Cucamonga Civic Center San Bemardino City Hall.
"I honestly don't think that
was a contributing factor." she
said. "The new general plan -- ·
has it turned the crime rate RANClIO CUCAMONGA SAN BERNARDINO
around? It hasn't."
But the effects of the decline Founded: 1976 Founded: 1810
of housin stock have not been I~pulitk~: 115,000 Pepmlltbit: 187,000
lost on li~time residents of San Meallilt hemmeheld IIteeme: $50,349/year Media heulehold lucerne; $25.533/year
Bernardino. Midbit telIt: $642/rnontb illit Melt: $422/month
Lucille Patterson. 43. believe,. Remldeltl on wellate: 5 percent Relllentm on witlfmte: 40 percent
UnemlNoFnaeetrete: 4.8 percent Ueeatpleymitm rate: 10.7 percent
Clime rite; 4.8 per 100,000 C/late rite: 12.8 per 100,000
i
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 ofgrovah 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 Redevelopmerit 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:XFINAL\GAIL~VtEMOSXBUDCOM. WPD
PLANNING DIVISION
Function
Planning is one division of the Community Development Department. 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
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.
ZONE CHANGE CHECKLIST
I "Questions To Ask" )
, A. Relationship to the entire community.
3. Would the proposed change alter the population
densily pattern and thereby increase the load on
public facilities such as schoots. sewers. streets etc..
beyond community desires. plans. or capabilities?
4. Are present district b~undaries properly drawn in
relation to exisdng conditions or development plans.
with respect to size, shape, position and the like?
B. Changed conditions
I. Have Ihe 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
Will the change adversely influence living conditions
in tl~ 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 contasted to the
general welfan?
D. Reasonableness
I. Can the property be used in accordance with the
existing zoning regulations?
2. Is the change r'~cluested out of scale with the _he*~e
of the neighborhood or the community?
3. Are there adequate sites fne Ihe tnu~ use in
districts pertaining such use?
4. Will an undesirable precedent be set by allowing
the zone change at rhis location, at this time7
E. Economic Considerations When Reviewing
a Prolmsed Project
I.Eglglg,Y. al.~
a. Short term -- construction jobs.
b. Long term -- what kinds of jobs will be
available? Will they use the particular skills of the
locally unemployed7 If not, where will the
employees come from7 What will wages he7
g, [mnact on Housine Sum~lv
a. What are the particular honsing needs of the anea?
b. What will he provided (price, size)7
c. What effect will it have on the existing housing?
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Under the California EnvimamenUd Q~slity Act {CEQA).
the environmental effects of a project must be taken into
account when comide~ng a general piss, zoning permils.
rezoaings, zaeing vszis.qces, specific plans, subdivisions and
any other projects within the meaning oftbe Act.
CEQA .establiShes tbe framework for environmental
protectloo rs six Important ways:
· ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: CEQA establishes a State-
wide policy of environmental protection:
oSOLVlNGPROBLEMS:CEQAprovidesamechanismfo~
· PUBLIC P:ARTIC|PATION: CEQA increases a citizen's
· COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION: CEQA
enhances commtmication and coofdinatjo6 amoflg
guvemmemal agencjes~
government decisieo mskers to disclose the envimomentsl
impscts or their actioos;
rsquims governmere decision makers to explai· their
decisj(xls.
Patmined after the Natioa~l Envimomemal Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, the Califomia Eaviro~memsl Q~ality Act
(CEQA) wss enscted by the stale le~islalme in 1970.
regulations sad to I~vste projects requi~n8 discn,-tionavy
a4~val from · stsze or local sBemy.
I ) Inform governmental decision makers snd the public
2) Idefltify ways that onviroamen/iml~cts can be
avoided or significsmJy mfuc, ed:
3) P~vent si~nif'tcstlL avoidable impects to the onvimmnaU
by ~:[ui~n8 chs·ges m pn~ects dwm~ the ue
ofaltemalive~otmitigation~when lie
government agency finds e~e changes to be feasible: and
4) Disclose to the public the masons why a govemmemal
agency aletoyed the Ixoject if significam envitomne~ld
effects am involved. (Guidelinor Seelien 1501Y2).
CEQAtequimsagenciestopeqmeemdu~eaninilialsl~dy
of environmental effects of a peo~ plojec~ If the inilial
environmentsd effects which cmmat be mililsSed. Ihe sZascy
must tx.~F~e sn enviraunem~ im~ct gqxxL
CEQA stmes thst ixsMic sgascics s/sos/d so~
projects ss ~uf~sa:l if there are fessibfe ·liesrelives or
miti/~tsoa rsemmu svsilsbte which waskl subetsmislly
lexsc~ Lhe signif'~!fd envimrd~emal effects of such
However, CEQA also stales thai if the lead agency finds thai
~pecil"t~ ecoremic. social or other cc~ditmn~ make mfealible
~uch project allematives nc such mitiRatice measures,
individual projects may be It~e~ved in spite of si~nil'K~amt
envitonmemll effects.
Public inpul and patticipatioe is tbe key compenent of lhe
CEQA ~,-~c~s~, and conuovetsy and conBict can be
minimized if tbe public and affected age~:ies am involved in
the process from the beginning.
tiENF, RAL PI,AN PROCI.:S,~
Legal Authority
Adoption Pr~
ncm~ (Government C~ ~65354).
The Citizen's
Guide to
Planning
Revised Edition
By Herbert H. Smith
American Planning Association
Chicago
Washington, D.C.
2 / Citizen'sGuidetoPlanning
large residential complex of solid citizens interested in their commu-
niP/and filled with civic pride. The central business district becomes
more difficult to maintain as trade is lost to suburban shopping centers.
There seems to be no end to the number of cars for which adequate
parking spaces most be found; automobiles clo8 evcv/major street.
I The Reasons for Planning Older residential areas suddenly secm outmodcd, detcrioratcd, even
· blighted. Cosfly corrective measures must be taken, and urban renewal
projects involving the rclocatinn of families, the acquisition of proper-
lies, and the clearance and rebuilding of whole blocks at a time seem the
only solution.
