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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes_11-06-2024Page 1 of 5 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CENTRAL LIBRARY FRIEND’S ROOM – 1000 AVOCADO AVENUE November 6, 2024 REGULAR MEETING – 5 P.M. I. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER – 5:02 p.m. II. WELCOME AND ROLL CALL Present: Co-Chair Jeremy Evans and Arlene Greer Staff: Deputy Community Development Director Jaime Murillo and Planning Manager Ben Zdeba, Principal Civil Engineer Kevin Riley Committee Members: Dennis Baker, Curtis Black, James Carlson, Annie Clougherty, Virginia Anders-Ellmore, Lynn Hackman, Laird Hayes, Scott Laidlaw, Anthony Maniscalchi, Thomas Meng, Jim Mosher, Janine Padia, Maxwell Pearson, Amber Snider, and Paul Watkins Excused: Nicholas Acevedo, Susan DeSantis, David Guder, Charles Klobe, Ruth Kobayashi, Nancy Scarbrough, and Lori Williams Absent: Katie Love, Robert Rader, Debbie Stevens, and Christy Walker III. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS – GPUSC Chair Nancy Gardner encouraged participation by all GPAC members. IV. CURRENT BUSINESS a. Meeting Minutes of October 2, 2024 Motion made by Committee Member Baker and seconded by Committee Member Watkins to approve the meeting minutes of October 2, 2024, with Mr. Mosher’s edits. With Co-Chair Evans abstaining, the motion carried unanimously. b. Guest Presentation: Tony Petros on Circulation and Transportation GPUSC Chair Gardner, introduced Tony Petros, CEO of LSA Associates and former City Councilmember, who provided a presentation on circulation topics, such as complete streets, and how they are included in the General Plan. In response to GPUSC Chair Gardner’s question, Mr. Petros offered creative approaches to consider layered networks in Mariner’s Mile and Corona del Mar. In response to Committee Member Baker’s question, Mr. Petros discussed the idea of reversable lanes and ownership challenges. In response to Committee Member Maniscalchi’s inquiry, Mr. Petros stated he would not comment on the political will of complete streets. General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting November 6, 2024 Page 2 of 5 In response to Committee Member Laidlaw’s question, Mr. Petros noted that land use and transportation are linked together and highlighted approaches for considering density to increase the viability of complete streets. In response to a member of the public, Chuck Fancher’s question, Mr. Petros noted that an assignment of a right-of-way is used regardless of the conveyance and an electronic system is used for constant communication between the vehicle and the environment for autonomous mobility. In response to Co-Chair Greer’s question, Mr. Petros was unaware of an electric bike food delivery service in Newport Beach. In response to Committee Member Baker’s concern, Mr. Petros noted that to resolve the conflict of space shared on walkways by cyclists and walkers, the rights-of-way would need to be reassigned and reimagined. In reply to Committee Member Mosher’s question, Mr. Petros was unaware of the timeline to finish the complete streets master plan in Newport Beach. Planning Manager Zdeba stated that no timeline has been noted for complete streets in the implementation program of the General Plan and that just because the City does not have a complete streets plan, it does not mean that the City is not implementing complete streets components. c. Noise Subcommittee Recap The GPAC Noise Subcommittee met on October 28, 2024, primarily to review the draft scope of work for additional support and services from Dudek regarding updating the Noise Element. The Subcommittee also reviewed noise complaints and citation data from the Police Department and determined next steps. Subcommittee Chair Jim Mosher provided an overview of the Subcommittee’s discussions. Attachment 2 included a cover memo and action minutes from the October 28, 2024, Subcommittee meeting. Recommended Actions: 1- Receive an overview from the GPAC Noise Subcommittee; 2- Provide any feedback on the Subcommittee’s efforts; and 3- Receive and file Attachment 2 to continue guiding the initial update effort for the Noise Element. Subcommittee Chair Mosher stated that Dudek is proposing to assist the Subcommittee with a community noise survey, roadway noise modeling, and text and policies in the Noise Element. He noted that the Newport Beach Police Department’s complaints consist of calls for party noise, loud music, and animal noise and citations are mostly for modified loud exhaust on vehicles and disturbance advisory cards for large parties. Additionally, he relayed that more work is being done to uncover the source of noise complaints received by Code Enforcement. The Subcommittee will convene once more to reassess the existing Noise Element policies without the consultant, to help this effort stay on budget for the remainder of the consultant’s contract with the City. General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting November 6, 2024 Page 3 of 5 Committee Member Baker thought consideration should be given to the whole context for noise enforcement efforts. In reply to Committee Member Stevens’ questions, Planning Manager Zdeba stated that the City uses noise contours from the County of Orange’s 2014 environmental impact report (EIR) related to noise in the Airport Area. Committee Member Guder expressed concern if the noise measures are based on current traffic count data. d. November Workshops: Recreation and Natural Resources, and Coastal Resilience and Safety At the September 4, 2024, regular meeting, the GPAC received and filed the Phase Two Outreach Plan. At the October 2, 2024, regular meeting, the GPAC was presented with an attachment with draft goal topics and policy action ideas. After discussion, the GPAC voted to send the draft documents to each subcommittee for review and input. Since