WATSONVILLE -- The Coastal Commission staff have revealed a draft of modifications to the city's proposed Local Coastal Program amendments that may lead to the construction of a high school on environmentally sensitive lands west of Highway 1.
The draft, which indicated additional modifications were likely, was the subject of a meeting last Wednesday at the Coastal Commission's local office in Santa Cruz attended by officials of the city and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Some of the modifications presented will likely be included in the staff report due to be made public prior to the Coastal Commission meeting in Carmel March 14 to 17.
The current LCP permits agriculture and passive recreation at the proposed site but not a public school. The amendments are required to allow the more intense development there.
Those in attendance _ who hope to build the school inside the city limits but within the coastal zone _ were reported to have left the meeting less than pleased following the presentation.
The draft modifications specify that the school must be sited on no more than 42 of the 117 acres and located away from wetland areas identified at three locations. The district's plans failed to account for all the wetland areas and spread the facilities out closer to Harkins Slough Rd. than the modifications will allow.
According to PVUSD Superintendent John Casey, moving facilities more to the North as the draft suggests, would take them out of the area previously evaluated and approved by the state Aeronautics Program.
``I doubt if we'd get approval (if a new aeronautics evaluation were required),'' he said.
To keep the facilities within the area previously evaluated and within the area allowed by the modifications would require a smaller school site than planned _ approximately 30 acres instead of 55, according to Casey.
If the school development requires widening of Harkins Slough Rd. _ as mentioned in the district's EIR _ the draft calls for a bridge to be constructed over the west branch of Struve Slough to provide habitat connectivity within the slough system.
``The bridge might be a problem,'' Casey said. ``This is a major expense.''
The schools visual appeal within the surrounding landscape is also the subject of the draft modifications. The buildings must be redesigned to blend with the existing habitat and agricultural landscape. The draft suggests earth tone exterior finishes _ such as board and batten wood or corrugated metal siding _ roofs pitched above horizontal and large structures broken down into smaller building elements.
Casey said some concern was expressed among his staff regarding the planned facility's design elements and appearance, but not to the extent that the local commission staff have indicated.
The increase in impervious surface coverage and the development of slopes prohibited in the current LCP but needed for the school's construction, will be allowed if ``there is no feasible alternative location'' and if the state Aeronautics Program has found the site to be safe for public school facilities.
Tami Grove, Coastal Commission Deputy District Director, emphasized that the document was only a draft and changes were already being made to it.
``We're meeting with the city and school district (today) to get their feedback,'' she said.
According to Grove, the draft was completed prior to their receiving recommendations outlined in a letter from Department of Fish and Game Central Coast Regional Manager Brian Hunter. The draft report does not yet incorporate any of those recommendations, she said.
In his letter Hunter suggests that the commission ``consider whether the entire site meets its definition of ESHA based on the rare slough/upland habitat combination existing there. It seems to us that it does.''
The letter states the proposed amendments ``will contribute significantly to the steady cumulative loss of upland and wetland habitat values associated with the Watsonville slough system.''
According to City Manager Carlos Palacios the verdict wont be in on the local staff recommendations until March 1 when the final report is made public. Until then there's no way of knowing what to expect, he said.
``Regardless of what local staff may or may not recommend,'' Doughty said. ``The commission itself is independent,'' and has ruled against staff recommendations in the past.
The draft also specifies that the 117 acre property is not to be divided as originally proposed. Non-agricultural development is to be clustered near the middle of the property and limited to only 12 acres if not for school use. The remainder is designated to be agriculture or open space.
A sewer and water extension will be allowed only within the city limits and the extension must be shared between the school and any future motel/restaurant development on Airport Blvd. The size of utilities is to be restricted; the property is to be surrounded by a non access easement _ an invisible shield to prevent utilities from escaping _ and a Utility Prohibition Overlay District is to be created to further impede any future utility extension.
Any non agricultural use will require a master plan for the area, and a county coastal development permit will be required prior to the issuance of one by the city. Beefed-up run-off filtering measures will also be required.
A maximum number of students _ yet to be determined _ will be allowed to attend and the school must have an agricultural education component similar to that of Watsonville High. Additionally, the district will be required to make a financial contribution to the county's Agricultural Conservation Easement program.
In his letter to the Coastal Commission district office, Hunter expresses concern regarding disruption to the state wildlife preserve adjacent to the school site and warned of delays associated with additional EIR documents that may be required.
He also recommends the creation of restored upland habitat corridors between wetland areas at the proposed school site and additional buffering there. He suggests that 30 acres of wetland/upland land in the Watsonville area be acquired or protected to compensate for the increased developed area resulting from the proposed amendments.
The draft also addresses the city's expressed need for a new off-ramp at Harkins Slough Rd. and requires a legally binding agreement prohibiting city annexation west of Highway 1 as one of several conditions.
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