Hundreds of thousands of words ate wduen yearly about human ex- PLANNING AND THE TAX BASE
plotration ofnatord resources, our misuse of the land, and the increas-
ingly complex or~nl,-2tinn of our utoan communities, Again and again 1r/bother we live in the suburbs or in the city, we are faccd with soaring
the same conclosfon is reached: fielder ni Io lie el e lied out o~dmol, taxes, an inadequate supply of av-~ibh~e hoosing for ad economic
die Idufio6 wig be Jmmd in tile ~ o/phndl~. groups, rising clime rates, increasing poUution, inadequate streets and
With the development of the automobile, people have gslned roads, decreasinil services, decaying municipal ~acilities, and insuffi-
vasdy increased freedom of movement, Their desire to escape ~'om cicnt and inenident school systems. There is only one way that the
crowded and deteriorating cities has become manifest in the horizontal means of meeting the costs of improving the situation can be found:
mcl, ul..olises of the automobile age. Slatting ~om the cefatral cores of these hnds most come from the money you and I pay in federal, state,
establbhed cities, Antedcans have ~ded outward, first in concert- and focnl taxes. While eederaJ and slate aid programs have increased
tdcdngsandthonalongtheenrridorsofmajorroadwaysinthepattero greatly during the past 20 years, satis/actory services and desirable
often eaJled ufoan sprawl. !n the night ~rom the city, however, the amenides, the things that distinguish a good community [vom Just
suburban oweHer does not leave behind an aquired taste for the con- another blot on the landscape, must stiU come ~'om one primary
venlencesofciP/lffeanddeskefororganlzed(andexpenslve)munlcl- source, the municipal tax base. Unless this tax base is sound and
pal services. The suburban Family w-,mts their children's schools to be conlinually improves, the ever-rising demand for services cannot be
well-staffed and eflicicuL They expect round-the-clock poUce and rite meL
protection. figaroage and trash am not collected twice a week, they Unirortuuately, wc have been told that the only way the ~x base
become exttt'mely upset, Frequondy, they find themselves so closely can be improved or even maintained is if we do nothing to discourage
czcn/dedn~lnstnetghhorsl~larecentlyroralareathatpubUcwaterand all forms of gsowth, adopt no regulations or restrictions that will
sewegage facilities most be installed to protect the public bealth. More hamper "fi'cc enterprise" in any way, and, certainly, never demand that
often than not, new recrnits to the open spaces will want the conyen. development be anything more than mediocre. To do otherwise, wc are
ience of nearby shopping fadllties as well, provided, of course, that the told, simply wiU chive away economic opportunities and preclude the
gasoline station or deUcatessen isn't buUt next door to their house. creation of jobs for our people. But will it really? In thinking about
in the meanlime, city dwellers face Increasinil problems of their desirable, attractive cities or ncighhorhoocls you have seen--the places
own. No longer do they have a stable tax base that permits the provision that made you think, "How nice it would be to Uve thcre"--what did
of adequate municipal services. No longer do they live in the midst of a you find' attractive about them? Was it that their people had no sense of
purpose and direction and left things to chance, betnil satisfied with
The Reasons for Planning I 3 4 / Citizen's Guide to Planning
whatever happened, or was it because someone cared, someone Aseachnewsubdlvislonoflandoccurs--whetheritbeforresiden-
bothered to plan, and those involved recognized that quality and excel- fiat, commercial, or industrial purposes--the community of the future
Icnce are important and can be achieved? If the truth were known, it takes shape. The use made of the land, the physical organization of the
would be that the residents of desirable neighborhoods have dis- developed ares, ss~ the pop,,h¢tnq density alter development are the
covered that quality breeds excellence and that, the higher you set your primary determinants of the need fur municipal facilities and services.
standards, ~e more you are sought out by those looking to make sound At the same time, only the development of land can provide a substsn-
economic investments. One city in the Southwest, with which I was tial enlargement of the real property tax base of the community.
once associated, may have learned this the hard way. Its officials made a Throughout the country, the hrgest single source of local revenue is
zoning change in violation of an adopted future land use plan so that a the real property tax.
major industry cou Id locate in an expanding residential area. The space The U.S. Census Bureau reports that of the 167.5 billion that local
should have been used for a school and open space to add stability to governments collected fi'om taxpayers in 1976, 81 percent came from
the residences; but the company wanted "freeway exposure," refused property taxes--about 9 percent of Americans' income. The average
to consider other sites in an excellent industrial park already zoned, and paid was 1266 per property, as compared with I 166---an increase of(.-O
~rcatcned to go to another community if they didn't get their way. The percent. Thus, Californians went to the potIs inJune of 1978 and passed
change was made, and the plant is now surrounded by a KOA camp- "Proposition 13" by a better than two-to-one vote to constitutionally
ground and some rather ill-conceived mobile-home parks. limit the taxation on real estate. The taxpayer revolt was off and
The better cities and the better neighborhoods (and this does not running.
simply mean more wealthy ) know that Dr. John R. Silber, president of While in recent years there has been a movement toward minimiz-
Boston University, was right when he said in an article on exccilcnce in ing the real estate tax as the prime source of municipal support, it is still
Harper'smagazinc: the most reliable means available. Tax assessments are based upon
· [[~:olllystaadaa;Iofpe. xf,,,-,~-,~,,-,-thatcansustainafreesocletyLs values of land and real property improvements, which, in turn, are a
sxcellencs. It Is increasingly claimed, however, that cxcdlcnce is reflection of the standards and characteristics of any given area. The
at odds with democracy; increasingly we are urged to offer a logic of insisting upon quality development in these times of municipal
dangerous embrace to mere adequacy.... Our flight from excel- financial crisIs would appear to be beyond question, except to those
lence is profoundly philosophical. Out of a wcH-intcntioned but whose only objective is speculative personal enrichment. A well-sup-
inept concern with equality of opportunity, we have begun to ported citizen-based municipal planning program is the only way,
reject anything that exceeds anyone's grasp. Some might argue however, that the wisdom of this logic can be applied to governmental
that it is our right to engage in this curious flight, and so it is, ~e structure. Planning for the future development of the community is not
right offi'ee men to be fools. But do we have the right as citizens in Only good sense; it Is good business.
a flee society to reject excellence on behalf of others who may
not be so foolish?