that meeting, City staff has conducted meetings with the Vision Statement Subcommittee, the Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee, and the Safety Subcommittee. Attachment 3 provided an update on the content and activities planned for the upcoming workshops in November and December. Recommendation Actions: 1- Receive an overview from City staff and the consultant team; 2- Provide any feedback on the effort; and 3- Receive and file Attachment 3 to allow Dudek and Kearns & West to proceed with creating workshop materials. Planning Manager Zdeba stated that the intent today’s discussion is to continue the conversation. He noted the goals are crafted from input received from Phase One pop-up events, subcommittee meetings, and the existing conditions and background analysis reports. Elizabeth Dickson of Dudek used a presentation to highlight the confirmed workshop topics and dates, workshop coordination and format, visioning activity 1, guiding values activity 2, and draft goals and policies activity 3. She stated the workshops will be two hours in duration. In reply to Committee Member Mosher’s questions, Ms. Dickson noted that the color of the dots portrayed is irrelevant and post it notes will be used for public comment dislikes. In reply to Committee Member Clougherty’s question, Taylor Funderburk of Kearns & West stated that the homeowner’s associations (HOAs) can be added directly to the email list and encouraged GPAC members to invite groups and individuals to workshops. Planning Manager Zdeba relayed that he will be marketing materials to the GPAC members to share on social media or via text, and HOA property management companies are on the e-notifications list. In reply to Committee Member Baker’s inquiry, Ms. Funderburk reviewed the advertising efforts to invite community members to the workshops. Planning Manager General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting November 6, 2024 Page 4 of 5 Zdeba noted short videos and Instagram reels being created to identify the General Plan update process and Phase Two, a multiprong advertising approach, and complimentary efforts on the Newport, Together webpage. Co-Chair Greer noted that the Parks and Recreation Department oversees the Newport Navigator that can be used for future announcements. Committee Member Watkins suggested Tom Johnson, publisher for Stu News Newport, summarize and comment on the General Plan and the importance of the workshops at the beginning of his reporting. He suggested qualifying goal number eight on page 32 of the draft goals by adding “as required by law.” GPUSC Chair Gardner thought that environmental and climate change factors should be considered, and more appropriate wording could be used instead of stating that what the City is doing is solely because the State law requires it. Ms. Dickson indicated that his comments were received, and the wording was reframed. e. December Workshops: Arts and Cultural and Historical Resources, and Land Use and Harbor, Bay, and Beaches City staff has been working with the consultant team to create draft content for the two workshops in December. The intent of the content is to continue the conversation and to inform development of future draft Goals and Policies. A brief overview was provided with the intention that the Land Use Subcommittee and the Harbor and Bay Subcommittee will be meeting later in November to review the drafts in more detail. Given the workshops are planned for December 4 and December 5, there is not adequate time to conduct a regular GPAC meeting after the Subcommittees meet and before the workshops. Recommended Actions: 1- Receive an overview from City staff and the consultant team; 2- Provide any feedback on the effort; and 3- Conduct a vote to direct the Land Use Subcommittee and the Harbor and Bay Subcommittee to clear the draft content for the workshops without subsequent GPAC review. Planning Manager Zdeba clarified that the timeline will not permit a review of the December workshops by the GPAC, and the goal is to have the GPAC direct the subcommittees to review the workshop content prior to moving forward. Committee Member Mosher noted that the Harbor and Bay background report is not posted on the Newport, Together website. Co-Chair Greer noted that room assignments were not noted for the workshops. Motion made by Committee Member Baker and seconded by Committee Member Maniscalchi, to approve the item as recommended by staff. Jim Mosher voted no due to a Brown Act issue. With Committee Member Mosher voting no, the motion carried. General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting November 6, 2024 Page 5 of 5 f. Presentation: Overview of Upcoming Deliverables and Objectives City staff and the consultant team shared more information about current work, upcoming deliverables, and what to expect next. A presentation was utilized to outline the draft General Plan timeline and the next steps for outreach and General Plan development. In reply to Committee Member Mosher’s concern, Ms. Dickson confirmed that feedback collected along the way is being considered and policy direction has been provided by the comments made by the subcommittees. Committee Member Mosher expressed concern for changing policy that’s in writing and questioned the basis for policy development. In reply, Ms. Dickson stated that she thought the workshop attendance would not be small, noted other ways to engage the community, and explained the approach to collect feedback for policy formation. Furthermore, she indicated that Dudek is not anticipating any changes to the land use, seeking feedback from the community about what they want to see in the areas as housing comes in, and not proposing a conceptual plan for the airport area. V. COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) – None VI. ADJOURNMENT - With no further business, Co-Chair Evans adjourned the meeting at 6:23 p.m.