|
August
2008 | Web Exclusive
Update
On
Monday, July
28, the city
council unanimously
voted to introduce
the ordinance
that,upon second
reading and adoption
next week, will
give approval
for the Specific
Plan for the
Garden Del Mar
Project to be
placed on the
November ballot
for a final up
or down vote
by Del Mar voters.
The council also
approved a series
of resolutions
geared toward
placing the project
on the ballot,
and scheduled
final approval
of the project
EIR for next
Monday, allowing
the rest of this
week for public
review of some
minor last minute
additions to
the traffic and
related sections
of that document.
While, technically,
the actions will
not be final until
council action
next week, it
seems clear that
this week's council
action was key,
that the project
has the support
of the council,
and that it will
be heading for
the November
ballot.
The
issue of “Exceptional
Public Benefits” (“EPBs”)
was finally successfully
resolved at the
meeting. Measure
B, which requires
a public vote
on this project,
also requires
that the project
provide EPBs
to offset the
increase in floor
area included
in the project.
Some controversy
was generated
on this issue
on July 21, when
the council subcommittee
of Druker and
Earnest, after
private meetings
with the developers,
brought back
a recommended
package of EPBs
that appeared
different from
the package recommended
by the Project
Steering Committee
following its
65 public meetings.
Members
of the steering
committee appeared
before the council
at its July 21st
meeting to question
the changes, to
reiterate support
for the steering
committee recommendations,
and to express
concern for what
they perceived
to be a weakening
of the EPBs. Then,
in the early morning
hours of July
22, the developers
sent an email
to the City indicating
they were withdrawing
the project and
canceling the
vote due to what
they perceived
as division in
the
ranks.
This led to a
special meeting
of the steering
committee on July
24, called by
Druker and
Earnest,
where all these
issues were aired
and discussed
with considerable
public input,
with a new consensus
recommendation
on EPBs emerging.
Following this
meeting, the council
subcommittee and
the developers
had further private
negotiations,
and the final
package of EPBs
proposed at the
July 28 meeting
contained important
revisions and
had the support
of the Council
and the developers,
with no opposition.
In
brief the final
EPBs are:
1.
A $35 per month
fee, inflation
adjusted, will
be paid to the
City for 30 years
by each of the
43 condo units
in the project,
to be allocated
to the City's
housing assistance
fund. This revenue
stream has a present
value in excess
of $300,000. Review
of how this revenue
stream is expended
will occur in
20 years by the
City. In addition
to this 20 year
mandatory review,
per the terms
of the Specific
Plan, allocation
of these funds
can be redirected
at any time by
super-majority
vote of the council
should there no
longer be need
in the housing
assistance fund.
2.
The provision
of three public
plazas in the
project and the
dedication of
public easements
thereon in favor
of the public.
3.
The project's
LEED environmental
conservation design
aspects.
4.
Three dedicated
public parking
spaces above and
beyond all required
parking in the
parking garage.
5.
Sharing of paid
parking revenues
1/3 to the City
and 2/3 to the
project starting
five years after
voter approval
of the Specific
Plan if a paid
parking program
for the on-site
garage is in
place. A paid
parking program
will only be in
place if (1) a
permit parking
program is in
place to protect
the neighborhood
and (2) the paid
parking program
receives City
approvals as
required by the
Specific Plan.
If the paid parking
program is not
in place in five
years, then the
project will pay
$125,000 to the
city in installments
over 5 years.
All these funds
will be dedicated
to park improvements
in the City.
So,
final action is
expected by the
council next Monday,
and after that
the project will
be headed for
the ballot, including
its proposed EPBs,
for voter approval
or rejection.
back
to the lead article: New
Curves in the
Garden Path (Click here for
an opinion by
Art Olson.)
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Del Mar Community
Alliance, Inc. All
rights reserved. |
