HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-22-2015 PC Minutes "' '-� ' Planning Commission Minutes
�� 1 Tuesday, September 22, 2015
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
A regular meeting of the City of Dublin Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, September
22, 2015, in the City Council Chambers located at 100 Civic Plaza Chair Goel called the
meeting to order at 7:00 p m
Present: Chair Goel, Vice Chair Kohli; Commissioners Do, Bhuthimethee and Mittan; Linda
Smith, Assistant City Manager; Jeff Baker, Assistant Community Development Director; Kit
Faubion, Assistant City Attorney; Martha Aja, Associate Planner: Mr. Porto, Consulting Planner;
and Debra LeClair, Recording Secretary.
Absent None
ADDITIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE AGENDA— NONE
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS — On a motion by Cm. Do and seconded by Cm Kohli,
on a vote of 4-0-1, with Cm Bhuthimethee being absent from the meeting, the Planning
Commission approved the minutes of the July 14, 2015 meeting.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS — NONE
CONSENT CALENDAR — NONE
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS — NONE
PUBLIC HEARINGS —
8 1 PLPA-2015-00022 Al Mustafa Foundation Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a
Place of Worship at 6543 Regional Street, Suite A
Martha Aja, Associate Planner, presented the project as outlined in the Staff Report.
Chair Goel opened the public hearing and, with no speakers, closed the public hearing.
Cm Mittan asked for an explanation of the surrounding area
Ms Aja provided an explanation of the surrounding area and what is adjacent to the project.
Chair Goel asked if there are any residential developments in the area or occupants present at
night.
Ms. Aja answered that the closest residential development would be Connolly Station which is
close to the West Dublin BART station
Cm Milan asked about the zoning for the nearby warehouse and what it could be if
redeveloped
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Jeff Baker, Assistant Community Development Director, answered that the warehouse is located
in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan (DDSP) which allows a variety of different uses, including
commercial, office or residential uses and potentially could be any of those future uses, but it
could be a future residential project He mentioned that all activities for this project would be
indoors with no outdoor activities to affect the surrounding residents or businesses
Cm Mittan asked about a hotel that was planned for the area
Mr. Baker answered that a hotel would be an allowed use in the DDSP. He stated that BART
owns the site to the south of Connolly Station and had considered a hotel for that site with no
immediate plans
Cm. Do was in support of the project and felt it could invigorate the area which is mostly vacant.
She stated that she can make the findings.
Cm. Bhuthimethee shared Chair Goel's concern regarding the TOD area but the tenant is a
good use of the space She asked if typical tenant improvements would include bicycle racks.
Mr Baker responded that, through the Building Code, there are requirements that address
parking, including bicycle racks. He stated that the issue would be addressed during the
Building Permit process.
Cm Kohli stated that he is in support of the project and can make the findings.
Chair Goel asked how many attendees would occupy the space during worship services and
was concerned about noise at the close of meetings after 10:30 pm.
Ms. Aja answered that there is a Condition of Approval stating that there should not be more
than 49 people in the building at one time and there will be placards posted stating the
maximum occupancy of 49 people. She stated that the City does not regulate how late the
businesses are open.
Chair Goel asked if there is a sound ordinance that would ensure there is no excessive noise
being generated from the business.
Ms Aja yes and stated that there are several Condition of Approval regarding noise She stated
that any complaints would be addressed
Cm Mittan asked if there is an event room or strictly a religious facility.
Ms. Aja answered that there are two worship rooms (men's and women's), an office, a library
and a TV recording area but most of the activities will occur within the spaces of worship.
On a motion by Cm. Mittan and seconded by Cm. Do, on a vote of 5-0, the Planning
Commission unanimously adopted:
RESOLUTION NO. 15-07
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
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OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
APPROVING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE OPERATION OF A PLACE OF
WORSHIP (AL MUSTAFA FOUNDATION) AT 6543 REGIONAL STREET, SUITE A
8.2 General Plan Amendment/Eastern Dublin Specific Plan Amendment (EDSP), including
land use amendments to portions of: 1) Dublin Ranch Subarea 3 (PLPA 2015-00046); 2)
Wallis Ranch (PLPA 2015-00047), and 3) Jordan Ranch (PLPA 2015-00045) All
General Plan and EDSP land use amendments would be accompanied by related and
consistent Planned Development rezone with related Stage 1 and/or Stage 2
Development Plans In addition, Jordan Ranch has submitted an application for: a) Site
Development Review, b) Vesting Tentative Maps 8267 and 8269, and c) a Development
Agreement amendment with BJ-ROF Jordan Ranch LLC Mission Valley Properties.
Linda Smith, Assistant City Manager, presented an overview of the negotiations between the
City, Dublin Unified School District and the developer and the reasons for the project
Mr Porto, Consulting Planner, presented the project as outlined in the Staff Report.
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked why the houses are attached only at the first floor
Mr. Porto responded that it is for efficiency of land use He stated that garages and laundry
room uses are non-noise-generating uses that can be hooked together and it allows the living
spaces more light and air above.
Chair Goel asked if the recommendations should be approved as one action
Kit Faubion, City Attorney, responded that it is the City Manager's position, in constructing this
agreement with DUSD and the developer, that all of the items be considered as one package.
She stated that the Planning Commission can make recommendations, but as far as the City
Council is concerned, Staff would not make a recommendation to provide this school site to the
district if all of these items are not adopted
Chair Goel felt that, if the items were taken individually, certain items would not be
recommended the City Council.
Ms. Smith responded; that is correct.
Mr Baker suggested that the City Attorney go over the decision-making process and what
action the Planning Commission is being asked to make He stated that there is a difference
between the deal with DUSD and the land use that is before the Planning Commission.
Ms Faubion stated that Ms. Smith, Assistant City Manager, gave an overview of the agreement
which is complicated with a lot of people working very hard to make it happen She added that
the City received a letter from Amy Miller, on behalf of the DUSD Board, indicating their
support She stated that the agreement will be accomplished through a series of land use
approvals that make up the project; which is where the Planning Commission comes in She
stated that the items before the Planning Commission are not the agreement or the
negotiations The Planning Commission is being asked to review the General Plan and Eastern
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Dublin Specific Plan Amendments, Planned Development Rezone, the Site Development
Review and Vesting Tentative Maps for Parcel H and Neighborhood 7 and a Development
Agreement Amendment which are all of the land use details that will allow this project happen
She reminded the Planning Commission that only the land use approvals are within their
purview
Chair Goel asked if Ms. Faubion would give the Planning Commission any more guidance.
Ms. Faubion responded that the Planning Commission can vote on each item separately or as a
package She stated that they can discuss each item and then determine if they want to
include a Condition of Approval for the SDR or other changes to the items. She felt that it
would be easier to approve the items as a package
Chair Goel asked if the Mitigated Negative Declaration can be discussed and acted upon
separately.
Ms Faubion stated that the Mitigated Negative Declaration is not a land use application but is
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review that supports the land use applications.
She stated that all the items require CEQA review, therefore, the Mitigated Negative
Declaration should be included in the package of approvals
Mr. Baker stated that the Planning Commission is being asked to make a recommendation to
the City Council; they are not approving the items. The City Council will make a decision on
approving or denying the various aspects of the project.
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if the Jordan Ranch School/Park and one other park would be
developed with this project
Ms Smith answered that the Jordan Ranch Park will be a joint use facility
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if the Jordan Ranch Park and the school site would 4.7 acres
Ms. Smith stated that the collective Jordan Ranch School/Park site is 10 acres She stated that
Staff has been working with DUSD on the site planning for the school and have tried to tighten
up the building area to include as much field area and open space area as possible for use by
the community She mentioned that the Jordan Ranch Park site will be next to the school, and
east of the building area of the school She added that one of the reasons Staff felt that the
location of the school/joint use facility is good at that location is because there will be an
additional future seven-acre community park built adjacent to the site
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if the City will be constructing the school.
Ms Smith responded that the City will not construct the school. She stated that part of the
reason to move very quickly is that DUSD needs to take this plan and the adopted
environmental documents to the state for approval in order to begin design and construction
work on the school
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if the City will retain ownership of the site and then lease or rent it to
the district
Ms Smith answered yes The City will create a ground lease agreement with DUSD and the
City will retain ownership of the property. She gave a brief summary of how the City's park
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system works When development occurs in Dublin and there is park land tied to that project
the developer is required to dedicate that property to the City in exchange for free park land
dedication credits. This was done for this project with Mission Valley Properties offering to
dedicate the park land to the City and use fee credits to pay for their park land obligations She
stated that the reason for entering into this agreement was to ensure that the City would not
expend any dollars, other than providing the land opportunity to the district
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if the Jordan Ranch park site is a current requirement of that site
Ms Smith answered that the neighborhood park site is 5 8 acres and the developer offered to
dedicate the land. Typically the City develops its own parks This means that, when the City
collects impact fees for the improvements that need to be made to those parks, they will be
prioritized by the City Council She added that, at this point, the prioritization has been Emerald
Glen Recreation and Aquatic Complex, followed by Fallon Sports Park. Jordan Ranch
Neighborhood Park, and then Sean Diamond Park The developer's community benefit to
construct this park, which is designed and ready to build, means delivery of this park without
impacting the fee program, which means that the cash flow will be freed up for the park that
comes behind it Sean Diamond
Cm Kohli felt that, even if the project is approved, there is still no guarantee a school will be
built That is up to the school district to find the funds to construct the school.
