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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1990/09/05 AGENDA Special Business Meeting City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, September 5, 1990 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Opportunity for members of the public to speak to the Planning Commission on any subject matter within the Commission's jurisdiction but not an item on today's agenda. Each speaker's presentation may not exceed five minutes. 1. Consideration of Final Environmental Impact Report EIR-89-3, Salt Creek Ranch 2. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Salt Creek Ranch General Development Plan and Planned Community District (P-C) Pre-Zoning PCM-90-2 - The Baldwin Vista Company 3. Consideration of CEQA Findings EIR-89-3, Salt Creek Ranch 4. Consideration of Statement of Overriding Considerations EIR-89-3, Salt Creek Ranch OTHER BUSINESS DIRECTOR'S REPORT COMMISSION COMMENTS ADJOURNMENT AT p.m. to the Joint Redevelopment Agency/Planning Commission Meeting on September 6, 1990 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 1 1. Consideration of Final Environmental Impact Report for EIR-89-3, Salt Creek Ranch A. BACKGROUND The Salt Creek Ranch project encompasses approximately 1200 acres of land in the southern foothills of San Miguel Mountain, north of EastLake Technology Park and northwest of Upper Otay Lake. The site is situated on land currently under the jurisdiction of the County of San Diego; all but 240 acres are located within the City of Chula Vista's adopted sphere of influence. Salt Creek Ranch proposes to develop a total of 2,824 dwelling units. Other uses proposed within the plan area include open space, developed parks, schools, churches and a fire station.. The project's discretionary actions include the following: Sphere of influence boundary change and annexation to the City of Chula Vista; General Development Plan (GDP) approval; and P-C (planned community) zoning approval. The latest version of the General Development Plan is presented in the Final EIR as modified Alternative A. Discussion of this plan is found in the Response to Comment section found in the front of the Final EIR. The main body of the EIR examines an earlier version of the General Development Plan. Preparation of the draft EIR revealed issues of concern.including impacts related to biological resources, locations of open space and recreation areas, and locations of school, fire station and church sites. In an attempt to reduce or eliminate these impacts, the applicant refined the project, creating Alternative A. The configuration of residential development and open space was changed, the equestrian center was replaced with a smaller equestrian staging area, the amount of open space was increased, an additional school site was added, and two church sites and a fire station site were added. Alternative/A is discussed in Section/V of the draft EIR. Additional unmitigated concerns were identified during the public review process, and the Alternative A plan was modified to respond to these issues. The residential density was reduced. The community park was moved from its original location near the reservoir in order to serve residents of both Salt Creek I and Salt Creek Ranch and to create a wider wildlife corridor. The proposed equestrian staging area was eliminated in response to water quality concerns. School locations were shifted away from major roads. Development was pulled back from a cactus patch in the northeast portion of the site, home for a nest of a pair of cactus wren two of 300 estimated to be left in the City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 2 United States. A mitigation measure was developed to ensure that an adequate wildlife corridor would be preserved from the San Miguel Mountain to the Upper Otay reservoir. The applicant has proposed to participate in a regional plan to preserve a wildlife corridor from the San Miguel mountain to the Upper Otay reservoir. If this regional plan is not in place at the time of SPA Plan approval, then the applicant would instead eliminate development area lob and widen the wildlife corridor on the site. B. GRAPHIC WITH BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OVERLAY An overlay depicting biological resources is provided with the graphic of the modified Alternative/A General Development Plan. C. RECOMMENDATION Certify that the Final EIR has been prepared in compliance with CEQA, the state CEQA guidelines and the environmental review procedures of the City of Chula Vista. D. DISCUSSION OF IMPACTS Siqnificant and Unmitiqated Impacts 1) Land Use The modified Alternative A is consistent with the Land Use Element as it proposes a residential density at the midpoint of the density range. The project applicant will develop an affordable housing program prior to or concurrent with the SPA Plan process and subject to Planning Commission review and approval. 2) Conversion of Aqricultural Lands Development of the modified Alternative A would preclude the site's use for barley dry farming and result in the loss of non/prime agricultural soil. This impact is not significant on a project/specific basis, but would contribute to a cumulative impact on the area~s agricultural resources. No mitigation is proposed. 3) Aesthetics The project, in combination with the various development projects in the Eastern Territories area, would unavoidably contribute to a cumulative adverse effect on the existing natural landform and aesthetic character of the area. It is the only impact associated with landform alteration and aesthetics that cannot be mitigated to below a level of significance with the the proposed mitigation measures. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 3 4) Bioloqical Resources The permanent loss of 89.6 acres of coastal sage scrub (119.6 acres affected minus 30 acres revegetated) and 19.9 acres native grassland are significant unmitigated impacts as defined by the General Plan. 5) Air Quality The project would contribute to an unmitigable cumulative air quality impact on regional air quality because the proposed development was not considered when the regional air quality attainment plans were formulated for the 1982 SIP Revisions for the San Diego region. The project site was designated as open space in the SANDAG Series V,VI, and VII growth forecasts and thus represents growth that was not considered when the regional air quality attainment plans were formulated for the San Diego region. The proposed project is currently a non-conforming use and therefore would have significant cumulative air quality effects even after implementation of mitigation measures. It would continue to be a non-conforming use until it is included in the SANDAG forecast. Although the project would incorporate traffic flow improvements (e.g., road construction), and would identify bicycle routes and bus stops at the SPA Plan and subsequent stages of planning, the impact would remain unmitigated. 6) Water Supply The project would contribute an incremental cumulative impact on the region's limited water supply sources. The project proponent would negotiate an agreement with OWD to commit to use of reclaimed water at the earliest possible date so that OWD can ensure that an adequate supply is available. Water conservation measures would be required, but the cumulative impact to regional water supply cannot be mitigated to below a level of significance. 7) Enerqy The project would contribute to a cumulative increase in demand for non-renewable energy resources. The project would, to the extent feasible and to the satisfaction of the City, provide energy conservation measures. It is infeasible to mitigate the project's cumulative impact on non-renewable energy resources to below a level of significance. Siqnificant and Mitiqable Impacts The following impacts will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the implementation of mitigation measures delineated in section F of this staff report. 1) Land Use Potential incompatibilities with adjacent land uses were identified including the proposed development's interface with the EastLake Business City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 4 Park, the Upper Otay water supply reservoir, the Chula Vista Greenbelt, the SDG&E power easement, and the Otay Water District reclamation facility. Proposed mitigation includes an open space buffer adjacent to the business park, the collection and diversion of storm water away from the reservoir, design guidelines in the SPA Plan to address the view from the reservoir to developed areas of the project site, retention of the Salt Creek drainage through the project site in open space, retention of a stand of eucalyptus and pepper trees, and extensive plantings within the drainage. Specific measures are to be defined in the SPA Plan. Land use compatibility impacts relative to use of the SDG&E easement as a trail would be mitigated by coordination with SDG&E during all phases of future planning. Land use compatibility impacts relative to the Otay Water District reclamation facility would be mitigated by implementing various design techniques to be identified in the project SPA Plan. 2) Aesthetics The proposed development would significantly alter the landform and visual character of the site. The Salt Creek corridor has been extensively planted as part of the project to recreate the environmental character of the area prior to agricultural use. As part of the SPA Plan process, an Open Space Plan and Landscape Plan and associated guidelines would be created and approved by the City Parks and Recreation Department. Urban design standards would be further refined in the SPA Plan. Grading, especially associated with visually prominent slopes and vista points, slopes of 25 percent or greater, and manufactured slopes in areas designated as natural open space, would be approved by the City Planning Department The SPA Plan would identify guidelines and measures related to views from the Chula Vista Greenbelt. The SPA Plan would establish guidelines and measures by which to confirm mitigation and protection of scenic highway resources. 3) Geoloq¥ and Soils Geotectnical constraints to development on-site include difficulty in rock extraction, soil and topsoil removal, and slope instability. Seismic ground acceleration and seiche potential exists. Conclusions and recommendations of the February 1988 and August/1988 GeoSoils reports, pages 23 through 42, and 24 through 39, respectively, would be adhered to in accordance with City procedures, subject to approval of the City Engineer prior to any tentative map approvals. 4) Hydroloqy The modified Alternative A plan would create less impervious surface area than the original plan. Either project would increase impervious surface area, resulting in altered drainage courses and increased flow rates downstream. Upon preparation of detailed development plans (i.e., prior to SPA Plan approval or Tentative Map submittal), a registered civil engineer would conduct a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the project. Drainage City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 5 facilities and energy dissipators would be constructed in accordance with the approved hydraulic analysis and would be in place and functioning prior to completion of the grading operation. 5) Water Quality The project proposes development in the Otay reservoirs watershed. Potential impacts associated with watershed development include urban runoff, sewage spills, and sedimentation. The project would be subject to review and approval by the State Department of Health Services (DHS). The project would implement mitigation measures as set by DHS. Prior to or concurrent with SPA Plan approval, a diversion ditch plan, or other acceptable plan to handle drainage to the Otay Drainage Basin, would be prepared and approved by the City of Chula Vista, City of San Diego and DHS. The project proponent would submit a erosion control plan prepared by a registered civil engineer in accordance with City of Chula Vista design standards. The project proponent would submit a storm drain plan prepared by a registered civil engineer in accordance with City of Chula Vista design standards. 6) Bioloqical Resources Impacts to riparian habitat, California gnatcatchers and cactus wrens would be significant but mitigable. Impacts to 0.7 acre of riparian wetlands would be mitigated by on-site habitat creation and/or enhancement at a recommended 2:1 ratio. Coastal sage scrub is left intact in sufficiently large blocks to accommodate 4 of the 5 gnatcatcher pairs known on site. The modified Alternative A design avoids impacts to all 3 cactus wren habitats. 7) Cultural Resources Project development would adversely affect seventeen prehistoric and historic sites. The site possesses a high potential for paleontological resources. Mitigation of impacts to cultural and paleontological resources would be achieved through through avoidance or by conducting a data recovery program. 8) Traffic The cumulative traffic levels at buildout would result in levels of service (LOS) D or worse along four roadway segments. Mitigation for traffic impacts includes improvements to East H Street and Lane Avenue. Hunte Parkway and Lane Avenue would require intersection lane configurations designed in accordance with the City's street design standards and/or as required by the City Traffic Engineer. Traffic signals would be installed on a schedule determined by the City at the intersections of East H Street with both Lane Avenue and Hunte Parkway. Specific project access and internal circulation plans (including bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian routes and crossings) would be provided to the satisfaction of the City Traffic Engineer at the SPA Plan and Tentative Map stages of approval. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 6 To fully mitigate project impacts onto local roads, the project applicant would participate in off-site improvements on a fair share basis with other area developers consistent with the ECVTPP. The Salt Creek Ranch project would also comply with any additional requirements (i.e. road improvements or impact fees) defined in future revisions and updates to the ECVTPP, as it pertains to the project's impacts onto the circulation system. 9) Noise Traffic-generated and urban noise would result from project implementation. Noise modeling indicates that future on-site noise levels adjacent to the Hunte Parkway, Lane Avenue and East H Street would exceed 65 dB(A) CNEL. Potentially significant on-site exterior noise impacts would be mitigated by specific measures outlined in subsequent, site-specific noise analyses to be conducted at the SPA Plan level. Potentially significant interior noise impacts would be mitigated through the reduction of exterior noise levels to below 60 dB{A) in residential areas or through the use of enhanced building materials such as sound rated windows or insulation. A detailed site-specific acoustical analysis would be conducted at the SPA Plan level. 10) Air Quality Local short-term air quality impacts would result from grading and construction activities. These impacts would be mitigated by City-approved measures including emissions control systems for construction equipment, dust palliatives, hydroseeding, covered trucks,and a 20 mile/per/hour speed limit on unpaved surfaces. 11) Water The Otay Water District's Central Area Master Plan assumed development of the site. Development of the project would require construction of elements of the master plan including pump stations, transmission lines and a reservoir. The project site would either be annexed by OWD into Improvement District No. 22 or a new Improvement District would be established for the project area. In addition, the project developer would obtain written verification from OWD at each phase of development that the tract or parcel will be provided adequate water service. Prior to approval of any SPA Plan within Salt Creek Ranch, a Water Master Plan {and/or agreement) would be prepared and approved {by the City Engineer and OWD} for the Salt Creek Ranch development project. 12) Waste Water Development of the project would require the construction of sewers. No significant impacts to sewage treatment capacity are expected. A Wastewater Master Plan and/or agreement for the project would be prepared by the proponent and approved by the City Engineer. The project would be subject to payment of wastewater development fees {to fund trunk sewer and other upgrades) or equivalent proportionate facility financing mechanism identified by the City, when adopted. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 7 13) Police Protection Development of the project would increase demands for police services in the area. The project is subject to adherence to City threshold standards and criteria for police protection service. The project applicant would contribute to the City's General Fund as would any other project. 14) Schools The modified Alternative A would generate approximately 847 elementary students, 537 junior high/middle school students and 282 high school students. The Chula Vista City School District (CVCSD) and Sweetwater Union High School District would be unable to accommodate these new students in existing facilities. The original plan proposed one elementary school site, located along East H Street. The modified Alternative A plan includes two elementary school sites, located away from large streets. Prior to SPA Plan approval, the project proponent would provide documentation confirming elementary school site locations and CVCSD approval of school locations on Salt Creek Ranch and documentation confirming satisfaction of SUHSD facility funding requirements to offset Salt Creek Ranch student generation impacts. Funding would likely be satisfied via formulation of a Mello Roos Community Facilities District (CFD) or other means acceptable to SUHSD. Prior to issuance of any building permits on Salt Creek Ranch, the proponent would obtain written verification from CVCSD and SUHSD (will-serve letters) that adequate school facilities and associated financing will be provided for project generated students. 15) Parks, Recreation and Open Space The modified Alternative A plan would generate a demand for approximately 26 acres of parkland. The project design meets the minimum parkland acreage requirements. The project would adhere to General Plan Threshold Standards regarding park facilities and recreational amenities. The project would comply with the City Local Park Code requirements regarding parkland, parkland development and improvements. The project SPA Plan would further define the boundaries, acreage and manner of open space preservation (e.g. dedicated open space; preservation easements) on the Salt Creek Ranch property in a form and manner acceptable to the City 16) Enerq¥ Any recreational/trail use of the easement must be coordinated with SDG&E. The SPA Plan would clearly identify the recreational uses proposed for the SDG&E easement in the site's northeast, subject to the approval of the City and SDG&E. 17) Public Transit Development of the project would create a demand for extended Chula Vista Transit services. The SPA design would provide for any needed public transit facilities, subject to review and approval by the City. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 8 18) Libraries Development of the project would contribute to the cumulative increase in demand for library services. The project applicant would adhere to General Plan library thresholds, and shall participate in any funding programs created for financing of a library facility to serve the vicinity, as deemed appropriate by the City. E. DISCUSSION OF RESPONSE TO COMMENTS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The U.S.F.W.S. letter recommended that the GDP (the original design evaluated in the main body of the DEIR) be redesigned to better preserve biological resources. The response to this letter discusses the modified Alternative A design and its impacts to biological resources. California Department of Food and Aqricultur~ The DFA letter is concerned with possible conflicts with active agricultural operations. The response notes that the adjacent land to the south is currently dry farmed but is planned for development. California Department of Transportation The Caltrans letter requested that the traffic analysis examine 1-805, SR 54 and SR 125 and include trip rates for school and park development. The response noted that these items were included in the analysis. California Department of Water Resources The response noted that the DWR recommendations were incorporated into the EIR. San Dieqo Association of Governments The response concurred with SANDAG~s comment regarding unmitigated air quality impacts. The response discussed the modified Alternative A design and its efforts to mitigate SANDAG~s concerns regarding biological resources and water quality. City of San Dieqo Enqineerinq Division/Water Utilities Department The City of San Diego's suggestions regarding water quality mitigation measures were incorporated into the FEIR. City of Chula Vista Fire Department The Fire Department's recommendations would be incorporated into the project's SPA Plan. