HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-09-12 City Council (4)TO:
FROM:
City
HONORABLE CITY coUNCIL
CITY MANAGER
City of Palo Alto
Manager’s Repor
DEPARTMENT: Planning and
Community Environment
IoA,
DATE:
SUBJECT:
September 12, 1996 CMR:400:96
Time Line for the Draft Comprehensive Plan and Draft
Environmental Impact Report: Distribution, Public Review,
Planning Commission Recommendation and City Council
Adoption Process
REQUEST
This informational staffreport describes the current schedule for public review and adoption
of the 1996-2010 Comprehensive Plan and Environmental Impact Report.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This is an informational .report only. No action is required by the City Council.
BACKGROUND
In spring of 1996, the City Council completed Phase II of the Comprehensive Plan Update.
Concluding with the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee’s (CPAC) recommendations
on "Governance", the Council completed its thorough review of over 1,000 policies and
programs recommended by CPAC to be included in the Draft Comprehensive Plan. The
Council eventually recommended that 576 policies and programs be included in the Draft
Comprehensive Plan. Since that time, staff has proceeded with Phase III of the
Comprehensive Plan Update. The Council-endorsed goals, policies and programs have been
organized into plan elements, including all elements required by the State and some optional
elements. Text to explain and provide context for the programs and policies has been
drafted. The entire document has been edited by a professional editor and is now being
formatted for publication by a publication specialist. Graphic illustrations, map exhibits,
photographs and other publication art are being added to illustrate and make the document
more interesting and informative. Likewise, the Draft Environmental Impact Report is being
prepared. Growth scenarios were developed based on the Council adopted growth limits, as
well as other growth alternatives, as required by CEQA. The impacts of the proposed plan
CMR:400:96 Page 1 of 4
and the other altematives are being assessed and documented by the EIR consultant, Brady
and Associates. The work of staff and consultants is nearing completion, and a schedule for
public review of these two significant documents is available.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
The Draft Comprehensive Plan 1997-2010 will contain 576 policies and programs. The
majority of these are an extension of existing City policies, as articulated in the current
Comprehensive Plan and Citywide Land Use and Transportation Study. Some, however, are
new policies. The Business and Economics Element contains many new policies, as does the
Land Use and Community Design Element. Many of the Transportation Element policies
and programs are new, although the new recommendations are largely consistent with
existing City policies. The Governance Chapter contains new policies and programs.
DISCUSSION
The tentative schedule for release and review of the Draft Comprehensive Plan 1997-2010
and DEIR is as follows: ’
November 8, 1996:
Mid-November to mid-
December, 1996:
December 18 and 19, 1996:
December 23, 1996:
January 1997:
January and February 1997:
March 1997:
March and April, 1997:
Distribution of Draft Documents to the Public, CPAC,
Boards and Commissions.
Draft Plan Public Study Sessions at Planning
Commission.
Planning Commission Public _Hearings on the Draft Plan
and Draft EIR.
Public Review Period on the DEIR ends.
Planning Commission recommendations to occur at
Special Meetings throughout the month.
Final EIR to be prepared.
Planning Commission recommendations on the Draft
Comprehensive Plan and Final EIR forwarded to City
Council.
City Council Public Hearings and consideration of Final
EIR, Draft Plan, and Planning Commission
Recommendations.
CMR:400:96 Page 2 of 4
May 1997:
June and July 1997:
City Council changes to the Draft Plan are reviewed by
the Planning Commission (as required by the Municipal
Code) and the Housing Element forwarded to the State
Department of Housing and Community Development
for consideration and comment.
Final Council review and adoption of the FEIR and
Comprehensive Plan 1997-2010.
ALTERNATIVES
While a faster Time line for public review and adoption is probably infeasible, a longer Time
line could be developed. This is not recommended, considering the extended Time line that
occurred during Phase II.
FISCAL IMPACT
An analysis of the fiscal impacts of the policies and programs Will be developed for the
Council’s review in March and April, 1997.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The Draft Environmental Impact Report is currently being prepared and will accompany the
Draft Comprehensive Plan in the public review process.
STEPS FOLLOWING APPROVAL
This is an informational report, and no Council action is required.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
CC:Architectural Review Board
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee
Historic Resources Board
Human Relations Commission
Planning Commission
Public Art Commission
Technical Advisory Group
Utilities Advisory Commission
CMR:400:96 Page 3 of 4
PREPARED BY: Nancy Maddox Lytle, Chief Planning Official
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
KENNETH R. SCHREIBER
Director of Planning and
Community Environment
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CMR:400:96 Page 4 of 4