MINUTES
May 14-15, 2009
Fresno
PRE-BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS & DISCUSSION
Fresno’s Tower District. At CPR’s Thursday night dinner, Kiel Schmit summarized the
history of the Tower District (within view of the tower above the Tower Theatre on East
Olive Street) and recent development and revitalization trends. Schmit is a local
Architect, a Fresno native, and serves on the Tower District Committee.
San Joaquin Valley Blueprint. On Friday morning, Barbara Steck, Deputy Director,
Fresno COG and Coordinator San Joaquin Valley Blueprint, briefly described the history
of the Blueprint, its status, and next steps.. The Blueprint has passed a major milestone
and set overall planning goals for more efficient land use in the Valley. After two years
of work, the Regional Policy Council has endorsed moving from current valley-wide
average residential densities of 4.3 per acre to 6.8 per acre.
Presently, the Blueprint enters the crucial area of shaping responses community by
community. as it seeks to implement these goals in a manner appropriate to each of the
region’s 62 cities and eight counties – while also meeting the requirements of SB375.
Steck described Blueprint successes as including: collaboration in planning across
boundaries, and reaching common goals. Challenges were described as: reaching
underserved populations, and diminishing fears around higher densities and state/regional
“takeovers.”
Fresno Southeast Growth Area Specific Plan (SEGA). Keith Bergthold, Director of
the City of Fresno's Planning and Development Department, presented an overview of
this innovative project. (For web-based materials relating to this project, go to:
http://www.fresno.gov/Government/DepartmentDirectory/PlanningandDevelopment/Plan
ning/SEGA/default.htm . The SEGA Specific Plan covers 9,000 acres and will house 20
percent of Fresno's growth in the next 20 years.
The Plan, prepared by Calthorpe Associates and EDAW, calls for compact transit/pedestrian-oriented development and protection of valuable agricultural lands, and offers
a model strategy for analyzing land use/transportation effects on greenhouse gas
generation. The project used metrics to understand how the project would perform as
compared with conventional development, including: GHG emissions, resource use, per
capita transportation and utility. The project also featured innovative thinking on how to
contain urban growth, manage annexation and metro/county relations, and build
partnerships in advance.
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Social and Economic Equity Issues in the San Joaquin Valley. Speakers on this topic
included: Phoebe Seaton, Directing Attorney, California Rural Legal Assistance, Fresno;
Caroline Farrell, Staff Attorney, Center on Race, Poverty and The Environment; and CPR
member Victor Rubin. Several hundred thousand people live in more than 200 small,
disadvantaged unincorporated communities in the San Joaquin Valley, from “islands”
surrounded by, or on the fringe of, larger cities to rural “legacy” communities. These
settlements and neighborhoods have consistently poor infrastructure for water, sewers,
sidewalks, street-lighting, parks, school facilities and other elements of basic health and
safety, and lack the resources or representation to make the necessary improvements.
In many ways, disadvantaged unincorporated communities are analogous to “colonias”
and are sometimes called “lost cities” (Rubin). 60% of median income of Fresno County
and 2/3 have poverty rate greater than County – and over 600 additional communities are
not identified as a census designated place. These communities have infrastructure
deficits and service disparities.
Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment has been involved with capacity building,
including education on the importance of General Plan and encouraging participation in
public planning efforts. Related policy proposals include: Community Equity Act of
2009 – SB 194 (Florez); the reallocation of infrastructure funding sources (e.g. CDBG;
Safe Routes to Schools; Integrated Regional Water Management Planning (IRWMP),
Clean Water State Revolving Fund); SB 732 on resources for local planning for such
communities; and AB 853 (Arambula) regarding annexation and LAFCO processes.
BUSINESS MEETING
Holiday Inn Fresno Downtown
CALL TO ORDER
President Creswell called the meeting to order at 12:35pm. President Creswell expressed
appreciation to the CPR organizing committee – Larry Mintier, Mike McCoy, Victor
Rubin, and Matt Taecker.
ATTENDANCE
Regular Members Present (16 of 32): Amoroso, Carpenter, Costello, Creswell, Dalton,
Goldberg, W., Grady, Gurnee, Lambert, Lashbrook, Rojas, Roos, Rubin, Ruggiero,
Sollenberger, and Tescher
Regular Members Absent (16 of 32): Anderson, Bertoni, Goldberg, G., Herson, Hinds,
Hoffman, Jacobson, Kahn, Loux, McCoy, Moore, Sahagi, Taecker, Tatum, Whiteside,
and Zelinka
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CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes. Minutes for March 2009 (Claremont) were adopted with correction to number
of members present to 17, and absent to 15, for a total of 32.
