Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-14-2016 PC Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Planning Commission Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Planning Commission regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the Community Development, 919 Palm Street, during normal business hours. Agenda Planning Commission Amended Agenda* Wednesday, December 14, 2016 6:00 p.m. REGULAR MEETING Council Chamber 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA *This amended Agenda includes a correction in the surname of Commissioner Kim Bisheff under the “Oath of Office” in italicized type. CALL TO ORDER OATH OF OFFICE: Kim Bisheff (Lomeli) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE : Chair Stevenson ROLL CALL : Commissioners Hemalata Dandekar, Daniel Knight, John Larson, Ronald Malak, Kim Bisheff, Vice-Chairperson John Fowler, and Chairperson Charles Stevenson ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: Commissioners or staff may modify the order of items. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES Minutes of the Planning Commission meeting of September 28, 2016, and Minutes of the Special Joint Meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission of October 4, 2016. PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, people may address the Commission about items not on the agenda. Persons wishing to speak should come forward and state their name and address. Comments are limited to three minutes per person. Items raised at this time are generally referred to staff and, if action by the Commission is necessary, may be scheduled for a future meeting. Planning Commission Agenda Page 2 The City of San Luis Obispo is committed to include the disabled in all of its services, programs, and activities. Please contact the City Clerk or staff liaison prior to the meeting if you require assistance. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. 175 Venture Drive. GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER-1318-2015: Review of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Avila Ranch Development Project during the 45-day public review period. The meeting is an opportunity for City and consultant staffs to gather information from the public regarding the analysis and findings of the Draft EIR. The Avila Ranch Development is a planned development that includes a mix of residential uses (68.23 acres), neighborhood commercial uses (3.34 acres), and open space/park uses (71.30 acres). Development would involve approximately 720 residential units, 15,000 square feet of leasable Neighborhood Commercial space concentrated in a proposed Town Center, and pocket parks, mini-parks and neighborhood parks; BP-SP & C/OS-SP Zones; Avila Ranch, LLC (John Rickenbach) COMMENT AND DISCUSSION 1. STAFF a. Agenda Forecast ADJOURNMENT APPEALS: Any decision of the Planning Commission is final unless appealed to the City Council within 10 days of the action (Recommendations to the City Council cannot be appealed since they are not a final action.). Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Commission may file an appeal with the City Clerk. Appeal forms are available in the Community Development Department, City Clerk’s office, or on the City’s website (www.slocity.org). The fee for filing an appeal is $281 and must accompany the appeal documentation. DRAFT Minutes PLANNING COMMISSION Wednesday, September 28, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Stevenson. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Stevenson led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners Daniel Knight, John Larson, Hemalata Dandekar (6:03), Vice-Chair John Fowler, and Chair Charles Stevenson Absent: Commissioner Ronald Malak Staff: Deputy Director of Community Development Doug Davidson, Associate Planner Kyle Bell, Assistant City Attorney Jon Ansolabehere and Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES Minutes for the Planning Commission Regular Meeting of August 10, 2016. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LARSON, SECONDED BY VICE-CHAIR FOWLER, to approve the Planning Commission Minutes of August 10, 2016 with the following amendment; page 3 of paragraph 1 to read: “Chair Stevenson shared his structural concerns with Planned Development...” on the following roll call vote 5:0:0:1. AYES: Larson, Fowler, Dandekar, Knight, Stevenson NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Malak Planning Commission Minutes DRAFT of September 28, 2016 Page 2 PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. PUBLIC HEARING 1. 190 Stenner Street. USE-3369-2016: Request to establish a new sorority use (Alpha Gamma Delta) on a property with three dwelling units in the High -Density Residential zone, with a categorical exemption from environmental review; R-4 zone; AGD Fraternity Housing Group, applicant. Associate Planner Bell provided an in-depth staff report with the use of a PowerPoint presentation. Applicant Presentation: Frances Gibbs, Architect with Pults & Associates, pointed out that normal circumstances allow that the residences permit up to fourteen (14) occupants on a day-to-day basis. Wendy Bright-Faust, Executive Director of Alpha Gamma Delta’s Housing Corporation, discussed the particulars of this property. --End of Applicant Presentation-- Vice-Chair Fowler inquired about the number of remaining units in the existing house and their use as guest quarters; and questioned about potential meetings scheduled at the residence. Commissioner Larson inquired about the potential to adjust a