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Home My WebLink AboutCD San Rafael General Plan 2040 and Downtown Precise Plan PPTSan Rafael General Plan 2040 San Rafael City Council Public Hearing: July 19, 2021 Project Components San Rafael Municipal Code Amendments and new Form Based Code Requested Council Actions Adoption of Final EIR Council affirms the adequacy of the CEQA document, including the responses to comments (RESOLUTION) Adoption of CEQA Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations Council finds the project’s benefits outweigh its potentially significant, unavoidable impacts (RESOLUTION) Adoption of General Plan 2040 Council finds General Plan 2040 to be in the public interest and adopts the Plan (RESOLUTION) Adoption of Downtown Precise Plan Council finds Downtown Precise Plan to be in the public interest and adopts the Plan (RESOLUTION) Adoption of Zoning Amendments Commission adopts a) Amendments to Municipal Code rescinding Downtown zoning provisions and adding DMU zone b) Other misc. Code changes c) Downtown Form Based Code (ORDINANCES) JULY 19 AUGUST 2 General Plan 2040 Project Context •GP 2040 initiated in Fall 2017 •Keep the Plan relevant •Move time horizon forward to 2040 •Incorporate current data/ forecasts •Address emerging issues •Comply with new State laws •Incorporate recent plans/programs •Engage the community •Scoped as an Update, not starting from scratch •Grant for Downtown Plan received in Summer 2018 •Technical Consultants retained in Jan 2019 Community Engagement •Steering Committee (25 meetings) •Community workshops •Outreach to civic groups/ neighborhoods •Youth engagement •Downtown charrette •Pop-up workshops •Spanish language outreach •Project website •On-line engagement (Neighborland) •Public hearings Project Timeline 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 •Start-up •Develop Work Program •Form Steering Committee •Data Collection •Guiding Principles •Policy Audits •RFPs for Consultants •Technical Studies •EIR •Downtown Plan •GP 2040 Policy and Plan Development •Draft and Publish Plans ADOPTION PROCESS City Council General Plan discussion item (14) Adoption Process 8 October November December January February March GP 2040 Released Hearing on Chapters 1-9 Precise Plan Released/ EIR Released Hearing on Chapters 10-14 Close of EIR Comment Period Hearings on Precise Plan (and continued discussion of General Plan) Hearing on EIR (and continued discussion of General Plan and DTPP) Hearing on Final EIR and revised GP 2040 Final EIR/ Tracked Change GP 2020 2021 April Hearing on comments and revisions JuneMay July Hearing on GP 2040, Findings, revised DPP, zoning Responses to EIR comments Revisions to GP, DPP, Historic We are here August City Council Hearings Planning Commission Hearing (10) Major Work Product Published General Plan 2040 Context 1.Introduction 2.Framework and Guiding Principles Our Built Environment 3.Land Use 4.Neighborhoods 5.Community Design and Preservation Our Natural Environment 6.Conservation and Climate Change 7.Parks and Open Space 8.Safety and Resilience 9.Noise Connecting the City 10.Mobility 11.Community Services and Infrastructure 12.Arts and Culture Opportunity for All 13.Economic Vitality 14.Equity, Diversity, Inclusion 15.Housing Mandatory element What’s New •Framework Element •Consolidation of several elements •Restructured Neighborhoods Element •Expanded climate change and resilience focus •Integrated recent plans (CCAP, LHMP, SAP, BPMP) •Historic preservation policies •Refocused Mobility Element on reducing VMT •Equity Diversity and Inclusion Element (SB 1000) Land Use Map •No substantive changes outside Downtown •No greenfield conversion to urban use •Shift to net residential density •Consolidation of Downtown categories •Consolidation of Office categories •Sea Level Rise Overlay •Amendments to reflect current plans Appendix A: Implementation Matrix •Timeframe •Responsible Dept/Agency •Resources •Link to Guiding Principles Comments on General Plan 2040 •Zoom/ YouTube Live Testimony on Oct 27, Nov 12, and Dec 15 •Initial Letters / emails •Tree Preservation •Shirley Fischer •San Rafael Heritage •Responsible Growth in Marin (RGM) (on land use and neighborhoods) •RGM (on transportation) •Hillside Neighbors •Marin Audubon •Terra Linda Homeowners •Sierra Club •Marin Conservation League •Subsequent letters/ emails •Canalways owners •RGM on Economic Vitality Element •San Rafael Heritage (on Resources Survey) •Hillside Neighbors •Marin Audubon and MCL (Baylands Corridor) •West End Neighborhood Association •Merlone Geier •EIR Comments Relating to GP •CDFW •Caltrans •TAM •GGBHTD •Sustainable San Rafael •Marin Audubon •Rock Quarry Redlined Draft •600+ comments (letters, emails, etc.)