STUDY SESSION OF

BELMONT CITY COUNCIL and PLANNING COMMISSION

2035 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

EOC, ONE TWIN PINES LANE

CALL TO ORDER 7:32 P.M. (Note: Planning Commission meeting held prior)

ROLL CALL

COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Wozniak, Braunstein,

COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Lieberman, Feierbach, Warden

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mercer, Parsons, Reed, Horton, d’Souza, Frautschi, Herbach

COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None

Staff Present: City Manager Scoles, City Attorney Rennie, Community Development Director de Melo, Consultant Knapp, Deputy City Clerk Plut.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Stephanie Biehl, Notre Dame de Namur Student, invited the public to the upcoming Ralston Dance-A-Thon a fundraiser for the restoration of Ralston Mansion.

OLD BUSINESS

Continued- Discussion – 2035 General Plan Update  

Community Development Director DeMelo stated that Council and Commission were provided with a 1982 General Plan Goals and Policies Working Document to facilitate the 2035 General Plan update discussion. He explained that the working document provides a list of the goals and policies from the current General Plan and a section with a table for Council and Commissions use to provide staff direction. He stated that a document outlining examples from other cities is provided for reference.

Discussion ensued regarding establishing “Guiding Goals” for the 2035 General Plan.

Council and Commission concurred that the City of Cupertino is a good example to follow. The following will be the initial “guiding goals” and the language taken from the General Community Goals and Policies of the 1982 General Plan as a base prior to being customized for the goals of the 2035 plan:

Balanced Community

1015.1 - To assure that Belmont will be a balanced community with residences, schools, business, industry and space and facilities for social, recreational and cultural activities in keeping with the present character of the City.

Attractive Community Design/Character   

1015.2 - To preserve and enhance the attractive, family-oriented and tranquil quality of Belmont's residential neighborhoods.

1015.4 - To maintain and enhance the appearance of the City through controlling the location, timing, design and landscaping of new development and encouraging renovation of older areas.

Environment and Sustainability

1015.3 - To preserve significant open spaces, trees, views, waterways, wildlife habitats, and other features of the natural environment.

1015.9 - To protect and conserve significant community resources such as energy, clean air and water and historic or architecturally interesting buildings.

Vibrant Business District

1015.5 - To encourage economic development within designated areas of the community to provide jobs, services and convenience goods and to strengthen local sources of revenues.

Health and Safety

1015.8 - To protect persons and property from unreasonable exposure to natural hazards such as floods, fire, unstable ground, erosion and earthquakes.

1015.6 - To provide public services efficiently and at a level adequate to serve an ultimate population of about 28,000.

Responsive Government and Fiscal Self-reliance

1015.6 - referenced above

1015.11 - To annex additional land which is within the sphere of influence or planning area only when the expected fiscal benefits of annexation exceed the costs.

1015.5 - referenced above

Mobility and Circulation (or Access)

1015.10 - To provide for safe and efficient movement of people and goods within the community and between the community and other areas of the region with a minimum of disruption and adverse environmental effects.

Desirable residential Neighborhoods

1015.2 - referenced above

Note: Cultural Enrichment Services may be a potential overreaching goal that would include community facilities.

ADJOURNMENT at this time, being 9:10 P.M.

                                                                                                    Jozi Plut

                                                                                                    Deputy City Clerk

Meeting Tape Recorded  

Print this page