PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 11/26/2018
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Community Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
GPA2018-0001: Application to amend the General Plan designation on approximately 31 acres from Agriculture to LDR (Low Density Residential, 3-6 du/ac) on 8.2 acres, MDR (Medium Density Residential, 6-15 du/ac) on 9.2 acres and OS (Open Space) on 11.1 acres plus 2.6 acres of street right-of-way associated with the extension of the southerly boundary of the Arantine Hills Specific Plan (SP09-001) and further amend the General Plan designations within the boundary of the specific plan to increase Open Space (OS) from 56.8 to 77.4 acres; increase Parks (P) from 8.7 to 9.9 acres; reduce Low Density Residential (LDR, 3-5 du/ac) from 75.6 to 70.2 acres; increase Medium Density Residential (MDR, 6-15 du/ac) from 74.3 to 81.6 acres; and increase High Density Residential (HDR, 15-36 du/ac) from 34.3 to 39.8 acres for the project located west of Interstate 15, south of Eagle Glen Parkway in the Arantine Hills Specific Plan. (Applicant: John Sherwood of Arantine Hills Holdings, LP, 85 Enterprise, Suite 405, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656).
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend adoption of the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (SCH #2006091093) certified May 19, 2016 and Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Report adopted April 5, 2017 and APPROVAL of GPA2018-0001 based on the findings contained in the staff report and adopt Resolution No. 2522 granting GPA2018-0001 as part of Cycle II of General Plan Amendments for 2018.
Body
PROJECT SITE SUMMARY
Area of added property: Approximately 31.1 acres
Existing General Plan: Agriculture
Proposed General Plan: OS (Open Space) 11.1 acres; LDR (Low Density Residential, 3-6 du/ac) on 8.2 acres, MDR (Medium Density Residential, 6-15 du/ac) on 9.2 acres, 2.6 acres of undesignated street right-of-way, and various amendments within the existing specific plan boundary as heretofore described.
Existing zoning: A (Agriculture)
Existing land use: Undeveloped, historic citrus production
Proposed land use: Open Space and Residential
Surrounding land uses:
N: Undeveloped, mass-graded Arantine Hills Specific Plan area
E: Estate residences in unincorporated Riverside County
S: Existing single family residential in unincorporated Riverside County
W: Eagle Glen Golf Course
BACKGROUND
Planning and Housing Commission Meeting Background
The proposed project was originally presented to the Planning and Housing Commission at its meeting of October 22, 2018. At that meeting, seven speakers provided public comment to the Commission during the public hearing. The following are responses to some of the questions raised by the public.
Related to the remainder parcel of Parcel Map 37036 mentioned by two speakers, it is necessary for there to be maintained legal access from the Arantine Hills project site to the remainder parcel. Per Chapter 17.68 of the Corona Municipal Code and Section 66498.6 of the Subdivision Map Act, subdivision maps cannot legally create a situation where any lot is landlocked without legal access, and that is being fulfilled by an access easement on the map from Parcel 1 to the remainder parcel. However, in response to objection being raised regarding the mention of this easement and potential feasibility of future access in the CEQA Addendum, that language has been removed from the Addendum as it is inconsequential from an environmental perspective for the purpose of the current project.
With regard to the issues raised concerning Traffic and the distribution of traffic based upon the revised land use plan, a revised Traffic Analysis was prepared by Urban Crossroads which concludes that the proposed land use changes and residential unit transfers are not expected to cause new traffic impacts, and the improvement recommendations in the original TIA dated September 2015 are still applicable to the study area with the currently proposed project changes. Exhibit F is a Memorandum dated November 12, 2018 that summarizes the conclusions regarding the technical studies previously prepared to address any changes in environmental impacts that would result in the revision of the proposed project. An updated traffic assessment was submitted to the city on November 12, 2018. The analysis illustrates how modifying the densities within the project site shifts traffic patterns outside the project. With the intensification of the southwesterly portion of the project, more trips are expected to use the Clementine Way project entrance along Eagle Glen Parkway. Consequently, the project entrance at Bedford Canyon Road has a comparative reduction in trips accessing the project. The overall trip generation by the project has a net change of zero trips. However, the intensification of the southwestern portion of the project adds additional traffic volumes on Eagle Glen Parkway between Clementine Way and Bedford Canyon Road. Consequently, Masters Drive is expected to have an increase in the number of trips that is more than previously estimated in approved studies. These trips equate to less than 10 trips per day in each of the morning and afternoon peak hours and not more than 100 trips on average per day, and thus, does not warrant any additional mitigation beyond the mitigation measures already imposed upon the project. The Level of Service of the intersections along Masters Drive do not change. Bedford Canyon Road is expected to see a slight decrease in trip volumes for the same reason. In summary, the shifts in project densities within the project site and the impacts therefrom are already accounted for in previous mitigation measures, and no additional mitigation is required for the proposed project change.
