PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 11/26/2018
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Community Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
SPA2018-0001: Application to amend the Arantine Hills Specific Plan (SP09-001) located west of Interstate 15, south of Eagle Glen Parkway, to: 1) re-allocate units among the planning areas with no additional units being added and distribute the allowable units across a wider area by including 31.2 acres into the specific plan boundary along the southerly perimeter establishing a new Planning Area 17 with an LDR (Low Density Residential) designation on 8.2 acres, a new Planning Area 17A with an MDR (Medium Density Residential) designation on 9.2 acres, and Planning Area 16A with an OS (Open Space) designation on 11.1 acres plus 2.6 acres of street right-of-way; 2) amend the configuration and acreage of Planning Area 1 (Low Density Residential) from 27.6 acres to 19.5 acres; Planning Area 2 (MDR) from 23.2 to 13.1 acres, establishing a new Planning Area 2A as HDR (High Density Residential) on 18.2 acres; Planning Area 6 from High Density Residential (HDR, 17.4 acres) to Medium Density Residential (MDR, 17.4 acres); Planning Area 8, Low Density Residential (LDR) from 48 to 42.5 acres; Planning Area 9, Medium Density Residential (MDR) from 10.2 to 10.5 acres; Planning Area 10, High Density Residential (HDR) from 16.9 to 21.6 acres; Planning Area 12 from Medium Density Residential (MDR, 9.5 acres) to Open Space (OS, 9.5 acres); 3) amend Planning Area 14 (MDR, 25.9 acres) reducing 167 units to 147 units; 4) add a new Planning Area 18 for 1.2 acres of additional Park (P); and 5) commensurate conforming revisions to the specific plan document (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 APPROVAL of SPA2018-0001 to the City Council based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval. .
Body
PROJECT SITE SUMMARY
Area of Property: Arantine Hills Specific Plan 276 acres (existing)
Area of Added Property: 31.8 acres
Existing Zoning: Arantine Hills Specific Plan land uses (276 acres) and Agriculture on 31.8 acres
Existing General Plan: Low, Medium and High Density Residential, Open Space, Parks, and Agriculture
Existing Land Use: Residential under construction and undeveloped land
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 H 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 G-1 and G-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 G2 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. 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. 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 Specific Plan Amendment (2018-0001) is also accompanied by a General Plan Amendment (2018-0001), Parcel Map (PM 37036), and amendment to the Development Agreement (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 amendment to the Arantine Hills Specific Plan will extend the southerly boundary of the approved master plan to include an additional 31+ acres and will further amend the existing approved land use plan to re-allocate units among the planning areas. No additional residential units are proposed for the master plan. Therefore, the entitled units will be spread across greater acreage reducing the overall density of the master plan from 5.9 dwelling units per acre to approximately 5.3. The additional acreage along the southerly boundary of the existing specific plan reflects the same characteristics as the land within the current master plan boundaries. The master plan including the added acreage lies northwest of the Bedford Canyon Wash which flows northeastward the full length of the specific plan area. The 31+ acres are being separated for acquisition purposes from a larger 160+/- parcel by a companion Parcel Map application (PM 37036). The changes to the land use plan have a resultant effect throughout the specific plan document which is provided as a separate exhibit for the record (Exhibit F). The pertinent changes to the plan are detailed by section below.
Land Use Plan
Contained within Chapter 4 of the specific plan, the Land Use Plan establishes the equivalent of zoning across the master planned site. Exhibit A-1 illustrates the new land use plan as revised since the October 22, 2018 Planning and Housing Commission meeting, and Exhibit A-2 illustrates a comparison between the existing approved plan and the most recent proposed plan under the current amendment. Exhibit C is shows the redline version of the land use table in the specific plan and the amendments to the affected planning areas. However, for ease of reference the below table shows the amendments to the overall land uses in the specific plan.
Table 1 - Land Use Plan Overall Changes
Planning Area 1 located at the current southerly boundary of the existing plan is reconfigured to be situated along the southwest perimeter adjacent to the base of the Eagle Glen slope. Planning Area 1 has an LDR designation and accommodates 91 dwelling units on 19.5 acres. The added area to the plan also features a new Planning Area 17 with an LDR designation adjacent to the Eagle Glen Golf Course. This planning area accommodates 49 units on 8.2 acres. Adjacent to Planning Area 17 is Planning Area 17A with an MDR designation. This planning area accommodates 76 units on 9.2 acres. The balance of the added area is 11.1 acres contained within an Open Space designation and accommodating a portion of the Bedford Canyon Wash and 2.6 acres of street right-of-way.