A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED
Thus, if we are really honest with ourselves, we know that in the area of
land and resource utilization, people, if left to their individual devices. Logical patterns of land use based upon the needs and desires of
will be seduced by the siren of exploitation in our erstwhile "free
individual communities can be established through planning and en-
entel~prise' system. Collective society's use of the planning process is forced through zoning Attractive. rarefully developed. orderly tom-
the only way that this can be overcome, excellence achieved, the errors rnunities have Inherently sound economic foundations. When we per-
of the past corrected, current mistakes avoided, and fitrare misjudg- mit haphazard, disorganized, and unattractive development, we allow
ments held to a minimum. the destruction of the very essence of sound community life. In effect,
The Reasons for Planning / 5 6 / Citizen's Guide to Planning
we require those citizens who take pride in ~cir property to subsidize No fitinking person, I suppose, doubts that a community can save
the exploitation of the community by the entrepreneur whose sole money through sound planning, but one of the most Important ~
interest is in a maximum profit from real esUte development. for planning is intangible. Few of us can say honesfly that we ar~/a~ied
Many e~t~mplcs can be cited to substantiatc the practical wisdom with the kind of environment we are creating in and around'our
of planning for the future. During my private consulting days, I saw a communities. If wc look at the general aspect of our cities. towns. and
municipality save tens of thousands of dollars through its planning suburbs. what do we see? Have they been Improving, and Is life being
program by anticipating the extension of the municipal sewer system in made more pleasant, enjoyable. sensible, and orderly .for our people?
advance of the construction of a railroad overpass. By arranging for the Arc we eliminating the sore spots of obsolescence and decay, strength-
Insfllh~inn oft he necessary sewer pipes (even though they were not to ening our central business cores, and overcoming the bot~en~ks of
be used immediately) at the time of the construction of the overpass, traffic and parking? Are wc conserving our open space and p~)~iding
the municipality saved not only a sizable amount of money but also a future generations with an opportunity to experience the pleasures of
great deal of inconvenience. light. open space. green areas, or, even more importan~y, decent air to
In another community in which I worked for a number of years, I breathe? Or arc we continuing to make this same mistakes with respect
saw several hundred thousand dollars saved by the careful study and to ~ese things that we have made in the past? Unfortunately. the
re'design of proposed subdivisions. In many cases, it was possible to evidence seems to indicate that where we don't have planning. and in
reduce the length of streets, resulting in both a lower initial cost for the some of our floundering approaches to planning. we are m~ssEng a
developer and lower maintenance costs for the municipality. By feint- golden opportunity to improve our environment and the quality i~f the
ing p.roposed subdivisions to a master plan for future development. the places in which wc live. One gets the impression, in fact, that ~ many
fight-of-way for a projected majo~ sweet was assembled through dedi- cases we are not only repeating these mistakes but are compouhding
ca~on, at no cost to the municipality. them in our haste to pursue economic gain. ';
On the other side of the coin, I saw a city pay I 12,000 foi' a small This is not to take away from the admirable efforts that haye been
parcel of land essential to the improvement of a sweet intersection. made in some quarters or to deny that we have perhaps prevented the
Nine yd~lrs b~Arore, the city had acquired the very same parcel through situation from being worse than it is. I find it hard to believe, bowever,
taxdelinqueneybut,initsanxietytorcmroittothetaxrolis(andinthe that we have done the best that we can do. One needs only to drive
absence of any long-range plan), had sold the land for 8360. some of our major land-service highways with a sense of awareness to
More recen~y, i was involved in a city that, in order to preserve a realize that all of that despicable highway cinttcr was not built before
acesic mountain backdrop for the public and prevent developers from the advent of supposedly advanccd thinking in planning and zoning. We
dotting it with housing, paid 13,000 an acre for 520 acres of land most stffi accept the preposterous notion that the ownership of highway
suited for mountain goats. The irony of this is that, only about 15 years frontage endows an individual with the right to capitalize on every
before, this same land had been sold for delinquent taxes for about 150 possible opportunity of economic serf-bettermem at the expense. of the
per acre, the buyers .I.l.l.l~ving to pay nothing down, nothing on the public. We still permit entrepreneurs and developers, in their anxiety
principal over the years, and only a very nominal interest rate. The city to build hot dog stands. gas stations (even with an energy shortage), fast
was not planning conscious and saw no reason at the time to be food outlets, discount marts. and ~-conceived shopping centers. to
concerned. Incidentally, the land buyers, most of whom were "pillars" assure us that no one is will ing Io live next to a highway and that t~e Idea
of the community, wanted 17,500 an acre for the land from the city. and of open space or green areas went out with the horse and buggy. Yet for
it was only by some strong-armed tactics and the threat of public yeats some of the most sought after residential sites have bec~ those
reaction that they were "encouraged" to allow the purchase at the with reverse frontage along highways such as the Merritt Park~.y in
"bargain" price. Endless examples of this kind could be cited. many of Connecticut and the Garden State Padfivay in Nov/Jetsty. Nor is this
them far more expensive to the taxpayer. exploitation con/rned to our highways. An examination of our cities will
The Reasons for Planning I 7 8 I Citl~en's Guide to Planning
show that, while more and more of us are talking about the importance any objective standard by which to judge results. People put up with
of planning and zoning, some of the politicians still ignore plans, making poor planning because they are told it is good and they have no way of
destructive zoning changes under the guise of increasing tax ratahies knowing otherwise. ' ~'
and granting zoning variances that eat the very heart out of the princi- Thirdly, and as a corollary, we are suffering from an utidisciplined
pies of planning and zoning. approach to the techniques of planning. ff one wishes to be a doctor,
lawyer, or scientist, one pursues a reasonably standard cou~e of study,
exercising much the same organized persevercncc regardless of the
THE LAND OF PLENTY--WITH SO MUCH NEED school one chooses. In many instances, one then submits to examina-
tion, obtains a Ucense, procures a registration, or estahiishc~ 6ncseff in a
Why is this .so? Why have we failed to get the most out of the planning profer, sinn. Not SO in planning. Anybody can be an expert (even the
process and do as well as such other countries as Great Brttian, Sweden, author of this book), and anybody who has read an article on the subject
and Norway in building new towns and getting the most out of our of planning or held up his or her hand to be sworn in on~a planning
existing cities? We have more of everything--more land, more cars, board can develop the expert complex. As a result, the function of
more money, more schools, more television, and more chances for planning Suffers, and SO do our communities.
