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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes_01-18-2023CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN UPDATE STEERING COMMITTEE AND GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE JOINT-MEETING MINUTES CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE JANUARY 18, 2023 SPECIAL MEETING – 6 P.M. I. CALL THE JOINT MEETING TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE STEERING COMMITTEE (GPUSC) Present: Chair Nancy Gardner and Committee Members Kimberly Carter and Phillip Brown Absent: None Staff: Community Development Director Seimone Jurjis, Deputy Community Development Director Jim Campbell, and Principal Planner Ben Zdeba, Principal Planner Jaime Murillo, Senior Planner Liz Westmoreland, Senior Planner Chelsea Crager, Senior Planner Makana Nova III. ROLL CALL FOR THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (GPAC) Present: Dennis Baker, Curtis Black, James Carlson, Annie Clougherty, Corine Doughty, Arlene Greer, David Guder, Lynn Hackman, Laird Hayes, Charles Klobe, Ruth Kobayashi, Denis LaBonge, Jonathan Langford, Katie Love, Anthony Maniscalchi, Thomas Meng, Jim Mosher, Maxwell Pearson, Nancy Scarbrough, Amber Snider, Debbie Stevens, Paul Watkins, Lori Williams, Christy Walker, and Robert Rader Absent: Excused: Graham Wahlberg Jeff Cefalia, Jeremy Evans, and Laurel Tippett IV. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS GPUSC Chair Gardner provided opening remarks encouraging the newly appointed GPAC members to be bold and creative and to have fun. She noted that staff will explain what a General Plan is and will facilitate and assist both committees with information and guidance. V. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS GPAC Member Charles Klobe asked if the meeting is being recorded or broadcast live. GPAC Member Jim Mosher suggested the GPUSC clarify if staff was directed at the November 29, 2022, City Council meeting to work with the Airport Village Community Plan Group (AVCPG) to develop a memorandum of understanding for a community plan for the airport area or if it was requested for a future agenda item. Adriana Fourcher, business owner, questioned if the AVCPG intends to represent all the properties in the Airport Area or just their own properties. She recommended the GPAC identify representatives in the business community who are not developers and encouraged broader stakeholder engagement. Ms. Fourcher believed it would be improper and perceived as self-dealing if a private group were to be allowed to influence the planning process. Special Joint Meeting of GPUSC and GPAC January 18, 2023 Page 2 of 4 GPAC Member Nancy Scarbrough encouraged additional community and business owner input in the Airport Area planning process. VI. CURRENT BUSINESS a. General Plan Update Steering Committee Minutes of October 27, 2022 Motion made by Committee Member Carter and seconded by Committee Member Brown to approve the minutes of October 27, 2022. The motion carried unanimously 3-0. b. Orientation and General Plan 101 Deputy Community Development Director Campbell used a presentation to recap the members of the GPUSC and GPAC, as well as their roles and purpose. He also introduced City staff members and their roles. He identified the working relationships between the City Council, GPUSC, GPAC, City staff, and the community and proceeded to provide an overview of the General Plan’s purpose, function, and inclusions, the 2006 General Plan update, and the completed Housing and Circulation Elements. Principal Planner Zdeba reviewed the remaining required and optional elements to work on and the parallel processing tracks with the Land Use Element update and rezonings. Deputy Community Development Director Campbell noted that the GPAC will not be revisiting the Housing Element policies, no additional commercial development will be considered at this time, and the Land Use Element can be revisited in the future. The update is focused on implementing the Housing Element’s strategies to comply with the 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation. Principal Planner Zdeba continued the presentation by reviewing the Land Use Element and rezoning focus maps, current consultant contract services, and summarized the vision statement, Safety Element, Noise Element, Arts & Cultural Element, Harbor & Bay Element, Historical Resources Element, Natural Resources Element, and Recreation Element. He concluded by presenting the overall timeline for the update. In response to GPAC Member Curtis Black’s question, Deputy Community Development Director Campbell shared that the optional elements came from community interest and the GPAC will need to read across the entire General Plan to make sure there are no conflicts. In response to GPAC Member Paul Watkin’s question, Principal Planner Zdeba confirmed that the State allows Environmental Justice Element policies to be weaved throughout the General Plan and within each element. Special Joint Meeting of GPUSC and GPAC January 18, 2023 Page 3 of 4 In response to GPAC Member Charles Klobe’s inquiry, Deputy Community Development Director Campbell stated that the General Plan will not have to go to the California Coastal Commission (CCC), but there may be policies in the General Plan that may end up being an amendment to the Local Coastal Program (LCP). Any amendment to the LCP must go to the CCC. c. Selection of General Plan Advisory Committee Chair and Vice Chair GPUSC Chair Gardner and the GPUSC asked for the GPAC members to sign up for element subcommittees of interest along with any interest in the GPAC Chair or Vice Chair seats so they can return to the next meeting with a recommendation for Chair, Vice Chair, and subcommittee members. Staff distributed handouts and Chair Gardner explained the role of the Chair. d. General Plan Element Subcommittees of the Advisory Committee GPUSC Chair Gardner directed members of the GPAC to identify their interest in guiding the updates to the various elements of the General Plan based on areas of individual expertise by signing up for element subcommittees with no limit. e. Timing and Frequency of General Plan Advisory Committee Meetings GPUSC Chair Gardner announced the next joint meeting in two weeks followed by monthly subcommittee meetings in a meeting room to be determined. It was shared that meetings are presently being video recorded and posted online with no live stream. Principal Planner Zdeba announced a follow-up email to update the subcommittees and chair/vice chair handout and identified himself as the liaison for the GPAC. In response to GPAC Member Curtis Black’s inquiry on creating optional elements, Deputy Community Development Director Campbell recounted how the committees for the 2006 comprehensive General Plan Update came to suggest the creation of optional elements. He indicated that the GPAC could make a recommendation to the GPUSC and that the GPUSC will report to the City Council with GPAC’s ideas and updates. VII. COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) GPAC Member Curtis Black requested to place consideration of creating sustainability and resiliency elements on the next agenda. In response to a question from Chuck Fancher, resident, GPUSC Chair Gardner noted that the work of each subcommittee would be reported back to the larger GPAC at which point the public could provide input and comment. Chair Gardner noted that the GPAC could discuss and decide whether to make subcommittee meetings open at its next meeting. In response to an inaudible comment from an unidentifiable individual, Deputy Director Campbell noted that the future consultant would assist with a robust outreach and engagement program. In response to a question by GPAC Member Dennis Baker, GPUSC Chair Gardner noted that non- Special Joint Meeting of GPUSC and GPAC January 18, 2023 Page 4 of 4 governmental organizations would participate in the update process just as any member of the public would participate during regular meetings. In response to a question by GPAC Member Nancy Scarbrough, GPUSC Chair Gardner indicated there is no limit on the number of subcommittees that GPAC members can participate in. Deputy Community Development Director Campbell directed GPAC members to contact the City Clerk to take the Oath of Office. Senior Planner Zdeba directed GPAC members to sign into their City email addresses where Committee and subcommittee communications will be delivered. VIII. ADJOURNMENT The next Special Joint Meeting of the GPUSC and GPAC will take place on February 1, 2023.