The reconfiguration of Planning Area 1 results in a consequent reconfiguration of the acres to the east and northeast into Planning Areas 2 and 2A and relocation of the 1.1-acre Park in Planning Area 3 to have frontage on Street B. Planning Area 2 has an MDR designation and accommodates 130 units on 13.1 acres. Planning Area 2A has an HDR designation and accommodates 224 units on 18.2 acres.
Planning Area 6 located near the mid-point of the plan in the first phase currently being developed would be downgraded from High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential to reflect the actual unit allocation being realized in PA 6, which is 199 units. Planning Area 8 located along the central northeast portion of the plan has an LDR designation and is revised from 48 acres to 42.5 and the unit count reduced from 247 to 225. A portion of Planning Area 8 falls within the first phase of development as previously entitled under the Precise Plan. However, a portion of Planning Area 8 also falls within future Phase 2 that is not yet entitled.
Planning Area 9 located in the northcentral portion of the plan in future Phase 2 will remain Medium Density Residential and slightly increase in acreage from 10.2 to 10.5 and remain with the approved 113 units. Planning Area 10 located at the southwest corner of Streets A and B will remain High Density Residential but adjust from 16.9 acres to 21.6 with a unit re-allocation from 254 to 307. Planning Area 12 along the northcentral site boundary will be changed from Medium Density Residential to Open space to permanently accommodate a water quality control basin that will serve the entire master plan area. The acreage will remain at 9.5, and the 130 units ascribed to this area will be reallocated among the other planning areas as herein described. Planning Area 14 located at the northeastern-most corner of the plan will remain Medium Density Residential at an acreage of 25.9 but with a re-allocation of units from 167 to 147.
Planning Area 18 is the insertion of a new 1.2-acre private park near the middle of Planning Area 10 (northcentral portion of the plan) that would be developed in Phase 2. Master planned roadway total acreage is also increased from 16.3 to 18.9 allowing for the extension of spine road, Street B.
All told, the additional acreage is 31.8 for a total plan area of 307.8 acres with the original 1,621 units remaining (1,806 if age-qualified is developed). With this amendment, the provision for age-qualified units is being opened up to any MDR or HDR planning area, not just contained within the two previous Planning Areas 6 or 10 that carry an HDR designation. Any planning area that is developed with age-qualified units must still comply with the density limits imposed upon the respective planning area.
All of the applicable exhibits in the specific plan are revised to show the expanded area including the fuel modification concept.
Preface, Introduction and Plan Conformance
In terms of updating the specific plan document, the project proponent has systematically updated the document to reflect the proposed land use changes with conforming revisions throughout the document that result from the amendment. Furthermore, the revisions include the progressive history related to the specific plan, and those updates are reflected in the revised text in the Preface, Introduction, and Plan Conformance chapters of the specific plan.
Circulation, Infrastructure and Public Services
The amended plan addresses circulation and infrastructure to be extended into the new Planning Area 17. The plan continues to make provision for spine Street B (Hudson House) to be extended from the approved master plan area into the added Planning Area 17. Street B is a modified collector street serving to collect traffic from the interior neighborhoods. The portion of Street B that lies west of the C Street (Clementine Way) accommodates wider parkways including the Class 1 Bike Path along the north side of Bedford Canyon Wash. The 8-foot wide bike path expands to 12 feet wide west of C Street (Clementine Way) including that portion extending into the new planning area (Exhibit G). The street system has been designed to accommodate the level of development that has been designed for the master planned area including the additional 31+ acres.
The amended plan pertaining to Potable Water, Reclaimed Water, storage capacity, and Sewerage includes the recalculation of demand and capacity based on the shift of acreages and units among the planning areas and across density thresholds. The calculations result in an incremental increase in some demands but are within allowable thresholds and master-planned capacities as evaluated by the Public Works and Fire Departments.
The prior amendment to the specific plan identified three options for treatment of the Bedford Canyon Wash to be improved to convey not only site flows but also storm flows from the upper reaches of Bedford Canyon from off-site southwest. At that time, it was unknown which option would be acceptable to the Riverside County Flood Control District, and all three options were analyzed from an environmental perspective. The option thereafter accepted by the District and that being constructed was for the wash to be reconstructed with a deeper and wider cross-section (up to an average width of 200 feet) and a natural soft bottom design with native riparian vegetation and rip rap side slopes. The same treatment will extend through the new Planning Area 16A which accommodates the wash in an Open Space designation. The conditions of approval require that the selected final cross-section for the wash be included in the document as Figure 5.12a rather than it being removed altogether. The inclusion of this exhibit serves important master plan historic information.
