MEMORANDUM

TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

FROM: DIRECTOR OF PLANNING BUILDING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT

DATE: JANUARY 7, 2003

SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 386 TO FORMALLY DISBAND THE VIEW RESTORATION COMMISSION (VRC) AND TRANSFER ITS WORKLOAD AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt Ordinance No. 386 formally disbanding the View Restoration Commission and amending the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code to transfer its workload and responsibilities to the Planning Commission.

DISCUSSION

On April 2, 2002, the City Council made a decision to retire the VRC and instead designate five mediators that would continue to facilitate the Pre-application process and serve as an adjunct to the Planning Commission. The City Council also directed that before the VRC is formally disbanded that the VRC review the existing view restoration guidelines and recommend any changes to improve the process to the City Council. The VRC completed its review of the View Restoration and Preservation Guidelines on November 21, 2002, and forwarded its findings to the City Council for review and approval. The City Council will review the Guidelines and take action in February 2003.

CONCLUSION

On December 17, 2003 the City Council introduced Ordinance 386 to formally disband the VRC and to transfer its workload and responsibilities to the Planning Commission. As a result, Staff now recommends that the City Council formally adopt Ordinance No. 386 formally disbanding the View Restoration Commission and amending the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code to transfer its workload and responsibilities to the Planning Commission.

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

Les Evans
City Manager

Attachments:
Ordinance No. 386

ORDINANCE NO. 386

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES DISBANDING THE VIEW RESTORATION COMMISSION AND AMENDING THE RANCO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE

WHEREAS, Proposition M, which was adopted by the voters, established the process to restore and preserve views within the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and established the View Restoration Committee as the legislative body that would make determinations regarding view restoration applications; and

WHEREAS, in 1991, the View Restoration Committee was re-designated as the View Restoration Commission; and

WHEREAS, Proposition M provided that when the workload of the View Restoration Commission declines to the extent that the City Council finds that it is impractical for the Commission to continue, the City Council may disband the Commission and transfer its work to the Planning Commission; and

WHEREAS, the workload of the View Restoration Commission has declined to a point that the City Council has determined that it is impractical for the Commission to continue so that its workload and responsibilities should be transferred to the Planning Commission;

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Chapter 2.21 of Title 2 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code is hereby repealed.

Section 2. Chapter 2.20.070 of Chapter 2.20 of Title 2 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

"2.20.070 View restoration and preservation process.

The planning commission shall assume the duties of the view restoration commission and shall make determinations regarding view restoration and view preservation applications pursuant to the provisions of Section 17.02.040(C)(2) of this Code. The planning commission shall draft regulations and policies to guide the commission’s actions, which shall be binding after approval by the city council. In addition, the planning commission shall make recommendations to the city council regarding amendments to Section 17.02.040(C)(2), which are necessary to effectuate and enhance its purposes, or to other sections of Title 17 that address the preservation or restoration of views."

Section 3. Section 17.02.040 (A) of Chapter 17.02 of Title 17 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code is hereby amended by amending paragraph 16 thereof to read as follows:

"16. The "view restoration commission" means the planning commission of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes."

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED, this 7^th day of January, 2003.

_____________________________
Mayor

ATTEST:

____________________________
City Clerk

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )ss
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES )

I, JO PURCELL, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; the foregoing Ordinance No. 386 was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting thereof held on January 3, 2002, and that the same was passed and adopted by the following roll call vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

__________________________________
CITY CLERK