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Resolution Number 16-09-20-03RESOLUTION NO. 16-09-20-03 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA, INITIATING A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT STUDY FOR A PROPOSED COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT REFERRED TO AS THE FARM AT DEL OBISBO TO BE LOCATED ON APPROXIMATELY 34 ACRES OF THE 43-ACRE VERMEULEN RANCH PROPERTY AT 32382 DEL OBISPO STREET (ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBERS 121-182-17 and 121-182-53) AND MAKING A DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT IN CONNECTION THEREWITH WHEREAS, Municipal Code Section 9-2 .307 requires that the City Council initiate consideration of all General Plan Amendments by the approval of a resolution to initiate a General Plan Amendment Study; and WHEREAS, the applicant for the proposed Farm at Del Obispo Commercial and Residential Development Project requests a General Plan Amendment changing the land use designation of 34-acres of the project site from Agri-Business to Specific Plan Land Use Designation; and WHEREAS, the applicant for the proposed Farm at Del Obispo Commercial and Residential Development Project requests approximately 40,000 square feet of commercial use on approximately 4 acres and up to 180 residential dwelling units on approximately 30 acres; and WHEREAS, Staff recommends further study of the project allowing the assessment of the proposed project's compatibility with San Juan Capistrano General Plan land use goals and policies pursuant to City policy and municipal code regulations; and WHEREAS, the proposed initiation of a General Plan Amendment study is statutorily exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 because this is a planning study and not the approval of any General Plan Amendment or land use entitlement. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The City Council finds and determines that the proposed initiation of a General Plan Amendment Study for the project described in Exhibit A, attached hereto, is statutorily exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 1 9/20/2016 because this is a planning study and not the approval of any General Plan Amendment or land use entitlement. Section 2. The City Council hereby initiates a General Plan Amendment Study for the proposed Farm at Del Obispo Commercial and Residential Development Project, as described and depicted on Exhibit A , attached hereto, and generally located on approximately 34 acres of the 43-acre Vermeulen Ranch property at 32382 Del Obispo Street and refers the matter to staff for analysis and to the Planning Commission for a recommendation. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of September 2016. STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss . CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO ) I, MARIA MORRIS, appointed City Clerk of the City of San Juan Capistrano, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 16-09-20-03 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano at the Regular meeting thereof, held t e 20th day of September 2016, by the following vote: UNCIL MEMBERS : Reeve, Perry, Allevato and Mayor protem Ferguson ' UNCIL MEMBERS : Mayor Patterson UNCIL MEMBERS : None 2 9/20/2016 The Farm on Del Obispo Request for Initiation of General Plan Amendment June 14, 2016 ~~©~~~~[D) JUN I 4 2016 IPJUlMrNWfM@ IQ)~~~~~©~ EXHIBIT A Overview In April, 1977, the City changed the General Plan designation for the Vermeulen Ranch property from Medium Density Residential to Agri-Business. The General Plan Amendment (GP77-1) adopted at that time required the City to create a "value mechanism" to compensate the owners of the property, acknowledging that the City's actions significantly devalued the property for the public's benefit. However, the City never adopted the value mechanism which it committed to develop as part of the amendment. In December, 2014, the City rejected a General Plan Amendment (GP13-002) and Specific Plan (SP14-001) which would have provided for the operation of a continuing care community on the property. The City did, however, approve a related amendment to its official Zoning Map (Rezone 13-005), creating a conflict between the property's general plan designation and official zoning. As the City is aware from its own experience on the adjacent Kinoshita property, farming is no longer an economically viable land use in the City. The Vermeulen Ranch property has not been farmed for decades and the landscape supply tenant that had been recently using the site for growth, storage and distribution of container plants has vacated the property and moved their operations to agricultural regions outside Orange County. This request for initiation of a General Plan Amendment would allow City staff to study an improvement alternative that could, at no significant cost to the City, honor the property's agricultural heritage, respect its original intended land use under the General Plan, resolve the conflict between the current General Plan and. official Zoning Map, and provide for viable economic use and commercial stimulus to the broader community. Project Description The proposed improvements include a "farm to table" community restaurant and retail center along the property's Del Obispo frontage. The center reflects the property's agricultural heritage with farmhouse architecture and courtyard designs reminiscent of the early San Juan Capistrano community. Indoor/ outdoor dining, shopping venues and tasting rooms allow shoppers to enjoy the City's attractive climate while dining among orchards and landscape elements that contribute to their culinary experience. The center provides a stimulus to the adjacent marketplace and a new source of sales tax revenue for the City. The 2 //farm to table" center combines restaurant and artisan retail space in several unique buildings totaling less than 40,000 sq. ft. The application calls for a continuation of the neighborhood farm elements as the Del Obispo entryway moves from the restaurant and retail space through the balance of the property toward Via Positiva. Neighborhoods of homes, community groves, gardens and parks allow for easy walking access to the "farm to market" center as well as nearby schools, sports fields, community centers and churches. An adjacent trail provides pedestrian connectivity from neighborhoods along Del Obispo to the San Juan Creek trail and beyond. Several unique neighborhoods designed to complement the agricultural elements combine for a maximum of 180 new dwelling units. This proposed density of approximately six (6) homes to the acre is lower than the higher density designations granted by the City to other former farm properties surrounding the Vermeulen Ranch. Exhibit 2 shows the approximate locations of the properties proposed elements. The proposed General Plan Land Use Designation of Specific Plan provides the City flexibility to help ensure high quality compatibility and integration among the restaurant, retail, residential, agricultural and park uses. It allows further flexibility in City planning related to funding of public amenities that may be associated with proposed developments on the Vermuelen Ranch. We look forward to working with City staff to create a high quality development that reflects well on the legacy of the of the Vermeulen Ranch property and the broader city. 3 Exhibit 1: Image Board Exhibit 2: Conceptual Site Plan 5 Exhibit 3: Neighborhood Land Use Designations 1,0, GENERAL OPEN SPACE 1.1 , OPEN SPACE RECREATION 2,2, MEDIUM LOW DENSITY 0 2.3, MeDIUM DENSITY 1:=1 2.4, MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY [_~ 2.5, HIGH DENSITY CJ 2 6, VERY HIGH DENSITY D 3.0, NEIGHBERHODD COMMER CIAL [gj 3 I, GENERAL COMMERCIAL -4.0, INDUSTRIAL PARK D 4.1, QUASI INDUSTRIAL CJ 4 2 , AGRI-BUSINESS W 4.3 , LIGHTINDUSffiiAl. 4 4, OFFICEIRESEAR CH PARK D 50, PUOLIC & INSTITUTIONAL -51, EXISTING PUBLIC SCHOO LS ~ 53, ASSISTED CARE FACILITIES D SPECIAL STUDY PLANNED COMMUNITY -SPECIFIC PLAN/PRECISE PLAN 6