HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-16-1996 Item 9.2 Schaefer Ranch Project and EIR CITY OF DUBLIN
PLANNING COMMISSION
AGENDA STATEMENT/STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: January 16, 1995
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Planning Staff
PREPARED BY: Tasha Huston,Associate Planner
SUBJECT: PA 94-028 Schaefer Ranch Project and EIR
LE' • k I TI• •
PROJECT: The Applicants are proposing residential and commercial development for
their collective parcels totaling±500 acres west of the Dublin city limits. The
proposed project includes the following:
• A General Plan Amendment for the +500 acres of land under the control of the
property owners,changing land use designations from agricultural to various urban
land uses. In addition,General Plan policies may be added or amended.
• Planned Development Rezoning, Tentative Subdivision Map, Development
Agreement and subsequent Annexation.
• Annexation and/or detachment from various Service Districts, possibly including
the Castro Valley School District, Dublin School District, and Dublin-San Ramon
Services District.
APPLICANTS &
PROPERTY OWNERS: Schaefer Heights,Inc.,(Otto Schaefer,Jr.,Robert J.Yohai, Sal S.Zagari), Schaefer
Heights Associates,and Dennis and Laurie Gibbs.
LOCATION: Schaefer Ranch Road, Alameda County(Adjacent to and West of City of Dublin)
ASSESSOR PARCELS
&PARCEL SIZE: OWNER PARCEL# ACREAGE
Schaefer Heights Associates 85A-1000-001-14 24.49
85A-1000-001-16 32.45
" " 85A-1000-001-17 76.51
" " 941-0018-002-02 47.00
941-0018-002-03 32.05
941-0018-005-00 2.67
941-0018-006-00 73.51
Otto Schaefer, Jr. 85A-1000-001-18 155.87
Robert J.Yohai& Sal S. Zagari 85A-1000-001-09 5.51
" " 85A-1000-001-11 2.07
Dennis &Laurie Gibbs 85A-1000-002-04 48.0
ITEM NOr 1 COPIES TO: PA FILE
OWNER/APPLICANTS
SR.PLANNER
L. PROJECT PLANNER
OF y ADMIN.FILE
GENERAL PLAN
• DESIGNATION: Western Extended Planning Area
EXISTING ALAMEDA
COUNTY ZONING
AND LAND USE: Agriculture; Cattle grazing with a few rural homesites
SURROUNDING LAND
USE AND ZONING: North: Cattle grazing;Alameda County Agricultural District
South: Interstate 580 Freeway
East: Grading underway; Planned Development District with residential use
approved(Donlon Canyon project)
West: Cattle grazing; Alameda County Agricultural District
HISTORY:
July 11, 1994 City Council approved a request submitted by James Parsons on behalf of Schaefer
Heights Associates which authorized and initiated the Schaefer Ranch General Plan
Amendment Study. The Council defined the study area boundaries, which initially
included approximately 452 acres,and directed Staff to prepare a consultant contract for
preparation of an Environmental Impact Report which analyzes the project.
October 24, 1994 City Council approved the Contract for Consultant Services for preparation of the
Schaefer Heights General Plan Amendment EIR, and Amended the General Plan
Amendment Study Area to include approximately 48 acres adjacent to the project site,
owned by Dennis and Laurie Gibbs.
March 21, 1995 A Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report was distributed by the
City to public agencies potentially affected by the project, and to interested individuals, as
required by the California Environmental Quality Act.
June 13, 1995 City Council approved the first Amendment to the Contract between the City of Dublin
and WPM Planning Team, Inc.,to add a specialized fire service study to address fire
protection impacts and issues raised in response to the Notice of Preparation distributed
for the project.
October 5, 1995 City Administration Staff approved a minor revision to the Contract between the City of
Dublin and WPM Planning Team, Inc.,to add supplementary Noise and Traffic analyses.
December 21, 1995 A Notice of Completion of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR)was mailed to affected
public agencies, organizations, and interested individuals. A copy of the EIR was mailed
to affected public agencies and made available for public review, and the public comment
period was opened.
Mad APPLICABLE ZFGU ATIONS
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) applies to this project. The California State
Government Code also regulates several aspects of this project, including but not limited to the
amendment of the Dublin General Plan, annexation of a project area to the City, subdividing land, and
other development entitlements.
2 Asir: 2—of)
BACKGROUND:
This project site is part of an area that the City of Dublin has designated as the Western Extended
Planning Area. The Dublin General Plan states that specific development in this area will be determined
when municipal services can be provided and through General Plan refinement studies.
Previous planning in the Western Extended Planning area began in 1989, with the preparation of a
Specific Plan and General Plan Amendment for the entire area. An EIR was prepared and certified in
1992. However, the Western Dublin Specific Plan and General Plan Amendment were rejected in a City
referendum that year.
The current Schaefer Ranch development proposal involves a much smaller area. The proposed plan was
designed as the result of the input provided by concerned citizens, governing agencies, and service
agencies in numerous meetings during and since the previous planning efforts in the Western Dublin area.
The City Council, in July of 1994, authorized the Staff to conduct a General Plan Amendment Study for
this project, including preparation of an EIR. The EIR document is the result of studies conducted over
the past 14 months to assess the environmental effects and considerations pertaining to the project.
