Resolution 1682
RESOLUTION NO. 1682
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY
ADOPTING AS POLICY GUIDELINES AN INTERIM CONSERVATION/
OPEN SPACE PLAN
WHEREAS, after study, the Planning Staff has prepared and
recommended adoption of the attached Interim Conservation/Open
Space Plan as policy guidelines for future development in the
City of Gilroy, and good cause appearing therefore,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the
City of Gilroy approves the attached Interim Conservation/Open
Space Plan as policy guidelines and adopts the same for the
regulation of future development in the City of Gilroy.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of October, 1972, by the
following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: DUFFIN, KENNEDY, PATE, SILVA,
WENTWORTH and GOODRICH
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: BATREZ
APPROVED:
._~-~~~'
Mayor
ATTEST:
I
(7i2l4t1.rnnU t. d /i;;:;t
City C er
1.../
RESOLUTION NOo 1682
I, SUSANNE E. STEI~IETZ, City Clerk of the City of Gilroy, do
hereby certify that the attached Resolution No. 1682
is an original'
resolution. duly adopted by the Council of the City of Gilroy at a special
regular meeting of said Council held on the
11 th day of October
, 19 ~ at which meeting a quorum was present.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the
official seal of the City of Gilroy, this
20th day of October
, 19 lL.
/
(72) 'k)lt-~
ylty Clerk of the City of Gilroy
Adopted by City
Council, 10/11/72
Resolution No. 1682
INTERIM CONSERVATION/OPEN SPACE PLAN
CITY OF GILROY
BACKGROUND
The City of Gilroy is now in the process of adopting an Environmental
Resources Management Element (ERME) to the General Plan. The element will be an
Inclusive environmental management approach to all those planning activities which
relate to the quality of the environment. Included in this approach will be the
normal open space, conservation, scenic highway, seismic, and recreation-parks
elements to the General Plan. T~e ERME element will meet the format of the State
law which requires all cities and counties to adopt a mandatory element to the
General Plan. It is the purpose of this approach to meet State requirements and
provide a working tool for the use of our own local government in the effort to
develop a responsive and comprehensive environmental planning program.
Because of new court decisions and specific State laws, the City will need
to adopt an interim policy element to cover those requirements and still, in the
meantime, develop an entire environmental planning package. This interim Conser-
vation/Open Space Element wi 11 be viewed as a building block for the entire Envi-
ronmental Resources Management Element and prescribe general goals and temporary
policies which will lead to the eventual adoption of the complete environmental
element.
DEFINITIONS
Conservation is the protection of the resources (minerals, water, forest,
air, fisheries, wildlife) of man's environment against depletion or waste and the
safeguarding of its beauty. Open space is an integral part of conservation of land
and resources. It is that portion of the landscape which has not been built over
and which is sought to be reserved in its natural state or for agricultural, re-
creational, and ecological reasons.
GOALS
1. To preserve and conserve the natural resources and open space in and
around Gilroy for recreational, aesthetic, psychological, and ecological
purposes.
2. To meet conservation/open space needs as a result of continuing popula-
tion growth.
3. To preserve natural rural character inherent in and aroung Gilroy.
4. To create an equal balance between development and the natural environ-
ment in order to provide both tangible and intangible amenities for the
residents of Gilroy.
-1-
5. Provision for public safety through the preservation and conservation
of lands upon which building for human occupancy is hazardous.
6. To improve open space land for recreational uses.
7. To provide an integration of policy for all open space/conservation
needs through the Environmental Resources Management Element to the General
Plan, through cooperation with regional governmental agencies and with
private citizens.
PRINCIPLES
Several principles to insure adequate open space needs are already exemp-
lified in Gilroy's General Plan. These include:
1. The total park and recreation area required by a community is a function
of population size.
2. Parks and recreation facilities of varying sizes, function, and location
are needed to serve the entire population of a community.
