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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdvisory Committee for Revision of Open Space and ConservatiC-14U REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION Date Februar Submitted to: Honorable Mayor and City Council ��5 0ti9 �/ Submitted by: Charles W. Thompson, City Adr-ain' V'9 for Prepared b James W. Palin, Director, Develo me Servi P Y� �p Subject: ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR REVISION 0 �' CE D CONSERVATION ELEMENT Statement of Issue, Recommendation, Analysis, Funding Source, Alternative Actions, Attachments: .A�- STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The;Department of Development Services Advance Planning section will be revising the Open Space and Conservation Element of the City's General Plan. Staff requested that the City Council appoint a committee to advise staff and make recommendations. Staff recommends that the committee be composed of one Council Member, one Planning Commissioner, and two members each from the Environmental Board and Community Services Commission. RECOMMENDATION: Constitute a committee to advise staff on the Open Space and Conservation Element update. Appoint one council member to serve on the committee. Direct the Community Services Commission and the Environmental Board to appoint two members each, and the Planning Commission to appoint one member, to the advisory committee. ANALYSIS:. The Open Space and conservation Element of the General Plan was adopted in 1976. Much of the information it contains is no longer current. Also, in 1982 the City Council adopted a separate Recreation Element, which encompassed some of the material still covered in the Open Space and Conservation Element. Since 1976 many circumstances and priorities have changed. Additional development has taken place, and areas which were once prioritized for open space preservation may no longer be available. The Open Space and Conservation Element needs to be updated and its policies and programs reevaluated in light of current circumstances and concerns. The priorities assignea in the element relating to preservation and conservation are sensitive political and environmental issues, and the public should be involved in developing them. For this reason, staff recommends that the City Council constitute a committee to work with staff on revising the element. This committee could be made up of representatives from the Community Services Commission and the Environmental Board, both of which are composed of interested citizens. Two committee members could be designated by each of these bodies as representatives. W02-,- u Staff also recommends that at least one Planning Commissioner and one City Council member be part of the committee so that the concerns of both bodies can be incorporated into the revision from the beginning. Staff believes that the assistance of such a representative committee will be of great help in revising the Open Space and Conservation Element. FUNDING SOURCE: None needed ALTERNATIVES: Do not constitute a committee to assist in revising the Open Space and Conservation Element. In this case, the Planning Commission and City Council will review the revised Element after the draft is completed. JWP:JAF:Dr (1896d)