With regard to Trail Connections, this network was established with the original specific plan in 2012 and was further refined with the subsequent amendment approved in 2017 to provide for public portals at the two main project entrance locations. Exhibits E-1 and E-2 are from the Arantine Hills Specific Plan and the project’s approved precise plan and have been added to this staff report to demonstrate the extent of the pedestrian and bicycle amenity connections through the full extent of the Arantine Hills master plan. As the exhibits illustrate, a Class 1 bike path extends the full length of the interior spine road from the northeast to the southwest and extends into the added area per this amendment. Class 2 bike lanes plus pedestrian walkways are provided on the access roads from Eagle Glen Parkway and Bedford Canyon Road. Exhibit E2 illustrates the cross-section for Street C where the public access portals are designed to provide public access to these amenities. This exhibit was taken from the previously approved precise plan for Phase 1 (PP16-012). Therefore, it has been, and continues to be, demonstrated that the project proponent has made ample provision for public access to the interior network of pedestrian and bicycle amenities on that land which this developer controls. It must be noted that this project cannot establish any sort of pedestrian or bicycle trails on off-site properties owned by others.
As relates to the issues raised in critique of the environmental Addendum, the locational exhibit has been replaced with one that is more reflective of the exhibit in the staff report. The Addendum was prepared based on thorough analysis and in consideration of previous environmental documents prepared and adopted, and as noted, the mitigation measures remain adequate.
Relating to the topic raised about the project densities, again, by virtue of the added 31+ acres, the overall master plan density decreases from 5.9 to 5.3 dwelling units per acre across the site. It is notable that densities can be portrayed in an infinite number of ways depending upon the chosen area of land that is used to calculate those densities, not all of which would necessarily have meaning. Table 4-2 of the specific plan document accurately and appropriately displays the density per planning area which is appropriate and in keeping with the conventional practice. Additionally, an overall land use summary table has been provided in this staff report showing the adjustments to the plan’s land uses.
In response to comment related to the water quality basin in Planning Area 12, the feature was appropriately addressed and established on the master tentative map that was approved in 2016. Hydrology was an environmental topic thoroughly analyzed under the previous environmental documents. The current amendment recognizes that basin as a permanent feature and appropriately relinquishes the units originally targeted for the respective planning area (12) to be re-allocated in other planning areas. There were no inadvertent omissions, and the re-allocation of the units originally targeted for PA 12 is in no way inappropriate or violative of any policies, regulations or best practices. It is simply an outcome of project refinement based upon civil engineering.
Specific Plan Background
The Arantine Hills Specific Plan was originally approved in August 2012 as SP09-001 accompanied by a General Plan Amendment (GPA09-005) to establish the master plan on the City’s General Plan land use map. The General Plan map as adopted with the comprehensive update in 2004 identified the Arantine Hills master plan area as an opportunity area with possible future urban use, and this included the approximately 160 acres located to the south of the original boundary (Exhibit B-1). In addition to the establishment of the master plan on the opportunity site, specific goals and policies that applied to the opportunity area were also revised to reflect the fulfillment of the master planning effort (Exhibit B-2). The land use plan adopted in 2012 for the 276-acre specific plan provided for varying densities of residential development up to a maximum of 1,806 units, general commercial, mixed use commercial/residential, mixed use commercial/industrial, parks and natural open space.
In 2016, a subsequent General Plan Amendment (GPA15-001) and corresponding Specific Plan Amendment (SPA15-002) were approved accompanied by a resubmitted master Tentative Tract Map (TTM 36294R) and a Development Agreement (DA15-001). The 2016 proposal reduced and eliminated more intense land uses that included mixed uses of commercial/residential as well as industrial/commercial and reduced the acreage intended for General Commercial use. The original 1,806-unit count remained. The Development Agreement established terms and conditions that would apply to the timing of development with respect to the construction of the Cajalco interchange, development impact fees and credits, water and sewer infrastructure, traffic signals.