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 9 City of Chula Vista Planninq Department The response acknowledged the City's corrections regarding sphere of influence, annexation, open space map, land use map, and typographical errors. The response addressed the City's concerns regarding fiscal impacts and recommended open space. City of Chula Vista Park and Recreation Department This letter addresses the City's concerns regarding the location of the community park (in the original GDP). The response discusses the park locations in the modified Alternative A design. The park sites were relocated in response to comments such as these. City of Chula Vista Public Works The response noted that the City's suggestions regarding the required hydrologic analysis were contained in the EIR. The response incorporated the City's corrections to the traffic analysis. Chula Vista City School District The letter provided updated information. The response incorporated this information and noted that the modified Alternative A design shifted the proposed school sites. Sweetwater Union Hiqh School District The letters provide updated information. The Baldwin Company The letter provided various clarifications regarding CEQA, General Plan text, and typograghical errors; the response incorporated these corrections. The letter stated that the EIR should not label the original GDP as inconsistent with Section 6.2 of the General Plan; the response disagreed. The letter objected to the proposed mitigation measure regarding consistency with Section 6.2; the response noted that this issue does not apply to the modified Alternative A plan as it is consistent with Section 6.2. The letter suggested replacing a biological mitigation measure concerning grading restrictions with a less stringent measure found in the water quality section; the response incorporated this suggestion. The letter suggested eliminating a biological mitigation measure limiting pedestrian activity in biological open space; the response disagreed. The letter discussed the Alternative A~s biological and open space impacts relative to the original GDP; the response acknowledged these comments and referred the reader to the modified Alternative A design. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 10 F. INVENTORY OF MITIGATION MEASURES FOR SALT CREEK RANCH 1. a. A buffer zone shall be between the project and EastLake Business Park to the south will provide visual and spatial separation between the residential area and employment park land uses and will help to avoid adverse noise impacts. b. Techniques to accomplish this objective include variable setbacks and extensive landscaping within the buffer area. Specific measures shall be defined in the SPA Plan. c. Final design (SPA Plan, Site Plans) of the planning areas on the southern border of the site shall specifically address the land use interface. 2. Storm drainage and wastewater from residential areas in the Salt Creek Ranch development shall be collected in utility systems to be provided and diverted away from the reservoir (see Section 3.5, 3.6 and 3.13 of the EIR; plans to be approved by the City Engineering Department). 3. Detailed design in the SPA Plan shall address the view condition from the reservoir to developed areas of the project site. Design shall incorporate specific techniques to mitigate view impacts, including site plan orientation, grading techniques, landscaping and architectural design. 4. The Salt Creek Drainage through the project site shall be retained in open space uses. Extensive plantings (approved by the City Parks & Recreation Department and City Landscape Architect prior to tentative map approval) within the drainage will occur and the existing stand of eucalyptus and pepper trees will be retained. The SPA Plan shall define in an Open Space Plan and Chapter guidelines for open space uses, buffer treatment, maintenance and natural resource management. 5. Land use compatibility impacts relative to use of the SDG&E easement as a trail can be mitigated by coordination with SDG&E during all phases of future planning. Such coordination will assure that proposed uses conform with SDG&E policy. The SPA Plan and PC Zoning regulations shall define permitted uses within the easement, acceptable to the City and SDG&E. 6. Land use compatibility impacts relative to the Otay Water District reclamation facility shall be mitigated by implementing various design techniques to be identified in the project SPA Plan. Such techniques would include orientation of residential structures to minimize view of the facility, as well as the establishment of vegetative and spatial buffers between structures and the facility. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 11 7. The project developers shall explore, in an affordable housing program, methods to devote at least lO/percent of the dwelling units to low and moderate income housing. The program shall be developed prior to or concurrent with the SPA Plan process, and shall be subject to City review and approval concurrent with the SPA Plan process or as otherwise acceptable to the City Planning Department. 8. Salt Creek shall be extensively planted as part of the project to recreate the environmental character of the area prior to agricultural use. As part of the SPA Plan process, an Open Space Plan and Landscape Plan and guidelines shall be created and approved by the City Parks and Recreation Department. 9. Urban design standards, further refined in the SPA Plan, shall reinforce the semi-rural/ranch character of the community, with sensitivity to natural landform and use of landform grading along major transportation corridors and in high visibility areas. 10. Slopes of 25 percent or greater shall be preserved to the maximum extent feasible and acceptable to the City. 11. Introduction of manufactured slopes in areas designated as natural open space (with environmental sensitivity, as defined in Section/3.7) shall be prohibited, except where necessary to construct roads, trails or other public facilities, subject to the approval of the City Engineer and Director of Parks and Recreation. Such manufactured slopes will be revegetated with indigenous species as recommended by the project biologist. 12. During site design, emphasis shall be placed on mitigating views toward the development from the Chula Vista Greenbelt. Special attention to these relationships along the Salt Creek drainage on site will be provide. The SPA Plan shall identify guidelines and measures. 13. Conclusions and recommendations of the February 1988 and August/1988 GeoSoils reports, pages 23 through 42, and 24 through 39, respectively, shall be adhered to in accordance with City procedures, subject to approval of the City Engineer prior to any tentative map approvals. Recommendations therein cover the following topics, actions and potential impacts: ripping, soil removals, slope stability/grading, erosion control, sub-surface water control, earthwork grading and balancing, soil expansion, slope design, grading guidelines, foundation recommendations, retaining wall design, graded slope maintenance and planting, and procedures for grading plan review. 14. Upon preparation of detailed development plans (i.e., prior to SPA Plan or tentative map submittal), a registered civil engineer shall conduct a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the project. This City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 12 analysis shall be conducted in accordance with City of Chula Vista guidelines and shall include but not be limited to sizing of on-site drainage facilities; design of energy dissipators at drain outlets; verification that downstream drainage facilities including natural channels can accommodate any increase flow rate, and identification of improvements, if necessary, to accommodate increased flows; verification of the adequacy of the Eastlake Business Centre storm drain; and evaluation of enhancements of natural drainage courses. 15. Drainage facilities and energy dissipators shall be constructed in accordance with the approved hydraulic analysis and shall be in place and functioning prior to completion of the grading operation. 16. The project shall be subject to review and approval by the State Department of Health Services (DHS). The project shall implement mitigation measures as set by DHS prior to the issuance of any grading permit. 17. Prior to or concurrent with SPA Plan approval, a diversion ditch plan, or other acceptable plan to handle drainage to the Otay Drainage Basin, shall be prepared and approved by the City of Chula Vista, City of San Diego, and DHS. The plan shall analyze the possibility of sewage system failures; effects of increased levels of nutrients, salts and pesticides from landscaping and irrigations; and effects of petroleum products from surface runoff. Additional environmental analysis may be required based on the specific drainage ditch or other plans. Design of these plans shall also consider providing additional capacity for concurrent or future development. 18. The project proponent shall submit a erosion control plan prepared by a registered civil engineer in accordance with City of Chula Vista design standards. The plan shall be approved prior to issuance of grading permits and shall include placement of sandbags, temporary sediment basins, and an erosion control maintenance plan. 19. The project proponent shall submit a storm drain plan prepared by a registered civil engineer in accordance with City of Chula Vista design standards. The plan must be approved prior to the issuance of grading permits and shall include permanent erosion control facilities. 20. The most appropriate area for wetland habitat creation occurs in Salt Creek. Salt Creek exists at an elevation appropriate to support wetland habitats or could be graded down to an appropriate elevation with minimal soil displacement. This area would then be contiguous with existing wetlands, thereby enlarging and enhancing those areas. Approximately 1.4/acres of wetland habitat shall be created or enhanced on-site to mitigate for the loss of this acreage at a 2:1 ratio as a result of project implementation. Sufficient habitat exists on-site which would be suitable for wetland revegetation or enhancement techniques. A habitat plan shall be coordinated and negotiated prior to any SPA Plan approval. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 13 21. Habitat replacement or enhancement mitigation measures which are finally agreed upon (prior to SPA Plan approval) shall be thoroughly evaluated and defined in a specific mitigation plan. This plan shall be approved by the resource agencies, and shall provide for short/ and long/term monitoring and maintenance of the replacement habitat. The plan will also identify mitigation locations, and provide a more precise wetland habitat quality evaluation by the regulatory agencies, resulting in specific replacement or enhancement acreages, numbers and types of plant species to be used, and planting techniques. 22. Selective grading shall be required and enforced, i.e., only areas immediately subject to development should be graded. 23. Erosion prevention measures such as fences, hay bales, and/or detention basins shall be on-site during development and in place prior to construction. 24. Manufactured slopes and disturbed grassland in open space areas shall be revegetated with native scrub species found in the area. Revegetation of these areas would have the benefits of potentially providing habitat for the California black/tailed gnatcatcher, increasing the quality of the riparian buffer in selected areas, and reducing the probability of non-native landscaping materials invading natural habitats. Species suitable for this revegetation include the following: Artemisia california California Sagebrush Eriogonum fasciculatum Flat/topped Buckwheat Lotus scoparius Deerweed Salvia mellifera Black Sage Salvia apiana White Sage Haplopappus venetus Goldenbush Eschscholzia californica California Poppy Lupinus spp. Lupine 25. The coastal sage scrub revegetation areas shall be effectively hydroseeded, followed by a tackified straw mulch. Materials and seed mixes may be changed only with the approval of the project biologist/horticulturist. 26. This habitat shall be irrigated as needed for the first year to accelerate establishment and coverage. The hydroseeding shall be completed in the summer, if possible, so as to establish cover prior to the rainy season. A number of annual species are included in the hydroseed mixture (California poppy and lupines) to provide color to the slopes. The species should reseed themselves yearly. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 14 27. a. The Developer shall agree to participate in the formation and implementation of a regional multi-species coastal sage scrub conservation plan. If, prior to filing of the Tentative Subdivision Map for Sub-area 3, an acceptable off-site regional wildlife corridor linking San Miguel Mountain with the Upper Otay Reservoir has not been adopted as part of the conservation plan, then development of the 17 acre R-L development area in the eastern portion of the property shall not occur and a reconfiguration of the northeastern R-L area to provide a wider open space area for a regional wildlife corridor shall be implemented. The width of the open space area shall be sufficient to ensure long-term viability of the wildlife corridor, per Exhibit R-1 contained in the EIR staff report. b. The GDP map shall be revised to delete development within a buffer area around the identified cactus wren nest site. Exclusion of this area from the development envelope has the effect of reducing the midpoint number of units from 2824 to 2817. 28. Heavy equipment and construction activities shall be restricted to the grading areas to the greatest degree possible in order to reduce direct impacts to wetland habitat. Construction of cut and fill slopes, and equipment used for this construction, will be kept within the limits of grading. Prohibited activities in the wetland habitat include staging areas, equipment access, and disposal or temporary placement of excess fill. Construction limits and wetland habitat shall be flagged by a qualified biologist. Construction activities shall be monitored by an on-site inspector to ensure that grading activities do not affect additional acreage. Any unauthorized impacts cause by construction operations would require that the contractor replace all habitat to its original condition, with wetland habitat potentially being restored at greater that a 2:1 ratio. 29. Fueling of equipment shall not occur in any portion of the site near any intermittent stream or the water shed of the Otay Reservoir. 30. Areas designated as natural open space shall not be grubbed, cleared, or graded, but left in their natural state. 31. To ensure that contractors are fully aware of specific restrictions of the project, such as staging areas, limits of fill, no vehicle zones, and other appropriate regulations, information shall be clearly shown on the construction plans. Contractors shall be fully aware of the sensitivities and restrictions prior to bidding. 32. In the event that a fire or fuelbreak is deemed necessary, plant species used in this area shall be non-invasive, so as to reduce impacts to remaining native vegetation. Suitable species from a biological standpoint would be low growing, moderately fire/retardant, native species such as prostrate coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis var. pilularis). City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 15 33. Plants in riparian and/or natural areas within the project's boundaries shall not be trimmed or cleared for aesthetic purposes. 34. Revegetation of cut slopes external and/or adjacent to natural open space shall be accomplished with native plant species which presently occur on-site or are typical for the area. Suitable species include California sagebrush (Artemisia california), flat/top buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum ssp. fasciculatum), black sage (Salvia mellifera), and San Diego sunflower (Viguiera laciniata). If this area is hydroseeded, measures shall be taken to ensure the exclusion of non-native, weedy species from the mixture. 35. Fencing shall be installed as feasible and acceptable to the City around the natural open space area to prevent adverse impacts to biological resources from domestic pets and human activity. An alternative would be the planting of barrier plant species that would discourage pedestrian activity into open space areas. Non-native species would not be acceptable as barrier plantings within open space areas. No active uses shall be planned in the open space/easements, including building structures or construction of trails through this area unless approved by the City. 36. The City of Chula Vista shall assure the long/term conservation of remaining native habitat on-site (wetlands and uplands) by dedicating these areas as part of a natural open space easement. The City shall place an open space easement in this acreage which would eliminate future building activity and, in effect, set this area aside for the preservation of wildlife. Trails which would promote pedestrian activity in open space areas shall be carefully designed but when located at the expense of wildlife shall not be constructed. 37. Mitigation of impacts for important cultural resources will be achieved through either avoidance or by conducting a data recovery program. Avoidance could include capping sites with 2/feet of fill and incorporating sites into open space. 38. If avoidance of archaeological/historic resources cannot be achieved, a data recovery program to mitigate development impacts to important cultural resource sites (listed in Table/3/8 of the EIR) shall be conducted, including monitoring or, where necessary, surface collection and mapping of artifacts, and a phased data recovery program. Recommendations identified in Table/3/8 shall be utilized as the basic framework for the mitigation plan. This phased approach would employ a random sample in conjunction with a focused inventory for features (i.e., hearths, burials). The data recovery program shall be in accordance with a regional approach for all prehistoric sites within Salt Creek Ranch, Salt/Creek/I and £astLake III, thereby allowing a comprehensive understanding for these Early Period sites. This regional understanding would also be in agreement with the Bonita-Miguel Archaeological District. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 16 39. The data recovery program shall follow the Advisory Council's guidelines as defined within "Treatment of Archaeological Properties" A Handbook (ACHP/1980). The Treatment Plan should be oriented to address local and regional research questions and clearly identify the methods to be used to address the research questions. Research questions to be addressed are listed on pages 5/6 and 5/7 of the June 1989 Salt Creek Ranch Cultural Resource Evaluation (ERC Environmental and Energy Services) on file at the City Planning Department. 40. Prior to issuance of a mass-grading permit the developer shall present a letter to the City of Chula Vista indicating that a qualified paleontologist has been retained to carry out resource mitigation. 41. A qualified paleontologist and archaeologist shall be at the pre-grade meeting to consult with the grading and excavation contractors. 42. A paleontological monitor shall be on-site at all times during the original cutting or previously undisturbed sediments of the Otay Formation to inspect cuts for contained fossils (the Otay Formation occurs generally above 680 feet elevation). The Sweetwater Formation shall be monitored on a half-time basis. Periodic inspections of cuts involving the Santiago Peak Volcanics shall be conducted in accordance with recommendations of the qualified paleontologist. 43. In the event that well-preserved fossils are discovered, the paleontologist (or paleontological monitor) shall be allowed to temporarily direct, divert, or halt grading to allow recovery of fossil remains in a timely manner. Because of the potential for the recovering of small fossil remains such as isolated mammal teeth, it may be necessary to set up a screen-washing operation on the site. 44. Fossil remains collected during any salvage program shall be cleaned, sorted, and cataloged and then with the owner's permission, deposited in a scientific institution with paleontological collections such as the San Diego Natural History Museum. 