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1972/09/05 City Council Resolution (2)RESOLUTION NO. 72 -118 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FILING WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE RESOURCES AGENCY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Rohnert Park that it does authorize and direct the filing with the office of the Secretary of the Resources Agency of the State of California, an interim open space plan and other proposed elements of the Rohnert Park General Plan all as more par- ticularly set forth in Exhibit "A`° attached to and by reference thereto made a part hereof, said filing to be made in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the State of California. DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 5th day of September, 1972. CITY OF ,.ROHNERT PARK B .. — G� ` Mayor AYES: (5) Councilmen Beary, Flores, Hopkins, Smith, and Roberts NOES: ( 0 ) None ABSENT: (0) None ATTEST: _ 1 i Deputy%' Citvo lerk To: Mayor Roberts Members of the City Council Planning Commission Citizens Advisory Committee to Update the General Plan From: F. G. Lehmann Planning Consultant MEMORANDUM Open Space Plan, Requirements (Compliance with AB966 Dunlap) The Bill requires, by June 30, 1973 for cities and counties to adopt, prepare and submit open space plans to Secretary of Resources Agency. It requires, by August 31, 1972, adoption and submission to Secretary, interim open space plan, effective until June 30, 1973, and prescribes contents. (Section 655601 Comments and recommendations regarding the open space element. The County of Sonoma has prepared a series of goals regarding this element of the General Plan. Although quite general, my recommendation is that the City of Rohnert Park adopt the County's goals wherever they apply, particularly to areas surrounding the City. (See attached copy) . Because Rohnert Park is a young city occupying a rather small area of the Santa Rosa Plain, it does not have direct jurisdiction over significant natural assets at this time; however, the hills and waterways to the east of the City play an impor- tant role as areas for recharging the underground water reservoirs from where the City obtains its water supply; also, these hills and waterways have the potential for providing large regional parks needed when the plains urbanize further. A. Special Objectives for Areas Outside the City Limits Public Open Space 1. To provide adequate and easily caccessible ts of as fortactive and passive recreation for present and future n To this effect, the present General Plan calls for parks and schools to be associated spatially, to serve each neighborhood. There is a bedroom tax for the operation and established for development areas, and a new parks and recrea- tional dwelling unit , areas . 2. To associate public parks and open spaces with the waterways running through the City. The waterways have been treated as flood control channels in such a way that landscaping and bikeways are possible in the edges. - 1 - A more specific objective here is to incorporE"te the waterways into the City park system, and use part of the park budget to landscape them. Also, torequest to the Flood Control District that additional funds be shared with the City for this purpose. 3. To request from land owners and developers that, as part of large planned developments, a reasonable amount of land be donated to the public for park and school use 4. To recognize that public agencies are not the only entities making decisions in these matters of land use and open space, and that a continuous exchange of ideas and working of solutions of mutual benefit with the private sector are essential to attain objectives. Private Open Space r 1. To regulate grouping of residential units and densities in a way in which open spaces are available, easily accessible and well maintained. This will not only enhance private values of land and dwellings, but by providing certain kinds of recreation privately, the public may save scarce funds that are needed for larger community facilities. The present ordinances of the City are consistent with this objective. _Omen Space and the General Plan The current General Plan for the City remains much before the deadline of Jun e ces until it is updated, which will take p lace 1973. 0 _2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . • • • • • . . ' ' ' ' ' ' SUMMARY LISTING OF GOALS • • • • • • • • . . ' • ' ' STATEMENT OF GOALS AND POLICIES GENERAL GOAL AND POLICIES . . • • • • • • • • ' GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO MANAGED RESOURCE • 4 PRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . • • • Policies Relating to Forestry. . . . . • • ° • ° . 5 Agriculture • • • ° . Policies Relating to Ag ' . 5 Policies Relating to Minerals. . . . . . . . 5 Policies Relating to Water . . • • • • • • Policies Relating to Harvestab'le Game & Fish . . . 6 GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO THE PRESERVATION OF . 6 PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . • . • GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO SCENIC AND CULTURAL ' 7 RESOURCES PRESERVATION. . . • • • • • • • ' ' • ' GOALS AND POLICIES RELATING TO NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL • 8 QUALITY . . . . . . . • • GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO RECREATION. . . . . GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO THE URBAN SETTING . . 