PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 12/11/2023
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Planning & Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
TTM 37895: Tentative Tract Map application to subdivide 61.6 acres into 103 single family residential lots in the R-1-12 zone, located on the east and west sides of Laurel Canyon Way, south of Sherborn Avenue and north of Shadow Valley Drive. (Applicant: Emad Bolus for Mari Girgis, LLC, 4030 Birch Street, Suite 100, Newport Beach, CA 92660)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend adoption of the Addendum to the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan, and APPROVAL of TTM 37895, based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval.
Body
PROJECT SITE SUMMARY:
Area of Property: 61.6 acres
Existing Zoning: R-1-12 (Single Family Residential - 12,000 S.F. minimum)
Existing General Plan: Estate Residential (0-3 du/ac) and Low Density Residential (3-6 du/ac)
Existing Land Use: Undeveloped
Proposed Land Use: Single Family Residential
Surrounding Zoning/Land Uses:
N: M-1 (Light Manufacturing)/Concrete manufacturing plant
E: R-A-5 (Residential Agricultural, 5-Acre minimum) - Riverside County Zoning
S: R-A (Residential Agricultural, 20,000 S.F. minimum) - Riverside County Zoning
W: R1-20 (Single Family Residential, 20,000 S.F. Minimum)
BACKGROUND
Mr. Emad Bolus representing Mari Girgis, LLC (“Applicant”) is requesting approval of Tentative Tract Map (TTM) 37895 to subdivide 61.6 acres into 103 single family residential lots. The project site is located on the west and east sides of Laurel Canyon Way, south of Sherborn Street and north of Shadow Valley Drive (Exhibit 1). The zoning of the project site is R-1-12, which is a single-family residential zone that requires a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet for newly created lots.
The project borders a concrete manufacturing plant to the north, single-family residential neighborhoods to the west, and undeveloped land to the east and south. The residential neighborhood to the southwest, on the south side of Old Temescal Road, and the undeveloped properties to the east and south are within an unincorporated area under the jurisdiction of Riverside County.
Project History
On August 20, 2014, Doctors Amir and Sana Khan, who were the previous property owners of the project site, obtained approval of Tentative Tract Map (TTM) 36533 to subdivide the project site into 103 lots. The conditions of approval for TTM 36533 required the owners to record the final tract map within two years of receiving approval of the tentative tract map; however, the owners did not record the final tract map as conditioned, and consequently, TTM 36533 expired on August 20, 2016.
During the time frame of the initial approval, the previous owner blasted and rough graded the project site. The streets and residential pads within the subdivision have been rough graded in addition to the creation of the manufactured, 2:1 perimeter slopes.
The project site was acquired by the applicant who is now requesting to re-entitle the original project under a new assigned map number, TTM 37895 (Exhibit 2). The applicant refers to the project (“Project”) as Monte Olivo. Although two minor project revisions are proposed which are discussed in the following section of this report, the Project retains many of the same features as the original project including the same general configuration, dwelling unit count, gated design with private streets, and similar lot sizes that range from 12,000 to 33,383 square feet in size. The average lot size is 13,926 square feet. The applicant proposes no change to the zoning of the project site.
The applicant has processed a separate application with the Riverside County Planning Department to subdivide approximately 30 acres within unincorporated Riverside County into 38 single family residential lots. The county project borders the project site immediately to the south. Based on prior discussions between staff and the applicant, the applicant’s proposal is to develop this area within the county as Phase 2 of the Monte Olivo community and eventually combine both developments within the city and county into a single gated community with the future residents within both phases sharing the same project entrances. The applicant is currently not actively pursuing the county project at this time, as the applicant would like to obtain approval of the city project first before re-activating the county project.
Proposed Project Modifications
The applicant is proposing two project modifications that were not part of the original project.
1. The first modification consists of replacing the original project’s shared recreational area with a passive open space park area. The original recreational area featured active amenities including a playground and basketball or tennis facilities whereas the current project features a playground and open grass field.
2. The second modification pertains to the Project’s secondary gated entrance, which was originally located at the south project boundary, specifically at the terminus of Santamora Way in the City of Corona. Because secondary access is needed for emergency personnel, the current Project proposes to relocate the secondary gated entrance to Shadow Valley Drive located in the County of Riverside. Shadow Valley Drive provides a seamless circulation transition from Santamora Way. The access gate will now be placed near the intersection of State Street and Shadow Valley Drive. Shadow Valley Drive is required to be paved with this project to provide sufficient secondary emergency access from State Street and will limit everyday access only to the residents of the project (Exhibit 4).
