HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-01-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - APPROVAL PREZONE 97 001 ORD 97 (2)AGENDA REPORT
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
DATE: January 13, 1998
City Manager
Item to be pres
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF PREZONE NO. 97-001 (MASTER CASE NO. 97-041), TO
FACILITATE ANNEXATION OF 858 ACRES OF UNINHABITED LAND
LOCATED SOUTH OF NEWHALL RANCH ROAD, EAST OF AVENUE
ANZA, NORTH OF MAGIC MOUNTAIN PARKWAY AND THE AUTO
CENTER AND WEST OF VALENCIA BLVD. AND BOUQUET CANYON
ROAD. ("NORTH VALENCIA")
ORDINANCE NO. 97-19
DEPARTMENT: Planning & Building Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 97-19, approving Prezone No. 97-001.
Ordinance No. 97-19 was introduced to the City Council on December 18, 1997.After
conducting a public hearing on the item, the Council waived further reading of the ordinance
and passed it to a second reading.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
There are no alternative actions as identified by staff.
FISCAL IMPACT
None by this action.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance No. 97-19
Vicinity Map
s:\cd\annex\crd9719.2nd
Adopted: 7 Cv Agenda Iton
TO LOS ANGLE
�qEXHIBIT l
.JJ HOGLE-IRELAND fZvv;i PROJECT LOCATION AND VICINITY
I4GiRTE VALENCU M=C PLAN
VALENCIA COMPANY
ORDINANCE NO. 97-19
AN ORDINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
APPROVING PREZONE 97.001 (MASTER CASE 97-041) FOR ANNEXATION
NO. 95-006 (NORTH VALENCIA) TO ALLOW FOR SPECIFIC PLAN 97-001,
WHICH CHANGES THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM LOS ANGELES
COUNTY ZONE C2, M11/2, and A2-5 TO CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ZONES
SPECIFIC PLAN (SP) AND OPEN SPACE (OS) AND AMENDS PORTIONS OF
ORDINANCE 96-12, AND ADOPTION OF THE NORTH VALENCIA SPECIFIC PLAN
TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TO ALLOW FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A 706.6 ACRE PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE NORTH
VALENCIA SPECIFIC PLAN AREA LOCATED WITHIN THE 858 ACRE NORTH
VALENCIA ANNEXATION AREA IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ADJACENT TO THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council does hereby make the following findings of fact:
a. The North Valencia Annexation area is approximately 858 acres generally located
east of Anza Drive, south of Newhall Ranch Road, west of Bouquet Canyon Road
and Valencia Boulevard, and north of Magic Mountain Parkway and the Auto
Center in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County adjacent to the City of
Santa Clarita. The North Valencia Specific Plan area is approximately 706.6
acres within the North Valencia Annexation area and is generally located south
of Avenue Hopkins and east of Anza Drive and the west side of San Francisquito
Creek, south of Newhall Ranch Road, west of Bouquet Canyon Road and Valencia
Boulevard, and north of Magic Mountain Parkway and the Auto Center in the
unincorporated area of Los Angeles County adjacent to the City of Santa Clarita.
In November 1995, the City and the Valencia Company entered into a non-
binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding certain aspects of the
potential annexation of approximately 969 acres or unincorporated area in the
North Valencia area. At the time the MOU was adopted, the Valencia Company
stated their intention to request approvals for up to 3,690 dwelling units,
approximately 850,000 square feet of commercial uses, and 223,000 square feet
of industrial uses. Entitlements to be requested at the time of MOU approval
included a prezone, an annexation and development agreement, and tract maps.
b. A Prezone for the North Valencia Annexation area was approved in March 1996.
The City Council authorized the filing of an annexation request.with LAFCO in
June 1996. Following the prezone, the applicant submitted entitlement requests
which are subject to environmental review. The annexation request is on hold at
the request of the City, pending approval of the environmental review document
and approval of the requested entitlements.
