01 8-27-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Vice Mayor closed the item to public comment Commissioner Narum supported going through the PUD development plan process provided that the City demand ample public and neighbor participation. Commissioner Olson echoed the comments, said the Commission has reviewed many PUD's, said the PUD process involves public input and there is no reason to fear that the public would not get a chance to weigh in. Chair Blank said he was leaning towards the specific plan process, but after listening to the presentations and reviewing the staff report, he could support a PUD development plan approach, but wanted to keep it as standard as possible in terms of the way the City approaches its PUD, such that significant communication and outreach occur. He felt it would be incumbent upon the developer to start that outreach long before a Planning Commission workshop. He said the Council has seen great success where the developer has done that outreach first broadly, and then come to the Planning Commission with a workshop. Commissioner Pearce said given everything she has heard and read, a specific plan is something necessary when starting from the ground up. She said she is supportive of a PUD process providing it includes public discussion, that it include not only those communities within Hacienda but also those adjacent to it to ensure a better product. Councilmember Fox said she would prefer a specific plan process versus a piecemeal development plan, believes this is another example of what has gone on like the east side specific plan that has been deferred, with PUD's coming piecemeal and she said she did not agree with this process, especially given the open question of a school. She thought this is a key piece of infrastructure, we have lost school sites, and for the southeast hills, the City fast- tracked the PUD for Oak Grove rather than doing a specific plan and did not include surrounding neighborhoods which she felt was a big mistake. She felt the members of the committee to be appointed for a specific plan process also include 50% of residents. Commissioner O'Connor said for all reasons cited, he supported a PUD development plan as long as there is sufficient public input and time for it. His biggest concern is timing of the development, felt the General Plan and Staples Ranch must get done before working on something as big as this. However, once done, he was supportive of a PUD development plan. Councilmember Sullivan said the City has spent 6 years on a General Plan which will include new policies for sustainability, sustainable development, and synergies between land use and transportation, and he questioned how to reduce vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gases, carbon footprints, energy and water use, get affordable housing in a significant way, set policies for strengthening the economic viability of the Hacienda Business Park without looking at the 1- 580 transportation corridor with BART, ACE Train and Wheels bus connections. He felt the Council has responsibility to look at this area from a land use standpoint to maximize the transportation infrastructure and improve the situation. He feels the City's best opportunity is for a true, mixed-use, transit-oriented village project at the BART station within a half mile radius to achieve the goals laid out in the General Plan. He said first we need a process which cannot be achieved in the very near term, suggested first working through all of the issues raised which is acceptable to the community, thinks this can be done in an expanded PUD process that covers much of the types of things that a traditional specific plan will do, voiced the need for the public to be involved and the need for the subcommittee staff is recommending to include a couple of members of the Council and Commission and stakeholders which include landowners, the CC/PC Joint Workshop Minutes 13 August 27, 2008