Storm water drainage and detention information in the specific plan is being updated to reflect the location of the water quality basin to be permanently situated in Planning Area 12 which is the low-point of the master plan on the north perimeter that will receive and detain surface flows before discharge into the downstream Bedford Canyon Wash. The updated plan also identifies a debris basin that was first designed upstream and off-site adjacent to the south boundary of the original plan and now shown in proposed Planning Area 17A. This basin is designed to collect and detain flows from upstream Bedford Canyon Wash to protect the downstream development from those natural flows from the southwest. In keeping with best practices, the landowner (McMillan) issued authorization for the off-site work before any related grading permits were issued. Once the Bedford Canyon Wash improvements are constructed to the south boundary, this basin will remain at the northeast corner of Planning Area 17A but will ultimately be designed and re-sized according to future development in the added area and function as a water quality basin with soft bottom and rip rap sides so that natural vegetation can grow in the basin area.
Development Standards
The proposed amendment does not significantly affect the development standards in Chapter 6. The Permitted Uses listed in the Medium Density Residential land use designations are proposed to include the addition of age-qualified residential that could be established in any Medium Density planning area, not just Planning Areas 6 or 10 which were the High Density Residential designations in the original plan. Therefore, with this addition and with the adjustments to the planning areas proposed herein, age-qualified apartments, townhomes or detached/attached condominiums according to respective allowable densities, could be accommodated in Planning Areas 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 14, and 17 but must still comply with the density limits of the respective planning area. Of note, however, Planning Areas 5 and 6 have gone through Precise Plan entitlement and are imminently being constructed but not for specifically age-qualified dwellers.
Design Guidelines
The Design Guidelines (Chapter 7) of the document is being modified only to conform to changes made in the rest of the document. Narrative text is being added to further clarify the street sections in Chapter 5 that already provide for a wider Class 1 bike path west of C Street expanded from 8 feet wide to 12 feet wide west of Clementine Way and to be further extended into new Planning Area 17 to the future terminus of Street B. The Conceptual Landscape Master Plan is also expanded to include the new Planning Area 17.
Furthermore, with the selection of an option for the improvement of the Bedford Canyon Wash since the last plan amendment, the Design Guidelines are being amended to acknowledge the new information and address the design of maintenance access roads into the wash extending from the spine road B Street (Hudson House). Seven access ramps from the development side of the wash provide access down to the bottom of the wash for maintenance access and/or repair and have been approved in design by the Riverside County Flood Control District.
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 as revised 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 in its entirety is included with GPA2018-0001 as Exhibit E. The document 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 pursuant to the revised project, 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 E). 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 to the Arantine Hills Specific Plan extends the boundary of the plan to its logical extent to the southwest. The proposed area of plan expansion constitutes the last undeveloped acres on the northwest side of the wash between the original plan boundary and the other-owned Eagle Glen Golf Course to the west. The subject addition is physically constrained by the southwest-to-northeast flowing wash and the developed Eagle Glen master plan to the northwest. The added area reflects the same characteristics as the land within the current specific plan boundary in terms of elevation and topography. The additional land is also part of the greater 160-acre parcel identified in the 2004 General Plan as an opportunity area for urbanized development that would be compatible with surrounding existing land uses. The added area into the plan is situated at a lower elevation from the developed residential land to the northwest in Eagle Glen and the residential land to the south in unincorporated Riverside County. The revised plan re-orients the Low Density Residential planning area along the base of the Eagle Glen slope to the southwest. The natural grade difference in addition to slope buffering and roadways create a separation and buffer from these existing residential areas to the subject site.
In response to market forces the land use pattern is being adjusted to re-allocate the same number of residential units across the expanded land area taking the overall density of the specific plan from 5.9 dwelling units per acre to 5.3. As a result of the project review by the Planning and Housing Commission, the project proponent has revised the land use plan to re-establish the Low Density Residential planning areas south of C Street that had been removed in the previous iteration of the plan. Aesthetic design of any future development is ensured through the design standards that are applicable to all the planning areas. The revised plan maintains all the components of community amenities as previously established and continues the same through the provision of a publicly accessible Class 1 Bike Path that will extend to the full length of the interior spine road to its terminus at the southerly boundary of the expanded master plan area. All necessary infrastructure will likewise be extended to serve the expanded boundary.