Ms. Smith responded that the superintendent came to the March 17th City Council meeting,
when the MOU was approved, and stated that the funds were available to build the school.
Cm. Kohli felt that the school still has to execute and the City would not be in control of that
process
Ms Smith stated that, part of the agreement is that the City will not provide the site to the
district until they have demonstrated that they have the ability to construct that school.
Cm. Kohli asked if the "school benefit fee" paid by the developer would go towards the
construction of the school.
Ms. Smith answered that would be an arrangement between the district and the developer.
She understood, in reviewing the district's staff report, that the funds can be used for any
purpose
Cm Kohli asked if he would be able to ask questions of the developer regarding the
arrangement in this forum
Ms. Smith was unsure regarding the relevance to this discussion and suggested that Ms.
Faubion could answer the question.
Ms Faubion stated that the purpose of the meeting tonight is to discuss the land use, and not
the agreement. She stated that the importance of the development agreement, where a lot of
these negotiations pertain, is the fact that the development agreement vests the land use
approvals that the Planning Commission will be making a recommendation on tonight. She felt
that it was not appropriate to discuss the arrangement but that the Planning Commission should
focus on the land use approvals
Cm Mittan asked for an explanation of the situation with the park in Subarea 3
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Ms Smith responded that the developer will not receive credit for the amount of acreage that
was lost on Jordan Ranch which is approximately 10.5 acres. Whatever the building area for
the school site is on Jordan Ranch, which is approximately four acres, they will not get credit for
a similar amount of acreage in Subarea 3, but they will for the balance If the park is four acres,
and the joint park/school site is 10 5 acres, the developer will receive 6 5 acres of park land
dedication credits to use
Cm Mittan was concerned that the area in Subarea 3 is characterized by moderate to steep
slopes and felt that the majority of the public would not consider it a usable park He felt that it
could be a liability to the City, and that normally this would be an HOA-maintained hillside, not a
City-maintained hillside
Ms Smith stated that the Parks Commission and the City Council adopted an updated Parks
and Recreation Master Plan which included a new category of park land for Dublin called
Community Nature Park. She stated that the intention was to ensure that there is a balance of
active and natural park space. She stated that the area is not intended to be used for active
sports activity that you would traditionally see in a flat area
Cm Mittan disagreed that the City is providing this park as a benefit to the citizens. He stated
that he has completed many City surveys regarding the parks and has always advocated for
more natural park space for enjoyment of nature He did not feel that this area would fulfill the
natural park space since it is such a steep slope and basically unusable
Ms. Smith responded that the Parks Commission and the City Council will take up that item as
a part of subsequent approvals for the design of a park in that area.
Ms Faubion felt that some of the impetus for this unique Dublin feature came out of some of
the Subarea 3 public testimony. She stated that members of the public came and said, "You
know, wouldn't this be good if we could hike up and have this unique vista" because so much of
the Dublin plain is so flat. She added that there were a number of speakers at the Planning
Commission hearing that spoke exactly to this kind of a use and acknowledged that it was fairly
unique in Dublin
Chair Goel felt that when Subarea 3 (Irongate) was approved the park site was reconfigured to
show how that trail would move down the hill. He asked Mr Porto to explain and also
mentioned that, when this was approved, the Community Nature Park designation was not in
existence
Mr. Porto indicated that Cm Goel was correct He stated that the area is a trail along a stream
corridor which continues up along the west side of Fallon Sports Park, to Gleason. The trail has
a 10-foot-wide paved surface adjacent to it Mr. Porto pointed out the trail on the slide
Cm. Mitten asked about the visitor parking for the Jordan Ranch development He asked where
overflow parking would be and was concerned with a parking issue within the neighborhood.
Mr. Porto responded that the City has recently changed the parking requirements from .5
spaces per unit to 1 guest stall per unit. Since that change there have been no parking issues,
but any overflow parking would spill out onto Jordan Ranch Drive He felt that it would not be
an issue
Cm Mittan asked about the fencing for the view units in the Jordan Ranch Parcel H and
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Neighborhood 7.
Mr. Porto answered that the only units that are view are oriented on Central Parkway and Fallon
Road
Cm Bhuthimethee asked, if under the proposed agreements, the developer would construct
and deliver parks (Jordan Ranch Neighborhood Park and Wallis Ranch Park) sooner than they
would normally be delivered
Ms Smith answered that the Wallis piece is not related to the school package. She stated that
the City can only make four General Plan Land Use Amendments per year which is why Wallis
is part of this project She stated that the goal for Wallis is to obtain an additional 1 9 acres of
public/semi-public land to add to the existing acreage of 7.6 acres of community park land, in
order to create more park land. She stated that Staff will be working with the Wallis Ranch
developer on an improvement agreement, in which they will construct those improvements
much sooner than they would otherwise be constructed
Chair Goel felt that part of the answer is regarding the total acreage of parks in order to meet
the total park acreage required for the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan
Cm Bhuthimethee felt that there were three parks to be developed and asked for an
explanation.
Chair Goel asked Mr Porto to show the Wallis Ranch land use map slide which shows the
area
Ms Smith apologized if her opening statement was confusing. She stated that her statement
pertained to the school package deal regarding the benefit that would be received to the Jordan
Ranch area, which would include a joint use school/park site and a neighborhood park being
constructed in that area She stated that, with Wallis Ranch, the City's intention is to work with
the developer to have them build the improvements for the community park She stated that, if
the Planning Commission recommends and the City Council approves the General Plan
Amendments to add additional park acreage, we're asking them to build those improvements
when they construct their project because, if we don't, there will not be funds to build the park
for several years
Cm. Bhuthimethee directed the meeting to page three of 22 in the Staff Report, which says,
"However, under the proposed agreements, the developer would construct and deliver the
Jordan Ranch Neighborhood Park and Wallis Ranch Park sooner " She asked for an
explanation.
Chair Goel felt that he could explain, with Mr. Porto's help. He stated that inside of the
arrangement, the developers will be providing $1.6 million towards the net total of Jordan
Ranch, which they estimate at $1.965 million and then essentially the City would pay the
remainder of that balance, or provide credit of that The element of construction at the Wallis
Ranch location has not been discussed as far as who's paying for it. Therefore, he felt that it
would be assumed that the City is responsible for that or any other arrangements that are made
subsequently
Mr Baker felt Cm Bhuthimethee's question is how many parks are going to be built as a result
of this project He stated that the development proposal states that the developer would build
out the neighborhood park in Jordan Ranch Separate from that, the other park that would
potentially be built out is Wallis Ranch, as a separate agreement with the Wallis Ranch
developer, Trumark Homes. Trumark Homes would then dedicate this land as a park, and then
build out the Wallis Ranch Park as part of their agreement with the City.
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if the developer is building the Wallis Ranch Park.
Ms. Smith answered that is the goal
Chair Goel asked if he should ask questions now or later.
Ms. Faubion answered that this the part of the meeting for clarifying questions from the
Planning Commission to Staff. If there are factual questions or something that you feel needs
to be clarified, this is an appropriate time for those The actual deliberation and questions
related to that would come after the public hearing, when we've had the benefit of both Staff
and the public input.
Cm Mittan was concerned that the Jordan Ranch School/Park site would not be large enough
to support a middle school He felt that the Fallon Middle School is approximately 21 acres and
the Jordan Ranch School site would be only 10 5-11 acres
Mr. Porto answered that Fallon Middle School is approximately 21-22 acres
Cm. Mittan asked if the Jordan Ranch School/Park site would be 11.1 acres
Ms Smith answered that the site is approximately 10 acres.
Cm Mittan felt that was less than half the size of Fallon Middle School's site
Ms. Smith answered yes
Cm. Mittan was concerned with how the school district can build a middle school on half the
site
Mr. Porto answered that the school would not be a middle school but a K-8 school that has a
smaller component of middle school students. He stated that the size requirement is not the
same as what it was for Fallon Middle School.
Cm. Mittan agreed but felt that there should be sports facilities provided to those students like
the ones provided at Fallon Middle School but would not be provided at this school site because
of the lack of acreage
Chair Goel felt Cm. Mittan's question was regarding the request the school district made in
2005 or 2010 in their response to the EIR about the amount of acreage for the original school
site
Ms. Smith stated that the district made a request for an additional acre for the 10-acre site She
stated that the district had a time period in which they needed to act on that one acre, which
was in 2013 They did not act on that one-acre piece, per their agreement
Chair Goel asked if the 10 acres was also removed as part of an expiration of the developer's
agreement
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Mr. Baker answered no He stated that originally there was a 10-acre site identified for the
school in 2010 There was an opportunity for an additional acre and there was a term in which
the developer had to exercise that decision, and they did not Therefore, they were left with the
original 10-acre parcel
Chair Goel asked if the 10 acres are gone, or part of this transaction.