advancing our society--but by all standards of quality and sensibility Finally, as 15 true in SO many other areas of our complicated social
we seem to be determined to fall. I suggest that there may be four basic structure, we are suffering from a lack of aggressive, imaginative, and
reasons for this, The first, and probably the most fundamental, is the hisplying leadership. Timis ties in with the first of these reasons for our
existence of widespread apathy based upon a frightcningly materialistic planning difficulties. When people are unconcerned, when affairs of
attitude. We have been "Madison Avenue'd" to the point that ideals and government are left to others, when business leaders live i~ the suburbs
principles have become eotircly secondary to things, goods, products, to escape city problems, when financial forces arc Utdc interested in the
and a theoretically rising standard of living. This has resulted in an true economic health of the community that is essentially their life-
unconcern on the part of the general public toward supporting sound blood, we will have lackeys and hacks in positions of imp6rtance and *-
principles of objective planning It can be summed up by the rather lacldnstcr leadership will prevail ._.I .
callous attitude, not often openly expressed, that seems to prevail in a · ':
lot of ns: "l don't care what you do to my town or how much you put in "'
your pocket as long as I get mine." "'
The second reason for our failure is the fact that our socieP/lacks THERE IS NO SUCH THING ASTHE "RIGHT" OF EXPLOITATION
almost toully z clear enncept of the meaning of good planning and
zoning. It might cvcn be said that wc have no clear concept of what a fithose ridnip arc true, and ifd*dnip arc not as rosy as they should
really good city should be for our day and age. Wc certainly haven't seen perhap~ wc should ask ourselves if it isn't time for more effective action.
many, and it is, therefute. hard to picture what good planning could do I bcUcvc that the argument for the desirability of conserving and. yes,
for ns. Try, for example, running a litdc survey of your own. Stop 10 cvcn saving our American cities can be, and should be, one of the most
pc-oplc on the street and ask them to describe city planning fur you. ff convincing arguments of our times. i am equally convinced that wc
you can get any of them cvcn to attempt it, which is doubtful, you will cannot save our cities without effective planning and zoning. Our past
get as many different opinions as there arc people who respond. (As a has proved that wc need orb~mjzcd planning, to improve conditions for
matter of fact, I stiU have trouble when people a_~ mc what ! "do." socicul Uving and for mankind. cvcn though it carries with i~restrictinn
When I say I am a planner, the usual response is, "Oh, thzt's nice. What and regulation. it has been said That people arc no more inconsiderate
do you plant?") Our people arc not informed on the subject and thus than in their dc;dinip with their neighbors when it comes to land
cannot be expected to have a cuncc-pt The general pubUc is unaware of n:iliT=tion. ff This is true--and a poorly planned city is the Ix-st possible
evidence--it is certainly unfortunate. To ignore the fact that cincs can
The Reasons for Planning I 9
be improved through the development of an orderly sense of purpose .
and objective is to admit that we cannot learn and instead are doomed .
to ultimate stagnation by our obstinate unwillingness to change or .~ .~;
improve.
We need effective planning to make better economic sense out of
our cities and our country. I~nd and its resources arc our most impor-
tant assets, and the wise utilization of them our greatest opportunity for .
continuing a sound economy. Exploitation and the misuse of land can
result in dire economic consequences for us all. Where, in all of our
history and legal precepts, has it been said that a system of public
subsidy for personal enrichment--fur those clever enough to take full
advantage of the opportunity--is the system sanctioned, made sacred,
and not to be questioned in a democratic society? Where can it be found
in constitutions, laws, or precedents that a collective group of people as
a society mttst accept placidly the idea that resources and land, regard-
less of ownership, carry with them the right of speculation and wealth,
nonvithstanding the effect such "fights" may have upon genuine public
interest? Yet so we are led to believe by the "growth-is-progress"
spellbinders and those who have taken successfully from the land and
Planning is necessary for the sheer survival of our society in the
form that we deem desirable. This never was more true than it is today,
in the face of the energy crisis, rampant pollution, a shortage of water in
many places, and she social crisis in cities. Improved communities,
housing conditions, recreational arm, and other aspects of workable
city structure arc essential to our mental as well as to our economic -..
health. We cannot go on destroying our natural resources, obliterating
our landscapes, or planting our fields with 2 by 4 crackerboxes called
houses in a dreary, discouraging atmosphere and expect to maintain
any kind of a sound social structure.
All of us, then, must recognize that wc have a moral responsibility ...
in a complex society to do our best to improve our environment. In
accepting this responsibility wc must exert an effort to support the
causes that will permit us coHcctirely to achieve this improvement.
Planning for our cities, towns, and villages is one of the ways in which
the environment can be improved and our responsibility met. ff our
communities arc not to be bankruptcd by wasteful and uncoordlnatcd
development, wc must have practical plans for the future. If we are not
to be overwhchncd by man-made ugliness, we must scc to it that our .:
plans work. i e ,,
The Citizen's
Guide to
Zoning
Herbert H. Smith
Planners Press
American Planning Association
Washington, D.C. Chicago, III.
CITZZEN'S GUIDE TO ZON~,aG
1 to gain in some way from the change, is that "they" can't do this to
our neighborhood. Understanding the process and being concerned
So You Want to Know about its day-to-day administration in the total community is another
matter. In this case, the attitude is usually that "they" can take care
About Zoning of it as long as l am not rsonally fected.