Financial Report. Consideration deferred to next meeting.
ORDER OF AGENDA
Project reports moved to earlier in agenda at the request of President Creswell.
PROJECT REPORTS
CPR Participation with Young Planners Group event at 2009 Annual Conference,
and beyond. There is a desire by young planners to meet with Roundtable members to
make contact with more experienced members of the profession for mentoring, etc.;
patterned after ULI group. Sacramento section has initiated such activities for planners
35 and younger. Ruggiero is meeting with them regarding opportunities at the APACA
conference (not just a social event) to report at July meeting. Lambert and Rojas
expressed interest in participating.
CPR Sponsorship of Events. UCLA Extension request for CPR sponsorship was
handled ad hoc. Creswell plans to draft sponsorship policy for discussion at July
meeting.
Potential Collaboration with the Institute for Local Government (Steve Sanders).
ILC is research arm of League of Cities. It develops planning commissioners’ handbook
and has other projects. Members expressing interest included: Ruggiero, Creswell,
Sollenberger, and Mintier.
Elimination of Petaluma Planning Department. National and state APA responded to
Petaluma’s elimination of its planning department, emphasizing importance of good
planning. CPR’s involvement is somewhat awkward because Mike Moore, former
director of Petaluma’s planning department is a CPR member. Consideration should be
given to potential APACA Conference salon opportunity to discuss how planners can
prepare for threatened departments, dependence on development fees, need for other
resources, etc.
SB 346. Emeritus member Rich Watson noted that passage of this bill will control
copper from brake pads, and that it needs support.
California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA). Watson requested CPR follow
up regarding a conference for which he is organizing a one-day workshop. The
conference is on urban runoff and stormwater quality, and will be in Mission Bay (San
Diego) on November 2nd.
Smart Mobility Conference. Sollenberg plans to send an announcement for this event.
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CHANGE IN CHAIR
Vice President Amoroso assumed the gavel with the departure of President Creswell.
PROJECT REPORTS
General Plan Project Update. Costello reported on the incubator working group as the
primary focus of this project since the March meeting. Ruggiero is team leader. The
group is developing a common format for reviewing General Plans with model aspects to
be ready by end of May so that five draft reviews can be completed by the July meeting –
with a focus on the “wow” factors in each instance. The group is anticipating a web
format, to go live by APACA conference. APACA salons are also planned for additional
discussion and input regarding the project and discussion of General Plans, including
award-winning plans. More materials including minutes and notes to be posted on CPR
website.
Effective Community Involvement for a Demographically Rich California (ECI).
Zelinka to have a report on public engagement project by July meeting
OLD BUSINESS
CPR Conference Sessions for 2009 Annual Conference.
Leadership (Costello). Session is in good shape. Focus on building community
capacity. Looking for appropriate panelists. Could honor the late Andrea Lawrence;
see her book: Andrea Mead Lawrence & Sara Burnaby, A Practice of Mountains,
Seaview Books, 1980.
Other Panels with CPR Members (details needed):
Property Rights, Takings, and Exactions (Jacobson & Kahn with Bill Higgins
from the League of Cities).
Open space successes – Lashbrook
Designing and defining the urban edge – Gurnee
General plan Sac – Tescher and Larry Mintier
Water – Tescher
Loux – topic?
Neighborhood electric vehicles – Caltrans
Rubin – health and the built environment
Lashbrook plans to organize CPR social event
July Meeting Update. Dalton reported on preparations for July 23-24 meeting in
Orange, with details to follow. Rojas and Watson plan to assist Zelinka. Program may
include Rojas urban design exercise.
2009 Retreat Update. Tescher reported on plans for November 13-15 retreat in Santa
Barbara. Santa Barbara was confirmed as location. No decision was made on a hotel.
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Potential topics include: sustainability, wildfire, design guidelines, status of General
Plan, and Ventura as a case study.
Membership Report. Amoroso noted that there are 32 active members out of 34
possible members, but the public: private ratio is out of balance. Need personal contact
to follow up with members with inconsistent attendance to ascertain how they can be
engaged. Consider ways to connect with those without enough time to qualify for
emeritus.
Recruitment of one North private member and one South private member is proceeding.
Members should send names for consideration to Amoroso. Greater emphasis should be
placed on recruiting newer planners who are moving into leadership roles. CM credits
could encourage participation.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 2pm.
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