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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Res 2140 1972-09-11 I I I " ". .. . " '. RESOLUTION NUMBER ,;(.//-O A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA APPROVING AN INTERIM OPEN SPACE/RECREATION ELEMENT TO THE GENERAL PLAN, WHEREAS, under California State Lawall cities must adopt an Interim Open Space/Recreation Element by August 31, 1972; and WHEREAS, the City staff, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Environmental Quality Control Board have contributed significant time, studY and input to the creation of a new Open Space/Recreation Element; and WHEREAS, through their efforts, an Open Space/Recreation Element (Exhibit A) and a map of the Open Space/Recreation Element (Exhibit B) have been presented to the City Council for their consideration; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Seal Beach does hereby approve an Open Space/Recreation Element referred to as Exhibit A in this resolution and the map of the Open Space/Recreation Element referred to as Exhibit B in this resolution. Said Exhibits shall be considered a part of this resolution and are adopted by reference. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of sea~c~ calif~ia, at a meeting thereof held on the 117:/ of .0 ,_ hL , 1972, by the following vote. ' day AYES: Councilmen NOES: Councilmen ABSENT: Councilmen ~./ ~-L Il. ~. ~ ayor ATTEST: . ,'. ~ ...... ......~c: .."..; ... ~ :.,. ',t ~ ......:to .. .-' .' . . ~... - I I . . Resolution NUnlber " 9-15-72 .. : OPEN SPACE/RECREATION ELEMENT '. ..r .' The purpose of the open space/reereation element is to: (l) inventory those parcels which are currently used for recreation and otller open space purposes. (2) determine whieh parcels should be -set'aside for current and future recreational and other open space needs, (3) delineate those parcels intended to be maintained '. , for recreational and other open space uses on a city map, and (4) determine methods to insure the preservation of the designated areas for recreational and other open space uses. It is essential that during this period of rLpid urban growth areas be set aside to meet the current and future recreational ~~d open space needs of the community. For the purpose of this eleme~t, open spaee land shall be defined as any parcel or area of land or water which is essentiarly unimp-coved or contains only minor improvements and is ~evoted to an open space use. Open space use shall be defined as land which is used for (1) public recreation, (2) the conservation and preservation of natural resources, (3) the enjoyment of scenic beauty, (4) the production of food and fiber, or (5) the safety and general welfare of the community. Recreati~n land shall be defined as any area of land or water which is designated in this element and which is currently used or proposed ~o be used for recreation.al purposes and is open to the public for such recreational purposes with or without charge. Natural resource land is considered to be land or water areas which the Planning Commission or City Council deem to encompass natural resources, the use or recover of which can best be realized by restricting the use of the land as provided in this element. This definition shall include land or' water ~ areas which are deemed to be unusually valuable or necessary for the preservation or enhaneement of wildlife resources. ,. - I I Resolution Numbe~ Scenic l~nd i~defined as land which is desig~ted on the tocal open space plan as land which possesses scenie qualities worthy of preservation. Agricultural lands are defined as those areas designated in the plan as being used for, or proposed to be used,for, the production of agricultural commondities for commercial purposes. 'Lands to be set aside for the public safety and general welfare are defined as those areas which are designated in the plan to remain essentially open and unimproved for the safety and general welfare of the community. Various types o~ urban land uses should be separated by open space green belts whenever possible. These green belts would provi~e a buffer to assure compatibility of land uses, while enhancing the aesthetic qualities of the community~ Implementation of this policy can best be achieved at the time of proposed development of a portion of the city. Because of the relat~vely high value of property in the Seal Beach Planning Area, a majority of the land set aside for open space uses will most likely be used for recreational purposes. One exception might be the Anaheim Bay Tidal Marshes. This area would be considered a natural resource, and an area of scenic beauty under the provisions of this el~ment. . . RECREATION LAND Areas for park and recreational purposes would include parks of neighborhood, community and regional significance, beaches, special use parks or facilities, gree~belts and open space corridors. The primary function of these facilities would be to provide a pleasant environment in which passive and active recreational activities could be undertaken. Because unde~~l.oped land is rapidly disappearing, f.t would be proposed that land for open space uses be secured at the earliest possible time. Then, as additional funds'become available, these areas could