SR 06:208 - Laserfiche WebLink

. A Commissioner requested that the policy and program related to preservation of heritage trees be amended to reflect a goal of no net loss of trees in the Planning Area. Staff recommends that a new Program 2.1 be added: "Strongly encourage preservation of heritage trees; where preservation is not feasible, tree replacement or a contribution to the Urban Forestry Fund will be required. The City encourages no net loss of trees. " Proceeds from the Urban Forestry Fund are used for tree surgery, repair and replanting, as well as public education materials, educational seminars, and some consulting arborist fees. . A Commissioner requested that a policy be added to ensure that reverse osmosis was not used to return wastewater to the aquifer system. Staff recommends the following amendment to Program 4. 1 (addition in bold): "Do not utilize water reclamation techniques including reverse osmosis which could adversely affect or have potentially negative impacts on drinking water quality, surface waters, or groundwater resources. " . A Commissioner requested the rewording of Policy 8.2 to read as follows: "Design natural open space areas adjacent to sand and gravel harvesting areas and Zone 7 water retention lakes to include a protective buffer zone, similar to that on the east side of Martin Avenue, north of Busch Road that are open to the public for recreational purposes." Staff has made this change in the attachments. Please note that the policy now reads "east side of the Martin Avenue, north of Mohr Avenue" since this is the location of the buffer area. . A Commissioner asked that the Tri-Valley Conservancy be named as a potential partner with the City in preserving open space. Staff has amended Program 10.1 to read: Explore working with the TriValley Conservancy or similar entities to use transfer of development rights and conservation easements to preserve open space. . Regarding Policy 12 and the programs following, a Commissioner asked that the phrase "...a ridgeline preservation ordinance and scenic..." be retained in the policy. Further the Commissioner asked that a goal and several policies from the City of San Juan Capistrano's Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan be considered for inclusion in the draft element. Staff has amended Policy 12 to include the previously stricken phrase. It should be noted that the Conservation and Open Space Element addresses Open Space land use designations. Land so designated has minimal development potential; for example, land designated for agriculture and grazing on the Pleasanton and Main ridges has a base density of 1 00 acres per building site. Therefore, the focus of this draft element is on the public acquisition (either infee title or as an easement) of these lands for habitat conservation and/or public access. Further. the provisions of Measure F strictly control any development of the Pleasanton Ridge area, although they do not pertain to the South East hills. The South East hills area is designated Rural Density (one dwelling unit per 5 acres) or Public Health and Safety (with most of the area under the Wildlands Overlay) which has no development capacity other than one single family home on existing lots of record. Policies related to the General Plan Update Planning Commission Page 3 of 4