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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 6592 RESOLUTION NO. 6592 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE BOLSA CHICA REGIONAL PARK AND APPROVING WITH CONDITIONS THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR PHASE IA OF THE BOLSA CHICA REGIONAL PARK (COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT NO.93-28 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 94-3) WIEREAS, the City of Huntington Beach and the County of Orange entered into an agreement dated November 27, 1979, providing for cooperation in specific terms for the development and operation of a regional park along the Huntington Mesa, connecting Huntington Central Park and Bolsa Chica State Beach, lying partially within City incorporated boundaries and partially within unincorporated County territory; and Said agreement provides that County will prepare a General Development Plan for the park in close cooperation with the City; and The County, with advice and assistance from City and City's appointed citizen advisory committee, has prepared a General Development Plan; and The City Council and County Board of Supervisors have approved the General Development Plan; and County needs City's approval of a Coastal Development Permit and Conditional Use Permit prior to developing any portion of the park located within City's incorporated boundaries; and County has filed with City applications for a Coastal Development Permit and Conditional Use Permit (which have become numbered 93-28 and 94-3, respectively) for developing Phase IA of the Park; and City's Planning Commission on March 1, 1994, disapproved said permit applications with findings identifying unresolved planning issues in the Phase IA project as proposed by the County; and I 4\s18o1sa Chica Reg.ParkNO5/09/94 The matter was appealed to the City Council for further consideration; and The City Council considered the matter at a public hearing on April 4, 1994, continued the matter to May 2, 1994, and appointed a committee of three council members who met with representatives of the County, neighboring residents and other interested parties to clarify and seek to resolve the planning issues; and County's Director of Harbors, Beaches and Parks/Environmental Management Agency has participated in the meetings with the City Council committee and has agreed that certain changes in the park plan can be made to resolve project issues, if the City reconfirms the basic park objectives set forth in the November 27, 1979, City/County park agreement, and assists in implementing a revised park plan; and The City Council has taken testimony at the continued Public Hearing on May 2, 1994, and considered the Coastal Development Permit and Conditional Use Permit applications with the intent to resolve issues and facilitate implementation of the park as soon as possible, NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby resolve as follows; 1. The City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby reaffirm its support for the Bolsa Chica Regional Park and the cooperative agreement dated November 27, 1979, including the obligations of the City set forth in said agreement. 2. The City Council of the City of Huntington Beach reconfirms its support of the essential features of the park as set forth in the General Development Plan conceptually approved by the Council on October 19, 1992, including in particular the following proposed park features: continuous pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle trails connecting Huntington Central Park and Bolsa Chica State Beach; adequate off-street parking located convenient for regional park visitors; an interpretive center providing information and educational opportunities regarding the park, the adjacent wetlands and the cultural and historical resources of the area; revegetation of the site with native plants species designed for compatibility with the adjacent Bolsa Chica lowlands and 2 4tislBolsa Chica Reg,ParkW/09/94 6592 serving wildlife habitat needs; scattered benches, tables and vista overlooks to provide a modest amount of resting and picnicking opportunities for park visitors. 3. The City Council pledges its support and assistance in the acquisition of land necessary for the park and the efforts required to ensure that when the land is conveyed to the County it will be free of soil contamination and other encumbrances that would be deleterious to park development and use by the public. 4. The City Council hereby assures the County that it will not restrict parking along Seapoint and Palm Avenues in the vicinity of the Phase IA area of the park until County has constructed on-site parking in the vicinity of the existing gas plant site, adjacent easterly of the Phase IA project or before January 1, 1996, whichever date comes first. S. CDP 93-28 and CUP No. 94-3 are hereby approved subject to the following conditions and in accordance with the further below stated findings: A. Conditions of Approval for Coastal Development Permit No. 93-28 and Conditional Use Permit No. 94-3: 1. Development of the park shall minimize grading and land form modification to preserve the natural topography of the site. 2. Prior to the commencement of any grading in or near the ravine, the County shall submit and obtain approval from the City Council for a plan showing the proposed extension of the existing drainage structure. Extension of the drainage structure shall be limited to the minimum extent feasible to provide adequately for trail continuity and safety for park users, but shall not exceed 190 lineal feet from the existing location. Plans shall specify detailed drainage for the area and new and relocated willow plantings as well as other vegetation proposed for the expanded and enhanced riparian/wetland habitat area and shall be presented to Council after 3 6592 4WBolsa Chica Reg.ParkW/09/94 review and approval by the Director of Community Development and the Stage Department of Fish and Game. 3_ Prior to initiation of grading activities, the County shall contact the Department of Fish& Game to ensure that activities will avoid disturbances dun ng the nesting period of affected bird specie s. 4. The plant material indicated in the permit applications shall be modified to provide for native vegetation for enhanced wildlife habitat purposes to replace the proposed turf grass and other non- native vegetation in Phase IA. 5, The County shall amend the proposed plant palette for Phase IA, received and dated December 6, 1993, by replacing any plant species on the palette which were identified in the December 30, 1993, memo from the Department of Parks, Trees and Landscape as problem plants with more appropriate plant species identified therein. 