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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012/12/18 - Minutes - Special December 18, 2012 CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING A CALL TO ORDER DI A special joint meeting of the Rancho Cucamonga City Council was held with the Planning Commission on Tuesday, December 18, 2012, in the Tri-Communities Room at the Civic Center, located at 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. Mayor L. Dennis Michael called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m. Present were Council Members: Bill Alexander, Marc Steinorth, Diane Williams, Mayor Pro Tem Sam Spagnolo and Mayor L. Dennis Michael. Present were Planning Commission Members: Lou Munoz, Francisco Oaxaca, Vice Chairman Richard Fletcher and Chair Frances Howdyshell. Planning Commission Member Ray Wimberly was absent. Also present were: John Gillison, City Manager; Steven Flower, Deputy City Attorney; Linda Daniels, Assistant City Manager, Jeff Bloom, Deputy City Manager/Economic and Community Development, Trang Huynh, Director of Building & Safety Services; Mark Steuer, Director of Engineering Services; Mayuko Nakajima, Assistant Planner, Tom Grahn, Associate Planner and Debra L. McNay, Assistant City Clerk/Records Manager. Planning Consultants from Terra Nova and representatives from Omnitrans and Urban Crossroads were also present. FIF�� B. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION7 There was no one from the audience who wished to speak. F17 C. ITEM(S) OF DISCUSSION -J1 C1. Foothill Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) Corridor Study Mayuko Nakajima, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report and provided a PowerPoint presentation. John Criste from Terra Nova reported that his firm had been retained by SCAG to work on this project. He discussed the Foothill Boulevard BRT Corridor Project Objectives, the Complete Streets program and outlined the benefits of a transit plan. Mr. Criste also discussed the projected Year 2035 Employment Density and the Year 2035 Daily Volumes. Lastly, he addressed the features of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)System, buses, BRT stations, bus stops, etc. The pros and cons of mass transit were discussed. In closing, Ms. Nakajima expected that the final document will be drafted in January/February of next year. A presentation is planned before the Planning Commission and the City Council in March and the technical memorandum/draft regulatory document amendments will be completed in April. In response to Mayor Pro Tem Spagnolo, Mr. Criste addressed the public attendance at the 2012 workshops and indicated that he wasn't surprised at the low turnout. He confirmed with Council Member Williams that Terra Nova had reached out to the senior population. Special City Council Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission December 18, 2012— Page 1 of 3 Mr. Criste indicated to Mayor Pro Tem Spagnolo that the firm had not received any comments from other cities on the preferred location (center or side) of the bus route and station stops. Carleton Waters from Urban Crossroads confirmed that there could be a mix between center and curb locations along the route. In response to Planning Commission Vice Chair Richard Fletcher, Rohan Kuruppu from Omnitrans expected that a collaborative process would be used by Omnitrans to determine these decisions. It was also noted that Omnitrans is supportive of a route deviation from Foothill to Victoria Gardens. They would present a "locally preferred alternative" but it would ultimately be a local decision. Planning Chair Frances Howdyshell inquired about park and ride facilities, and this would be considered as part of the design process. Planning Commission Member Francisco Oaxaca indicated that BRT works best when it is used with a local feeder network. Mr. Kuruppu concurred that an improved and expanded local feeder network is crucial. He did not believe that other vehicles would have access to the right-of-way set aside for the bus route, except for emergency vehicles. Council Member Steinorth inquired about the target audience and how they would be reached. Also, he inquired about ridership projections. Mr. Kuruppu indicated that ridership is based upon density and land use, noting that income levels have little to do with the ridership projections. He noted that other cities are looking into Transit Oriented Development and it is a public/private investment. Mayor Michael stated that transit-oriented development is critical but inquired if most communities were open to the establishment of live-work areas. It was noted that most forward-thinking cities were considering the establishment of live-work areas. These are long-term decisions and market-driven decisions. In response to Council Member Alexander, Mr. Kuruppu indicated that the Foothill Boulevard BRT Corridor plan would consider adjacent corridors. Council Member Williams noted that transportation along these corridors is very tedious and would have to be improved upon for this system to be used effectively. Deputy City Manager Jeff Bloom noted the need to confirm several matters with the City Council and the Planning Commission. He indicated that there has been discussion on the possibility of moving or adding another Metrolink Station to Haven Avenue to be able to link with eventual BRT stops at Haven Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. Also, Mr. Bloom inquired if the City Council and Planning Commission concurred with increasing density in certain areas of the City. Planning Commission Vice Chair Fletcher expressed a concern with this concept and wondered if it would be compatible with the City's family-friendly environment. Mayor Michael indicated the need to consider high density areas around transit centers in the long-term. Council Member Williams concurred, noting that some areas need to be reinvented and pointing out that the City Council should consider opportunities when they become available. Discussion was held regarding the younger generation and their transportation preferences. Mayor Michael also added that since RDA funds are no longer available, it may be a good opportunity to encourage developers to take advantage of BRT location "hot spots" since BRT stations could be funded through Federal grants. Deputy City Manager Jeff Bloom noted the need to ensure that traffic along Foothill is carefully managed. It is a difficult task to manage when the number of cars can only be estimated. In response, Council Member Bill Alexander indicated that Vice Chair Fletcher's concerns were well-founded. He stressed the importance of a well-thought out strategy to future transportation needs. Deputy City Manager Bloom pointed out that the General Plan has been successfully used to guide the City and expected that it will continue to guide community planning in the future. Discussion was held with Deputy City Manager Bloom noted that there is an assumption that the City would be flexible and cooperate with the regional transportation plan. Planning Commission Member Munoz noted that supporting BRT does not tie the City to a specific density. He also reinforced that this was long range planning. City Manager John Gillison noted that this topic is similar to the decision to place the Epicenter Special City Council Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission December 18, 2012— Page 2 of 3 in a relatively underdeveloped area of the City. Eventually Victoria Gardens and the other commercial uses came. Mr. Criste thanked the City Council and the Planning Commission for their comments. C2. 2013 Housing Element Workshop — DRC2012-1036 — CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA — A City Council Joint Workshop with the Planning Commission to consider an update of the City's Housing Element in accordance with Article 10.6 Section 65580-65589.8 of the California Government Code. Tom Grahn, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. In response to Council Member Williams, Deputy City Manager Jeff Bloom confirmed that the housing allocation does not include housing needed within the City's sphere of influence. It was noted that the County has a Housing Element that addresses those needs. In response to Planning Commission Vice Chair Fletcher, Deputy City Attorney Flower addressed the number of housing units. He noted that once we have satisfied the commitment, the goal has been completed. Only commitments that haven't been satisfied are carried over. Also discussed was the Financial Incentive program, which has been included in the event that funding becomes available. Deputy City Attorney Flower noted that there is an obligation to plan for housing, not to fund it. In response to Council Member Alexander, Deputy City Manager Bloom indicated that the draft Housing Element needs to be submitted to the State. The actions today are not final. Once it has been determined to be acceptable by HCD, it will be returned to the City for the Planning Commission and Council's approval. The possible need for an Inclusionary Ordinance was discussed. It was noted that this is not a mandate but is another tool for the City's use. Mayor Michael thanked staff for the presentation and requested that pros and cons of an Inclusionary Ordinance be included when the draft Housing Element comes back for Planning Commission and City Council consideration. r17 D. AwOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Debra L. McNay, MMC Assistant City Clerk/Records Manager Approved: Special City Council Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission December 18, 2012—Page 3 of 3