Mr. Baker answered that the 10-acre site is part of this transaction They would be moving to a
different future site.
Chair Goel asked if that 10-acre site was part of the May City Council action.
Ms Smith stated that, to clarify the term used by the community was "swap " There is no swap.
Chair Goel felt that there was a $36 million offset or something of that magnitude.
Ms. Smith answered yes. If the Planning Commission recommends and the City Council
adopts this package, the District will not have to expend any money to buy that other 10-acre
school site, because they will be ground leasing from the City for a dollar per year.
Chair Goel asked if school district still has an option for the 10-acre site then they will need to
come up with the funds.
Ms. Smith answered that, at this point, they have an option.
Chair Goel asked what those 10 acres are being converted to in this plan.
Mr. Porto answered that the 10 acres has an underlying land use of medium-density residential
that was analyzed as part of the 2012 project that came before the Planning Commission and
then ultimately was approved by the City Council
Chair Goel asked if it was rezoned.
Mr. Porto answered yes
Cm. Kohli asked if there is dual zoning on the 10 acres.
Mr. Porto answered that it is an if/then situation. if the school district doesn't move forward with
the project, then it can be developed for medium-density residential uses.
Chair Goel asked if this package could potentially erase that option.
Ms. Smith answered that this package will erase that option
Cm. Mittan asked if the school district would consider something similar to an Amador
Elementary, where it would be a double-story, to maximize use of the space.
Mr Porto stated that Amador Elementary is the prototype that they're utilizing, with a few minor
changes.
Cm. Kohli asked if he was referring to the new site
Mr. Porto answered yes
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Cm. Do asked if there will be no more commercial development.
Mr Porto answered that there will be no more commercial. He stated that if this project is
approved tonight, there will be a maximum number of units developed on Jordan Ranch of 899
units, which is 165 units less than what was originally approved on this project site
Cm. Do asked if there were any other developments.
Mr. Porto answered that there are no other residential units, existing or proposed, on the other
two sites, in Subarea 3 or in Wallis Ranch
Cm Kohli asked what the project will be if it was not recommended to the City Council. He
asked if it would be the 2012 numbers with a max of 964 units with 5,000 commercial square
feet and possibly a school or let's assume the school's coming, in the original. He wanted to be
clear because he felt that the presentation pointed out 899 units, comparing it to the 2005
number of units, but it's actually the 2012
Mr Porto answered that, at this point, it's the 2012 number
Chair Goel felt that if the school district finds the money, If that underlying rezone was not there,
it would be the 2010 numbers
Mr. Porto answered that it is the 2012 numbers, minus 100 units.
Chair Goel asked if the number was 864, which is less than 899.
Mr. Porto answered yes. He stated that in 2012 the mixed use site was created on Fallon Road
for 115 units and 5,000 square feet of retail. This project is reducing that to 45 units to offset
the impacts to the school improvements on the south side of Central Parkway.
Chair Goel felt that the "if/then" is not depicted in these numbers.
Mr Porto answered that it will be if the school district exercises their option for the existing
school site, finds the money to buy it, and then it would be developed as a school
Chair Goel asked if this is presented as the school district does not have the funding.
Mr. Porto responded that the district did not know if they wanted or needed the ES school site in
2012 So it was set up that, in the event that the school district didn't need the site, there was
an underlying land use available to develop the property and there would be no need to come
back for another general plan amendment on the project
Chair Goel asked, if it was correct, regarding the terms of the MOU with the Dublin School
District, that they asked for this new position or new location
Ms. Smith answered yes
Chair Goel asked if their comments regarding acreage were ever revisited and what would be
the minimum required. He asked if the district is entertaining a K-8 concept and recently
finished the Amador School at what acreage
Ms. Smith answered that Amador Elementary is approximately the same amount of acreage at
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10 acres
Chair Goel felt that the joint school/park site was not 10 acres.
Mr Baker responded that the new site will be a joint use of school and park land. Therefore,
the school will be using some of the park land
Ms Smith stated that during the day it will function as a school and after school hours it will
function partially as a park.
Chair Goel felt that the site was approximately 4.6 acres and asked what would be allowed for
that use.
Mr Porto answered that the school portion is 3.7 acres
Chair Goel asked who would have the responsibility of developing the park land, or school
grounds and felt it would be the school district. He stated that the Staff Report says specifically
that the Planning Commission's purview does not include the deal points. He felt that
somewhere else in the package the deal points are an attachment, which makes it part of what
the Planning Commission is approving as part of the package.
Ms. Smith explained that the City has a deal with the district that's not subject to Planning
Commission review, which are the deal points that were submitted to the Council on March 17,
2015. She stated that the deal points include the ground lease and the district will build this
facility and maintain this facility on the City's behalf. She added that the City will gain the use of
the site as a park. She added that deal is separate from the Development Agreement deal
terms
Chair Goel asked for an explanation of the underlying zoning for the site
Ms. Faubion explained that the dual designation means the site could be developed as
medium-density residential if the school district did not require it for their purposes. She stated
that the general plan map shows the underlying zoning and the environmental review analyzed
both of those potential uses for the site
Chair Goel asked what the trigger would be to change the zoning and is there a timeline for any
change to the zoning
Ms. Smith responded that there is no timeline. She stated that, if in fact the Planning
Commission recommends and the Council takes action approving this package, they will no
longer have rights to that property. They will not have a right to acquire that site following the
actions that we're asking you to take
Chair Goel stated that he would like a better understanding in order to make a choice He
asked if the 10 acres that the school district has access to has a fee of $30 million
Ms Smith responded that the school district would have to buy the site at fair market value.
Chair Goel asked where that money would go
Ms. Smith responded that the money would go to the developer because it is their property.
Neither the City nor the school district owns it
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Chair Goel asked what triggered the original discussion between the City and the school district
for the offset of cost. to enable this to occur
Ms. Smith stated that when the City brought the MOU proposal to the City Council in March
2015, the proposal stated that providing the district an alternative site, in looking at a joint use
school/park site, would relieve the district of having to expend money to purchase lands. The
land was valued at approximately $30 million, or three million dollars per acre. She stated that
it was more of a testament to what it cost to buy land, and the cost associated with the district's
need to buy land, which they don't have
Chair Goel stated that, based on what the zoning is, the school district has access to 10 acres
currently
Mr Baker answered yes.
Chair Goel stated that the district now has access to an additional optional location that the City
has graciously provided.
Ms Smith stated that the district will no longer have access to that other school site, following
these actions
Mr. Baker stated that it is either one or the other
Chair Goel asked if the agreement that happened in March is already done.
Ms. Smith answered no She stated that the City entered into an MOU with the school district
related to the use of the community park site as a school/park site Once actions are taken to
the affirmative to allow the developer to vest those units on that 10-acre parcel of the original
school site, they will no longer have a right to purchase that site. Their option will be working
with the City on the ground lease agreement, which we intend to bring back next month to the
City Council for consideration, provided that there is an approval of this package.
Chair Goel felt that it is really critical that the Planning Commission understand this, because he
felt that there were a lot of messages coming across. He stated that the 10 acres is technically
still there and the MOU is in place and if the MOU is executed and this occurs, the 10 acres
goes away, and then the underlying zoning triggers, and those parcels become vested So this
is all tied.
Ms. Smith stated that the original school site becomes vested if the Planning Commission takes
an action and the City Council takes an action to vest them via the Development Agreement
Chair Goel asked if the site is currently considered non-vested
Ms Smith answered yes.
Ms Faubion stated that there has clearly been a lot of negotiation and the school district is in
support of the project.
Chair Goel stated that he can respect Ms. Faubion's opinion, but he felt that some of the people
in the audience and others that are not here have asked these questions
Ms. Faubion stated that she was referring to the letters in the record.
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Chair Goel felt that it is his responsibility to ask these questions because this is a total review of
a land use designation and that is within the Planning Commission's purview.
Ms Faubion stated that there are approximately 9 2 acres of Neighborhood 7 that are proposed
for residential development and there have been no letters from the district in opposition to that
project She stated that there are letters and evidence in the record showing that the district
has been participating in the package regarding obtaining a school site on the 3.7 acres This
is what is in the record.
Cm Kohli asked what will happen if the package does not pass tonight, will things stay as is.
Ms. Smith stated that the Planning Commission's recommendation to the City Council would be
to deny and the City Council would take an action.
Chair Goel stated that he had not made a recommendation or taken a position as yet.