The amendment was properly evaluated in the Addendum to the EIR previously certified in 2017 and the adopted Supplement to the Final EIR adopted in 2017. All mitigation measures originally established will remain applicable throughout the completion of the master plan. Consistency with General Plan goals and polices as outlined in the Findings below are clearly established as well as with the Objectives of the Arantine Hills Specific Plan, and therefore, approval with the attached conditions of approval is recommended.
FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR SPA2018-0001
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. The plan as conditioned systematically implements and is consistent with the General Plan for the following reasons:
a. The amendment to the Arantine Hills Specific Plan continues a consistency established with the original plan 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. SPA2018-0001 is consistent with Goal 1.22 and related policies associated with the subject site as an opportunity district identified in Chapter 3 of the 2004 General Plan which identifies the general area of Arantine Hills including the proposed additional 31+ acres as a site for potential urbanization and for its compatibility with surrounding existing development.
c. SPA2018-0001 extends the existing boundary of the Arantine Hills Specific Plan maintaining a land use pattern that is well-designed with a balanced mix of land uses that enables a range of residential densities and natural open space.
d. SPA2018-0001 remains internally consistent with established policies (Policies 1.22.3 and 1.22.4) to ensure that site design reflects its topographic setting and properly transitions with open spaces and natural areas.
e. SPA2018-0001 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.
3. The Plan as conditioned provides for the development of a comprehensively planned project that is superior to development otherwise allowed under the conventional zoning classifications for the following reasons:
a. The Arantine Hills Specific Plan as amended still maintains consistency with the objectives of the specific plan among which is to address the City’s current and projected housing needs for all segments of the community by providing a range of family-oriented single family detached and attached housing.
b. The amendment maintains consistency with the objectives of the specific plan for provision of pleasant, safe, and convenient connectivity including a bikeway along “B” Street being extended through the expansion area.
c. The amendment maintains consistency with the objectives and design features of the specific plan to identify and address safety hazards such as wildfire and flooding dangers through implementation of design safety features and improvements to the Bedford Canyon Wash.
d. The amendment continues to ensure that the project area is properly served with essential city services as the infrastructure improvements for the project area include street improvements, water, recycled water, sewer and storm drains revised to adequate support the amended plan.
4. The Plan provides for the construction, improvement, or extension of transportation facilities, public utilities and public services required by the long-term needs of the project and/or other area residents, and complements the orderly development of the City beyond the project's boundaries for the following reasons:
a. The Arantine Hills Specific Plan as amended maintains all the necessary components of a master plan which include plans for all backbone infrastructure to serve the project area including circulation, water, recycled water, sewer, and storm drain systems.
b. The amended plan remains consistent with the provision for the developer to either construct or pay a fair share contribution for the construction of infrastructure to support the proposed project including improvements to the Cajalco interchange at Interstate 15 and other off-site improvements.
c. The revised plan will continue to provide for orderly development of the City beyond the project’s boundaries because off-site infrastructure required of the project in conjunction with master planned improvements citywide will mitigate impacts of the project as a whole as well as ultimately improve conditions that currently exist in the immediate vicinity and beyond.
5. The Plan provides for the appropriate orientation and relationship between land use within and adjacent to the project for the following reasons:
a. The amendment maintains a land use pattern that is appropriate for the extension of the specific plan boundary in terms of topography and similar proximity to the Bedford Canyon Wash.
b. Natural open space will be permanently maintained along the Bedford Canyon Wash which continues along the southeastern perimeter of the specific plan including the additional area
c. Natural separations by roadways, lower site elevation, permanent open space, and grading design all result in buffering of the project area from the surrounding land uses.
PREPARED BY: TERRI MANUEL, AICP, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational and Zoning Map Aerial
2. Exhibit A-1 - Proposed Land Use Plan Revised November 2018
3. Exhibit A-2 - Land Use Plan Comparison Revised November 2018
4. Exhibit B - Conditions of Approval
5. Exhibit C - Comparison Land Use Summary Table Revised November 2018
6. Exhibit D - Applicant’s letter dated September 11, 2018 explaining the Specific Plan Amendment request
7. Exhibit E - Correspondence and e-mails received from the public
8. Exhibit F - Proposed amended specific plan document
9. Exhibit G-1 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Path from original specific plan
10. Exhibit G-2 - Public access portals (Exhibit K-1 from Precise Plan 16-012)
11. Exhibit H - Memorandum dated November 12, 2018 summarizing updates to Technical Studies used to prepare the CEQA Addendum
12. Exhibit I - Site cross-section at expanded boundary area
** The Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (2016) and Supplement to the Final EIR (2017) are included as an exhibit to GPA2018-0001.
Case Planner: Terri Manuel, AICP (951) 736-2434