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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-01-29 City CouncilTO: City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: Planning and Community Environment AGENDA DATE: January 29, 1996 CMR: 127:96 SUBJECT:Comprehensive Plan Update -- Overall Themes and Vision REQUEST In the initial Council discussions of the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) and Board and Commission recommendations on future Comprehensive Plan goals, policies and programs, numerous Council Members indicated a need for the Council to identify and review the broad themes and vision for the new Plan. This staff report identifies major themes that staff has identified from the Council’s work on the proposed goals, policies and programs. The report then places those themes into a suggested vision statement. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Council review the information in this report and suggest appropriate changes. The result of the Council’s review will be incorporated, after further editing, into the Draft Comprehensive Plan. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The Draft Comprehensive Plan will establish new policy direction for the City. Many of the major themes and visions in the new Plan will be a continuation of existing City policy. Major new policies are highlighted in the Discussion, including a more balanced approach to business and economic issues; transportation approaches, including the residential arterial concept, a general emphasis on traffic calming, and development of a local shuttle bus transit service; and the reinforcement of walkable neighborhoods. Community design would receive a greater emphasis in the new Plan, with attention given to walkable neighborhoods and other efforts to strengthen the sense of community. Emphasis is also given to more extensive and earlier public involvement in identifying new land use policies and regulations, especially for areas where substantial physical change is desired. Policy implications from CMR: 127:96 Page 1 of 8 the Governance section will be addressed after Policy and Services Committee and City Council review of that section. DISCUSSION 1976 and 1981 Comprehensive Plans: The 1976 and 1981 Comprehensive Plans did not have an identified separate vision statement. However, the Plans identified five major proposals as the key themes of the Plan. The Plans noted that: There are five major proposals in this Plan: 1.Maintain the general low-density character of existing single-family areas. 2.Slow down employment growth. Maintain existing housing and provide some new housing for low-, moderate-, and middle-income households. 4.Reduce the growth of auto traffic. 5.Change the appearance and function of E1 Camino Real. Staff’s November, 1994 Observations on the Proposed Planning Goals. Policies and Pro~ams: A November 7, 1994 staff report (CMR:496:94) quoted information staff provided to the Boards and Commission regarding a policy overview of the CPAC recommendations. Staff observations included: Staff believes that there is one overarching policy theme that emerges from CPAC’s work. That theme is that City policy should, in a coordinated way, seek to protect and enhance Palo Alto’s sense of community and undertake new efforts to create a stronger sense of community. Some CPAC members brought to the process an interest in "neotraditional planning," and all CPAC members have received exposure to neotradifional planning concepts from Peter Calthorpe and other consultants. The fundamental point of the neotraditional planning perspective is that the way urban areas have developed since World War II has resulted in a physical environment that separates people from their larger community. Neotraditional planning perspectives have positively resonated within CPAC and sparked interest in what factors make CMR:127:96 Page 2 of 8 Palo Alto a strong community and how those factors can be protected, strengthened and enhanced. Traditionally, Palo Alto has had a stronger sense of community than most suburban areas, and that sense of community has been reinforced by (but is not dependent on) the City’s physical structure, especially the part of the City created before World War II. Many of CPAC’s recommendations focus on perceived obstacles to having an imegrated sense of community, whether they be physical (e.g., traffic-dominated residential streets), procedural (e.g., a sense of community alienation from the City decision-making process, perhaps especially on land use matters), or service issues (e.g., child care). There is an understanding that Palo Alto is more than a residential community; and enhancing commercial and service elements is important for both the larger sense of community and, for activities that generate municipal revenue, to sustain and enhance the local government revenues necessary to undertake the physical and service programs that help make Palo Alto a very special place. Subsequent Board, Commission and Council reviews and actions have maintained this policy theme. Regarding specific goal, policy and program sections that have been reviewed by the Council, there are a number of key directions. Community Design: In 1976, Palo Alto’s Comprehensive Plan included an Urban Design element, which was one of the first General Plan Urban Design elements