9 AND AESTHETICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOAL AND POLICIES RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY . . . . .10 Policy Relating to Geologic Hazards. . . . .10 Policies Relating to Flood Hazards . . . . . . ,10 Policy Relating to Fire Hazards. . . . . . .10 . .10 Policies Relating to Airports. . . . . . GOALS AND POLICIES RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION • • .11 ROUTES AND UTILITY SERVICES . • • • ' ' ' . . . • Policies Relating to Transportation Routes . . . ,11 Policies Relating to Utility Services. . . . . . .12 GOAL AND POLICY RELATING TO LANDS RESERVED FOR .12 FUTURE DESIGNATION. . . . . . . . . . .13 SOME TOPICS FOR FURTHER STUDY. . . . . . . . . , THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN Table of Contents Resolution A. Introduction Federal and State Requirements Housing Goals B. Identification of Current and Potential Problems of Housing and the Residential Environment RESOLUTION NO. 70 -12 RESOLUTION AMENDING THE ROHNERT PARK GENERAL PLAN BY ADDING A HOUSING ELEMENT THERETO WHEREAS, pursuant to the requirements of Section 65302 sub- paragraph (c) of the Government Code of the State of California, the City of Rohnert Park desires to add a housing element to its General Plan, and WHEREAS, the Rohnert Park City Council, there being no Planning Commission for the City, has duly held a public hearing.upon the proposed amendment to the General Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Rohnert Park that the Rohnert Park General Plan be and is hereby amended by adding thereto a Housing Element in accordance with the requirements of Section 65302 sub - paragraph (c) of the.Government Code of the State of California, a copy of which.entitled "Housing Element of the General Plan for the City of Rohnert Park" marked Exhibit "A" is attached hereto and by reference thereto incorporated herein as though fully set forth. DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED this 19th day of January, 1970. CITY OF ROHNERT PARK By /s/ Jimmie W. Rogers Mayor AYES: 5 Councilmen Buchanan, Hopkins, Roberts, Smith, and Rogers NOES: 0 None ABSENT: 0 None ATTEST: /s/ Kathryn J. Logue Deputy City Clerk A. Introduction No other part of the general plan lends itself better to help reach decisions that will make marked changes in traditional pat - terns of living and arranging the environment; at the same time, no other part of the general plan lends itself so much for plati tudinous statements and ineffective action. It is in the realistic creation and preservation of housing for its citizens that a great part of the economic and social health of the community rests. Some of the great mistakes that were made in the older and larger cities in location, design, and disregard for the residential environment can be avoided in Rohnert Park because it is still in its formative stages. Although at the time the General Plan for the city was adopted there were no Federal and State requirements regarding,a housing element, the General Plan when it was conceived, went several steps in that direction. When compared with the traditional general plans for other commu- nities,, the Rohnert Park document already defines the types of housing arrangements that seem best suited for the kind of popu- lation composition, economic conditions of the future, and trends in better utilization of the land. The Rohnert Park General Plan is also a long range program for economic development, which although is not required by Federal and State agencies, it is likely to be the next major topic of the local development plans of most cities. Most of the problems of housing are economic in nature, and this document emphasizes the first importance of this view. Very few of the other problems of housing can be solved, even the whole field of aesthetics, without first considering all the angles from which economic conditions affect housing. Most of the solutions to the problems listed below rely strongly on means of realizing economies in housing development and maintenance, and ways of passing them to residents in the form of lower prices, or more amenities. Federal and State Requirements The Federal Housing and,Urban Development Act of 1968 offers new programs for the provision of adequate housing for low and moderate income families. The same act also requires that a local agency to qualify for such aid must have a housing element in its general plan as part of an overall workable program for the aid requested, which includes such things as water and sewer systems, parks and open space, and other public and health works. The California Government Code was also amended to require a housing element as part of local general plans. The code has 2 defined the hot _ng element as follows: Standards and plans for the improvement of housing and for provision of adequate sites for housing. This element of the plan shall endeavor to make ade- quate provision for housing needs of all economic segments of the community. By September 30, 1969, according to a statement of policy by the State, a local general plan must include a preliminary housing element consisting of the following parts: 1. An identification of housing problems and a pre - liminary statement of community housing goals. 2. An indication of probable solutions to the problems defined. 3. A detailed work program for preparation of a complete housing plan for all economic segments of the community in accordance with the desires and needs of the community. 4. Evidence of coordination with established regional agencies, housing authorities, citizens groups and producers. Housing Goals President Jefferson formulated the first housing goal at the national level 180 years ago: "A decent home for every American Family ". Since then, there have been many programs and efforts by the private and the public sectors of the economy to fulfill this objective. After the movements of the 1960's there seems to be an awareness that there is not such a thing as an affluent society but that we still live in a world of scarcity and that there are not enough resources to fulfill urgent needs of a large segment of the popu- lation as fast as is being demanded. It is at the local level that national goals and national alloca- tion of resources finally take concrete form. The following is a list of major housing objectives for Rohnert Park which should apply both to the short run and long run. 1. Enable anyone who wants to live in Rohnert Park to find a suitable home and environment. 