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PC16-254Resolution No. PC 16-254 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT PARKS, TRAILS, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN AS A BACKGROUND DOCUMENT TO THE CITY OF MENIFEE GENERALPLAN Whereas, on October 1, 2008, the City of Menifee ("City") incorporated as a general law city; and Whereas, on December 18, 2013, following the certification of an Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse # 2012071033), the City Council of the City of Menifee adopted a comprehensive General Plan for the City, including Goals and Policies for the safe and responsible growth and development of the community; and Whereas, two of the goals of the Open Space and Conservation Element of the General Plan are to: (1) create "[a] comprehensive system of high quality parks and recreation programs that meets the diverse needs of the community" (OSC-1), and (2) create "[a] comprehensive network of hiking, biking, and equestrian recreation trails that do not negatively impact the natural environment" (OSC-2); and Whereas, one of the implementation actions associated with the Open Space and Conservation Element of the General Plan is to "[p]repare a Parks and Recreation Master Plan to identify potential sites for new parks; assess demand for park land based on approved development; and develop a strategy for potential park site acquisitions, expansions, and improvements" (Action OSC-1); and Whereas, another implementation action associated with the Open Space and Conservation Element of the General Plan is to "prepare a Master Trails Plan, including recreational trail classifications, design standards, implementation mechanisms, and capital improvement programming, and update periodically to address changing needs" (Action OSC-14); and Whereas, on December 17, 2014, City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with RJM Design Group (the "Consultant") to work with City staff to prepare a Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the City, which would include a Master Trails Plan; and Whereas, after completing a comprehensive inventory of the City's current park, trail, open space and recreation facilities and programs, and after soliciting extensive community feedback that included three community workshops, an online survey, a phone survey, stakeholder interviews, and sports user group questionnaires, the Consultant prepared a "Parks, Trails, Open Space & Recreation Master Plan" (PTOSRMP) for the City; and Whereas, at its duly noticed public meeting on December 3, 2015, the City of Menifee Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the PTOSRMP; and Whereas, at its duly noticed public meeting on December 16, 2015, the City Council for the City of Menifee reviewed and provided feedback on the PTOSRMP and directed staff to return with a resolution that, if approved by the City Council, would adopt the PTOSRMP as a supplemental General Plan Background Document; and Resolution No PC 16-254 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan February 24, 2016 Whereas, on February 12, 2016, a notice was advertised in The Press Enterprise, a newspaper of general circulation, for a public hearing before the City of Menifee Planning Commission scheduled for February 24, 2016 to consider recommending the City Council adopt the PTOSRMP as a Background Document to the City of Menifee General Plan; and Whereas, on February 24, 2016, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing to decide whether to recommend the City Council adopt the PTOSRMP as a Background Document to the City of Menifee General Plan, and at that public hearing, the Planning Commission considered all public testimony (including correspondences submitted by members of the public) as well as all materials in the staff report and accompanying documents; and Whereas, based upon the materials in the staff report and accompanying documents and public testimony, the Planning Commission considered the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et. seq.) with regard to the possible impacts the adoption of the PTOSRMP may have upon the environment; and Whereas, based upon the materials in the staff report and accompanying documents and public testimony, the Planning Commission considered the goals and policies of the City's General Plan summarized in Section 2 of this Resolution, and found the proposed adoption of the PTOSRMP is consistent with, conforms to and fulfills those goals and policies, in that, if adopted, the PTOSRMP would facilitate the preservation and development of high quality park, trail and open space throughout the City and would require high quality park design and planning as well as high quality landscaping, consistent maintenance, and coordination between public and private property developments that are identified within and expected of the goals and policies of the City's adopted General Plan; and Whereas, the Planning Commission has considered the information and public testimony presented in the public hearing and in the proposed documents and staff report, all of which are included in the public record and incorporated herein by reference. Now, therefore, the City of Menifee Planning Commission resolves as follows: Section 1. Recitals. The Planning Commission hereby finds that that foregoing recitals are true and correct. Section 2. General Plan Consistency. The Planning Commission hereby finds, for the reasons detailed at the public hearing on February 24, 2016 and within the staff report regarding the "Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan," dated February 24, 2016 (the "Staff Report"), the proposed PTOSRMP, included as Attachment 2 to the Staff Report and incorporated herein by reference, is consistent with the goals and policies of the City's adopted General Plan. In particular, the PTOSRMP is consistent with each of the following goals and