6. A parking lot as proposed in the permit applications to be located within the Phase IA area shall be deleted in favor of a parking lot located in conjunction with the proposed interpretive center, adjacent easterly of the Phase IA boundaries, and it shall be designed and constructed as a Phase IB project as soon as practicable, but no later than January 1, 1996. - 7. Only such security lighting as is determined necessary for public safety purposes by the City's Chief of Police shall be installed in the proposed park. Lighting shall be designed to minimize light and glare impacts on adjacent residences. 8. Reclaimed water shall be used for irrigation when available from a pipe extended seaward from Garfield Avenue by the city. 4 4\sMolsa Chica Reg,ParkW/09/94 6592 9. County shall consider and, if determined feasible, implement a volunteer assisted planting program. 10. The applicant shall comply with all applicable mitigation measures identified in Final Environmental Impact Report No. 521 for the Bolsa Chica Regional Park. 11. Any expansion or alteration of the Phase IA development area or development components, other than addressed in this application, shall be subject to approval of a new Conditional Use Permit by the Planning Commission. 12, Conditional Use Permit No. 94-3 and Coastal Development Permit No. 93-28 shall not become effective for any purpose until the Coastal Commission appeal period has closed and an "Acceptance of Conditions" form has been signed by the applicant, notarized and returned to the Planning Division. 13, Conditional Use Permit No. 94-3 and Coastal Development Permit No. 93-28 shall become null and void unless exercised within one (1) year of the close of the Coastal Commission appeal period, or such extension of time as may be granted by the Planning Commission, pursuant to a written request submitted (with the appropriate processing fee in effect at the time)to the Planning Department a minimum 30 days prior to the expiration date. B. Findings for Approval for Coastal Development Permit No. 93-29 and Conditional Use Permit No. 94-3. 1. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised conforms with the wildlife habitat protection, public access and public recreation policies of the California Coastal Act. 5 6592 4VslBolsa C}uca Reg.Pazk105/09/94 2. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised is consistent with the plan's policies, requirements and standards of the City's Local Coastal Program. 3. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised is consistent with the CZ suffix designation and the base zoning district and other applicable provisions of the Huntington Beach Zoning Code. 4. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised properly integrates the proposed park uses in a manner sensitive to the surrounding residential properties. 5. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised includes temporary on-street parking to serve Phase IA visitors until permanent parking space on-site can be constructed as Phase IB of the Park. 6. The combination and relationship of proposed uses to each other in the Plan as revised are properly integrated. 7. The pedestrian and bicycle trail system will provide additional access opportunities in the Bolsa Chica area, while perimeter fencing will discourage human access into environmentally sensitive areas and minimize disturbances to wildlife. 8. Some filling of the drainage ravine may be necessary to eliminate the potential safety hazards to park users and to provide adequate trail separation, and the filling and modification of the ravine will be adequately mitigated by the creation of an approximately .5 acre wetland enhancement area at the mouth of the ravine. 9_ The vista overlook will provide additional visual access opportunities to the Bolsa Chica lowlands, while minimizing potential intrusions to wildlife habitat. 6 4WBolsa Chim Reg.Park105109194 6592 9. The vista overlook will provide additional visual access opportunities to the Bolsa Chica lowlands, while minimizing potential intrusions to wildlife habitat. 10. The location, site layout and design of Phase IA as revised properly adapts the proposed use to existing streets, driveways and other adjacent structures and uses in a harmonious manner by maintaining existing circulation patterns and preserving view opportunities for residents on the opposite side of Sea Point Avenue, 11. The proposed design for Phase IA as revised does not include any habitable structure and will not require any infrastructure improvement to serve development and operation of this phase of park development. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach at a regular meeting thereof held on the 2nd day of May 1994 Mayor ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Clerk City Ait—omey REVIEWED AND APPROVED: INITIATED AND APPROVED: City Administrator Director of Co pity Development 7 4\slBolsa Chica Reg.ParkW/09/94 6592 Res. No. 6592 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss: CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH ) 1, CONNIE BROCKWAY, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Cleric of the City Council of said City, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach is seven, that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on the 2nd day of May, 1994, by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers: Bauer, Moulton-Patterson, Winched, Leipzig NOES; Councilmembers: Silva, Robitaille, Sullivan ABSENT: Councilmembers: None City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach, California