2024/07/11 Planning Commission Resolution 2024-11PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2024-11
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN TO REFLECT THE RESERVATION EXPANSION OF THE FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
(VARIO US APNS)
WHEREAS, the City maintains its General Plan, in accordance with state law, to address issues related to physical development, growth, and conservation of City resources;
WHEREAS, in May 2023, the US Department of the Interior accepted an additional 73.82 acres into trust on behalf of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria ("Tribe"), including 66 acres of land within the City limits of Rohnert Park, which is no longer under the land use authority of the City;
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments would modify the Land Use Figure and all other figures and maps in the General Plan to illustrate the Tribe's expanded reservation;· as shown in
Exhibit A;
WHEREAS, the purpose of the proposed amendments is to display accurate information within the City's General Plan, consistent with the requirements of state law;
WHEREAS, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65090 and the RPMC, a public hearing notice was published for a minimum of 10 days prior to the public hearing in the Community Voice;
WHEREAS, on July 11, 2024, the Planning Commission held a public hearing at which time interested persons had an opportunity to testify either in support or opposition to the proposal; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the information contained in the General Plan Amendment application for the proposal.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of Rohnert Park makes the following findings and determinations with respect to the proposed General Plan Amendment:
Section 1. Recitals. The above recitations are true and correct.
Section 2. CEQA Review. This General Plan amendment is not a "project" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect change in the environment, as the amendment does not enact any changes to allowed uses, policies, or implementation; rather, it updates the General Plan to reflect current conditions accurately. Furthermore, even if the amendment were a project, it would be exempt under the "common sense exemption" in CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the changes to maps and figures would have a significant effect on the environment, for the aforementioned reasons.
Furthermore, CEQA would not apply under CEQA Guidelines section 15277, as the land affected by this amendment are located within the federal tribal trust, not within the state of California, and this change was subject to environmental impact review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
Section 3. Findings. Planning Commission makes the following findings concerning the
General Plan amendments proposed by Planning Application No. PLGP24-0002:
1.That the proposed General Plan amendments would be consistent with specificpolicies in the Land Use Element of the General.
Criteria Satisfied. The proposed General Plan amendments are consistent with specific goals and policies in Chapter 2 (Land Use and Growth Management). Goals and policies of this element address the location and intensity of new
development, citywide land use policies, and growth management plans. As the
proposed amendments only pertain to land where the City does not have land use authority, the amendments remain consistent with the existing specific policies. Furthermore, the amendments do not change any allowed uses, policies, or implementation for areas in the City and outside of the reservation; they merely update the General Plan to reflect current conditions with regards to land use
authority accurately.
2.That a duly noticed public hearing has been held to receive and consider publictestimony regarding the proposed amendments to the General Plan Amendment.
Criteria Satisfied. A duly noticed public hearing on the proposed General Plan Amendments was held by the Planning Commission on July 11, 2024 and a public hearing will be held by the City Council prior to its consideration of the General
Plan Amendments.
3.That the General Plan amendment will not cause the General Plan to becomeinternally inconsistent.
Criteria Satisfied. The General Plan addresses issues related to physical development, growth, and conservation of City resources. Amending the General
Plan does not change any allowed uses, policies, or implementation for areas in the City and outside of the reservation; rather, it updates the General Plan to accurately
reflect current conditions. Therefore, the proposed amendment will ensure that the
General Plan maintains internal consistency by accurately reflecting the land over
which the City has land use authority.
Section 4. The Planning Commission does hereby recommend that the City Council adopt the Findings hereinabove and approve Planning Application No. PLGP24-0002, General Plan Amendments, for northwest Rohnert Park (various APNs), as set forth in the General Plan Amendments attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A, in its entirety.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED on this 11th day of July, 2024 by the City of Rohnert Park Planning Commission by the following vote:
A YES: 4i-NOES:_..a::::_ ABSENT:L ABSTAIN: .. _&/
AUSTIN-DILLON¾-t:-EPSTEIN� ORLOFF� STR1PLEN � LAM �J.
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Chairperson, Rohnert Park Planning Commission
Attest: (/MJp �A,__, Clotile Blanks, Recording Secretary
EXHIBIT A
Amendments to the General Plan
All figures and maps in the General Plan of the City of Rohnert Park, adopted July 25, 2000 (as amended) illustrating the northwest portion of Rohnert Park are to be amended as shown in Figure1.The revised figures display the following parcels as part of the Federated Indians of GratonRancheria Tribal Reservation, listed by Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APNs):
045-052-011 *045-053-007045-053-009045-053-014045-054-021
045-054-027
045-072-001 *045-074-004045-074-006045-074-007
045-074-011
045-074-012
045-074-014045-074-016045-074-018045-074-019
045-074-020
045-074-021045-074-022045-075-008
045-075-009
045-075-010
*Located within unincorporated Sonoma County; outside of the Rohnert Park City Limits
Figure 1. Revisions to Maps and Figures in the General Plan Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Tribal Reservation Expansion
Northwest Specific Plan Area
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