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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2021 0203 CCSA SPC ITEM 06ACITY OF MOORPARK, 
CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of February 10, 2021 ACTION Approved Staff Recommendation. BY B.Garza. A. Consider Whether Sites with Existing Entitlements and Development Agreements Should be Considered as Opportunity Sites for Development as Part of the General Plan Update. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council allow staff to consider the inclusion of certain sites with existing entitlements and approved development agreements, but that have not yet been constructed, as opportunity sites for future development. (Staff: Douglas Spondello) Item: 6.A. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Douglas Spondello, Planning Manager DATE: 02/10/2021 Special Meeting SUBJECT: Consider Whether Sites with Existing Entitlements and Development Agreements Should be Considered as Opportunity Sites for Development as Part of the General Plan Update BACKGROUND The General Plan update is well underway and several key items in the work plan have been completed. These include the publication of an Existing Conditions Report and Community Snapshot, and the development of a foundational Vision Statement via a citizen-led community conversation. The team is now poised to embark on a new phase of work that will culminate in the preparation of a General Plan Land Use Plan. This plan will designate the high-level land uses that will be permitted on all properties in Moorpark (residential, commercial, open space, etc.). The Land Use Plan will also establish standards for the density or intensity of development to be permitted (units per acre for residential uses and floor area ratio for commercial and industrial uses). In preparing the Plan, it is important to note that each privately-owned property within the City must receive a developable and feasible land use designation. In developing the Land Use Plan, the project team will pursue a multi-step public process, beginning with the identification of areas of possible change. At the next meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) on February 25th 2021, members will be asked to review the initial recommendations of potential areas of change or “opportunity sites”, and to recommend any additional sites to be considered. In preparation for that meeting, the GPAC members have been asked to consider the following criteria and identify locations where change may be warranted, including: 1. Unimproved Land – vacant properties that may be appropriate to accommodate new development; and 2. Under-Improved Land – properties currently developed with buildings that may be vacant, contain uses of marginal economic value, or otherwise considered to be inappropriate to their location; and Item: 6.A Honorable City Council 02/10/2021 Special Meeting Page 2 3. Improved Land for Redevelopment - properties currently developed at comparatively low intensity with expansive surface parking lots, where additional buildings may be constructed with new uses to enhance the existing use. ANALYSIS Staff is preparing initial recommendations of potential opportunity sites for the February 25th GPAC meeting and to facilitate the land use discussion with the GPAC and the community. While reviewing potential opportunity sites, staff has identified that there are several sites with existing entitlements and approved development agreements that have not demonstrated a readiness to move forward to construction. In several cases, developers have expressed their desire to revisit the details of the project and the terms of the development agreement with the City. Whether or not these sites are classified and discussed as potential opportunity sites with the General Plan update is a policy decision to be determined by the City Council. Given the likelihood that some sites with existing development agreements will not be developed as approved, it may be prudent to discuss the vision for these properties with the community as General Plan opportunity sites. Staff is requesting that the City Council provide direction whether certain sites with entitlements and development agreements that have yet to be constructed should be considered as potential opportunity sites by the GPAC. Next Steps Depending on the Council’s guidance, staff will prepare a survey of potential opportunity sites and present these to the GPAC for consideration at their meeting on February 25 th. The GPAC may identify additional opportunity sites during this discussion. Based on the guidance provided by the GPAC, the consultant team will develop land use alternatives for the opportunity sites. Initial land use alternatives will be developed by the consultant team in partnership with city staff and will be presented for public review and feedback through community workshops, posting on the project website on online digital platforms, and GPAC meetings. These alternatives will present potential land use scenarios for the City, with a focus on specific opportunity areas. The land use alternatives will be refined thr ough public outreach, reviewed by the GPAC and Planning Commission, and ultimately consolidated into a single, preferred Land Use Plan that will be presented to the City Council for approval. Once the City Council has identified the preferred Land Use Plan, the Land Use Element will be prepared to identify the goals and policies necessary to implement the Plan. The General Plan Program Environmental Impact Report will also analyze the potential impacts of the Land Use Plan. Honorable City Council 02/10/2021 Special Meeting Page 3 COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE This action directly supports City Council Strategy 1, Goal 3, Objective 2 (1.3.2): Prepare a comprehensive update of Land Use, OSCAR, and Circulation Elements including environmental documentation, and ensure internal consistency among all General Plan Elements. Consider creation of a Natural Open Space land use designation and the City’s vision for land within the City’s Area of Interest as part of the Land Use Element. Present Land Use Element to the City Council by January 31, 2022, and present the Circulation Element including possible designation of Moorpark Avenue (SR 23) between Casey Road and Los Angeles Avenue (SR 118) as an arterial street to the City Council by October 31, 2022. Present OSCAR Element including a Trails Master Plan to City Council by June 30, 2022. Upon adoption of any General Plan Amendments, prepare necessary changes to the Zoning Ordinance to ensure conformity and consistency with the General Plan. On September 4, 2019, the City Council voted unanimously to undertake a comprehensive update of the City’s General Plan rather than each individual Element. FISCAL IMPACT There are no fiscal impacts associated with this request. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council allow staff to consider the inclusion of certain sites with existing entitlements and approved development agreements, but that have not yet been constructed, as opportunity sites for future developm ent.