Ord. 97-19
Page 2
C. On June 5, 1996, the applicant submitted the following entitlement requests:
(Master Case No. 97-120) Annexation and Development Agreement 96-001,
Annexation 95-006, Conditional Use Permit 96-010, TPM 20496 (Builder's South),
TPM 20669 (Valencia Industrial Center), TPM 18417 (Pony League), TPM 24516
(Overall Project Area), VTTM 51931 (Lago de Valencia); VTTM 51281 (South
River) and VTTM 44832 (Arbor Park). Incomplete letters were sent on these
entitlement requests in July and staff noted that an Oak Tree Permit would also
be required. In January 1997, the applicant formally withdrew the application
for a CUP and all of the tract and parcel maps except for VTTM 51931. The
applicant submitted the following entitlement requests: a Specific Plan document
including a comprehensive plan of development and development standards for
the North Valencia Specific Plan area and Prezone 97-001 to change the zoning
within the area to the City zone SP (Specific Plan). Following review of the
specific plan document and revised site plan, staff recommended that a general
plan amendment be filed in order for the requested entitlements to be consistent
with the City's General Plan. On March 12, 1997, the applicant filed a request
for an oak tree permit (OTP 97-009) to allow for possible encroachment upon oak
trees, and a general plan amendment (GPA 97-001) to: 1) Revise the tent of the
Land Use Element Valley Center Concept narrative allowing for a North Valencia
Specific Plan; and 2) revise the General Plan Land Use Map.
d. The applicant requests an annexation, a general plan amendment including an
amendment to the text of the Land Use Element Valley Center Concept narrative
and an amendment to the Land Use Map, a prezone to specific plan, and adoption
of a specific plan document including a comprehensive plan of development and
development standards for the North Valencia Specific Plan area. The
development application includes the proposed annexation of approximately 858
acres of unincorporated Los Angeles County land located adjacent to the City
boundary. The entire 858 acres -was previously prezoned to City zoning
designations through Ordinance No. 96-12. This request would amend portions
of Ordinance No. 96-12 to establish the City of Santa Clarita Zone Specific Plan
(SP) over 706.6 acres on the areas known as the North Valencia Specific Plan
area. The remaining acreage in the annexation area would remain as previously
prezoned by Ordinance No. 96-12, The Specific Plan request includes
entitlements for up to 2,000 dwelling units (750 single family detached, 1,250
multi -family attached), 636,000 square feet of commercial/retail, 167,000 square
feet of industriallbusiness park space, a 6.5 -acre elementary school site, a.15.2 -
acre lake/park, a 12.4 -acre community park, 4.9 acres of neighborhood parks,
355.6 acres of open space and over 5 miles of trails, Vesting Tentative Tract Map
51931 to subdivide 706 acres into 138 lots, an oak tree permit to allow
construction within 200 feet of the oak trees with no removals or encroachments
proposed, and review and certification of the Environmental Impact Report
(SCH#96071077) prepared for this project. An "Annexation and.Development
Ord. 97-19
Page 3
Agreement" was also requested, which was presented to and approved by the
City Council through Ordinance No. 97-20.
e. The original North Valencia Specific Plan request excluded a .5 acre Southern
California Gas Facility located on Magic Mountain Parkway; however, this area
has been included within the Specific Plan area in accordance with good planning
principles. The North Valencia Specific Plan area is bisected by the MWD
pipeline property which is excluded from the Specific Plan prezone; however, this
area is proposed to be prezoned Open Space (OS) in order to be consistent with
the surrounding uses proposed in the Specific Plan.
f. The General Plan presently designates the project site Commercial Town Center
(CTC), Community Commercial (CC), Business Park (BP), and Residential
Moderate (RM) with a Valley Center Concept Overlay on the majority of the site.
The General Plan does.not specifically mention the North Valencia site as an
area ideal for a specific plan; however; the site does meet the minimum size of
100 contiguous acres under single ownership as identified in the Specific Plan
zoning.standards of the City's Unified Development Code. Zoning on the site is
presently Los Angeles County zones C2, Ml 112, and A2-5 and has already been
prezoned City of Santa Clarita zones CTC, CC, BP, and RM.
g. The North Valencia Specific Plan area is vacant, generally flat, and was used for
agricultural purposes. The portion of the annexation area not included in the
Specific Plan is flat and already developed with industrial and commercial uses.
Major features of the annexation area include the Santa Clara River, the South
Fork of the Santa Clara River, San Francisquito Creek, Bouquet Creek, a portion
of the San Gabriel Fault Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone, the MWD aqueduct
pipeline and electrical transmission corridors.
h. Article 8-- Specific Plans Sec. 65451 gi sec of the California Planning and Zoning
Laws defines the contents which must be included in a specific plan as follows:
(a) A specific plan shall include a text and a diagram or diagrams which specify
all of the following in detail:
(1) The distribution, location, and extent of the uses of land, including
open space, within the area covered by the plan.