in the state. The new Comprehensive Plan takes the urban design concept significantly farther than earlier Plans. The Community Design goals, policies and programs incorporate the concept of a system of walkable neighborhoods that build on existing development patterns. Areas where physical change is desired are highlighted, and a process (coordinated area plans) is identified for facilitating community involvement in more detailed planning efforts. As Comprehensive Plan consultant Daniel Iacofano has noted, the Community Design goals, policies and programs "aim to create land use patterns which support some interaction and non-automobile transportation. Community design becomes a tool for strengthening and enhancing neighborhood quality and an enhanced sense of community." This element of the Comprehensive Plan will need to be expanded to include the Land Use Map and an explanation of the land use categories on the diagram. Transportation: Reducing the growth in traffic continues to be a key component of the City’s approach to Transportation issues. Of important note for the next Comprehensive Plan (as well as for the CMR: 127:96 Page 3 of 8 1976 and 1981 Plans), is that reducing the growth in traffic does not mean reducing traffic below current levels. While some traffic levels have dropped in the past five years, that has been primarily because of larger economic and population distribution factors. In the time frame of the next Comprehensive Plan, it is not realistic to expect the City to have either the regulatory control or the financial resources necessary to bring about a notable drop in traffic levels. However, the City can take actions to slow the growth in traffic and reduce the negative impacts of existing and future traffic. Key new aspects of the proposed goals, policies and programs include recognition that four key arterials are also residential streets and efforts need to be undertaken to reduce the negative impacts of the vehicles that of necessity need to use these routes. New transportation approaches include the general emphasis on traffic calming, development of a local transit (i.e., shuttle bus) system and the concept of reinforcing the walkability of neighborhoods. These programs expand significantly the City’s commitment to multimodal transportation planning. These programs, and measures in the Community Design and Housing sections, which reference the transit centers, are both bold and progressive. They represent an extension of existing City policy, but make a stronger commitment than the current plan and previous public actions to integrate land use and multimodal transportation planning. Housing: Staff concludes that the housing goals, policies and programs do not give a strong enough emphasis to both market rate and affordable housing. Based on the Housing section’s approved "Vision Statement," staff believes that the intent of the Council was to include market rate as well as affordable housing. Emphasis should be given to maintaining existing housing and protecting single-family and mixed-density neighborhoods. Staff sees maintaining single-family neighborhoods and existing housing as important today as in the 1976 and 1981 Plans. Of note is that maintaining what the City has does not always mean maintaining the same structures. As Palo Alto’s housing stock ages, the need for private rehabilitation, including replacement of some housing, is important. The proposed goals, policies and programs continue the City’s strong emphasis on finding ways to protect existing housing and to provide additional very low-, low- and moderate- income housing. There is also continued and strengthened emphasis on providing opportunities for new housing, including all levels of cost and a variety of housing types and locations. Natural Environment: Three key aspects of natural environment goals, policies and programs are the protection and enhancement of the urban area "natural environment," whether that be land, air or water; preservation and protection of the Baylands natural environment; and preservation and CMR: 127:96 Page 4 of 8 protection of the Foothills environment. The new Plan places new emphasis on creeks, trees, parks and parkways. It will also merge and update City policies and programs that are currently scattered among the 1981 Comprehensive Plan, the Open Space Element and other parks, recreation and Baylands policy documents. Communi .W Facilities: This section is an outgrowth of the CPAC "Governance and Community Services" policy and program document and a set of recommendations from the City Manager. Staff’s recommendations were, to some extent, inspired by and complement the citizen recommendations. They, however, deal more specifically with physical facility planning for the future and address only services which will have an effect on the use and layout of those facilities. The objectives of the new element will be to treasure, maintain and reinvest in our numerous community facilities and to meet changing demands of the community. A set of recommendations from the Palo Alto Unified School District is forthcoming, and will be added to this element. This element will replace the current "Schools and Parks" Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Business and Economics: The proposed business-related goals, policies and programs represent a more