3. The higher the density in a particular district of the city, the greater
is the need for public parks and open space to be provided within that dis-
trict. Even relatively small park areas in these locales can have a utility
and value disproportionate to their size.
4. Temporarily vacant land is not an adequate substitute for permanent,
publicly-owned parks and recreation space.
5. Open space becomes more valuable to the community when it is distributed
throughout the urban area and connected by links to form a continuous pattern.
6. Open space does not have to be the most costly land in the city, but can
be provided, to a large extent, from land of low economic use jf effective
provision is made in advance.
7. The city also reaffirms that parks and recreation requirements of 10-15
acre~ per 1,000 population will be a minimal standard criteria.
Conservation principles to be incorporated in the General Plan arees follows:
1. All natural resources In the planning area will be conserved in a manner
that will lnsure availability for constinued use.
Unique natural habitats, agricultural resources, wildlife areas,
watershed areas, and other non-replaceable resources will be protected in
a manner that provides for public and private use and enjoyment.
2. The planning process will be conservation oriented. All planning acti-
vities will be directed toward conserving and enhancing all natural and man-
made resources that contribute to the quality of life in the region and re-
flect the character and heritage of the community.
-2-
Natural resources, especially land, are finite. This has been realized In
many other cities when the attempt of generating new parks or recreational facili-
ties or to preserve aethestic and environmenta1 beauty has been either completely
lost or is a very expensive venture. Gilroy realizes that rapid development could
eliminate much of the open crop land and water/creek system now surrounding the city.
Conservation does not just apply to rural areas. It also applies to urban
areas and the urban/rural fringe. Conservation is readily identified with timber,
farm land, and mineral resources which are normAlly found outside urban areas.
However, within any urban areas one can find natural resources that, if not con-
scientously protected, will be in danger of being lost in the process of the city's
horizontal expansion. These resources include possible wildlife habitats, water-
sheds, and unique natural features that contribute to the city in the sense of pro-
viding an essential commodity or in simply protecting a view or feature that pro-
vides relief from the man-mande cityscape.
IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
1. Gilroy will establish priorities for and schedule acquisition and devel-
opment of parks and recreation areas.
2. Gilroy will insure that land that is environmentally dangerous for de-
velopment, or land that is ecologically endangere~will not be used for urban
development purposes which will reflect in the Urban Development Policy.
3. An open space zoning ordinance will be u5sd to insure that certain land
categories will be protected from urban development. This includes lands
that are considered for:
a. Public recreation~
b. Enjoyment of scenic beauty.
c. Conservation or use of natural resources.
d. Production of food or fiber.
e. Protection of man and his artifacts (building, property, etc.)
because of environmentally hazardous areas.
The open space zoning ordinance will also help in the containment
and structuring of urban development.
4. An environmental impact report will be required of any projects which
may have a significant effect on the environment. The form, content, and
requirements of such reports will be prescribed by the city and will follow
state and federal guidelines.
5. Grading requirement will be reviewed and enforced to reflect the neces-
sity of designing with nature, restricting such practices as "cut and fill.11
6. Urban design criteria should be established in order to insure that
methods of development are designed with nature in mind.
7. Gilroy will, whenever possible, encourage flood control through the use
of flood plains and small weirs.
-3-
.
8. Uvas Parkway and Uvas Creek will be considered of high priority to the
city. To this end, the Planning Department and the Parks and Recreation
Department will establish criteria for development in and around Uvas Creek
and the proposod parkway.
9. The City of Gilroy will discourage hillside development in and around
Gilroy until a hillside development policy is adopted. This will be re-
flected in the Urban Development Policy.
10. The city will establish an Environmental Resources Manage.ment Element
to the General Plan. The concerns and issues of this element will be re-
flected in Appendix 'WI.
11. State requirements for the elements to be incorporated ~Jlthin the En-
vironmental Resources Management Element, as reflected in the State Plan-
ning and Zoning Law, are referenced in Appendix "B".
-4-