discrepancy in the Conditions of the Resolution to accommodate fourteen (14) occupants as opposed to eleven (11); Deputy Director Davidson indicated the Conditions could be modified accordingly to for up to fifteen (15) occupants. Public Comment: Warren Fox, San Luis Obispo, spoke as Housing Chair for Cal Poly’s Delta Tau Delta chapter; noted having previously worked with the City Council on creating a long-term vision for Greek housing and endorsed the establishment of a new sorority house proximal to campus to further eliminate issues of satellite housing. --End Public Comment-- ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LARSON, SECONDED BY VICE-CHAIR FOWLER, adopted the Draft Resolution which approves the project, based on findings, and with the following amendments to Conditions: 3.) The maximum number of persons allowed on-site for routine meetings and gatherings shall not exceed eleven (11) fifteen (15) persons; and 4.) No meetings, parties, or other types of sorority activities that would exceed a maximum occupancy of 11 15 persons may take place on the project site, unless otherwise approved by the Community Development Director for special events, along with an approved transportation plan to reduce Planning Commission Minutes DRAFT of September 28, 2016 Page 3 impacts to the surrounding neighborhood on the following roll call vote 5:0:0:1 AYES: Larson, Fowler, Dandekar, Knight, Stevenson NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Malak AGENDA FORECAST Deputy Director Davidson provided the Agenda Forecast: October 4: Joint Meeting with City Council to discuss Mission Plaza Master Plan & Downtown Concept Plan. October 12: Two (2) General Plan Conformity Reports: An open-space acquisition and a City purchase of an affordable housing unit; commencement of Advisory Body goal-setting process for the 2017-19 Budget. October 26: To Be Determined ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:21 p.m. APPROVED BY PLANNING COMMISSION: XX/XX/2016 San Luis Obispo Page 1 Tuesday, October 4, 2016 Regular Meeting of the City Council CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo City Council was called to order on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Mayor Marx. ROLL CALL Council Members Present: Council Members John Ashbaugh, Carlyn Christianson, Dan Rivoire, Vice Mayor Dan Carpenter, and Mayor Jan Marx. Council Members Absent: None City Staff Present: Katie Lichtig, City Manager; Christine Dietrick, City Attorney; Derek Johnson, Assistant City Manager; and Carrie Gallagher, City Clerk; were present at Roll Call. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS Stewart Jenkins spoke regarding the Rental Housing Inspection Ordinance. ---End of Public Comment--- CLOSED SESSION A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Government Code § 54956.9: No. of potential cases: One. B. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Government Code § 54956.9: No. of potential cases: One. A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the local agency on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency. These facts and circumstances that might result in litigation, the local agency believes are not yet known to a potential plaintiff or plaintiffs. (Government Code § 54956.9 (e)(1)) San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 2 C. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS Pursuant to Government Code § 54957.6 Agency Negotiators: Monica Irons, Katie Lichtig, Derek Johnson, Greg Zocher, J. Christine Dietrick, Jon Ansolabehere, Garret Olson, Rick Bolanos Represented Employee Organization: International Association of Firefighters Local 3523 D. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL –EXISTING LITIGATION Paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Government Code § 54956.9; Name of case: San Luis Obispo Police Officers Association v. City of San Luis Obispo; State of California Public Employment Relations Board Case No. LA-CE-729-M E. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: One case. RECESSED AT 5:30 P.M. TO REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 4, 2016 TO BEGIN AT 6:00 P.M. San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 3 CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo City Council was called to order on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Mayor Marx. ROLL CALL Council Members Present: Council Members John Ashbaugh, Carlyn Christianson, Dan Rivoire, Vice Mayor Dan Carpenter, and Mayor Jan Marx. Council Members Absent: None City Staff Present: Katie Lichtig, City Manager; Christine Dietrick, City Attorney; Derek Johnson, Assistant City Manager; and Carrie Gallagher, City Clerk; were present at Roll Call. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Mayor Dan Carpenter led the Pledge of Allegiance. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION City Attorney Dietrick stated that there was no reportable action for Closed Session Items A through E. INTRODUCTIONS 1. SHAWNA SCOTT - ASSOCIATE PLANNER AND STEVEN SHEATS - CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Community Development Director Codron introduced Shawna Scott as a new Associate Planner and Steven Sheats as a new Code Enforcement Officer. PRESENTATIONS 2. PRESENTATION BY PETER WILLIAMSON REPRESENTING SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (SLOCOG), REGARDING PLEDGE TO MAKE A SMART COMMUTE CHOICE DURING RIDESHARE WEEK, OCTOBER 3-7, 2016 Peter Williamson representing San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) provided a presentation regarding their pledge to make a smart commute choice during Rideshare Week, October 3-7, 2016. San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 4 3. PROCLAMATION - DENTAL HYGIENE MONTH Mayor Marx presented a Proclamation to Chantel Arnold, Julie Dodson, Kristina Mankins, Brittany Soto, Maureen Titus and Melanie Water, declaring October as "National Dental Hygiene Month." 