45. East H/Street through the project shall be designed to provide for the ultimate cross/section of 6/lanes west of Hunte Parkway and 4/lanes east of Hunte Parkway consistent with City of Chula Vista design criteria. Construction phasing shall be determined by the City in coordination with the ECVTPP. Future additional right-of-way along this roadway may be required, at the discretion of the City Traffic Engineer, due to future traffic volumes generated by the Otay Ranch project to the south and east. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 17 46. The Circulation Element roadways of Hunte Parkway and Lane Avenue will require the following intersection lane configurations designed in accordance with the City's street design standards and/or as required by the City Traffic Engineer. Implementation/phasing shall occur (as directed by the City) to accommodate forecast buildout daily traffic volumes. 47. Specific project access and internal circulation plans (including bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian routes and crossings) shall be provided to the satisfaction of the City Traffic Engineer at the SPA Plan (general level) and Tentative Map (detailed level) stages of approval. 48. To fully mitigate project impacts onto local roads, the project shall participate towards off-site improvements on a fair share basis with other area developers consistent with development assumptions and network improvements within the adopted East Chula Vista Transportation Phasing Plan (ECVTPP). The Salt Creek Ranch project shall also comply with any additional requirements (i.e. road improvements or impact fees) defined in future revisions and updates to the ECVTPP, as it pertains to the project's impacts onto the circulation system. Compliance shall be verified via review and approval of the SPA Plan and tentative maps by the City Traffic Engineer. 49. Potentially significant on-site exterior noise impacts due to vehicular traffic along particular noise-sensitive land uses proposed by the General Development Plan shall be mitigated by specific measures outlined in subsequent, site-specific noise analyses to be conducted at the SPA Plan level. It is anticipated that mitigation measures are anticipated to include use of walls and/or berms, adequate setback of lots and structures or a combination of methods. 50. Potentially significant interior noise impacts shall be mitigated through the reduction of exterior noise levels to below 60 dB(A) in residential areas (assuming the incorporation of standard building materials), or through the use of enhanced building materials (e.g., sound rated windows or insulation). A detailed site-specific acoustical analysis, to be conducted of the SPA Plan level, shall identify where this reduction is necessary and how it will be attained. Performance of effective mitigation will require reducing interior noise levels in single/family units to 45/dB(A) CNEL or below. It is anticipated that mitigation measures will include the use exterior noise barriers and appropriate building materials. 51. The project, as proposed, incorporates traffic flow improvements (e.g., road construction), bus routes and bus stops at the SPA Plan and subsequent stages of planning. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 18 52. Heavy/duty construction equipment with modified combustion/fuel injection systems for emissions control shall be utilized during grading and construction. 53. Watering or other dust palliatives shall be used to reduce fugitive dust; emissions reductions of about 50 percent can be realized by implementation of these measures. 54. Disturbed areas shall be hydroseeded, landscaped, or developed as soon as possible and as directed by the City to reduce dust generation. 55. Trucks hauling fill material shall be properly covered. 56. A 20 mile/per/hour speed limit shall be enforced on unpaved surfaces. 57. Prior to issuance of building permits, the project site shall either be annexed by OWD into Improvement District No. 22 or a new Improvement District shall be established for the project area. In addition, the project developer shall obtain written verification from OWD at each phase of development that the tract or parcel will be provided adequate water service (will/serve letter). 58. Prior to approval of any SPA Plan within Salt Creek Ranch, a Water Master Plan (and/or Agreement) shall be prepared and approved (by the City Engineer and OWD) for the Salt Creek Ranch development project. The Plan shall identify total and incremental water demand; specific facilities (size, location, etc.) including servicing in the 980 and 1296 Pressure Zones; implementation/phasing; and participation in the water allocation program and TSF financing program, encompassing this project and other projects in the OWD Master Plan service area. The Plan shall delineate at a more detailed level the recommendations of the April 1989 and October 1989 Wilson reports and July 1989 Graves report. 59. The use of reclaimed water is strongly encouraged and the project proponent shall make every attempt to develop such use. The project proponent shall, if feasible, negotiate an agreement with OWD to commit to the use of reclaimed water at the earliest possible date so that OWD can ensure that an adequate supply is available. If such an agreement is pursued, all documentation shall be subject to site-specific environmental analysis, and shall conform to the applicable regulations of the Regional Water Quality Control Board and the State Department of Health. 60. Water conservation measures for on-site landscaping and for maintenance of roadside vegetation shall be created and implemented by the project proponent, in coordination with the City Public Works Department the City's Landscape Architect and in consultation with OWD or other qualified water agency/organization. Conservation City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 19 measures are recommended by the State Resources Agency Department of Water Resources (see Appendix/A of the EIR), and include but are not limited to planting of drought tolerant vegetation and the use of irrigation systems which minimize runoff and evaporation loss. 61. The following water conservation measures should be provided; implementation shall be approved prior to issuance of certificates of use and occupancy; a) Low/flush toilets (Section 17921.3, Health and Safety Code). b) Low/flush showers and faucets (California Administrative Code, Title 24, Par 6, Article 1, T20-1406F). c) Insulation of hot water lines in water recirculating systems (California Energy Commission). 62. Prior to approval of any SPA Plan within Salt Creek Ranch, a Wastewater Master Plan and/or Agreement for the project shall be prepared by the proponent and approved by the City Engineer. The Plan shall identify total and incremental wastewater generation, specific facilities required, funding and implementation/phasing in relation to this project and other associated project's phasing in the area. The Plan shall confirm that the entire project can be sewered to the Telegraph Canyon Trunk Sewer, shall further detail the April 1989 Wilson report, and shall be coordinated with and/or conform to the City's Public Works Facility Plan, when complete. (Note that sewer upgrades, including effects on downstream facilities, will be required wherever the sewer exceeds the design capacity). 63. Prior to SPA Plan approval, the project proponent shall provide documentation confirming elementary school site locations and CVCSD approval of school locations on Salt Creek Ranch. This approval shall entail site location, size and configuration of schools, with provisions for access and pedestrian safety to the satisfaction of CVCSD. Funding shall also be addressed and confirmed in accordance with CVCSD procedures. 64. The project SPA Plan shall further define the boundaries, acreage and manner of open space preservation (e.g. dedicated open space; preservation easements) on the Salt Creek Ranch property in a form and manner acceptable to the City Parks and Recreation Department and Planning Department. 65. The project applicant shall reserve solar access and implement passive solar systems. 66. The project applicant shall install energy efficient appliances in residential developments. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 20 66. The project applicant shall limit strict lighting and install energy efficient lights. 67. The project applicant shall use appropriate building design, orientation, landscaping and materials to maximize passive solar heating and cooling, and construct energy-efficient structures. WPC 8192P City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Pagc 1 2. PUBLIC HEARING: Consid_er~tion of Sail Creek Ranch General Developm. gn~ Plan agd p!anncd Community District {P-C) Pre-Zoning A. BACKGROUND The applicant, the Baldwin Vista Company', has submitted a General Development Plan (GDP) for consideration, as well as a request to pre-zone a 1197 acre property to the Planned Community (P-C) District zone. Salt Creek Ranch is proposed for development with 2824 dwelling units. Staff recommends that this number be rednced to 2817 as a result of the need to comply with the recent change in the EnvLronmcntal hnpact Report /EIR) which elevated the importance of a 4 acre area arouud a cactus wren nesting sile. excluding this acreage l'rom the development envelope. Thc GDP was prepared before staff was made aware of ~his EIR finding. Of thc 2824 units, 869 (rec~munended to bc 86I) singlc fanfily detached ',,'~tits are to bc in thc Low Density (0.5 -3 du/ac) rcsidentiaI land use classification, 1232 siugte fanfily detached units m the L~w-Mcdimn Density (3-6 du/ac} range, and 211 single family detached/attached traits itl the Low-Medimn Density range at thc maximum of 6 dwctling unils per acre. In addition, 405 units arc proposed under the multi-family Medium Density (6-11 du/ac) land use classil~cation. Other uses inclnde two elementary schools, a fire station, two religious sites, two neighborhood parks, and open space. The EIR l'or this project is the preceding ilem on this agenda. B. RECOMMENDATION 1. Based upon the findings conlained in this report (Atlachment 1), adopt a motion recommending that the City Council approve the Salt Creek Ranch General Development Plan; and 2. Adopt a motkm recommending the the City Council approve a pre-zoning of Salt Creek Ranch to the Planned Community (P-C) District zone. C. HISTORY / STATUS The Salt Creek Ranch project is currently located in unincorIx)ratcd tcrritc¢y, approximately I/2 mile north of Telegraph Canyon Road ~md straddling Proctor Valley Road (l'uturc extension o£ East "H" Street). The project site is northwest of the Upper Otay Reservoir City Planning Comtnission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 2 rind immediately north of the Easltake Technology Park. Under the City o[' Ciqul;.~ Vista Area Plan t'or the Eastern Tcmtories, the site is designated for open space and residential devclopmcn! in thc three residential categories umntkmcd earlier: Residential Low, Residential Low-Medium. arid R~idcnlial Medium. An application is expected to be filed with the Local Agency Formation Co, remission (LAFCO) to annex thc properly and to aunend the City's Sphere of Influence boundary. Baldwin Vista, the City of Chul~,. Vista, and the Cil?s consultant Robert Bein. William Frost & Associates (RBF}, have been involved in planning work cm this project for ~e past year. In order to meet General Plan criteria ~md t~ produce a plan fully consistent vd!l; ',!'~e Cily's vision of the Eastern Territories. the GDP has undergone sevcrai ma.}or revisions. The fina! version of this Plan, along wilh an overview of the principal issues, is discussed in this report. D. SITE CHARACTERISTICS Thc project site is located within the southern foothills of Mount San Miguct and consisis ~*f vacant land largely characterized by gently rolling hillsides. The hills are separated by north]south trending canyons. Salt Creek is one of these canyons, crossing lhc entire cenlrat porlion of the site in a north/south direction. Several of lhe canyons in the eastern porlion {~' thc proper~y converge north of the Upper Otay Reservoir. Perhaps the most significaut iandlorm is a prouiment ridgeliue i~, the easteru po~tiou of thc property, l'rcaUnent of this ridgeline was a major issue in the discussions on the GDP and the approach to developing thc ridgcline is discussed under Principal Issues below. Steep slopes of 25% or more occur in various areas, mostly in the northeastern section of the property, and occupy 8% of 'die total acreage. An additional significant natural feature is the mature eucalyptus grove located in the southern portkm of the Salt Creek drainage area. Approximately 64% of the property consists o£ non-native grasslands which has been previously dislurbed by agricultural activities. The remaining vegetation on the property consists of coastal sage scrub and Southern California grasshmd. Wetland habitats do exisl on ~hc site, however, no net loss of wetland habitat will occur with thc implcmcnlation of the Salt Creek GDP. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Pagc 3 Surrounding land uses include lhe previ(~usly mentioned Eastlake Technology Park !o the south, t~pcn space to the north and east, and higher density residential t~s~ tc~ thc -~st Creek I) E. GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION Nearly all of Salt Cieek Ranch is located within rite City's Sphere (~1' Influence and is in thc I:3tslern Territories Area. The northeastern 240 acres which currently lie outside ~he City's Sphere of tntluence is expected to be added to the City's Sphere of lnflnence at the same time that armcxation of thc enlire properly is prt~cessed. The City of Chula Vista General Plan designates the entire properly to be either residential or open space. For discussion purposes, the residenliv, l areas ~re gronped int() lbree sub~ arca~s as sht~wn in thc attached Figt~rc. St~b-arca I consists of thc develt~pmcnt west of Sail Creek. Most of this area is designated as R-LM (Rcsidenlial Low-Medium) except an approximately 48 acre area along the tx)rder of the Easflake Technology Park. which is designaled as R-M (Residential Medh~m). One 35 acre area is designated as LM* to indic~tc thai thc pianncd density shall be at thc mraximum t'~f tl:c range (6 dwelling ~:nits per acre). Sub-area 2 consists of a small R-LM area near thc b~,rdcr with, tt,,c Oiay Water District (OWD) property plus two R-L t. Residential Low) areas. The R-L areas of St~b-area 2 are planned to contain single family homes on moderately sized lots. in between the larger lots in Sub-area 3 and thc small lot, higher densities further west. All of thc Sub-area 3 residential areas are c!csignatc~.', as R-L ai~d arc planned for estate type of development. '['he General Plan preserves alt of the significant drainage areas as open space. It als() places great importance on the Chula Vision Greenbelt system for thc Eastern Territories. This property contains, in the Salt Creek canyon and stream wdiey, one of the two prindp~d north/south open space branches in the Eastern Territories. This greenbelt will connect the Salt Creek Canyon with the Mother Migue! area to the ~orth. wi~h upper Otay Reservoir to the cast and ~he remainder ~)f tJ~c Easten~ Territories t~) thc soulh. F. GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS Significant goals and objectives of thc General Plan, applicable to this development arc: Cily Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 4 t. To direct new urban devek)pment to broad mesa tops located away ~'rom cnvimrunentally sensitive areas such as floodplains, canyons and steep stopes; 2. To encourage a divcrsily of housing types and prices; 3. To assure that nc~v development meets ar exceeds a standard of high qu~ity pi;tuning and design; 4~ For new developments in Eastern Territories the predominant character shoukt be low-medium density, single-family housing. Where appropriate in terms of physical setting, encourage development of quality, large-lot housing; 5. To plan and implement a continuous greenbelt, (>pen space and trail system around the city. Additional open space within thc General Plan rn-ca should prov/dc cormections to comtnunity trod neighborhood parks and schools; 6. To preserve to the extent feasible, natural {>pen space areas and comdors, particularly thc major canyons and wdlcys; 7. To encourage, where safe m~d feasible, waslewater reclamation and use ~1' reclaimed water lbr irrigation and otimr uses; 8. To take 'all necessary steps through the Local Agency Formation Commission and other agencies to include the entire ama covered by this General Devek)pment Plan m the Cily's Sphere of Influence; 9. To site new school land use designations in a central location within residential neighborhoods: 10. To preserve habitat tk~r umque and enclangered species of wildlife rind m-cas of rare or unique vegetation; 11. To provide hiking and horseback r/ding trails th the open st)ace, where appropriate, to ensure public access to the unique resource. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 5 G. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES The following is an analysis or the GDP's proposed densities as they relate to specific General Plan criteria. As stated in the General Plan, thc appropriate demsity R>r any project is assumed to be baseline and moves toward the midpoint given the proposal's treatment of three issues: compatibility wSth existing and proposed surrmmding land uses, sensitive response to physical characteristics of thc site, and actticvemcnt of a variely of houshig types. The applicant has addressed these items in a manner that, based on staff's analysis, merits project approval at tnidpoint densities. Specifically, the CDP contains the folloxving proposals regarding each of these c~teria: 1. Compatibility with existing and proposed surrounding !and uses. a. The ttighest residential densities are in Sub-area I and are compatible with thc higher densities proposed for Salt Creek L iminediately to the west of this project. A logical progression occurs from the higher densities in the Sub-area 1 to the lower densities in Sub-area 3 Thc residential developments in Sub- area 3 arc Lr~te,",dcd :t; have an estate cl':.'_~racter, as :irc thc undc'~clopcd lands adjacent tr) these areas. b. In Sub-area 1. a landscaped burl'er of variable width is proposed between residential areas and thc Easflakc Tectmology Park lo the srmth. The exact width is to be dctennmcd at thc SPA level. This buffer will be landscaped and also provide a vertical separation betweeu the residential areas and d~c Technology Park. Another landscaped buffer with both horizontal and vertical separation is propo~d between thc residential areas in Sub-area 2 and the water reclamation facility (m the Otay Water Disu-ict property. c. Extensive open space areas are proposed for the areas east of Salt Creek in Sub-areas 2 and 3. These open space areas wilt provide wildlife comdors north, south and cast of thc properly. d. Salt Creek open space corridor, part of the Chula Vista Greenbelt system for the Eastern Territories, connecm with the cx)rrespondk~g corridor in, mediately to the South on Eastlake property. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 6 2 Sensitive response to physical characteristics of the siie including landform prcscrvatkm, thc relationship to the open space/greenbelt system and cwdronmcntal considerations. a. The GDP proposes to celain 92% of the slopes greater than 25% in open space areas. The encroachment into slopes greater than 25% is deemed necessary to provide road access to residcn!iat areas, b. Specific landform alteration standards arc proposed to ct}sure sc'~sitivc devdopmenl of thc prominent ddgelinc in thc western portion of Sub-area 3. c Guidelines are als() proposed for sensitive development of slopes less than 25%,) for thc entire subarea 3 and for thc scemc comdops along East "H" St.and Huntc Parkway. d. Tire GDP provides for visla point and vicwshed preservatkm and for pubhc access via trails to these vista points. c. The GDP proposes to preserve approximately 50 more acres of coastal sage scrub titan anticipated by thc General PImL This area is proposed as open space in order to preserve habitat for species of special COIlCOI'I1 (the biacktailed gnaicatcher and the cactus wTen). f Thc developer has agreed to revegetate disturbed open space areas with native or natur:dizcd pkmt material. g. The developer has agreed to participate in the formalJon and impiementaLkm of a multi - species coastal sage scrub conserw, fion pbm and agreed t,.) the ft~llowing measure Il', prior to thc filing ~1' thc Tcntat/vc Subdiv~sicm Map ~%r Sub-area 3, an acceptable off-site regional wild!ifc c.rridor linking San Miguel Mountain with thc Upper Otay Reservoir has tit)! been adopted :as part of the conservation plan. then development of the } 7 acre R-L development area th the eastern portion of thc property shall not occur and a reconfiguration of thc northeastern R-L area lo provide a wide: otmn space area ['c~r a rcgion:d v:ildF~fc corridor will be implemented. A buffer area, nm currently shown on the GDP map. shall be established around a cactus wren nest within the northeastemmosl development area. h. The open space areas in Sub-areas 2 and 3 are located to contain drainage areas, to reduce the disturbance of wetlauds and to provide lk~r wildlife movement. Existing disturbed areas are proposed m be revegetated with native scrub species. Two undercrossings under East "H" St. are provided to Ikmilitate movement of wildlife. Local streets in open space areas of Sub-area 3 will incorporale design elements m facililate wildlife movement. CiW Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of ScptcTnbcr 5, t 990 Page 7 i. Wetland impacls are anticipated to be less than 2 acres and will be fully mitigated on-site. 3. Achievement of a vafie .ty of housing ~ypes pcm~issible within the character of thc range. a. Thc GDP provides housing which includes estate type detached single family homes (in Stib-alca 3), Il) a range of convclllJollal sh~gle [all~y de~chcd housing types tin Sub-areas I and 2!, and finally lc~ almched hoasing such ~ townhouses aud duplexm (in the area c}o~ *o the ~2m0ake T~ffmology Park) b. The csmm housing po~on of ~c properVy shall have lots that average 20,000 square feet, with a m:~imum of 25% of ~c uni~ on iom! 5,000 square Iket m size. Lot siz~ in this poraon ol fi~e prope~y am expec~d lo range from t 5.000 reel to } acre or grealer. c. Clusteffmg may occur ~5~in ~e R-L areas of Sub-ama 2 (the development areas immediately casl of Salt Creek). Ir clustc~g is approve, a Iida~lUlll lot size of 7.000 square feet nlay ~ [lsed. Hie nlaximtinl density of any cluslering projocl withill the R-L area shall nol exceed 45 dwelling tlnits Der net acre. Thc GDP commits thc applicant to comply ~lh all provisions of Sec6on ~ ~ of the Gcn~d Plan. H. DISCUSSION OF PRINCIPAl, ISSUES I. Residential A diversity of housing types is proposed. These inclnde townhouses at~d duplexes in ~be R-M category, single family detached housing on mid-size lots in the R-LM area, and estate housing with loks averaging 20,000 square feet in Sub-area 3. The R-L area in Sub-area 2 will have lot sizes that are m belween those proposed for ihe R-L estate area and the R-LM area. If s cluslering concept is used in this area, tots could be a minimum of 7.000 square feet. In general, the GDP proposes a logical progression in residential densities ;vilh thc higher densities in the west, to the lowest densities in tile eastern portion or the protx~rty. The 2824 dwelling milts (wNch the staff recommeds revision to 2817) proposed for Salt Creek Ranch arc at the midpoint of thc residential density range called for in thc General Plan. The ultimate unit total, resulting from more specific SPA pkuming and site analysis, City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Me, ting of S~t,mber 5, 1990 Page 8 could be lower. Table 1 provides a summary of land use acreages and the proposed number of r~sidcntial mtit~. The right of way for East "H' St., west of Hunte Parkway, is included as part of the developable area for gross density calculations, This portion of East #H' Street was recently upgraded from a 4 lane major to a 6 lane prime arterial hu the Circulation Element of the General Plan and right-of-way for a 6 lane prime arterial is not normally counted/n density calculations, The increased right of way was deemed necessary to mitigate an~/cipated traffic volume~ projected t'or off-site projects (the Olympic Training Facility) and ~ Creneral Plan amendment occurred after submittal of the draft Salt Creek Ranch GDP by Baldwin, Th/s adjustment amounts to a total of 10,8 acres and 49 dwelling urdts. : Specifics related to typical dwelling unit types, in building design and lot u~i~ation, will be addressed in the Salt Creek Ranch Sectional Planning Area (SPA) plan, TABLE I SALT CREEK RANCH LAND USE A, NALYSI$ ......... NO OF RESIDF~TIAL UNITS ........... MIDPOINT/ LAND USE ACRES BASELINE ODP PROPOSAL MAXIMUM Re~ldealial: Low 434.6 217 869 1304 Low-medium 273.7 821 1232 1642 Low-medium* 35.2 211 211 211 Medium 47.6 286 405 524 Res Total 791.1 1535 2717 3681 Park (west) 7.0 21 32 42 Park (east) 20.0 10 40 60 O1~ Spac~ 351.1 35 35 35 Schools 20.0 Fire ~alion 1.0 Religious sites 7.0 ORAND TOTAL ** 1197.2 1601 2824 3818 * Approved at the high end (6 alu/ac) t'or Iow-medium residenl~al land us~ (per Section 5.7 of the General Plan). ** Staf~ recommends reducing midpoint no. of units to 2817 due to recent changes in EIR. City Plarafing Core--ion Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 9 2. Affordable Housing In order to conform to the General Plan requirements for thc provision of affordable houshlg for Iow and moderate income residents, the applicant commits tt~ work with City St'dfi' ix) develop a mutually agreeable affordable housing program at the SPA level. 3. Open Space_ Approximately 29% of the properly, or 351 acres, is proposed for open space including parks). An approx,~m~tcty 50 acre ama tocatcd north r~f the Upper O*~ay Reservoir in Sub-area 3 is designated fi)r rcsidcnfi~d development in il~e General Plan, but is proposed as open space La file GDP. This open space was sci aside ix) preserve sufficient habital for two species of special concern, the blacktailed gnatcatcher and [he cactus wren. A trail system R)r pedestrians and bicyclists is proposed which co,meets schools, par'ks, open space, and residential areas. Naturalized trails are lo be located in the open space areas while landscaped trails will be used along major roads. Eqnestrian tr~dls are proposed along the full length of Sall Creek, along tile north side of East "H" Street cast of Huntc Parkway, and lk)r the full length of an open space drainage area in Sub-area 3. Two undcrcrossings are also provided at East "H' Street for wildlife movement and for pedestrian mid equestrian access. Salt Creek will bc revegetated and landscaped as a vital link in the Chula Vista Greenbelt system in die 'Eastern Territories. Mitigation measures have been incorporated into the GDP to partially mitigate impacts to coastal sage scrub habitat associated with the project's implcmenlation. Such measures include a cotnmitment to revegetate disturbed open space areas with native sage scrub species, and the preservation of coastal sage scrub in excess of tha! included in the General Plan. Thc developer has agreed to participate in the formation and implementation of a regional multi - species coastal sage scrub conservation plan and agreed to the l~llowing measure, If. prior to the filing of thc Tentative Subdivision Map for Sub-ama 3, an accq~tabte off-site rcgi{*'.xal w[ldlil'c :':?id*?r !inking San Migt~cl Moullt~in ~,ifil tl~c Upper Okty Re~crvoir has not been adopted as part of fl~c conservation plan, then development of Itc 17 acre City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting ,~f September 5, 1990 Page 10 devek~pment area in the eastern portion of the propcr~y shall not occur and a reconfiguratkm of the northeastern R-L area to provide a wider open space area for a regional witdtifc corridor will be implemented. In addition, a buffer area, not shown on the GDP nmp, shall be established around a cactus wren nest within thc northeastemmost development area. Habitats for cactus wren have been elcvatcd in importance based on the l]ndings ,ff a recent cnvironmcnlal study made available to sta£f after the GDP map was finalized. Exclusion of this ar'ca l'rom the development envelope has the cfi'cc! o~' reducing the ~fidp~i~ll number o1' uniLs ['rom 2824 t~ 2817. Distm'bance tx) wetland habitat is expected tx) be less than 2 acres. Mitigation for such impacts will be accomplished {m-site and shall comply with State and Fc'demt regulafi(~tts. 4, Parks a_~nd R~cr_e_'atiot! Two neighborhood parks are proposed, totalling 27 acres or appn~ximately 3 acres useable parkland per 1.000 persons, meeting thc C~nerat Plrm standa,~l. The western park is located m serve residents of Salt Creek Ranch and Salt Creek 1. l~hc GDP commits the applicant to provide this park in the first phase of development to serve Salt Creek I residents. The eastern park, located along the ~Eastern Territories Greenbclt m Sub-area 2 was selected at'ter extensive discussions with Parks and Recreation and Planning staff. The previously proposed location would have placed thc park within an important drainage corridor no~h of the Upper Olay Reservoir. Thc currently proposed location was selected to a¥oid potentially adverse hnpacts to the environment and to be centrally located to the service area. An additional benefit ot' the proposed location is the alimet,ye backdrop of the mature eucalyptus grove kxzated in the Salt Creek canyon area. 5, Grading] 'Landform Preservation Thc applicant has committed to landform grading that conforms to the criteria established in Section 7.7 of the General Plan. Techniques proposed to blend graded areas include slope rounding, variations in slope ratios, obscuring of drainage su'uctures with mass plantings. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Pagc 1 l erosion contrail, a ndnimization of manufactured sk)pes and split level tots to accommodate natu~fl tape,graphic changes. The dcveiopcr ilas proposed the use of alternatives u~ mass grading in SuB-area 3, the eastern [×>rtions of the proFerty. Site p!a~s and lo! tayouls shall demonstrate sensitivity to the natural landforms. A bakmced cut and fitl operation is proposed. Over 92% of the 25% slopes arc to be preserved as ()pen space. The dislurbance of approximately 8% (6 acresl o; the 25% slopes shall generally occnr only for road Aa analysis of all inter~nedia[e ( 15-25%} slopes was conducted [o dctcrnfinc if slopes less than 25% w~e pressed 1o provide continnity of slopes defimng a canyon, s~ream vaiicy, top of mountain, ¢tc. These intcmcd~atc slopes crmsfilutc 310.3 acres or 2t>% ol propcrb and arc found ~lroughcmt ~lc site. [f(~wcvcr, [~c m~rc siguil]car~l intcrmcdialc slopes arc foui~d il~ Sub-area 3 when l}~c5 ~irc c()mbincd wit}~ the steeper open spaces and canyons ibund in fi~is area. Specific landform grading techniques ~md lower residential densities arc emphasized in ~his ~trca l~tcrmcdi3tc sk)pcs in thc dcvck~pabtc ;~rcas of thc w~tem portion of tho propcqty arc gcncra~y not ass()ciated with sigffifi~mt l~mdR)rms such as mounlains, canyons or stream valleys and are planned ~th higher residential densities. The GDP c(mmins specS'lc guidelines for landscaping and grading, including landlk)rm grading and the use of variable ra~o stop~ to emphasize the par~ay and scenic character of bo~ East 'H' St. and Huntc Parkway A large num~ ~ff 0~e 15-25% slo~s east of Sub-ama 3 are c~miained in o~n spaces. The 15-25% stopes in this ama that ~11 bc subject to grading arc to be developed using measures h~tcndcd to reduce landfom sca~ng by ~co~oratJng such concepts ~ contour grading and variable slope gradient. ~ese guidelines, discussed below, are intended emure that developmen~ [n the easlern ~)rtion of file pro~rty is particularly sensitive to physical characteristics of the site. Significanl landfunns are identified in thc GDP. The most prominent landfunn is a rocky fidgeline al the western edge of Sub-area 3 that is visible l~om nearly all olher pans of the Ranch. Thc GDP includes specific grading guidelines which shall apply to thc devek)pmcnt t)f ~h ~5dgc and whic!~ shall apply hi the preparation of thc SPA plan. These City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 12 guidelines ~re designed !o preserve the visual qu~!i,.y c,l' the ridgelL,~e by preserving rock uutcrr;ppings and other significant formalions. Additional grading guidelines for the remaining portion oi' Sub-area 3 arc also provided These =ui.tehnes should ensure lhal, upon implementation at the SPA level, ~ se~si~ive trcaUnent of special tandforms ~ folk)wed. Since sensitivity tt) thc physical dmracleristics ul~ thc sile is one o17 the General Plan criteria used to determine the number of units above base,ne 1o which 0~e project should be cnhttcd, thc GDP cites a number of measures which, upon implementation, should cnsurc site se~ifivc development. These measures include the preservation ol' ~e 25% sk~pes. views}led preser~ahon and a'ail access m view points, and the preservation of 50 more acres of coastal sage scrub Ihan ts called for in Ibc General Plan In ~dcli!io~ lo these measures, thc applicant has commitled to mitigate t~*r impacts to cr*astal s3gc scv~tb ?~s discussed above under Open Space) and to participate in tlic cs~b~shmcn[ v17 a mc!ti- species haDital prcservat~oa plan. Finaiiy, drainage areas arc prcse~ed m open space Io reduce impacls on wet}and ilabiial and ~o preserve wild~ife movemetil from San Miguel Mountains to thc Okay ~tkes 6, Traffic Circulation Thc major circulation paltcrn corresponds with that shown in the General Plan LShim.:~te design standards or principal slreets which will service the Ranch are: F..t H St.: a t, lane Prime Arterird extending rrom the western project boundary to Hunte Parkway: a 4 lane Class I collector, east of Hunte Parkway to the eastern boundary of thc project; Hunte Par~ay: a 4 lane Major street from the somhem property boundary to East "H" St and as a Class [1 collector north of East "H" St to the nor'them project boundary: Lane Avenue: a Class I collector extencting l'ro~n Telegraph Canyon Road norh It) East St. T¢lc~grapt! Cans'on Rood (exlcudcd east): 6 lane Prime Arterial, kx:ated south of the projeci. Cily Planning Commission Agenda item for Meeting of Septcmbcr 5. 1990 Page ~ 3 RJghl-of-way wit! be reserved within the project tk)r furore access to adjacent properties to the north and crist of the propcrt, y, inclnding thc Otay Water District. Alternate modes of transportation including pedestrian and bicycle pathways, have been proposed. If requircxt, turnoms and bus stops for local transit will be provided. 7. Schools Two elementary scht×)ls, each with 10 useable acres, are propc, sed to meet the needs of the anticipated population. Junior high and high school capacity wilt be available at Easttakc schools. Funding for elementary schools is to be providcd by partidpation in a Com_mmfity Fadhtics Disa'ict, an assessment district, or other financial arrange~nents deemed necessary 1o provide the required schools The location o£ the t~o schools was discussed extensively with the Chula Vista School District. Both school sites were selected to be centred to their respective service areas. 8. Safety A 1 acre fire station is proposed for the Salt Creek Ranch. The location was selected after discussions were held wilh the City's Fire Deparlmen! and should be adequate for Fire Department personnel to respond 1o calls within 7 minutes. Funding for police and fire facilities shall be provided throu ,gh a City of Chula Vista supple~nenta! developmcnt impact icc. 9. Religious Sites Two religious sites with sufricient acreage for three religious institutions (7 acres) are proposed. Since CiW standards fi~r this land use are in the process o£ being revised, the GDP commits the applicant to comply with criteria applicable at the time of the approval of the Salt Creek Ranch SPA plan. t 0. Sewer and Water The Otay Water District will service the two water service zones - zone 980 and zone 1,296 - within the Salt Creek Ranch. Existing on-site facilities have a capacity' to provide water City Planning Cotnmission Agenda Item Rrr Meeting of .'September 5, 1't90 Page t4 service m acconm~odate anticipated buildou! within the 980 zone, Facilities do no~ currently exist m serve thc 1,296 zone and will need to be constructed. In additkm, impmvemenUs to facilities serving the 980 zone are anticipated. To meet lottg term water needs, a new aqueduct pipeline is under construction and is scheduled for completion in 1993. Lastly. the use of reclaimed water for landscape imgation is proposed in ~he GDP. The applicant has conunittcd to comply wilh the districl's water allocation plan lo assure adequam water supply and storage facilities Ix) the development. A demited water master pkm subject to approval by the Otay Water Dislrict will be preparcxt at the SPA level. The master plan will address thc use of reclaimed water and k)cation, sizing, phasing and financing of thc needed facilities. Sewer fadtifies currently exist within thc Tclcgmph Canyon Basin and will be used to serve Salt Creek Ranch until ultimate £acilities are constructed. Diversion from thc other three, basins on the t)roperty to thc Telegraph Canyon Basin on a temporary basis in order a~ service the projcc! will require approwd by the Chula Visla Cily Council. A detailed sewer maslcr plan talon!trying the timing, phasing and financing of required sewer facility improvements will be prepared at thc SPA level. Detention basins and/or bypass systems will be required m protect the Upper Otay Reservoir from urban rnnoff, The applican! is conunthed to providing such ihcilities. A hydrology study of the eastern portion of thc property sh~l bc conducted at thc SPA level to evaluate [x>tcntiaI downsa'ctm~ im.cx~cts associated with development. 12. Landscape Concepts The GDP proposes lhc use of drought tolerant species in a native or naturalized landscape. lnformal landscape is intended to complement the semi-rural theme of the Salt: Creek Ranch. The folk)wing treatment is proposext for East "H' Street and Hunte Parkway, both designated "scenic corridors" by thc General Plan: City Planning Cormnission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 15 Setbacks beyond the right-ol'-way along East "H' Stree! arc proposed to be or' variable width and to average 50 fcc? Ft~r Huntc Parkway, the variable sctback is to ~vcragc 4(; feet. At thc intersection or; East "H" Street and ?lun[c Parkway, tl~,e setback ~s to bca minimum ~)I' 100 feet. All setbacks are lo be iand~:aped rising dmt~ght t~le~ar~t species in a naluralize~t ~md inl'ormal ttmnner. Specific !;mdscape zones ~md Irl~ti~lteil~lc{2 rcspensibil~tics :~re discussed wSthin thc GDP. City Plauning Cr)mnfission Agenda flcm f ~r Meeting of Scptcmbcr 5, t',90 Page 1. COI~IDITIOblS FOR APPROVAL OF $^LT CREEK RAblCH Thc Salt Creek Ranch General Developmcnt Plan and thc request for prczotfing /o a Planned Community (P. C.) are recx)mmended t'or approwfl subject tt~ thc folk)wing conditions: I. Grading and landform alterations shall meet City o£ Chula Vista polic5 preserving sig~tfficant landli~rms, particularly elements of the ridgetine located in Sub- area 3. 2. A minimum of two religious sites for three religious institutions, totalling 7 acres, shall be provided and shall comply with revised C'ity criteria applicable at the time of the SPA plan approved: the locations shown in the GDP are conceptual and subject to further refinement at the SPA tcvel; 3. T}~e applicant shall work with City staff to develop a program to meet City' policy requirements for the provision of low and moderate income housing: ~he program shall ~ approved by the City Council concurrent with thc SPA p!~ appmw0: 4. A fire station site shall be provided by the applicam, subject to the terms and conditions establishext in the SPA plan and the Public Facilities Financing Ptm~: 5. A Conceptual Landscape Plan shall be prepared addressing landscape concepts, maintenance responsibilities, and a masler plant list as part o£ the SPA plan. All trees and shrubs within the slreetscape shall be of a type, or types, acceptable to the City Landscape Architect and Cikv Street Tree Supervisor; 6. All grading shall comply with Section 7.7 of the Chula Vista General Plan and Chapter l 5.04 of the Chnla Visla Municipal C(KIe Addifion~fl design conditions shall bc added to ensure sensitive treatment of signll'ican! physical characteristics of the site, as stated k~ thc GDP; 7. All street designs shall confom~ to the City of Chuta Visla Street Design Standards Policy or to the satisfaction of thc City Engineer; City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of $eplcmber 5, t 990 Page '," 8. A maximum of 2817 units, 7 unils less than proposed in the General Development Plan, i~ approved. Exclusion of a cactus wren nesting arra from the development envelope has the effect or' reducing the midpoint number of units from 2824 to 2817. The ultimate unit tolal, resulting from more specific SPA planning and site analysis, could be reduced; this SPA plan review will include, and not be limited to, an analysis of compliance with the General Plan grading criteria: 9. Prior to the issuance of occupancy permits for any project development phase, and building permits fl)r any subsequent phase, all proposed subdivision improvements, such as streets, sidewalks, water and sewer lines, which arc the expressed responsibility of the developer, shall be satisfactorily completed, or such completion sha~ be assured pursuant to a dtfly adopted Public Facilities Financing Plan: 10. Thc applicant shall pay its fair share of any costs related to a city-sponsored Growth Management Program, pursuant to local ordinances; l l. The applicant shall enter into a three party agreement with the Environmental Review Coordinator to retain the services of a Mitigation Compliance Coordinator to fully implement the Mitigation Monitoring Program: t2. A detailed Water Master Plan shall be prepared at the SPA level, and will address the use of reclaimed water and location, sizing, phasing and f'mancing of needed facilities; l 3. A detailed Sewer Master Plan shall be prepared at the SPA level and will identify the timing, phasing and financing or' required sewer fadtity improvements; 14. A hydrology study of the eastern portion of the property.' shall be conducted atthe SPA level to evahmte potential downstream impacts associated with development, and all exsenti~ facilities needed to protect the water quality of the Upper Otay Reservoir; 15. The applicant sliall conunit to future and on-goJx~g compliance wilh the Eastern Chula Vista Transportation Phasing Plan (ECVTPP); I6. Neighborhood Recreation facilities and other park improvements shall be provided to the satisfaction of the Director of Parks and Recreation; City plannuig commussion Agenda Item lea' Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 18 17. Two elementary, school sites shall be provided in compliance with City criteria and to the satisfaction of the Sch(x)l District. 