HomeMy WebLinkAboutD-5 Staff Report - GP and Zone Change Application ProcessSCHEDULED ITEM
D-5
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER
FROM: MATT MARQUEZ, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 15, 2020
SUBJECT: POLICY DIRECTION REGARDING THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING
APPLICATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE ZONING ACTIONS
BACKGROUND:
City Council directed staff to look at options regarding the review of applications for legislative zoning
actions (General Plan Amendments, Specific Plans, Zone Changes, etc.). The goal was to find a way for
Council to evaluate these applications at an earlier stage of the review process. Currently, Council
reviews applications of this type after they have been vetted by staff and reviewed by the City’s Planning
Commission. At the conclusion of the Commission’s review, a recommendation on the project is
forwarded to the City Council for consideration.
Staff has developed for Council’s review an updated policy related to the processing of these
applications. This policy would give Council the opportunity to review such applications at the
conclusion of the City’s Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) process, and prior to the Planning
Commission’s review. This report highlights the proposed policy and discusses how it differs from the
existing process.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council review the information contained in this report and direct staff
to implement the proposed policy for reviewing applications for legislative zoning actions such as
General Plan Amendments, Specific Plans, and Zone Changes.
APPROVED
CITY COUNCIL
6/15/2020
Discussion and Direction – Process for Reviewing Applications for Legislative Zoning Actions
June 15, 2020
Page 2 of 5
ANALYSIS:
The purpose of the subject proposal is to establish a policy for the review of applications for legislative
zoning actions (General Plan Amendments, Specific Plans, and Zone Change, etc.) within the City of
Azusa. It is intended to seek City Council direction on whether to commit substantial City resources to
potentially make changes to the General Plan, create or amend a Specific Plan, or to a rezone property.
At the end of the proposed screening process, the City Council would have the opportunity to deny an
application, or direct staff to continue processing it. Further details are provided later in this report.
City staff conducted a survey using the League of California Cities Listerve to determine how other
cities handle the review of these applications. The table below shows the responses received.
Agency General
Amendment
Zone
Change
Municipal Code or
Administrative
Policy
Notes
Dublin, CA No No Administrative Policy Called “General Plan
Initiation”
Arcadia, CA Yes No Administrative Policy Only for large projects
presented informally
in study session before
formal submittal.
Escondido, CA Yes Yes Administrative Policy City Council
Initiations/Authorize
Requests after
Preliminary Review
done during
“Initiation” Phase
Simi Valley, CA Yes Unknown Administrative Policy City Council shall
approve Preliminary
Application before
submittal of General
Plan Amendments.
Town of Apple
Valley, CA
Yes Yes Administrative Policy Only if Town initiates
amendment/change. If
applicant initiates
amendment/change no
preliminary review
done.
Wildomar, CA Yes Unknown Administrative Policy General Plan Initiation
Process
Chula Vista, CA Yes Yes Municipal Code Initiation Request
Santa Barbara, CA No No Municipal Code Planning Commission
or City Council can
initiate
amendments/changes
Discussion and Direction – Process for Reviewing Applications for Legislative Zoning Actions
June 15, 2020
Page 3 of 5
or upon verified
application.
Walnut Creek, CA Yes Unknown Municipal Code Planning
Commission/City
Council/Chief of
Planning (City Staff)
can initiate
amendments/changes.
San Clemente, CA Yes Unknown Municipal Code Majority of Vote by
City Council or
application by owner
San Juan
Capistrano, CA
Yes Unknown Municipal Code Initiated only by City
Council
Sanger, CA No No N/A No preliminary
meeting
The City of Azusa’s existing procedures for processing these applications are shown below:
1.Submittal of Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) Application to Economic & Community
Development (ECD).
2.ECD forwards complete application for review to relevant City Departments (Public Works,
Light & Water, Parks, Police, etc.).
3.Staff review completed and project discussed at meeting of the City’s Development Review
Committee.
4.Applicant is provided with feedback on the project.
5.Applicant addresses staff’s comments and submits entitlement application/s.
6.Upon receipt of complete application/s and completion of environmental review, application/s
scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing.
7.Commission conducts public hearing and makes recommendation to City Council.
8.Upon receipt of Commission recommendation, City Council conducts public hearing and makes
a decision on the project.
The policy proposed in this staff report would change the existing procedures to include Council review
of these applications at the conclusion of the Preliminary Plan Review process. At the conclusion of the
City Council’s review, they would have opportunity to do either of the following:
1.Deny the application.
Discussion and Direction – Process for Reviewing Applications for Legislative Zoning Actions
June 15, 2020
Page 4 of 5
2.Provide staff with direction to process the application/s and to bring the action and
appropriate environmental review through the Planning Commission for a recommendation
and to City Council for final consideration at a future date.
The proposed process is summarized in the following steps:
1.Submittal of Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) Application to Economic & Community
Development (ECD).
2.ECD forwards complete application for review to relevant City Departments (Public Works,
Light & Water, Parks, Police, etc.).
3.Staff reviews completed application and discusses proposed project during a meeting of the
City’s Development Review Committee.
4.Applicant is provided with feedback on the project.
5.Applicant addresses staff’s comments.
6.Application scheduled for public hearing before the City Council. Council can deny the
application/s, or direct staff to process application through the Planning Commission for a
recommendation and to City Council for final consideration at a future date.
7.If directed to proceed through to Planning Commission hearing, applicant submits entitlement
application/s and corresponding environmental analysis.
8.Upon receipt of complete application/s and completion of environmental review, application/s
scheduled for Planning Commission public hearing.
9.Commission conducts public hearing and makes recommendation to City Council.
10.Upon receipt of Commission recommendation, City Council conducts public hearing and makes
a decision on the project.
The policy discussed in this report sets forth the City Council’s intent to give staff direction to further
explore the merits of certain proposed legislative zoning related actions. Nothing in these procedures
will be construed as circumscribing or limiting the City’s exercise of discretion with respect to any
subject application. Any and all future discretionary actions may be exercised in the sole and absolute
discretion of the City. The party seeking approval assumes the risk, and shall waive, release, defend,
protect and indemnify the City from and against any claims alleging City approval of the initiation
approval request constituted an approval of the proposed application. These procedures do not commit
the City to any definite course of action, including, but not limited to, approval of any proposed
application prior to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review being conducted. The
Planning Commission and City Council reserve the right to exercise their police power and land use
authority with respect to any future application in their sole and absolute discretion as required by and in
accordance with applicable laws.
Discussion and Direction – Process for Reviewing Applications for Legislative Zoning Actions
June 15, 2020
Page 5 of 5
CONCLUSION
By the City Council exercising its legislative discretion as described in this report, the proposed policy
will serve to provide staff with Council’s input and direction on certain applications at an earlier stage in
the project review process. This will help the City and project applicants save time and money by
eliminating the need for certain public hearings and developing corresponding materials for said
hearings. Staff is hereby asking the City Council to direct staff to implement the proposed policy for
reviewing applications for legislative zoning actions.
FISCAL IMPACT
There would be no fiscal impact related to this item.
Prepared by: Reviewed by:
Matt Marquez Marco Martinez
Economic and Community Development Director City Attorney
Fiscal Reviewed by: Reviewed and Approved by:
Talika M. Johnson Sergio Gonzalez
Director of Administrative Services City Manager