balanced perspective than contained in the 1976 and 1981 Plans. Business activities are recognized as an important part of Palo Alto, and it is desirable that business areas be vital and successful. City processes should be business friendly rather than antagonistic. While the City should enhance existing commercial and employment areas, there is no receptivity to the physical enlargement of those areas into currently undeveloped non-urban areas or areas developed with residential uses. There is receptivity toward upgrading/changing under-used nonresidential areas, with emphasis on both upgraded commercial uses and integration of residential uses into traditionally nonresidential areas. The process for developing planning policies and regulations, for areas where change is to be encouraged and facilitated, is envisioned as having a strong community involvement (business and residential) component and be aimed, in part, toward economically feasible policies and regulations. Suggested Elements of a Comprehensive Plan Vision City policy, in a coordinated way, will protect and enhance Palo Alto’s sense of community and undertake new efforts to create a stronger sense of community. The Palo Alto community includes physical layout of the City and the activities that go on in the City, including services provided by the private, nonprofit and governmental sectors. Within the Comprehensive Plan, particular emphasis is placed on six major proposals: CMR: 127:96 .Page 5 of 8 Maintain and enhance all of Palo Alto’s neighborhoods. Palo Alto’s neighborhoods range from homogeneous single-family areas to mixed-density and mixed-use neighborhoods. Retain those features that are valued, and improve upon those features which need strengthening. Protect existing housing and provide new housing opportunities for all income levels. Seek opportunities to add new housing in areas where housing will make contributions to the character and form of the neighborhood and especially where transit and services can be conveniently utilized. Actively provide the community with convenient, attractive, and competitive alternatives to the automobile, and reduce the negative effects of vehicles on the community. While notable reductions in overall traffic levels are unlikely, Palo Alto has taken, and will continue to take, actions to reduce the negative impacts of vehicles and facilitate provision of pedestrian, bicycle and transit alternatives. Recognize Palo Alto’s businesses as important members of the community, providing vital community services. Having healthy and competitive businesses is important, in part because of the services provided to Palo Altans and also the revenues generated for the City. Existing business areas should be enhanced, while seeking to minimize traffic and. other effects that can negatively impact the community. Protect and enhance our land, air and water resources, including foothills and bayland open spaces and urban assets. In the urban parts of the community, green spaces, such as creeks, parks and trees, are valuable resources that need to be actively protected and enhanced. m Protect and enhance community centers, libraries and other facilities. Palo Alto provides a wide range of community facilities intended to serve all elements of the population. These facilities and their related services will need to be made available in increasingly flexible ways in order to meet the demands of a diverse and active community. Physical changes will be managed through a variety of processes involving extensive community involvement. For larger areas where physical change is desired, processes will be established within which business and resident members of the community can respectfully collaborate to plan the community’s desired future. Planned changes should contribute positively toward the community’s appearance and be economically viable. CMR: 127:96 Page 6 of 8 ALTERNATIVES The new Comprehensive Plan should contain a sense of the vision underlying the document. The Council should suggest modifications to the staff language as the Council deems appropriate. FISCAL IMPACT The new Comprehensive Plan will have a variety of fiscal impacts. An assessment of these impacts will be prepared when the Draft Plan is published and available for public review. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The Draft Comprehensive Plan will be accompanied by a Draft EIR. No environmental action or findings are necessary at the current stage of the Plan update process. STEPS FOLLOWING APPROVAL Council direction on goals, policies and programs, as well as the vision statement, will be edited and incorporated into a Draft Comprehensive Plan. The Draft Plan, which is anticipated to be published in late summer, will be subject to extensive public review, including public hearings by the City.’s advisory Boards and Commissions and the City Council. ATTACHMENTS None. CC:Architectural Review Board Historic Resources Board Human Relations Commission Planning Commission Public Art Commission Utilities Advisory Commission PREPARED BY:Kenneth Schreiber, Director Nancy Lytle, Chief Planning Official DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: KENNETH R. SCHREIBER Director of Planning and Community Environment CMR: 127:96 Page 7 of 8 CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: City CMR: 127:96 Page 8 of 8