HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Reso No 2007-006RESOLUTION NO. 2007-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL
PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2006-04
WHEREAS, Vicki Mata, Trumark Companies, has filed an application with
the City of Lake Elsinore requesting approval of General Plan Amendment No.
2006-04 for the project identified as the Canyon Hills Estates Specific Plan (the
"Project"); and
WHEREAS, the 246.4-acre project site is located immediately adjacent to
the existing southern boundary of the Canyon Hills Specific Plan and is bounded
by Hemlock Street to the north, Pine Avenue to the east, and Crooked Arrow Drive
and Crab Hollow Circle to the south and west (the "Project Site"). Cottonwood
Creek flows through the northeast corner of the Project Site adjacent to
Cottonwood Canyon Road; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 65300 requires each city prepare
and adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development
of the City and any land outside the City's boundaries which in the City's
judgment bear relation to the City's planning; and
WHEREAS, on November 27, 1990, the City of Lake Elsinore City Council
approved the current version of the Lake Elsinore General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the 1990 Lake Elsinore General Plan "Land Use Map" Figure
designates the Project Site as Very Low Density Residenrial and Mountainous; and
WHEREAS, on April 11, 2006, the City Council entertained a request by
Trumark Companies to commence annexation proceedings for the Project Site; and
WHEREAS, one of the entitlements which the City Council approved on
April 11, 2006, as part of the annexation package, was General Plan Amendment
(GPA) No. 2005-08, which amended the City's General Plan Land Use Map to
change the City's southern boundary and sphere of influence to incorporate the
Project Site; and
WHEREAS, after receiving City Council approval for the commencement
of annexation proceedings, the applicant filed an application for a sphere of
influence change and annexation request with the Riverside Local Agency
Formation Commission ("LAFCO"); and
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2007-06
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WHEREAS, on October 26, 2006, LAFCO approved the sphere of
influence request by way of LAFCO Resolution 2006-105-1&3, which added the
Project Site to the City of Lake Elsinore's Sphere of Influence and removed the
Project Site from the Wildomar Unincorparated Community (UC); and
WHEREAS, a description of the proposed General Plan Amendment was
transmitted to the applicable Native American Indian Tribes, water agencies, the
County, surrounding cities, and Lake Elsinore Unified School District among
others for review and comment; and
WHEREAS, at a duly noticed public hearing on January 16, 2007, the Lake
Elsinore Planning Commission considered the proposed General Plan Amendment
and made a recommendation that the City Council approve the proposed
modification to the City's Land Use Map; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 17.80.010 of the City of Lake Elsinore
Municipal Code, the City Council of the City of Lake Elsinore is responsible for
making decisions regarding general plan amendments; and
WHEREAS, public notice of the Project has been given, and the City
Council has considered evidence presented by the Community Development
Department and other interested parties, and the EIR, including that provided at a
public hearing held with respect to this item on January 23, 2007.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAKE ELSINORE DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DETERMINE AND
ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Prior to making a decision, the City Council has reviewed
and analyzed the General Plan Amendment pursuant to the State Planning and
Zoning Laws (Cal. Gov. Code §§ 65000 et seq.) to deternune the appropriateness
of changing the general plan land use designation from Very Low Density
Residential and Mountainous to Low Density Residential.
SECTION 2. In accordance with State Planning and Zoning Laws and the
Lake Elsinore Municipal Code, the City Council makes the following findings for
the approval of General Plan Amendment No. 2006-04:
CTTY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2007-06
PAGE 3 OF 5
1. The proposed General Plan Amendment will not be: a) detrimental to
the health, safety, comfort or general welfare of the persons residing or working
within the neighborhood of the proposed amendment or within the City, or b)
injurious to the property or improvements in the neighborhood or within the City.
