Planning Commission Staff Report
Report Prepared by: Francisco Mendoza-Gonzalez, Senior Planner, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: General Plan Amendment #24-01, Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment #6, and Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #1329 (“Paulson Ranch”), initiated by Stonefield Home, Inc., property owner. The General Plan Amendment would amend the Merced General Plan Transportation and Circulation Element by modifying the City of Merced Circulation Plan (Figure 4.1) and all associated maps and descriptions throughout the General Plan, to eliminate Destiny Drive (a collector road) from going through the subject site to Paulson Road (extension). The Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment would modify the design, layout, and circulation of the residential subdivision previously approved for this site. The Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map would subdivide approximately 39.12 acres into 104 residential lots (mostly between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet). The subject site is generally located on the south side of E. Cardella Road, 1,900 feet east of G Street. *PUBLIC HEARING*
ACTION: PLANNING COMMISSION:
Recommendation to City Council
1) Environmental Review #24-07 (Negative Declaration)
2) General Plan Amendment #24-01
3) Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment #6
Approve/Disapprove/Modify
1) Environmental Review #24-07 (Negative Declaration)
2) Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #1329
[subject to City Council approval of General Plan Amendment #24-01, and Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment #6]
SUMMARY
The subject site is an undeveloped 39.12-acre parcel located in northeast Merced at 800 E. Cardella Road, located on the south side of Cardella Road, approximately 1,900 feet east of G Street. The General Plan Amendment is being requested to amend the City’s General Plan Circulation Element (Figure 4.1) (Attachment G) to eliminate the collector road of Destiny Drive that would go through the subject site. The Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment would modify the design, layout, and circulation of the residential subdivision previously approved for this site. The Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map would subdivide approximately 39.12 acres into 104 single family lots (mostly between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet). Staff is recommending approval with conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
General Plan Amendment, and Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment,
Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval to the City Council of Environmental Review #24-07 (Negative Declaration), General Plan Amendment #24-01, Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment #6 (including the adoption of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A) subject to the conditions in Exhibit A, and the findings/considerations in Exhibit B of the Draft Resolution.
Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map
Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve Environmental Review #24-07 (Negative Declaration) and Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map #1329 (including the adoption of the Draft Resolution at Attachment B) subject to the conditions in Exhibit A, the findings/considerations in Exhibit B of the Draft Resolution, and contingent upon City Council approval of the General Plan Amendment, and the Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment.
Body
DISCUSSION
Project Description
The subject site is an approximately 39.12-acre parcel (APN: 231-010-021) located at 800 E. Cardella Road (Attachment C). The subject site is generally located on the south side of E. Cardella Road, 1,900 feet east of G Street. The General Plan amendment is being requested to amend the City’s General Plan Circulation Element (Figure 4.1) to eliminate the collector road of Destiny Drive planned to go through the project site. Due to wetland constraints on the eastern portion of the subject site, Destiny Drive would not be able to go through the project site out to Paulson Road (extended with this project). Gallaway Enterprises conducted a field survey and identified areas where historical flooding from adjacent waterways created wetlands. The map at Attachment I identifies the wetland areas. The proposed subdivision (Paulson Ranch) is designed to avoid these areas.
The subject site has two General Plan designations of Low Density Residential (LD) and High-Medium Density Residential (HMD), and two Zoning classifications of Low Density Residential (R-1-6) and Medium Density Residential (R-3-2). The subject site is surrounded by a variety of uses which includes to the west by Cruickshank Middle School/undeveloped land, to the south by single-family homes, to the east by undeveloped land, and to the north (across from E. Cardella Road) by agricultural land.
The applicant is requesting approval to develop 104 single-family homes. These lots would range in size between 6,000 square feet and 14,250 square feet, with the majority of the lots being between 6,000 square feet and 7,000 square feet. The General Plan designations of Low Density Residential (LD) and High-Medium Density Residential (HMD) are primarily intended for residential uses. The LD designation allows a residential density between 2 and 6 units per acre, and the HMD designation allows residential density up to 24 dwelling units per acre. The HMD portion of the Project has a density of approximately 4 dwelling units per acre and the LD portion has a density of approximately 3 units per acre, both below the maximum density allowed for each designation. The HMD portion of the project could have a higher density if two or three units are developed on each lot, however, that would put the density at around 12 units per acre, well below the maximum 24 units per acre allowed within the HMD designation.
Surrounding uses as noted in Attachment B.
|
Surrounding Land |
Existing Use of Land |
City Zoning Designation |
City General Plan Land Use Designation |
|
North |
Agriculture (across Cardella Road) |
Planned Development (P-D) #53 |
Neighborhood Commercial (CN) |
|
South |
Single-Family Homes |
Low Density Residential (R-1-6) |
Low Density Residential (LD) |
|
East |
Undeveloped Land |
Low Density Residential (R-1-6) and Commercial Office (C-O) |
Low Density Residential (LD) and Commercial Office (CO) |
|
West |
Undeveloped Land and Cruickshank Middle School |
Low Density Residential (R-1-6) |
Low Density Residential (LD), Parks and Open Space (P-OS), and School (SCH) |
Background
The subject site (approximately 39.12 acres) was annexed into the City in 1990, as part of Yosemite Annexation #3 (Annexation No. 173). This annexation incorporated approximately 302 acres of land into the City limits. In conjunction with the annexation, a specific plan was adopted for the annexation site, known as the Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan (Attachment J). The subject site includes land use designations for both Low Density Residential (LD), and High-Medium Density Residential (HMD). This application includes a request to amend the Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan; even though the residential densities are generally consistent with the specific plan, the specific plan layout, design, and circulation would be modified with this proposal. The modifications are being requested to address the wetland constraints found within the subject site, as shown at Attachment I via field survey from Gallaway Enterprises. The subdivision would be designed avoid these wetland areas.
The subject site has remained undeveloped for several decades. According to City records, Tentative Subdivision Map #1249 (Mansionette Estates Unit 3) was approved by the Planning Commission in 2003, for 80 single-family homes on a 25-acre portion of this site. This map expired in 2005.
Findings/Considerations
Please refer to Exhibit B of the Draft Planning Commission Resolution at Attachment A for the Findings related to General Plan Amendment 24-01, and Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan Amendment #6. Please refer to Exhibit B of the Draft Planning Commission Resolution at Attachment B for the Findings related to Tentative Subdivision Map #1329.
ATTACHMENTS
A) Draft Planning Commission Resolution - General Plan Amendment, and Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan
B) Draft Planning Commission Resolution - Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map
C) Location Map
D) Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map
E) Section MMC 20.46.020 - Design Standards for Single-Family Dwellings and Mobile Homes
F) MMC 18.16.080 - Information Required (for Tentative Subdivision Maps)
G) Modification to General Plan Figure 4.1
H) Close-Up to Figure 4.1 with Conceptual Change
I) Gallaway Enterprises (Wetlands)
J) Northeast Yosemite Specific Plan (Figure 1)
K) Initial Study (Negative Declaration)
L) Presentation