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Home My WebLink About10 - Santa Ana River Vision Plan & Advisory Committee Formation0 0 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. io November 28, 2006 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: City Managers Office Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager – (949) 644 -3002 dkiff(ilcity. newport- beach.ca.us General Services Department Chris Marcarello, Administrative Analyst -- (949) 644 -3057 cma rca relloa -city. newport- beach. ca. u s SUBJECT: Santa Ana River Vision Plan— Advisory Committee Formation ISSUE: Should the City Council appoint members to serve on the City's Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee and accept a grant of $5,000 from The Wildlands Conservancy to begin resource planning along the Santa Ana River? RECOMMENDATION: 1. Adopt Resolution 2006 - establishing the Santa Ana River Advisory Committee. 2. Appoint the proposed list of organizations and their designated representatives to the City's Santa Ana River Advisory Committee; 3. Designate Mayor Pro-Tem Rosansky to chair the committee; 4. Accept a $5,000 grant from The Wildlands Conservancy to begin work on a vision document. DISCUSSION: Background The City has participated in planning for the Orange Coast River Park (OCRP), a park that would link Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach via the Santa Ana River. The OCRP would be one of the largest parks in Orange County, but is currently still in the conceptual design phase. In order for the OCRP to become reality, land must be purchased and recreational amenities must be constructed. The City has offered 0 0 Santa Ana River Vision Plan Trails Advisory Committee Formation November 28, 2006 Page 2 about $10,000 in direct donations or staff time in support of the OCRP planning process. The Santa Ana River Trail is a 110 mile trail that passes through the counties of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino. The trail's bike path helps to connect several recreational amenities, including national forests, state and county parks, and the Pacific Ocean. Over the past several years, The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) has led a renaissance of the Santa Ana River, offering private funding to public agencies in efforts to restore the bike trail and establish a tri- county natural lands parkway. So far, TWC has funded several projects, including a grant to the City of Santa Ana to restore habitat and enhance outdoor education programs at Santiago Park; a grant to San Bernardino County to purchase land and create a new regional park; and a grant to Riverside County to perform ecological restoration work. TWC has offered up to $5,000 to cities that abut the Santa Ana River, to assist with developing vision plans for their portion of the river. The vision plans will help to restore and enhance environmental and passive recreational elements along the Santa Ana River. In addition, these vision plans will create trail linkages and increase public access between neighboring communities. The Santa Ana River passes by Newport Beach along our western border. The river carries stormwater and sediment from as far away as San Bernardino County and the foothills of the Redlands area. Only about one mile of the Santa Ana River is within the City's boundaries. However, since this mile includes the mouth of the river, it is an important mile for habitat restoration and passive recreation. City Council Direction/Future Steps On March 28, 2006, the City Council adopted resolution 2006 -25 (Attachment 2), authorizing the City's participation in the Santa Ana River habitat and recreational planning process. Since then, staff has worked with community representatives and TWC to develop a list of organizations (Attachment 3) that should be represented on The City's Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee. The organizations on this list represent a diverse group, including the City Council, City Advisory Commissions, a City Advisory Committee, City departments, non -profit groups, and community associations. Prior to beginning the visioning process, TWC requires that the City Council approve all representatives appointed to the committee. Over the next six to twelve months, the City's Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee will meet at least 4 times to develop a vision and identify enhancement opportunities for the areas adjacent to the Santa Ana River. Using the grant from TWC, the committee will work to develop a vision document and report that outlines these opportunities and better positions the City for future project development along the Santa Ana River trail. • Santa Ana River Vision Plan Trails Advisory Committee Formation November 28, 2006 Page 3 Environmental Review: This project does not require environmental review. Public Notice: This agenda item may be noticed according to the Ralph M. Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Fundinci Availability: A planning grant of $5,000 is available for this purpose. Submitted by: h=LA Dave Assistant City Manager Attachments: Prepared by: Chris Marcarello Administrative Analyst 1 — Resolution 2006- 2 — Resolution 2006 -25 3 — Santa Ana River Advisory Committee Roster RESOLUTION NO. 2006- 0 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH ESTABLISHING THE SANTA ANA RIVER TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ACCEPTING A GRANT FOR HABITAT AND RECREATIONAL PLANNING WHEREAS, residents of the city of Newport Beach value the habitat and recreational value of the Lower Santa Ana River; and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach has long supported the planning and formation of the Orange Coast River Park, which would abut and include the Santa Ana River; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach supports future planning activities to protect habitat and encourage passive recreational uses in accordance with State and local laws, as established by Resolution 2006 -25; and WHEREAS, future planning efforts may be supplemented by a $5,000 grant from The Wildlands Conservancy or one of its partner funders if River - adjacent communities form committees to conduct this planning; and WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to establish a community- and stakeholder -based team to assist in planning activities along the Santa Ana River; now therefore be it RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Newport Beach hereby declares the following: SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT The Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee (Committee) shall be established as of the date this Resolution is approved by at least four