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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-11-09 - AGENDA REPORTS - ROBINSON RANCH UPDATE (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manal CONSENT CALENDAR Item to be DATE: November 9, 1999 SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE ROBINSON RANCH PROJECT — A GOLF COURSE AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN SAND CANYON DEPARTMENT: Planning & Building Services RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council accept the report for informational purposes only BACKGROUND On September 10, 1996 the City Council approved Master Case 95-049 for the project now known as Robinson Ranch. The proposal consisted of two public 18 -hole golf courses, one clubhouse, and 73 residential lots. At the September 14, 1999 City Council meeting, the Council received an update on the Robinson Ranch project - a golf course and residential development in Sand Canyon. Subsequently, the Council received a memorandum addressing the topics presented at the September 14 meeting. This agenda report serves to update the Council on the status of some of the project's conditions of approval and to summarize the issues that have been raised in the last six months. Public Trail Condition 11 requires the applicant to provide trail easements and to construct the alignments on the project site prior to occupancy to the satisfaction of the City's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director. After this condition was approved, City Parks staff and the Sand Canyon Trails Committee requested that the ultimate design and location of the multi -use trail occupy two properties --the applicant's and the Angeles National Forest's. The entire proposed trail alignment has been engineered and completed. The applicant expects to submit the plan to the Parks Division this week. Subsequent environmental documentation is needed for portions of the trail that are in the forest. This environmental review is expected to be completed in January 2000. Portions of the required trail on the project site have been completed. The applicant will construct the remaining trail segments on the golf course property in November 1999. The off-site trail links should be completed by the applicant 45 days after receiving approval from the National Forest. Upon completion, the entire trail will be part of the City's trail network. Groundwater Monitoring Condition 89 and mitigation measure D -5(c) require the applicant to install on-site groundwater monitoring wells and sample them on a quarterly basis for three years and then semi-annually for seven years. A work plan was submitted to staff on July 14, 1999 to address these requirement oundwatter monitoringwells have been installed and g gp���}9y``l�D A the Initial Groundwater Monitoring Well Installation and Sampling Report has been submitted and is available for review in the reading file. Will Serve Letter/Contract for Main Extension On September 14,. the Council and the City staff requested a copy of the original "Will Serve" letter issued by the Santa Clarita Water Company (SCWC) for the project. In addition to said letter, attached is a copy of the $2,460,000.00 contract (dated October 6, 1998) between the applicant and the SCWC for providing water to the project. This includes the installation of necessary infrastructure for the two golf courses and for the residents on Oak Springs Canyon Road and in the Angeles National Forest. . Use of Well Water Condition 103 prohibits the applicant from locating wells on-site for project irrigation. Currently, the applicant is obtaining 100% of the irrigation water from a well in the Santa Clara River on a separate parcel the applicant owns north of the golf course. On or about Tuesday, August 24, 1999, and through September 10, 1999, the applicant began fully irrigating the golf course with ground water from his private well. Prior to August 24, the applicant had been using retail water from the SCWC for construction and irrigation. This procedure was initiated in response to a request from the SCWC that Robinson Ranch use an alternative source of water for irrigation purposes in order to preserve the availability of domestic water to SCWC's residential users. To the best of the staffs knowledge, this action does not change the source or volume of water for the project as the applicant would otherwise pay retail for his water from the SCWC which obtains its water for this area in the City from the same source as the applicant—the Santa Clara River. The project's Environmental Impact Report (EIR) stated that the Santa Clara River alluvial aquifer has a safe yield of about 32,000 acre-feet per year. The applicant has filed a permit with the State Water Resources Control Board requesting approval for 937 acre-feet per year. According to the EIR, SCWC has rights to extract 12,000 acre-feet per year. If the applicant had not activated his private well to irrigate the project, the SCWC has stated that it would have had to locate an additional well in the same vicinity in order to irrigate the.project. Some area residents and members of the Council have inquired about the City's authority to.stop the applicant from using his well. To date, the City Attorney has suggested that the City does not have the legal standing to do this. There are state agencies with the authority to review the use of private wells. As a result of citizen inquiries, the State Water Regional Control Board inspected the well on September 7, 1999 for impacts to adjacent residences, to verify the applicant's right to access the well as a riparian user, and to assess whether or not the Santa Clara River is a candidate for appropriation. On or about September 13, staff spoke with Cori Condon a