HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-05-09; Status of the Draft City of Carlsbad Trails Master Plan; |Lancaster, Kyle | Barberio, Gary|To the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
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Council Memorandum
May 9, 2019
To:
From:
Via:
Re:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Kyle Lancaster, Interim Parks & Recreation Director
Gary T. Barberio, Deputy City Manager A_
Elaine Lu key, Chief Operations Officer Y--
Status of the Draft City of Carlsbad Trails Master Plan
{cityof
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2019040
This memorandum provides a status of the draft City of Carlsbad Trails Master Plan.
Background
In January 2010, the City Council adopted the Carlsbad Community Vision, which identifies nine
core community values. Three of the nine core values have a direct relation to trails:
o Access to Recreation and Active, Healthy Lifestyles
o Walking, Biking, Public Transportation, and Connectivity
o Neighborhood Revitalization, Community Design, and Livability
The Open Space, Conservation and Recreation Element of the Carlsbad General Plan includes
policy 4-P.40 which indicates the city shall prepare a comprehensive Trails Master Plan (TMP)
that expands the existing and planned trails system. Objectives of the City of Carlsbad TMP
were to include designing trails for diverse user groups and improved trails connectivity.
Discussion
In 2013, staff began the process of developing the TMP by hiring a consultant, KTU+A, and
creating a public outreach program. In late 2013 and early 2014, the city collected input
through an engagement process that included an online survey and a public workshop. The
on line survey was conducted from Nov. 27, 2013 to Feb. 28, 2014, and included an interactive
map that was posted on the city's website. In all, 332 surveys were submitted, and 272
comments on the interactive maps were provided. Public input was a major component of the
trails planning process, and it aided in drafting the TMP.
On Feb. 26, 2014, a public workshop on the TMP was held at the City of Carlsbad Faraday
Center. Thirty-four members of the community attended the workshop, which was an open
house format, with an integrated presentation. The workshop included display boards, maps,
fact sheets, and other trails/transportation information. Several city staff members and
members of the consultant team were also available to answer questions throughout the
Community Services Branch
Parks & Recreation Department 799 Pine Avenue, Suite 200 I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2826 t
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
May 9, 2019
Page 2
workshop. The public provided a total of 101 written comments that evening, including many
on a TMP vision, mapping components, and a variety of other topics.
City staff and the consultant then set out to write the TMP. During March 2015, the initial draft
of the TMP was available for public review. During that review period, an additional 95 written
comments were provided. Staff subsequently responded in writing to each of those comments.
After reviewing the initial draft TMP with the City of Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan's
preserve steward, and the applicable resource agencies' representatives, it was determined
that a program level environmental review of the plan should be conducted. An environmental
review was conducted pursuant to the Guidelines for Implementation of the California
Environmental Quality Act and the Environmental Protection Ordinance of the City of Carlsbad.
In June 2015, Helix Environmental was hired to develop the biological and cultural constraints
report and later, the initial study/ mitigated negative declaration (IS/MND) and mitigation
monitoring and reporting program (MMRP) for the TMP. The process of revising the draft TMP
included further collaboration with resources agencies' representatives and other stakeholders.
On March 3, 2016, staff held a meeting with these parties to present the proposed edits to the
draft TMP. The meeting was attended by representatives from the California Department of
Fish and Wildlife, United States Fish and Wildlife Services, California Coastal Commission, San
Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The Center for
Natural Lands Management, Helix Environmental, and city staff from the Parks & Recreation
and Community & Economic Development Departments. Multiple comments from these parties
were received, and staff considered them in making further refinements to the TMP.
Staff additionally kept the trails volunteer community informed on the progress ofthe TMP via
periodic email blasts, and during the Quarterly Trails Volunteers meetings that were held in
March, June and September 2016. Staff from the Parks & Recreation and Community &
Economic Development Departments also continued to meet with Helix Environmental to
advance the preparation of the IS/MND and MMRP for the TMP.