Community Outreach
On May 12, 2022, a community informational meeting was conducted at the Historic Community Room located at 815 W. Sixth Street, Corona. The meeting was hosted by the applicant’s environmental and engineering consultants on behalf of the applicant. Flyers with meeting information were mailed out to city residents living within the adjacent residential Bel Air Community to the northwest of the project site (north of Old Temescal Road). Flyers were also mailed out to the county residents located southwest of the project site (south of Old Temescal Road) and to the south extending to Ontario Avenue. The flyer is attached as Exhibit 5. The community outreach map and the list of the properties who were mailed a flyer are attached as Exhibit 6.
Written comments that were collected from the residents who attended the informational meeting are attached as Exhibit 7. Many of the county residents expressed traffic and safety related concerns associated with the development of the Project. In particular, the residents were concerned that the Project would increase traffic on State Street. The applicant had originally proposed to the staff a non-gated project but revised the Project to be gated in response to the comments received from the surrounding county residents to limit the use of State Street as a cut-through route to Ontario Avenue.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
TTM 37895 proposes to subdivide 61.6 acres into 103 lots for single family residential purposes. The project site is zoned R-1-12 which requires a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet, and a minimum lot width and depth of 85 feet and 100 feet, respectively. The lots proposed by the Project range from 12,000 to 33,383 square feet in size. The average lot size is 13,926 square feet. The lots are capable of meeting the minimum lot width and depth requirements under the R-1-12 zone.
The General Plan Land Use Map designates the project site as Estate Residential (ER) and Low Density Residential (LDR). The ER and LDR designations permit a maximum density of 3 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) and 6 du/ac, respectively. The project’s density is 1.67 du/ac, which is less than the maximum densities allowed under the ER and LDR designation, and therefore, complies with the General Plan.
The Project includes a 148,813-square-foot “open space and self-treating” recreation area that is located on the west side of Laurel Canyon Way. The recreation area is intended to serve the residents within the Project and will not be located within the gated area. The amenities depicted on the tentative tract map include a playground and open grass field with a parking lot and will be further reviewed along with the design of the homes under a future Precise Plan application. The recreation area is designed to be separated by 2:1 slopes from the adjacent Bel Air residential properties to the west and is also generally situated at a lower grade than the adjacent residential properties.
The Project also includes several lettered lots. Lots A through F and H consist of manufactured 2:1 slopes that were already created at the time of rough grading on the project site to create level buildable pads due to the site’s natural topography. Lots J through R consist of the Project’s internal circulation which are designed as private streets that will provide direct access to the 103 lots.
The applicant is required to establish a homeowner’s association (HOA) to maintain the Project’s recreation area, private streets, and various slopes. It should be noted that Lot G is erroneously shown on the tentative tract map as a landscaped lot to be maintained by the HOA. Lot G is Laurel Canyon Way, which is a public street.
Since the project site was already blasted and rough graded per the original approval, minimal grading is expected near the east, south and west perimeters of the Project. Precise grading will occur to complete the streets and create building footprints for future houses.
Old Temescal Road provides direct access to the project site from the west. Old Temescal Road turns into Laurel Canyon Way where the road turns northward. Old Temescal Road/Laurel Canyon Way is a two-lane undivided roadway designated as a collector street having an overall right-of-way width of 60 feet. The project will warrant the construction of missing public improvements (curb and gutter, sidewalk and landscaped parkway) on both sides of the street adjacent to the project site to ensure sufficient vehicular circulation.
