1) Formulate a "General Plan Update Committee" to review the General Plan Goals and Policies, as well as the technical updates identified by Staff and make a recommendation to the City Council as to scope of the necessary General Plan amendments; and 2) Direct Staff to develop and implement a public participation strategy to include creating a "General Plan Update" site on the City's Web page with the ability for the public to join an e-mail list serve group, providing notice in the newspaper and to all Homeowner Associations of all Committee meetings, press releases to update the public on the status of the update, and other methods.

At its January 12, 2002 meeting, the City Council discussed master plan issues and specifically focused upon the City's General Plan. The City Council acknowledged that portions of the General Plan need updating and directed Staff to take the initial steps to assist the City Council in determining the direction and extent of the update. The City Council expressed that a thorough review of the goals and policies is a necessary first step, and that this would help to define the direction and extent of future updating work to be conducted by the Council, Staff and the community. Further, the City Council expressed the importance of including public input, encouraging the use of local talent within the community, and specifically forming a community-wide task force to assist in the preparation of the update. The Council directed Staff to place the General Plan on the City's web site, and return to the City Council with a list of the General Plan Goals and Policies for review and discussion.

At the February 19, 2002 City Council meeting, Staff presented a report identifying a recommended a process for initiating the General Plan update. At the meeting, the City Council agreed, in concept, with the approach recommended by Staff, but agreed that the make-up of the proposed committee should include representatives from the community. The Council agreed to continue the discussion of this issue to the Council's March 9, 2002 adjourned meeting. Given the Council's comments, Staff has amended the proposed approach and is seeking Council direction on the proposed process.

Staff is recommending that the following process be utilized for updating the General Plan:

1. Appoint a "General Plan Update Committee" made up of two City Council members, two Planning Commissioners, and select members of the community to review the General Plan and make a recommendation to the City Council as to scope of the necessary General Plan amendments. Specifically, the Committee would:
   
   
1. Review the 28 Goals and 190 Policies contained in the current General Plan and determine whether they should be retained, modified, or deleted, or whether new Goals and Policies should be added.
   
   
2. Identify the specific technical areas that need to be adjusted and/or updated in the General Plan, what portions Staff will be able to complete, and what portions a Consultant will need to complete.

Staff believes that, at a minimum, the select members of the community should include one member from the following interest groups: 1) Council of Homeowner Associations, 2) Peninsula Seniors, 3) the docents, and 4) sports organizations.

2. Direct Staff to develop and implement a public participation strategy in conjunction with the Committee's review of the General Plan. The strategy would include creating a "General Plan Update" site on the City's Web page with the ability for the public to join an e-mail list serve group, providing notice in the newspaper and to all Homeowner Associations of all Committee meetings, press releases to update the public on the status of the update, and other methods.
   
   
3. Upon completion of the General Plan Update Committee’s review, consider the Committee’s recommendations and provide input to Staff on the specific updates that should be made to the Goals/Policies. Also, consider the Committee’s recommendations with regards to the necessary text and graphics updates and direct Staff to prepare and release an RFP (Request For Proposals) for Consultant services to update portions of the General Plan and prepare environmental documentation, as recommended.

Staff estimates that it will take 4-6 months for a "General Plan Update Committee" to review the General Plan Goals and Policies, as well as the technical updates identified by Staff and make a recommendation to the City Council as to scope of the necessary General Plan amendments. Once initiated, Staff estimates that the actual General Plan update process would take approximately 1 to 2 years to complete.

As directed by the City Council at the January 12, 2002 meeting, the 1975 General Plan has been placed on the City's Web site.

This report serves to identify an initial strategy/proposal to assist the City Council in determining the extent of a General Plan update. Staff recommends that the City Council initiate the update process, as described above.

As noted in previous reports, Staff estimates that a budget of $200,000-$400,000 will be required to engage a consultant to prepare the necessary updates to the General Plan, along with the necessary CEQA documentation. This cost will be better ascertained once the City Council, through recommendations of a "General Plan Update Committee" is able to identify the scope of the necessary General Plan amendments.

Respectfully submitted:
Joel Rojas, AICP, Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement

Reviewed,
Les Evans, City Manager