Council introduces ordinances to add military‑influence overlay and dark‑skies rules to general plan

The council received an informational presentation and introduced two ordinances to update the city's general plan and zoning map.

Consultant David Bloomstein described proposed changes to the military sustainability element and land‑use map that would reflect updated Navy flight patterns and expanded noise contours. The proposal would create a military influence overlay zone, prohibit or conditionally permit high‑sensitivity uses in specified safety zones, and require conditional‑use review for projects that could affect air operations. "The proposed revisions to the military sustainability element would incorporate new flight patterns as well as the revised noise contours and the safety zones," Bloomstein said.

Staff also proposed codifying a local dark‑skies ordinance to limit nighttime light and glare and adding five policies to satisfy SB 1000 requirements for environmental justice, including lead‑paint removal support, housing setbacks/ventilation, truck‑route guidance, electrical hookups at industrial loading docks to avoid idling, and restrictions on new wastewater facilities that risk groundwater.

The planning commission held a public hearing on Feb. 24 and recommended approval. The council voted to waive full readings and introduced the two ordinances by title; a public hearing on the package was set for April 15. Several councilmembers asked clarifying questions about conditional uses, impacts to multifamily housing, and how the city will make overlay boundaries visible to developers through GIS layers; staff said review would remain with the city and be concurrent with Navy review where required.

No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; introduction and the April 15 public hearing move the proposals forward.