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FISCAL YEAR 2018 - 2023 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM - PLANNING COMMISSION DETERMINATION OF CONFORMITY TO THE 2035 GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 65401
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution forwarding a determination to the City Council that the 2018-2023 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Fiscal Years (FY) 2018/2019 through FY 2022/2023 conforms to the City of Stockton 2035 General Plan.
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Summary
California Government Code section 65401 requires that the Planning Commission review and determine that the City’s Capital Projects Program is in conformity with the General Plan. This review is required for all projects recommended for planning, initiation, or construction during the upcoming fiscal year. This action states that the CIP and the associated efforts of the Public Works Department will further the objectives and policies of the General Plan and will not obstruct their attainment.
DISCUSSION
Background
The CIP (Attachment A - FY 2018-2023 Preliminary Capital Improvement Plan) is a detailed plan containing descriptions of projects and efforts that the Public Works Department anticipates undertaking over a five-year period. This program organizes and prioritizes the projects and identifies funding sources for the various efforts. The CIP is a critical part of the budget because it identifies those projects that are most critical to the City and sensitive to funding. The document can be viewed in its entirety at the following website:<http://www.stocktongov.com/files/CIP-CapitalImprovementPlan.pdf>
California Government Code section 65401 provides in relevant part:
“The official agency receiving the list of proposed public works shall list and classify all such recommendations and shall prepare a coordinated program of proposed public works for the ensuing fiscal year. Such coordinated program shall be submitted to the county or city planning agency for review and report to said official agency as to conformity with the adopted general plan or part thereof.”
By evaluating the CIP, the City will be relieved of the obligation to evaluate each project contained therein as they are funded and executed.
The responsibility of the Planning Commission with respect to capital improvement programming is to determine whether the identified projects are in conformity with the General Plan. All other issues associated with the CIP and the specifically-identified projects - including programming of funds and phasing of design and construction - are at the sole discretion of the City Council. Following the Planning Commission’s determination of the CIP’s conformity with the General Plan, the City Council will consider approval of the CIP in conjunction with the FY 2018/2019 Budget.
The recommendation of the Planning Commission will be forwarded to the City Council for its consideration with the FY 2018/2019 budget.
Analysis
Staff has reviewed the entirety of the CIP and has found it to be in conformity with applicable goals and policies of the 2035 General Plan, including the following:
1. General Plan Policy CD-6.1, Supporting Urban Design Objectives- “The City shall ensure that every public works project supports Citywide and district urban design objectives. This includes streetscape, gateways, buildings, and storm water projects.”
The projects contained in the CIP are at a conceptual level and have not yet been fully designed. City planning staff will be involved at the design stage of these projects to ensure that the project-specific designs provide appropriate levels of design quality, public art, and local character.
2. Public Facilities and Services Goal PFS-1- “To ensure the provision of adequate facilities and services that maintain service levels are adequately funded and allocated strategically.”
The projects identified and described in the CIP are primarily related to maintaining and upgrading existing utilities, including water, sewer, storm drainage, rights-of-way, and other infrastructure. The projects have been identified to maintain required service levels and to accommodate future development, in accordance with approved master utility and right-of-way plans.
Most of the projects contained in the CIP involve the repair or maintenance of existing City facilities, including parking garages, roadways, sewer and water facilities, parks and recreation facilities, City buildings, and similar properties. In fact, very few projects involve the construction of new buildings or facilities. Thus, they are consistent with the broad goals and policies contained in the Transportation and Circulation Element, the Public Facilities and Services Element, and the Recreation and Waterways Element of the 2035 General Plan.
In conclusion, staff finds that the CIP conforms to the 2035 General Plan. As such, staff recommends that the Planning Commission forward a recommendation to the City Council that the CIP is in conformance with the 2035 General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve a commitment to any specified project, are not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), per CEQA section 15378(b)(4). This CIP does not authorize any specific project, and each project remains individually subject to the provisions of CEQA. No environmental review is required to support the proposed recommendation.
VOTES REQUIRED
A vote of a majority, four (4), of the total authorized membership of the Planning Commission is required for the Commission to act on this matter.
Attachment A - DRAFT FY 2018-2023 Preliminary Capital Improvement Plan
This staff report was prepared by Planning Manager David Stagnaro, (209) 937-8598, david.stagnaro@stocktonca.gov