members of the City Council voting at a duly noticed meeting of the City Council. SECTION 2. DUTIES The Committee shall have the following duties: A. Assist the City Council and City staff in planning activities that protect habitat and encourage passive recreational uses along the Santa Ana River; B. Develop a vision plan document that recommends goals and policies that can be used by the City Council on issues that affect the Santa Ana River; C. Advise the City Council as needed as to community and stakeholder interests as associated with the Santa Ana River and the Orange Coast River Park; SECTION 3. COMPOSITION The Committee shall consist of the following members appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the Mayor: One (1) City Council Member (to serve as chair); One (1) member of the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission; One (1) member of the Planning Commission; One (1) member of the Coastal /Bay Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee Two (2) designees from the Wildlands Conservancy One (1) designee from the Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends One (1) designee from the Earth Resources Foundation One (1) designee from the Orange County Coastkeepers One (1) designee from the Friends of Harbors, Beaches, and Parks One (1) designee from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers One (1) designee from the Orange County Bicycle Association One (1) designee from the Newport Shores Community Association One (1) designee from the West Newport Beach Association One (1) designee from the Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Parks Department Two (2) community representatives SECTION 4. TERM The term of the Committee shall expire at such time as the planning activities and vision plan document are complete. ADOPTED this 28`h day of November, 2006. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK RESOLUTION NO.2006 - 25 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN AND ACCEPTING A GRANT FOR SANTA ANA RIVER HABITAT AND RECREATIONAL PLANNING WHEREAS, residents of the City of Newport Beach value the habitat and recreational value of the Lower Santa Ana River, and WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach has long supported the planning and formation of the Orange Coast River Park, which would abut and include the Santa Ana River, and WHEREAS, The Wildlands Conservancy has worked to coordinate and encourage planning along the Santa Ana River to create a consistent plan across the three- county region; and WHEREAS, these planning efforts may be supplemented by a $5,000 grant from The Wildlands Conservancy or one of its partner funders if River - adjacent communities form committees to conduct this planning and if such planning is consistent with habitat - protective and passive recreational uses, and . WHEREAS, community representatives to the. Orange. Coast River Park Planning Committee and the City's Coastal/Bay Water Quality Committee are supportive of the City's participation in the Wildlands Conservancy's efforts, now, therefore be it RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newport Beach that it hereby: 1. Authorizes the Mayor to execute. any document that accepts a planning grant frrxn the Wildlands Conservancy for Santa Ana River planning; and 2. Authorizes the City Manager or his designee to research the formation of a planning advisory committee to comply with the terms of the .Wildlands Conservancy's grant and 3. Expresses the City's support of planning activities along the Santa Ana.River that protect habitat, encourage passive recreational uses, and that are consistent with the goals of the Orange Coast River Park and the City's General Plan. ADOPT ED this -280' Day of March, 2006. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERIC 0 0 City of Newport Beach Proposed Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee Roster 1- City Council (Committee Chair) 2- Planning Commission 3- Parks, Beaches, Recreation Commission 4- Coastal /Bay Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee 5- The Wildlands Conservancy 6- Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH Americas) 7- Newport Bay Naturalist and Friends 8- Earth Resources Foundation 9- Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks 10- Orange County Coastkeepers 11- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 12- Orange County Bicycle Association 13- Newport Shores Community Association 14- West Newport Beach Association 15- City of Newport Beach Staff 16- Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Parks 17- Community Representative 18- Community Representative ve Rosansky, or designated representative signated representative signated representative ncy Gardner, or designated representative Myers, or designated representative' ry A. King, or designated representative nnis Baker, or designated representative phanie Barger, or designated representative in Watt, or designated representative rry Brown, or designated representative i Morrison, or designated representative signated representative Nard Rich or Mike Sinacori it Watkins, or designated representative ris Marcarello, or designated representative /in Thomas, or designated representative be determined be determined 0 0 "RECEIVED AFTER AGENDA City of Newport Beach FR11JTED_ "� 10 I ltd 8 o6 Proposed Santa Ana River Trails Advisory Committee Roster 1- City Council (Committee Chair) 2- Planning Commission 3- Parks, Beaches, Recreation Commission 4- Coastal /Bay Water Quality Citizens Advisory Committee 5- The Wildlands Conservancy 6- The Wildlands Conservancy 7- Newport Bay Naturalist and Friends 8- Earth Resources Foundation 9- Friends of Harbors. Beaches and Parks 10- Orange County Coastkeepers 11- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 12- Orange County Bicycle Association 13- Newport Shores Community Association 14- West Newport Beach Association 15- City of Newport Beach Staff 16- Orange County Harbors, Beaches, and Parks 17- Community Representative 18- Community Representative Name Steve Rosansky, or designated representative Designated representative Designated representative Nancy Gardner, or designated representative DP Myers, or designated representative Jerry A. King, or designated representative Dennis Baker, or designated representative Stephanie Barger, or designated representative Jean Watt, or designated representative Garry Brown, or designated representative Ken Morrison, or designated representative Designated representative Howard Rich, or designated representative Paul Watkins, or designated representative Chris Marcarello, or designated representative Kevin Thomas, or designated representative To be determined To be determined