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<br />homeowners and landowners who tend to believe that if they have a Rural Density Residential <br />designation, they can build 100 homes. <br /> <br />Ms. Roberts commented that "Agriculture" is mentioned very briefly in the Vineyard Corridor <br />Specific Plan and noted that there are several parcels in the flat area of the Vineyard Corridor <br />that were required to put in vineyards, such as the Heinz and the Hahner properties. She added <br />that the Commission also previously discussed mitigating this by forming an easement <br />conservancy and that this Element should include that the Tri- Valley Conservancy does work <br />with some of City lands, with easements in Ruby Hill and back-up easements in Vineyard <br />Corridor. <br /> <br />Commissioner Fox asked Ms. Roberts if she had any proposal on how to include the Tri- Valley <br />Conservancy in the language for Policy 12 regarding the preservation of permanent open space, <br />all areas of outstanding scenic qualities. Ms. Roberts replied that she believed this language <br />already exists in the Element and proposed the following: "Encourage developers to work with <br />the Tri- Valley Conservancy to place easements on their properties for the purpose of permanent <br />preservation." <br /> <br />Ms. Stem noted that this is referred to in Program 12.4: "Encourage developers to dedicate <br />scenic/conservation easements for private open space areas possessing exceptional natural, <br />scenic, and/or vegetation or wildlife habitat qualities." She stated that the Program does not <br />specifically mention the Tri- Valley Conservancy but that it could be done. <br /> <br />Kevin Close, 871 Sycamore Road, inquired how any new language prohibiting the construction <br />of houses on 25 percent slopes and areas prone to landslides would affect properties with <br />existing POO zoning and which already have a designated number of homes in the Housing <br />Element. He provided the example of the upper portion of the Spotorno property, which was <br />designated with 75 homes but was recently found to be landslide prone. He inquired how this <br />situation would be treated and if the designated houses would be moved to another area. <br /> <br />Ms. Stem noted that this Element addresses open space land rather than lands designated for <br />development and that it would be unlikely that policies and programs in this Element would <br />actually affect developable land. <br /> <br />Chairperson Arkin clarified that land use zoning is different from General Plan designation and <br />that the updated General Plan would apply to future POOs and would not affect existing ones. <br />He added that the Spotomo property has a General Plan land use designation but not an approved <br />POO or land use zoning. <br /> <br />Mr. Iserson concurred with Chairperson Arkin that the Spotomo property does not have a POO <br />development plan approval. He explained that the Housing Element shows the property as <br />having 75 units at the midpoint ofthe General Plan and that the City is not locked in to building <br />that number of homes should some issues arise regarding land slides or 25-percent slopes that <br />would prevent that number of units from being achieved. He added that the City does not have <br />to approve the number of units at the midpoint; it has the discretion of approving any number of <br />units on a POO development plan, and should it approve fewer units than that identified in the <br /> <br />EXCERPTS: PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES, May 24, 2006 <br /> <br />Page 3 of8 <br />