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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-09 - AGENDA REPORTS - NEWHALL RANCH DEV PROJ (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approv Item to be presented by: Jill Kladc NEW BUSINESS DATE: March 9, 1999 SUBJECT: DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED NEWHALL RANCH DEVELOPMENT PROJECT DEPARTMENT: Planning and Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council receive report from Councilmember Klajic and provide staff with a directed course of action. BACKGROUND The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will be hearing the Newhall Ranch project at their meeting on Tuesday, March 23rd. It is anticipated that the Board will take final action on the project at that meeting. The City's position has been to oppose the project unless certain changes are made. The County has agreed to changes to the project regarding the management of open space, construction of trails, wildlife corridors, hillside/ridgeline protection, bank stabilization and buffers along the Santa Clara River, protection of groundwater supply, and the funding of construction for libraries and parks. Issues that have not been resolved include the funding of future transit needs, staffing of public parks, the construction of a regional/community park,, limiting construction in the existing flood plains along the Santa Clara River, and tying the approval of the specific plan to approval of a development agreement. Staff has had ongoing discussions with Newhall Land & Farming and Supervisor Antonovich's office to resolve the remaining issues. The current status of the City's list of concerns regarding the project is attached. The County staff report for this project has not been released. However, County Planning staff has indicated to City staff that the report will be provided to the City by March 8'. Once the report is received, staff will forward it to the City Council. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Other action as determined by Council. FISCAL IMPACTS No fiscal impacts are anticipated by the recommendations listed in this report ATTACHMENT Summary of City Issues Regarding Newhall Ranch (March 2, 1999) JJL:VPB:lep \ \CITYHALL2\DEPT\PBS\COUNCIL\NWLRNCH4.DOC STATUS OF THE CITY'S NEGOTIATIONS WITH NEWHALL LAND AND FARMING REGARDING THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ISSUES RELATED TO NEWHALL RANCH March 2, 1999 1. Approval of the Specific Plan without Approval of the Development Agreement Issue: The Newhall Ranch Specific Plan would result in a dramatic increase in densities above the existing Los Angeles County General Plan. The developer is proposing the dedication of land and construction of capital facilities in order to offset the potential adverse impacts created by these density increases. However, these dedications are tied to a development agreement, which currently is not being considered by the Board of Supervisors. The City is concerned that the Specific Plan will be approved and will allow for these dramatic density increases while a development agreement that would offset these adverse impacts may never be approved. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors tie all dedications, right-of-way reservations, and capital improvements to the adoption of the Specific Plan. Status: Newhall Land and Farming has agreed to tie some of these requirements to the adoption of the Specific Plan. This includes the construction of park improvements for local and community parks as well as the construction of the High Country Trail within 2 years of the Specific Plan approval (and any litigation). Staff is still working with Newhall Land and Farming to ensure that the City's remaining concerns are addressed. 2. Metrolink Right -of -Way Dedication Issue: The City is concerned about potential impediments to the reestablishment of rail service between the Santa Clarita Valley and the City of Ventura. The City views the reestablishment of this right-of-way as a critical link in reducing traffic impacts throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. The Specific Plan allows for the reservation of right-of-way for Metrolink service along this route. However, absent a development agreement or similar mechanism, there is no guarantee that the Metrolink line, station, and park-and-ride lot will be dedicated to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). City Request: That the Board of Supervisors provide a mechanism, through a development agreement or similar device, that would tie these Metrolink dedications to the approval of the Specific Plan. Status: Right-of-way reservation is tied to the Specific Plan and land dedication would be tied to a future development agreement. Staff is working with Newhall Land and Farming to ensure thefuture dedications. 3. Future Transit Needs Issue: The City is concerned about the impacts that Newhall Ranch will create on the Santa Clarita Transit system that serves the City of Santa Clarita and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County within the Santa Clarita Valley. The City views a fiscally healthy transit system as an integral part of reducing traffic congestion throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. The EIR anticipates over 18,000 weekday transit trips generated by Newhall Ranch once build -out is completed. According to City of Santa Clarita Transit Division estimates, this would result in an annual operating cost of $9,538,017 and would require a net subsidy of $6,676,612. The ultimate build -out of Newhall Ranch would generate $4,295,362, thereby creating a shortfall of $2,381,250. Additionally, there is a two-year delay between when the revenue begins generating and when the transit system actually receives them. - City Request: That the Board of Supervisors identify a funding source for this shortfall for the long-term service and for the immediate capital investment needed to provide the buses. Additionally, the Specific Plan includes many "livable communities" concepts to encourage higher transit ridership. The City requests that the Specific Plan be amended to strengthen this commitment to ensure this high transit ridership. Status: Agreement has been reached that Newhall Land and Farming would pay a Valley -wide transit fee if the County and the City adopted it. 4. Regional Circulation System Issue: The City is concerned about the impacts of Newhall Ranch on the regional highway system that serves the Santa Clarita Valley. The EIR depends upon public funding for improvements to the interchange at Interstate 5 and State Route 126. However, public funding for these improvements is not guaranteed and the project will have significant impacts on the regional highway system if they are not built. Additionally, the project requires that the developer pay for its share of improvements to the regional roadway network. However, if these improvements are not constructed prior to development of each subsequent subdivision, then there will be a significant adverse impact to the regional circulation system. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors require the developer to pay for these improvements if public funding is not secured and construction commenced before the need for these improvements arises. Status: Agreement has been reached that Newhall Land and Farming would pay their share for these improvements or would construct them if necessary. However, they would receive pro rata credits and this payment would operate similar to a bridge and thoroughfare district fee. 2 5. Trail Standards Issue: The City is concerned about the impacts of Newhall Ranch on the regional trail system. As proposed, the Santa Clara River Regional Trail is not sufficiently wide enough to accommodate multiple users. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors amend the Specific Plan to widen the Santa Clara River Regional Trail to 40 feet to provide sufficient separation between multiple users and to provide adequate landscaping. Status: Agreement was reached that this trail would be 35 feet in width throughout most of the alignment and would narrow down to 20 feet in a few, small areas with unavoidable constraints, such as bridge underpasses. The City will review the specific design of the trails as subdivisions are proposed. 6. Maintenance, Staffing, and Programming of Public Parks Issue: The City is concerned about the impacts of Newhall Ranch on the City's park recreation programming. The fiscal impact analysis indicates that there would be surplus tax revenues available for park recreation funding; however, there is no guarantee that revenues generated by this project will be utilized to provide park staffing. Additionally, there is no guarantee that this project will provide teen programs and anti -gang programs for the residents of Newhall Ranch, which is instrumental in reducing crime rates. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors establish timelines for the construction, maintenance, and programming of public parks and to ensure the funding of youth sports activities. Status: Agreement has not been reached on this issue. However, this is an issue between the City and the County and not between the City and Newhall Land and Farming. 7. Regional/Community Youth Sports Center Issue: The City is concerned about the impact of Newhall Ranch on the City's facilities that accommodate league play for youth sports. Although the Specific Plan allows for multiple neighborhood parks that may adequately serve the needs of the immediate neighborhoods, there is no guarantee of a regional facility to accommodate the needs for community tournaments or league play for youth sports. Absent this guarantee, future residents of Newhall Ranch will seek these facilities within the City will impact the City. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors require that the Newhall Ranch Company either provide a regional facility for youth sports or monetarily contribute towards the expansion or construction of new regional facilities elsewhere in the Santa Clarita Valley. Status: Agreement has not been reached on this issue. However, Newhall Land and Farming has agreed to construct multi-purpose play fields in each of the three community 3 parks for a total of 63 acres of active, flat play fields. Agreement could be reached if Newhall Land and Farming financially contributed to the expansion of a regional facility such as the Castaic Sports Complex. 8. High Country Dedication and Management Issues: The City is concerned about the management of a major natural resource in proximity to the Santa Clarita Woodlands which is currently jointly managed by the City and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. A conservation and recreation easement will be granted to the County of Los Angeles that will maintain public oversight; however, the management of these areas and the timing of the dedications remains a concern of the City. The Newhall Ranch Company proposes that the Center for Natural Lands Management manage these areas, but the City would like to see a local agency have management responsibilities. The Newhall Ranch Company also has proposed dedicating the High Country at mid -point in the development of Newhall Ranch or sooner if Portrero Valley Village development has reached the 3,OOOth residential building permit. However, these dedications are included in the development agreement, which is not before the Board of Supervisors, and are not tied to the approval of the Specific Plan. City Reauest: That the Board of Supervisors require that the High Country be managed by the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority and require these lands to be dedicated within three years of approval by the Board of Supervisors of the Specific Plan and related cases, or immediately upon adoption of a development agreement, whichever occurs first. Status: This issue has been resolved. The High Country will be dedicated to a joint powers authority consisting of the City of Santa Clarita, the County of Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. In addition, this joint powers authority will oversee recreation and the preparation of a recreation plan for the High Country. The Center for Natural Lands Management will be responsible for the resource conservation and management as well as the preparation of the resource management plan. This agreement also provides that the River corridor and Open Area will be dedicated to and managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management. 