HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes No 2682L
PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2682
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING TO
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO
THE CITY GENERAL PLAN, PURSUANT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT PREPARED FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, THE
UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC PLAN, AND THE ONE ELEVEN
DEVELOPMENT CODE (SCH NO. 2015081020)
CASE NO: GPA/EA 16-261
WHEREAS, on February 27, 2014, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert
adopted the "Envision Palm Desert - Forward Together" Strategic Plan, which identified
specific focus areas to accommodate and encourage growing art and culture, promote
economic development and sustainability, develop land use and housing practices that
facilitate the creation of a vibrant city core, and ensure a transportation network for all
modes of transportation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council directed staff to initiate a comprehensive General Plan
Update to facilitate and accomplish the goals and specific focus areas identified in the
Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, in conformance with Government Code Section 65300, the City of Palm
Desert initiated a comprehensive update to the City's General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert, as part of the General Plan Update, held
several community meetings and workshops with members of the public, appointed and
elected officials, and other affected agencies to assure public participation in the process;
and
WHEREAS, a technical working group was established comprising of two
councilmembers, two planning commissioners, department heads, and various City staff
members, to provide guidance and develop strategies to implement the General Plan
Update; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code Section 65302, a comprehensive
update to the City's General Plan was prepared, which addresses six of the seven
mandatory elements, including Noise, Land Use, Open Space, Transportation,
Conservation, and Safety, and also includes optional elements for "Health and Wellness"
and "City Center;" and
WHEREAS, the City's Housing Element, the seventh mandatory general plan
element, for the 2013-2021 planning period was updated, adopted, and certified by the
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in 2013, and an
update to this element was not required or completed as part of this comprehensive
General Plan Update; and
WHEREAS, the General Plan Update was sent to affected public entities for their
review and comment in accordance with Government Code section 65352; and
PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2682
WHEREAS, in accordance with Government Code section 65352.3, the City
contacted California Native American tribes that are on the contact list maintained by the
Native American Heritage Commission to invite these tribes to consult on the proposed
General Plan Update; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub.
Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA") and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code
Regs., §§ 15000 et seq.), the City prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
analyzing and disclosing the potentially significant environmental impacts of the City's
General Plan Update, the University Neighborhood Specific Plan, and the One Eleven
Development Code ("General Plan Update EIR"), and the General Plan Update EIR reflects
the independent judgment of the City of Palm Desert; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Palm Desert Municipal Code Section 25.60.060,
"Public Hearing and Public Notice" and Section 25.78.070 "General Plan Updates" as well
as Government Code section 65353(a), the Planning Commission of the City of Palm
Desert, California, did on the 19th day of October 2016, hold a duly noticed public hearing to
consider the request by the City of Palm Desert, for a comprehensive update to the City's
General Plan; and
WHEREAS, at said public hearing, all persons wishing to speak were given an
opportunity to testify both in favor and opposition to the General Plan Update and the
accompanying EIR (SCH#2015081020); and
WHEREAS, at said public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony and
arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, the Planning Commission
did make the following findings in support of recommending approval of the General Plan
Update:
Findings for Approval:
1. The General Plan Update and all of the General Plan Elements comprise a
logical, integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of City
goals, policies and objectives.
2. The General Plan Update is reasonably related to the public health, safety,
and welfare because it guides and accommodates land uses, housing, and
circulation infrastructure in accordance with current law, community needs,
and future demands.
3. The General Plan Update covers all territory within the boundaries of the City
of Palm Desert.
4. Together with the City's adopted 2013-2021 Housing Element, the General
Plan Update addresses all seven mandatory General Plan Elements.
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PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2682
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the findings of the
Planning Commission in this case.
2. That the Planning Commission does hereby approve Planning Commission
Resolution 2682 recommending approval of GPA/EA 16-261, with the following
amendments:
Include in Chapter 3, amending Policy 5.5 to the following:
i. 5.5 Changing retail format. Provide incentives to transform existing,
auto -oriented suburban centers into neighborhood destinations by
adding a diversity of uses, adding pervasive opportunities for
recreational, artistic and social engagements, providing new pedestrian
connections to adjacent residential areas, reducing the visual
prominence of parking lots, making the centers more pedestrian -friendly
and enhance the definition and character of street frontage and
associated streetscapes.
Include in Chapter 3, amending Policy 6.5 to the following:
i. 6.6 Seniors and the disabled. Consider and plan for the needs of
senior and disabled residents when evaluating parking lot design.
Include in Chapter 4, amending Policy 3.2 to the following:
i. 3.2 Prioritizing improvements. Prioritize pedestrian improvements in
areas of the City with community and/or educational facilities, supportive
land use patterns, expressed community interest in better pedestrian
infrastructure, and non -automotive connections such as multi -use trails
and transit stops.
Include in Chapter 9 the following:
a. Add policy 1.14 to read
ii. 1.14 Stormwater infrastructure for existing development. Continually
assess public stormwater infrastructure needs for already developed
property, explore impediments to addressing identified needs, and
pursue financially sound solutions.
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PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2682
b. Add Goal 8 to read
Goal 8. Existing Utilities. Support undergrounding of existing
utilities.
Policies
ii. 8.1 Utility Delivery. Consider both aesthetic and safety consideration
when progressing towards full undergrounding of all utility lines.
iii. 8.2 Collaboration and innovation. Use community outreach,
assistance with formation of assessment districts, and exploration of new
funding mechanisms to achieve progress towards this goal.
iv. 8.3 Timetable. Periodically update a master plan on this topic to assure
continued progress.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the Planning Commission of the City of
Palm Desert, California, at its regular meeting held on the 19th day of October 2016, by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: DE LUNA, GREENWOOD, GREGORY, KELLY, and PRADETTO
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
EENW , CHAIRPERSON
RYAN STENDELL, SECRETARY
PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION
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