In a community having no zoning, the first rumor that lights the fire
of discussion is the one that "they" are proposing some law that will
tell us what we can do with our land or that someone is planning to
build a drag strip or locate a junkyard in our neighborhood, and "they"
There is no doubt of the presumptuousness of that chapter heading, aren't doing anything to stop it. Both here and in places with zoning,
and yet it is a most appropriate way to start. It might have been even it is evident that there is no middle ground of feeling about the idea.
better to have said, "You should want to know about zoning." Although Usually, if the reaction is total opposition to the idea of zoning, it is
there are many reading this--and millions who never will read it-- based on the leftover pioneer mentality that believes that ownership
who may question that statement, I suggest that there is no single of land carries with it the "right" to do anything that the possessor of
governmental function, other than taxation, that has a more direct bear- a deed wants to do, that government has no right to interfere, and that
ing on our day-to-day lives than the thing called zoning. Don't think the concept of an increasingly complex society requiring adjustment
you can stop reading here if you happen to live in a place without zon- of this attitude is the fictitious creation of a communistic conspiracy.
ing, since the lack of such a process leaves you wide open to even more The necessity for changing this attitude is an important matter about
drastic and adverse effects. After some 30 years of being involved with which more will be said later.
communities and their development, I believe that any organized corn- In those who say that something should be done before disaster
munity in the United States that does not have zoning is shortchanging strikes, we see evidence of the prime reason we have difficulty with
itself and that there is no town or city that has zoning that could not long-ran8· planning in our communities. Over the years, we have
be doing a better job with it. developed psychologically into a n-active society and never accepted
the necessity for, or durability of, a pre-active approach to problem
prevention. Just let a proposal come along that we feel will adversely
We Know All About It--Or Do We? af~ our space or our values, and we are all for governmental interven-
tion and jump to criticize our elected officials for not having taken ac-
The interesting point is how much the word zoning is thrown around, tion to prevent this ~raveay. Even when this kind of situation develops,
how many more people know the term than did 16 yean ago when there are those not directly affected who still strongly oppose the idea
I wrote the first edition of this book, and how few really undeestund of 8overnment regulation of land use. After all, if they should support
what it is all about and how important it is. True, it has gotten to be this propodtion just because an undesirable use may occur in another
one of the "in" words you hear bandied about, even at cocktail parties neighborhood, it might nsult in a regulation that would interfere with
and church socials. Usually this occurs when a rumor has leaked out something the/, may want to do with their land at a later time.
about someone proposing to ask for a zone change to permit apart-
ments or a business in what has been thought of as a singlefamily
residential area. The reaction then, unless you are the developer or stand We KnOW a Controversial
Issue When We See It
This illustrates the point of zoning being a vibrant, often controversial
i~..me with very few middle-ground or indifferent reactions, either in
CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO ZONING
ABOUT ZON,NC 3 We May Not Know Why We Need to Know
Fully understanding zoning means knowing why it should be a tool
places considering undertaking it or in those where it has been around of government at all. The next step is to learn and understand the pur-
for years. This can be understood easily upon reflecting that it is the
pose of good zoning: what it includes, how it is supposed to work,
only readily identified governmental control of the speculative aspect how it should be administered, and who is involved in its effective ad-
of land ownership, although there are many other less visible ways that ministration. Each day decisions are being made by elected represen-
land development can be affected by government action. Nevertheless, tatives and appointed officials in numerous areas that have a bearing
the process of zoning, because of its required public hearings and the on the economic well being, the general welfare, and the character of
fact that we are directly confronted with it where it exists, is in the the community in which we live. None of these surpasses in impoF
forefront of the attention given to local government functions. tarace those decisions related to how land is to be used, how it is
During the time of my tenure as city manager of Albuquerque, New developed, and how that development relates to the interests of the
Mexico, the one thing we could always count on was that the City Corn- community and its citizens. A few of the arguments in support of my
mission Chamber would be packed with people any time there was a conviction that zoning is vitally important to every citizen, whether
major rezoning proposal on the agenda. Unfortunately, the people at- they now live in acommunity with zoning or one without, are worthy
tending, other than the applicant, were from the immediate of further exploration.
neighborhood only and were usually aroused by inaccurate rumors and First of all, an irrefutable fact is that zoning, through its regulation
convinced that militant action was the only way to save their property of the private use of land, is a major factor in shaping community
values. Most had never artended any other zoning hearing or discus- character. Buildin8 villages, towns, and cities is very much like put-
sion (or for that matter, any commission meeting) and probably never ring together a jigsaw pu~:z!e. Separately, each piece has a unique shape.
would again. When the mat ter of their immediate personal concern had No piece will fit with another unless the maker of the puzzle has planned,
been concluded, they always left, angry or pleased, regardless of the for it to do so, and, when all the parts are in the right place, you have
remainin8 items on the agenda or the importance of any of them. I still an orderly, coordinated, attractive picture. So it is with land develop-
remember a meeting that included discussion of a controversial zoning merit. Each lot and its use, each individual structure, is a part of the
amendment, after which the adoption of a phase of the comprehensive total community, determining what it will look like, how it will work,
master plan and the next year's city budget of over $85 million was and, most important of all, its character.
to be considered. Some 200 people left the room after "their" zoning As we think about land development and its importance to the future,
issue had been settled, ignoring the larger issues. it is easy to see that, while property ownership by individuals is a
In spite of this, it is my opinion that zoning, or some similar form freedom we enjoy, there is a community interest in how that property
of land-use regulation, is going to be with us for the foreseeable future. is used. This has become increasingly important as society and our ur-
One need only to reflect on the increasing population, the sprawl of ban structures have become more and more complex. You cannot reach
urbanization, and our dwindling resources and assets to accept the logic the density of population of the state of New Jersey, Chicago,
of that statement. We should not spend valuable time arguing about Philaddphia, Albuquerque, or even Duran8o, Colorado, for example,
whether we will have zoned communities or whether the town without without being forced to accept the fact, if you are realistic, tEat collec-
zoning should have it; rather, we should devote much more time to tire society has a stake in and a responsibility for how those pieces
understanding it and the importance for the future of good zoning of the jigsaw puzzle are going to fit together. This responsibility for
throughout our community. This understanding must come from determining the character and the quality of the sum of the parts is
knowledge, which, in spite of the broad prevalence of the zoning pro- the proprietary interest society has that necessitates the establishment
cess, there is an amazing lack of by those most affected--the general of reasonable and equitable controls over private land development.
public. This common intenst in how land is used is a long.-standin8 principle
of our legal system, yet one we seem to have forgotten, overlooked,
ABOUT ZONING 5
6 CIT17.EN'S GUIDE TO ZONING
or neglected.
