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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2020 0708 CCPC SPC ITEM 05ACITY OF MOORPARK, 
CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of July 8, 2020 ACTION The City Council and Planning Commission Received the Report and Provided Direction to Staff Regarding the Development of the Hitch Ranch Specific Plan. BY B.Garza. A. Presentation Regarding the Draft Hitch Ranch Specific Plan (Specific Plan No. 1) and Associated Development. Staff Recommendation: Receive the report and presentation and provide direction to staff regarding the development of the Specific Plan. (Staff: Douglas Spondello) Item: 5.A. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL JOINT MEETING AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council and Planning Commission FROM: Karen Vaughn, Community Development Director BY: Douglas Spondello, Planning Manager DATE: 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting SUBJECT: Presentation Regarding the Draft Hitch Ranch Specific Plan (Specific Plan No. 1) and Associated Development BACKGROUND “Hitch Ranch” (also known as Specific Plan Area 1) refers to approximately 277 acres of property within the incorporated City of Moorpark, located north of Poindexter Avenue, west of Casey Road, and extending approximately 1,700 feet to the west of Gabbert Road. This property includes Assessor Parcel Nos. 511-0-020-110, -130, -160, -170, - 180, -195, and 511-0-200-245. The property features gently rolling hills and expansive pastoral views. The ranch was historically used as commercial grazing fields and for apricot production in the 1950s. Grazing has continued since that time, along with infrequent dry (unirrigated) farming. The majority of the site is undeveloped, except for dirt and semi-paved roads, water wells, water tanks, remnants of the apricot farming operation, and other facilities that had supported grazing operations. A number of these improvements and mature trees were destroyed during a wildfire in 2003. Discussions regarding potential development of Hitch Ranch generally began in the 1990’s and there have been several attempts to entitle the property. Despite this history, no development entitlements have been approved. Item: 5.A. Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 2 Exhibit denoting the general boundaries of Hitch Ranch and vicinity Proposed Development On January 17, 2019, Comstock, Crosser, & Associates Development Company, Inc. (Applicant) submitted an application for the proposed Hitch Ranch Specific Plan and associated entitlements on behalf of the property owners. These details of the project have been refined over the past year and include the master planning and development of the planned community described below: Hitch Ranch Project Description Residential Uses  755 residential units (average density > 3 units per acre) o 456 single-family dwellings o 236 multi-family rental apartments o 63 multi-family for-sale triplex and duplex homes o A 6.6-acre vacant lot to be dedicated to the City for the future development of affordable housing and removed from the specific plan area. Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 3 Parks, Open Space, and Recreation Uses  High Street Park A and B: 14.11 acres of public parks and associated improvements  The Outlook – a private, three-acre green space, clubhouse, and swimming facility for residents and guests  4.5 miles of multi-use pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian trails connecting to off - site trail systems  28-acre lot west of Gabbert Road to remain as open space Circulation and Infrastructure  The extension of High Street west, to Gabbert Road  Buildout of North Hills Parkway and connections to Casey Road, and Meridian Hills Drive  25+ acres of stormwater improvements, manufactured slopes, and detention basins  Parking, utilities, and associated improvements Conceptual plan for Hitch Ranch including individual planning areas, parks, open space, and circulation . Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 4 Hitch Ranch is proposed in two entitlement phases. As detailed below, Phase I establishes the policy framework that will guide community character, project circulation, provision of public and private amenities, and the general locations and densities for residential development of the project that will enable specific mapping and design under Phase II. The phasing and specific entitlements that will be requested are outlined below. Hitch Ranch Entitlement Program Phase I Framework for Implementation  General Plan Amendment (Land Use and Circulation Elements)  Zone Changes  Specific Plan  Development Agreement  Tentative Subdivision Map  Environmental Impact Report Phase II Development of Individual Planning Areas  Phased Final Maps  Individual Residential Planned Development Permits A specific plan is a planning document that establishes tailored planning and development standards for large and diverse projects within a large geographic area. Specific plans provide high-level criteria for the community character, land uses and planning areas, infrastructure, circulation, open space, project phasing, and other baseline projections for large developments. High-level