In 2017, a Precise Plan (PP16-012) and a merchant builder map (TTM 37030) were approved for the first phase of development in the master plan which is under construction at this time. The precise plan evaluated five product types to be situated in three planning areas according to the densities established in the respective designations of Low Density Residential, Medium Density Residential, High Density Residential. Dwelling unit types totaling 393 units included 100 single family detached homes in two subtype designs, 192 units designed in what is referred to as 6-pack and 8-pack configurations which are units configured in clusters of six or eight taking access from a common drive, and 101 townhomes. It is expected that similar medium density product types will likely be reflected in a future development proposal for the added specific plan area, but subject to future review through another precise plan and map process.
Modified Project Background
The subject General Plan Amendment currently proposed is also accompanied by a Specific Plan Amendment (2018-0001), Parcel Map (PM 37036), and amendment to the Development Agreement (AEC724, DA15-001) being evaluated under concurrent applications. The revised specific plan boundary was introduced to the Infrastructure Committee at its regular meeting of May 2, 2018. The developer submitted official applications to the Community Development Department in June 2018.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
The proposed General Plan Amendment is the foundational revision to the City’s General Plan land use plan that would enable the accompanying Specific Plan Amendment (SPA) to be carried out. Exhibit A-1 illustrates an updated comparison between the existing approved General Plan land use plan and the proposed amendment which includes the extension of the specific plan southerly boundary as well as some revisions within the boundary of the plan that shift densities among some of the planning areas. The General Plan map is schematic in nature and not legally described as the accompanying SPA changes would be. Therefore, the General Plan Amendment is characterized in aggregated acreages as displayed on Exhibit A-2 excerpted from the accompanying SPA. From this table and the illustrative exhibit for the General Plan map changes, it can be seen that, in aggregate, Open Space is being increased from 56.8 acres to 77.4 acres, Parks from 8.7 to 9.9 acres, Medium Density Residential (6-15 du/ac) from 74.3 to 81.6 acres, High Density Residential (15-36 du/ac) from 34.3 to 39.8 acres, master planned roadways from 16.3 to 18.9 acres, and Low Density Residential from 75.6 to 70.2 acres. However, for ease of reference, the following table is provided showing the difference from the existing plan to the amended plan.
Table 1
Land Use Summary Changes
The accompanying SPA breaks down the added and revised acreages by specific planning area each corresponding to the changes to the General Plan land use map. An important note to the proposed applications is that no additional units are being proposed for the Arantine Hills Specific Plan beyond that already entitled. The units are being spread across greater land area resulting in a reduced overall density of 5.9 dwelling units per acre to 5.3.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Access and Circulation
The proposed amendment allows for the extension of the spine road (Street B of Tract 37030 and Tract 36294R) southwestward along the Bedford Canyon Wash to establish primary access into the new planning area. Internal circulation with appropriate second point(s) of access will be established with a future merchant builder subdivision map and accompanying precise plan. Although more detail is provided on the associated Parcel Map 37036, the General Plan diagram appropriately establishes the street right-of-way location consistent with the SPA.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Per Section 15164 of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 8.06 of the City’s Local Guidelines, the City has prepared an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report certified May 19, 2016 (SCH #2006091093) and Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Report adopted April 5, 2017. The Addendum dated October 2018 has been updated in light of the revisions to the project since the October 22, 2018 meeting. None of the conditions exist that call for the preparation of a subsequent or supplemental EIR pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164. The project does not result in any new or substantially more severe environmental impacts from that evaluated under the two referenced previous environmental documents.
An Addendum does not need to be circulated for public review, but rather can accompany the prior environmental documents. The Addendum (Exhibit G) contains an Environmental checklist reflecting the contents of the original EIR and Supplement to the EIR. Therefore, the full EIR certified May 19, 2016 and Supplement to the Final EIR adopted April 5, 2017 are not included in their entirety. The Mitigation Measures established in these previously adopted environmental documents are those that remain applicable to the project as currently proposed. Those measures address air quality, biological, cultural resources, geology & soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, transportation, and utilities/service systems. The Addendum also concludes, that no new or greater cumulative impacts would occur from the current project proposal.