4. PROCLAMATION - COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH Mayor Marx presented a Proclamation to Community Development Director Michael Codron, declaring October as "Community Planning Month." PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Dia Hurd, San Luis Obispo spoke regarding a lack of community outreach and noticing of City Council and Planning Commission agenda items. David Brodie, San Luis Obispo stated that Council regularly ignores Community Design Guideline recommendations provided to them by the different Advisory Bodies. Eric Meyer, San Luis Obispo mentioned Rideshare Week, he noted that electric bikes are extremely popular and are currently not allowed on City busses; he asked that Council reconsider this restriction. Camille Small, San Luis Obispo stated her belief that the Architecture Review Commission’s approval of a lighted flashy marquee sign does not fit the downtown area it is intended for. ---End of Public Comment--- CONSENT AGENDA ACTION: MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ASHBAUGH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHRISTIANSON, CARRIED 5-0, to approve the Consent Calendar Items 5-6. 5. WAIVE READING IN FULL OF ALL RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES CARRIED 5-0, to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances as appropriate. 6. JENNIFER STREET SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AWARD, SPECIFICATION NO. 91185 CARRIED 5-0, to: 1. Award a contract to Specialty Construction, Inc. in the amount of $1,493,870 for the Jennifer Street Sewer Line Replacement Project, Specification No. 91185; and 2. Approve a transfer of $756,870 from Sewer Fund working capital to the project account. RECESSED AT 6:29 PM TO THE JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 5 COMMISSION MEETING. JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Marx ROLL CALL: Council Members John Ashbaugh, Carlyn Christianson, Dan Rivoire, Vice Mayor Dan Carpenter, and Mayor Jan Marx Planning Commissioners Hemalata Dandekar, Daniel Knight, John Larson, and Chairperson Charles Stevenson ABSENT: Planning Commissioner Ronald Malak and Vice Chairperson John Fowler STUDY SESSION 7. DOWNTOWN CONCEPT PLAN UPDATE Community Development Director Codron and Associate Planner Gershow reviewed the contents of the report. Loreli Cappel of Michael Baker International, provided the PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council and Planning Commission inquiries. Public Comment: Ken Schwartz, San Luis Obispo stated his belief that the voice of the people is buried and that the presentation provided tonight was not easily understood. David Brodie, San Luis Obispo speaking on behalf of Save our Downtown noted findings of an online survey and at recent workshops. Anne Wyatt, representing Bike SLO County noted her appreciation of the current plan, thanked the Council for their work and stated that Bike SLO County members feel “heard” by the Council. Eric Meyer, San Luis Obispo County Planning Commissioner speaking as a private citizen requested careful consideration for future planning for the last 20% of available building space in the City. Karen Kile, San Luis Obispo, Executive Director of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art spoke on change coming to the area and asked Council to listen to the voice of the people in regards to comments provided in recent workshops. Keith Gurnee, San Luis Obispo noted providing feedback to Council in writing, he stated liking many aspects of the proposed plan however added that he has many concerns. Kyle Wiens, San Luis Obispo resident and local business owner speaking on behalf of his employees noted the need for a parking structure on the North side of town. Paul Rys, San Luis Obispo spoke regarding the need to provide proper noticing to residents San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 6 affected by proposed projects; he rejects the idea of channeling traffic. ---End of Public Comment--- By consensus, the City Council and Planning Commission received the report and provided input to staff regarding the working draft of the Downtown Concept Plan and accompanying mobility diagrams. Mayor Marx called for a recess at 9:03 p.m. The City Council and Planning Commission returned to the dais at 9:18 p.m. 8. MISSION PLAZA ASSESSMENT AND MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT Senior Civil Engineer Guzman reviewed the contents of the report. City consultant’s Debbie Rudd and Leif McKay with RRM Design provided the PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council and Planning Commission inquiries. Public Comment: Ken Schwartz, San Luis Obispo stated his confusion of the process used by Council; noted that he asked that the progress be tied together with landscape in order to breed artistic efforts; wants an open space free of anything with wheels. David Brodie, San Luis Obispo spoke on behalf of Save Our Downtown; read a proposal that was included in the Council agenda packet; voiced the importance of the creek and asked for Council to not rush into a decision. Dominic Tartaglia, San Luis Obispo Executive Director of the Downtown District