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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 8037 (Neighborhood Meeting Procedures)RESOLUTION NO. 8037 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL ADOPTING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING PROCEDURES WHEREAS, the San Rafael General Plan 2000 implementing program LU -pp states that the City should consult with neighborhood representatives and nearby property owners through the development review process; and WHEREAS, General Plan 2000 implementing program H -e requires developers to hold neighborhood meetings with residents as part of any major development application; and WHEREAS, neighborhood meeting procedures were prepared in accordance with the General Plan 2000 and recommended for approval by the Planning Commission after review at four public meetings and with input from the general public and neighborhood representatives; and WHEREAS, the City Council considered the neighborhood meeting procedures at a public meeting on September 5, 1989, and accepted public testimony. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Rafael hereby adopts the attached neighborhood meeting procedures. I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of said City on MONDAY , the 18TH day of SEPTEMBER 1989, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Boro, Breiner, Frugoli, Thayer & Mayor NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None Mulryan ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None JEA M. LEONCI�City ,rk n�?IGiPJAL $o,, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING PROCEDURES Purpose and Intent: The purpose of neighborhood meetings is to facilitate community involvement in the Development Review Process. Neighborhood meetings allow a greater number of persons an opportunity to review plans or proposals and meet directly with applicants and City staff. The intent is to maximize citizen participation by informing the public of pending applications and project details; fostering open discussion and consideration of citizen comments and alternatives early in the development review process; and, to advise City and Redevelopment Agency staff, the Design Review Board, Planning Commission and/or City Council of community issues prior to making final recommendations or decisions on planning applications. Procedure: The following are procedures to be followed for conducting neighborhood meetings for planning applications in the City of San Rafael. (1) All development projects which include applications for a General Plan Land Use Amendment, a PD or PUD rezoning, or applications for which preparation of an EIR is required shall be the subject of a neighborhood meeting conducted pursuant to the procedures established herein. In addition, the Planning Director shall have the authority to review applications on a case by case basis to determine if the proposed project would attract significant public attention or be a potential concern to the community, and, if so, require the applicant to hold a neighborhood meeting. It is the applicant's responsibility to arrange for and conduct the neighborhood meeting. Projects for which a neighborhood meeting is to be held would typically involve impacts such as, but not limited to, substantial change in vehicular circulation or parking patterns or volumes; adverse impact on the architectural style and setting of surrounding development; alteration of significant cultural, scenic or natural resources including shoreline and wetland areas, riparian habitats, hillsides and open space; significant alteration of natural contours and vegetation removal; potential hazardous materials on-site; and/or, changes in present or planned intensity/density of land use. (2) The Planning Department shall notify project applicants of the need for neighborhood meetings in writing. A determination as to the need for a neighborhood meeting should be included in the written correspondence to the applicant at the time the project is deemed complete for processing. If at a later date a neighborhood meeting is requested by an individual or community group, the Planning Director shall review the merits of the request and may direct the applicant to hold a neighborhood meeting, depending on the nature of the project and Permit Streamlining Act time constraints. If a neighborhood meeting is not to be held, informal meetings between interested persons, the applicant and staff should occur. (3) Meetings are to be held as early as practical in the review process, generally within 30 days of the initial Design Review Board and/or Development Coordinating Committee review of a project if practical. If a project is to be reviewed by the DRB on more than one occasion, a required neighborhood meeting should occur prior to final review 0 ` 'I � , q 164 N" A� I and recommndation by the DRB. As a general rule, only one neighborhood meeting will be required for a particular project; however, if significant project revisions occur which could substantially alter public comments, the Planning Director may require a follow-up meeting. (4) Neighborhood meeting dates shall be coordinated through the Principal Secretary in the Planning Department. Scheduling will be coordinated with other City meetings such as City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board, Cultural Affairs and other neighborhood meetings which planning staff is required to regularly attend. Neighborhood meetings are to occur during evening hours to encourage maximum citizen participation. (5) The location of the meeting should occur, if possible, within or in proximity to the affected neighborhood. Applicants will be responsible for determining availability of and paying for any cost for meeting places. A list of acceptable meeting places and contact persons shall be prepared by the Planning Department to assist applicants. (6) Meeting notification shall be provided by the applicant. Notification lists for neighborhood meetings shall be compiled by the Planning Department and provided to applicants. Notification of surrounding property owners shall be consistent with the adopted "Planning Notification Procedure" (attached). The chairperson of each neighborhood association and a designated alternate within the subject neighborhood and each abutting neighborhood shall be notified in writing. The Planning Director shall have the authority to expand the notification list for projects which may be of interest or concern to a broader neighborhood or City-wide area. Projects adjoining shoreline or wetland areas shall require City-wide neighborhood association notice. Other projects which may require expanded notice include but are not limited to those located on prominent hillsides or along major thoroughfares, projects impacting downstream properties, projects involving hazardous materials on-site, or projects which otherwise generate substantial public interest in a broader area than the standard notification area. The boundaries or extent of the expanded notification shall be based upon the area affected by the project or scope of public interest as determined by the Planning Director. (7) At least fifteen (15) days prior to a neighborhood meeting, the applicant shall mail public notices and distribute press releases to local newspapers, such as the Marin Independent Journal and Terra Linda Newspointer. Also, public notification in local newspapers is encouraged. Applicants shall be responsible for sending out all notification in a timely and accurate manner, including sending a copy of the notification to the Planning Department. (8) City planning staff shall be responsible for preparing minutes of neighborhood meetings which shall then be distributed to the Planning Commission and City Council. Neighborhood meeting minutes shall be included in Planning Department staff reports concerning the subject application.