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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7606RESOLUTION NO. 7606 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA 24- 01 WITH A NEGATIVE DECLARATION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT ("CEQA") UPDATING THE SAFETY ELEMENT AND ADOPTING A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT. WHEREAS, local governments are authorized by Government Code Section 65350, et. seq. to prepare, adopt and amend General Plans; and WHEREAS, the Arcadia Municipal Code provides that the adoption or amendment of any General Plan within the City shall be accomplished by resolution; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill (SB) 379 requires that the City update its Safety Element in conjunction with the Housing Element update; and WHEREAS, the City's Housing Element was updated and certified by Housing and Community Development (HCD) on February 9, 2024; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill (SB) 1000 requires that the City implement an Environmental Justice Element when two or more elements are updated and where the City also has a "disadvantaged community" pursuant to Government Code Section 65302(h)(4)(A); and WHEREAS, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), an Initial Study/Negative Declaration ("IS/ND") was prepared for the draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element in compliance with CEQA and local environmental review guidelines and a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration for the draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element was posted with the L.A. County Clerk's Office on October 24, 2024; and 1 WHEREAS, on November 26, 2024, a duly noticed public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on the draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element, at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, and the Planning Commission subsequently voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element to the City Council; and WHEREAS, on December 17, 2024, a duly noticed public hearing was held before the City Council on the draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element, and the associated Initial Study and Negative Declaration, at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence and all public comments on the environmental document were reviewed; and WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have been fulfilled. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The factual data submitted by the Development Services Department in the Staff Report dated December 17, 2024, and associated attachments, are true and correct. SECTION 2. The City Council finds that based upon the entire record, including all written and oral evidence presented, pursuant to Section 9108.03.060 of the Arcadia Development Code, all of the following findings can be made. 1. The amendment is internally consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan; and KA FACT: The City's General Plan Safety Element focuses on identifying and avoiding or mitigating hazards present in the environment that may adversely affect property and lives. The Safety Element update will further strengthen this aim by addressing the increasing risks associated with climate change, and by updating information on Very High Fire Hazard Areas, and evacuation routes. These updates serve to bring the Safety Element into compliance with State law and also reflect changes that have occurred in the City and environment over the past decade since the Safety Element was previously adopted. Changes and updates to the Safety Element's goals and policies are consistent with the other elements in the General Plan. The new Environmental Justice Element will be consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. The new policies, and implementation actions have been prepared to enhance existing policies and programs contained within the General Plan by prioritizing or emphasizing environmental justice goals. The Environmental Justice Element also recognizes that many existing policies within other elements already support environmental justice goals. These existing policies have been identified within the Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the Safety Element update and the Environmental Justice Element are consistent with the goals of the General Plan and with all other provisions within other elements. 2. The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or general welfare of the City. FACT: The proposed amendments are in the public's interests by furthering the General Plan's goals of creating a safe, healthy and resilient community. The updated Safety Element includes new and revised policies and goals which will improve safety, 3 and reduce risk from hazards in the City. In compliance with State law, the new goals and policies will focus on managing the impacts of a changing climate, improving resilience in the community, and ensuring adequate and safe evacuation routes for all the City's communities. The new Environmental Justice Element aims to improve environmental equity throughout the City by implementing new policies and goals to promote and prioritize environmental justice. The Environmental Justice Element promotes equitable access to clean air, safe housing, and reliable transportation, improving overall quality of life, which supports the health, safety, and general welfare of the City's residents. In addition to furthering the public's interest, the proposed amendments were analyzed to ensure that no impacts to the public's health, safety or welfare of the City would result from the changes. In accordance with CEQA guidelines, a Negative Declaration was prepared. The Negative Declaration concluded that no significant impacts would result from the updated Safety Element and new Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the proposed General Plan amendment would not be detrimental to the public's health, safety or welfare and is in the public's interest. SECTION 3. The draft Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element has. been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") and CEQA Guidelines. An Initial Study/Negative Declaration ("IS/ND") has been prepared for the project for the City, as the lead agency. The IS/ND was prepared pursuant with the requirements of CEQA on the basis that there was no substantial evidence that there may be significant environmental impacts on specific environmental areas as a result of the project. 4 SECTION 4. For the foregoing reasons the City Council adopts the Initial Study/Negative Declaration and approves General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01, incorporating the Safety Element Update and the addition of a new Environmental Justice Element to the City's General Plan. SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify as to the adoption of this Resolution. Passed, approved and adopted this 17th day of December, 2024. ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: /,) Ic /,) � - Michael J. Maurer City Attorney 61 Mayor of City of Arcadia STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES) SS. CITY OF ARCADIA ) 1, LINDA RODRIGUEZ, City Clerk of the City of Arcadia, hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution No. 7606 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Arcadia, signed by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 17th day of December, 2024 and that said Resolution was adopted by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Cheng, Fu, Wang, Kwan, and Cao NOES: None ABSENT: None - - � (Y/-- -, - Z" City Clerk of the City o rcadia