PC Resolution-13-08-13-02RESOLUTION NO. 13-08-13-02
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN
CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL DENIAL OF
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT (GPA) 12-02, REZONE (RZ) 12-01,
ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL (AC) 12-13, GRADING PLAN MODIFICATION (GPM)
12-01 FOR A 100 DWELLING UNIT (DU) AFFORDABLE, WORKFORCE HOUSING
PROJECT ON A 9.7 GROSS ACRE PARCEL LOCATED WEST OF LA PATA AVENUE
AND SOUTH OF ORTEGA HIGHWAY AND MORE PRECISELY REFERRED TO AS
ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBER (APN) 124-223-81 (RANCHO SAN JUAN
APARTMENTS)
WHEREAS, the applicant, Rancho San Juan Development, LLC has
requested City Council approval of a proposed 100 -dwelling units (DU) affordable,
workforce housing project with 26 affordable units and 74 market rate units on the "4
acre remainder parcel" established by Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) 04-01,
Whispering Hills Estates Planned Community located on the north side of Vista
Montana about 370 feet west of La Pata Avenue and about 1.4 miles south of Ortega
Highway (SR 74); and,
WHEREAS, the applicant has requested City approval of General Plan
Amendment (GPA) amending the Land Use Element's "PC" (Planned Community)
provisions with respect land use designations, acreage, and dwelling unit counts for the
Whispering Hills Estates -Rancho San Juan project; and, a Rezone (RZ) amending
Comprehensive Development Plan 04-01, Whispering Hills Estates -Rancho San Juan
to establish land use and development standards for the 4.6 parcel consistent with the
proposed apartment project as well as other potential land uses; and,
WHEREAS, on June 21, 2011, the City Council adopted Resolution 11-06-
21-04 initiating consideration of a General Plan Amendment pursuant to Section 9-
2.307(a) of the Title 9, Land Use Code for the development of an affordable, workforce
housing project on the "4 -acre remainder parcel" established by Comprehensive.
Development Plan (CDP) 04-01, Whispering Hills Estates Planned Community; and,
WHEREAS, Whispering Hills LLC has submitted legislative and
discretionary planning applications consisting of General Plan Amendment to amend
the Land Use Element to incorporate an affordable workforce housing component, a
Rezone to establish land use and development standards for the subject parcel, and an
Architectural Control application for the site and architectural design for the proposed
100-dwellling unit, apartment project on the "4 -acre remainder parcel"; and,
WHEREAS, the City has processed the proposed project in compliance
with Section 9-2.301, General Review Procedures of Title 9, Land Use Code and has
otherwise complied with all processing provisions of the Municipal Code; and,
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted duly -noticed public
hearings on the proposed project on May 28, 2013, June 25, 2013, and August 13,
2013 to consider the project pursuant to the provisions of Section 9-2.307 of Title 9,
Land Use Code, and to take public comment on the proposed project.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission of
the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby makes the following findings:
The proposed project site for the Rancho San Juan Apartments project is not
suitable because it is not in reasonably close proximity to needed support
services including, but not limited to, mass transit services especially Orange
County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus services, commercial and retail
services, public park and open space amenities, and related support services
available through non-profit, religious and secular -based and public agency -
sponsored outreach programs which provide support to affordable, workforce
households.
2. The Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed project does not identify
adequate mitigation measures to mitigate the impacts related to the proposed
project, especially relating to traffic impacts, including:
A. As summarized in Table 4.2-5, Project Trip Generation of the Traffic and
Circulation Section of the Rancho San Juan Apartments Project Draft
Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), the proposed project will generate a
total of 665 average daily trips (ADT), including 51 a.m. peak hour trips and
62 p.m. peak hour trips.
B. Based on the project. Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) and the Draft
Environmental Impact Report, that segment of Ortega Highway (SR 74)
between Via Cordova and Antonio Parkway currently operates at an "F" Level
of Service (LOS) during both the AM and PM peak hour and the proposed
project will further reduce that Level of Service (LOS).
C. Based on the project Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) and the Draft
Environmental Impact Report, current San Juan Hills High School traffic
currently generates an estimated 884 vehicles trips to San Juan Hills High
School during the school -year, weekday AM peak hour resulting in AM peak
period congestion along Vista Montana which combined with the proposed
project's 41 AM peak hour trips leaving the project site and the 10 AM peak
hour trips arriving at the site will further contribute to the school -year,
weekday AM peak hour congestion, especially the approximately 20-30
minute school -year, weekday AM peak period. .
D. The recommended option of installing proposed signalization at the
intersection of the easterly school access drive and Vista Montana requires
cooperation with and participation of the Capistrano Unified School District
(CUSD) which cannot be guaranteed and so, the effectiveness of the
proposed signalization remains questionable, at best.
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Planning
Commission of the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby recommends that the City
Council find that the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed project does
not identify adequate mitigation measures to mitigate the impacts related to the
proposed project, especially relating to traffic impacts and deny the proposed General
Plan Amendment (GPA) 12-02, Rezone (RZ) 12-01, Architectural Control (AC)12-13,
Grading Plan Modification (GPM) 12-01, Rancho San Juan Apartments Rancho San
Juan Apartments Project.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 13th day of August, 2013, by
the following vote, to wit:
Sheldon Cohen, Chairman
Will m Ramsey, AICP, Assistanta elopment
Services Director
Ita