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