Ms Smith responded that she was not suggesting that and she was referring to Cm. Kohli's
question
Chair Goel stated that he was trying to understand the package in front of the Planning
Commission so he could make a choice.
Ms. Smith clarified that the project would not stop here It would continue on to the City Council
with a recommendation for denial.
Chair Goel stated it would be only a recommendation.
Cm. Kohli asked if there is an expiration on the school district to act on the land that has a dual
designation of semi-public and medium-density
Ms Smith answered no.
Chair Goel asked for an explanation of items "G and "I" of the amendment to the development
agreement, Attachment 1, Exhibit A to the Staff Report He was unsure of the numbers based
on 2012 approvals
Mr. Porto recited The end result of the subsequent project approvals is to reduce the approved
residential units from 964 to 899."
Chair Goel asked if that was the 2012 to 2015 numbers.
Mr. Baker answered yes and stated that "I" is addressing what's before the Planning
Commission tonight
Chair Goel asked if"G" is a predecessor.
Mr. Baker answered that "G" is 2010 numbers
Chair Goel indicated that "G" is 2012 numbers.
Mr. Baker stated that from 2010 to 2012, as shown on the screen, the numbers are going from
781 up to a maximum of 964
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Chair Goel felt that it indicates, "From 780 to 864, plus a potential of up to 100 units on the
school site"and asked if that is tied to the underlying zoning.
Mr Baker answered right; for a total of 964, which is shown on the screen as the 2012 number.
Chair Goel felt that receiving the packet on a Thursday is not enough time to review such a
large project He felt it was good to hear from the public and referred to letter #3.1 in the
Response to Comments attachment
Mr. Baker asked if Chair Goel was referring to the comments received on the MND.
Chair Goel answered yes and stated that the response addressed Parcel H He asked when
Parcel H was disclosed relative to the timeframe of Jordan Ranch being developed.
Mr. Porto answered in 2012.
Chair Goel asked about the homes on Jordan Ranch Drive.
Mr. Porto responded that those homes were not constructed yet He stated that was the model
complex for Brookfield's Mariposa development.
Chair Goel asked if anything happening inside of that development would have been a
disclosure requirement relative to Parcel H at that time
Mr Baker responded that the City could not speak to disclosure, but it was a known item at that
point So at a minimum, the information was public knowledge
Mr Porto stated that the developer was informed of what was going on, and notified of the
action in 2012.
Chair Goel asked if those homes were built after 2012.
Mr Porto answered yes.
Chair Goel stated he was trying to make sure the Planning Commission was addressing
everything He directed the Planning Commission to page 16 of the same Response to
Comments, comment #3 23. He asked Mr. Porto to elaborate on the response there He
stated that the comments were "the open space is the only green area they have in front of us.
They hope the brown vegetation will turn green during the winter gains." And then the
response- "This comment is noted and will be considered by the Planning Commission and City
Council during their deliberation on the project." He asked if this response was referring to the
Planning Commission evaluating what's happening to that land as part of that underlying
rezone.
Ms. Faubion explained that the CEQA environmental document, the green-covered Mitigated
Negative Declaration, was circulated for public review and the public had the opportunity to
submit comments on the document. She stated that the City is not required to provide answers
to those comments like it is on an EIR. But, in this case, because of the interest in the project,
the City did prepare responses.
Chair Goel was concerned that the response indicated that the Planning Commission was
going to be considering the comment
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Ms. Faubion stated that the comment is in the record and the decision makers have the benefit
of being able to read that comment She stated that this just means that the comment will go
forward as part of the record to the Planning Commission and City Council
Chair Goel asked if the comment was referring to Parcel H
Mr Porto answered yes.
Chair Goel asked if Parcel H is not considered part of the open space area.
Mr Porto answered yes He pointed out Parcel H a slide. The three lots, which comprise the
model complex for Mariposa, are the only lots that are exposed to this He stated that this site
is significantly below grade and, as a medium-density development, there will be 45 units
There are already 115 units allowed on the site, which is the low end of the high-density range
and at least four-story buildings would probably be built there
Chair Goel asked if there is any height range for the project He was concerned about the
grade and what would be seen from the street.
Mr Porto answered that the development standards are approximately 40 feet in height and
there is a difference in grade elevation between the street and where these units are located
Chair Goel asked if there would be a 15 foot difference.
Mr. Porto answered it would be approximately 15 feet
Mr Baker added that he felt that perhaps there was a misunderstanding with the author of that
letter that this is not in fact open space, but is currently is zoned to allow a mixed use project, as
Mike mentioned, with potential for a four-story building there
Chair Goel asked if this was the school site.
Mr. Porto answered no
Mr. Baker stated that this is the mixed use site.
Chair Goel asked where the original school site was located and the new school site, relative to
Parcel H, and how that would have impacted Parcel H. He also asked if Parcel H was always
going to have a medium/high density
Mr. Baker answered yes.
Chair Goel asked if it was part of the Irongate project.
Mr Porto answered no. He stated that Parcel H was designated as a mixed use site in 2012
At that point the density range was for 115 units and up to 5,000 square feet of commercial,
effectively a mixed use project. He referred the Planning Commission to the map where it
shows "proposed land use" or "existing land use." The existing school site is in blue.
Chair Goel asked if, by existing, he meant originally proposed
Mr. Porto answered that the originally proposed school site is in blue on the slide and pointed
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out the site that is mixed use
Mr Baker asked Mr. Porto to orient the Planning Commission as far as geographically where
that is.
Mr. Porto pointed out the area on Jordan Ranch Drive to the north, Central Parkway to the
south, and Fallon Road to the west, and the open space running through the development all
the way up into Positano. He also pointed out the location of Jordan Ranch Park
Chair Goel asked if Parcel H was always a mixed use or medium-density and that's part of
those hundred units
Mr. Porto answered yes.
Chair Goel asked if the blue are on the slide is now the new proposed location for the K8
school
Mr Porto answered yes
Chair Goel referred to the attachment to the revised initial study, table one In the 2015
column, under "Dwellings — Non-residential" there is a 411 number with a footnote four He
asked for an explanation of why the number is higher but yet the total is lower
Mr Porto explained the calculations in the chart He stated the count was originally 105 units,
when it was originally 100 which is a difference of 55.
Chair Goel asked if the calculations included a school/no school.
There was a discussion regarding the numbers on table.
Chair Goel asked about Table 12 within the Mitigated Negative Declaration, page 42 It talks
about a "no-project and with-project" in 2040 the PM.
Mr Porto stated that he was referring to the traffic study at the back of the MND.
Chair Goel was concerned with the "Level of Service F" (LOS) at the school site and what's
contributing to it because the school was originally proposed at 500 students and now will go up
to 950 students
Obaid Khan, Transport and Operations Manager, asked if the question is regarding no-project
LOS or with-project LOS He stated that there is no change in the LOS.
Chair Goel felt this is a LOS F; it is always going to fail and it had nothing to do with the change
in status of the school and the PM traffic.
Mr Khan answered yes and stated that the City's LOS criteria is based upon the Volume-to-
Capacity (V/C) ratio.
Chair Goel referred to Exhibit E — Statement of Overriding Considerations, Page 2, bullet 3 -
Unavoidable Significant Adverse Impacts He asked what EDPO means.
Mr Baker answered Eastern Dublin Property Owners He stated that in the early 2000's, the
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entire original Fallon Village area was referred to as EDPO or East Dublin Property Owners
which later became Fallon Village Jordan Ranch is a subset of Fallon Village EDPO
Chair Goel asked if this supplemental impact traffic — six, seven, eight, and eleven —
essentially are experiencing no change as a result of this project.
Mr Khan responded that they found no significant impact because the intensity of development
reduced the number of units and the school trips are related to the local circulation That is
why a supplemental study was done as part of the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) that
reviewed the local intersection to make sure that none of those would be impacted because of
school trips
Chair Goel was concerned about the traffic circulation and safety measures with the new
school He stated that there were recommendations about the median divide which is on the
main spine road going in and out of the development He felt that adding traffic on the thruway
would cause the queue to back up during the school hours
Mr Khan stated that the school time, which is near the bell time, is different than the LOS
analysis criteria.
Chair Goel stated he understood.
Mr Khan stated that he did a separate analysis of the bell time impacts that are queuing
related, which is in the MND He stated that they increased the peak hour factor for the school
bell time and the peak hour factor for LOS is usually around 0 9 or 0 92. They reduced that
level of peak hour factor to increase the surge of vehicles at the bell time. He stated that they
asked to create a separate right-turn lane into the school at the school entrance He pointed
out the school entrance
Chair Goel recommended that Staff consider some sort of valet dropping area, and/or queuing
ability for these students because it's going to be an issue.
Mr Khan stated that they created a drop-off zone in front of the school and inside circulation is
similar to Amador School
Chair Goel wanted to ensure that the City is guiding the school district to implement correct
safety measures through these recommendations
Kevin Fryer with Mission Valley Properties, Applicant, spoke in favor of the project.