2. Strive for innovation in new housing production as well as a high degree of maintenance of the existing housing stock. There is practically no dilapidated housing in Rohnert Park today, but the type of construction prevalent in the presently developed area of the city requires more careful and con - tinuous maintenance than more expensively built structures. - 3 - 3. Insure that all present and future housing is served by ade- quate open space and community facilities. 4. Establish an information system so local builders, realtors, and other individuals and organizations involved in making housing available are aware of local and federal programs, innovations and regulations related to housing to be able to serve the users of housing more effectively. The housing committee could very well become the vehicle for this infor- mation system. S. Make the Housing Committee an active and concerned organiza- tion not only to improve the housing environment, but to become a forum of communication among citizens by inviting and pro - moting wide participation of the residents at large to discuss and solve problems. The topics treated at the housing commit - tee's meetings may give the council a good idea of the pulse of the city on many issues and thus anticipate and avoid many problems before they take place. 6. Allow a variety of housing types to be built in Rohnert Park, always with good design and site planning practices in mind. 7. Make a serious attempt to understand what the federal agencies can really do, even in the face.of contradictory policies. (Sometimes there are far greater setbacks to the availability of housing and to the health of the local construction industry by restrictions in the supply of money in the market than good Cio­,o! by a special grant or subsidy for a particular housing project). 8. Maintain close contact with county, regional and other agencies to insure that opportunities to use ideas, funds or other beneficial information to improve housing conditions are not wasted.. B. Identification of Current and Potential Problems of Housing and the Residential Environment Many of the problems of housing are beyond the control of local action and beyond the capacity of local resources. Some of these problems can be solved by developing better information and better coordination with other agencies: some can be solved at the iiational or state levels, (lowering of interest rates, expanding FHA's sphere of activity, etc.) Some of these problems simply cannot be solved., these revolve around the illusions that low cost housing can be produced in large quantities, or that the public can organize for large scale self -help home building. Among the problems which are likely to be solved by local action are the following: 1. There is.a marked need to reduce the cost of home ownership and rental units. The reduction is needed not only in the cost of the unit itself, but in maintenance costs, and in the ever increasing demands from the taxing agencies that depend on property taxes for their existence. - 4 - Probable Solutions: There have been _several efforts by the state to give tax relief to property owners, but it has not gone beyond token relief. A concerted effort should be made by the city and the county to make economies in the use of property tax funds. Avoid proliferation of single purpose districts, and study the possitility of merging existing ones should be the concern of the housing committee, as well as the possibility of reducing other taxes without curtailment of essential services. Other means of reducing the cost of home ownership should be explored with producers of housing, labor groups and suppliers of materials. 2. Rohnert Park's residential development pattern is the typical 60 foot street, 60 foot lot suburban design so highly criti- cized in the high brow media as being sterile, monotonous and wasteful.. Even if the quality and comforts of the typical Rohnert Park house are good by Sonoma County standards some of the criticism has merit because there are examples of other development patterns which provide the same comforts and privacy, with more efficient use of land and utilities and more appealing design. Probable Solutions: Follow as close as possible the land use designations of the General Plan which set large amounts of land for other uses other than conventional subdivisions. At the same time insure that some of the savings obtained by more efficient land use and building arrangements are filtered down to users of homes and apartments in the form of lower prices, lower maintenance costs, lower municipal operating costs or in the form of more useable open space for recreation. Allow certain areas of the city to develop housing schemes and demonstration projects edge of the effect of different building a techniques, and most of all to test public different modes of living. 3. The city offers at this time, very limited price of dwelling units. with experimental to gain new knowl- ad site planning acceptance of choices in the Probable Solutions,:' Encourage and facilitate the development of housing not only for middle and lower income groups, but also for higher income families that move up the economic scale since many of these residents are likely to leave the city if more substantial housing is not available. Obviously this reduces the demand for personal service jobs in the area and for retail trade. 