Primary access into the proposed 103 lots is located at the northwest side of the Project and will be gated. The internal circulation within the gated Project consists of private local streets. A second point of access is necessary to meet the Fire Department’s requirement and is provided from Santamora Way via Shadow Valley Drive, which intersects with State Street in the County of Riverside. The applicant is proposing the project’s second gate at the south end of Shadow Valley Drive near the intersection of State Street. Because of the access required from Shadow Valley Drive, the applicant is required to construct this street prior to the issuance of the first Certificate of Occupancy for the Project. City staff has coordinated with county staff from the Transportation Department of the Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Agency, which oversees the development of county streets, on the improvement requirements for Shadow Valley Drive, which is anticipated to have a full right-of-way width of 60 feet with 40 feet of paved roadway.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The City approved the original project (TTM 36533) and adopted a mitigated negative declaration (MND) for the original project on August 20, 2014. An Addendum to the previously adopted MND for the proposed Project, as modified with the revised recreation area and secondary access, has been prepared pursuant to Section 15164 of the State CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) Guidelines. The City, as the lead agency, determined that the modified project and the Addendum demonstrate that the environmental analysis, impacts, and mitigation requirements identified in the previously adopted MND remain substantively unchanged despite the project modifications to the recreation area and secondary access point. The project does not raise any new issues or result in impacts not previously analyzed in the prior MND, and none of the conditions described in Section 15162 of the State CEQA Guidelines requiring the preparation of a subsequent MND exist. The Addendum is attached as Exhibit 8.
The Addendum includes an updated Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) which was prepared by a licensed traffic engineer, Ganddini Group (June 13, 2023). The updated TIA was warranted to analyze the new secondary access at Shadow Valley Drive and the cumulative traffic conditions associated with the Project (Phase 1) and the future county project (Phase 2) which could potentially be developed with 38 dwelling units. The Project (Phase 1) is forecast to generate approximately 971 daily trips during the AM and PM peak hours. The future Phase 2 project is forecast to generate approximately 358 daily trips during the AM and PM peak hours.
Trip Generation
Sixteen (16) intersections located nearby the project sites were analyzed. All 16 intersections are projected to operate within an acceptable Level of Service “D” or better with the project in operation, except for the intersection at State Street and Ontario Avenue which is forecast to operate at a deficient Level of Service “F”. The City considers a level of service “A” through “D” to be acceptable. Per the traffic study, a traffic signal is warranted at this intersection which would improve the level of service to “A”. Therefore, the Conditions of Approval require the applicant to guarantee the construction of the traffic signal at this intersection prior to map recordation. The applicant is responsible for 100% of the cost of the signal.
It should be noted that the segment of Ontario Avenue from California Avenue to State Street is scheduled to be improved by the City’s Public Works Department as part of a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project. The improvements include the installation of a traffic signal at the State and Ontario intersection. If the City builds the traffic signal before the Project opens, then the applicant will need to pay 100% the City’s construction cost for the traffic signal.
In addition, per the original traffic mitigation measures, the applicant is required to pay a fair share cost of 9.55% towards the construction of a two-phased traffic signal at the intersection of Rimpau Avenue and Old Temescal Road. Also, the northbound shared left-through lane shall be restriped to provide an exclusive left-turn lane, and the southbound shared left-through lane shall be restriped to provide an exclusive left-turn lane.
Twelve (12) roadway segments were analyzed, including the section of State Street between Bel Air Street to Ontario Avenue. All 12 street segments are forecast to operate at an acceptable level of service “D” or better.
The TIA was reviewed and approved by the City Traffic Engineer. The TIA was also reviewed by county staff from the County of Riverside Transportation Department. Comments received from the Transportation Department were considered and have either been addressed by the TIA or discussed with city staff.
Furthermore, the Conditions of Approval include traffic calming measures that are being carried over from the original project to the current proposal for the segment of Old Temescal Road from the I-15 freeway to approximately 500 feet east of Bel Air Street. The measures include re-striping this segment of Old Temescal Road to provide for a 10-foot and a 12-foot travel lane as well as eliminating parking on the north side of Laurel Canyon Way. The measures were in response to concerns raised by the residents fronting Laurel Canyon Way during the initial project, and to address potential impacts associated with line of sight and the curvilinear design of the roadway.
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant has paid the applicable application processing fees for the project.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
A 10-day public notice was mailed to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of the project site, as well as advertised in the Sentinel Weekly News and posted at the project site. As of the preparation of this report, the Planning and Development Department has not received any comments from the public in response to the public notice.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The Project retains many of the same features as the original project including the same general configuration, dwelling unit count, density, gated design with private streets, and similar lot sizes that range from 12,000 to 33,383 square feet in size. The Project complies with the R-1-12 zoning for the site, and the Project’s density of 1.67 du/ac complies with the General Plan. All necessary public improvements associated with the Project are guaranteed with the development of the Project. All potential environmental impacts associated with the Project have been identified in the original MND and the Addendum to the original MND and are capable of being mitigated. Safe and adequate access to the project site is provided with a second point of access that is necessary by the Fire Department.