Chair Goel opened the public hearing.
Mr Baker stated that the school board president submitted a letter to the Planning Commission
and she asked that it be read into the record He asked Chair Goel to read the letter for the
record
Chair Goel read the letter into the record.
"Dear Commissioners. I am writing to you today to express my concern about an item
you will be discussing at your meeting tomorrow night Unfortunately I am unable to attend as
the school board has a regular board meeting at the same time.
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"As you are all aware, Kevin Fryer's request to have the 150 additional homes he would
like to have vested as a part of his project will be coming to you Tuesday night. I would like to
give you some perspective about why its important for this project, unlike the last three —
Trumark. Jerry Hunt (aka the Green) and the Promenade — to be approved.
"We at the DUSD have been working very hard with the City and the developer to come
to an agreement so that we are able to build a K8 school in this development We have spent
countless hours meeting, consulting with our lawyers and planning so that this school can get
built
"I'm sure you're sick of hearing about how the state has failed us, but it is the reason we
are in this situation. We never thought for a second we'd be having to pay for an entire new
school until recently
"The governor's decision to stop funding school construction is only a couple years old
We unfortunately never knew this could or would happen. Thankfully there will most likely be a
ballot measure in 2016. But until then we are working hard at finding solutions for our
community
"We cannot purchase the land set aside for us by Mission Valley, which by no means is
their fault. We have come to an agreement with the developer and City to acquire the land on
Central Parkway for this school and have also found the means to build it
"Most of Kevin Fryer's project is in fact already vested. The difference these 150 homes
will make is insignificant due to the trade-off of getting the school site, collecting another$1 on
top of the developer's Level 2 fees, and the agreement of the developer to make all of the street
improvements needed on the new school site
"I am asking you to consider voting to give the council a chance to discuss the project's
merits and the hard work and many hours that have been devoted to finding an agreement that
works for everyone
"I know more homes is not what the residents want. But do they also want to face the
alternative? We will be forced to look at boundary changes, diverting students—hundreds from
the east to west— and possibly placing portables on Nielsen to house the kids that are coming
due to all the vested properties that will be built regardless.
"Here is some info for you to digest: If these units get vested he is still building 65 less
homes than what is on the original plan He originally planned for 964. Of those 749 are
already vested, and he is asking for 150 more unvested, which totals 899.
"That is 65 less units than originally planned And while we know that the medium-
density may bring a few more kids than high-density, the difference is somewhat insignificant in
this case since we will have a school.
'Although I understand the interest in stopping all unvested properties, this is not a good
idea on this particular project. MOST of his units are vested and he will build them no matter
what. So, the 749 units will come and we will have NO school because the City cannot give us
the land if those units are not approved.
"I do know that a large contingency of residents concerned about the development on
Parcel H, would like to see their view preserved by not allowing two-story or higher homes built
lG,mim;t c mL ann l.g,i ember 21,Jul
N.guG.- t.ehng LPage 13
—something I recently learned.
"Please, I urge you to at least agree to allow the City Council to take the matter up We
will be there, my board and Dr Hanke, to speak about the process we've been through
regarding this particular project and why we support it
"Thank you for taking the time to read this long email. I have attached some documents
I think you might find interesting. Please don't hesitate to contact me anytime with questions or
comments. Sincerely, Amy Miller, President, Dublin Unified School District Board of
Education."
Shrub Nanji, Dublin resident, spoke in opposition to the project. She stated that she supports
slow growth and is concerned with density, the drought and how the project would impact water
supply. She stated that she supports schools.
Elisabeth St. John, Dublin resident, spoke in opposition to the project. She stated that she
supports slow growth and is concerned with density, the drought and how the project would
impact water supply. She suggested that the medium-density residential be changed to low-
density residential She asked if a follow-up environmental impact report was done since 2012.
She was also concerned about traffic with only one entry/exit into the project
Chair Goel closed the public hearing
Cm. Mittan asked to show a circulation map to get an idea of what the speaker was talking
about regarding the inflows and outflows of the two proposed residential areas. He asked for a
comment from Staff regarding her concerns in general
Mr Porto stated that a left turn is not allowed because it is a one way in, or a left in only, you
cannot make a left out. However, the residents here would have the opportunity to come out a
driveway and proceed into the left-turn pocket and go south on Fallon Road. He stated that
Staff looked at various alternatives such as gating, speed bumps, etc. He stated that there is a
concern about that and Staff is working with the developer to find a way to help keep the cut-
through traffic to a minimum because these streets are not public streets
Chair Goel asked about the line of sight/steepness issue.
Mr Porto described it is a vertical curve, in order to get out onto the street, there would be a
vertical curve such that the cars would be up to the hump and level with and be able to see both
directions
Cm. Do stated that she has seen people make that left turn many times She stated that she is
having mixed feelings about this project She was in support of the idea of the school, but was
also concerned with changing mixed use to medium-density and felt that low density would be a
better choice. She felt that is part of the reason why there is a school issue. because we are
getting more homes and more residents, but not enough schools
Cm. Mittan asked about the downslope along Fallon Road from Parcel H.
Mr. Porto responded that there is a downslope in one area and an upslope in another area but
it's relatively at grade
Cm. Mittan asked if there is sound buffering or a wall
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Mr Porto answered no. He stated that it is very similar to Tassalara Road north of Gleason
where the units front onto the frontage road. There is no sound attenuation in that particular
area because it is far enough back, and the units themselves block the sound for units further
inside the project.
Cm Bhuthimethee felt that everyone was very focused on the deal, but wanted to remind the
Planning Commission that there is still an SDR to review.
Chair Goel agreed.
Cm. Bhuthimethee stated that the elevations vary from Jordan Ranch and felt that the pull-apart
townhomes are so much more attractive than the duets She asked what happened to the
duets.
Chair Goel asked if Cm. Bhuthimethee would like to ask the Applicant.
Cm. Bhuthimethee answered yes.
Cm. Koh li made a motion to reopen the public hearing.
Cm Mittan seconded the motion to reopen the public session.
The Commission voted unanimously to re-open the hearing
Chair Goel requested the Applicant come forward.
Mr. Fryer asked if the question was what happened to the duets
Cm Bhuthimethee answered yes
Mr Fryer responded that he would like to have the architect respond to the question
Mr Porto offered to explain
Mr. Fryer suggested that Mr. Porto give his thoughts, and then the architect can address the
question.
Cm. Bhuthimethee felt that they look very flat
Mr Porto stated that there is a lot of undulation on them. The patios on the front of the homes
are quite unique and quite large compared to the others The architecture is using the same
materials that are being used throughout Jordan Ranch. He stated that the units are very
similar to the units the Planning Commission has reviewed and approved as part of Wallis
Ranch. They are more of a contemporary farmhouse, rather than the traditional type of board-
and-batten farmhouse.
Mr Fryer stated that was an intentional choice. He wanted to speak to some of the comments
about low-density residential He stated that as an introduction into Jordan and the theme of
the architecture throughout the project, which is their most urban and intense location at the
corner of heavily-trafficked Central and Fallon, they looked at approximately 47 different
versions of the site plan together on Parcel H and at least three or four, different housing types
He felt that the consensus that a less dense plan would impact our ability to provide some of
ceple :5rr 23,LUIS
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the community benefits as part of this process He felt low density would produce more
students on a per-unit basis than a denser project and was a less appropriate land use concept.
He felt it was a nice way of introducing the theme of Jordan Ranch in an intense and urbanized
location with a slightly urbanized version of that architecture
Cm. Bhuthimethee was concerned with only having two elevations to choose from in such an
intense development She felt that, in such a small area, there should be more variation
Mr. Fryer felt that, with 45 units, two elevations was an appropriate amount He stated that he
would be willing to craft a condition to that effect and work with Staff to try to achieve that
Cm Mittan asked if the stone work is on the face of the homes.
Mr Porto suggested having the architect answer the question.
Ms. Emily Bonano, The Dahlin Group Architecture & Planning, answered that the stone is along
the low courtyard walls in the front and extends up onto the supports of the balconies.
Cm. Mittan asked how high it extends
Ms. Bonnano answered that the courtyard wall is between 36 and 42 inches high Above the
patio on the inside, it could get a little bit higher if there's grade along the paseos. The porch
railing would be approximately 14 to 15 feet high.
Cm Mittan was concerned that the landscaping would eventually obliterate the feature wall as it
matures.
Ms Bonano stated that it is possible that there may be some areas where the wall isn't high
due to grade in the paseo.
Cm Bhuthimethee agreed with Cm Mittan regarding the landscaping covering the feature wall.
Cm Mittan stated that he would prefer not to have the wall plain stucco with little feature. He
suggested adding more of the faux stone in order to have the feature more visible
Ms. Bonano agreed to take a look at that.
Chair Goel Any other questions for the applicant?
