Title
GPZ090005 - MOSS LANDING COMMUNITY PLAN UPATE
Public workshop to finalize draft policy language in the following five areas of the Moss Landing Community Plan update: 1) Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities; 2) Public Transportation; 3) Rail Service; 4) Noise; and 5) Public Access and Recreation.
Project Location: North County Land Use Plan, Moss Landing Community, Coastal Zone
Proposed CEQA action: Statutorily exempt per Section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Planning Commission:
a. Find that this workshop is a planning study for possible future action which the commission has not approved and qualifies as a Statutory Exemption per Section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines;
b. Receive a presentation, take public testimony, and provide direction to staff on proposed policy language for the draft Moss Landing Community Plan update in the following five areas:
1. Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities;
2. Public Transportation;
3. Rail Service;
4. Noise; and
5. Public Access and Recreation.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
Planning Fie Number: GPZ090005
APN: Multiple (Moss Landing Community)
Project Location: Moss Landing Community Plan boundary area
Plan Area: North County Land Use Plan
OVERVIEW:
On January 4, 2019, the Planning Commission held a public workshop to discuss draft Moss Landing Community Plan policies for Visual Resources & Community Character and Historical, Cultural, & Archaeological Resources. This workshop is the second of a series that will be held over the coming months at the Planning Commission to develop draft policy language for the Moss Landing Community Plan (MLCP) update prior to preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Report.
Consistent with the presentation of the first workshop, staff will focus on the specific policy areas described below, rather than discussing the entire MLCP update policies. All policy areas will be discussed over the entire series of workshops, but each workshop is intended to focus the conversation on a specified category of policies. The policies presented for discussion at this workshop relate to:
1. Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities;
2. Public Transportation;
3. Rail Service;
4. Noise; and
5. Public Access and Recreation.
The Moss Landing Community Plan is one chapter of the North County Land Use Plan (LUP). The draft policies presented for discussion are supplemental to the policies in the North County Land Use Plan and must be implemented in conjunction with the other LUP policies. As such, staff is providing the existing North County Land Use Plan policies (Exhibit J) corresponding to the topics being discussed at this workshop. The remainder of the LUP is not being updated at this time.
These workshops are intended to provide an additional forum for public participation in drafting the Plan as well as allow policy makers, staff, and the public to discuss policy language prior to finalization of the draft MLCP. After all policies have been finalized by the Planning Commission, staff will develop corresponding regulations (Coastal Implementation Plan-CIP) and prepare and circulate a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Once this process has been completed, the Draft Plan, CIP and a Final EIR will be brought to the Planning Commission for a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
The attached Discussion (Exhibit A) describes the policies, community input, and other information for the Commission to consider prior to providing direction to staff. It has been structured to focus the dialogue on policy updates by each specific topic, similar to the Moss Landing Community Meeting format. It includes simplified versions of policy text laid out in matrices that compare draft policy language from the 2017 update, staff’s current recommendations, and community suggestions gathered at recent community meetings. Matrices showing text changes through the community input process are also attached for reference (Exhibits B - F).
PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTION:
Based on the suggested policy language presented, and discussions that will occur during the workshop, staff requests the Commission provide direction to finalize these draft policies. This direction will allow staff to complete a final draft update of the MLCP in order to move forward with drafting the corresponding CIP and EIR. Upon completion, staff will bring the entire package to the Planning Commission for public hearing(s) to make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
CEQA:
This workshop is intended to seek input and direction from the Planning Commission to develop policy language that will be considered at a later stage by the Board of Supervisors and California Coastal Commission. This information gathering qualifies for a statutory exemption from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262, Feasibility and Planning Studies. Furthermore, the workshop, and its outcome, is not a project as defined in Section 15378. The policies being developed will be analyzed as a portion of the project description in an Environmental Impact Report being prepared for Community Plan update.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The following agencies had comments, and/or recommended modified language addressing the policy areas presented for this workshop:
California Coastal Commission
Moss Landing Harbor District
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
California State Parks, Monterey District
RMA-Public Works and Facilities
Monterey-Salinas Transit
CalTrans
Transportation Agency for Monterey County
Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
Prepared by: Anna V. Quenga, Senior Planner, x5175
Shelly Glennon, Senior Planner, x5173
Mike Novo, Management Specialist x5176
Reviewed by: Christina McGinnis, RMA Planning Services Manager
Brandon Swanson, Interim Chief of RMA Planning
Approved by: John M. Dugan, FAICP, Deputy Director of Land Use and Community Development
The following attachments are on file with the RMA:
Exhibit A - Discussion
Exhibit B - Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Policy Matrix
Exhibit C - Public Transportation Policy Matrix
Exhibit D - Rail Service Policy Matrix
Exhibit E - Noise Policy Matrix
Exhibit F - Public Access and Recreation Policy Matrix
Exhibit G - Community Plan Boundary Map
Exhibit H - Community Plan Neighborhood Map
Exhibit I - 2017 Draft Moss Landing Community Plan
Exhibit J - North County Land Use Plan
Exhibit K - 2009 MLCP Update Committee Recommendations
cc: Front Counter Copy; Planning Commission; Supervisor Phillips; Katie Butler, California Coastal Commission; Brandon Swanson, Interim Chief of RMA Planning; Christina McGinnis, RMA Planning Services Manager; Mike Novo, Management Specialist; Shelly Glennon, Senior Planner; Anna V. Quenga, Senior Planner; John Olejnik, CalTrans; Stephen Bachman, California State Parks, Monterey District; Lisa Rheinheimer, Monterey-Salinas Transit; Transportation Agency for Monterey County; Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments; Elkhorn Slough Foundation; Hamlin Properties, LLC; Moss Landing Harbor District; Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute; San Jose State University Research Foundation (Attn: Moss Landing Marine Labs); Keith Family Investments LLC; Griggs Drilling; Haute Properties, LLC; Moss Landing Commercial Park, LLC dba Moss Landing Business Park (Attn: Nader Agha); Quin Delta, LLC; Phil DiGirolamo; Nancy Russell, FANS (Attn: Mari Kloeppel), Dale Ellis, Charlie Eadie, Paul Hart, Interested Parties; The Open Monterey Project (Attn: Molly Erickson); LandWatch (Attn: Executive Director); Project File GPZ090005.