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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-05-09 - AGENDA REPORTS - CALGROVE PARK DESIGNATION (2)Agenda Item: / CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT PUBLIC HEARING City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: Aimee Schwimmer DATE: May 9, 2006 SUBJECT: CALGROVE PARK, AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN PARKS ELEMENT TO REMOVE THE PARK DESIGNATION FROM A VACANT 0.25 ACRE SITE ON BRITTANY LANE DEPARTMENT: Community Development RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt a Resolution to remove the neighborhood park designation of a 0.25 acre site from the City of Santa Clarita General Plan Parks and Recreation Element. Creation of Park Site The project site, Calgrove Park, was created by Tract Map 33640 in 1979. The map was reviewed and approved by Los Angeles County prior to the City of Santa Clarita incorporation. Tract Map 33640 identifies Lot 28, the project site, as a fee simple lot dedicated to Los Angeles County as a future neighborhood park site. The park was not installed on the project site by the applicant for Tract Map 33640, by Los Angeles County nor by the City of Santa Clarita after the City's incorporation in 1987. The land use designation of the site is RS and is consistent with the surrounding single family neighborhood. The site is currently vacant and has not been improved since the grading that occurred as part of the development of the overall subdivision. Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission Recommendation On January 6, 2005, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission unanimously voted to recommend that the City Council approve the deed transfer of Calgrove Park and subsequent sale of the Calgrove Park site. City Council Deed Restriction Transfer Adopted: �°-`' On January 25, 2005, at a regular public hearing, the City Council declared the Calgrove Park site property surplus. At that hearing, the Council also approved the transfer of the deed restriction from Calgrove Park to the Veterans Historical Plaza site. This deed transfer allows for the sale of the surplus property. Once the neighborhood park designation is removed from the Calgrove Park site, the City of Santa Clarita could sell the site to a private party. Because the site is designated as RS, the buyer would be permitted to develop the site with a single family home consistent with the RS development standards, and the surrounding residential neighborhood. Planning Commission Hearing On January 17, 2006, a Planning Commission hearing was held to consider the requested General Plan Amendment. At that meeting, the Planning Commission denied the resolution to amend the General Plan Parks and Recreation Element to remove the park designation of this site. During the Planning Commission discussion, the Commissioners stated that this area was deficient in parks, and the site should be developed as a neighborhood park. For this reason, the Commission could not recommend approval of the park designation of the site to the City Council. During the public comments portion of the hearing, residents of Brittany Lane spoke in opposition of the removal of the park designation from the project site. The property owners that spoke in opposition to staffs recommendation stated that the developer of the Brittany Lane map disclosed that the site would be constructed as a park, though the developer of the Little Oak Lane residential neighborhood, which created this site, did not construct the park. When the City of Santa Clarita incorporated in 1987, this area was included in the incorporation. The site does not meet the City's criteria for neighborhood parks, which includes proximity to a school and minimum lot acreage (five acres). Because the site does not meet the City's neighborhood parks standard, the City has not allocated funds to install a park at the site. The residents in opposition to the removal of the park designation referenced the seller's claim that the project site would be developed as a park. This request is to amend the General Plan Parks and Recreation Element to remove the existing park designation of the 0.25 acre Calgrove Park site. The site was created as a neighborhood park as part of a tract map approved by Los Angeles County. The park was never installed on the project site and is currently vacant. The site is bound by detached residential units. Upon incorporation by the City of Santa Clarita, the site remained a future neighborhood park site. The zoning and General Plan Land Use Element designate the property as RS, though the site is noted as a future park in the City's General Plan Parks and Recreation Element. The 0.25 acre site does not meet the City's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department minimum size for neighborhood park development (five acres). A deed transfer is pending. This deed transfer will remove the deed restriction from the Calgrove Park site and transfer it to the Veterans Historical Plaza, which is designated a special use park. The Veterans Historical Plaza was constructed in 2005 and is currently open to the public. The Calgrove site and the Veterans Plaza site are comparable in size, though the Calgrove site is designated as a neighborhood park and the Veterans Plaza site is designated as a special use park. The Veterans Plaza site is bound by three streets and is easily accessible; therefore, staff