be developed in accordance with this plan. .. - I 1 . , Resolution Numbe~ Neighborhood ~arks ' Neighborhood parks are designed to meet the needs of individual r~sidential developments ~ithin the City. While providing for the recreational needs of several age groups, the neig~bor~ood P~fk i~ primarily designed to cater to needs of the 5 to 14 year old group. Children's play equipment, . . tenn~s and basketball courts and horseshoe areas are among the facilities often found at neighborhood parks. These parks vary in size from a single lot to parcels of approximately five acres. Existing neighborhood parks: 1. Shapell Park - College Park, East 2. Bluebell Park - College Park East 3. Marina Park - Coastal District 4. Eisenhower Park - Coastal District 5. Schooner Park - Coastal District Proposed neighborhood parks: 1. Heather & Lampson Park - College Park East 2. City Yard (should present use ever be abandoned) - Coastal District Commun:l:ty Parks Community parks are larger than neighborhood parks and are designed to serve the needs of a broader age group. These parks often attract people fro~ outside the immediate area in which they 'are located. Typically these facilities contain tennis, volleyball, handball and basketball courts, picnic areas and , . sports fields for seasonal sports such as baseball and football. Community parks generally range in size from approximately 5 to 20 acres. Existing community park: .. l.c Edison Park - College Park West Proposed.community park: . 1.. Marina Hill Community Park -,- - I I Resolution NUmber, RdgioDal Beac~es & Parks Regional beaches and parks are designated to meet the'needs of "both , . residents and non-residents and usually attract a large number of people from outside the immediate area. Generally these facilities are over 20 acres in ... .' . i " size and appeall to all age groups. Natural surroundings and spaciousness are i . emp~sized to a greater degree than in community parks. Regional facilities are often used for day long outings. Th~ shoreline of Seal Beach would be considered to be of regional significance. Recreational activities are associated with the ocean, beach and pier. Primary recreational activ1t~es include swimming. wading, surfing. pier aDd sports fishing, sunbathing, jogging, volleyball and some unorganized games. I~ is proposed that additional recreation and service facilities be provided in proximity to the First St.reet parking lot to further enhance this regional facility. It has been proposed in the Master Plan of Regional Parks fur Orange County that the area known as the Los Alamitos Basin (Hellman Ranch) become a regional park. This facility would provide sufficient open space for a variety of recreational activities and would include a picnic area. A portion of Sunset Aquatic Park lies within the city limits of ' Seal Beach. A majority of this County,regional facility is located' within a County island which may be annexed to the City at ~ome future date. Presently, the facility has not yet been completely developed. The Aquatic Park will include boat slips, picnic areas~ camping facilities, and a boat repair yard. Primary activities will include boating, swimming and fishing. Special Use Parks or Facilities Special use parks or facilities are parklike places or special " recreat~onal facilities where a unique recreational activity is provided. . ~ . -4':' - I 'ResolutiGn Number The service ~reas'_nd size of these facilities vary according io~ thei~ pr1neipal use. These ~Qcili~ie~ generally have a neighborhood or community orientation. EXisting special use parks or facilities: . . 1. Zoeter Elementary School - Coastal District 2. McGaugh Intermedia~e School -.Marina Hill 3. Gum Grove Park - Marina Hill ", 4. North Seal Beach Community Center - Rossmoor Center 5. Hopkinson Elementary School - Rossmoor 6. Lee Elementary School - Rossmoor 7. Rossmoor Elementary School - Rossmoor 8. Rush Elementary School - Rossmoor 9. Weaver Elementary School - Rossmoor lO. Wilson Elementary School (undeveloped schoolsite, currently being used as a park) - Rossmoor Greenbelts and Open Space Corridors . Greenbelts are recognizable expanses of undeveloped land which provide an attractive open space setting and a buffer between adjacent land uses. Recreational activities in these areas are usually limited to activities such as walking, picniking and unorganized games. CUaunels and transmission rights-of-way offer a unique opportunity for joint use of facilities. Because of their configuration, these.corridors provide an excellent opportunity to incorporate as a secondary use such things as bicycle paths, equestrian trails and hiking areas. The City should seek the I cooperation of ot~er public agencies and private utility companies to expand the ~ses of e~isting or proposed corridors under the control of these agencies, or companies. .. Proposed Greenbelt: 1. Portions of the Pacific Electric right-of-way (to be determined by a precise plan) - Coast~l District .' . -5-" . ' 6/30/72 . - Resolution Number .. . , . Ptivate Recreational Facilities " " , . Private recreational facilities are not open to the 'general public but _do provide open spaee an( a service to the community which might otherwise not be provided. These facilities may be