—each annotated •Incorporation of EIR Mitigation measures and response to EIR comments •Responses to public comments from written and oral testimony •Responses to Planning Commission discussion •Misc. staff clarifications and corrections Key Issues Raised During Hearings •Should vs Shall •Resource protection (trees, wildlife, wetlands) •More aggressive GHG reduction measures •Historic preservation incentives •Equity and economic development •Emergency access and fire safety •Misc. edits to Neighborhoods Element •Incorporation of metrics Baylands Corridor Issue •October 2020 draft did not reference “Baylands Corridor”, a County of Marin Plan designation •Letters received in Fall 2020 recommended adding Baylands Corridor to GP 2040 •Revised (May 2021) draft acknowledges Corridor as appropriate for unincorporated areas •“Wetlands Overlay” applies in city limits, recognizing urban context and prior disturbance •Changes to designations could be considered through adaptation planning, which will identify areas for hardening, restoration, retreat, etc. •Avoid pre-determining outcomes of adaptation plan and applying to developed industrial/residential areas Downtown Precise Plan Downtown Precise Plan •Replaces 1993 “Our Vision” •Recognizes opportunities for new housing and employment in walkable, transit-served area •Focuses on streetscape/ public realm improvements •Form-Based Code to replace existing zoning •CEQA clearance for up to 2,200 units and 2,000 jobs 18 How is the Precise Plan organized? Illustrative Vision Downtown Precise Plan Highlights •Density and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) eliminated; building mass to be regulated by height •Heights increased in select locations •Historic resources inventoried and evaluated •Public space improvements, especially around SMART and along Fourth Street •Mobility improvements (diagrams/ street cross-sections) •Affordable housing and anti-displacement strategy •Form-based Code 21 Downtown Height Limits and Bonuses Tier 1 (10’ bonus) Tier 2 (20’ bonus) Historic Resources Inventory and Standards •Historic context statement •Updated inventory of 572 properties •Detailed survey of 160 properties •Mapping of eligible resources and potentially eligible districts •Recommendations for revised preservation ordinance including review processes and incentives •Downtown Historic Resources Summary Report and DPR 523 forms •Survey findings fine-tuned through CEQA process and public input Form-Based Code Key Issues Raised •Classification of historic resources •Historic preservation standards •Building heights •C Street, Mission to 5th •West End Village “triangle” •Measurement of height on sloped sites •Calculation of density bonuses •Shared street concept on Fourth St. •Solar access •Use tables (Form Based Code) Conforming Revisions to Municipal Code •Rescind former Downtown zones •Add new DMU zone •Administrative edits for internal consistency •Misc. changes to implement recent state laws •Adopt Form Based Code as zoning for Downtown Environmental Impact Report Environmental Impact Report •DEIR published on January 7, 2021 •60+ day comment period closed March 9, 2021 •Evaluates effects of GP 2040 policies and forecasts •Evaluates effects of Downtown Precise Plan •Considers alternatives to the project (higher, lower growth scenarios) •Identifies impacts and mitigation measures 28 Topics Evaluated in the EIR •Aesthetics •Agriculture & Forestry Resources •Air Quality •Biological Resources •Cultural & Tribal Cultural Resources •Energy •Geology & Soils •Greenhouse Gas Emissions •Hazards & Hazardous Materials •Hydrology & Water Quality •Land Use & Planning •Mineral Resources •Noise •Population & Housing •Public Services •Parks & Recreation •Transportation •Utilities & Service Systems •Wildfire Issues Raised in EIR Comments •14 letters, 6 oral comments •Findings of Downtown historic resource inventory •Sufficiency of policies protecting wetlands, trees, and creeks •Acknowledgment of additional species •Density bonus and height calculations •Consistency with Congestion Management Program •Stronger measures to mitigate GHG impacts •Final EIR issued May 21, 2021, including responses to comments Planning Commission Actions JUNE 29 Statement of Overriding Considerations •Part of the record of approval for the project •Adopt after hearing public testimony on all matters related to the project •Explains how benefits of project outweigh the environmental impacts ECONOMIC •Business attraction and retention •Economic diversification •Job growth •Industrial land protection •Workforce housing •Workforce development •Downtown growth •Arts expansion •Productive use of land ENVIRONMENTAL •Expanded focus on climate change •Amplifies CCAP programs •Strategies to reduce VMT •Focuses growth in urban areas (TOD) •Air and water quality pols •Energy and water conservation pols •Open space protection SOCIAL •Promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion •Applies equity lens to programs/projects •Environmental justice pols •Expanded housing opportunities •Anti-displacement strategy •Enhances public space/arts •Transportation choice ENVIRONMENTAL •Expanded focus on climate change •Amplifies CCAP programs •Strategies to reduce VMT •Focuses growth in urban areas (TOD) •Air and water quality pols •Energy and water conservation pols •Open space protection SOCIAL •Promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion •Applies equity lens to programs/projects •Environmental justice pols •Expanded housing opportunities •Anti-displacement strategy •Enhances public space/arts •Transportation choice Tonight’s Hearing •Clarifying Questions/ Accept Report •Accept Public Comments •Council Discussion •Council action on EIR Resolution •Staff will return on Aug 2 seeking on action on remaining items •Opportunity for additional public comment on Aug 2 Thank You! All documents are on-line at www.sanrafael2040.org 33