Item C: Delta Sand and Gravel Metro Plan Amendment

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On February 21, 2007, the City Council tentatively decided that there was insufficient evidence that the site contained significant resources. A decision that there is not a significant resource on the site could potentially end the approval process. Therefore, after the City Council’s straw vote, City and County staff met and the County staff suggested to the County Board that it would be efficient if the board, too, discussed the significance of the resource site. During a work session on March 14, 2007, the board declined to proceed with its deliberations, preferring that the City Council continue independently. Staff prepared the attached draft findings to support the City Council’s tentative decision. If the council agrees with the findings, it may act by adopting them after they are reformatted for adoption (at a later date). That decision would then be forwarded to the County. If the council cannot support these draft findings or, upon review, believes that the site may have significant resources, then staff will schedule time for further discussion and deliberation on future agendas. Exhibits from the record referenced in the draft findings may be found in the Council Office. RELATED CITY POLICIES The subject property is currently designated by the Metro Plan as Agriculture, not Sand and Gravel. The Metro Plan encourages the use of the Urban Growth Boundary and park lands to separate sand and gravel resources from residential areas. The subject property is separated from urban residential properties on the other side of the UGB only by the East Santa Clara waterway. The Metro Plan offers these policies: Sand and gravel sites identified as significant by the Metro Plan shall be protected in ? accordance with the requirements of the Goal 5 Rule. (Metro Plan page III-C-11) When development is allowed to occur in the floodway or floodway fringe, local regulations ? shall control such development in order to minimize the potential danger to life and property. Within the UGB, development should result in in-filling of partially developed land. Outside the ? UGB, areas affected by the floodway and floodway fringe shall be protected for their agricultural and sand and gravel resource values, their open space and recreational potential, and their value to water resources. (Metro Plan page III-C-16) COUNCIL OPTIONS The City Council has the following options: 1.Direct staff to finalize the attached findings supporting the City Council’s tentative vote that there is insufficient evidence that the site contains significant resources; 2.Direct staff to amend the findings prior to adoption; 3.Request that staff gather more information from the record regarding significance of the site; 4.Decide that the findings cannot be supported (i.e., because on further review there is sufficient evidence that there are significant resources on the site) and ask the City Manager to schedule work sessions for continued deliberations on the remaining issues; L:\CMO\2007 Council Agendas\M070418\S070418C.doc