On March 9, 2016, the Planning Commission appointed a subcommittee to develop a policy regarding the City's war memorials. The subcommittee consisted of Michael LePage and former Commissioner, Keith Paterson. The draft War Memorial Policy has been complete for some time now, and staff is moving forward with bringing this before the City Council for adoption via resolution. The Planning Commission reviewed the draft War Memorials Policy on October 9, 2019, and had recommendations for minor modifications, which have since been incorporated into the Policy.
The subject War Memorials Policy addresses the various war memorials located in Devendorf Park, as well as the iconic WWI Memorial Arch located in the median at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and San Carlos Street. Among several things, the War Memorials Policy addresses the display of banners on or near the memorials, requirements for annual assessments, timely maintenance, as well as the requirement to develop a photographic inventory of the various war memorials.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, sections: 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment); 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378); and 15061(b)(3), because the activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.