Fundamental to the guidance zoning should provide the community for extra income to dismantle and rebuild junk automobiles in the back
is the necessity of having an organized scheme, understood and sup- yard. Someone else could decide to turn his or her first floor into a
ported by the public, of the desirable future character and pattern of discotheque and apply for a liquor license. Farther away, the so-called
development. The basis for this is comprehensive, long-range planning, business district has grown into a poorly arranged hodgepodge, with
the results of which are included in a well-documented master plan. commercial and industrial uses allowed to string out in strip confignra-
No zoning will successfully guide and direct the private development tion along the main traffic arteries. Little attention is paid to the rela-
of land toward a desirable overall quality and character without just tionship of land development to the infrastructure of utilities, services,
such a .Solid foundation. More will be said about this later. schools, and the general efficiency of traffic circulation.
Even though we take pride in our independence and self-sufficiency,
we must recognize that, when it comes to the worth of the property
We Know We Like Money and Profit we hold, we are interdependent. We are all dependent upon our
neighbors, the people in the next block, the investors in apartments
Long before the period of inflation present at the time of writing this, and businesses, and those elected to office who are the policy makers.
and long before the average price of a single-family home was ap- When we buy a home or any piece of property, we are not just investing
proaching $80,000, it was a fact that the largest single investment most money in that lot or that building, we are investing in the community
of us ever make is in a home. The great American dream has been to and its future. Even in inflationary times, the market value of proper-
own a home, to own land, and to be able to invest in real estate. In ty is determined more by the character of the area in which that prop-
so doing. we expect the value of that property to increase continuous- erty is located--and the overall public investment in and public policy
ly, and, if we sell it, we expect to make a nice profit. It is astonishing for maintaining community quality--than in what we may do to ira-
how much we take for granted that this is the way it should be and prove an individual parcel of land.
this is the way it is going to be. I once heard a friend in real estate say that the market value of any
Not only do we want these tangible assets to increase in their property is determined by thine things. These are: location, location,
marketability and worth, we expect .Someone to protect our private do-- Iocationl When we look at why this is .So. we find that we are alepen-
main and make certain that nothing will happen to thn~aten or endanger dent upon all elements of our community strum working together
it. Even more. we are ready to fight if a loss in value should result from to make every parcel of land "a good location." We begin to under-
anything that others do with their land or that the public sector under- stand that public investment in streets, parks, libraries, utilities, and
takes that affects our land. It is then that we have a tendency to say, services is one maior factor in determining the value of any property
"They have got to do something about this.I' Then, we forget how we in a given iurisdiction. We see that attitude and concern for the future
listened to the rumor that zoning was undemocratic and how we ioined on the part of the people we elect, and the effectiveness of their ad-
the group that killed the idea of doing community planning and hay- ministration of government is another factor. And, finally, we recognize
ing a zoning ordinance. 1t any action that might adversely affect our that the presence or lack of standards of quality of the built environ-
property values happens in a city or town that has had zoning, most ment. resulting from the investment of the private sector. can deter-
of us would not recall that we failed to attend all those public hearings mine whether our investment in any community is a wise one.
on zoning changes or neglected to be involved enough to be sure that
we have honest, effective administration of the ordinance.
The truth of the matter is that things can and do happen that will .V re Know We Don't Like Taxes
change our dream into a nightmare if no adequate protection i~ pro-
vided by the su'ength of collective community action expressed through As much as we are concerned about our individual property values,
the legal tool of zoning. A neighbor, following the philosophy of do- there is another aspect of societal living to which we assign almost equal
ing what you please with your land, could decide that it would be nice
ABOUT ZONING 7 8 Crnzl~'s GUIDE TO ~
importance. I refer, of course, to the cost of government and to tues. Scattered development, as exemplified in most of our urban sprawl,
We may yell about these, about "big government," and applaud those is inefficient and uneconomical, so much so that it could not happen
who advocate "getting government off our backs"; however, the fact without all of us who pay taxes subsidizing it with public fun&. The
remains that, in a collective society, some organized system of govern- most expensive and least cost-efficient development of all is the leap.
ment is necessary. The only alternative is anarchy. What we really need froggin8 subdivision. Whether it be residential, commercial, or in-
to turn our attention to, particularly at the local level, is the economy dustrial, land development permitted to locate in areas without ey~isting
and efficiency of the delivery of necessary services by government. Most service delivery systems will be a drain on the public purse. So, too,
people readily agne with this, even though they may have trouble agree- is the commercial strip that adds miles to utility lines and increases the
ing on what these necessary services are. But they show a frightentrig need for police and fire protection. As a city manager in a city whose
lack of understanding of the relationship between the cost-effectiveness policy makers were enamored with the idea of growth at all cost--
of the delivery of services and the land-use patterns that are permitted resulting in a horizontal, spread-out city--I saw the effects of this first
to evolve. hand. For every new low-density subdivision approved, the city pro-
Regardless of where we live or work, whether we are property owners vided a goodly proportion of the cost of the new infrastructure. Ex-
or not, we take for granted the delivery of what has come to be thought pensive miles of streets were added, to be swept and maintained. Ad-
of as essential governmental services. When we turn on a water faucet, dltional refuse trucks and school buses were needed, and the public
we expect an ample supply of water to come gushing forth, pure enough had to pay the cost of getting them from one place to another.
to drink. When we feel the call of nature, in urban society, we assume Any place that bases zoning on good comprehensive planning can
it to be a "right" that we don't have to go outside to a privy and that avoid this. If we recall the comparison of community building to put-
sewage is goin8 to 8o somewhere and be taken care of once a toilet ring the pieces of a jigsaw p~,le together and if we recognize that
is flushed. In most areas, we expect the city to provide the means for underneath that total picture must be an elaborate system of utilities
picking up and disposing of our tons of solid waste. We don't want and on top must be a circulation pattern that is the means of providing
our kids to have to be bused to school at all, but, if they are, it shouldn't additional essential services, we can begin to understand the impor-
be far. If we are told the costs of providing these services are goin~ tanc~ of guiding and shaping land use through zoning to relate to the
up. we become convinced that someone is just trying to "rip us off" capability to deliver those services and the cost of doing so..Zoning
and immediately determine that we had better work to see that "they" is important because it is the only legal means we have of seeking
don't get reelected. ~conomy and efficiency in this vital function of local government.