18. The developer shall agree to participate in the fonnatitm and implementation of a regional multi-species coastal sage scrub conservation plan. If, prior to filing of the Tentative Subdivision Map for Sub-area 3, an acceptable off-site regional wiktlife corridor lirtking San Miguel Mountain with die Upper Olay Reservoir has not been adopted as part of the conservation plan, then development of the 17 acre R-L development area in the eastern portion of the property shall not occur and a reconfiguration of the northeastern R-L area to provide a wider open space area for a regional wildlife corridor shall be implemented. The width of the open space area shall be sufficient to ensure tong-tertn viability of the wiktlife comdor, per Exhibit R- 1 contained in the EIR staff report. 19. The GDP map shall be revised to delete development within a buffer area around the identified cactus wren nest site. Exclusion of this area from the development envelope has the effect of reducing the midpoint number of units from 2824 to 28 l 7~ 20. Any residential clustering project shall comply with the provisions of Section 6.3 of the General Plan; in particular, clustering within the R-L range shall have a maximum net density not exceeding 4.5 units per net acre. 21. Recommended mitigation measures contained in the staff' report Ik)r EIR 8%3 sh~t be incorporated herein. City Plamfing Connnission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 19 ATTACHMENT 1 SALT CREEK RANCH GEBIERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN RECOMMENDED FINDINGS 1. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT DESCRIBED BY THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1S IN CONFORMITY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHULA VISTA GENERAL PLAN. Review and analysis of the General Development Plan Fmds the project to be in conformity with the policies and guidelines established in the General Plan. 2. A PLANNED COMMUNITY CAN BE INITIATED BY ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIFIC USES OR SECTIONAL PLANNING AREAS WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLANNED COMMUNITY ZONE. The applicant plans to submit a Sectional Planning Area (SPA) plan for the entire l 197 acres ex)voted in thc General Development Plan. 3. IN THE CASE OF THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, THAI SUCH DEVELOPMENT SHALL CONSTITUTE A RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT OF SUSTAINED DESIRABILITY AND STABILITY; AND THAT IT WILL BE IN HARMONY WITH AND PROVIDE COMPATIBLE VARIETY TO THE CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND THATTHE SITES PROPOSED FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS SCHOOLS, PLAYGROUNDS, AND PARKS ARE ADEQUATE TO SERVE THE ANTICIPATED POPULATION AND APPEAR ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES HA V lNG JU R1SDICTION '['HEREOF. The General Devek)pment Plan proposes a residential community, predominantly Low Density Residential east of Salt Creek, surrounding Low-Medium Density Residential west of Salt Creek except for a Medium Density Residential 48 acre area along the southwestern border. The Medium Density Residential area is closest to the Eastlake Technology Park south or tiffs project, mid is consistent with the City Plmlning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 20 guidelines which encourage higher residential densities located near employment centers. Two neighborh(x)d parks are proposed to serve nearby residential areas. Proposed facilities may include pool, tennis courts, and gym / community center. 4. IN THE CASE OF PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL AND RESEARCH USES, THAT SUCH DEVELOPMENT WILL BE APPROPRIAIE IN AREA, LOCATION, AND OVERALL DESIGN TO THE PURPOSE INTENDED; THAT THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ARE SUCH AS TO CREATE A RESEARCH OR INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT OF SUSTAINED DESIRABILITY AND SI'ABILITY; AND, THAT SUCH DEVELOPMENT WILL MEET PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THIS TITLE. No industrial or research land uses are proposed for this project. 5. 1N THE CASE OF INSTITUTIONAL. RECREATION, AND OTHER SIMILAR NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, THAT SUCH DEVELOPMENT WILL BE APPROPRIATE IN AREA, LOCATION, AND OVERALL PLANNING TO THE PURPOSE PROPOSED, AND THAT SURROUN DING AREAS ARE PROTECTED FROM ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM SUCH. Pfindpal non-residential uses (schools and parks) pn)posed in Salt Creek Ranch arc centralized and adequatel~ sized to serve tiffs commmdt5. The light industrial area south of lhis project is completely separated from all residential areas by a buttered landscaped strip and a change in elevation. 6. THE STREETS AND THOROUGHFARES ARE SI_JITABLE AND ADEQUATE TO CARRY THE ANTICIPATED TRAFFIC THEREON. The Environmental Impact Report analyzed traflic that will be generated by Salt Creek Ranch as well as existing and prolcx)sed pmjecls which will conform to the (;hula Vista General Plan and ils Circuiati(m ~lement. Tile analysis demonsti'atcd that Salt Creek Ranch will construct or provide £unding for sec. ca to cra-fy gne anticipated traffic in accordance wifl~ the City's lhreshold c~5teria. City Planning Commission Agenda Item for Meeting of September 5, 1990 Page 2 l 7. ANY PROPOSED COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT CAN BE JUSTIFIED ECONOMICALLY AT THE LOCATION(S) PROPOSED AND WILL PROVIDE ADEQUATE COMMERCIAL FACILITIES OF THE IYPES NEEDED AT SUCH PROPOSED LOCATION(S). No commercial land uses arc proposed for this project. 8. THE AREAS SURROUNDING SAID DEVELOPMENT CAN BE PLANNED AND ZONED IN COORDINATION AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPATIBILITY WITH SAID DEVELOPMENT. Road access will be provided to undeveloped parcels to the north and east cfi this project. Salt Creek Ranch is planned to represent the eastern edge of urban development. Parcels to the north and east are anticipated U) be rural in character. The progression from higher densities in the west to lower densities in the east is consistent with the nature of the projected development tm surrounding properties. CITY OF CHULA VISTA DISCLOSURE STATEMENT APPLICANT'S STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN OWNERSHIP INTERESTS ON ALL APPLICATIONSI WHICH WILL REQUIRE DISCRETIONARY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING FOMMISSION AND ALL OTHER OFFICIAL BODIES. The following information must be disclosed: 7. List the names of all persons having a financial interest in the application. The Baldwin Company (Baldwin Vista Development Company) FN Projects, Inc. List the names of all persons having any ownership interest in the property involved. FN Pro~ects, Inc. 2. If any person identified pursuant t6 (1) above is a corporation or partnership, list the names of all individuals owning more than I0% of the shares in the corporation or owning any partnership interest in the partnership~ James P. Baldwin Alfred E. Baldwin Gregory T. Smith 3. If any person identified pursuant to (7) above is a non-profit organization or a trust, list the names of any person serving as director of the non-profit organization or as trustee or beneficiary or trustor of the trust. 4. Have you had more than $250 worth of business transacted with any member of City staff, Boards, Commissions, Committees and Council within the past twelve months? Yes No X If yes, please indicate person(s) ~s defined as: "Any individual, firm, ?partnership, joint venture,~ I~ ~lub, fraternal organization, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, syndicate, Ith?..an~ any other county, city and county, city, municipality, dis~sict or other Ipolitical subdivision, or any other group or combination acting as a unit. ~ (.~OTE: Attach additional pages as n~cessary.)~_ . a~pp_~ .~S' tu~re of ~te WPC 0701P James M. Ha ..... A-110 ~rint or type name of applicant August 29, 1990 TO: Chairperson and Members of the Planning Commission VIA: Bob Leiter, Director of Planning ~~^ FROM: Douglas D. Reid, Environmental Review Coordinato~ SUBJECT: CEQA Findings for Salt Creek Ranch Attached for your review and consideration is a copy of the Candidate CEQA Findings for the Salt Creek Ranch EIR-89-3. If the project is approved as recommended by staff, these findings will apply. If, however, there are modifications to the project, it may be necessary to modify these findings. DDR:je Attachment SALT CREEK RANCH EIR-89-3 CANDIDATE CEQA FINDINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 21081 OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT AND SECTION 15091 OF TITLE 14 OF THE CALIFORNIA ADMINISTRATION CODE AUGUST 1990 I. INTRODUCTION Section 21081 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires that no project shall be approved by a public agency when significant environmental effects have been identified, unless one of the following findings is made and supported by substantial evidence in the record: l) Changes or alterations have been required in or incorporated into the project which avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effect as identified in the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). 2) Changes or alterations are the responsibility of another public agency and not the agency making the fmcting. 3) Specific economic, social, or other considerations make infeasible the mitigation measures or project alternatives identified in the Final EIR. The following findings are made relative to the conclusions of the Final EIR for the proposed Salt Creek Ranch General Development Plan, Pre-zone and Annexation (SCH #89092721) and all documents, maps, and illustrations listed in Section VI of these findings. The project's discretionary actions include the following: · Sphere of influence boundary change and annexation to the City of Chula Vista; · General Development Plan (GDP) approval; and · P-C (planned community) zoning approval, The Salt Creek Ranch project includes approximately 1,200 acres of land in the southern foothills of San Miguel Mountain, north of EastLake Technology Park and northwest o.f Upper O~ay Lake. The project site is located in the northern portion of the .37 .square mile Eastern Territories as defined by the City of Chula Vista. Salt Creek Ranch ~s s~tuated on land currently under the jurisdiction of the County of San Diego; all but 240 acres in the extreme northeastern comer of the project site are within the City of Chula Vista's adopted Sphere of Influence. The original project proposed a maximum of 3,6~ residential units (834.5 acres), an equestrian center, nature center, community park, and neighborhood parks (total 60.8 acres of developed parks), natural open space (265.4 acres), an elementary site (10 acres), and major roads (34.3 acres). Analysis during preparation of the draft EIR revealed various environmental impacts. In response, the applicant refined the project description in an attempt to reduce or m'tigate those ~mpacts. Alternative A was resubmitted to the City as the revised General Development Plan. The public review process of the draft EIR identified further unm/tigated concerns and the Alternative A design was modified. This modified design represents the current General Development Plan; it is examined in the Response to Comments Section in the Final EIR. This design proposes 2,824 residential units (791.1 acres), two neighborhood parks (total 27 acres), two school sites (20 acres), two church sites (7 acres), and a fire station site (1 acre). The originally proposed nature .centex] and equestrian staging area were eliminated from the plan. Modified Alternative A is emuronmentally ~upedor to the project as originally proposed. The following findings are applicable to the project as revised and analyzed as the modhfied Alternative A in the Response to Comments section of the Final EIR. II. CITY OF CHULA VISTA FINDINGS 1) The City of Chula Vista. having reviewed and considered the information contained in the record and the Final EIR for the Salt Creek Ranch General .Development Plan, pre-zone, and annexation finds that changes have been incorporated into the project which mitigate, avoid, or reduce the level of identified impacts to insignificance or to levels acceptable to the City, by measures identified in thc Final Supplemental EIR, 2) The City of Chula Vista Planning Commission has determined that any remaining significant effects on the environment found to be unavoidable are acceptable due to overriding concerns. 3) The City of Chula Vista having reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final EIR and the record, finds that none of the significant environmental effects anticipated as a result of the proposed project are within the responsibility of another public agency except for ah- quality and water supply and water quality. 4) The City of Chnia Vista, having reviewed and considered the information contained in the Final EIR and the record, finds that no specific economic, social, or other considerations make infeasible the mitigation measures identified in the EIR. 5) The Planning Commission acknowledges that these Recommended CEQA Findings are advisory and do not bind the City Council from adopting findings to the contrary if they are supported by substantial evidence in the record, The City of ChuIa Vista's Threshold/Standards, adopted November 17, 1987, were developed to assure that the quality of life enjoyed by the City's residents is maintained while grov4h occurs. That quality of Life is also important to those who wish to develop within the City. Implementation of the Threshold/Standards program assures that significant, adverse impact~ are avoided or reduced through sound planning and that public services and the quality of the environment will be preserved and enhanced. Based on thes, e threshold/stand.ds, changes have been incorporated into the project to mitigate or avoid environmental effects. The iI issues addressed in the Threshold/Standards are discussed in Sections III, W. and V below. SIGNIFICANT, UNMITIGATED IMPACTS 1) Con vcr.~ig~n_.o f A mqcuJll.!ral Lan¢I~ _, .Dev. elop. m,ent of ~ther the ori~nal project or the modified Alt ' precmae me slte s use for barley ti,-,, e .... : .......... ernauve A would · ., ~; *,tmna[ aJin result in the loss of non-prime agricultural soil. Tbi~ impact is not significant oil a m'oiect-s ci ' conwibute to a cumulauve impact on the area's agricultur~ r~sourSceP~s, tic bas~s, but would No mitigation is proposed. No mitigation is proposed to mitigate the significant cumulative impact on the area's agricultural resources. 2) fimbe.0_~ Impact The project, in combination with the various development projects in the Eastern Territories area, would unavoidably contribute to a cumulative adverse effect on the existing natural landform and aesthetic character of the area. This impact would occur with either the original project or the modified Altemauve A. The proposed mitigation measures (Section IV.2, p. 8) would not mitigate this impact to below a level of significance. The only impact associated with landform alteration and aesthetics that cannot be mitigated to below a level of significance is the cumulative impact. (see Section IV.2) 3) The permanent loss of 89.6 acres of coastal sage scrub (119.6 acres affected minus 30 acres revegetated) and 19.9 acres native grassland are significant unmitigated impacts as defined by the General Plan. Mifieation Revegetation would partially mitigate the impacts, but ilot to below a level of significance. See Section IV.6 for a listing of biological mitigation measures. Potential impacts to coastal sage scrubs and native grassland are reduced through project redesign and revegatlon plans, but remain significant as defined by the General Plan. (see Section IV.6) lmmct fA~:.. ,Th? proj~.ct would con.tribute to an,u[lmit!gable cumulative alt quality impact on ~lunaa a~r quanty oecause me proposes oevetopment was not considered when the regional a/r quality attainment plans were formulated for the 1982 SIP Revisions for the 3 t-I;~t 62:'a~ 06. 6? ~'IiU San Diego region. This conclusion applies to both the original project and the modified Alternative A. The project will incorporate traffic flow improvements (e.g., road construction), and will identify bicycle routes and bus stops at the SPA Plan and subsequent stages of planning. The project site was designated as open space in the SANDAG Series V,VI, and VE gro.wth forecasts and thus represents growth that was not considered when the re~onal .air quality, attaLnment plans were formulated for the San Diego region. The m osed ' is currently a non-conforming use and therefore wonlrl ha,,,,,. -' '~ P p , .project ......... · - ~lgnlncant Cumulative air quality effects even after implementation of mitigation measures. It would continue to be a non-conforming use until it is included in the SANDAG forecast. (see Section IV. 10) Impact The project would contribute an incremental cumulative impact on the region's limited water supply sources. This conclusion applies to both the project as or/ginally proposed and the modifted Alternative A. · The use of reclaimed water is strongly encouraged and the project proponent shall make every attempt to develop such use. The project proponent shall, if feasible, negotiate an agreement with OWD to commit to the use of reclaimed water at the earliest possible date so that OWD can ensure that an adequate supply is available. If such an agreement is pursued, all documentation shall be subject to site-specific environmental analysis, and shall conform to the applicable regulations of the Regional Water Qu~ity Control Board and the State I)eprmrncnt of He,'dth Services. · Water conservation measures for onsite landscaping and for maintenance of .roads/de vegetation shall be created and implemented by the project proponent, m coordination w/th the City Public Works Department, the City's land,cape architect and ia consultation with OWl) or other qualified water agency/organization. Conservation measures are reconmnended by the State Resources Agency Department of Water Resources (see Appendix A of thc I-fiR), and include but ~e not limited to planting of drought tolerant vegetation and the use of irrigation systems which minimize runoff and evaporation loss (see also following measure). S[lm following water conservation measures shall be provided: implementation shall be approved prior to issuance of certificates of use and occupancy; a) Low-flush toilets (Section 17921.3, Health and Safety Code). b) Low-flush showers and faucets (California Administrative Code, Title 24, Par 6, Article 1, T204406F). c) Insulation of hot water lines in water recirculating systems (California Energy Commission). The cumulative impact to regional water supply cannot be mitigated to below a level of significance, (see Section IV.11) 6) Falm~ The project would contribute to a cumulative increas~ in demand for non-rewable energy resources. This conclusion applies to both the original project and the modified Altemaitve A. The project shall, to the extent feasible and to the satisfaction of the City, provide the following: · Encourage the use of public transit by providing bus loading zones at key locations on.sim. · Facilitate non-vehicular travel by incorporating bicycle and pedestrian trails onsite. implement efficient circulation systems including phased traffic control devices. · Adhere to updated