ANALYSIS:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
For the EIR analysis, the Schaefer Ranch project is defined to include the Schaefer Heights project
component and the Gibbs project component.
The Schaefer Heights component properties are mainly under the control of Schaefer Heights Associates,
and comprise approximately 452 acres. The Gibbs project component, comprising one parcel owned by
Dennis and Laurie Gibbs, involves approximately 48 acres.
The Schaefer Ranch project studied in the EIR proposes the following land uses:
474 housing units
10.7 acres of retail office uses
33.9 acres of public/semi public land(includes major street rights-of way)
162.6 acres of parks and recreation uses
89.0 acres of other open space(includes areas owned and maintained by homeowner's association)
At buildout, the project site would have a maximum of about 1,517 residents. The overall project density
would be less than one unit per acre. About 11.5 acres of woodland would be removed by grading, and
the proposal includes plans for contour grading with 3:1 slopes to create softer, more natural appearing
landforms, reduce erosion, and improve revegetation programs.
The Applicants have also proposed a number of restoration and environmental education efforts,
including:
-revegetation of native grasses and oak woodlands,
-protection or enhancement of three existing ponds as aquatic and avian habitat,
-introduction of State-protected wildlife to the enhanced habitats,
- creek restoration program to enhance riparian habitat currently degraded by cattle grazing,
- creation of an"eco-camp" site for learning experience in environmental and natural sciences.
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PROJECT ISSUES
As required by State Law, several aspects of the project are analyzed in the EIR in considering the
environmental impacts of the project. Through this analysis, several issues have been raised and are
discussed further in the EIR. A partial list of the issues which have arisen through study of the project to
this point appears below:
A. Project grading on steep slopes
B. Protection of woodland areas
C. Provision of Public Safety and fire protection services
D. Access to the remainder of the Western Extended Planning Area
PROJECT ACTIONS
There will be no formal action by the Planning Commission regarding the Schaefer Ranch project at this
introductory Study Session meeting. As the planning process proceeds, several steps will be taken as the
various aspects of the project are considered. The Schaefer Ranch project will include the following
actions:
General Plan Amendment: The Dublin General Plan map would be amended to accommodate the project
site. Land use designations would be changed from agriculture to various urban uses. In addition,
General Plan policies would need to be added or amended. The specific revisions and policies affected by
the project are contained in the Schaefer Ranch Project General Plan Amendment document which has
been prepared as part of the project analysis.
Prezoning: The site would be prezoned from the existing County agricultural zoning to a City Planned
Development (PD)District.
Annexation to City: The City will make a request to LAFCO to approve annexation of the site to the
City.
Annexation to Special Service Districts: The project site would need to be annexed to the Dublin-San
Ramon Services District and to the Alameda County Zone 7 Water Agency for provision of water,
wastewater, and drainage services.
Securing approval of permits from various agencies: Various permits include, but are not limited to,
California Department of Fish and Game, Caltrans, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water
Quality Control Board, etc.
Securing approval of plans and permits from the City of Dublin for other aspects of development:
Various permits include, but are not limited to, a Development Agreement, Subdivision Map, Site
Development Review, etc.
Other actions associated with project approval will be taken as necessary. The EIR document contains a
more comprehensive discussion of the actions associated with the project.
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PLANNING PROCESS
The purpose of this Study Session is to introduce the Schaefer Ranch Project and EIR to the Planning
Commission and public, and to provide an opportunity to inform and receive public comments on the
project. This meeting was designed to occur during the official"public comment" period for the EIR,
and intended to provide the opportunity for public involvement in the planning process, consistent with
the objectives of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Public comments are encouraged
either verbally at the public meeting, or in writing, submitted to the Dublin Planning Department.
The processing steps and estimated schedule for the City's consideration of the project and EIR is as
follows:
December 21, 1995: EIR Public Comment Period Begins
January 16, 1996: EIR Public Comment Meeting and Study Session before the Planning Commission
February 12, 1996: EIR Public Comment Period Ends
March 12, 1996: Contract Amendment - Consultant begins responding to Comments on EIR
April 1996: Final EIR Distributed; General Plan Amendment (GPA)Document under review
May 1996: Public Hearings on EIR Certification and GPA adoption begin
July 1996: Final Public Hearings on EIR Certification and GPA adoption
CONCLUSION
For the purposes of the January 16, 1996 Public Meeting and Study Session on the EIR, Staff
recommends that the Commission consider this report as an introduction to the Schaefer Ranch Project.
The public meeting format will provide the opportunity for questions and comment from the public
regarding the EIR or the project. Public comments on the EIR will be accepted through the public
comment period, which ends on February 12, 1996.
The project will be analyzed and discussed in greater detail at public hearings to be held after the Draft
EIR is reviewed, and when the Final EIR and the General Plan Amendment document are considered for
certification and adoption later this year.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
FORMAT: 1) Hear Staff, Applicant, and EIR consultant presentations
2) Open public comment session
3) Take testimony from the public
4) Question Staff, Applicant and the public.
5) Close public comment session and discuss
6) Adjourn study session
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