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April 26, 2004
General Comments
The following is intended to summarize the initial direction provided to staff by the Planning Commission during public hearings on the Introduction and Natural Systems Element of the Countywide Plan prior to April 26, 2004. This summary, along with subsequent Commission direction, applicable public agency comments and technical corrections, will provide guidance to incorporate revisions into the draft Plan scheduled for consideration for the fall and winter. The following list is not intended to be all inclusive.
There was consensus that typos and technical corrections could be submitted to staff and not require Commission deliberation. Similarly, suggestions regarding the overall design and “look and feel” of the Plan or maps could be submitted in writing directly to staff rather than take up public hearing time.
Initial Direction
INTRODUCTION
Page xi · Board Mission Statement: add footnote indicating the Board adoption date.
Page 1-2Overview and Environmental Setting · Move Map 3-1: Environmental Corridors of Marin County to this section. · Rename the Coastal Recreation Corridor (delete “Recreation”). · Move the 6th paragraph to the History section. Explain the criteria used to determine the Baylands Corridor.
Page 1-3Framework
Page 1-4
Page 1-5· What is Sustainability? It was generally agreed that this section should be revised with several Commissioners requesting fewer definitions of sustainability, and consider acting on Commissioner Julin’s suggested language. It was agreed the Planning Commission would come back to this section later on and consider the appropriateness of the recommended definitions and symbols.
· Additional language was also requested regarding how the “3-E’s” are applied to the policies throughout the document, along with a better description of the ecological footprint.
Page 1-6 · Figure 1-2: Ecological Footprint Comparison. add a baseline of how many acres are available in the world, provide additional clarification, and identify the footprint of other comparable areas if available.
Page 1-7· Framework for Sustainability graphic. Modify this triangle to add agriculture between Natural Systems and the Built Environment.
Page 1-9Countywide Goals· Bullet 2: modify wording. · Bullet 3: modify wording. · Bullet 4: Add social and economic diversity, housing for elderly and special needs.
Page 1-10
Page 1-11History. · Explain the historical context of the three corridors and the role of the Countywide Planning Agency.
Page 1-12 · Reorganize as eventually determined by the Commission.
Page 1-14Land Use Categories
Page 1-16
NATURAL SYSTEMS ELEMENT pdf to page 2-6 Page 2-3Key Trends and Issues
Page 2-4
Page 2-5
The Vision. Minor edits. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES SECTION
Page 2-10
Native habitat and biodiversity Page 2-13· BIO-1.1 Add cumulative impacts. · BIO-1.2 Add wetlands, other lands linking riparian corridors and wildlife corridors. Page 2-14· BIO-1.5 Add education and outreach and “variety” of native… · BIO-1.6 Add landscapers, nurseries, MCOSD and consider other comments(see Sierra Club and EAC, page 5). · NEW BIO – Add a new policy on non-native animals. Page 2-15· BIO-1.7 Add monitoring and to prevent re-establishment. · BIO-1.8 Replace “control” with “manage”.
Page 2-16· Program BIO-1.c. Make minor edits. · Add a new program to develop an education and outreach program for invasive exotics for landscapers, nurseries, agencies and public.
Protection of sensitive biological resources Page 2-18· BIO-2.2. Minor edits.
Page 2-19· BIO-2.3 Off-site replacement may be required “at a higher ratio”. · BIO-2.5 edit and address the need for an assessment of cumulative impacts.
Protect and Enhance Wetland Resources Page 2-22· GOAL BIO-3: Add graphic showing types of wetlands and their transitions (add a definition of setback or buffer to the glossary). · Policy BIO-3.1 Include similar language for other section regarding when to apply 50 vs. 100 foot buffers. Exempt Santa Venicia from these buffers. Add a 100’ buffer for parcels greater than 2 acres in size in the City Centered Corridor. · NEW Policy: Add an exception process like SCA.
