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
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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
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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,
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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.
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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:
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Michael J. Maurer
City Attorney
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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
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City Clerk of the City o rcadia