(2) The proposed distribution, location, and extent and intensity of major
components of public and private transportation, sewage; water drainage,
solid waste disposal, energy, and other essential facilities proposed to be
located within the area covered by the plan and needed to support the
land uses described in the plan.
Ord. 97-19
Page 4
(3) Standards and criteria by which development will proceed, and
standards for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural
resources, where applicable.
(4) A program of implementation measures including regulations,
programs, public works projects, and financing measures necessary to
carry out paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).
(b) The specific plan shall include a statement of the relationship of the specific
plan to the general plan.
L Section 17.16.030 of the City's Unified Development Code (UDC) identifies
general requirements and performance standards for a specific plan zone. A
Specific Plan Zone shall:
(a) Include a minimum of 100 contiguous acres.
(b) Be determined by the Council after considering the recommendation of the
Planning Commission.
(c) Provide for the development of a comprehensively planned community within
the zone that is superior to development otherwise allowable under alternate
regulations.
(d) Provide for development within the zone in a manner consistent with the
General Plan and with related development and growth policies of the City.
(e) Provide for the construction, improvement, or extension of transportation
facilities, public utilities, and public services required by development within the
zone.
The design of the project concentrates development within areas previously used
for agricultural uses and includes preservation of approximately 295.6 acres of
open space as part of the Santa Clara River Conservation Area as identified in
the North Valencia Specific Plan document. The project proposes grading on
approximately 281 acres of the 858 acre annexation site. The total amount of
grading involves approximately 1.4 million cubic yards of cut and 2.7 million
cubic yards of on-site fill and 1.5 million cubic yards of off-site earth to be
imported. Movement of 850,000 cubic yards of the necessary off-site fill has been
approved from the northeast corner of McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch
Road through Conditional Use Permit 96-013 (MC#96-236) and from the area
known as the Center City Specific Plan area located east of the present terminus
of Newhall Ranch Road, east of Bouquet Canyon Road.
0
Ord. 97-19
Page 5
k. The City of Santa Clarita prepared an Initial Study for. the project which
determined that the project may have a significant effect on the environment and
that an environmental impact report must be prepared. A Notice of Preparation
(NOP) for the annexation, annexation and development agreement, tentative
tract maps, conditional use permit, and oak tree permit was mailed in July 1996
to affected agencies. A scoping meeting was held at the Valencia Town Center
Conference Room on August 7, 1996 to obtain information from the public as to
issues which should be addressed in the environmental document. A substantial
revision to the project occurred in January 1997, which included the withdrawal
of the conditional use permit application and six of the tentative maps, and the
subsequent filing of a request for a prezone, specific plan document, general plan
amendment, and. revised vesting tentative tract map 51931. Following the
revisions to the project, a subsequent NOP was prepared and mailed in May
1997.
1. The North Valencia Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
was circulated for review and comment by the affected governmental agencies
and all comments received have been considered. The review period for the DEIR
was from August 1, 1997 to September 15, 1997. Late comments were accepted
until September 22, 1997 to allow for mail delays. A Final EIR (FEIR) dated
October 1997 was prepared in accordance with CEQA and includes the DEIR,
responses to comments received on the DEIR, minor corrections and clarifications
to the EIR. text, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP).
As a result of staff, public and Planning Commission comments on the project and
the DEIR, the applicant has made corrections and modifications to the proposed
Specific Plan document text and to Vesting Tentative Tract Map 51931. None of
these Specific Plan changes or modifications would result in additional
environmental impacts. The FEIR was recommended for adoption by the
Planning Commission simultaneously herewith pursuant to.Resolution P97-19.
In. The Planning Commission went on a field visit to the North Valencia site on
Saturday, May 31, 1997 at 9:00 a.m., beginning in the Council Chambers for the
purpose of becoming familiar with the site and its conditions. -
n. The City Council held a study session on this project on June 3, 1997 and
received an informational report on the status of this project. At that Council
Study Session the Council approved a preliminary processing schedule for this
project which identified various Planning Commission public hearing dates and
specific project topics to be discussed at each of these meetings. The goal of this
processing schedule was to reduce redundancy and allow the Commission and the
public to better prepare for the meetings. This processing schedule allowed for
each issue area of the Draft EIR to be discussed in a public forum during the
Draft EIR public comment period to allow for maximum public participation, with
numerous opportunities for the public to ask questions and receive information
concerning the environmental document and the project.
