A DATA-DRIVEN GENERAL PLAN The Power of Facts and How You Can Use Them to Guide Progress and Accountability in the General Plan Update Process

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1 A DATA-DRIVEN GENERAL PLAN The Power of Facts and How You Can Use Them to Guide Progress and Accountability in the General Plan Update Process Still Protecting Our Newport August 2018

2 Laura R. Stetson, AICP Principal, MIG, Inc. Has led 15+ General Plan update programs

3 THE PLANNING CONTEXT

4 November 2001 to January 2003: The Vision Planning Foundation

5 Developing the Plan 2003 to 2006 GPAC: 38 members and 50+ meetings Public workshops Planning Commission and City Council hearings

6 Since 2006 Adoption 40+ General Plan Amendments Many to allow mixed use

7 THE GENERAL PLAN TODAY Land Use Harbor and Bay Housing Historical Resources Circulation Recreation Arts and Culture Natural Resources Safety Noise Implementation

8 THE VISION Community Character Growth Strategy, Land Use, and Development A Healthy Natural Environment Efficient and Safe Circulation Community Services Recreation Opportunities Airport Responsive Government

9 Elected officials and City staff listen and respond to the interests of residents and the business community.

10 BUILDING IN ACCOUNTABILITY

11 CHECKLIST FOR ACCOUNTABILITY/LOOKING AHEAD LAND USE Goal/Policy/Implementation Program Goal 1. Establish an orderly, functional, and compatible pattern of land uses to guide the future growth and development of Whittier and its sphere of influence, in order to provide a high quality of life for the people. Retain as Is Amend or Expand: Provide Direction or New Wording Omit Policy 1.1 Encourage land uses in the planning area that contribute to making Whittier a desirable community in which to live. General Plan & Zoning Ordinance Consistency Urban Design District Non-conforming Uses Abatement [New Additions] Policy 1.2 Encourage development in the City that is compatible with surrounding uses, provides for civic improvements, increases the potential for future investment, and fulfills the need for high quality residential areas and shopping and employment centers. Design Review Pre-application Meeting Redevelopment Programs Annexation Program [New Additions] Policy 1.3 Conduct and carry out appropriate environmental review for new development and substantial renovation of existing developments. Environmental Review Program Mitigation Monitoring Program [New Additions] Policy 1.4 Establish guidelines for land use compatibility in all city ordinances and regulations. General Plan & Zoning Consistency Program [New Additions] Policy 1.5 Infill development must be sensitive to adjacent land uses to promote compatibility between the new development and existing uses. Infill Development Design Review [New Additions] Policy 1.6 Promote adaptive re-use of historic structures, where appropriate. Standards for Adaptive Reuse [New Additions]

12 CHECKLIST FOR ACCOUNTABILITY/LOOKING AHEAD IMPLEMENTATION Accessible Housing in Zoning Ordinance Implementation Program/Description Retain as Is Amend or Expand: Provide Direction or New Wording Omit The availability of handicap access often prevent handicapped households from obtaining adequate housing. The State has established standards for handicap access in new developments and existing residential units. The City will incorporate handicap access requirements into the Zoning Ordinance, as required by State Law. Accident and Crime Statistics Review Program Accident and crime statistics provide information on the specific needs of Whittier and on the effectiveness of its police services. These statistics are primarily used in planning police staffing, programs and priorities. The City will continue to gather accident and crime statistics for the area, for use in the review of police service needs. An annual summary will be provided to the City Council. Acoustical Analysis Reports By identifying the potential for noise impacts, noise-sensitive uses such as residences, schools, hospitals, library and nursing homes will not be located beside industrial and heavy commercial areas. The City will require the preparation of acoustical analysis reports for uses that would create noise impacts that will be located near noisesensitive uses, or that will be adversely impacted by outside noises. The City will require acoustical design measures to mitigate potential noise impacts. Affordable Housing Fund The Redevelopment Agency is required to spend 20 percent of the tax increment funds on housing for low and moderate income households. These funds may be used for rehabilitation loans, improvement grants or new housing development within the redevelopment project area. The City will establish an "affordable housing fund" through the redevelopment planning process. Air Quality Coordinator The City will assign specific persons in the City to track the SCAQMD rule development process, inform affected departments and the City Council, and convey the concerns of Whittier residents and comment on issues affecting the City. The coordinator will work with SCAQMD in monitoring the implementation of SCAQMD Regulations, the AQMP, and other air quality programs in the City of Whittier. The Coordinator will also assist SCAQMD by providing available data on city building activities, on request. The air quality coordinator would be the City's representative for expressing the City's position for state and federal air quality regulation.