Page 2-23 through 2-25· Programs BIO-3c, BIO-3d Add a 100’ buffer for parcels greater than 2 acres in size in the City Centered Corridor. Clarify allowed uses and exemptions.
Riparian protection and restoration Page 2-26· Policy BIO-4.1 Edit to move human-made flood control channels…to the body of the text instead in the setback section. Page 2-27· Policy BIO-4.2 Edit. See Commissioner Holland’s comments.
Page 2-28· Amend Figure 2-1 to more accurately reflect setback requirements.
Page 2-30· Policy BIO-4.6 Add BIO-1.7 wording regarding monitoring. · NEW BIO policy. Add wording regarding limiting work so as not to impact animals (see Cuneo comments). Page 2-32· Program BIO-4a Rewrite section to tighten up language.
Page 2-35· Programs BIO-4h through 4J. Minor edits.
Baylands preservation and enhancement
Page 2-36· Policy Bio 5.3. The policy should clarify restrictions and exceptions.
Page 2-38· Program BIO-5a. Edit and clarify.
Page 2-39· Program BIO-5b. Edit and clarify.
WATER RESOURCES Page 2-47Key Trends · Threatened Fish…edit to indicate only a limited recovery.
· Septic systems .Amend to be more accurate.
Page 2-48· NEW policy. WR- see Commissioner Holland’s comments.
Page 2-50· Policy WR-2.1 Mention agricultural uses.
Page 2-51· Program WR-2b. Add waterless urinal, rewrite with EHS to address when a new technology requires a demonstration project.
Page 2-52· Program WR-2c. Expand to address “AB 885.” · Program WR-2d. Add public, businesses. · Program WR-2e. Add “find alternatives” · Goal WR-3 and all policies. Move if agriculture is relocated. Make wording more general (see Baty letter.)
Page 2-53· Why is this important? Consider editing (see EAC comments).
MINERAL RESOURCES
Page 2-57 through 2-64· Possibly move to the Built Environment Element. Review deferred until discussion of the Built Environment Element.
Atmosphere and Climate
Page 2-67· Trend on Sea Level Rise. Edit language on increased watershed height, stream width and flow increase and setbacks from global warming. Also add education about global warming as a program.
Page 2-71· Figure 2-7. Correlate in circulation section if possible.
Page 2-74· Implementing programs. Add financial incentives such as time sensitive bridge fees.
Page 2-75· Why is this important? Add connection to greenhouse gas concerns.
Open Space
Page 2-79· Background. Add streams, lagoons and wetlands and remove reference to the District contributions to MALT for acquisition.
Page 2-82· Goal OS-1. Add reference to carrying capacity. · Program OS-1.b. Add language regarding herbicides (see IPM and Novy comments).
Page 2-85· Program OS-2.d. Dave Hanson to reword. · Program OS-2.f. Add endowments.
Page 2-90· Program OS-3.b. Research whether adjacent lands to Bolinas Lagoon should be added and other lowlands to Petaluma River (see Bennet comments). Page 2-91· Program OS-3.c. Edit to extend Miller Creek to the Bay (consider White’s comments.
Page 2-91· Programs OS-3ee & f. move to agricultural section. Clarify small scale agricultural tourism, and that clustering only involves non agricultural development. · Program OS-3.d. Add Mt Burdell to the list.
Page 2-91· Program OS-3.h. Reorganize into Federal, State and County parks and check for missing sites. Add agricultural use to Point Reyes National Seashore and other clarifications.
Trails Page 2-100· Background. Edit Figure 2-10. Separate out MCOSD and NMWD, merge last 3 and describe whether it include single track and fire road (see Commissioner Julin comments). · Add more context to trails section: includes cities, towns, State etc. · Map 2-11a: Correct Pozzi trail shown that is shown as existing. It should be proposed. · Show either on a separate map or in a distinctive way the Bay Area Ridge, San Francisco Bay and the California Coastal Trail. Separate urban bike paths from rural recreational trails. Consider separate map for major regional trails.