In March 2017, upon Helix Environmental's completion of the related environmental
documents (i.e., the IS/MND; the MMRP; and the biological and cultural constraints report), a
30-day public review period was scheduled. In advance of the public review period, several
public meetings were held to provide an update of the revised draft TMP and a schedule for its
posting on the city's website, as well as a schedule for the public review period of the
environmental documents. The preview included the TMP's history, its mission and goals, the
trails network's mileage and classifications, and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Subarea -as a
representative example of present/future connectivity. The dates of those meetings were:
0
0
0
Traffic Safety Commission
Beach Preservation Committee
General Invite and Trails Volunteers
March 6, 2017
March 14, 2017
March 16, 2017
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
May 9, 2019
Page 3
0
0
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation
Parks & Recreation Commission
· March 17, 2017
March 20, 2017
In April 2017, the revised draft TMP was posted to the city's website and distributed to various
city facilities (i.e., Faraday Center, Dove Library, Cole Library, Carlsbad City Learning Center,
Senior Center, etc.). The related environmental documents were circulated for public review
and comment from April 3, 2017 to May 5, 2017. Twenty-five comment letters were received
during the 30-day public review period. The letters were either comments about the revised
draft TMP and/or the associated environmental document.
On June 20, 2017 and July 17, 2017, the revised draft TMP was presented to the City Council
and the Parks & Recreation Commission, respectively. These public meetings offered additional
opportunities for input on the TMP. The two primary comments provided were to: (a) remove
segment SB from the TMP, and instead consider making the subject portion of the Village H
property into an off-leash dog amenity: and (b) change the designation of the west to east trail
segments through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDF&W) owned Carlsbad
Highlands Ecological Reserve and Buena Vista Creek Ecological Reserve, from 'potential' to
'proposed', to further reflect the city's support for full connectivity to the City of Carlsbad's
eastern limits.
City staff has also participated in several meetings -some with advocates, and others with
opponents, of making the subject portion of the Village H property into an off-leash dog
amenity. As a result, the southeasterly end of the conceptual alignment of Trail Segment 58
has been adjusted to reduce possible impacts to the property's sensitive habitat, but the
segment remains within the TMP. Presuming adoption of the draft TMP as presented, Trail
Segment SB would be subject to the existing municipal code regulation for dogs to be leashed
while on trails.
In meetings between city staff and CDF&W staff, the CDF&W preliminarily supported in
principal a limited use west to east connector trail through the Carlsbad Highlands Ecological
Reserve, and a pedestrian only west to east connector trail through the Buena Vista Creek
Ecological Reserve. However, the CDF&W's preliminary support for these trails was
subsequently repealed. As a result, these two trails have been designated as 'proposed' trail
segments (6A and 2C, respectively), in accordance with the city's General Plan (GP) Chapter 3
Mobility Element. Presuming adoption of the final draft TMP as presented, the city's intent for
construction of these trail segments would be subject to negotiation with, and ultimate
approval by, the property owner, CDF&W.
Next Steps
The responses to the comment letters received during the 30-day public review period are
ready to be posted on the city's website and will be an attachment to the staff report for the
Planning Commission meeting. Those responses will be posted prior to the 10-day public notice
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
May 9, 2019
Page 4
for the Planning Commission Meeting, at which time the IS/MND and MMRP documents and a
proposed GP Amendment are to be presented to the Planning Commission for
recommendation of adoption to the City Council. The proposed GP Amendment would: 1)
incorporate the TMP by reference; 2) delete redundant and obsolete tables and figures; and 3)
update policy language to call for implementation of recommended trails projects and to
update the TMP as necessary over time. The TMP itself is not subject to Planning Commission
recommendation of adoption to the City Council. However; in compliance with the GP, the
Parks & Recreation Department intends to use the adopted TMP as the principal guiding
document for managing the ongoing sustainability of the citywide trails system. The proposed
amendment will ensure consistency is maintained with the GP. This item is scheduled to be
presented at the Planning Commission Meeting of July 17, 2019.
Below is a milestones schedule for adoption of the final draft TMP, which includes
presentations to the Parks & Recreation Commission and the Planning Commission on June 17,
2019 and July 17, 2019, respectively. Contingent upon the outcome of those presentations, the
adoption process could conclude with the City Council's action on Aug. 27, 2019.
MILESTONE
Responses to comments posted on the dty website
Parks & Recreation Commission action presentation -to recommend the
City Council adopt the TMP
Planning Commission action presentation -to recommend the City
Council adopt the IS/MND, MMRP and approve the GP Amendment
City Council action presentation -to adopt the TMP and the IS/MND,
MMRP, and to approve the GP Amendment.
cc: Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Debbie Fountain, Community & Economic Development Director
Don Neu, City Planner
David DeCordova, Principal Planner
Scott Donnell, Senior Planner
Pam Drew, Associate Planner
Kasia Trojanowska, Parks Planning Manager
Michael Tully, Parks Planner
Tim Selke, Parks Superintendent
Morgan Rockdale, Parks/Trees Supervisor
DATE
May 30, 2019
June 17, 2019
July 17, 2019
Aug.27,2019