Ord. 97-19
Page 6
o. The Planning Commission received an informational presentation about the
North Valencia Specific Plan proposal at their regularly scheduled meeting on
June 17, 1997, at 7:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia
Boulevard, Santa Clarita. This presentation was given by staff to distribute
copies of the proposed North Valencia Specific Plan dated June 1997 and the
proposed Vesting Tentative Tract Map 51931 version dated June 13, 1997, to
provide the Commission with a background on the project application and to
provide the Commission with a review of the entitlements requested.
P. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH # 96071077 ) for this project was
distributed to the Planning Commission and to the public on August 1, 1997.
This document was circulated for a 45 -day public review beginning on August 1,
1997 and ending on September 15, 1997. The public review period was extended
one week to end on September 22, 1997 to allow for receipt of letters that may
have been delayed in the mail.
q. The Planning Commission has held duly noticed public hearings on this issue
commencing on July 1, 1997 and continuing on July 9, 1997, July 23, 1997,
August 5, 1997, August 13, 1997, August 19, 1997, August 25, 1997, September
2,1997, September 10, 1997, September 24, 1997, October 7, 1997, October 15,
1997, and October 30, 1997. These public hearings have been held at 7:00 p.m.
at City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita.
On October 30, 1997, the Planning Commission adopted a recommendation that
the City Council adopt an ordinance approving the requested prezone,
annexation, and specific plan document.
S. The City Council held duly noticed public hearings on this project commencing
on November 4, 1997. Subsequent meetings regarding the project were held on
November 25, 1997, December 2, 1997, December 9, 1997, and December 18,
1997. On December 18, 1997, the City Council certified the FEIR for this project
(Resolution 97-126), held the first reading of this ordinance, waived further
reading of the ordinance, and continued this item for a second reading on
January 13, 1998. On January 13, 1997, the City Council having waived further
reading, completed the second reading in order to approve the North Valencia
Annexation and Specific Plan, including: (a) approval of prezone 97-001 to allow
for a specific plan, which includes a zoning reclassification from Los Angeles
County Zone C2, M1 1/2, and A2-5 to City of Santa Clarita Zone Specific Plan
(SP) and Open Space (OS); and (b) the adoption of the Specific Plan document
which establishes special development standards for the North Valencia Specific
Plan area. With the exception of the December 18, 1997 meeting, all public
hearings on the project were held at 6:30 p.m., at the City Council Chambers,
23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita. The December 18, 1997 meeting, was
held at 8:00 am. at the City Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa
Clarita.
Ord. 97-19
Page 7
SECTION 2. Based upon the above findings of fact, oral and written testimony and
other evidence received at the public hearings held for the project, and. upon studies and
investigations made by the Planning Commission and the City Council and on its behalf, the
City Council further finds as follows:
a. At the hearings described above, the City Council considered staff presentations,
staff reports, Planning Commission staff reports and resolutions, applicant
presentations, public testimony on the proposal, and the FEIR prepared for the
project.
b. The Specific Plan provides for development standards and types of public and
private improvements that will not cause serious public health problems, since
access, water, sewage disposal, fire protection, and solid waste disposal are
addressed in the MMRP and Conditions of Approval.
C. The project complies with the general requirements and performance standards
forthe Specific Plan Zone and the Open Space Zone. The North Valencia Specific
Plan is consistent with the intent of the Specific Plan Zone which was created to:
facilitate development of certain areas by permitting greater flexibility and
consequently, more creative and imaginative designs; promote more economical
and efficient use of land while providing a harmonious variety of choices, higher
level of amenities, and preservation of natural and scenic qualities of open space
and waterways; and ensure that development substantially conforms to the
approved plans. The Open Space Zone proposed over the MWD property is
consistent with the existing and planned use of the site and with the surrounding
uses existing and envisioned in the North Valencia Specific Plan. The area
included in the Specific Plan Zone and the Open Space Zone was previously
prezoned by adoption of Ordinance 95-12 and that ordinance is herein amended
to reflect this prezone request as shown on the attached map (Exhibit A).
