joint board of supervisors & planning commission meeting

Joint Board of Supervisors &Planning Commission Meeting

March 6, 2008

San Benito County

Introduction

Community Visioning Stakeholders Report

Workshop Report

Mail Survey Report Work Program Report Next Steps/Action Items

Meeting Agenda

General Plan Overview

Outlines vision for long-range physical development for San Benito County

Provides specific implementing actions that will allow the vision to be accomplished

Establishes basis for determining if development proposals are in harmony with vision

Allows agencies and developers to design projects that enhance and preserve community resources

Required General Plan Elements

1. Land Use2. Circulation3. Conservation4. Open Space5. Noise 6. Safety7. Housing

Two-Phase Process

Phase 1 (this phase): Community visioning and work plan for update

Phase 2: General Plan Update and EIR

Stakeholders Report

Stakeholders Report

Meetings with a cross-section of San Benito County stakeholders; January-March 2007

Conducted in small groups of 4-10 people

Interview ParticipantsThere were 57 participants in total representing a

broad spectrum of stakeholders:

Residents Local businesses (employers) Institutions Agricultural interests Housing advocates Parks and trails interests Developers Historic and environmental concerns Public works providers Representatives from the County and cities of

Hollister and San Juan Bautista Members of the unincorporated communities of

Aromas, Tres Pinos, Ridgemark, Panoche, and Paicines

Major Themes

Sustainable growth and development strategy

Stakeholders generally agreed that: Future growth should be compact to preserve

agricultural land and prevent sprawl

Ideas for how to direct growth included:

Within and around cities Along transportation corridors Clustered in nodes (existing communities, airports,

etc.)

Agricultural Preservation and Agro-Industry Development

Stakeholders mostly agreed that: Protecting the unique farmland that exists

in the county should be a priority

Preservation strategies most mentioned:

Transfer of Development credits Adjusting zoning (current five-acre parcel

size is too small for agricultural uses)

Community Identity

Agriculture/rural character defines the identity. Tension between this and new commuter residents

Key is how to maintain rural character while promoting economic development (no big box retail, e.g.)

Access and Circulation

Main concerns:

Lack of cross-county roads and transportation corridors

Two-lane highways are reaching their capacity limits

Routing issues with trucking pose a hazard to other motorists

Unrealized potential for commercial development along transportation corridors

Transit, along with bike lanes, should be expanded and improved

Water, Sewer, and Drainage

Water imbalance between the north and the rest of the county

Availability of water for agricultural uses due to encroachment of homes around farmland

Water quality Wastewater management (Hollister, the

County, and the Water District are currently working on a master plan)

Flooding/drainage issues

Economic Development and TourismStakeholders would like to see:

A county-level strategy (currently, economic development only happens at the city level)

Job creation (some thought owner-operated small to medium-sized firms, others preferred larger manufacturers for the higher wages they provide)

Capturing sales tax A jobs-housing balance Better promotion of tourism (Pinnacles,

Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, wineries, etc.)

Housing

Need for sustainable housing development (single-family lots should be smaller)

Need for affordable housing (growth restrictions and high demand have pushed up housing prices)

Environmental Resource ProtectionIssues of concern:

Riparian and mineral resources (need to stabilize sediment levels in the rivers)

Clear Creek (was a harvesting and mining area, now Bureau of Land Management is trying to reclaim as a recreation area)

Pollution/waste management Wetlands protection

Workshops Report

Workshops Report

Three community workshops:

October 6, 2007 (Hollister)

October 8, 2007 (San Juan Bautista)

October 10, 2007 (Tres Pinos)

Workshop Agenda

General Plan Overview

Activity #1: Mock Magazine Cover Activity #2: Issues Dialogue (break

into two smaller groups) Large Group Report Back

Wrap-Up and Adjournment

Activity #1: Mock Magazine Cover

Provided workshop participants with blank covers of California Today—Special Edition: San Benito County, October 15, 2030

Participants wrote about their hopes for the county’s future

Results: Activity #1

Participants expressed the desire for: Continued agricultural vitality Compact development The need for balance Open space protection Economic development

Activity #2: Issues Dialogue

Agricultural Preservation/VitalityParticipants spoke of: Compact, clustered development,

infill opportunities, and Transfer of Development Credits (TDC) to help preserve agricultural lands

Agricultural land owner rights

Land Use/Environmental OpportunitiesDesires: A balance of land uses Dense, mixed-use development along

current and future roadways A diversity of lot sizes

Economic Development

More employment opportunities, possibly through Agritourism/Ecotourism Small business development/assistance

