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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/02/2016  B A K E R S F I E L D Committee Members Staff: Chris Huot Councilmember, Bob Smith Chair Assistant City Manager Councilmember, Harold Hanson Councilmember, Ken Weir SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tuesday, February 2, 2016 12:00 p.m. City Hall North – Conference Room A 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL Committee members: Councilmember, Bob Smith, Chair Councilmember, Harold Hanson Councilmember, Ken Weir City Staff: Alan Tandy, City Manager Chris Huot and Steven Teglia, Assistant City Managers Christopher Gerry, Administrative Analyst – City Manager’s Office Caleb Blaschke, Management Assistant Andy Heglund, Deputy City Attorney Nick Fidler, Public Works Director Doug McIsaac, Community Development Director Jacqui Kitchen, Planning Director Martin Ortiz, Principal Planner Kate Shea, Associate Planner Additional Attendees: Ahron Hakimi, Kern Council of Governments Gunnar Hand, SOM Gordon Nicker, Sierra Club Steve Montgomery, Sierra Club Mark Roy, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Lauren Skidmore, Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government Cathy Butler, Downtown Bakersfield DC Bob Bell, DBDC Renee Nelson, Clean Water Air Matter Richard Harriman, San Joaquin Valley Environmental Defense Center Theo Douglas, The Bakersfield Californian 2. ADOPT MAY 7, 2015 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT The report was adopted as submitted. /S/ Chris Huot   Planning and Development Committee February 2, 2016 Agenda Summary Report Page 2   3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS Renee Nelson with Clean Water Air Matter thanked staff for promptly holding a meeting to discuss the General Plan Update. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. General Plan Update Overview Planning Director Kitchen provided a brief overview of what a General Plan is and the process the City will need to take to update its current General Plan. She will provide an update at a future Committee meeting. Gordon Nipp with the Sierra Club stated the 2002 General Plan needs to be updated as there are significant changes that have occurred since then. Richard Harriman with San Joaquin Valley Environmental Defense Center stated he is looking forward to working with staff and hopes that the Committee will integrate an economic development element in the update to the General Plan. He also encouraged the transition from paper to electronic documentation of the environmental impact report (EIR). Committee Chair Smith stated he thought it is the right time to get started an updating the General Plan since the process can take years. Planning Director Kitchen stated the public outreach phase of the process requires a substantial amount of effort. The results of the outreach and the direction taken will determine the timeline for completion of the update. City Manager Tandy stated that the current plan is a joint City-County Metro Area Plan. Staff has reached out to the County in an effort to continue a joint relationship which will also affect the timeline for completion of the update. B. High Speed Rail Update Community Development Director McIsaac presented maps exhibiting the planning area for the High Speed Rail Project and the proposed statewide alignment of the California High Speed Rail System. He stated that there are two alignment routes being considered by the High Speed Rail Authority. The Authority will determine where the alignment will go and where the station site will be located. Director McIsaac summarized several topics and issues that will be related and addressed in the station area plan. Director McIsaac introduced Project Manager Gunnar Hand of the consulting firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. Mr. Hand stated that the project was a significant one which will allow for the revitalization of the downtown area. The community outreach workshops will begin in March.   Planning and Development Committee February 2, 2016 Agenda Summary Report Page 3   Renee Nelson with Clean Water Air Matter stated stations create a lot of economic activity. Planning Director Kitchen stated that the State funded High Speed Rail Station Area Plan will provide great opportunity for staff. The experience and legislation issues to be addressed will help in the updating of the General Plan as well. Committee Chair Smith stated he looked forward to seeing both, the High Speed Rail Station Area Plan and the General Plan, develop and progress to completion. C. Discussion and Committee Recommendation Regarding Adoption of the 2016 Committee Meeting Schedule - Huot The Committee meeting scheduled was adopted as submitted. 5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS Committee Chair Smith asked if the City’s Subdivision Design Manual had been completed. Public Works Director Fidler stated approximately 90 percent of the changes to the document had been completed. Committee Chair Smith requested staff provided him with the information regarding the concept of parklets. 6. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 12:45 p.m.