recommended the deed transfer from the Calgrove site to the Veterans Plaza site to the City Council. Because the deed transfer occurred between the Calgrove site and Veterans Plaza, the removal of the park designation from the Calgrove site will not create a deficiency in the amount of City park space. The requested amendment to the Parks and Recreation Element promotes the goals and policies in the City's General Plan, more specifically, Goal 6 of the Parks and Recreation Element, which states, "Develop and implement the design criteria for park areas described in the parks and recreation element which consider park access, safety, appropriate signage, parking requirements, and the preservation of natural features." This goal will be met with the removal of Calgrove Park from the Parks and Recreation Element because Calgrove Park does not meet the minimum neighborhood park size requirement of five to ten acres and does not meet the location requirement stated in the Element. The park deed restriction was transferred from Calgrove Park to Veterans Historical Plaza; therefore, there is no loss of parkland with this change of designation. ANALYSIS Compatibility with Surrounding Uses Upon removal of the park designation of the site from the General Plan Parks and Recreation Element, the City of Santa Clarita can sell the site as surplus government property. Future development of the site would consist of the construction of a single family home, similar to the surrounding adjacent parcels. The project site is similar in size to and has the same land use designation as the surrounding parcels. Community Response Prior to the hearing before the Planning Commission, property owners within 1,000 feet of the project site were notified of the application. During this period, staff did receive one call about the location of a neighboring parcel's property lines. Staff was also contacted by a City of Santa Clarita resident interested in purchasing the property when the property is available for sale, which would occur at an auction. When purchased by a private party, the site would be developed with a single family home consistent with the RS development standards and the surrounding property. During the Planning Commission hearing, property owners adjacent to the eastern boundary of the project site spoke in opposition of the General Plan Amendment. The property owners stated that a neighborhood park was appropriate for the site. Prior to the City Council hearing, the same public notification requirements were met, in compliance with the City's Unified Development Code. ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS The proposed action is exempt pursuant to Article 19: Categorical Exemptions, Section 15312: Surplus Property, of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 12 which consists of no change to the use of the property since the time of the dedication of the property to Los Angeles County and subsequent incorporation by the City of Santa Clarita. Upon the removal of the park designation from the project site, the land will be sold to a private party. The site is currently designated RS (Residential Suburban) which is consistent with the existing surrounding zoning. No development of the site or improvements will be made as part of this application. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS The Council may choose not to amend the General Plan Parks and Recreation Element to remove the park designation from the project site and direct staff to complete an alternate action. FISCAL IMPACT The removal of the neighborhood park designation of the site would enable the City to sell the site as surplus property, thereby creating a one time increase to the General Fund. ATTACHMENTS Resolution Vicinity Map January 17, 2006 Planning Commission General Plan Amendment Packet available in the City Clerk's Reading File January 6, 2005 Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission Agenda Report and Minutes available in the City Clerk's Reading File January 25, 2005 City Council Agenda Report for Site Deed Restriction Transfer available in the City Clerk's Reading File Project Site Map with 1,000 Foot Boundary available in the City Clerk's Reading File CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita in the City Hall Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, 1g` Floor, Santa Clarita, California, on the 9h day of May, 2006, at or after 6:00 p.m. to consider the approval of A request to amend the General Plan Parks and Recreation Element to remove the park designation of a 0.25 acre site known as Calgrove Park. The site is zoned RS (Residential Suburban). The project site is located at the intersection of Brittany Lane and Little Oak Lane, north of Calgrove Boulevard, in the City of Santa Clarita. A Notice of Exemption was prepared for the proposed project as the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15312 Class 12 of CEQA. Proponents, opponents and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that time. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Department of Planning and Economic Development, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 302, Santa Clarita, CA 91355; (661) 255-4330, Aimee Schwimmer, AICP, Associate Planner. If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing. Dated: April 17, 2006 Sharon L. Dawson, CMC City Clerk Publish Date: April 17, 2006 S:\pbs\current\!2005\05-384\CC Notice