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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 11241992 - 2.4 .� IF j Contra Costa wry 4 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ';y County ��..• -� FROM: HARVEY E. BRAGDON DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 1992 SUBJECT: SUGARLOAF GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT REQUEST SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Decline to authorize a General Plan review as requested by Wollman Associates, Inc. for a change from Single Family Residential Low Density to office in the Alamo area. FISCAL IMPACT No direct county impact if study is denied. General Plan Amendment fees would be paid is study is authorized. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Wollman Associates, Inc. has requested a general plan amendment on 3 parcels of land on the north side of Livorna Road immediately east of Interstate I-680 in the Alamo area. The requested change is from Single Family Residential Low Density to Office. The area is shown on the attachment map 1. The Board may recall hearing several previous applications on this site. Much of the controversy surrounding those previous application has focused on the use of the land along Livorna Road. O Site history Subdivision 4967 was filed January 11, 1978 to divide the property of 50± acres into 35 residential lots under the existing R-20 zoning. The Tentative Map was denied by the Cou y lanning CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATUR RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF PARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON .2 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER _ The Board AGREED TO AUTHORIZE fhe Sugarloaf General Plan Study in the Alamo Area, if one is requested and the appropriate fees are paid Supervisor McPeak noted that this is not, a high priority item and that it must not take priority over work that is in progress . VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN . AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CONTACT: Jim Cutler (646-2035) 1 ") cc: Community Development Department ATTESTED o? y,2 County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF County Counsel THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Public Works AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JWC:kd 1 1,jwc1/sugr1f.bo BY: , DEPUTY Sugarloaf GPA Request .Continued - Page Two Commission on May 2, 1979. The Board of Supervisors denied an appeal on August 7, 1979, suggesting that the subdivision be refiled. Subdivision 5739 was filed December 5, 1979 to divide the property into 24 lots providing for 26+ acres of open space along Sugarloaf Ridge. An EIR was prepared on this project. The Tentative Map for residential use was approved July 23, 1980, and subsequently recorded June 11, 1982, which included provision for a drainage/scenic easement along Sugarloaf Creek. Grading permit violations occurred during 1982 and project improvements were held in abeyance pending compliance and submittal of additional information. At that time it has been suggested to the applicant to modify the recorded map or consider P-1 zoning to allow cluster development. In June of 1983 Rezoning 2561-RZ, Development Plan #3029-83, and Subdivision 6382 were applied for and a supplemental EIR was prepared on this project. These applications included a request to rezone the property from R-20 to P-1 (Planned Unit Development) . It sought approval of a preliminary development plan and a tentative subdivision map that calls for the establishment of a 49-unit cluster housing project, along with four (4) parcels, labeled Lot #1 and Parcels A,B, and C. Lot #1 is to be used for a commercial health club that would sell memberships to the general public. Parcel A is to be a custom single-family residential lot; Parcel B is to be common open space and private roads within the 40-unit cluster housing project (a homeowner's association would have responsibility for maintenance of Parcel B) . Parcel C would be dedicated to the city of Walnut Creek for inclusion in the Sugarloaf Hill open Space. (see attachment map 2. ) Given the controversial nature of this proposal and given the analysis of impacts addressed in the Draft EIR (which was certified in January 1984) . The applicant dropped those proposals and proceeded with recorded subdivision approximately as previously improved, But with the modifications recommended by the Alamo Improvement Association. Based on that owner decision, subdivision #6468 was approved under conventional R-20 zoning. That subdivision has been recorded and most of the residential development allowed under that subdivision has been built; the three lots under that approval, which are included under this plan amendment request are still vacant. A copy of the subdivision map is attachment map 3 to this report. 0 Subdivision #6468 This existing subdivision has numerous conditions of approval; some of the move relevant items which impact the plan amendment request include: 0 Abutter's rights of access along Livornia Road, except for the Sugarloaf Drive access, shall be relinquished. The relinquishment shall include the right of way returns. 0 Construct a minimum 20-foot paved private roadway to private road standards to serve all the parcels in this proposed subdivision. 0 An improved equestrian 'and pedestrian path shall be provided as shown on the tentative map, having a minimum width of eight feet consisting of an aggregate base or treated material which will resist erosion and plant growth. The final trail location shall be subject to review and approval by the Zoning Administrator with filing of the final map (its along lot 25) . 0 Parcel A shall be a single family residential lot numbered as lot 25 with the final map. Additional fill for the widening of Livornia Road shall be submitted for review and approval by the Zoning Administrator. A storm drain pipe connection shall be provided from the existing drain facility along the north boundary to the proposed drain facility at Sugarloaf Drive. (Lot 25 is on of the three lots in this amendment request) . I� Sugarloaf GPA Request Continued - Page Three The issue of non-residential land uses in this corner of the site historically have been analyzed, argued, and resolved. The existing conditions of approval for subdivision #6468 have been put in place. Abutter's rights along Livornia Road have been granted to the county. The relinquishment of the County's rights would be difficult to grant given the obligations of the subdivision map act and the fact that this site is located very near the interchange with Interstate I-680. The low traffic generation of homes along Sugarloaf Drive does not create conflict with the freeway. Office buildings probably would. This request would then allow for offices to access to a private street and then onto Livorna and then onto I-680. While this road could be improved to public standards across the plan amendment areas, such a change would impact the rights of other property owners within subdivision #6468. Lot 25 has long been controversial. Historically staff has argued this site should be project open space and would not easily be marketable as a homesite. Through the decision making process it was determined with much anguish, that a simple family home would be viable on this site (see condition of approval listed above) . Now office uses are being requested on this small parcel. SUMMARY From a staff point of view this issue has been fully discussed and a compromise arrived at with the approval of subdivision #6468. While conditions can change over time, and the potential to reanalyze any decision is well established, staff does not feel that sufficient argument has been provided to invest staff time in such an effort. Staff feels strongly that this amendment request should be denied. If the Board chose to authorize this request, then the applicant should be made aware of the need for new environmental documents and for a specific project to be developed so it can be analyzed in that review. JWC:kd 1jWC1/sugr1f.b0