Saratoga News
News
Planning Commission holds session to consider updates to General Plan
By Shannon Burkey
After three study sessions and one public hearing, the Saratoga Planning Commission decided at its Nov. 8 meeting it is not ready to move forward with the update to the city's General Plan and will take the discussions back to another study session.
Although there have already been three study sessions, the next one will be structured differently; the commission members will discuss their ideas, then take public comment at the end.
"We've listened to so much public comment, but we haven't had a chance to sit and bat ideas back and forth among ourselves," said Linda Rodgers, planning commission chairwoman.
Commissioner Joyce Hlava said she is ready for the process to move forward but would like to get together with the other commissioners and hear their thoughts before that happens.
"I think all the planning commissioners have different ideas that they would like to discuss before we send it to the city council," Hlava said. "We have had three study sessions with a lot of great public input. I don't feel there has been a lack of input, but now we need to take that information and synthesize it before we move on."
The planning department and the planning commission have been working closely with outside consultants and Saratoga residents to update the city's General Plan--which has not been updated since the early 1980s--and bring it into compliance with state laws. In order for that to happen, the city must update three of the seven elements contained in the General Plan. Currently, the city is working on updating the Land Use Element and the Open Space/Conservation Element, which were previously two separate elements but are now being combined into one.
But residents have said the city is moving too fast in updating the plan and have urged the commission to slow the process down and take all public input into consideration.
"The General Plan is the most important document the city undertakes. We are looking to you to assist in this process, but you're doing it in a vacuum with staff and consultants," Saratoga resident Maureen Hill said to the council. "This should be such an open proces,s and it has not been. Suspend the process and take a step back. There is no urgency."
After listening to comments from the public and feeling there were still many issues that needed to be ironed out, the commission decided it was also not comfortable moving forward with the plan as it currently stands.
"This is a big thing. We don't update the General Plan that often, so we should take it seriously," Commissioner Yan Zhao said.
Some of the issues the commission would like to discuss are stronger definitions of goals and policies in the plan and to make the language consistent throughout the document.
"We need to nail the language. It is different in the Land Use Element than in the Open Space Element. We want to make sure we get that consistent," Rodgers said. "We also need to sharpen the language to enhance Saratoga's natural beauty."
Rodgers said she appreciated everyone who commented at the meeting and would like to hear from anyone who has any input as the process continues, but she also said it is time for the commission members to put their heads together and try to come up with something that everyone can be happy with.
"It is time for us to knuckle down and get to work and make sure that we are comfortable with what comes out again," Rodgers said.
The study session to discuss the update of the General Plan will be held Dec. 12 at 19655 Allendale Ave. The Land Use Element will be discussed from 5 to 8 p.m., and the Open Space/Conservation Element will be discussed from 8 to 9 p.m.
