AgdaPkt 2008-11-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7A Page 1 November 24,2008 INFORMATIONONL Y SUBJECT New General Plan Topics and Status Report BACKGROUND City staff has been working diligently to make the New General Plan bold and innovative. As part of that effort, staff has arranged guest speakers to discuss various General Plan topics with the hope of educating and initiating a dialogue with City groups including the City Council, Planning Commission and the various Boards, Committees, and Commissions. (A schedule of upcoming meetings is attached for your convenience). To that end two guest speakers will make presentations to the City Council on global climate change and other trends that should be considered in the New General Plan. The topic of climate change directly corresponds to the City Council's stated priority of "being attentive to environmental concerns - climate protection and conservation". Also on the agenda wilf be a companion report on what the City is doing to carry out such an important priority. The guest speakers for the meeting will be Don Weden and Will Travis. Mr. Weden was the Principal Planner for the Comprehensive Planning Section of the Santa Clara County Planning Office for many years prior to his retirement. Through his "Winds of Change" presentations he has encouraged local communities to prepare for the significant changes and challenges that will be coming in the years ahead-and how it will greatly impact future generations. He also discusses the integral role of General Plans and how they should deal with these changes. Mr. Travis is the executive director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), the state agency that regulates development in the Bay and along its shoreline. Mr. Travis also worked at the California Coastal Commission and has served as a Planning Commissioner. He is a strong advocate for a regional strategy to address sea level rise in the Bay Area. His presentation will focus on the impacts of climate change. specifically sea level rise and the San Francisco Bay, and what cities can do about it. Progress Report Staff also wishes to provide the City Council with a brief summary on the progress of the New General Plan since the last update was provided to you on October 13, 2008. The significant accomplishments are identified below: . Technical Reports Review. Staff is finishing its review of the various technical reports which will serve as the foundation to the New General Plan Elements. The Planning Commission has also reviewed and provided comments on the Historic Resources Background and Urban Design technical reports. The Historic Resources Advisory