4. Being a college town, Rohnert Park is faced with the problem of providing housing for students, many of them with very limited means. Probable Solutions: The private sector seems to be responding to this demand, but according to the latest college expansion plans this demand is going to be very large over the next five years. The city and the college should inform land owners and poten- tial investors in the vicinity of the college of the opportu- nities available for construction of rentals, and at the same .time use federal subsidies available for student housing. If temporary quarters of low quality materials are needed during the peak of housing demand, care should be taken that proper landscaping and other code requirements are enforced for these buildings have a way of becoming permanent. 5. The next decade will bring major changes in building and trans - portation technology. This will demand a great deal of adjust- ments traditional ways of using land and materials, and tra- ditional ways and attitudes toward higher population densities and more intense use of public facilities and services. The building department should keep abreast of important change in building methods and allow them to take place as soon as their safety and convenience are proven. If rapid transit reaches the city in the coming decade and if major industries locate in the area, the demand for higher residential densities will be coupled with major changes in the capacity of utility systems and the city should prepare for it at this time. The future of the present sewage treatment plant site should be considered for development of industry. 6. The next decade will also bring people from all kinds of eco- nomic and racial backgrounds seeking housing and employment in the area. It is important to recognize these facts when the city is in its formative stages, and invite continuous parti -- cipation of all groups to the discussions and tasks of the housing committee. This will prevent misunderstandings and strife. 7. The quality of the residential environment decreases with additional traffic, industry and waste generation. The solution to this potential problem rests squarely with the city council. When deciding the location of certain kinds of land uses the quality of the residential areas should come first. For example: no industry should be allowed to dischargE waste or pollutants into the air or streams, or to generate truck traffic and noise to the detriment of living areas. In Rohnert Park the case is particularly important because of the direction of prevailing winds. 6 - 8. Open space directly accessible to dwellings has a way of dis- appearing as development takes place. Probable Solution: The city should be strict in not changing the proportions of open space that are usually presented in development plans in order to get zoning approvals for higher residential densities. Open space is an integral part of the residential environment and it should be one of the main concerns of the housing committee. The maintenance of common spaces should be insured either through a condominium or cooperative arrangement, or by dedication to the city as a public park or right of way. 9. There is great pressure from lending institutions, developers, and parties interested in the formation of assessment districts, .to divide the cost of improvements for development into the maximum possible number of lots. Obviously this is,the main reason why the same conventional lot patterns appear again and again even after planning for different building arrangements. Probable Solution: Encourage better capitalization of development; if that is not possible, negotiate for distribution of costs of improvement over larger pieces of land which lend themselves better for different dwelling and space arrangements which are more eco- nomic in the long run. C. Statement of Housings Policy The solutions to the problems enumerated above constitute the basis for the city's housing policy. In addition, it will be the concern of the housing committee to study and foresee potential problems in this field which have not been detected at this time, and inform the city council of the possible outcomes. The city council and the housing committee will strive to improve and maintain the housing stock of the city and of potentially annexable areas. Provision of sewers and other municipal services should be extended only when certain standards of design and safety are secured and documented. The City of Rohnert Park welcomes the opportunity to cooperate with other government and private agencies and individuals to develop new ideas in housing design, construction, financing and land use arrangements to provide housing for anyone who wishes to make the city his home. Until the growth of the city warrants the establishment of a Planning Department, it will be the duty of the city manager's office to maintain the necessary contacts with other agencies and to gather relevant information regarding housing to enable the council to make more meaningful decisions. The zoning and subdivision ordinances, and the building code are sufficiently flexible to provide the legal basis for the kinds of innovations needed to provide better housing. Hr.. SING STOCK AND RESIDENCE C" �UPANCY As of March 1, 1969 APPENDIX 3 -1 -69 3 -1 -69 Total Vacant Balance Built Vacant Occupied Unit A Lots Lots on Lots Houses Houses Sub. No. 1 301(A) 7 294 4 290 Sub. No. 2 31 - 31 - 31 Sub. No. 3 25 - 25 1 24 Sub. No. 4 19 - 19 1 18 Sub. No. 5 38 - 38 2 36 Sub. No. 6 44 - 44 1 43 Sub. No. 7 46 - 46 3 43 Sub. No. 8 37 - 37 2 35 Total Unit A 541 7 534 14 520 Unit 8 Sub.. No. 1 91 - 91 8 83 Sub. No. 2 104 29 75 - 75 Sub. No. 3 58 - 58 - 58 Sub. No. 4 13(B) 5 8 1 7 Sub. No. 5 88 - 88 14 74 Sub. No. 6 74 - 74 5 69 Sub. No. 7 27 - 27 1 26 Sub. No. 8 47 - 47 2 45 Sub. No. 9 41 - 41 - 41 Sub. No. 10 42 - 42 - 42 Sub. No. 11 25 - 25 - 25 Sub. No. 12 34 - 34 - 34 Sub. No. 13 42 38 4 4(C) - Sub. No. 17 42 - 42 4 38 Total Unit B 728 72 656 39 617 Total A and B 1,269 79 1,190 53 1,137 Notes: (A) Includes lO Duplex Lots on Arlen Drive (B) Does not Include 17 Multi - Family Lots in Sub. No. 4B on Bridgit Drive, of which 6 have Apartment Houses constructed on them. (C) These 4 Vacant Houses are Young America Homes Models. Other Comments. 