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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-07-06 - AGENDA REPORTS - NORTH VALENCIA 2 SPECIFIC PLAN (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Darcy and Councilmembers FROM: George A. Caravalho, City Manager it DATE: July 6, 1999 1 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON PROCESSING OF THE NORTH VALENCIA 2 SPECIFIC PLAN AND ANNEXATION RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive and discuss. BACKGROUND The North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan and annexation is located on approximately 598 acres north of Newhall Ranch Road, west of McBean Parkway and generally south and east of Copper Hill Drive and south of Decoro Road. The North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan proposes a mix of residential, non-residential, public facilities, a park and open space uses. Approximately 65 acres of the area is already developed. City entitlements are requested for the remaining area and include 1,900 residential units and 210,000 square feet of commercial uses. The North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan contains both an A and B land use scenario, the primary difference being the location of a future junior high school and public park either at the northwest corner of Newhall Ranch Road and McBean Parkway or the northwest corner of Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway. The Hart School District has indicated that their favored site is the corner of Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway (Option B). On January 5, 1999, the City Council held a study session on the North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan and annexation project. A draft environmental impact report (DEIR) was circulated for public comment from March 31, 1999 to June 17, 1999. During the public comment period, the Planning Commission held eleven public hearings to discuss various sections of the DEIR. These public hearings included some focused presentations and discussions on a variety of topics such as grading, bank stabilization, significant ecological areas, biology and trails. The Planning Commission is presently holding hearings to discuss various aspects of the Specific Plan document including livability and sustainability issues. The Final EIR WEIR) with responses to public comments and a Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) will be considered by the Planning. Commission next week. It is anticipated that the Planning Commission will make a recommendation on the North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan and entitlements on July 20, 1999. The project should be ready for Council consideration in September 1999. Agenda liew _ - On February 9, 1999, the City Council approved a prezone for the North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan and North Park areas, the first step toward annexation. Although prezoned together, the North Valencia No. 2 and North Park areas would annex to the City independently. The North Valencia No. 2 annexation is considered an uninhabited annexation, while North Park annexation is inhabited. Differing requirements between inhabited and uninhabited annexations prolong the completion time for inhabited annexations substantially. Staff is processing the Specific Plan and entitlements, the Stormwater Utility fee, and the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) application simultaneously to allow for annexation of the North Valencia No. 2 area in January 2000. Prior to annexation, it is a requirement that a majority of the property owners within the North Valencia No. 2 annexation area vote to agree to pay the City's Stormwater Utility fee. On June 22, 1999, the City Council authorized the City to initiate a Stormwater Utility fee election process. A Stormwater Utility fee protest hearing is scheduled to be heard by the Council on August 24, 1999, with the election to follow on October 12, 1999. Property owners within the North Valencia No. 2 annexation area must approve the Stormwater Utility fee in order for the annexation to proceed. The City has filed an application to annex the North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan area with LAFCO. On June 22, 1999, the City Council authorized the City to file this application, with all LAFCO filing fees to be paid by the Valencia Company. The City is now waiting for Los Angeles County to propose a tax transfer for the North Valencia No. 2 area. It is anticipated that a joint Tax Transfer Resolution for the North Valencia No. 2 area may be ready for Council adoption as early as September 1999. Timing of the North Park annexation is unclear at this time. Since this is an inhabited annexation with over 1,400 dwelling units, at least 60% of the property owners must be in favor of the annexation for it to succeed. The City generally requires signed petitions to show that such support exists prior to initiating an application with LAFCO. To date, North Park residents have not submitted petitions to request annexation, however several petitions are circulating among residents. A fiscal impact analysis of both the North Valencia No. 2 Specific Plan area annexation and the North Park area annexation has been completed and the results are included in the fiscal analysis section of this report. FISCAL IMPACT A fiscal impact analysis has been prepared for the North Valencia 2 and North Park annexations. The fiscal impact analysis shows that both the North Valencia 2 and North Park annexations would be marginally positive for the City following a five-year project build out. GAC:LHS:Iep advance \ NVA2 \ NV2ssar2.doc