I The Final Environmental Impact = Report identifies certain significant
environmental effects. The Final Environmental Impact Report identifies
feasible mitigation measures for each of these impacts with the exclusion of air
quality, visual resources, agricultural resources, solid waste disposal, and biota,
which cannot be avoided through mitigation. The identified mitigation measures
have been incorporated into the Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Plan (MMRP)
and conditions of approval for the project.
SECTION 3. Based upon the foregoing facts and findings, the City Council
hereby finds as follows:
a. A FEIR, including the Draft EIR, Responses to Comments, Text Changes to the
DEIR and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP), and the Statement
of Overriding Considerations for this project have been prepared and circulated
in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The
Ord. 97-19
Page 8
Planning Commission adopted Resolution P97-19 recommending that the City
Council certify the FEIR and adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations.
The City Council certified the FEIR and adopted the Statement of Overriding
Considerations through adoption of Resolution 97-126.
b. This project as modified by the Planning Commission and City Council will not
adversely affect the health, peace, comfort or welfare of persons residing in the
area; nor be materially detrimental to the use, enjoyment, or valuation of
property in the vicinity of the project site; nor jeopardize, endanger or otherwise
constitute a menace to the public health, safety, or general welfare since the
project conforms with the City's General Plan, Unified Development Code and is
compatible with surrounding land uses.
C. The applicant has substantiated the findings for approval of a Specific Plan and
Zone Change. The Specific Plan document includes the items required of a
Specific Plan by Article 8-- Specific Plans Sec 65451 et seq of the California
Planning and Zoning Laws.
SECTION 4. The City Council hereby approves Prezone 97-001 consisting of a zone
change from Los Angeles County Zone C2, Ml 1/2, and A2-5.to City of Santa Clarita Specific
Plan (SP) and.Open Space (OS) as shown on the attached map (Exhibit A), amends portions of
Ordinance 96-12, and adopts the North Valencia Specific Plan document (including special
development standards) as amended by the Planning Commission and the City Council and
herein incorporated by reference (Exhibit B).
SECTION 5. This Ordinance shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first day
after adoption.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify as to the passage of this Ordinance and cause
it to be published in the manner prescribed by law.
H.
Ord. 97-19
Page 9
PASSED AND APPROVED this day of '19—.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) §
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Ordinance No. was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading at
a regular meeting of the City Council on the day of
19 . That thereafter, said Ordinance was duly adopted and passed at a regular meeting
of the City Council on the day of 19 by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS
ABSENT: COUNCILMEM 3ERS
CITY CLERK
LHS
sAcd\council\nv1ord1.1hs
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 13, 1998, the City Council of the City of
Santa Clarita adopted Ordinance 97-19 entitled:
AN ORDINANCE OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
APPROVING PREZONE 97-001 (MASTER CASE 97-041) FOR ANNEXATION NO.
95-006 (NORTH VALENCIA) TO ALLOW FOR SPECIFIC PLAN 97-001, WHICH
CHANGES THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY
ZONE C2, MII/2, AND A2-5 TO CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ZONES SPECIFIC
PLAN (SP) AND OPEN SPACE (OS) AND AMENDS PORTIONS OF ORDINANCE
96-12, AND ADOPTION OF THE NORTH VALENCIA SPECIFIC PLAN TO
ESTABLISH SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TO ALLOW FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A 706.6 ACRE PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE NORTH
VALENCIA SPECIFIC PLAN AREA LOCATED WITHIN THE 858 ACRE NORTH
VALENCIA ANNEXATION AREA IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF LOS
ANGELES COUNTY ADJACENT TO THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
by the following vote:
AYES:
Smyth, Klajic, Darcy, Heidt
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
Boyer
A certified copy of the complete text of the ordinance is posted and may be read in the City
Clerk's Office, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 301, Santa Clarita, and/or a copy may be
obtained from that office.
Dated this 16th day of January, 1998.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
,/" Q-auj
Sharon L. Dawson, CMC, City Clerk
City of Santa Clarita
Sharon L. Dawson, being first duly sworn, deposes and says that she is the duly
appointed and qualified City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita and that by Friday, January
16, 1998, she caused a certified copy of the subject ordinance to be posted and made
available for public review in the City Clerk's office and a copy of the ordinance summary to
be published as required by law.
Sharon L. Dawson, CMC, City Clerk
City of Santa Clarita