1. Subdivisions 18B and 19B are not shown - both are multi - family 2. areas. Other apartments, trailer park, dormitory, new Anderson Apt. on Bridg.Wt and El Colegio Development are not included in above figures. BI'KEW'AY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INTRODUCTION Over the past ten years the bicycle has grown in stature far beyond the expectations of cycling fadists and laymen alike. Across the nation more and more people have been turning to the bicycle not only for recreation but as an alternative to the automobile. Because most highways and streets were designed to accommodate auto traffic and few alternative routes were available to-the cyclist, the inevitable conflict ensued. The motorist resented the threat to his domain while may bicycle riders became paranoid about "mixing it up" with the automobile on busy streets. The result, of course, has been bikeway.planning both at the state and local levels. Communities throughout the country and particularly in California have been responding to the needs of a rapidly expanding bicycle population. In some cities, especially "college towns" such as Davis, the response had to be a rapid and at the same time an innovative one; Davis was equal to the task. The Davis Bikeway Plan has been the one most emulated by other communities in California. Because much has been done by Davis and other communities in northern California -- Palo Alto, Berkeley and Santa Rosa -- the most logical step in researching a bikeway system for Rohnert Park was an investigation of what was done in these cities. This research proved invaluable in identifying common denominators. Some problems are the same in all cities therefore Methods for their solution can be similar. Page 3 The following should be carefully considered. 1. Most cities in California need a bikeway system. 2. The conflicts between automobile and bicycle traffic must be eliminated. 3. Bikeways should be built along the most direct route between nodal areas. 4. Lock -up facilities must be provided in open areas in such a way as to minimize theft. THE PLAN The bikeway plan for Rohnert Park is a system as opposed to a series of isolated routes. The primary purpose of the system is to safely link nodal areas, that is, areas which are the focal points in the community. Seventeen major centers of activity are connected by the proposed system including schools, parks, shopping centers, City Hall and Sonoma State College (See Figure 1). The system is designed to permit a cyclist to travel in any direction and return to his place of origin without utilizing the same bikelane twice through an interconnected system of loops. In addition, the extension of Snyder Lane north provides a connection to a route which is included on both the State and the Santa Rosa bikeway plans, namely Petaluma Hill Road. The system consists of thirteen miles of bikeways, seven additional miles are included as possible additions to the system pending further investigation into the use of waterways as bike trails. It should be pointed out that in order to complete the loop system and to connect to Petaluma Hill Road on the north, it was necessary for a Page 4 portion of the system to be outside the city limits. IMPLEMENTATION Both financial and legal considerations are involved in the implementation of the plan. Policy decisions must also be made. DESIGN ALTERNATIVES The following alternatives have been utilized successfully in other cities and are permitted by State enabling legislation. These typical sections vary widely in their desirability but all are necessary for plan implementation and therefore should be adopted. Alternative A is the most desirable and should be utilized when possible, especially in new street construction and setting of plan lines. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The design alternatives mentioned above vary in the cost of implemen- tation; those containing berms or bumper blocks are several times as expensive.to install. Alternatives A, C, D and F if utilized would cost in the neighborhood of $9,000 per mile for the thirteen mile system or a total of $117,000. If a combination of alternatives B, E and G are utilized,.the total would be approximately $26,000. However, once feasibility studies are performed for each portion of the system it is likely that a combination of all of the alter- natives will be selected. A more realistic cost estimate is $60,000 excluding those routes shown as "possible bikeways" on the map. There are several methods available to the City for financing the system. Page 5 1. An annual bicycle licensing fee. 2. Bond financing. _ 3. Allocation of a percentage of capital funds for bikeway financing. 4. Application to the State Park and Recreation Commission for a portion of the annual allocation of $600,000 for recreation facilities. 5. Any combination of the above. E The Santa Rosa Planning Department has provided the City detailed r cost estimates nor bikelane construction which have been included tE L in Figure 4. LEGAL STEPS I•- was determined by the City Attorney of Davis that in order to accommodate all of the elements in the bikeway plan, amendments to -the city code were necessary. Appendix I is a copy of those amendment i adopted by the Davis City Council. The Rohnert Park City Council should amend the City Code to reflect all of the concepts contained therein. To facilitate implementation, the following steps should also be , taken. Davis has already adopted these steps and Santa Rosa is considering their adoption at the present time. 1. The City Subdivision Ordinance should be amended to contain all of the design alternatives previously mentioned. 2. Bikeways should be incorporated into new "plan lines" for the major streets carrying bikeways.