PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 10/22/2018
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 MDR (Medium Density Residential, 6-15 du/ac) on 17.4 acres and OS (Open Space) on 11.2 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 42.5 acres; increase Medium Density Residential (MDR, 6-15 du/ac) from 74.3 to 110.1 acres; and increase High Density Residential (HDR, 15-36 du/ac) from 34.3 to 39.0 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 31.2 acres
Existing General Plan: Agriculture
Proposed General Plan: OS (Open Space) 11.1 acres; MDR (Medium Density Residential, 6-15 du/ac) 17.4 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
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.
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 Committee expressed no objection to the applicant’s proposed amendment to the plan.
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 a 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 110.1 acres, High Density Residential (15-36 du/ac) from 34.3 to 39.0 acres, master planned roadways from 16.3 to 18.9 acres, and a commensurate reduction of Low Density Residential from 75.6 to 42.5 acres.
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 is supported by an evaluation that establishes, in light of the whole record before the City, that 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 E) 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
A 20-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, several inquiries have been received via e-mail, telephone call, and public counter visit. Those written materials received in adequate time have been included as exhibits to this and the related staff reports for this project (Exhibit D).
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 land use for the additional acreage is given a Medium Density Residential (6-15 du/ac) to meet what is anticipated market demand for a housing product type that can be situated on the subject site that is constrained by the boundaries of the Bedford Canyon Wash and the ownership boundaries to the west and northwest. The MDR land use consistently extends the potential for compact development design that reflects that of the master planned area and which also continues to promote water conservation inherent in compact development design. The amendment also makes proper provision for the wash to be contained within a permanent Open Space designation. 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 - 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. Exhibit E - CEQA Addendum to EIR (2016) and Supplement to FEIR (2017)
Case Planner: Terri Manuel (951) 736-2299