PCRES 2008-034PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION 2008-034
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVAL OF GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 2008-112,
APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE LA QUINTA GENERAL PLAN
TRAFFIC AND CIRCULATION ELEMENT, AMENDING EXHIBITS 3.3,
STREET CROSS SECTIONS — CITY STREETS, EXHIBIT 3.5, CITY
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATIONS, AND EXHIBIT 3.10, THE MULTI-
PURPOSE TRAILS MAP
CASE NO.: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 08-112
APPLICANT: CITY OF LA QUINTA
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta,
California, did on the 12' and 25" of November 2008, hold a duly noticed Public
Hearing for a City -initiated request to consider a General Plan Amendment to
modify Exhibits 3.3, Street Cross Sections — City Streets, Exhibit 3.5, City
Roadway Classifications, and Exhibit 3.10, the Multi -Purpose Trails Map, within the
Circulation Element; and
WHEREAS, said Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta,
California, did continue the public hearing to the 9`" of December, 2008, so that
staff could meet with interested representatives of the public and provide further
information; and
WHEREAS, said General Plan Amendment under consideration will
provide four additional roadway sections, identify their locations, and modify the
locations of Multi -Purpose Trails; and
--- WHEREAS, said General Plan Amendment has complied with the
requirements of "The Rules to Implement the California Environmental Quality Act
of 1970" (CEQA) as amended (Resolution 83-63) in that the La Quinta Planning
Department has prepared an Addendum to the General Plan Environmental Impact
Report SCH #2000091023 ("EIR") that the City certified in 2002. The City
compared the impacts of the Amendment with those impacts analyzed in the EIR
and found that consideration of the Amendment does not call for the preparation of
a subsequent EIR pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15162 or Public Resources Code
Section 21166; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Department published a city-wide public
hearing notice in the Desert Sun newspaper on November 1, 2008, as prescribed
by the Municipal Code. Public hearing notices were also posted on bulletin boards
Planning Commission Resolution 2008-034
General Plan Amendment 2008-112
Amendment to the Circulation Element
December 9, 2008
at City Hall, on the City of La Quinta's website, at the Village Post Office, and at
the 111 La Quinta Shopping Center; and
WHEREAS, at said public hearings held on November 12`h and 25`h,
and December 9`h, 2008, upon hearing and considering all testimony and
arguments, if any, of all interested persons wanting to be heard, said Planning
Commission did make the following mandatory findings recommending approval of
said Amendment:
Finding A - The project is consistent with the General Plan.
The proposed General Plan Amendment to the Circulation Element is internally
consistent with those goals, objectives and policies of the general plan which are
not being amended. The additions to the roadway classifications and their locations
in all cases are consistent with the General Plan in that they provide additional
available roadway classifications that are consistent and compatible with the
existing goals and policies of the Traffic and Circulation Element. Changes made to
the Multi -Purpose Trail system are also consistent with the General Plan in that
they constitute an expansion of trail availability among locations which currently do
not have trails and enhance the existing trail system by eliminating those trails
which would not have practical use if developed as previously indicated.
Finding B - Approval of the amendment will not create conditions materially
detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare.
Approval of the proposed General Plan Amendment will not create conditions
materially detrimental to public health, safety and general welfare in that the
proposed changes will not affect existing recreational areas or access to those
recreational areas, will not result in the loss of or encroachment upon existing
wildlife habitat, nor will they have an effect on the conditions of the community,
developed or undeveloped, due to the fact that the modifications to the street
sections and roadway classifications in all cases result in a downgrading or
reduction of these roadways and that certain sections of Multi -Purpose Trails
proposed for removal are either currently identified within designated habitat
conservation areas or have impractical use.
The modifications proposed to the roadway sections will result in less land
disturbance than originally analyzed in the General Plan EIR, insofar as when built
out, they will be of narrower width than originally planned due to design
considerations as well as limited additional widths of public rights -of -way available
Planning Commission Resolution 2008-034
General Plan Amendment 2008-112
Amendment to the Circulation Element
December 9, 2008
for dedication. The modifications to the Multi -Purpose Trail system constitute an
enhancement of the network by correcting changes to the trail system resulting
from the City's desire to expand the multi -use trail system in the southwestern
portion of the City and eliminate dead-end trails which would not have practical use
or would encroach on areas not intended for such use. As a result, the proposed
General Plan Amendment to the Circulation Element has been determined to not
result in any changed conditions and will therefore have no effect on the health,
safety, and welfare of the community or surrounding natural environment.
Finding C - The new designations are compatible with the land use designations
on adjacent properties.
The four new roadway sections and their proposed locations will not have an effect
on any adjacent land use designations in that they will safely and adequately
accommodate current and future projected traffic demands from adjacent and
surrounding land uses already identified in the General Plan. The Multi -Purpose Trail
system modifications will enhance access and connectivity to existing residential
land use areas including those which are identified for equestrian uses. As a result,
the proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent with the land use designations
on adjacent properties.
Finding D - Approval of the amendment is warranted because the situation and
the general conditions have substantially changed since the existing designations
were imposed.
Approval of the four new roadway sections and their proposed locations are
warranted because development limitations and anticipated future traffic will not
require four travel lanes for the roadways being reclassified. The modifications to
the Multi -Purpose Trail system are warranted because they will eliminate dead-end
trails which no longer have practical use, remove trails from areas identified for
wildlife conservation in the Coachella Valley Multi -Species Habitat Conservation
Plan, and provide new locations for trails along existing roadways which currently
are not identified for Multi -Purpose Trails. These amendments will meet the current
demands and projected needs of the City, while maintaining and protecting the
City's character.
Finding E - The project is in conformance with the California Environmental
Quality Act.
Planning Commission Resolution 2008-034
General Plan Amendment 2008-112
Amendment to the Circulation Element
December 9, 2008
The City has prepared an Addendum to the General Plan Environmental Impact
Report SCH #2000091023 ("EIR") that the City certified in 2002. The City
compared the impacts of the Amendment with those impacts analyzed in the EIR
and found that the Amendment does not involve 1) substantial changes to the
roadways or multi -use trails analyzed in the EIR which would involve new
significant effects on the environment or substantially increase the severity of
previously identified impacts; 2) substantial changes with respect to the
circumstances under which the Amendment is being undertaken which would
involve new significant effects on the environment not analyzed in the EIR, or
substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts; or 3) new
information of substantial importance which would involve new significant effects
on the environment not analyzed in the EIR which would substantially increase the
severity of previously identified impacts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of
the City of La Quinta, California, as follows:
1. That the above recitations are true and constitute the findings of the
Planning Commission in this case.
2. That the Planning Commission does hereby recommend approval of General
Plan Amendment 2008-112, as identified in Exhibits A, B, and C attached
with this resolution, to the City Council for the reasons set forth in this
Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La
Quinta Planning Commission, held on the 9`" day of December, 2008, by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Planning Commission Resolution 2008-034
General Plan Amendment 2008-112
Amendment to the Circulation Element
December 9, 2008
ED A DERSON, Chairman
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
JZ#4i 10N, Planning Director
qr/La Quinta