The interesting, and somewhat alarming, point is that the same peo-
ple who agree completely with the idea of economy and efficiency of
government have never considered how much effect good or bad zon- ]/Ve Know We Like to Breathe
ing has on both of these. After all these years of zoning controls, there
is little understanding that the patterns of permitted land use determine As much as we are interested in and concerned about finances and
the demand for services, the efficiency of those services, and the co~ts--and, logically, we should be--there is yet another area in which
economy of the costs of delivering those services, as well as the zoning can phy an important role. In spite of political trends, it is my
economic base that will pay for them. Each time commercial develop. belief that the vast majority of our people recognize the need for us
ment is permitted to line the eclges of a major traffic arterial in an ex- to do more to protect our environment and preserve our natural
tended strip pattern, each time a housing development leapfrogs over resources. If this recognition were not alnady expanding--and I believe
vacant land, and each time a more intensive development is allowed it is--then is little question that the circumstances around us would
by ordinance change or variance, a servicing cost factor,is built in that ~oon for~:~ an awareness of our situation. We cannot continue degrading
our natural environment at the rate we have been and depleting o~,ex-
can only be met by public subsidy.
plotting irreplaceable natural resources as if then were no tomorrow.
Ai]OUT ZONING 9
10 CrnZEN'S Guml~ TO ZON~G
Collective society and organized government have a responsibility to Western Slope. The largest deposits of coal and oil shale remainln~ in
future generations that demands a much greater sense of stewardship the U.S. are located then. This is where Exxon, Tosco, ARCO, and
of our land, resources, and environment than we have yet shown in others, with encouragement from the federal government and the Bureau
this country. In addition, we are beginning to be held accountable by of Land Management, plan to produce some 8 million barrels of
the rest of the world for our abusive misuse of resources and our con- synfuel per day. When fully developed, this adivity, together with the
tribution to the despoliation of environment. resulting andllary development, will mean an influx of between 1.25
We need to think in terms of two types of environments as we look and 1.5 million people to the area. The production of synfuel is a corn-
at our communities and our own lives. First, there is the environment plicated process that is replete with environmental costs. To produce
of nature--the air we breathe, the land, tree, water, and wildlife. ff one barrel of usable oil requires two to three barrels of water--
we look around at what we have done to this type of environment, something the Rocky Mountain West does not have in abundance. The
it would be easy to conclude that we have been relentlessly carrying Environmental Protection Agency Cuefore its throat was cut) estimated
out a death wish. One of our biggest environmental problems is air that, if the total development planned took place, the resulting pollu-
pollution. No major metropolitan area and few urban places of any tion on the Western Slope would be t5 percent more than that pnsent-
size in the country is without a serious problem with air quality. The ly over Manhattan Island and 40 pen.-'~nt more than that now above
major cause of air pollution has been proven to be the automobile, but Denver, due to the bu~t-in polluting fadon in the synfuel production,
the excessive number of automobiles and the concomitant polluting as well as from people and vehicles. Even in the face of this, we have
miles driven are attributable to the land-use patterns and urban sprawl counties and dries in the aria nfusin8 to even consider long-range plan-
we have permitted to occur. ning or land-use control action. The argument i~ put forward still that
We in Colorado are an outstanding example of how difficult, if not zoning is "un-American." In addition, the Colorado state lt.~l.,,la.tun
impossible, it is for those of us in this country to learn and benefit from gleefully kills every attempt to strengthen the state's land-use policy,
past mistakes of others. With 104,247 square miles of area, ranking n/u~es to increase the minerals and resourcu severance tax to provide
eighth in size in the nation and approaching 3 million in statewide much-needed capital improvement fun&, and recently eliminated the
population, the metropolitan morass around Denver is one of the most Division of State Plan~. In the meantime, 20,000 people cormcried
polluted areas in the country. Through the prevalence of a misguided with the preliminary construction work alreadlt live in lhttlement
concept that "bigger is better," coupled with slipshod zoning and the Mesa--a once-peaahl and pristine mountain valley. (Since writing this
lack of a "planning attitude," urban sprawl is not only still being per- Just a f~w months ago, slmfud production attempts were suddenly. pot
mitted, it is being encouraged. Like the relentless flow of volcanic lava on hold, and Colorado has once again been subjected to a "boom and
seekin8 the lines of least resistance, subdivisions, shopping centers, and bust" cycle.
office parks continue to eat up thousands of acres of land each year
with little thought being given to the consequences for the environment
and air quality. It is a most awesomely depressing experience to drive l/Ve Should Know We Have Not
east from the Rockies, the sky still a clear blue, and see the beginning Lea!lied fl'olll Pall: htlistak~
of a huge brown cloud forming in the distance. Then, toppin8 the last
rise before dropping out of the foothills, spread before you is the Tlinto~/~thefalluretountenutndtheim~orutn~ofln~naiv~ilan-
panorama epitomizing what is meant by "man's inhumanity to man
and nature"--the metropolis developing along Colorado's Front Range. ~ and letre'hie t. onini is not unique to Colorado. The lame lttul-
As if this were not enough to prove our lack of concern for the future lion exists in Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. If Into live
in one of the more developed nuttee, don't take too much combat. If
and our insensitivity to the importance of guiding land development you are concerned and look around carefully, whether it's Nt, w Jent-/,
through well thought-out land-use policies and zoning action,~ we are Ohio, California, or Hawaii, you wig find places when po~ zonin~
passively faring the potential of total despoliation of the Colorado or inept admini~alion are costing you money, gad envlronn~nt, a~l"
ABOUT ZONING 11 12 CITIZl~'S GUIDE TO ZONING
an improved quality of life. This relates to both manmade and natural Know--'Ain't Nobody
environments. You can see it in misplaced and poorly designed struc- Gonna Do It But Us!"