Cm. Kohli asked what the reasons were that low-density would not work in this project He
wanted to ensure that he understood, as well as the residents who spoke in favor of low-
density He asked if there was still an opportunity for a compromise
Mr. Fryer felt that, from his perspective, going from the mixed use designation that allowed up
to 115 units, down to medium-density with 45 units, was a very significant reduction in the
density of the project He stated that they tried to figure out a land use that Staff and he could
agree on and was appropriate for the location that addressed some of the political concerns
and constraints about intensity of use. And then also being able to ensure that, essentially, this
would all work and that there was enough residual land value to be able to provide the
community benefits both to the district and to the City in the constructed park
Mr. Fryer continued that, while there is open space adjacent to this, this is not open space.
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This is vacant land that is designated as mixed use He stated that he spent a lot of time
trying to balance the proximity to Fallon, both for livability of future residents of Parcel H, as well
as continuing and creating some interest from Fallon as you're driving on that street. He felt
that the housing type created some variety, and part of it obviously is the economics
Cm Kohli agreed and stated that it is the reality
Mr. Fryer stated that this is the reality to make all of this project work
Cm Kohli agreed and stated that he appreciated his honesty He asked that, when he was
doing the analysis for the best plan for the parcel, if there a number that he came up with that
would determine how many units would actually be in a low density project.
Mr. Fryer stated that he did an analysis of some less efficient housing types than the duets, like
the four-pack cluster homes that are along the open space, through the middle of Jordan, that
Toll Brothers is now building and selling. He stated that they also looked at the pull-apart
townhomes and more intense uses but did not find an exact breaking point in some of those
lower-density uses that didn't fit the project
Cm Kohli stated that Mr. Fryer mentioned the economic impacts in terms of what this package
is all about He asked if he had looked at a low-density solution for this area, and if he had
anything that he could share, such as some sort of estimate, where the gap is in terms of the
economics.
Mr Fryer stated that there are a lot of things that happen when you reduce density from an
economic perspective. Typically the size of the house is increased, and then the price of those
houses is also increased There are some unintended consequences when lowering densities,
providing less diverse housing stock, creating less supply and larger houses that are more
expensive He asked if he answers Cm Kohl's question
Cm. Kohli answered no but, it gave him an idea.
Mr. Fryer asked if Cm Kohli wanted to know if there is a breaking point
Cm Kohli answered yes.
Mr Fryer answered yes, there is but it is hard to say what it is. He felt that he is putting a very
strong effort into making economic sacrifices and a commitment to try to pull this all together.
The primary goal for him was for some certainty, in that we don't know if and when the district
will be in a position to purchase this site. Without their ability to do that, there's an economic
impact on us and there's a significant impact and the uncertainty is quite a risk for the
community and the impact on the schools
Cm. Kohli thanked Mr. Fryer.
Mr. Fryer wanted to address one of the comments regarding their concern about the impact on
the biologicals or "environmental " He stated that the environmental impacts were studied as
part of the MND He stated that they have processed the agency permits with all the agencies
that have jurisdiction over animals and waters, this area was assumed to be impacted from the
original permitting with Fish and Wildlife, Fish and Game, Regional Board, Army Corps, back in
2010. This has always been a site that was assumed to be impacted In fact, in its previous
days, when we first bought the site, this was the homestead site with gravel parking, a house,
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and two or three barn structures, it was a fairly improved area He stated that they removed all
of those structures and cleaned up the site.
Cm Bhuthimethee asked how many units per acre on these sites.
Mr Fryer answered approximately 10/acre, gross 4.5 gross acres equals 45 units.
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if medium is a range.
Mr Fryer answered that ten is the midpoint of the medium-density range which is 6 1 to 14
du/ac
Chair Goel asked if he considered building only two stories, instead of three.
Mr Fryer answered yes and asked if he was talking about on Parcel H specifically
Chair Goel answered yes; Parcel H. He felt that the other point was low or lower in height
Mr Fryer stated that he pointed out previously that there are five fully detached two-story units
closest to Fallon Road there that side towards Fallon which are two-story plans. He stated that
there are 11 or 12 of the 45 units that are two-story but to do that throughout would significantly
reduce the size of these homes and kind of reduce their utilities. So this is something of a
transition as you come
Chair Goel asked if he evaluated providing low density along Jordan Ranch He felt that would
be the compromise of the transition from single-family to a denser three-story
Mr. Porto stated that portion of the site is roughly 12 feet lower than Jordan Ranch Drive which
basically eliminates one story
Mr. Fryer agreed
Mr. Porto stated that the view to Jordan Ranch Drive is of a two-story unit because those units
are roughly 12 feet lower and there is also a series of retaining walls. He stated that with the
original project they were very concerned about a fence or a walled community, backing onto a
street, creating basically an element that can be "graffitied" or an element that creates a feeling
of not being part of the community.
Chair Goel asked what the setback is from the back-of-curb to Jordan Ranch Drive, is it 25 feet
behind
Mr. Porto answered that 25 feet would be a minimum but is probably more than that.
Chair Goel felt that part of the reason they're looking for lower density and a lower roof height is
the feeling of claustrophobia coming down the street
Mr Porto answered that the setback would be approximately 40 feet in the widest spot.
Chair Goel felt that was a sizable distance back and asked if there are elevations of the single-
family homes.
Mr. Porto referred Chair Goel to Sheet A13-01 of the project plans
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There was a discussion regarding which page the elevation was shown on.
Mr. Baker asked Mr Porto to point out the two-story homes on the slide
Chair Goel asked if the two-story units are the five in a line.
Mr. Porto answered that those are the ones that are detached
There was a discussion regarding where the two-story units are located in the project.
Chair Goel asked if there are seven two-story units.
Mr Fryer stated that of the 45 units there is 11 or 12 two-story units. The five pointed out are
detached, but that entire edge along Fallon Road is two-story and the two on the either end are
attached at the garage on one side
Chair Goel stated that he counted seven two-story units and asked Mr Fryer where the other 4-
5 two-story units are located.
Ms Bonano pointed out the lot numbers where the two-story units are located.
Mr Porto stated that the two-story units come in both attached and detached form.
Chair Goel asked if Mr Fryer had considered building two-story units along Jordan Ranch
Drive.
Mr Fryer answered no, because they are less efficient, buried in the site, and don't have much
visual.
Chair Goel asked if there could be a swap for a more pleasing line of sight, a visual element
Mr. Fryer asked Chair Goel what goal he is that is trying to achieve
Chair Goel stated that his goal is to drop the line of sight from the homes on Jordan Ranch
Drive where there are two-story units exposed.
Mr Fryer stated that he understood
Chair Goel stated that he was trying to understand if it was a possibility
Mr Fryer felt that he could commit to review lots 10 and 11, to determine where the two- and
three-story units are located and maybe provide lots 10 and 11 as two-story units. He felt it
may have some impact on retaining wall height.
Mr. Porto agreed that it would
Mr. Fryer was concerned with the width of those units
Mr Porto felt that they would have to push the retaining wall.
Mr. Fryer stated that he would agree to review the request to ensure there are not any
unintended consequences.
Yran nnpl I nm+rt,.wn September 22.2W S
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Chair Goel asked if Mr. Fryer was potentially willing to evaluate his concern.
Mr Fryer answered yes, and stated that it would not be as easy to do on lots 13, and 14
Chair Goel stated that lot 14 is already a two-story unit
Mr Fryer stated that he does not have a configuration where there are two-story and two-story
together, but felt that there are fewer homes that are impacted from a line-of-sight perspective
in that location
Chair Goel felt that Cm. Bhuthimethee was asking if we did flip the houses, how it will look at
the top of the house; will it start to mess around with the elevation too much.
Ms Bonano felt that only the second floor of the house would be visible
Mr. Fryer stated that he can agree to work with Staff to evaluate it and try to make that change
if it doesn't have consequences that Staff is not comfortable with.
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if Mr Porto can confirm that there will be enhanced elevations on any
of the homes that are siding onto or backing up to Fallon or Panorama
Mr Porto responded that the quality of their architecture is significantly above the quality of the
architecture that is on some of the other homes, therefore, there was no need for enhanced
elevations
Cm. Bhuthimethee agreed and mentioned to the architect that the streetscape elevation really
doesn't do the homes any justice
Cm Mittan asked where the metal siding would be located for Plan 3A
Mr. Porto directed the Planning Commission to Sheet A13-32 which shows the "Corrugated
metal siding or four-inch vertical wood siding "
Ms. Bonano stated Mr. Porto was correct She stated that it would be corrugate metal siding,
board and bat, or vertical siding
Cm. Mittan asked if that feature is used in other parts of the Jordan Ranch development in
general
Mr Porto answered that it is one of the materials that was originally approved as part of the
design elements and it is used in different places for different uses.
Cm Mittan asked about the maintenance on the metal siding and if it rusts out
Ms Bonnano answered no.