The Planning and Development Department recommends approval of TTM 37895 based on the recommended conditions of approval in Exhibit 3 and the findings of approval below.
FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR TTM 37895
1. The project was previously evaluated under a mitigated negative declaration which was adopted by the City Council on August 20, 2014. Pursuant to Section 15164 of the State CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) Guidelines, the City as the lead agency determined that the proposed project, and the Addendum to the previously adopted MND, demonstrate that the environmental analysis, impacts, and mitigation requirements identified in the previously adopted MND remain substantively unchanged despite project modifications. The proposed project does not raise any new environmental issues or result in impacts not previously analyzed in the prior MND, and none of the conditions requiring the preparation of a subsequent MND, described in Section 15162 of the State CEQA Guidelines, exist.
2. None of the conditions provided in Section 66474 of the California Government Code exists for the following reasons:
a. The proposed map is consistent with the General Plan designations of Estate Residential and Low Density Residential, which allow up to three and six dwelling units to the acre, respectively.
b. The design of the lots proposed by this subdivision is consistent with the development standards established by the Corona Municipal Code for the R-1-12 zone with respect to minimum lot area, width and depth.
c. The site is suitable for the type of development proposed and offers adequate access from Laurel Canyon Way and Shadow Valley Drive via State Street.
d. The site is physically suitable for the proposed density of development because the project is capable of accommodating 103 single family residential lots that adhere to the site’s zoning and General Plan designations.
e. The design of the subdivision or the proposed improvements is not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially injure fish or wildlife or their habitat because, as identified in the project’s Addendum to the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration, all potential environmental impacts are capable of being mitigated to less than significant levels.
f. The proposed subdivision will not result in adverse impact to public health, safety or general welfare because the project adheres to the development standards of the site’s R-1-12 zone, which promotes orderly development of the project site, and the improvements associated with the project adhere to city standards.
g. The design of the subdivision or the type of improvements will not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access through or use of, property within the proposed subdivision because no such easements exist on the project site, or the easements are being protected in place or relocated elsewhere on the project site.
3. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66473.5, consistency with applicable General Plan or Specific Plan does exist for the following reason:
a. The General Plan’s Low Density and Estate Residential designations allow for up to 3 and 6 dwelling units to the acre, respectively. The project’s density is 1.67 dwelling units per acre, which is well below the allowable density limits.
4. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66474.6, the discharge of waste from the proposed subdivision into existing community sewers would not result in violation of existing requirements presented by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code for the following reason:
a. The amount of discharge to be produced by the development does not exceed the limit established by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board as monitored by the city’s Utilities Department.
5. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66473.1, the design of the subdivision would provide, to the extent feasible, for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities for the following reason:
a. The subdivision is designed in a manner that would potentially allow residential structures opportunity for passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities because the lots are adequate in size to accommodate the construction of homes with solar exposure.
6. The proposal is in conformance with the standards of the R-1-12 Zone for the following reason:
a. The lots proposed by the subdivision are for single family residential purposes which is a permitted use within R-1-12 zone. The lots also comply with the minimum lot area, width and depth requirements prescribed by the Corona Municipal Code for the R-1-12 zone.
7. The proposal is in conformance with Title 16 (Subdivisions) of the Corona Municipal Code for the following reasons:
a. The proposed map meets the city's subdivision standards for lot area, width and depth, and has adequate vehicular access from Old Temescal Road/Laurel Canyon Way and Shadow Valley Drive.
b. Required public improvements are guaranteed with this subdivision to ensure orderly development of the project site, which are presented as conditions of approval for the project.
PREPARED BY: SANDRA YANG, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational and Zoning Map
2. Tentative Tract Map 37895
3. Conditions of Approval
4. Project Circulation Exhibit
5. Community Flyer
6. Community Meeting Map
7. Community Meeting Sign-In Sheet and Written Comments
8. Environmental Documentation
Case Planner: Sandra Yang (951) 736-2262