spoke regarding the significance of the amphitheater and its uses, he feels the Council needs to consider the implication these plans have on the future of the City. Keith Gurnee, San Luis Obispo felt the consultants provided a good range of choices for the public, he noted his involvement in the public input process. ---End of Public Comment--- By consensus, the City Council and Planning Commission received the report and provided input to staff to proceed with the development of a preferred plan using elements from Concept Plans A and B and other sources. MAYOR MARX ADJOURNED THE JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANING COMMISSION MEETING AT 10:55 P.M. RECONVENE AT 10:56 P.M. TO THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. ACTION: MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ASHBAUGH, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER RIVOIRE, CARRIED 5-0 by consensus, to continue the meeting past 11:00 p.m. San Luis Obispo City Council Minutes of October 4, 2016 Page 7 STUDY SESSION 9. WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS Utilities Director Mattingly and Utilities Wastewater Deputy Director Hix provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to City Council inquiries. Public Comment: Paul Rys, San Luis Obispo believes in preventative maintenance, spoke on clogged sewer lines. Todd Katz, San Luis Obispo noted that much clarity is needed regarding this proposal; he mentioned additional services available to deal with roots intruding into sewer lines and believes that residents will not obtain permits if required. ---End of Public Comments--- By consensus, the City Council received and filed the Wastewater Collection System Capacity Constraints Report. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS Written Council Liaison Reports were received from Council Member Christianson and Mayor Marx. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS None ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:17 p.m. The next Regular City Council Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 4:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California. __________________________ Carrie Gallagher City Clerk APPROVED BY COUNCIL: XX/XX/2016 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: Public meeting to discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared for the Avila Ranch project. PROJECT ADDRESS: 175 Venture Drive BY: John Rickenbach, Contract Planner 173 Buckley Road Phone Number: 805-610-1109 Email: JFRickenbach@aol.com FILE NUMBER: GENP 1319-2015 VIA: Tyler Corey, Principal Planner SPEC/ER 1318-2015 Project-PR-0090-2015 FROM: Doug Davidson, Deputy Director RECOMMENDATION: Take public testimony and provide input to City staff and EIR consultants on any additional analysis or data needed to adequately evaluate environmental issue areas within the Draft EIR. No action will be taken at this time. SITE DATA Applicant Avila Ranch, LLC Representative Stephen Peck, AICP Proposed General Plan & Zoning Low, Medium, Medium-High, & High Density Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3, & R-4); Neighborhood Commercial (C-N); Public Facility (PF); & Conservation/Open Space (C/OS) Site Area ~150 acres Environmental Status A Draft EIR is now under public review. The public review period extends from November 28, 2016, to January 11, 2017. SUMMARY Avila Ranch, LLC has submitted a development plan proposal for a new, primarily residential development with up to 720 units on a 150-acre site north of Buckley Road, located within the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP) boundaries. The project also includes 15,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail and office uses next to a neighborhood park, as well as the preservation of agricultural uses and open space. The project as proposed is envisioned to implement the policies and development parameters as articulated in the recent Land Use and Circulation Elements (LUCE) update, other elements of the General Plan, the AASP, the City’s Community Design Guidelines, and direction received by the community and City during the LUCE process and the project’s pre-application. Meeting Date: December 14, 2016 Item Number: 1 GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 2 The applicant has prepared the Avila Development Plan (“Development Plan”) that contains the specific development proposal for the site, including a land use framework, design guidelines and concepts, circulation plan, and infrastructure plan. If approved, these will be reflected in an updated Airport Area Specific Plan. 1.0 COMMISSION’S PURVIEW The purpose of this public hearing is to provide a forum for discussion of the Draft EIR during the required public review period for the document. The meeting is an opportunity for City and consultant staffs to gather information from the public regarding the analysis and finding of the Draft EIR. All comments received at this hearing will be responded to and included in the Final EIR. Both Commission and public testimony at this public meeting should be focused on the content of the Draft EIR, rather than the particular merits of the project itself. The Planning Commission is not being asked to make a recommendation or take action on the project at this time. 2.0 SITE INFORMATION The site is composed of approximately 150 contiguous acres at the northeast corner of Buckley Road and Vachell Lane, and is comprised of three separate parcels: APN: 053-259-006, APN: 053-259-004 and APN: 053-259-005. The site generally slopes from