Page 2-101· Key Trends: Clarify that good trail design reduces maintenance costs. · Second paragraph from top of page: Add that Community Plans should be referred to for community trails. Page 2-102· Key trend on conflicts with property owners. Amend section. · Add health benefits of trail use. · Review MCOSCD Mission Statement and decide if it should be added. · GOAL TRL-1. Add “for all user groups, where appropriate”. · Policy TRL-1.2 Add “for all user groups as appropriate”.
Page 2-103· Policy TRL-1.4. Edit to add Bay, Coastal and Ridge trail and shared access. · Add a new program to preserve paper streets that contribute to the trail system.
Page 2-104· Program TRL-1.c. edit. · Program TRL-1.e. Add maintenance throughout. Page 2-105· ProgramsTRL-1.j & 1.K. Merge together.
Page 2-106· GOAL TRL-2. Add “as appropriate” · Policy TRL-2.1 Add avoid sensitive habitat and natural resource protection. · Policy TRL-2.5 Replace “disabilities” with “special needs”.
Page 2-107· Program TRL-2.b. Address seasonal concerns.
Page 2-108· Program TRL-2.d. Expand to state that no access to private property until easement granted and there may be possible agricultural conflicts. · Program TRL-2.h. Trails Subcommittee should hear matters of public disharmony and resolve them in a balanced fashion. Page 2-109· Program TRL-2.k. Add “parking”. · Program TRL-2.n Expand to acknowledge that some areas with important resources may experience trails closure and need to adjust the method of maintenance, seasonal closures, etc.
Page 2-110· Program TRL-2.q. Add “barriers to passing or”. (See Sierra Club comments).
Agricultural and Food
Page 2-117· Figure 2-13. Amend to be more legible in black and white, and possibly simplify.
Page 2-118· Figure 2-14 Add some clarifying language about what this figure includes or shows. · Seek to maintain (not expand) agricultural uses.
Page 2-122· Edit language regarding low profits. · Add the definition of agriculture in the sidebar.
MAPS · Add the Marin County Agricultural lands map here.
Page 2-124· Policy AG-1.5. Clarify the need for fewer parcels.
Page 2-125· Policy AG-1.65. Add clustering of residential development on very large parcels may be limited to less than 5% of the land.
Page 2-126· Policy AG-1.12. Edit to address sustainable water supply issues. · Program AG-1.a. Clarify clustering and agricultural worker housing issues.
Page 2-129· Program AG-1.f. Clarify TDR wording. · Program AG-1.h. Minor edit.
Page 2-131· Program AG-1.n. Clarify wording to be clearer intent.
I:\ADV\CWP Update\Planning Commission\Preparation material\Planning Commission Changes to Date 4-26-04.doc
Summary of Key Unresolved Countywide Plan Issues
April 26, 2004
I. Introduction· Should sustainability be limited to one definition and a different symbol be used to guide policies throughout the Plan? · Should the Plan be substantially reorganized, elements retitled, or left the same?
II. Natural Systems
Biological Resources · Should the boundary of the proposed Baylands Corridor be substantially revised? · Should already developed small parcels in the City-Centered and Inland Rural Corridors have more flexibility regarding resource protection setbacks?
Mineral Resources · Should the Mineral Resource section be moved to the Built Environment Element?
Open Space · Should Open Space acquisition be deferred in light of the need for ongoing management of existing properties?
· Should Countywide Plan policies attempt to mediate trail conflicts between historic and other newer users or should this concern be deferred to the Trails Subcommittee of the Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Commission?
Agriculture and Food · Should the proposed residential home size be modified? · Should subdivision of agricultural land continue to be strongly discouraged? · Should the 60-acre minimum agricultural parcel size be increased? · Should agriculture be further restricted in environmentally sensitive areas? · Should environmentally sensitive agricultural water development be explored? · Should small-scale agricultural diversification and organic or sustainable farming be encouraged? |
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