9. Santa Clara River Habitat and Management Issue: The City is concerned about the regional implications of the Newhall Ranch project's impacts on significant riparian habitat along the Santa Clara River and whether the project provides sufficient mitigation for these impacts. The portion of the Santa Clara River within Los Angeles County is designated as a Significant Ecological Area (SEA) and this SEA is the largest in the Santa Clarita Valley and supports a variety of natural habitats including freshwater marsh, coastal sage scrub, oak woodland, and riparian woodlands. The City is concerned that modifying the existing flood plains will permanently and adversely impact the existing riparian habitat on-site, the potential to reestablish riparian habitat on-site, and the existing riparian habitat downstream from the project. The City is also concerned that this area be managed by an appropriate public agency. 4 City Request: That the Board of Supervisors amend the Specific Plan to prohibit development in, or modification of, the existing Flood Insurance Administration 100 -Year Flood Plain and the Los Angeles County 50 -year Capital Flood Plain. Also, the City requests that the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority manage this area. Status: Newhall Land and Farming has agreed to increase portions of the riparian buffer along the south side of the river near Long Canyon. However, not all of the development will be removed from the flood plains and the City does not support building in the Santa Clara River. 10. Bank Stabilization Alternatives Issue: The City is concerned about the impacts of bank stabilization on the Santa Clara River. Even though the Newhall Ranch Company has agreed to the use of alternatives to conventional bank stabilization techniques such as buried bank stabilization and the Specific Plan allows for these alternatives, the plan does not require the utilization of these alternative methods. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors amend the Specific Plan to require buried bank stabilization or similar environmentally sensitive bank stabilization techniques along the Santa Clara Rivera Status: This is not an issue between the Newhall Land and Farming and the City because Newhall Land and Farming has agreed in concept with this request. This issue is between the City and the County and Supervisor Antonovich's motion on July 28, 1998, includes a revision to the Specific Plan that would implement the buried bank stabilization techniques. This request will have to be monitored after the specific plan is approved and the County processes individual development requests. 11. Hillside/R.idgeline Development Standards Issue: The City is concerned about the visual impact of hillside grading created by the project. Although the Specific Plan's Hillside/Ridgeline includes development standards for hillside grading, the City believes that they do not provide the fullest possible protection from excessive grading and landform alteration. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors amend the specific plan adding stronger language requiring, instead of encouraging, sensitive landform alteration techniques and add additional discretionary review procedures for significant landform alteration. Status: Agreement has been reached that Newhall Land and Farming will revise the specific plan to require a higher level of review for hillside development that would also include a discretionary review procedure. 12. Guaranteed Source of Water Issue: The existing EIR mitigation measures require that a source of water be identified prior to the approval of each tentative subdivision map. The City is concerned that an adequate water supply has not been secured for the entire project. The Castaic Lake Water Agency is the wholesale provider of water from the State Water Project to both the Newhall Ranch project and the Santa Clarita Valley. If an adequate supply is not identified, then the entire Santa Clarita Valley will be impacted in drought years. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors require a phasing plan which identifies the definitive water sources earlier than at the tentative subdivision map stage. This phasing plan should provide that no approvals will be given for a subsequent development phase until the water sources are identified. Status: Supervisor Antonoaich's motion on July 28, 1998, required the identification of a source of water supply at the time the tentative tract maps are submitted to the County and that the Specific Plan be amended to insure that there is no net use ofgroundwater. 13. School Facilities Issue: The City is concerned that if adequate school facilities are not provided in Newhall Ranch, then the schools within the City will be adversely impacted. Currently, the project does not guarantee that adequate junior high and high school facilities will be provided because the impact of the project on the local junior high and high schools is considered to be unavoidably significant by the William S. Hart Union School District. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors require that an agreement between the Newhall Ranch Company and the William S. Hart School District be in place prior to the approval of the General Plan Amendment and adoption of the Specific Plan. Status: This issue has been resolved between Newhall Land and Farming and the William S. Hart School District. 14. Fiscal Impact Analysis Issue: The City Council has directed City staff to hire a consultant to evaluate the fiscal impact analysis submitted by the Newhall Ranch Company. This new fiscal impact analysis will determine whether the project will generate enough tax revenue within the City of Santa Clarita to pay for additional services and capital improvements within the City to accommodate the impacts of the Newhall Ranch project. This includes the need to provide for the additional improvements to the roadway system within the City to provide additional transit services and to provide additional parks and recreation services. This fiscal analysis will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors upon completion in June 1998. City Request: That the Board of Supervisors consider this fiscal information when taking action on the Newhall Ranch project. Status: The Fiscal Impact Analysis has been completed and submitted to the County. This analysis is intended to provide information to the County to aid them in their decision-making regarding the Newhall Ranch project. \ \CITYHALL2 \DEPT \PBS \COUNCIL \N WLRSTS2.D OC