the northeast to southwest, although there are localized undulations. It is diagonally bisected by a drainage channel that is referred to as “Tank Farm Creek” which conveys on and offsite storm water to San Luis Creek and comprises approximately 10 acres of the 150-acre site. Unlike some other properties within the AASP, the site is free of problematic encumbrances such as agricultural processing facilities, hazardous substances, extreme changes in topography, or major public facilities. Table 1 shows land use information for the site. Table 1. Site Information Site Size ~150 acres Present Use & Development Agriculture (zoned Business Park) Topography Slopes from northeast to southwest, with localized undulations. Access Buckley Road, Vachell Lane, Earthwood and Horizon Lane Surrounding Use/Zoning West: M (Manufacturing) Lockheed Martin; C-S (Service Commercial) further west across Vachell Lane North: M (Manufacturing); warehousing & industrial uses East: County jurisdiction; Agriculture zoning South: County jurisdiction; Agriculture zoning 3.0 GENERAL PLAN GUIDANCE Land Use Element. The project is intended to be consistent with policy direction included in the General Plan, specifically Land Use Element Policy 8.1.6, which identifies the Avila Ranch area as a Special Focus Area (SP-4), subject to certain broad development parameters and principles. An evaluation of the project’s consistency with General Plan policies is discussed at length in Section 3.8 of the Draft EIR. GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 3 4.0 PROJECT DETAILS AND DISCUSSION The Avila Ranch Project would include up to 720 dwelling units of varying densities; a centrally located “Town Center” with 15,000 square feet of local-serving retail and office uses; 16 acres of pocket parks, mini-parks and neighborhood parks; and 55 acres of open space including riparian corridors and farmed agricultural land. These features are described in greater detail within Section 2.0 of the Draft EIR, Project Description. 4.1 Proposed Land Uses The proposed project includes a variety of residential densities (6 to 24 dwellings per acre), with typical lot sizes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 square feet. Figure 1 (below) shows the proposed land use map for the project, while Table 2 (below) summarizes the proposed land uses and residential product types. Figure 1. Proposed Avila Ranch Land Use Map GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 4 Table 2. Summary of Proposed Development and Residential Product Types Land Use Acres Units Residential Product Type Maximum Density Typical Lot Size Residential  R-1; Low-Density 17.45 105 Detached single-family 6 du/acre 5,000 SF  R-2; Medium Density 35.03 305 4 to 6 pack clusters; small lot detached single-family 12 du/acre 3,575 SF  R-3; Medium-High Density 11.04 185 Stacked flat apartments; townhomes; condos 20 du/acre 1,000 SF  R-4; High Density 4.71 125 Stacked flat apartments 24 du/acre Neighborhood Commercial (15,000 SF) 3.34 Parks  Neighborhood Parks 9.80  Mini Parks 6.00  Pocket Parks 0.20 Major Roadways 7.03 On-site Open Space 55.30 TOTAL 149.90 720 4.2 Circulation Framework. There are four major circulation features envisioned as part of the project: 1. Extension of Buckley Road from Vachell Lane to Higuera Street; 2. Connection of new Class I bike paths and Class II “buffered” bike lanes from and through the project site to the Octagon Barn which is the trailhead for the Bob Jones City to Sea Trail; 3. Extension of Venture Drive through the site and connecting with the extension of Jesperson Road from Buckley Road, creating a continuous Residential Collector; and 4. Extension of Earthwood Lane as a Residential Collector from the Venture Road project site to Suburban Road for connectively and access to the neighborhood shopping center. A vehicle bridge and two pedestrian bridges are planned over Tank Farm Creek to provide a connection to the neighborhoods on either side of the creek. Figure 2 shows how these site features guide the layout and arrangement of proposed land uses. GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 5 Figure 2. Proposed Circulation Plan 4.3 Modifications to the Airport Area Specific Plan The Avila Ranch planning area is within a portion of the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP). The Development Plan provides guidance for development within that area. In order to implement the Development Plan, City staff has determined that the AASP will require modification to address potential changes and/or needed detail for the Avila Ranch planning area. Proposed modifications are shown in Appendix R of the Draft EIR. In general, these changes will:  Include project specific information about the Avila Ranch project where appropriate, including the types and amount of development proposed;  Provide more specific details with regard to standards that would apply to the Avila Ranch area;  Modify the existing AASP policy framework as appropriate to respond to proposed project details and standards; and  Coordinate the financing and timing of needed infrastructure throughout the entire AASP. 5.0 CEQA PROCESS 5.1 EIR Determination/Consultant Selection Early on, the City determined that the project would require the preparation of a Project EIR. The City Council on March 17, 2015, approved a preliminary workscope for preparation of an EIR to GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 6 evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the project and authorized staff to proceed with sending out