GT Planning Commission Meeting Nov 1 2007

Pawwww....

There may NOT be a Planning Commission meeting for the evening of Thursday the 15th of November. Nothing of importance has come before the public counter. Thus, the next scheduled meeting looks to be the first Thursday of December. At such time a few requests for "data concerning...." had been made by the City Planning Commission to further discuss elements of the new Revised General Plan.

What boxed up the meeting of this evening, was the initial interpretation that SCAG made in meeting Sate requirements for the City to come up with room for about 2000 new homes. What? Why we don't even have that quantity of vacant land available within the City Limits. Our Planner Gary luckily had all the data with him when being confronted, outlined what vacant parcels we had and what projects were either under construction or being planned. And thus, that number got trimmed way down to just over 360 new homes between now and 2014. Homes is really a wrong term, as Dwelling Units" is the terms most often used today.

The DU pertains includes apartments and Duplexes, etc. Consider then that DU is to be one to ten member families. The poor City of Colton was asked to come up with lots for about 14,000 DU in their City limits, and San Bernardino with about 30,000. As S.B. is substantially larger in gross area than any other city in the county, this did not hit them as hard.

Of toughness, is the lower level "Affordable" or Low Income housing requirements. The map has been drawn, and the calculations figure that the City of G.T. is best reflecting of Riverside now based upon Income levels. Not the lower $$ of Colton or San Bernardino.
And thus our houses, even in the lower levels can cost or be sold a bit above those of houses selling in Colton. And thus.... SCAG has determined that a certain percentage of Proposed DU's be available for persons with Above median level incomes, all the way down to very low level (near broke) families. The one requirement is that at least two lots or developments within the City Limits be identified as very low income affordable. The proposed Senior Center qualifies for a big chunk of the requirement of the lowest and low categories. They need one more site (smaller?) to qualify for the second potential Low-low income level.

The Outdoor Activity Center, which had a few flaws pointed out in the Environmental process, is essentially dead now. No developer has stepped forth to amend the flawed report and thus go forward with the project. Too much $$ would be expected to salvage it. However, a new developer has been talking with City Staff about a whole new project. A new Specific Plan has been discussed to fit onto the boundaries of the older one. In view of the State requirements, and SCAG parameters, the new development will need to incorporate housing now. The old OAC was just loaded with Only Industrial and Commercial building. In view of state requirements, that looks very, very doubtful any more. And thus the city staff is already providing a few Weasel Words in the latest Draft for the City General Plan in order to permit whatever the new developer may come up with.

As a quick note, the downtown Barton Road specific Plan, commercial center is going through yet another thought process. Some concepts are being tossed around, progress being made, but at a very reduced pace. Don't expect to see anything on paper until 2008. Unless some windfall of interest comes up. But for now, everything is still on paper. So no one should get excited.

I am surprised that no one picked up on the avoidance of confrontation concerning the Radar antennas being constructed in a backyard in city. If I am not mistaken then, if you can prove the tower will not blow over in a 60 MPH wind, it is OK then to put up a couple in my yard, your's and the next neighbor's too.

By deferring to what ever the FED's say, this then leaves the city open to any and all towers possible. The Fed's have no regulation requirement, other than what frequency can be broadcast upon and who can talk.

Gramps Adds:

The Housing Requirements being placed on the City of Grand Terrace are a Direct Result of The City Participating in the “Redevelopment Agency Fraud on the Citizens of the City”. The fact is IF there were no use of a Redevelopment Agency, and RDA DEBT, and so forth there would be no State or Federal Powers Dictating what can or should be built in Grand Terrace. SCHWAB HAS LEAD US HERE….

The Radio Antenna situation is Not in the Purview of the City of Grand Terrace’s Right to Regulate. Similar cases have been heard in the Supreme Court, and the City will lose their claim to regulate, and the cost of the bad legal advice.

If there isn’t a Plan, Anything Goes if the City Council Approves it unless it is contradictory to the State and Federal Requirements. So if a particular development is taking what could be housing units for say a Drive Thru Restaurant, there may be a case on the basis of needing land for housing units.