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant has paid all the required application processing fees
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
The project was continued from the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of October 22, 2018 to the meeting of November 13, 2018 and thereafter to November 26, 2018. The original meeting was noticed via a 20-day public notice which 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. The project, having been continued to subsequent dates certain, did not warrant re-noticing. As of the preparation of this revised report, several inquiries have been received via e-mail, telephone call, and public counter visit. Those written materials received in adequate time plus the correspondence received at the October 22, 2018 meeting have been included as exhibits to this and the related staff reports for this project (Exhibit D). Furthermore, as summarized in the Background section of this report, public comment has been received during the public hearing which remained open through each successive continuance.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The proposed amendment is consistent with the established goals and policies that provide for the transition of this project site to an urbanized use as an extension of the Arantine Hills Specific Plan. The land use pattern that is continued with this amendment extending from the original specific plan boundary has been evaluated in conjunction with the concurrent specific plan amendment, and the land use pattern appropriately extends to that 31+ acre portion of the southerly tip of the opportunity site that is adjacent to and at similar elevations to the land already within the master planned area. Natural open space is preserved primarily along the Bedford Canyon Wash that runs the length of the opportunity site from southwest to northeast. Internal shifts of density among planning areas do not compromise the original intent of the Arantine Hills master plan as it entitled the concept of compact development design across the site.
The revised land use plan for the additional acreage is given a Low Density Residential (3-6 du/ac) designation on 8.2 acres, a Medium Density Residential (6-15 du/ac) on 9.2 acres plus Open Space that contains a portion of the Bedford Canyon Wash. The revisions were made in response to recommendations made by the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of October 22, 2018 to reinstate Low Density Residential back into the land use plan. The land use interface continues to be properly buffered from existing surrounding development by natural intervening features such as topography and the Bedford Canyon Wash.
FINDINGS FOR THE APPROVAL OF GPA2018-0001
1. An Addendum has been prepared to evaluate the potential impacts of the project and whether the environmental impacts of the project were adequately addressed in the Environmental Impact Report certified May 19, 2016 (SCH #2006091093) and Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Report adopted April 5, 2017. The evaluation has indicated that, in light of the whole record before the City, the proposed project will not result in impacts beyond that previously analyzed in the previously adopted environmental documents because the project does not result in any new or substantially more severe environmental impacts. As permitted by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA Guidelines Section 15164), an Addendum to the EIR and Supplement to the Final EIR has been prepared to address only those issues specific to the proposed project and carries forward Mitigation Measures that remain applicable to the project as revised.
2. GPA2018-0001 is internally consistent with the elements of the General Plan, including the goals and policies stated therein for the following reasons:
a. The amendment is consistent with Growth and Development Policy 1.4.3 allowing for the development of vacant lands within the City on the periphery of existing development that complements the scale and pattern of existing uses, protects natural resources and protects development and population from natural hazards and where it is logical and feasible to extend infrastructure improvements.
b. The amendment is consistent with Goal 1.22 related specifically to the general location of the Arantine Hills Specific Plan as an opportunity area for the development of a well-designed master-planned community through the implementation of a specific plan.
c. The amendment is consistent with Policy 1.22.2 allowing for the consideration of the development of urban uses on property that complements adjoining residential neighborhoods and open space.
d. The amendment is consistent with established policies (Policies 1.22.3 and 1.22.4) to ensure that the site design and land use pattern reflects its topographic setting and properly transitions with open spaces and natural areas.
e. The amendment continues to promote General Plan Policy 7.2.11 for water conservation with compact design and reduced pricing of metering for a compact residential development.
PREPARED BY: TERRI MANUEL, AICP, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 2522
2. Locational and Zoning Map
3. Exhibit A-1 - A-2 - Revised Comparison Land Use Map and Land Use Summary changes
4. Exhibit B-1 - B -2 - General Plan (2004) Figure 11 and Opportunity Area Goals/Policies
5. Exhibit C - Applicant’s letter dated September 11, 2018 addressing project
6. Exhibit D - Correspondence and e-mails received from the public
7. Exhibits E1 - 2 -Trail Connection Exhibit from Arantine Hills Specific Plan and Project’s Precise Plan.
8. Exhibit F - Technical Memorandum.
9. Exhibit G - CEQA Addendum to EIR (2016) and Supplement to FEIR (2017)
Case Planner: Terri Manuel (951) 736-2299