a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified consultants. RFP packages were available online via the City’s website to any qualified consultant, with two consulting firms submitting proposals. Both firms were interviewed and Amec Foster Wheeler Consultants received the top ranking and was selected to prepare the EIR. City staff prepared an Initial Study pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which documents and analyzes potential environmental issue areas and highlights workscope issues that needed to be further analyzed in an EIR. A Notice of Preparation (NOP) to prepare an EIR was sent to and posted by the State Clearinghouse on August 14, 2015. The Initial Study is included as Appendix A of the Draft EIR, while the NOP and responses to that document are included in Appendix B. 5.2 EIR Scope/Type The Draft EIR incorporated the Initial Study and expanded on the discussion of issues included in that document. CEQA compliance for the Avila Ranch project is in the form on a Project EIR that tiers from the Final Program EIR prepared for the 2014 Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) Update. While the LUCE EIR did not include site-specific analyses for the Avila Ranch site for every issue (and where it did it was not an in-depth analysis), in many cases did identify a series of programmatic (i.e., cumulative) impacts and provided mitigation measures to adequately address those impacts. Some of these mitigation measures now apply Citywide, and some are now applicable specifically to the Avila Ranch site. The EIR summarizes those applicable mitigation measures from the LUCE EIR as well as additional mitigation needed to address project specific impacts. 5.4 Environmental Issue Areas This meeting provides a forum for the Commission to identify additional information needed to evaluate environmental issues, to point out inaccuracies in the information presented, and to suggest changes to, or alternatives for, recommended mitigation measures. The Draft EIR concludes that the project will result in significant and unavoidable impacts to: 1. Air Quality – short and long-term construction emissions of ROG and NOx, and operational air pollutant emissions associated with vehicle trips from the project; consistency with the Clean Air Plan. 2. Noise – short-term construction noise. 3. Land Use – policies to protect agricultural resources. 4. Transportation and Traffic – impacts to intersection capacities at Buckley Road/SR 227 and at Prado Road/South Higuera Street. The EIR also finds that there will be significant impacts that can be mitigated to less than significant in the categories of aesthetics and visual resources, agricultural resources, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, biological resources, cultural resources, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, public services, transportation and traffic, and utilities and service systems. Impacts related to population and housing were found to be less than significant or beneficial. Some impacts related to land use and planning were also found to be less than significant. Table ES-1 at the beginning of the Draft EIR summarizes the project’s impacts and mitigation measures. GENP 1319-2015 & SPEC/ER 1318-2015 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road Page 7 5.3 EIR Processing Requirements Under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a 45-day public review period of the Draft EIR is required. The required public review period for the Avila Ranch Draft EIR began November 28, 2016, and will extend to January 11, 2017. CEQA does not require that a public meeting be held during the public review period, but does encourage it. The practice of holding a public meeting on the Draft EIR separate from consideration of the other project entitlements allows for direct communication between the reviewers and the lead agency and provides an opportunity for members of the public to learn of the concerns of other people testifying about the project. Both Commission and public testimony at this public meeting should be focused on the content of the Draft EIR, rather than the particular merits of the project itself. The public meeting represents an opportunity to: 1. Obtain additional information needed to properly evaluate identified issue areas; 2. Identify issue areas that may not be covered in the document; and 3. Provide an opportunity for the public to express environmental concerns. The Final EIR is a compilation of the Draft EIR and responses to comments. Responses to comments are a written evaluation of comments on the environmental issues received from persons who reviewed the Draft EIR. The responses to comments will be prepared by the consultant and reviewed by City staff. Tentative dates for consideration of the Final EIR and other project entitlements are June 2017 before the Planning Commission and July 2017 before the City Council. The Final EIR must be certified before an action to approve the project can be made. 6.0 RECOMMENDATION Take public testimony and provide input to City staff and EIR consultants on any additional analysis or data needed to adequately evaluate environmental issue areas. 7.0 ATTACHMENTS 1. The Avila Ranch Draft EIR is available for review online at the following location: http://www.slocity.org/government/department-directory/community- development/documents-online/environmental-review-documents. Hardcopies are also available for review at the Community Development Department (919 Palm Street), City Hall (990 Palm Street) and the City-County Library (995 Palm Street).