The proposed General Plan Amendment will change the Project Site's General
Plan land use designation to Low Density Residential. Currently, the Project Site
has a General Plan land use designation of Yery Low Density Residential and
Mountainous, which allows residential and accessory land uses. The proposed
land uses are similar to ezisting and approved uses on all sides of the Project
perimeter and roadway network. Environmental Impact Report No. 2006-02
("EIR') was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) which analyzes environmental effects of the
Specific Plan. The EIR states that most of the potentially significant environmental
impacts have been reduced to a level of less than significant through
implementation of project design features, standard conditions, and project-
specific mitigation measures. Significant short-term air quality impacts and
cumulative transportation impacts have been identified as unavoidable and
significant, and a statement of overriding considerations has been prepared
relative to those impacts. The significant air quality impacts are only construction
related and will not have long term effects. The intersection impacts will occur
with or without the Project, which does contribute an insignificant amount of
traffc to the impacted intersection. Therefore, the Project will not be detrimental
to the health, safety, comfort or general welfare of the persons residing or working
within the neighborhood of the Project. Furthermore, because the Project is a
residential community, the Project will not be injurious to the property or
improvements in the neighborhood surrounding the Project Site or within the City.
2. The proposed General Plan Amendment will permit reasonable
development of the area consistent with its constraints and will make the area more
compatible with adjacent properties.
The Project Site has been pre-zoned Specifzc Plan, which requires the pr-eparation
of a Specific Plan for the purpose of master planning the site prior to allowing
development to occur. Furthermore, section 17.99.010 of the Lake Elsinore
Municipal Code states that the purpose of the Specific Plan zoning district is to
enhance the appearance and livability of the community through encouragement of
creative approaches to the use of land and the design of facilities; and, to promote
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2007-06
PAGE 4 OF 5
and create public and private open space as an integral part of land development
design. To this end, the Canyon Hills Estates Specific Plan will include
residential, open space and park uses consistent with the Low Density Residential
General Plan designation and compatible with the surrounding residential, open
space and park land uses surrounding the Project Site.
The Canyon Hills Estates Specific Plan utilized an integrated multi-disciplinary,
"environment-based" planning methodology involving environmental resource
specialists, land planners, landscape architects, civil engineers, visual resource
specialists and water resource specialists. With this approach, the existing
topography and location of public services and environmental resources formed
the basis for integrating new development into the Project Site. The resulting
Specific Plan for the 246 acres is sensitive to the site's topography and
environment, responsive to the opportunities and constraints of the site and
compatible with the Ciry of Lake Elsinore General Plan Goals, Objectives and
Policies. Furthermore, the Specific Plan incorporates open space buffers that will
create transition areas between the Canyon Hills Estates project and the adjacent
uses. The Specific Plan also states that an objective of the Project is to create a
residential planned community of appropriate density, scale, and infrastructure
which respects the existing topography and environmental sensitivity of the project
site and surrounding land uses, which was achieved through site design, Project
Features and Mitigation Measures identified in EIR No. 2006-02 and Design
Guidelines identif ed in Chapter V of the Canyon Hills Estates Specific Plan.
3. The proposed General Plan Amendment would establish a land use
designation and usage more in character with the subject property's location,
access, and constraints.
The master planned community of Canyon Hills lies just north of the Project Site.
Canyon Hills' residential neighborhoods are comprised of 5,000 square foot lots,
which is a higher density than the Project Site and surrounding properties'
General Plan designations. Changing the land use designation for the Project Site
to Low Density Residential will create a neighborhood that is more in character
with the pre-existing Canyon Hills development. In addition, the Low Density
Residential designation will create a more natural transition from the higher
density residential neighborhoods of Canyon Hills to the rural residential areas
surrounding the Project Site. Residential clustering results in a residential
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2007-06
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product that complements the topography and location of the Project Site. Finally,
the Project will use existing points of access for the future residential community.
SECTION 3. Based upon the above findings, the Staff Report, conditions
of approval and documentary and oral testimony presented, the City Council
hereby approves General Plan Amendment No. 2006-04.
SECTION 4. This Resolution shall take effect from and after the date of its
passage and adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of January 2007,
by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: BUCKLEY, HICKNIAN, KELLEY,
SCHIFFNER, MAGEE
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
Ro~rt Magee,
City of Lake E
AT + ST:
o ~
Frederick Ray, CMC, Ci lerk
City Attorney
City of Lake Elsinore