HomeMy WebLinkAboutDI 89-06; Planning Commission Noise Subcommittee; Discussion Item (DI)-,
DISCUSSION ITEM
DECEMBER 6, 1989
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: Noise Subcommittee (McFadden, Schlehuber, Emin)
DI 89-6 - REPORT ON COMPLETION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION NOISE
SUBCOMMllTEE WORK PROGRAM
I. RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2944, APPROVING the Planning
Department Administrative Policy regarding interim noise mitigation measures and forward
the Subcommittee's report to the City Council for concurrence.
n. DISCUSSION
This item has been continued twice from the Planning Commission meetings of September
6 and October 4, 1989 in order to obtain additional input and allow additional
Subcommittee analysis.
The Subcommittee was charged with three tasks. The first task was to develop an interim
noise policy which would be used until a complete revision of the City's Noise Element
could be done. The Subcommittee chose to develop an administrative noise policy to
govern the identification and mitigation of noise impacts on future residential development.
The policy would become a Planning Department Administrative Policy and would be
implemented during the CEQA analysis of any proposed project. A copy of the
Administrative Policy is provided as attachment "A". The major implications of the Policy
are: 1) the requirement for a noise study when the project is located within a specified
distance of a noise source; 2) exterior mitigation to 60 dBA CNEL; and 3) disclosure
requirements.
The second charge of the subcommittee was to reformat and bring into consistency the
City's existing Noise Element. This involved a variety of minor clerical and technical
updates along with reformatting the text. The new reformatted consistency version of the
existing noise element is attached as Exhibit "B. It will be considered and reviewed as
part of the complete General Plan Update which will be coming to the Planning
Commission within the next couple of months.
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DECEMBER 6,1989
PLANNING COMMISSION
PAGE TWO
The last charge of the subcommittee was to make potential recommendations to staff for
the complete, future revision of the City's noise element. These recommendations would
be presented to the consultant hired to work with staff to develop a new draft noise
element. These recommendations are based on the subcommittee's review of a variety of
noise elements throughout the state of California and are attached as Exhibit T".
The only action required by the Planning Commission at this time is the approval of the
Administrative Noise Policy (Exhibit "A"). The subcommittee is recommending approval
of the policy although two items in the policy were not approved unanimously by the
subcommittee members. Subcommittee member Schlehuber does not agree with requiring
the 60 CNEL to be measured immediately above the highest window or door opening in
a dwelling unit. He believes that requiring the 60 CNEL to be met at five feet inside the
proposed project's property line at six feet above finished grade is sufficient providing that
there are no balconies or roof decks making usable space above the first floor level.
Secondly, Mr. Schlehuber feels that while windows impacted by a noise source should be
constructed to reduce the interior noise level to 45 CNEL when closed, the windows
should not be sealed closed and the homeowner should have the option to open the
windows.
Attachments
.
1. Planning Commission Resolution No. 2944
2. Administrative Policy Concerning Noise - Exhibit "A"
3. Consistency Version of Existing Noise Element - Exhibit "B
4. Recommendations for Revised Noise Element - Exhibit "Ct
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