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1991 08 14 ECCA.a Wily Q Ya 2 "Ion 1(a — m OF tt�� ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COWITTEE CITY OF LA QUINTA AGENDA A regular Meeting to be held at the La Quints City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado La Quinta, California August 14, 1991 7.00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER - Flag Salute II. ROLL CALL III. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of Minutes of June 26, 1991. IV. BUSINESS SESSION A. Mr. Russ Kaldenberg will address the Committee on Bureau of Land Management acquisition procedures and strategies and answer questions. B. Review and comment on survey responses received to date. C. Report of response from support agencies contacted. D. Future meeting dates and times V. OTHER V. ADJOURNMENT ECC/AGENDA MEMORANDUM TO: HONORABLE CHAIRMAN & MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE FROM: PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DATE: AUGUST 14, 1991 SUBJECT: RESPONSES TO OPEN SPACE SURVEY The open space survey and associated letters, which were reviewed at your June 26, 1991 meeting were mailed July 26, 1991. The delay was due to a request to have these items reviewed by City Council and the City Attorney prior to mailout. To date, we have received 9 responses from private property owners; 1 survey was mailed back undeliverable and 1 listed owner no longer owns the parcels. (Sold to another party listed as owning other open space property). We have had phone contact with' two parties who have been working with Bureau of Land Management on property exchanges. It should also be noted that six mailings went to homeowners in the Highland Palms area (old Shangri La subdivision); if these are factored out, we have received about 1/3 response at this point. We will provide breakdowns of the responses at the meeting to allow time for additional responses to come in. The surveys received will remain on file with the Planning and Development Department. MEMOWN.031/cs MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE - CITY OF LA QUINTA A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California June 26, 1991 I. CALL TO ORDER 7:00 P.M. A. The meeting was called to order at 7:15 P.M. by Chairperson Barrows and Committee Member Brummel led the Flag Salute II. ROLL CALL A. Chairperson Barrows asked for the roll call. Present: Committee Members: Laura Hinderaker, Robert Metkus, Paul Quill, Steve Brummel, Sharon Kennedy, and Chairperson Katie Barrows. Absent: Committee Member Jackie Johnson. Committee Member Quill moved and Committee Member Metkus seconded a motion to excuse Jackie Johnson from the meeting. B . Staff Present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Principal Planner Fred Baker, Associate Planner Wally Nesbit, and Department Secretary Betty Anthony. III. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Committee Member Brummel asked that the minutes be amended to state the next meeting of the Committee would be 7:00 P.M. not A.M. It was moved by Committee Member Kennedy and seconded by Committee Member Brummel to approve the Minutes of April 24, 1991 and May 29, 1991, as amended. Unanimously approved. IV. BUSINESS SESSION A. Review of draft letters to property owners and other agencies. Committee Member Metkus stated he felt the letters should state who the Environmental Conservation Committee is and when and how they were formed. Committee Member Hinderaker asked Staff when the majority of these people acquired their land and how it got its zoning. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated the land had been purchased over the years and when the City incorporated it remained under County zoning until Council passed the Hillside Conservation Ordinance. 3. Committee Member Kennedy inquired if the Bighorn Sheep and Prairie Falcon do range in this area and if so the word "may" should be dropped. Chairperson Barrows stated these particular animals do range in these mountains. 4. Committee Member Brummel suggested that a sentence be added letting the property owner know his input is important to the Committee while they make these decisions. 5. Committee Member Brummel suggested that a question be added to the questionnaire asking the property owner when he bought his property and what his purpose was in purchasing the property. 6. Chairperson Barrows asked that the question be added regarding whether a tax advantage associated with transferring their property to a non-profit organization would be of interest to the property owner. Chairperson Barrows asked if the City was aware of any agencies that are in the process of transferring any properties. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated that the Bureau of Land Management has some in process. Chairperson Barrows suggested that the BLM be invited to a meeting with the Committee to gain their support and to gain information before meeting with the property owners. Committee Member Quill asked if in any of the previous Council meetings on adoption of the Hillside Conservation Zone there were #any comments from these property owners. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated there were some and he would see copies were given to the Committee. 10. Committee Member Hinderaker asked Staff to explain the difference between open Space and Hillside. Planning Director Jerry Herman explained the difference. 11. The Committee discussed other changes they wanted incorporated into the letters. 12. Committee Member Brummel stated he had made several attempts to reach the Coachella Valley Mountain Conservancy and had been unsuccessful. Chairperson Barrows explained the differences between the various mountain conservancy groups and where they originated from. ECCMIN6-26 W ECCMIN6-26 Direction of the Committee 1. Committee Member Brummel stated he had met with the Mayor and the Mayor had expressed his desire to see the Committee continue to pursue the issue he had brought up at the last meeting of justifying the City's reason for preserving the mountains. In addition, from the information collected from the property owners a list of priorities should be established. 2. Councilman Sniff expressed that the Committee needed to be moving forward. A document would be beneficial but the Committee needed to be moving toward approaching these property owners. Chairperson Barrows expressed her concern regarding trying to determine the options to protect hillsides and felt that these priorities would come as they pursued the options available. She felt it important that as these issues came to light that they be acknowleded to inform the public as much as possible, but the Committee should concentrate on the direction given them by the Council which is to pursue acquiring these lands for public ownership. 4. Staff asked for clarification as to whether the Committee would like the letters to the property owners to ask them to respond by a certain date. The Committee expressed their desire for this to be done in a non -threatening way. Committee Member Quill inquired how many property owners would Staff be contacting. Associate Planner Nesbit stated approximately 40. Associate Planner Nesbit asked if the Committee would also like Staff to not only invite BLM to meet with the Committee but also make a presentation as to what their capabilities are in regards to assisting the City in this matter. Committee members stated yes. 7. Committee Member Quill asked Staff if the City would be willing to offer some type of enhancement to property owners who owned property that would be split by the Hillside Ordinance. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated Staff would look into this. Committee Member Brummel asked Staff to look into the possibility of a tax rebate for property owners who are willing to exchange. B. Meeting Dates Following discussion it was decided that the Committee would meet on August 14, 1991, for a regular meeting and on September 11, 1991, or September 25, 1991 depending on the acceptance of the BLM representative. V. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Member Sharon Kennedy and seconded by Member Metkus to adjourn to a special meeting on August 14, 1991, at 7:00 P.M. in the La Quints, City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quints, California. This meeting of the La Quints Environmental Conservation Committee was adjourned at 8:19 P.M. ECCMIN6-26