representative from SWRCB who participated in the inspection. Ms. Condon advised that the board has requested operating information from the applicant and that the board directed the area residents to evaluate geologic information to see if the applicant's well has harmed the use of their wells. The board has accepted the applicant's application for the right/ability to pump water and provided that there is no proof of harm to public trust or to individuals, the applicant will be allowed to continue using the well. In the event that it is demonstrated that the applicants' well is harming others, the board will ask the applicant and/or other area well -users to make adjustments to their pumping equipment and/or use of the wells. Provision of Domestic Water In combination, mitigation measure D -7(d) and condition 93 require the applicant to extend a water mainline and provide for a backbone infrastructure for potable water supply along portions of Oak Springs Canyon Road prior to occupancy of the golf course. Plans to accomplish this have been submitted to the Santa Clarita Water Company and that company will, in turn, secure necessary easements and submit plans to the City for plan check approval. Partial installation of the required infrastructure have begun. This part of the project is expected to be completed by May 2000. Status of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Some area residents have suggested that the applicant's use of his private well constitutes a need to update the project's environmental analysis and then recirculate the EIR. Staff and the EIR preparers maintain that this is not appropriate for the following reasons: A) The City is not a lead agency and has no discretion for approving a property owner's request to use a private well. B) The applicant's use of the well does not change the project description. C) The applicant's use of the well does not violate the project's conditions of approval. Oak Trees The project received approval to remove up to 138 scrub oak trees and 130 coast live oak trees—seven of which are heritage size. The applicant estimates that the project as designed will ultimately remove 100 scrub oaks, 100 coast live oaks, and seven heritage. Of the probable 200 oak tree removals, Robinson Ranch expects to successfully transplant 80 of them. Road Improvements Oak Springs Canyon Road (west of the Angeles National Forest). The applicant's obligation to realign this portion of the road and add road base as required has been completed. Currently Robinson Ranch and the area residents are negotiating a change in the alignment. City engineers have conceptually approved this alteration. Signalizing the intersection of Lost Canyon Road and Sand Canyon Road and Widening the Sand Canyon Bridge. Above and beyond the applicant's obligation to install a signal at this intersection, the Sand Canyon Homeowners' Association (SCHA) has requested that this intersection be made equestrian friendly and include high control buttons, rough surface paths, and modification of a traffic island. Additionally, a Los Angeles County Flood Control project to install storm drains in this area has impacted the timing of this required road improvement. Consideration of the SCHA's requests and the potential storm drain project have lengthened the City's plan check and review of the item. The ultimate design of the Sand Canyon Bridge over the Santa Clara River is tied to the design of the intersection as described above. A timeline for the completion of these improvements have yet to be established. Left turn lane on Sand Canyon Road east to project entrance and left turn lane on Sand Canyon Road east to Live Oak Springs Canyon Road: Plans for both improvements have been approved by City Engineering staff. The applicant has obtained proper permits for these improvements. Additional oak'tree analysis is required prior to completing this road construction which is scheduled to be finished in December 1999. Integrated Pest Management Plan and Best Management Practices Plan In combination, condition 91 and mitigation measure D -5(a) require that these documents be submitted and approved by an environmental consultant prior to the operation of the golf course. These conditions were fully satisfied on September 15, 1999 and the plans are available for public review. Slope behind the Penrose Property A concept plan for the construction of this slope has been verbally consented to by the adjacent property owners, City engineers, and the applicant. Efforts to secure written approval and signed consent letters are in progress. Community Meetings City staff has directed the applicant to schedule a community meeting to give area residents an opportunity to work with the applicant to address their concerns. To date, three meetings have occurred to discuss issues pertaining to slopes, drainage, and road alignments. Staff will schedule subsequent community meetings on an as -needed basis. If you have any further questions regarding this memorandum, please contact- the project planner, Jason Smisko, at 661-255-4330. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other actions as directed by Council FISCAL IMPACT There is no known fiscal impact related to the contents of this report. GAC:JES:lep Attachments: September 15, 1995 letter from SCWC Form "E" - Main Extension Contract Reading File: Initial Groundwater Monitoring Well Installation and Sampling Report prepared by Rincon Consultants, Inc. September 27, 1999 (Reading s:\pbs\council\rcc11999 4-04-1995 11:11AM FROM ROBINSON GOLF DESIGN 714 363.S838 SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY SC60 22722WESTDCANYON ROAD NUIILINGNG ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 903 September 15, 1995 The Oaks at Sand Canyon. 