HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.4 W Dub GPA Status CITY CLERK
File # 0420-30
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 18, 2000
SUBJECT:
PA 99-003 Western Dublin General Plan Amendment Study -
Project Status
Report Prepared by Carol R. Cirelli, Senior Planner ~t~_~
ATTACHMENTS:
Letter from Western Dublin Property Owner Roxanne
Nielsen
RECOMMENDATION:
1) Receive staff presentation; and 2) direct staffto either conduct a
public workshop and complete the Western Dublin General Plan
Amendment Study before the November 2000 election, or after the
election.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None
BACKGROUND:
On February 16, 1999, the City Council directed staff to initiate a Western Dublin General Plan
Amendment Study to consider establishing an urban limit line along the western city boundary, pending
the vote on the Urban Limit Line measure; and to consider appropriate land use designations and policies
related to development within the Western Extended Planning Area.
On February 1, 2000, the City Council adopted an interim ordinance extending the moratorium on the
approval of general plan amendments for the Western Extended Planning Area pending the completion of
the general plan amendment study for the area. This moratorium expires February 17, 2001.
DESCRIPTION:
Staff has made progress towards completing the Western Dublin General Plan Amendment Study. Staff
has begun assessing the general plan amendments that are necessary to adopt if the Urban Limit Line
measure passes. This would involve general plan text and land use map amendments. Staff is further
researching general plan amendments that should be adopted if the Urban Limit Line initiative fails. Staff
will determine the Western Dublin areas that might be suitable for residential and/or commercial
development, and areas that should be designated agricultural/open space. The Western Dublin Open
Space Study is almost near completion. Another public workshop for this study is proposed to be held the
g:\PA 99-003\CC SR re study status
COPIES TO: In-House Distribution
ITEM NO.
first week of May, 2000. This study will be used as background information for the Western Dublin
General Plan Amendment Study. Finally, staff will study the feasibility of any Sphere of Influence
changes and will complete any necessary environmental documentation for the general plan amendments
that are proposed.
Staff recommends conducting a public workshop during the Western Dublin General Plan Amendment
Study process. Public input is necessary for any general plan amendment.
The purpose of this agenda statement is to receive City Council direction as to whether the Western
Dublin General Plan Amendment Study should be completed and presented to the City Council and
workshop conducted before the November election, or after the election. There are pros and cons to each
process. Western Dublin property owner Roxanne Nielsen submitted a letter supporting completion of the
Study before the election (see Attachment 1).
First of all, any general plan amendment the City Council wishes to adopt as a result of the Study would
be accomplished after the election, depending on the election results. The City Council can make
decisions on the general plan amendment options presented as part of the Study before the election.
However, the City Council would not be approving any general plan amendment until after the November
election.
One possible benefit of presenting the City Council with the General Plan Amendment Study before the
November election is that more specific information regarding possible land use and policy alternatives
for the Western Dublin area, based on whether the initiative passes or fails, would be known to the voting
public.
There may be some question as to whether the City can process any general plan amendment for the
Western Extended Planning Area depending on the outcome of one particular initiative that may be on the
November ballot: the "Save Agriculture and Open Space Lands Initiative." This initiative would be
applicable to unincorporated Alameda County territory. If the "Save Agriculture and Open Space Lands
Initiative" passes, all areas west of the present City limits, as of the election date, would remain
agricultural or open space.
A second initiative, the proposed Tri-Valley Vision 2010 Initiative, which is not yet drafted, will protect
the City's present Western Dublin Sphere of Influence boundary. The initiative will support the urban
growth policies of the Alameda County General Plan - East County Area Plan. Since both initiatives
cover all unincorporated territory within Alameda County, any initiative that passes at the County level
would supersede any City land use policies and objectives for the Western Extended Planning Area.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council: 1) receive staff presentation; and 2) direct staff to either conduct
a public workshop and complete the Western Dublin General Plan Amendment Study before the
November 2000 election, or conduct the public workshop, complete the Study, and adopt the general plan
amendment after the election.
March 20, 2000
Roxanne Nielsen
11637 Alegre Drive
Dublin, CA. 94568
Carol Cireili. Senior Planner
City of Dublin
100 Civic Plaza
Dublin, CA 94568
RE: Western Dublin General Plan Amendment Study
· Dear Carol:
Thank you for your response to my letter and the information on the corrected acreage.
it is true that the original resolution initiating a general plan amendment study was to be
completed after it was resolved by the voters, as you stated in your letter. However, it
was my understanding that the council after discussion decided in favor of completing it
before the election. (See Mayor Houston's comments, Feb. 16, 1999, city council
minutes, volume 18, pg.85 "The GPA should be done before the vote. We can't have
the vote before we accomplish the GPA." CM. Lockhart stated pg. 86" She felt the
GPA study would go concurrently with the election." (Not after).
I am pleased to learn that every effort is being 'made to complete the GPA study for the
ballot statements and that they will definitely be completed prior to the election in
November.
Thank you,
Roxanne Nieslen
CC: Mayor Houston and City Council members