Santa Rosa Planning Commission Reviews 18 CIP Projects for General Plan Consistency on June 8, 2023
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Santa Rosa Planning Commission Reviews 18 CIP Projects for General Plan Consistency on June 8, 2023
The Santa Rosa Planning Commission held a regular meeting on June 8, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. The primary agenda item was a public hearing to review 18 new projects in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for consistency with the City's 2035 General Plan, as required by Government Code Section 65401. The Commission unanimously approved a resolution finding the projects consistent with the General Plan. The meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from April 13, 2023, April 27, 2023, and May 11, 2023, were approved as submitted without any changes or corrections.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public provided comments, either in person or via Zoom.
Discussion Items
- Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Review: Planner Sheila Wolski presented the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 CIP, which includes 18 new projects: 12 from the Water Department, 5 from Transportation and Public Works, and 1 from Recreation and Parks. The presentation highlighted several visible projects, including:
- A bike lane gap closure at Steel Lane Elementary School, which will create a dedicated bus pull-out area and install new curb, gutter, and sidewalk.
- Construction of a Class I pathway on the south side of Hearn Avenue between Corby Avenue and the SMART Multi-Use Path, including pavement rehabilitation and striping.
- Striping modifications on Mendocino Avenue from 4th to 10th Street.
- Installation of dual eastbound left turn lanes at Denton Avenue and Sebastopol Road.
- Acquisition and development of a neighborhood park along Colgan Creek near Bellevue Avenue and Dutton Meadow in Southwest Santa Rosa. Note: The location was revised from the original agenda packet (as of June 7, 2023).
- The presentation also covered operational projects with citywide impacts, including:
- Geysers Geothermal Power Plants, which account for 9% of green power produced in California and generate clean electricity for 100,000 households. Projects include assessing pump station conditions and upgrading electrical components.
- Seven Laguna Treatment Plant projects, including booster station replacement, reclamation system condition assessment, repair of digesters #3 and #4, purchase of a Delta Pond standby generator, boiler replacement, and upgrades to booster pumps and gas conditioning system.
- Planner Wolski noted that the finding of General Plan consistency is not subject to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) because it is not a project per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378; each individual project will undergo separate environmental review before implementation.
- Commissioner Peterson asked about the timeline for the Colgan Creek/Bellevue Park project, but staff deferred the question to other departments.
Key Outcomes
- The Commission passed Resolution PC-2023-017, finding the 18 new projects in the FY 2023-2024 CIP consistent with the City's 2035 General Plan.
- The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Cisco, seconded by Commissioner Carter.
- The vote was 5-0 in favor (Chair Weeks, Commissioners Peterson, Carter, Cisco, and Holton). Vice Chair Duggan and Commissioner Sanders were absent.
- Commissioners expressed support for the projects, noting they appear consistent with the General Plan and represent a good expenditure of capital funds. Commissioner Carter specifically welcomed new park development in the southern Roseland area, and Commissioner Holton expressed excitement about the water treatment programs.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Um I'd like to call to order the May 11th, 2023 meeting of the Planning Commission and ask for roll call, please. Commissioner Carter. Here. Commissioner Sisko. Here. Commissioner Holton. Here. Commissioner Peterson. Here. Commissioner Sanders is absent. Vice Chair Duggan is absent. Chair Weeks. Here. Let the record reflect that all commissioners are present with the exception of Commissioner Sanders and Vice Chair Duggan. Thank you. We have three minutes attached. Um, April 13th, April 27th, and May 11th. Are there any changes or corrections to any of the minutes? Okay. Seeing none, those will be stand as approved. Um, and so now we're going to do public comments. Uh this is the time when any person may address the commission on matters not listed on the agenda, but which are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the committee. There's nobody in the audience, so I don't need to say my usual three minutes spiel. Um is there anybody uh on Zoom? Chair Weeks, we have no attendees in Zoom. Okay, so with that, we'll go ahead and close the public comment period on this item and go to planning commissioner's report. So our purpose is that we are charged with carrying out the California planning and zoning laws in the city of Santa Rosa. Duties include implementing of plans, ordinances, and policies relating to land use matters, assisting in writing and implementing implementing the general plan and area plans, holding public hearings and acting on proposed changes to the zoning code, zoning map, general plan, tentative subdivision maps, and undertaking special planning studies as needed. So with that, we'll move on to 4.2 uh subdivision and waterways advisory committee reports. Is there anything? Okay, no reports there, so we'll go uh 4.3 commissioner reports. Are there any reports by my fellow commissioners? Okay, moving right along. We'll go to department reports. Good evening, Chair Weeks, members of the commission. Uh, I do not have anything to report tonight. Okay. Then uh statement of abstentions. Are there any abstentions? Okay, no abstentions. We have no consent items and no report items. So we'll go right into our first and only public hearing today. Uh this is the review of 18 new projects included in the fiscal year 23-24 capital improvement program, and we're reviewing it for consistency with the City of Santa Rosa 2035 General Plan. And Planner Wolski, okay, there we go. Okay, there we go. Good afternoon, Chair Weeks and members of the Planning Commission. My name is Sheila Walski, City Planner with Planning and Economic Development Department. The item before you this afternoon is the fiscal year 2023-2024 Capital Improvement Program General Plan Consistency Review. Government Code Section 65401 requires that the Planning Commission annually review public projects associated with the city's Capital Improvement Program or CIP for conformity with the city's general plan.
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