Tire 24 building construction and design standards. · Install landscapin.g, that provid.es afternoon shade, reduces glare, encourages summer breezes, d~scourages winter breezes. · Minimize reflective and heat absorbing landscapes. · Reserve solar access and implement passive solar systems. · Develop dwellings on small lots to decrease indoor and outdoor heating and lighting requirements. Install energy-efficient appliances in residential developments. · Limit slxict l~gbfing and install energy efficient lights. · Demonstrate energy-conservation practices. · Use appropriate building design, orientation, landscaping and materials to maximize passive solar heating and cooling, and construct energy-efficient structures, subject to approval of the ORC, Building and Housing Department and the Planning Depa, iment. It is infeasible to mitigate the project's cumulative impact on non-rewable energy resources to below a level of significance. (see Section IV. 16) IV. SIGNIFICANT, M1TIGABLE IMPACTS Potential incompatibilities with adjacent land uses were identified for the orieinal project. Potential conflicts include the proposed developments s interface wit~ the EastLak¢ Business Park, the Upper Otay water supply reservoir, the Chula Vista Greenbelt, the SDG&E power easement, and the Otay Watex Disu'ict reclamation facility. Similar potential incompatibilities are identified for the modified Alternative A design, although less adverse impacts to the Upper Otay reservoir would occur as the modified plan eliminates the equestrian facility originally proposed adjacent to the reservoir. The originally proposed project was inconsistant with Section 6.2 of the Chula Vista General Plan Land Use Element because it proposed a density in thc high density range without providing exceptional and extraordinary benefits to the City. It was also inconsistant with Section 3,3 of the Housing Element because it did not address affordable housing. The modified Alternative A is consistant with the Land Use Element as it proposes a residential density at the midpoint of the density range. It is, however, inconsistant with Section 3.3 of the Housing Element as it does not address affordable housing. ~tigafion 1. With respect to the potential land use impacts at the EastLake Business Park/Salt Creek Ranch interface, the following shall be required: · To achieve an appropriate ~ansition between land uses, a duster approach shall be used. A cluster plan should create an open space buffer adjacent to the business park which could include recreation or park uses. · A buffer zone between the project and EastLake Business Park to the south will provide visual and spatial separation between the residential area and employment park land uses and will help to avoid adverse noise impacts. Final approval shall be by the City's landscape architect. · Techniques to accomplish this objective include va~able setbacks and extensive landscaping within the buffer area. Specific measures are to be defined in the SPA Plan with final approval by the City's landscape architect · Final design (SPA Plan, Site Plans) of the planning areas on the southern border of the site shall specifically address the land use interface and shall be subject to approval by the Design Review Committee (DRC). 2. With respect to the potential impact of development in the vicinity of Otay Lakes Reservoir, the following is required: · Storm drainage and wastewater from residential areas in the Salt Creek Ranch development will be collected in utility systems to be provided and diver~ed away from the reservoir (see Section 3.5, 3.6 and 3.13 of the EIR; plans to be approved by the City Engineering Department). 6 Detailed design in the SPA Plan shall .address the viewshed condition from the reservoir to developed areas of the project site. Design will incorporate specific techniques to mitigate view impacts, including site plan orientation, grading techniques, landscaping and architectural design. Final approval shall be by the DRC. 3. With respect to the potential impact on the Chula Vista Greenbelt, the following is required: · The Salt Creek drainage through the project site shall be retained in approved open space uses. Extensive plantings (approved by USFWS and the City Parks & Recr??io.~.De.part?ent an,d City Landscape Architect prior to final map approvaJ) wam~n me orainage nas occured and the existing stand of eucalyptus and pepper trees will be retained. The SPA Plan shall define in an Ot~.en Space Plan and Chapter guidelines for open space uses, buffer treatment, maintenance and natural resource management. 4. An additional mitigation measure: · Land use ompanbfl~ty mapacts relauve to the Otay Water District reclamation facility shall be mit/gated by implementing various design techniques to be identified in the project SPA Plan. Such techniques shall include orientation of residential structures to minimize view of the facility, as well as the establishment of vegetative and spatial buffers between structures and the facility. 5. The inconsistency with the General Plan will be mitigated by the following: · The developer shall explore, in an affordable housing program, methods to devote at least 10 percent of the dwelling units to low and moderate income housing. The program shall be developed prior to or concurrent with the SPA Plan process and shall be subject to Planning Comm/ssion review and approval, 11 significant land use impacts will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the implementation of the mitgiafion measures delineated above. 2) fig,Sfl~C~ The proposed development woulfl significantly alter the landform and visual character of the site. This conclusion apphes to both the original project and the modified Alternative A. Site D_e,sLgrt.~easure s · The Salt Creek corridor has been extensively pl.anted as part of the project to recreate the environmental character of the area prior to agricaltural use. As part of the SPA Plan process, an Open Space Plan and Landscape Plan and associated guidelines shall be created and approved by the City Parks and Recreation Department and City landscape architect. Urb.an design standards, further refined in the SPA Plan, shall reinforce the ,senn-rural/ranch character of the community with .... :,:..: ..... -- - .. . ~., o,.,,~,,v, ty to natural tanatorn], ann use or landform grading along major transportation con'idors and in high wsibility areas. · Grading shall be minimized with respect to natural landform. Landform grading sensitive to existing topography to the extent feasible and acceptable to the City Planning Department shall be used along major streets and in high visibility areas to maintain a natural viewshed and enhance the character of the · - ,p ?unmng, ooscunng stope armnage s~ructures by m. assing plant materials, ~ana.~erm grading on large slope bands, attd use of planting mater/als to control erosion. · Visually prominent slopes and vista points shall be preserved to the maximum extent feasible and acceptable to the City Planning and Parks/Recreation · Slopes of 25 percent or greater shalI be preserved to the maximum extent feasible and acceptable to the City. · Introduction of manufactured slopes in areas designated as natural open space (with environmental sensitivity, as defined in Section 3.7) shall be prohibited, exc.ept where necessary to construct roads, trails or other public facilities, subject to the approval of the City Engineer and Director of Parks and Recreation. Such manufactured slopes shall be rcvegetated with indigenous species as recommended by the project biologist. · Village identity and character shall be defined in the SPA Plan by architectural style; design and detailing of site improvements such as wails, fences, and signage; and landscape theme, subject to City SPA Plan approval. During site design, emphasis shall be placed on mftigatSng views toward the development from the Chula Vista Greenbelt. Speclal attention to these relationships along the Salt Creek drainage on site will be provided. The SPA PI~ shall identify guidelines and measures which shall be implemented by the DRC. Scenic Highway Measures · Design review for development adjacent to designated scenic roadways is required. Special attention sha/l be given to areas Jn proximity to Salt Creek ~uch as Hunte Parkway,. The SPA Plan shall establish guidelines and measures y which to conFtnn n~tigat.ion and protect/on of scenic highway resources. Finding Implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above will reduce the project- specific impacts to below a level of significance. (See Section 111.2) Oeotectnieal constraints to development onsite include difficulty in rock extraction, soil and topsoil removal, and slope nstabfitty. Seismic ground acceleration and seiche potential exists. Conclusions and recommendations of the February 1988 and August 1988 · GeoSoils reports, pages 23 through 42, and 24 through 39, respectively, shall be adhered to in accordance with City procedures, subject to approval of the City Engineer prior to any tentative map approvals. The reports' conclusions and recommendations are included as Appendix B of the E/R; the reports are on file at the City Planning and Engineering Departments. Recommendations therein cover the following tol~ies, actions and potential impacts: ripping, soil removals, slope stability/grading, erosion control, sub-surface water control, earthwork grading and balancing, soil expansion, slope design, grading guidelines, foundation recommendations, retaini e ,l! ,~,~i,,, maintenance and planting, and procedures for grading plan review. Implementation of the geology and soils mitigation measures will mitigate the potential geotechnical hnpaets to below a level of significance. 4) Hydrology Impact The modified Alto-native A plan would create less impervious surface area than the origin,sl plan. Either project would increase impervious surface area, resulting in altered drainage courses and increased flow ~tcs downslreo, rn. · Upon preparation of detailed development plans (i.e., prior to SPA Plan approval or Tentative Map submittal), a registered civil en .gineer shall conduct hydrologic and hydraulic.analysis of the project. Th~s analysis shall be conducted in accordance w~th City of Chula Vista guidelines and shall include but not be limited to sizing of onsite drainage facilities; design of energy dissipators at drain outlets; verification that downstream drainage facilities including natural channels can accommodate any increase flow rate, and identification of improvements, if necessm'y, to aec6mmodate increased flows; verification of the adequacy of the Eastlake Business Centre storm drain: evahmt~on of enhancements of natural drainage courses. Drainage facilities and e,n. ergy dissipators shall be constructed in accordance with the ap. proved hydra.u?c analysis and shM1 be in place and functioning prior to Complelaon of the grading operation. All significant impacts will be raitigated to below level of significance by the i ..... a nlplementataon of the rmtzgat~on measures delineated above. The origin.al p. roject propose~l development of over 400 acres in the Otay reservoirs watershed. Potentaal unpacts associated with watershed development include urban runoff, sewage spills, and.sedimenta.tion. An equestrian center was proposed adjacent to the Upper Otay rescrvmr; this facihty could cause potential water quality impacts. ,.. .The .modified Alt?rnafive A proposes a reduced density residential development and e~lmmares me propose, a equestrian facility. Potential water quality impacts would be reduced, but still poten~ally significant. ]~Litigation The project.shall be subject to review and approval by the State Department of Health Servtces (DHS). The project shall implement mitigation measures as set by DHS prior to issuance of any grading permit. · Prior to or concurrent with SPA Plan approval, a diversion ditch plan, or other acceptable plan to handle drainage to the Otay Drainage Basin, shall be prepared and approved by the City.of Chula Vista, City of San Diego and DHS. The plan shall analyze the possibility o.f sewage system failu~, es; eff,e~.ts of i~l. creased levels of nutrients salts and pesttcides from landscaplng and aTigataon; and effects of petroleum products from surface street runoff. Additional environmental analysis may be required based on the specific drainage ditch or other plans. Design of these plans shall also consider providing additional capacity for concurrent or future development. · The project proponent shall submit a erosion control plan prepared by a registered civil engineer and a registered landscape architect in accordance with Cty of Chula %sta design standards. The plan shall be approved prior to iss,.uance of ga'adJ~g permits and shall include placement of sandbags, temporary sexliment ba,~ins, and an erosion coat'rol maintenance plan. The !aroje. ct proponent shall submit a storm drain plan prepared by a registered civil engineer in accordance with City of Chula Vista design standards. The plan must be approved prior to the issuance of grading permits and shall includu permanent erosion control facilities. 10 Fgnding Implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above and changes ?c, orpo~ted.int.o the project will mitigate all project and cumulative water quality impacts to oelow a level oi significance. 6) Biological Resources · ._ Impacts to riparian habitat, California gnatcatehers and cactus wrens would be s~gm. ticam but mifigable. Impacts to 0.7 acre of riparian wetlancls would be mitigated by on-stte habitiat creation and/or enhancement at a recommended 2:1 ratio. Coastal sage scrub is left intact in sufficiently large blocks to aecomodate 4 of the $ gnatcatcher pairs knows on site. The modified Alternative A design avoids impacts to all 3 catus wren habitats. * ~ ,.,m_o_st, app.ro.priate ar? for. wetland ha.bitat creation occurs in Salt Creek. ~ree~c exists at an elevatton appropriate to support wetland habitats or could be graded down to an appropriate elevation with minimal soil displacement. This area would then be contiguous with existing wetlands, thereby enlarging and enhancing those areas. Approximately 1.A acres of ~cred habi~t sh~all be created or enhanced onsite to mitigate for the loss of age at a 2:1 ratio as a result of project implementation. Sufficient habitat exists onsite which would be suitable for wetland revegetation or enhancement techniques. A habitat plan shall be coordinated and negotiated prior to any SPA Plan approval. ° Habitat replacement or enhancemant mitigation measures which are agreed upon (prior to SPA P!an approval) shall be thoroughly evaluated and defined in a specific m~tigation plan. This plan shall be approved by the resource agencies, and shall provide for short- and long-term monitoring and maintenance of the replacement habitat. The plan will also identify mitigation locations, and provide a more precise wetland habitat quality ev,aluatlon by the regulatory, agencies, resulting in specific replacement or ennancement acreages, numbers and types of plant species to be used, and planting techniques. ° Selective grading shall be required and enforced, i.e., only areas immediately subject to development should be graded. o Erosion prevention measures such as fences, hay bales, and/or detention basins shall be onsite during development and in place prior to construction. Manufactured slopes and disturbed grassland in open space areas shall be revegetated with native scrub species found .in the area. Revegetation of these areas would have the benefits of potentially providing habitat for the California black-tailed gnatcatcher, increasing the quality of the riparian buffer in selected areas, and reducing the probability of normative andscapmg materials invading natural habitats. Species suitable for this revegetat/on include the following: 11 Arternisia california California Sagebrush Eriogonumfasciculatum Flat-topped Buckwheat Lott~ scoparius Deerweed Salvia rnellOeera Black Sage Sa/v/a aptera White Sage Haplopappus venetus Goldenbush Eschsclvolzia californica C. alifonzia Poppy Lupinus spp. Lupine The coastal sage scrub r~vegetation areas shall be effectively hydroseeded, followed by a tackified straw mulch. Materials and seed mixes may be ~h.a_n, ged only with the approval of the project biologist/horticulturist and the ity s landscape architect. This habitat shall be irrigated as needed for the tn'st year to accelerate establishment and coverage. The hydroseeding shall be completed in the sutumer, if possible, so as to establish cover prior to the rainy season. A number of annual species are included in the hydroseed mixture (California poppy and lupines) to provide color to the slopes. The species should reseed themselves yearly. The developer shall agree to participate in a regional multi-species coastal sage scrub conservation plan. If, prior to approval &the grading plan for Sub-area 3, an acceptable off-site regional wildlife corridor linking San Miguel Mountain with the Upper Otay Reservoir has not been adopted as part of the conservation plan, then development of the 17 acre R-L development area in the eastern portion of the property shall not occur and a reeonfiguration &the northeastetu R-L area to provide a wider open space area for a regional wildlife corridor shall be implemented. The width &the open space area shall be sufficient to ensure long-term viability of the wildlife corridor, per Figure I contained in the EIR staff report. This considition shall also be applied to conditions of the Tentative Subdivision Map. The GDP map shall be revised to delete development within a buffer area around the identified cactus wren nest site. An equal amount of native grassland acreage located in the northern part of Sub-area 3 may be included wlth~n the northeasterumost development area in exchange for the cactus wren preservation area. Heavy equipment and construction activities shall be restricted to the ..grading areas to the greatest degree possible in order to reduce dffeet ~mpacts to wetland habitat. Con~trucuon of cut and fill slopes, and equipment used for this construction, will be kept within the limits of grading. Prohibited activities in fl~e wetland habitat include staging area& equipment access, and disposal or temporary placement of excess fill. Construction limits and wetland habitat shall be flagged by a qualified biologist. Congtruction activities shall be monitored by m~ onsite inspector to ensure that grading activities do not affect additional acreage. Any unauthorized impacts canse by construction operations woukt require that thc contractor replace al/ habitat to its original condition, with wetland habitat potentially being restored at greater that a 2:1 ratio. 