13 EXAMPLE GOALS AND POLICIES LU 3.3 Opportunities for Change Provide opportunities for improved development and enhanced environments for residents in the following districts and corridors, as specified in Polices through : West Newport: consolidation of retail and visitor-serving commercial uses, with remaining areas developed for residential units West Newport Mesa: re-use of underperforming commercial and industrial properties for offices and other uses that support Hoag Hospital s medical activities, improvement of remaining industrial properties adjoining the City of Costa Mesa, accommodation of non-water marine-related industries, and development of residential in proximity to jobs and services Santa Ana Heights: use of properties consistent with the adopted Specific Plan and Redevelopment Plan John Wayne Airport Area: re-use of underperforming industrial and office properties and development of cohesive residential neighborhoods in proximity to jobs and services Fashion Island/Newport Center: expanded retail uses and hotel rooms and development of residential in proximity to jobs and services, while limiting increases in office development Balboa Peninsula: more efficient patterns of use that consolidate the Peninsula s visitor-serving and mixed uses within the core commercial districts; encourage marine-related uses especially along the bay front; integrate residential with retail and visitor-serving uses in Lido Village, McFadden Square, Balboa Village, and along portions of the Harbor frontage; re-use interior parcels in Cannery Village for residential and limited mixed-use and live/work buildings; and redevelop underperforming properties outside of the core commercial districts along the Balboa Boulevard corridor for residential. Infill development shall be designed and sited to preserve the historical and architectural fabric of these districts Mariners Mile: re-use of underperforming properties for retail, visitor-serving, and marine-related uses, integrated with residential Corona del Mar: enhancement of public improvements and parking

14 EXAMPLE GOALS AND POLICIES CE Public Transit Support and encourage OCTA efforts to provide/fund summertime expanded bus service and/or local shuttle services to reduce visitor traffic. CE MacArthur Boulevard Widening Plan the addition of lanes to MacArthur Boulevard between Harbor View Drive and the prolongation of Crown Drive so that more than four lanes are constructed only when the daily volume to capacity ratio equals 1.0 in that section of MacArthur Boulevard, not counting trips generated by the MacArthur Boulevard access drive to Corona del mar Plaza, and after public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council, and only by narrowing the median. CE Trail System Promote construction of a comprehensive trail system as shown on Figure CE4.

15 EXAMPLE GOALS AND POLICIES HR 1.7 Offer for Relocation of Historic Structure Require that, prior to the demolition of a historic structure, developers offer the structure for relocation by interested parties. NR 7.4 Use of Blowers Consider eliminating the use of leaf blowers by the City, and discourage their use on private property. NR 10.9 Development on Banning Ranch Protect the sensitive and rare resources that occur on Banning Ranch. If future development is permitted, require that an assessment be prepared by a qualified biologist that delineates sensitive and rare habitat and wildlife corridors. Require that development be concentrated to protect biological resources and coastal bluffs, and structures designed to not be intrusive on the surrounding landscape. Require the restoration or mitigation of any sensitive or rare habitat areas that are affected by future development. N 2.3 Limiting Hours of Truck Deliveries Limit the hours of truck deliveries to commercial uses abutting residential uses and other noise sensitive land uses to minimize excessive noise unless there is no feasible alternative. Any exemption shall require compliance with nighttime (10:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M.) noise standards.

16 IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLES Imp 10.1 Maintain Up-to-Date Comprehensive Database Data that is likely to change over a comparatively short time period, such as built land use and traffic, should be updated on a continuing basis, while data that is stable, such as seismic hazard zones, can be updated on a less frequent basis. In its annual budgeting process, priority should be placed on expenditures for the compilation of data that informs the City s development decisions, public works improvements, services, and programs. Imp 10.2 Maintain Development Tracking and Monitoring Program As new development is approved and implemented, the number of dwelling units and building area of non-residential development should be tracked to enable the City to inform property owners, developers, and decision-makers regarding the amount of remaining development capacity for pertinent Statistical Areas and individual parcels. This will facilitate the City s compliance with the development thresholds and limits required by Charter Section 423. Imp 12.1 Evaluate Fiscal Benefits of Development Proposals and Annexations Significant development projects and General Plan Amendments shall be evaluated for their net fiscal impacts on the City of Newport Beach. This will use the Fiscal Impact Model developed for the General Plan and identify all costs for public services and revenues to be derived. The City shall decide the type, scale, and mix of uses that shall be subject to fiscal review.

17 RESOURCES YOU CAN USE

18 RESOURCES Annual report to State Department of Housing and Community Development CSUF Center for Demographic Research

19 RESOURCES CHP traffic accident data California Natural Diversity Database CalEnviroScreen California Department of Public Health

20 MAKING THE PLAN QUITE USEFUL

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24 FOR MORE INFORMATION Laura R. Stetson MIG, Inc. 537 S. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA

25 A DATA-DRIVEN GENERAL PLAN The Power of Facts and How You Can Use Them to Guide Progress and Accountability in the General Plan Update Process Still Protecting Our Newport August 2018