SR 06:208 - Laserfiche WebLink

ATTACHMENT 4 Conservation and ODen SDace Element of the General Plan Review and provide comment on a Draft Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan. Mr. Iserson introduced Janice Stem, Principal Planner, who presented the staff report. Ms. Stem stated that conservation and open space are two General Plan elements required by State law and address the conservation of natural resources, such as water, soils, and minerals, and the preservation of open space lands for parks and recreation, the managed production of resources, public health and safety, and the preservation of natural resources. Ms. Stem then presented a brief overview of the proposed revisions to the 1996 General Plan. She noted that these revisions were drafted using comments from public meetings which took place about two years ago and reviewed by staff from the Departments of Public Works and Utilities, Parks and Community Services, and Planning, as well as from other public agencies including the East Bay Regional Park District and Zone 7. She added that revisions for sections of the Element related to open space were also discussed with the Parks and Recreation Commission earlier this year. Ms. Stem indicated that the background text was edited and reorganized to include updated information on the following: . animals and plants; · "Species of Special Concern," which was added to the Element; . land cover, with accompanying graphics; · soil and water resources, including water quality and stormwater runoff requirements which have taken effect since the last General Plan, also with accompanying graphics; · sand and gravel resources, with a number of gravel operations having exhausted mineral resources and moving out, and subsequent reclamation activities to create the chain of lakes concept, with graphics showing the chain of lakes and areas still in quarrying use; · historic resources taken from the Downtown Specific Plan, with graphics showing historic neighborhoods in the Downtown; · "Recreation and Open Space" section, which describes the City's and the East Bay Regional Park District's (EBRPD) open space areas within the boundaries of the planning area; · agriculture and grazing, which includes information on the Williamson Act lands in which agricultural land owners agree to maintain the land in agriculture for a certain period of time in return for reduced tax rates, with accompanying graphics; and · "Public Health and Safety" and "Wildlife Overlay" sections. She noted that various types of open space lands and trails are shown on several new graphics and that two new sections, "Scenic Highways" and "Water Management and Recreation," have been added to address the lakes activities resulting from the end of the quarrying use and being operated by Zone 7. EXCERPTS: PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES, May 24, 2006 Page I of8