18988 Soledad Canyon Road Santa Ciarits, CA 91351 Actn: Mr. Stan Fargeau Re: Tentative Tract Number 52004 (83 Residential Lots) and Adjacent 38 Role Colf Course Dear Mr. Fargeon: SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA 91350 • 805.259.2731 • SANTA CLARITA. CALIFORNIA 91380-9003 Reference is made to our telephone conversation regarding your request for a revised letter of intent to serve the above referencedproject. Your project is located inside the utility's service area. It is feasible for rhe Santa Clarita Water Company to extend service to this project. In addition to intract facilities, tvo water storage tanks totalling 2.5 million gallons are required. An offsite pumping facility is also required to ensure an adequate supply for the two 18 hole golf courses. The highest house pad must be at a maximum elevation of 1550 feet to Provide minimum pressure requirements. The estimated coat for a water system for this project is approximately $2,000,000. If I can be of further assistance in this matter, please feel free to call me. Very truly yours, �q.,V01A W. J. Manetta, Jr. President DMRInaf R 3-31-1995 4:16PM FROM ROBINSON GOLF DESIGN 714 363 5838 p_2 !n� Form E (FORM 11) UTILITY NAME Santa Clarita Water Company District N.A. ADDRESS 22722 W. Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350 P. 0. Box 903, Santa Clarita, CA 91390-9003 APPLICANT NAME Robinson Ranch Golf, LLC ADDRESS 30131 Town Center Drive, Suite 268, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 DESCRIPTION Owner/Developer PRELIMINARY STATEMENT This Contract is entered into pursuant to the requirements of, and in accordance with the various applicable provisions of, Utility's Main Extension Rule in effect and on file with the California Public Utilities Commission, a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof, hereinafter "Rule." This Contract does not, therefore, require specific authorization of said Commission, to carry out its terms and conditions. PURPOSE OF CONTRACT Applicant hereby applies for a water main extension. The Distribution Plant and/or Special Facilities described in attached Exhibit 8 shall be installed by Utility, and those described in Exhibit C by Applicant. Such Distribution Plant and/or Special Facilities will be used for the purpose of furnishing public utility water service to that certain property known as: Tract 52004 including 2 golf courses and 34 parcels of land in the neighboring Oak Springs Canyon and the Angeles National Forest. and delineated on that map attached hereto as Exhibit A. Utility agrees that it will, as soon as necessary materials and.labor are available, and necessary permits, franchises, licenses or other governmental authorizations have been obtained, commence and prosecute to completion with all reasonable diligence the work of installing the Distribution Plant and/or Special Facilities and when complete and accepted will provide utility service in accordance with Utility's tariffs. FIRE PROTECTION The distribution system is designed to meet the fire flow requirements established pursuant to Section VIII.l(a) in .the California. Public Utilities Commission General Order No. 103 as ordered by Decision 82-04-089 dated April 21, 1982. CONTRIBUTIONS NOT SUBJECT TO REFUND - DISTRIBUTION PLANT AND/OR SPECIAL FACILITIES Applicant agrees to contribute the amount of $ 2,460,000 to cover the cost of facilities described in said Exhibit B, pursuant to Section C.l.d. 4. 3-31-1995 4:16PM FROM ROBINSON GOLF DESIGN 714 363 5838 P.3 W Form . E (Continued) 401 CONTRIBUTIONS NOT SUBJECT TO REFUND - DISTRIBUTION PLANT (Continued) of Rule, which amount includes $ -0- which has already been deposited pursuant to Section A.S.b. of Rule, before construction of the main extension is commenced, subject to revision of the amount contributed pursuant to Section A.6.e. of Rule. Applicant also agrees to contribute the cost of installed facilities described in Exhibit C, pursuant to Section. C.l.c. of Rule. REFUNDS All costs are ,contributed and are not subject to refund. CONDITIONS The Utility will not be required to make extensions under this Contract where the easements, rights of way or streets are not kept free from other interfering construction or street work during installation of said water system. Applicant agrees to use its best efforts to assist Utility to obtain any and all permits, franchises or other governmental authorizations which may be required for the installation of the facilities. Applicant will provide any easements or rights of way required for the installation. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS The obligations of the Applicant shall be joint and several. This agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, successors and/or assigns of the respective Parties hereto. JURISDICTION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION This Contract shall at all times be subject to such changes or modifications by the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California as said Commission may, from time to time, direct in the exercise of its jurisdiction. The effective date of this Contract shall be 0 SIGNATURES UTILITY APPLICANT SantA Cla ita W ter Company Robinson Ranch Golf LLC 9 ef�� W. J. Ma etta Jr., President /moi Date 10 Cr`& Date /0 2 /1;A— 3-31-1995 4:17PM FROM ROBINSON GOLF DESIGN 714.363 5838 A'*S EXHIBIT "B" 2-52 1. Tract 52004 with two golf courses Intract piping hydrants, services and related appurtenances Offsite Facilities 1.0 MG Tank 1.5 MG Tank 1 Booster Station Sub Total 253 2. Piping and services to 17 existing customers along Oak Springs Road 254 3. Piping and services to 17 services in the Angeles National Forest east of Tract 52004 Total Estimated Cost $ 800,000 1,100,000 $1,900,000 260,000 300,000 $2,460,000