Cm. Bhuthimethee was concerned with water usage and asked what type of planting will be
installed in the park
Mr. Porto answered that recycled water is now being used for all areas, front yards, parks, and
open space areas
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if the purple pipes will be installed.
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Mr. Porto answered yes
Cm Bhuthimethee asked if that would be for the residences, and not just the common spaces.
Mr Porto answered yes.
Chair Goel closed the public hearing
Cm Bhuthimethee felt that there was a valid point made about open space, wildlife, and natural
areas and felt that Cm Mitten's point about some areas not being useful and might not be
active parks, but for more passive activities would be something unique for the community. She
disclosed that she had received some personal emails from the community regarding the
project and some of their concerns are density, loss of commercial space, and the wildlife. She
felt that the problem is that Parcel H was already planned for high-density and if the Planning
Commission doesn't pass the project, that's what will be built. She stated that there was a
comment about if the EIR had been updated She asked if, since the density is being reduced,
would there need to be another EIR completed.
Chair Goel felt that Ms. Faubion could answer that question.
Ms. Faubion responded that she was generally correct; when an EIR is prepared, it identifies a
certain project, certain uses, locations, densities, and so on. Once the EIR goes through the
whole process CEQA says that if you come back again with a project that's in the same area, or
a variation on the project, you don't necessarily need to go through the whole process again. It
should just be updated as needed
Chair Goel asked if it's fair to say that through that process, the MND/Initial Study that was
done in August is the revision that addresses any changes that are being sought
Ms Faubion answered yes.
Chair Goel asked if that is the reason why the MND/Initial Study is one of many options of the
package.
Ms Faubion gave an example, the 2012 addendum updated 100 units on the Neighborhood 7
site, which is the old school site
Chair Goel asked if that was the underlying zoning.
Ms. Faubion answered yes; each time there's a decision, it needs to be adequate enough to
meet CEQA analysis Sometimes it's a giant EIR like it was in 2005 and sometimes an
addendum needs to be done CEQA is all about documentation. So you'll see that analysis
laid out for you in the Initial Study and the MND/Initial Study
Chair Goel felt it was fair to say that this accounts for the current proposal.
Ms. Faubion answered yes.
Chair Goel asked if it includes the reduction on Parcel H, not the current status
Ms. Faubion answered if the same development area is being affected, then that's what you
would note in your initial study Whatever happens above the ground, this amount of ground is
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going to be affected. She stated that was what we talked about in the 2010 addendum and the
2005 EIR and those mitigation measures carry forward. We don't have to impose them again
but it is said for the record so that everybody understands
Chair Goel asked if that would stand true also for the wildlife.
Ms Faubion answered yes.
Chair Goel asked even if something new was discovered, it would have been identified.
Ms Faubion answered yes
Chair Goel asked Cm. Bhuthimethee it that answered her question
Cm Bhuthimethee stated that when she received the notice for another GPA, her initial reaction
was negative. She felt that there were a lot of pros to the deal and to see that the City is
working with the school district and with the developer was very positive The school board is in
support of this project and submitted a letter to that affect. She wondered who is opposing this
and why but felt that some people want lower density and this project is providing that She
was concerned that only two speakers came to the meeting. She felt that the development
being proposed is attractive and they did a fantastic job with the pedestrian connectivity from
neighborhood to neighborhood She wished all our neighborhoods were like that. She does
not see a lot of negatives, the City will lose some commercial, but from the comments from the
community is that we want to have less impact on our schools She felt that a lot of people are
happy with the project and it seems like its a decent deal. She stated that she can make the
findings
Cm Kohli asked about the Dublin Crossing school deal that was discussed earlier and asked
for someone to refresh his memory as to what was approved
Ms Smith asked if his question was in regards to the school.
Cm. Koh l! answered yes
Ms Smith stated that, for comparative purposes, this site was existing park land and had
already been acquired and credited as a park site. The site within Dublin Crossing was always
intended to be a school site So we don't have the encumbrance of this already being a park
land site and having to shuffle around to identify additional park lands to offset this site
Cm. Kohli asked why the City cannot do something similar in this situation where we're dealing
with a plot of land that has already been designated. He asked if it was because Dublin
Crossing was actually designated for school or was that a dual designation
Ms Smith answered that it was not a dual designation The reason the City can't do it here is
because the City doesn't own it. The City does not own the original school site. The City owns
the community park site. In the case of Dublin Crossing, ownership was still with the developer.
Cm. Kohli stated that in the Dublin Crossing case, the developer owned the site.
Ms Smith stated that the Staff negotiated a transaction that it would then be deeded to the City.
Cm Kohli stated that in the Jordan Ranch case, the developer owns the site He asked what
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was discussed, or why didn't something similar happen
Ms. Smith stated that there is no comparison of the two projects. In the Dublin Crossing
situation there are 1,995 units which are part of the project which has yet to be developed.
There's a lot more negotiating opportunities when you have a need and you have something to
give for that need
There was a discussion regarding the difference between the Dublin Crossing school site and
the Jordan Ranch school site
Cm. Kohli asked if any surveys were done of the community regarding essentially swapping out
building an elementary school for a K-8 school
Ms. Smith answered that the City did not conduct a survey She stated that she is a member of
the District Optimization Committee (DOC), which looked at this issue They of course held a
town hall to get community input But the DOC, which was comprised of different people from
all over the community at all different levels; i e, staff, community members, City
representatives, the conclusion was that in order to alleviate the Fallon Middle School
overcrowding, that this school could be what's called a flex school Fallon Middle School started
out as an elementary school and then grew up into a full-blown middle school. She felt that the
district was hoping for the flexibility.
Cm. Kohli asked if Neighborhood 7 is a dual designation, medium-density or public/semi-public
and that is reserved for the school district to purchase the land to build a school. Parcel H is
mixed use with 115 units and 5,000 square feet of commercial space and then the community
park that the City owns as its 10+ acre community park. He stated that in that situation we
would have a total of 964 units in Jordan Ranch compared to 899 units with this plan today
which would be fewer units But there would be more medium-density units He understood
that the K-8 option could go up to 950-student for the school that is being proposed to be built
on this new land, there was a study done for that, in terms of the environmental study.
Ms. Faubion answered yes
Cm Mittan was concerned with the school district's evaluation of the number of students that
will be placed in a new school He felt that the number is never adhered to
Ms Smith felt that was not a question for the City to answer The school district is the one that
would need to answer that question She stated that the district provided their site locations
that they needed in eastern Dublin, have made agreements to change those or move sites,
shrink sites, with the development community. The City does not process their schools,
therefore the City does not have much say in their school populations per site
Cm Mittan felt that, since the City is the landowner, they would have some say in the number of
students coming into a school. He felt that when the district blows through those numbers, it
totally throws off all those traffic studies. That was all fantasy land, because in essence were
30, 40, 100% higher than what we anticipated. He asked if there is any way for the City to
negotiate an upper limit.
Mr. Baker stated that when the City does a CEQA analysis and it involves a school site, we use
the best information that's known at the time which includes anticipated enrollment at the time.
When the district attempts to build a school, if they're deviating from their enrollment
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information, then they are responsible for doing a CEQA analysis, which would include traffic
impacts and mitigations for those impacts
Cm Mittan asked if there is no additional leverage that the City has to influence it.
Mr Baker answered no.
Cm Mittan stated that the school site would be a flex site and asked if part of that flex site could
be a middle school only
Ms Smith stated that, as the City representative of the DOC that was not a discussion.
Chair Goel suggested polling the Planning Commission to determine their thoughts.
Cm Bhuthimethee stated that she can make the findings but would add a condition to the SDR
Cm. Kohli felt it is a tough decision. He agreed with Cm. Bhuthimethee in that the Planning
Commission has heard from all sides; the community, residents, the developer, and the City
He felt that everyone has worked hard to make the project work and create a win/win situation
for all parties. He felt that the City was acting too quickly and that the state would not be
bankrupt for the rest of their lives. He felt it would have been good to hear an actual number
that showed an analysis was done on low-density housing He was concerned that the school
benefit fee would not go towards building schools and that there is no guarantee that the school
will be built and with more houses being built it will create a problem He felt that the City
should take more time and evaluate more options.
Cm. Do stated that she is leaning towards not recommending the project. She agreed with Cm.
Kohli regarding the school not being built and felt that the City should take more time and
evaluate more options.
Ms Smith wanted to clarify a point Commissioner Kohli made and felt that Commissioner Do
confirmed She stated that there is bond funding coming from a school construction bond which
will go towards repaying Amador School, which is the next school that they need to repay She
stated that there would not be money in the next bond to pay for Jordan Ranch School. She
wanted to make sure everybody understood that
Cm Mittan asked Ms. Smith to explain "potential bond "
Ms. Smith answered that she was referring to the bond that was qualified for the November
ballot
Chair Goel asked if she was referring to the governor's ballot or the school districts.