12 · Fueling of equipment shall not oexur in any portion of the site near any intermittent stream or the watershed of Otay reservoir. · Areas de~gnated as natural open space shall not be grubbed, cleared, or graded, but left in their natural state. · To ensure that contractors are fully aware of specific restrictions of the project, such as staging areas, limits of fill, no vehicle zones, and other appropriate regulations, information shall be clearl7 shown on the consmaction plans. Contractors shall be fully aware of the sensitivities and restrictions prior to bidding. In the event that a fire or fuelbreak is deemed necessary, plant species used in this area shall be noninvasive, so as to reduce h'npacts to remaining native vegetation. Suitable species from a biolog/cal standpoint would be low growing, moderately fire-retardant, native species such as prostrate coyote hush (Bacctmris pilularis var. piluIaris). · No clearing of brush shall be allowed outside the fire or fuelbreak, and no fuelbreak clearing will be allowed in sensitive habitat areas. In general, the limits of the fuelbreak will be measured from the building pads. The width of the fuelbreak may be reduced by the use of low-growing, fm~-reta~dant species (see above measure). Plants in riparian and/or natural areas within the project's boundaries shall not be trimmed or cleared for aesthetic purposes. Revegetation of cut slopes external and/or adjacent to natural open space shall be accomplished with native plant species which presently occur onsite or are typical .f.? the area. Suitable species include Califom. ia sagebrush (Artemisia california), flat-top buckwheat (Eriogonum fasc~culatu, rn ssp. fasciculatum), black sage (Salvia rnellifera), and San Diego sunflower (Viguiera laciniata). If this area is hydroseeded, measures shall be taken to ensure the exclusion of nonnafive, weedy species from the mixture. Fencing shall be installed as feasible and acceptable to the City's Environmental Review Coordinator around the natural open space area to prevent adverse impacts to biological resources from domestic pets and human activity. An alternative would be the planting of barrier plant species that .would discourage pedestrian activity into open space areas. Nonaative species would not be acceptable as barrier plantines within onen ~,,-,-,~ incas. No active uses shall be planned in the op~en space/e[sem~eS~"t~s~ including building structures or construction of trails through this area unless approved by the City. Landscaping around buildings shall utilize noninvasive exotic species or preferably, native plant species found in the area. Species present onsite, such as desert elderberry (Sambttcl~; mexicana) and California buckwheat, would be suitable for planting. · The City of Chula Vista shall assure the long-term conservation of remaining native habitat onsite (wetlands and uplands) by dedicating these areas as part of a .natural open space easement. The City shall place an open space easement m this acreage which would eliminate future building 13 activity and, in effect, set this area aside for the preservation of wildlife. Trails which would promote pedestrian activity in open space areas shall be carefully designed, hut when created at the expense of wildlife shall not be constructed. Impacts to riparian wetland habitat, California gnatcatchers, and cactus wrens would all be n~Jtigated to below a level of significance through project modifications and the mitigation measures delineated above. (See Section III.4) 7) Cultural Resources Project development would adversely affect seventeen prehistoric and historic sites. The site possesses a high potential for paleontological resources. Similar impacts would occur under either the original project or the modified Alternative A. · Mitigation of impacts to important cultural resources will be achieved through either avoidance or by conducting a data recovery program. Avoidance could include capping sites with 2 feet of fill and incorporating these sites or certain sites into the Salt Creek Park system (Chula Vista Greenbel0. · If avoidance of archaeological/historic resources cannot be achieved, a data recovery .program to mitigate development impacts to important cultural resource sztes (listed in Table 3-8 of the EIR) shall be conducted, including monitoring or, where necessary, surface collection and. mapping of artifacts, and a phased data recovery program. Reconunendations ~dentified in Table 3-8 of the EIR shall be utilized as the basic framework for the mitigation plan. This phased approach would employ a random sample in conjunction with a focused ~ inventory for features (i.e., hearths, burials). The data recovery program shall be in accordance with a regional approach for all prehistoric sites within Salt Creek Ranch, Salt Creek I and EastLake III, thereby allowing a comprehensive understauding for these Early Period sites. This regional understanding would also be in agreement with the Bonita-San Miguel Archaeological District The data recovery program shall follow the Advisory Council's guidelines as defined within Treatment of Archaeological Properlies, A Handbook (ACHP 1980). The treatment plan should be oriented to address local and regional research questions and clearly identify the methods to be used to address the research questions. Research questions which should be addressed are listed on pages 5-6 and 5-7 of the June 1989 Salt Creek Ranch Cultural Resource Evaluation on file at the City Planning Department. Prior to issuance of a mass-grading permit the developer shall present a letter to the City of Chula Vista indicating that a qualified paleontologist has been re 'rained to carry out resource mitigation. · A qualified p,'deontologist and archaeologist shall be at the pre-grade meeting to consu!t w~h the grading and excavation con,actors. 14 * A paleontological monitor shall be onsite at all times during the original cutting or previously undisturbed sediments of the Otay Formation to inspect cuts for contained fossils (the Otay Formation occurs generally above 680 feet elevation). The Sweetwater Formation shall be monitored on a half-time basis. Periodic inspections of cuts involving the Santiago Peak Voleanies shall be conducted in accordance with recommendations of the qualified paleontologist. · In the event that well-preserved fossils are discovered, the paleontologist (or paleontological monitor) shall be allowed to temporarily direct, divert, or halt grading to allow recovery of fossil remains in a timely manner. Because of the potential for the recovering of small fossil remains such as isolated mammal teeth, it may be necessary to set up a screen-washing operation on the site. * Fossil remains collected during any salvage program shall be cleaned, serted, and cataloged and then with the owner's permission, deposited in a scientific institution with paleontological collections such as the San Diego Natural . History Museum. All significant cultural, historic, and paleontological impacts will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the implementation of the mitigation measures above. 8) Traffic Impact The original proposed project would generate 36,440 ADT, The cumulative tr~fic levels at buildout would result in levels of service (LOS) D or worse along four roadway segments. Modified Alternative A would geuerate 28,240 ADT and would result in similar cumulative txaffic impacts. · East H Street through the project shall be designed to provide for the ultimate cross-section of 6 lanes west of Flume Parkway and 4 lanes east of Hunte Parway consistent with City of Chula Vista design criteria. Construction phasing shall be determined by the City in coordination with the ECVTPP. c~.Uture, additJonal...rlght-of-way along this roadway may be required, at the screnon of the u~ty Traffic Engineer, due to future traffic volumes generated by the Otay Ranch project to the south and east. Unsignalized project access points shall be spaced no closer than 0.25 mile apart. · Lane Avenue shall be constructext to ultimate Class I Collector standards, from its existing northern terminus at the project's southern boundary to East H Street, consistent with the City of Chula Vista's design criteria. Construction phasing shall be determined by the City and, if necessary, coordinat~ with the ECVTPP. o The Circulation Element roadways of Hunte Parkway and Lane Avenue will requh'e intersection lane configurations designed in accordance with the City's street design staudards and/or as required by the (City Traffic Engineer). 15 ST ',3 3_:~3 8:-S:9T ©~,, ;,2 t,iqt~ Implementation/phasing shall occur (as directed by the City) to accommodate forecast buildout daffy traffic volumes: · Traffic signals shall be installed on a schedule determined by the City at the intersections of East H Street with both Lane Avenue and Hume Parkway. Signals will be activated when warrants ,are met or at the discretion of the City Traffic Engineer. · Specific project access and internal circulation plans (including bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian routes and crossings) shall be provided to the satisfaction of the City Traffic Engineer at the SPA Plan (general level) and Tentative Map (detailed level) stages of approval. · To fully mitigate project impacts onto local roads, the project shall participate towards off-site improvements on a fair share basis with other area developers consistent with development assumptions and network improvements within the adopted East Chula Vista Transportation Phasing Plan (ECVTPP). The Salt Creek Ranch project shall also comply with any additional requirements (i.e. road improvements or impact fees) defined in future revisions and updates to the ECVTPP, as it pertains to the project's impacts onto the circulation system. Compliance shall be verified via review and approval of the SPA Plan and tentative maps by the City Traffic Engineer. All significant impacts will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above, 9) ~oise Traffic-generated and urban noise would result from project implementation. Noise modeling indicates that future onsite noise levels adjacent to the Hunte Parkway, Lane Avenue and 'East H Street would exceed 65 dB(A) CNEL. Mitigation o Pomntially significant onsite exterior noise impacts due to vehicular traffic along particular noise-sensitive land uses proposed by the General D~welopment Plan (i.e., neighborhood parks, elementary school and single-family residential) shall b~ mitigated by specific measm'es outiined in sul~sequent, site-specific noise analyses to be conducted at the SPA Plan level. Potentially significant interior noise impacts shall be mitigated through the reduction of exterior noise levels to below 60 dB(A) in residential areas (assuming the incorporation of standard building materials), or through the use of enhanced building materials such as sound rated windows or insulation. A detailed site-specific acoustical an,'tlysis, to be conducted of the SPA Plan level, shall identify where this reduction is necessary and how il will be attained. Performance of effective mitigation will require reducing interior noise levels in qingle-fami!y unit~ ~ 45 dB(A) CNEL or bclow. 16 Future ons!te cumulative noise impact? will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the maplementation of the mit~ganon measures above. 10) ~ Local short-term air quality impacts would result from grading and construction activities. The following measures shall be adhered to, subject to approval by the City, to reduce short-term pollutant emissions: · Heavy-duty construction equipment with modified combustion/fuel injection systems for emissions conlrol shall be utilized during grading and construction. Use watering or other dust palliatives to reduce fugitive dust; emissions reductions of about 50 percent can be realized by implementation of these measures. Disturbed areas shall be hydroseeded, landscaped, or developed as soon as possible and as directed by the City to reduce dust generation. . Trucks hauling fill matea~al shall be properly covered. · A 20 mile-per-hour speed limit shall be enforced on unpaved surfaces. Short-term air quality impacts will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the ~mplementauon of the mtfigauon measures delineated above. (See Section III.4) 1i) 3attar The tray Water District's Central Area Master Plan assumed development of the site. Development of the project would require conslruction of elements of the master plan including pump stations, transmission lines and a reservoir. J¥[itigatioll Prior to issuance of building permits, the project site shall either be annexed by OWD into Improvement District No. 22 or a new Improvement District shall be ew~iS~,}tb~?hv~o_r Ce p.rojee~a..re~ In ad.diti.on, the project developer shall obtain w~ ~nncauon from tJWL~ at each plaase of development that the tract or parcel will be provided adequate water serVice (will-serve letter). * Prior to approval of any SPA Plan within Salt Creek Ranch, a Water Master Plan (and/or Agreement) shall be prepared and approved (by the City Engineer and OWD) for the Salt Creek Ranch development project. The Plan shall identify total and incremental water demand; specific facilities (size, location, etc.) including servicing in the 980 and 1296 Pressure Zones; implementation/phasing; and paxticipation ia the water allocation program and TSF financing program, encompassing this project and othe~ projects in the OWD Master Plan service axea. The Plan shall delineate at a more detailed level the recommendations of the April 1989 and October 1989 Wilson reports and July 1989 Graves report (Appendix C), All significant impacts associated with water delivery will be mitigated by the implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above. (See Section 12) Development of the project would require the construction of sewers. No significant impacts to sewage treatment capacity are expected. · Prior to approval of any SPA Plan within Salt Creek Ranch, a Wastewater Master Plan and/or Agreement for the project shall be prepared by the proponent and approved by the City Engineer. The Plan shall identify total a~d incremental .wastewater generation, specific, facilities required, funding an~,d implementauon/phasing in relation tO this project and other associated project s phasing in the area. The Plan shall confirm that the entire project can be sewered to the Telegraph Caayon Trunk Sewer, shall further detail the April 1989 Wilson repo~ and shall be coordinated with and/or conform to the City's Public Works Facility Plan, when complete. (Note that sewer upgrades, including effects ou downstream facilities, will be required wherever the sewer exceeds the design capacity.) The project sba/! be subject to payment of wastewater deve opment fees (to fund truak sewer and ot~er upgrades) or equivalent proportionate facility financing mechanism identified by the City, when adopted. Payment shall occur prior to issuance of building permits or earlier. All significant impacts associated with sewer service will be mitigated by the implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above. 13) Development of the project would increase demands for police services in the area. 18 Mifieation The project is subject to adherence to City threshold standards and criteria for police protection service. The project applicant shall contribute to the City's General Fund. Implementation of the above mit/gation measure will mitigate the impact to below a level of significance. 14) Schools . The original project would gen.~.ate up to 1093 elementary students, 692 junior hlgldmiddle school students and 364 hlgh school students. The modified Alternative A would generate approximately 847 elementary school students, 537 junior high/middle school students and 282 high school students. The Chula Vista City School District (CVCSD) and Sweetwater Unio.n. High School District would be unable to accomodate these new students in exisling faczlit~es. The original plan proposed one elementary school site, located along East H Street. The modified Alternative A plan includes two elementary school sites, located away from large streets. * W ' he ..project shall, adhere to General Plan threshold criteria regarding school facilmes and servmes. Prior to SPA Plan approval, the project proponent shall provide documentation comrtrming elementary school site locations and CVCSD approval of school locations on Salt Creek Ranch. This approval shall entail site location, size and configuration of schools, with provisions for access and pedestrian safety to the satisfaction of CVCSD. Funding shall also be addressed and conf'rrmed in accordance with CVCSD procedures. . Prior to SPA Plan approval, the project proponent shall provide doc.umentation to the City confirming satisfaction of SUHSD facility fimding requa'ements to offset Salt Creek Ranch student generation impacts. Funding ould likely be W ' satisfied via formulation of a Mel]o Roos CFD or other means acceptable to SUHSD. · .P,ri_,o,r to~?.suanc, e of any.~buil.ding, perm!_ts._0n Salt Creek Ranch, the pro orient anal~ omam written venncat~on zrom CVCSD and SUHSD (will-serve lP~tters) that adequate school facilities and associated financing will be provided for project generated students. All significant impacts associated with schools MI1 be rn/tigated to below a level of significance by the implementation of the mitigation measures delineated above. 19 15) Parks. Recreation and O~en Sp~CE ~'l?tpact .Aec. ording..to the Cit),. 's parkland standard, the original 1)rooosed ~)roieet generate a aemana ror approximately 35 acres of public parkland. ~he'modi~e~ A plan would generate a demand for approximately 26 acres of parkland. Both project designs meet the minimum p~kland acreage requirements. The project shall adhere to General Plan Threshold Standards. · The project shall comply with the City Local Park Code requirements. · The project SPA Plan shall further define the boundaries, acreage and manner of open space preservation (e.g. dedicated open space; preservation easements) on the Salt Creek Ranch property in a form and manner acceptable to the City Parks and Recreation Department and Planning Department. All significant impacts re!atcd to parks .and recreation will be mitigated by the implementation of the mitigauon measures dehneated above. 16) The project will requir~ the extension of San Diego Gas and Electrlc services. Any re~rea~onal/trail use of the emsement must b~ coordinattxt w~th SDG&E. The SPA Plan shall mom clearly identify the recreational uses proposed for the SDG&E easement in the site's northeast; uses shall be subject to the approval of the City and SDG&E. ~ . ,All sig.ni.fic .ant impacts associated with energy will be mitigated by im lementation ot the aoove m[ttgauon mea~sums with the exception of the cumulative impact, p 17) Public Transit kmpact servicesD, evelopment of thc project would create a demand for extended Chula Vista Transit L~ilJ~tion · Prior tS final site plan approval, the developer shall consult with City Planning and C~ty Tr~sit staff regarding lecation of transit £a¢ilities (i.e., bus stops} 2O onsite, Should there be a need for such facilities, site design shall provide for said facilities, subjec~ to review and approval by the City. All significant impacts related to public transit will be mitigated by the implementation of the mitigation measure delineated above. 18) Libraries Development of the project would contribute to the cumulative increase in demand for library services. · The project applicant shall adhere to General Plan library thresholds, and shall participate in any funding programs creat~ for financing of a library facility (i.e., developer fees, Mello-Roos Commumty Facilities District for Salt Creek Ranch, etc.) to serve the vicinity, as deemed appropriate by the City. All significant irapacts associated with library services will be mitigated to below a level of significance by the mitigation measure delineated above. V. INSIGNIFICANT IMPACTS I) $oJid Waste - No significant impacts were identified for the project; regional plans for solid waste disposal will mitigate regional impacts. VI. THE RECORD For the purposes of CEQA and these findings, the record of the Planning Conunission and City Council relating to these actions include the following: 1) Advisory Council Historic Preservation (ACHP). 1980. 2) American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Checklist of North American Birds. 6th Edition. American Ornithological Union, [Washington, D.C.]. 3) Ah' Pollution Control District (APCD) I986 Draft Progress in Air Pollution Control During 1985. San Diego. June. 4) Attwood J.L. 1988. Speciation and geographic variation in black-tailed gnatcatcbers. Ornithological Monograph 42. 74 pp. 5) Atwood, .1'. 1980. The United States distribution of the California black-tailed gnatcatcher. Western Birds 11:65-78. 6) Bauder, E. T. 1986. San Diego Vernal Pools, recent and projected losses; their conditions; and threats the their existence 1979-1990. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Endangered Species. 21 7) Beauchamp, R. M, 1986. A flora of San Diego County. Sweetwater River Press. 241 pp. 8) CaLifornia Administrative Code, Tide 24, Chapter I, Subchapter I, Article 4. 9) California Aclministnative Cede, Tide 24, Par 6, Article 1. T20-l~O6F. I0) California Department of Fish and Game. 1985. Designated endangered or rare plants. The Resources Agency, June 19. 11) California Depa~Lment offish and Game. 1965. California Fish and Wildlife Plan. The Resources Agency, Volume 3(c):908. 12) California Department of Health Services (DHS). Letter addressed to County of San Diego. 13) ChulaVista, Cityof. 1989. MunicipalCode. 14) Chula Vista, City of. 1988-89. City of Chula Vista Proposed Budget. 15) Chula Vista, City of. 1988. Noise Element of General Plan. 16) Chula Vista, City of. 1974. Scenic Highway Element of the Chula Vista General Plan. 17) Chula Vista, City of. 1982. Chula Vista General Plan, EastLake Policy Plan, City Council Resolution No. 10996, September 7. 18) Chula Vista, City of. 1982. Housing Element. 19) Chula Vista, City of. 1989a, General Plan Update. March. 20) Chula Vista, City of. t989b. General Plan Update EIR 88-2. March. 21) Chula Vista, City of. 1989. Draft Fire Station Master Plan. March. 22) Chula Vista, City of. 1989. Planning Department, Cultural Resources Testing and Evaluation of the Salt Creek Ranch Pmj~t, June. 23) Chula Vista, County of. 1983. Conservation Eleraen[ (Part X) of the County General Plan. Planning Depa~'tment, GPA-80-61. 24) Corwardin, L. M., F. C. Golet, and E. T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Interior, December. 25) Demere, T.A. 1986. EastLake: "A new chapter in the geolo~c history of San Diego County," £nvironmental Southwest 515:9-13. 