Using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and enterprise zones to promote commercial development

Transportation/Infrastructure

Some key issues that participants introduced included:

Connectivity to freeways (ex. Interstate 5)

More public transit More bike lanes

Education and Community Opportunities Locally-based opportunities Programs for youth Vocational education

Community Mail Survey Report

Community Mail Survey: Method

Distributed to all residential addresses in San Benito County and city databases (13,699)

Prepaid, self-addressed envelopes

Responses:English (647) and Spanish (23)

Responses were coded into a database

Community Mail Survey: Findings What do you like the most about

living in San Benito County? The beautiful weather The small-town country atmosphere Far enough away from the big cities and at

the same time accessible to attractions such as the coast, cities, camping, and more

Scenic natural landscape and agricultural open space

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Looking ahead, what is the most

important thing that should be done to improve San Benito County? Keep the county rural, agrarian, and

uncrowded, while accommodating limited growth

Improve infrastructure Preserve vital downtowns Prevent rising crime and gang activity More jobs, housing, transit, and

conveniences

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Planning for the Future: the next 20

years Respondents could strongly agree, somewhat

agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree, or state no opinion to a list of 14 possible initiatives. Favorites: Protecting water quality (87% support) Protecting environmental resources (70%) Protecting agricultural resources (69%) Encouraging employment growth and

economic development (65%)

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Over the past 20

years, do you think unincorporated San Benito County has experienced too much, too little, or the right amount of growth?

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d)

Where do you think new growth should be located? 86% chose within

cities as an important component

46% chose “clustered” development

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Should the County

encourage farmland conservation through a transfer of development credits program? Divided opinion (42% in

favor, 45% against) No apparent differences

by City v County residency, ethnicity, or income.

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Where should the County locate

commercial services that provide sales tax revenue and convenience?

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) For which

types of programs and projects would you support increases in taxes and fees?

Community Mail Survey: Findings (cont’d) Where

do you shop most often for:

Community Mail Survey: Conclusions Preserve agricultural landscape and

heritage Preserve water and natural resources Create economic opportunity Increase accessibility to conveniences Improve infrastructure to support

growth Growth should be planned and

controlled

General Plan Update Work Program

Work Program: Minimum Updates

Land Use Element (1992, amendments through 2005)

Open Space and Conservation Element (1995)

Transportation Element (1990, amendment in 1992)

Noise Element (1980, with amendment in 1984.)

Safety, Seimsic Safety, and Scenic Roads and Highways elements (1980)

Update needed?Status/Last Updated

Work Program: Next Phases

Phase 1: Background Studies/Opportunities & Challenges

Phase 2: Choices Phase 3: Draft Plan and EIR Phase 4: Final Plan and EIR

Summarize existing conditions: Land use and population distribution, employment centers, community character, transportation, parks and open space, historic resources, conservation of natural resources, and safety.

Land use/transportation alternatives will be defined and tested (transportation, economic and environmental impacts).

Preferred Plan will be selected and refined in collaboration with the community and decision-makers. Focus will revolve around the major issues identified such as agricultural land preservation, protection of environmental resources, creating economic and job opportunities, and improving infrastructure.

Land Use and Growth Management

Economic Development

Circulation

Open Space and Conservation Urban/Community Design and Preservation

Health and Safety

Noise

The Draft EIR is published and a 45-day public review period is used to collect comments on the EIR. The responses to these comments are included in the Final EIR, which is certified through formal public hearing.

The County prepares statements of findings and overriding considerations regarding any outstanding significant impacts of the proposed General Plan, and a final revised Plan is adopted through formal public hearing.

Work Program: Public Participation Options/Components Boards, Councils, and Commissions General Plan Advisory Committee Newsletters Press and Media Releases Community and Neighborhood

Workshops Key Group Outreach/Neighborhood

Briefings Community Educational Forums

Joint Board of Supervisors &Planning Commission Meeting

March 6, 2008

San Benito County

Next Steps/Action Items

NEXT STEPS-ACTION ITEMS Direct Staff to send out an RFQ for a Planning

consultant firm to assist with the next phase of the General Plan Update and develop a consultant contract

Direct Staff to send out the formal RFQ for an Economics consultant to develop market demand forecasts for the County for the next twenty years Later in the process the firm would also review the

fiscal feasibility of any alternative plans developed prior to arriving at a final preferred plan

Direct Staff to engage an Environmental consultant to work with the selected GP consultant and the County to conduct a constraints analysis

Provide direction to Staff as to the Public Outreach process for the next phase including any desired GP Update Advisory Committee