Ms Smith stated that there is an initiative that has received enough signatures to place a
school bond measure on the 2016 ballot. Whatever money comes of that will go to repay the
building of Amador School, since the district took out a bond anticipation note on the existing
local bond to pay for the construction of that school She stated that there would not be funding
in the pipeline in that next issuance to pay for the construction or the purchase of land and the
construction of Jordan Ranch School. She added that the district has made it abundantly clear
to the City Staff that there is no time.
Cm Mittan asked, if the bond that's upcoming is approved, if the district knows the amount that
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they would receive
Ms. Smith answered yes. She stated that they will receive a $28 million reimbursement for
Amador School and then whatever the next school is would fall at the very bottom of the list and
they would not receive any funding out of that bond measure
Mr. Baker stated that the district would like to move forward on a school now because waiting
would not enable them to have a school come online as quickly.
Ms Smith responded yes She added that the district has stated to us that they need the next
school by 2018-19 to relieve the pressure off of Fallon Middle School, or else those things that
Board President Miller had suggested in the letter would occur and they do not want to do that if
they can at all avoid it.
Cm Mittan responded he understood and that he would lean towards approving the project.
Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if she was missing something and asked if there were more cons to
the project that she was not aware of
Chair Goel felt that his remarks may help Cm Bhuthimethee with her decision He stated that
he would like to see a school built but is concerned with the traffic impacts. He felt that the City
is always chasing themselves, trying to find a Band-Aid. He suggested a "land banking"
program that would offer 10 acres for 100 units, and then swap it with another developer and
make it 20 acres, and thereby the City would have a bigger parcel for the school He was
concerned about the deal which has an engineer's estimate that the park is worth $1.96 million
but yet we asked for 1.6. He felt that the City was trying to make the deal work for everyone,
but taking a potential risk regarding funds
Ms Smith responded that there is no risk.
Chair Goel did not agree
Ms Smith stated that the developer takes all the risk.
Chair Goel asked if the developer will receive a credit
Ms Smith answered that the developer will receive a credit of anything above the 1.6 that they
have provided to the project
Chair Goel asked what the credit will be applied to.
Ms Smith responded that when the developer pulls building permits, they can sell those credits
in the open market for future development in Dublin.
Chair Goel felt that was still a loss in revenue to the fund balance
Ms Smith answered no, it is not a loss in fund balance. She stated that the City will use the
public facility fee to pay for the construction of the park, or credit him the entire $2 million but
they will only get credit for $365,000 of that The balance of that is a contribution to the
construction of the park and will free up cash flow in the public facility fee to fund other parks
Chair Goel asked to discuss a feeling in the community regarding some failed deliveries and a
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deficit in 2020. He was concerned with how the parks will be built and asked if the district
would build the infrastructure of the park He felt that his understanding was that Jordan Ranch
will be developed by the developer who will receive a potential of up to 365 credits if the
construction cost goes above 1 6 and the school is fully developed by the school district
Ms Smith answered; that is correct
Chair Goel asked if the school has indicated that they have the funds to build the school.
Ms. Smith answered that the District has indicated that they have funding to build the school.
Chair Goel asked how much it would cost to build the school
Ms. Smith answered it would take approximately $46 million to build the school
Chair Goel stated that there is approximately $46 million to develop this facility and there is
potentially a school bond measure in November. He was concerned with the smaller plot for
the school and felt that there are some negotiation points that could potentially amount to a
better deal. He appreciated that all parties have worked very hard on the arrangement but felt
something is missing He felt that he would not be able to make the finding
Cm. Kohli felt that the Planning Commission should make a motion because the project would
be going to City Council
Chair Goel felt the project would be going to Council with a recommendation of whatever the
Planning Commission decides.
Ms. Faubion reminded the Planning Commission that they are reviewing only the land use
decisions. She suggested, before the Planning Commission takes a vote, that they take a short
break to make sure She stated that there can be a single vote, or it can be broken up into
individual pieces
Chair Goel stated that he was ready to move forward
Cm Do stated that she was not in favor of breaking up the item
Cm Kohli asked if the Planning Commission will be recommending the entire item to City
Council
Ms. Faubion answered, that's correct
Cm. Kohli suggested going forward with a motion
Mr. Baker stated that the Planning Commission would be voting on Jordan Ranch and Subarea
3 with a separate transaction for the Wallis Ranch project and the conversion of park land.
Cm. Do asked if they are all connected.
Cm Kohli felt that at the beginning of the meeting it was made clear that the best interest was
to not break this up and now it has been suggested that the Planning Commission should think
about breaking it up.
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Chair Goel felt that Wallis Ranch and Subarea 3 are already approved but just changing the
name of the designation to Community Nature Park
Ms. Smith stated that, in her opening statement, she was trying to provide the global
perspective as it relates to the school deal and the package and felt that she had clarified that
Wallis Ranch wasn't part of that. Wallis is included with this specifically because the City can
only do four general plan amendments per year
Chair Goel asked which recommendation includes Wallis Ranch
Cm Kohli responded that Trumark is building an additional park.
Cm. Kohli asked if the City Council can break up the items.
Chair Goel stated that the City Council will see the Planning Commission's deliberation and it
will save some time
Ms Faubion felt that, from the recent discussion, it would be difficult to unbundle the items and
asked if the Planning Commission felt more comfortable voting on the items as a package, then
perhaps they could make a motion
Chair Goel felt that Staff could take a secondary recommendation where it actually figures out
how to take Wallis
Cm Kohli asked Commissioner Mittan and Commissioner Bhuthimethee if they would like to
unbundle items, or keep it bundled.
Cm Mittan stated that he would have preferred to have it unbundled but felt that it was
presented as bundled He stated that he was unsure with the connection between Wallis
Ranch and the other projects if Wallis Ranch was a party to the school negotiation issue He
felt that Wallis Ranch should have been set aside and explained that this is not part of the
whole deal. He was concerned with the high school situation and felt that if all we could get
was 10 acres for the middle school, then how would the district get enough acreage for another
high school within the City of Dublin.
Chair Goel asked for a motion.
There was a discussion regarding how to accomplish the motion.
Ms. Faubion felt that the Planning Commission would like to recommend approval of the five
items and asked if that was correct
Cm. Do answered that she felt the Planning Commission would recommend the majority of it
but not the whole.
Ms. Faubion suggested that the motion be simple. The motion can be that the Planning
Commission recommends that the City Council deny the five items listed above Mitigated
Negative Declaration, General Plan Amendments, Plannned Development Rezoning, Site
Development Review, and Development Agreement Amendment for the reasons stated in the
Planning Commission discussion. It can also be "does not recommend approval," if you feel
more comfortable with that
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There was a continued discussion regarding how to read the motion
Mr. Baker stated that if the Planning Commission is making a motion recommending approval,
you could move the staff recommendation, for simplicity
Cm. Mittan made a motion, seconded by Cm Bhuthimethee, for the Planning Commission to
recommend that the City Council approve the Staff recommendation.
Chair Goel asked for a roll call.
Roll call.
Cm. Do - Nay
Cm. Mittan - Aye.
Chair Goel - Nay
Cm Kohli - Nay
Cm. Bhuthimethee -Aye.
Ms. Faubion stated that the motion fails on a 2-3 vote.
Ms. Faubion stated that the Planning Commission needs to make a recommendation. She
stated that this one failed, and suggested that a recommendation be made to not approve the
amendments, and that would be the Planning Commission's recommendation to the City
Council
Chair Goel agreed
Mr. Baker stated that someone would need to make a motion and that motion would need to be
seconded
Chair Goel made a motion recommending that City Council deny the requests as presented on
item 8 2 by Staff
Cm Kohli seconded the motion
Mr. Baker restated that there was a motion by Chair Goel and a second by Vice Chair Kohli.
Roll call:
Cm Do - Aye
Cm Mittan - Nay.
Chair Goel - Aye.
Cm Kohli - Aye
Cm. Bhuthimethee -No
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Ms Faubion stated that the motion passes by a vote of 3-2. Therefore, there is a
recommendation to the City Council, and that recommendation will be to not approve the five
items that are before you
On a motion by Chair Goel and seconded by Cm. Kohli, on a vote of 3-2, the Planning
Commission recommends that the City Council not approve the five items.
RESOLUTION NO. 15-08
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NOT APPROVE THE GENERAL
PLAN/EASTERN DUBLIN SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
REZONE, SITE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, VESTING TENTATIVE MAPS, DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT AND MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR
THE JORDAN RANCH/SUBAREA 3/WALLIS RANCH PROJECT
L J�_
NEW OR UNFINISHED BUSINESS – NONE
OTHER BUSINESS - NONE
101 Brief INFORMATION ONLY reports from the Planning Commission and/or Staff,
including Committee Reports and Reports by the Planning Commission related to
meetings attended at City Expense (AB 1234)
ADJOURNMENT –The meeting was adjourned at 10:35.19 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Planning Commission Chair
ATTEST
Jeff Ba er -
Assistant Community Development Director
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