tures. It is equally obvious in the lack of humanistic amenities and
human scale in central business districts. It is overwhelming in the in- It is vital that we all become involved and insist that the community
attention to open space, urban parks, and green areas as local officials interest in land development be constantly protected through the best
are coerced by developers to permit the squeezing out of every inch zoning possible. A good environment and a good community do not
of usable space, the short-sighted (and fallacious) rationale being that just happen. They are built--and protected and preserved--by what
"economic ratables" or job opportunities will be created. we as a collective society choose to do, both as part of the public sec-
We see thousands of acres of land best suited for agriculture gobbled tor and the private sector. Part of that choosing is whether we are
up each year by development and shrug our shoulders helplessly, think- ing to recognize and accept the importance of the community invest-
ing that nothing can be done. Housing and other uses are allowed to meat in every parcel of land developed, the need for that investment
be built in floodplains, encroach on stream basins, deplete underground to be protected, and the fact that, in most cases, it won't be protected
water tables, and disrupt stream flows. When the floods come or ex- without governmental regulations and restrictions. This is why zoning
pensive public steps must be taken to overcome the lack of potable water is far more important to all of us than many of us have realized. It
or to clear up a polluted stream, we again shrug our shoulders and shell can make the difference between an urban form that just happened and
out public money--a public subsidy of private myopia--to let the Peo- one that makes physical, metal, and economic sense while providing
pie move back into their homes in the flood area or supply the correc- an improved quality of life.
rive remedy through costly public improvements. Seldom do we con- What is always so perplexing to me is why so many of tis are willing
sider that a little far-sighted planning carried out by equitable, but strict- to leave something of such importance to so few--usually the policy
ly enforced zoning could have prevented all this, saved us all money, makers, the administrators, and the vested interests. My contention
and avoided the pain involved for the people directly affected. is that we cannot afford to do this. We each have a responsibility tO
We cannot go on as we have been going. We can no longer accept, ourselves and to the futun to be informed and involved. We need to
or even tolerate, the outmoded philosophy "lt's my land, and rll understand the importance of zoning aa a proce~, to know the dif-
do as I damned well please with it." The legally acceptable way, the ference between good and bad zoning, and to insist that we get better
proven and tested way, of doing something about this is through community development leadership from those we elect, The nmainder
community--organized, people-supported, land development controls, of this book seeks to provide the understanding and knowledge that
through zoning based upon careful planning. Accomplishing this takes will hdp in doing thi~.
a strong commitment to the future and finn cooperative action on the
part of all levels of government--municipal, county, state, and federal.
The role of the federal and state governments is primarily that of policy
setting, leadership, enabling legislation, and cooperation. Local govern-
ments, at present, have the responsibility for effective action pertain-
ing to land use under these acceptable broad policies and those deter-
mined by their constituency. Until our philosophy about metropolitan,
t~egional, and statewide land-use controls changes, municipal and county
officials are the ones shaping our urban form, and they must be deter-
mined to bite the bullet in order to make things better.
April20,1995
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PREPARATION OF A COMMERCIAL
~ LAND USE AND MARKET STUDY.
lifi'.-~'~ 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:
1. 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
3. Demograp~C profile ofconsmer s~en~:
~'~~pulation ~ends at co~ ~d m~ket ~ea levels.
/"' '~ household ch~acte~stics (si~, age, ~x ~d p~ch~g ~wer)
2~ ' housing abso~tion estimates
4. Econome~c model of ~e re~l porentiS:
a. 1995/96 condifiom; ~d
b. ~o ~e horizon ~tes 2000 ~d 2010
Doll~ v~ues ~e to ~ related hto ~e foo~e ~d ~re~e ~tenti~s m~g
v~o~ cap~e rate ~smptio~.
5. A~ve-men~oned ~es sho~d k fom~ m pm~de ~we~on on ~e Bllo~g
questions/issues:
~at ~s of comemi~ ~d related ~es ~e needed to satis~ ~e Ci~'s ~sc~
b~ce?
~at levels of co~erci~ development establish a ~eshold ~yond w~ch it is
likely ~at a he~y b~ess envimment ~d s~ble ~ b~ ~11 ~ si~c~tly
eroded? ~t is ~e co~i~ l~d ab~on ~ili~ for ~e Ci~ in ~e next 5 to
I0 ye~?
~e ~e c~n~y desi~t~ ~i~ l~d ~ ~e~ fi~ly b~ced ~ conte~
of o~ l~d ~s (i.e., ~siden~ ~ sup~n of ~m~ci~ development; ~d~ffi~
emplo~ent ~ sup~n ofco~emi~)? If no~ where sho~d co~emi~ l~d ~
~d~ or redu~?
Does developm~t of co~emi~ ~s in ~e ~d~ ma ~lute ~e Ci~'s fisc~
b~ce, ~ if ~, to wht e~ent?
How d~s ~o~ new co~i~ l~d ~ect ~e e~sfmg occupied co~emi~
sites ~ terns of v~cy f~mn?
TIME LINE: The conlract for services is planned to begin in early June 1995, and to conclude in
1995. The c ' ' dates are as follows:
November ~
Con accepted by Consultant by May 25, 1995
· a/,i~{i~.~o be confirmed by City Council on June 7, 1995
· .,, ·~Consultant to submit 10 copies of ascreen check of the economic and market analysis
"'~- ~}by August 17, 1995. City will respond to screen check copy by Septemir 14, 1995.
/=.~'?TbThe consultant will attend two meetings (last week of June and July) with City staff
,~j to review progress of work.
· Consultant to submit 10 copies of nnal economic and market analysis by September
28, 1995
· Consultant to attend one Planning Commission meeting in October 1995.
· Job Completed after anendance 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
~:ee 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-t 861.
Sincerely,
Brad Buller
City Planner
H:~d)VANCEXECONXRFQECON1 .WPD