located within a resideutial development .... ". and owner and maintained by the resideuts of the community or they cou~d consist of individually owned and operated commercial enterprises. ". " Existing private recreation~ facilities: 1. Leisure World Golf Course - Leisure World 2. Leisure World CluD Houses - Leisure World 3. Old Ranch Country Club - Adjacent to COllege Park East I 4. Old Ranch Tennis Club - Adjacent to College Park East 5. Oakwood Apartments - Coastal District NATURAL RESOURCE LAND Most of Seal Beach lies in a basin comprised of alluvial soil. In the past, a large portion of what is currently Seal. Beach was used for agricultural purposes. Urban development in recent years has restricted present agricultural activity to portions of the Seal Beach Navals Weapons Station. The Anah~im Bay Tidal Marshland is ineluded within the City's planning boundaries and is considered to be a natural resource of regional si,gnificance. Both fish and fowl abound in this wildlife area located on the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. The marshland is used as a resting place for birds on their migrations. The marshland also provides a home for severa~ en4angered species III of birds. It is a goal of the City that the marshl~d be preserved in its natural state. Gum Grove Park contains a dense grove of eucalyptus trees which constitute ~ a natural resource. There are presently over 800 trees in the grove. Every attempt should be made to ~reserve this area for the enjoyment of all. .. Some petroleum deposits are located under the Seal Beach Planning area. Every attempt should be made to petroleum recovery compatible with other land uses within the City. ' -6- r , . jl Resolution'Numb~r ; SCENIC LAND " , . , . Scenic ,lands, would encompass 'those areas with scenic'qualities' worthy of preservation. These ~reas should reveal natural beauty and provide a sense of local identity while providing relief from the developed surroundings. -! . .. Scenic lands within the Seal Beach planning boundaries would include the ocean'and shoreline,'Anaheim Bay tidal marshlands and the Gum Grove Park. " Pacific Coast Highway has been designated as a scenic route and will receive further consideration under the Scenic Highway Element. AGRICULTURAL LAND '..~ I Presently commercial agricultural activities are restric~ed to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. Over 1000 acres of the Station are curre~tly used for the ~roduction of staple vegetable crops such as carrots, beets and --- corn. It would appear that agricultural production will continue on the .\ 1 ",1 Wea~ons Station for an i~definite period of time since it has been determined that agriculture production is a compatible secondary use for a portion of the base. LAND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THE NEWPORT-INGLEWOOD FAULT The Newport-Inglewood fault runs through the City of Seal Beach and is locally referred to a~ the Seal Beach fault. It id located behind the Marina Hill and runs parallel to the coast (see map). All maps showing this fault are on such a large scale that the exact size and location is difficult to determine. This fault is considered to be active; Marina Hill is the'result of uplift on the coastal side of the fault. The two most recent movements occurred in 1933 and 1952. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake resulted from movement along this fault ~. ~ centered in the ocean off Newport Beach. The 1952 Kern County earthquake resulted in some loss of oil wells along the Newport-Inglewood fault. Due to the presence of this active fault within the City of Seal Beach, a zone at least '100 feet wide centering on the presumed location of the fault, should be reserved as open space until the completion of the Seismic-Safety. Element of the -7- - /' _I I General Plan, "at which time the exact Resolution ~umber location and ~otential danger ~~De of the .'. .. . fault can be bett~t assessed. FUNDING In consideration of the preserva~ionfof open sp~ce as outlined in this element, it is imperative that all sources of possible funding be explored. Fed~ral and State assistance should be sought for projects of a regional nature. For community and neighborhood facilities, possible methods of financing would include allocations from the City's general fund, general obligation bonds, assessment districts, environmental reserve tax funds and in restricted areas. redevelopment agency funds. ACTION ORIENTED PROG~ In an attempt to preserve open space lands, the following recommendations are made: 1. The City should "explore all sources of possible funding for the open space lands. 2. The City should review present subdivision regulations to insure that the recreational needs of proposed subdi~isio~s are adequately met. 3_ The City should make every attempt to secure joint use of open space corridors and lands set aside for seasonal use by other pu~lic agencies and private utility companies. 4. Zoning should b~ investigated as an alternative to preservation of open space lands. This proposal will be investigated and',4efined in the prepara- tion of an open space zoning ordinance which will be consistent with this plan. .. .' .' o - r,,'H1J<bId $/,"''' 't ~ NI1j/ I 'Pt'!..L /, Ylfj W,'4'1 M(f