HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-06 - AGENDAS - SPECIALCITY OF SANTA CLARITA
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
STUDY SESSION
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
5:00 PM
City Council Chambers
23920 Valencia Blvd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
FLAG SALUTE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Study Sessions are for the purpose of allowing the City Council and staff to informally discuss
and better understand major issues currently before the City. Pursuant to GC 54954.3 members
of the public may directly address the legislative body concerning any item that has been
described in the notice for the meeting. Following the presentation of the item the Mayor will
inquire if any member of the public wishes to address the Council on the item listed. Speakers
will be given one minute (with double the time allotted to non-English speakers using a
translator) to address the Council on the item listed. Council will not be taking comment on any
other matter at this time.
ITEM 1 SUNRIDGE SPECIFIC PLAN CONCEPT PRESENTATION
A presentation on a concept for the Sunridge Specific Plan, proposed by New Urban West,
which would be located on what is commonly known as the Whittaker-Bermite property.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: City Council receive presentations from City staff and New
Urban West.
ADJOURN
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to
participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Office, (661) 255-4391. Notification
48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure
accessibility to this meeting. (28CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II)
CERTIFICATION
On February 29, 2024, I, Mary Cusick, do hereby certify that I am the duly appointed and
qualified City Clerk for the City of Santa Clarita and that the foregoing agenda was posted at
City Hall.
Mary Cusick
City Clerk
Santa Clarita, California
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CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Smyth and Members of the City Council
Chair Burkhart and Members of the Plarimu Commission
FROM: Kenneth W. Striplin, City Manager 1h
DATE: February 28, 2024
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEETING - STUDY SESSION: SUNRIDGE SPECIFIC PLAN
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The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information regarding the Whittaker-Bermite
property, the previously approved Porta Bella Specific Plan, and a new, preliminary concept plan
that was submitted to the City of Santa Clarita (City) by the current property owner, Blue Ox
Holdings, and their development partner, New Urban West (Applicant). Note that no formal
entitlement application for the project has been submitted to the City at this time.
A Special Study Session has been scheduled for March 6, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. where the Applicant
will provide the City Council with an overview of their preliminary concept plan.
BACKGROUND
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Property Information and Previous Approvals
The 996-acre Whittaker-Bermite property (subject property) is located in the center of the City
and is bounded by Soledad Canyon Road to the north, Golden Valley Road to the east, Railroad
Avenue to the west, and the Circle J Ranch community to the south. Between the 1930s and
1980s, the subject property was used as a manufacturing and testing facility for military -grade
explosives and ammunition. These activities resulted in the contamination of the site's soil and
groundwater.
After the cessation of operations in 1987, a clean-up of the site was ordered by the California
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Under the supervision of the DISC, the
property was divided into seven sections called operable units, each with its own clean-up plan.
In October 1991, the City received an application from the Anden Corporation (Arden) for the
Porta Bella Specific Plan (Master Case 91-164). Subsequently, in February of 1993, Anden
submitted an application for a Vesting Tentative Tract Map (VTTM) and Development
Agreement (DA) (Master Case 93-012).
In 1995, the City Council approved the VTTM and the Specific Plan for the Porta Bella Project,
while the DA was approved in 1996. The DA and VTTM expired on January 1, 2021; however,
the Porta Bella Specific Plan remains in effect.
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SPECIAL MEETING - STUDY SESSION: SUNRIDGE SPECIFIC PLAN
February 28, 2024
Page 2
The project approval included:
• 2,911 residential units;
• 2.5 million square -feet of commercial space;
• 406 acres of open space;
• 42 acres of parks and recreation space; and
• The extension of three General Plan roads through the subject property including Santa
Clarita Parkway, Magic Mountain Parkway, and Via Princessa.
• Deal points approved as a part of the DA included improvements to be completed by the
developer generally described as follows:
o Make pedestrian connections to the Metrolink Station;
o Provide trails throughout the development;
o Off -site improvements including:
■ Providing emergency access to neighboring communities;
■ Providing visual buffer to neighboring communities;
■ Installing bus stops and shelters;
■ Enhancing offsite drainage facilities; and
o Enhancing off -site streetscapes.
In July 2019, the soil remediation of the property was declared complete by the DTSC with
groundwater clean-up ongoing.
Development Concept r
w
In July 2023, the City received a preliminary design concept for the subject property, which was
reviewed via the One Stop process. The concept, commonly referred to as the Sunridge Specific
Plan (Sunridge), represents a completely new plan, not an amendment to the Porta Bella Specific a.
Plan, and consists of the following:
• 6,550 residential units;
• 3.1 million square -feet of commercial space; cn
• A 10,000-seat amphitheater; a,
• A wave park;
• Approximately 430 acres of open space on the project site;
• 44 acres of parks and recreation space throughout the development and on City property;
• 8.8 miles of trails throughout the development and on City property; and
• The extension of one General Plan Road, Via Princessa, through the subject property.
Magic Mountain Parkway is not proposed to be built, and only a portion of Santa Clarita
Parkway from Soledad Canyon Road to the project site is proposed.
A Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting with the Applicant was held on September
28, 2023. At that time, staff from multiple divisions within the City and other government
agencies provided written comments to the Applicant regarding Sunridge. Note that the Applicant
has since refined the concept based on feedback received at the DRC meeting. The refined
concept is what will be presented at the Special Study Session on Wednesday, March 6.
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SPECIAL MEETING - STUDY SESSION: SUNRIDGE SPECIFIC PLAN
February 28, 2024
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Should you have questions, please contact me at your convenience.
KWS:JC:DP:rc
SAMIPLANNING DIVISION\CURRENI112023\MC23-118 (OS for Sunridge Project)\PC Study Session\Sunridge Study Session Memo.doc
cc: Leadership Team
Patrick Leclair, Planning Manager
Erika Iverson, Senior Planner
David Peterson, Senior Planner
Liahna Rose, Administrative Assistant
Rachel Clark, Administrative Assistant
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