26) Demere, T.A. 1988. Early Arikareem~ (Late Oligocene) vertebrate fossils and biosu~tigraphic correlations of the Otay Fomuation at F. astLake, San Diego Counly, California. In Filewicz, M. V. and Squires, R. L. (eds.), Paleogene Stratigraphy, 22 West Coast of North American, Pacific Section S.E.P.M., West Cast Paleogene Symposium Vol. 58, p.35-43, 27) ERCE. 1989. Phase I Report, Amber Ridge California gnatcatcher study. Prepared for Weingarten, Siegel, Fletcher Group, Inc. 28) ERC Environmental and Energy Services Company. Noi~ Modeling for 'EastLake III. 29) Everett, W. T. 1979. Threatened, declining and sensitive bLrd species in San Diego County. San Diego Audubon Society, Sketches, Sune. 30) F&G Regulations (code NO. 6.26 of Chapter 3, Article 1) 31) Federal Highway Administration. 1978. Highway Traffic Noise Prediction Model (FHWA-RD-77-108), December. 32) Grinnell, J. and A. H. Miller. 1944. The distribution of the birds of California. Pacific Coast Avifauna 27. 33) I-IBW Associates, Inc. 1986. Master Plan for the Chula Vista Public Library Drift, December. 34) Holland, R.F. 1986. Preliminary Descriptions of the Terrestrial Natural Communities of California. Nongame-Heritage Program, California Department of Fish and Game. October. 35) Jennings, M.R. 1983. An annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of California. California Department offish and Game 69(3):151-171. 36) $ohn McTighe & Associates. I989. City of Chula Vista Salt Creek One Fiscal Impact Analysis. April. 37) Jones, $. K., Jr., D. C, Carter, H, H. Genoways, R. S. Hoffman, and D. W. Rice. 1.982. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico. Oc. evaional Papers of the Museum Texas Tech. University 80:1-22. 38) Kuper T. IL 1977. Reconnaissance of the marine sedimentary rocks of sonthwestern San D!ego ~County, Pl.ates 1-4; in G. T. Farted (ed.) Geology of southwestern San D;ego t-ounty and northwestern Baja California. Guidebook, San Diego Association of Geologists. 39) Mestre C-rene Associates. 1989. Noise Analysis for Salt Creek 1, Ma~ch. 40) Munz, P. A. 1974. A flora of southern California. University of California Press, Berkeley. 1086 pp. 41) Oberbauer, T.A. 1979a. Distribution and dynamics of San Diego County grasslands. Unpublished M.A. theses, San Diego S ' ' ' rate Umverszty, San Diego. 42) Otay Water District Central Area Master Update. 1987. 43) P&D Technologies. 1988. Traffic Analysis for EastLake I, (ADT volumes) December. 44) P&D Technologies. 1989. Draft EIR City of Chula Vista General Plan Update, Mar~h. 45) Pacific Southwest Biological Services (PSBS). 1981. 46) Pacific Southwest Biological Services (PSBS). 1982. 47) Rea, A. M. 1986. Cactus Wren. In A. R. Philips (ed.) Known Birds of North Middle American. Part 1. Denver Museum of Natural History. p. 119. 48) RECON. 1987. Home range, nest site, and territory parameters of the black-tailed gnatcatcher population on the Rancho Santa Fe Highlands study area. September. 49) RECON. 1988. Survey of Biological Resources on the Baldwin Property. Sanuary. 50) Reinen, R. FI. 1978. Notice of exercise of Section 404 jurisdiction over certain streams and wetlands in California. Los Angeles District, Corps of Engineers. July 15. 51) R. emsen, V. 1978. The species of special eonce~, list: an annotated list of aeclining or vulnerable birds in California. Western Fteld Ornithologist, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. 52) San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). 1985. Final Series 6 Regional Growth Forecasts, 1980-2000. 53) San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). 1987. Draft Series 7 Regional Growth Forecasts. 54) San Diego Association of Governments (SANE)AG). 1988. Traffic Generators Manual, Suly. 55) SDHS (San Diego Herpetological Society). 1980. Survey and status of endangered and threatened species of reptiles natively oceurfin~ in San Die County. Prepared for Fish and Wildlife Committee, San Diego~IDepar~ment got Agriculture, 33 pp. 56) Section 17921.3, Health and Safety Code. 57) Smith, 1. P. and K. Berg. 1988. Inventory of rare and endangered vasculax plants of California. California Native Plant Society, Special Publication No. 1, 4th edition. 58) Smith, J. p., Sr. and R. York. 198~. Inventory of r~e and endangered vascular plants of California. California Native Plant Society. special publication no. I (3rd Edition). 59) Tate, ~T., Jr. 1986. The Blue Lis of 1986. American Birds 40:227-236. 60) Tare, J., Jr., and D. J. Tare. 1982. The Blue List for 1982. American Birds 35(1):3-10. 61) United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1986. Corps of Engineers wetland delineation manual. Environmental Laboratory., Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MI. Technical report, pp. 9-86 62) United States Environmental Protection Agency, Compilation_ of Air Pollution l~mission Factors. AP-42, Supplement 7. 63) United States Fish and Wildlife Service: 1985a. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants: Review of plant taxa for listing as endangered or threatened species; Notice of review; Federal Register, 50(I 88):39526-39527, September 27. 64) Weaver K. 1989. Personal communication to Patrick Mock, April. 65) WESTEC Services, Inc. 1979. Environmental Assessment: Miguel to Tijuana interconnectlon Project 230 KV Transrrdssion Line. Prepared for San Diego Gas and Electric Co. September. 66) WESTEC Services, Inc. 1980. Jamacha Basin Waste Water Reclamation Project: Phase II Expansion. Prepared for Otay Municipal Water District. May. 67) WESTEC Services, Inc. 1981. EastLake EIR, Appendix A. Biological survey report. Prepared for City of Chula Vista. 68) WESTEC Services, Inc. 1982. EastLake Final Environmental Impact Report, prepared for the City of Chula Vista, February. 69) WESTEC Services, Inc. 1985. EastLake I Sectional Planning Area (SPA) Plan final Environmental Impact Report, prepared for the City of Chula Vista, January. 70) Wier Biological. 1983. Biological Survey report and planning constraints for the Alva-R-4S Ranch, prepped for PRC Engineering San Diego. 71) Wier, H.A. 1986. Biological survey report of the Singing Hills Specific Plan, McGinty Mountain, San Diego, California Prepared for McGinty Ranch General Plan Parmership, San Diego, California. Also included in the record are the following studies prepared for the Salt Creek Ranch project: 1 ) Draft Salt Creek Ranch General Development Plan (December 1989). 2) East Chula Vista Transportation Phasing Plan. 3) Chula Vista Fire Station Master Plan (1989). Also included as part of the Planning Commission and City Council record are the following: i) Final EiR-89-3, Salt Creek Ranch (August 1990). 2) Documentary and oral evidence presented to the Planning Commission and/or Citv Council during public hearings on EIR-89-3 and the Salt Creek Ranch project. ' 25 3) Matters of.c. om~,o.n lcg. owledge to thc Planning Commission and/or City Council SUCh as ano ~nclucang these and all other formally adopted policies and ordinances: a. The City of Chula Vista General Plan b. The Zoning Ordinance of thc City of Chula Vista c. The Municipal Code of thc City of Chula Vista ~6 August 29, 1990 TO: Chairperson and Members of the Planning Commission Bob Leiter, Director of Plannino VIA: ~ , ~- _ ~-~ /~' FROM: Douglas D. Reid, Environmental Review Coordinator~J~ SUBJECT: Overriding Considerations for Salt Creek Ranch EIR-89-3 Attached is a draft of the proposed Overriding Considerations for the Salt Creek Ranch project. This document has been prepared by an attorney representing the Baldwin Company but have been reviewed by city staff and the environmental consultant on the project. It is recommended that they be adopted as part of the environmental review process for this project. DDR:je Attachment STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSiDERATION~ The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines provide: "(a) CEQA requires the decision-maker to balance the benefits of a proposed project against its unavoidable environmental risks in determining whether to approve the project. If the benefits of a proposed project outweigh the unavoidable adverse environmental effects, the adverse environmental effects may be considered 'acceptable.. (b) Where the decision of the public agency allows the ocCUrrence of significant effects which are identified in the final EIR but are not at least substantially mitigated, the agency shall state in writing the specific reasons to support its action based on the final EIR and/or other information in the record. This statement may be necessary if the agency also makes a finding Under Section 15091(a) (2) or (a) (3). (c) If an agency makes a statement of overriding considerations, the statement should be included in the record of the project approval and should be mentioned in the Notice of Determination., (Guidelines §15093.) The City finds that the mitigation measures discussed in the CEQA findings, when implemented, avoid or substantially lessen most of the ignlficant effects identified in Final EIR 89-3 for Salt Creek s ' Ranch. Nonetheless, certain significant effects of the Salt Creek Ranch project are Unavoidable even after incorporation of all feasible mitigation measures. These unavoidable effects include: certain impacts to biological resources and cumulative impacts to agricultural land use, air quality, water supplies and non- renewable energy resources. In approving this project, the City has balanced the benefits of the Salt Creek Ranch project agalnst these unavoidable environmental effects. In this regard, the City funds that all feasible mitigation measures identified in the CEQA findings, have been or will be implemented with the project, and any significant remaining unavoidable effects are acceptable due to the following specific planning, social, economic and other considerations, all of which are based upon the facts met forth below, the CEQA findings, Final EIR 89-3, and the record of the proceedings for this project: 1. Salt Creek Ranch, a planned residential community in the City of Chula Vista,s Eastern Territories, is consistent with th~ demand for housing in Chula Vista. The project is a well- 1 balanced residential community that will provide local residents of Chula Vista and residents in the region the choice of high-quality, diverse housing types in accordance with the following policies contained within the City,s General Plan Update: · Encourage the development of a diversity of housing types and prices. · Assure that new development meets or exceeds a standard of high-quality planning and design. Provide for the development of multi-family housing in appropriate areas convenient to public services, facilities and circulation. Encourage planned developments, with a coordinated mix 'of urban uses, open space and amenities. For new developments in Eastern Territories, the predominant character should be iow medium density, single-family housing. Where appropriate in terms of physical setting encourage development of quality, large- lot housing. Salt creek Ranch addresses each of these General Plan policies. The residential planned community provides a broad variety of housing types, ranging from multi-family attached units to large estate lots consisting of at least one acre. Multi-family hoUsing is provided in accordance with the Chula Vista General Plan, which previously took into account the location of multi-family housing in areas convenient to public services, facilities and roadway circulation. Salt Creek Ranch is uniquely situated between the urbanized areas of Chula Vista to the west and the undeveloped areas of the Eastern Territories to the east. The project is an entirely residential community which will provide residents of Chula Vista with high quality, upper-end housing products which ars currently limited in the South Bay area. Salt Creek Ranch will also provide imp~tant transitions from the higher density developments adjacent to future SR-125 to the lower density estates in the eastern portion of Salt Creek Ranch. Development within Salt Creek Ranch will transition from :he R-M and R-LM categories (3-6 dwelling units per acre) in the western portion of the property to the low density R-L category (0-3 dwelling units per acre) in the eastern and northern portions of the property site. The project provides logical coK~unity land Uses, enhances opportunities for the long-ter~productivity of the co~a~unity of Chula Vista and the surrounding region, and maintains and conserves valuable resources, all of which are consistent with 2 the City's long-term planning goals. The mix of single and multi-family uses in close proximity to existing and proposed commercial and industrial uses will provide opportunities for persons to reside in areas adjacent to employment facilities and, thus, will help to relieve typical employment com~,unity impacts, such as traffic, noise and air q~ality effects. 3. With adoptien of the Modified Alternative A General Development Plan (GDP) for Salt Creek Ranch, the appropriate balance has been struck between environmental issues and the need for logical residential development, an improved traffic circulation system which is consistent with the City,s General Plan Circulation Element, and the development of various public utilities and services for the benefit of the Chula vista community and the surrounding region. 4. The project will result in construction of a number of roads which are integral parts of the city's General Plan Circulation Element. For example, roadway improvements will involve oonstr~ction of East H Street (approximately 1.8 miles), Hunts Parkway (approximately .8 miles) and Lane Avenue (approximately .4 miles) to ultimate standards through the project. The project will also contribute to off-site roadway improvements on a fair share basis with other area developers by participation in the ~astern Chula Vista Transportation Phasing Plan (ECVTPP). Significant landscaping buffer areas will be provided along major roads in accordance with the City's Circulation Element. The project will incorporate pedestrian and bicycle pathways and equestrian paths or trails within transportation corridors as recommended by the City's Circulation Element. 5. The project reserves approximately 351 acres of natural open space constituting approximately 29% of the project site. Implementation of the project will provide for the long-term preservation of the sensitive biological resources located in the natural open space areas and provide for wildlife corridor links in those areas. 6. The project fully mitigates adverse effects to coastal sage scrub habitat through preservation of on-site coastal sage scrub in excess of the preservation anticipated in the Chula vista General Plan. Specifically, the General Plan anticipated preservation of approximately 158 acres of the existing coastal sage scrub habitat on the Salt Creak Ranch property. The revised Salt Creek Ranch GDP preserves an additional 50 acres of coastal sage scrub over and above that anticipated in the General Plan. 7. The General Plan Update calls for creation of a continuous, 28-mils Greenbelt around the city of Chula Vista. The Greenbelt provides a unique opportunity to develop a 3 Significant network of open space, trails, and recreational activities for the citizens of Chula Vista and residents in the surrounding region. In essence, the Greenbelt represents a continuous open space area which visually and functionally links all the co~munities and the principal parks and recreational resources of the City including active recreational facilities, natural open space, wildlife habitats and a connecting trail system. This continuous system begins at the Chula Vista Bayfront, extends through Otay River Valley to the Otay Lakes, north through the Otay Lakes area and along Salt creek to Mother Miguel Mountain and Sweetwater Reservoir and west along the Sweetwater Regional Park to the Bayfront. The Salt creek Ranch project supplies an important link in the Greenbelt called for in the General Plan Update. By adoption of the Modified Alternative A GDP for Salt creek Ranch, the City further implements its Greenbelt in the following ways: · The community park will be adjacent to Salt Creek which links the park to the City's Greenbelt, all of which is consistent with the City,s General Plan. The community park is the preferred location of the city's Parks and Recreation Department because it is more centrally located to serve the residents of Salt Creek Ranch and Salt Creek I, as well as the citizens of the City of Chula Vista and the surrounding region. · The community park adjacent to Salt creek allows preservation of an existing stand of Eucalyptus trees which provides an immediate "grove" effect for the Community park. · The community park site makes an excellent open space area for the establishment of a riparian zone with Oak trees, sycamores and other wetland plant types and for a recreational trail system. The community park maintains the natural open space link in the southeast Corner cf the project site and, thus, allows for the preservation of sensitive coastal sage scrub and wetland habitats. The sage scrub is habitat for species onsite, including the grasshopper sparrow, the California gnatcatcher and the nesting sites of the cactus wren. The project will result in a comprehensive planned community providing a logical extension of City services, including public transportation, law enforcement, fire protection and public utilities. 9. The project helps fulfill the need for church sites in the near future by providing two sites (? acres) for the citizens of Chula Vista end the region. 10. The project advances the City's environmental goals by encouraging water conservation and reclamation programs, maes transit facilities and an extensive trail system. 11. Salt Creek Ranch is projected to have an overall positive fiscal impact on the City of Chula vista. According to the fiscal analysis prepared by John McTighe & Associates in 1989, the project,s operating revenues are projected to exceed operating costs over the ten year period of time analyzed in the study. At buildout in fiscal year 2001, the annual net fiscal impact is expected to be a negative cf $12,828 in 1989 dollars~ however, the negative impact is principally due to the amount of parkland to be maintained in Salt Creek Ranch. This negative impact would be offset by the project's positive impact over the overall development period, and by positive fiscal impacts generated by development of other land uses designated in the City's General Plan. 12. The project also contains a number of other additional overriding public benefits, such as= Incorporation of two school sites into the design of the proJeot (20 acres). · Incorporation of two church sites into the design of the project (7 acres). · Incorporation of a fire station site into the design of the project (1 acre). A Standby commitment to participate in a funding program to finance a new library facility. · A focal point of the open space system is the Salt Creek Corridor, designated in the Chula Vista General Plan am a major portion of the Chula Vista Greenbelt, a 28-mile open space and park system within the City. Salt creek will form a major open space corridor within the project and will be extensively landscaped. A park system, consisting of a 20-acre neighborhood park along the Salt Creek Corridor and a 7-acre neighborhood park in the western portion of the project, will provide recreational activi~ies along the City,s Greenbelt. The Salt Creek open space corridor will connect to the Eastlake open ~pS~e corridor within Salt Cree~ to the south and will provide a significant passive open space amenity for the entire Eastern Territories. A~ extensive undeveloped open space system in the eastern portion of the property 5 will provide connections from Upper Otay Lake to the San Miguel Mountains to the north. This open space system will connect to the portion of the Chula Vista Greenbelt planned around Otay Lakes. Open space greenbelt, parkway and bikeway systems throughout Salt Creek Ranch, and an equestrian trail system, will be linked to the enhanced Salt Creek, the eastern undeveloped open space areas, the park along the Salt Creek corridor and the city's Greenbelt. . The landscaping for salt Creek Ranch will establish the community character east of future eR-125 and is envisioned as a more native, naturalized plant type than in the development areas west of the SR-125 corridor; drought-tolerant plant materials will be emphasized. A commitment at the site plan level to prepare plans for various co~/~unity facilities, including a water master plan addressing the location, sizing, phasing and financing of water supply facilities; a sewer master plan addressing the location, sizing, phasing and financing of wastewater collection facilities; and a flood control plan which conforms to the Telegraph Canyon Master Drainage Plan and press.rYes water quality in Upper Otay Lakes Reservoir. For these reasons, on balance, the City finds that there are planning, social, economic and ether considerations resulting from this project that serve to override and outweigh the project's unavoidable significant environmental effects and, thus, the adverse environmental effects are considered acceptable. 6