policies: Resolution No PC 16-254 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan February 24, 2016 Land Use Element Goal LU-1: Land uses and building types that result in a community where residents at all stages of life, employers, workers, and visitors have a diversity of options of where they can live, work, shop, and recreate within Menifee. Housing Element GOAL HE-1: A diverse housing stock that offers a full range of housing opportunities for Menifee residents and supports the local economy. Policy HE-1.7 Community Character. Protect the character of the community by preserving the unique rivers, landscape, natural features, and community features that distinguish Menifee from other cities in the region. Goal HE-2: Sustainable neighborhoods well served by ample parks, infrastructure, community amenities, and public services and facilities. Policy HE-2.4 Parks and Recreation. Enhance neighborhood livability and sustainability by providing parks and open space, planting trees, greening parkways, and maintaining a continuous pattern of paths that encourage an active, healthy lifestyle. Circulation Element GOAL C-2: A bikeway and community pedestrian network that facilitates and encourages non -motorized travel throughout the City of Menifee. Policy C-2.1: Require on- and off-street pathways to: • Comply with federal, state, and local design and safety standards. • Meet the needs of multiple types of users (families, commuters, recreational beginners, exercise experts) and meet ADA standards and guidelines. • Be compatible with the streetscape and surrounding land uses. • Be maintained in accordance with best practices. Policy C-2.2: Provide off-street multipurpose trails and on -street bike lanes as our primary paths of citywide travel, and explore the shared use of low speed roadways for connectivity wherever it is safe to do so. Policy C-2.3: Require walkways that promote safe and convenient travel between residential areas, businesses, schools, parks, recreation areas, transit facilities, and other key destination points. Policy C-2.4: Explore opportunities to expand the pedestrian and bicycle networks; this includes consideration of utility easements, drainage corridors, road rights -of -way, and other potential options. Policy C-2.5: Work with the Western Riverside Council of Governments to implement the Non -Motorized Transportation Plan for Western Riverside County. Resolution No PC 16-254 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan February 24, 2016 Open Space and Conservation Element GOAL OCS 1: A comprehensive system of high quality parks and recreation programs that meets the diverse needs of the community. Policy OCS-1.8 Ensure that parks and recreational facilities are well -maintained by the responsible agency. Policy OSC 7.4 Encourage the use of reclaimed water for the irrigation of parks, golf courses, public landscaped areas, and other feasible applications as service becomes available from the Eastern Municipal Water District. Community Design Element GOAL CD-1: A unified and attractive community identity that compliments the character of the City's distinctive communities. Policy CD-2.1 Require open space and recreation buffers, increased setbacks/step backs, landscape screening, sensitive site planning, and/or other buffer techniques, to the extent possible, between rural/equestrian-oriented land uses and dissimilar uses. Section 3. Recommendation. The Planning Commission hereby recommends the City Council adopt the proposed PTOSRMP included as Attachment 2 to the Staff Report and incorporated herein by reference as a Background Document to the City of Menifee General Plan. Section 4. CEQA. The Planning Commission hereby recommends the City Council make a finding that the proposed PTOSRMP is exempt from the requirements of CEQA. Adoption of the proposed plan does not fall within the definition of a "project" under CEQA because it, as a narrative background document supplementing the General Plan, does not have the potential to result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment (CEQA Guidelines 15378(a)) and is an administrative activity of the City that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment (CEQA Guidelines 15378(b)(5)). In addition, the adoption of the proposed resolution is exempt from CEQA because there is no possibility that the proposed resolution may have a significant impact on the physical environment (CEQA Guidelines 15061) and because, per Section 15061(b)(3), it can be seen with certainty to have no possibility of a significant effect upon the environment. Section 5. Notice of Adoption. The City Clerk of the City of Menifee shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. Section 6. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective upon its adoption. Section 7. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications and, to this end, the provisions of this Resolution are declared to be severable. Resolution No PC 16-254 Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master Plan February 24, 2016 APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 24th D, Approved as to form: Ajit T ind, Assistant City Attorney ATTEST: Je nifer Allen, Deputy City Clerk Scott A. Mann Mayor Greg August Mayor Pro Tem John V. Denver Councilmember Matthew Liesemeyer Councilmember Lesa Sobek Councilmember 29714 Haun Road Menifee, CA 92586 Phone 951.672.6777 Fax 951.679.3843 www.dtyofrnenifee.us STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss CITY OF MENIFEE ) I, Jennifer Allen, Planning Commission Secretary of the City of Menifee, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. PC16-254 was duly adopted by the Planning Commission of the City of Menifee at a meeting thereof held on the 24th day of February, 2016 by the following vote: Ayes: Karwin, Madrid, Phillips, Thomas Noes: Doty Absent: None Abstain: None i Jennifer Allen, Deputy City Clerk