specific plans will typically include an Environmental Impact Report, in order to evaluate and mitigate potential environmental impacts of large-scale development. This “tiering” enables subsequent development projects within the specific plan area to advance in a streamlined manner. Existing General Plan and Zoning Designations The existing General Plan provides context for the development of the Hitch Ranch Specific Plan. The vision, goals and policies outlined by the General Plan are traditionally implemented by zoning or the specific plan itself. As described below, there are some internal inconsistencies within the existing General Plan related to the planning of Hitch Ranch. There are also inconsistencies presented between the existing General Plan and proposed specific plan and development. While not ideal, Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 5 these inconsistencies can be typical with large-scale projects that span multiple proposals. The needs of the City and priorities for new development have also changed dramatically in the 30 years that the development of Hitch Ranch has been discussed. Ultimately, a General Plan Amendment is required to fully resolve the proposed development with the General Plan. The Land Use Element The existing General Plan Land Use Element (adopted 1992, last amended 2009) designates the subject property as Specific Plan Area 1 (SP1). As described in the Land Use Element: The specific plan designation has been provided in the Land Use Element to address large-scale projects in the City and proposed sphere of influence study area. Pursuant to Government Code Sections 65450-65457, specific plans are intended as a tool for the systematic implementation of the general plan… The Land Use Element also describes the proposed land uses within the 285-acre specific plan area. These include: 415 to 620 dwelling units (dependent on the public improvements and community benefits), a minimum three acres of land for public institutional uses, and an appropriate amount of land to be designated as open space, park, school, or any other land use to be determined at the time of specific plan preparation of approval. The Land Use Element provides a detailed opportunity and constraints analysis that sets the foundation for full evaluation of development impacts by the project Environmental Impact Report. The Land Use Element includes Specific Plan Development Requirements (Appendix A) that establish the required components of a specific plan. These plans largely mirror the required content for specific plans that are outlined in Section 65451 of the State Government Code. The following plans are required:  Land Use Plan  Circulation Plan  Community Design Plans  Implementation Plan  Phasing Plan  Analysis of Conformance with General Plan Appendix A also defines evaluation criteria for the City Council to consider when reviewing a specific plan in order to determine whether or not the plan is appropriate for the proposed geographic area. The following criteria are identified: land use considerations, natural resource/topographic considerations, environmental considerations, and economic considerations. Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 6 The Housing Element The existing 2014-2021 Housing Element includes a discussion regarding anticipated development within the 285-acre Hitch Ranch specific plan area. This includes 755 residential units within Hitch Ranch. In 2013, the City rezoned a 23.44-acre portion of Hitch Ranch to RPD-20-U in order to accommodate the additional housing units allocated during the 4th Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Cycle for 2008- 2014. The Housing Element also projected that 468 units would be reserved for very- low- and low-income residents of the 755-unit total. This contrasts greatly with the nature and range of development discussed in the Land Use Element and thus introduces inconsistencies between these two General Plan elements. The Circulation Element The Circulation Element (adopted in 1992) describes the relationship of the project to the overall roadway network proposed for the City. The Circulation Element depicts the development of North Hills Parkway, a six-lane arterial that stretches horizontally across the project site and serves as a bypass to S R-118. North Hills Parkway would connect to Gabbert Road at the West and ultimately connect to SR 118 at Princeton Avenue. The Circulation Element also depicts Casey Road extending westward from Walnut Canyon Road, across Hitch Ranch, and connecting at Gabbert Road. Zoning Designations The majority of the property is zoned Agricultural Exclusive (A -E). The A-E zone is intended to preserve and protect commercial agricultural lands and limit these areas from the encroachment of nonrelated uses. As referenced above, 23.44 acres of the site were rezoned to Residential Planned Development, 20 Units per Acre (RPD-20-U) on September 11, 2013, in order to accommodate additional housing units. RPD-20-U is an urban residential zone intended to provide areas for communities which will be developed using modern land planning and unified design techniques. The zoning designation of individual properties implement the General Plan and, therefore, must be consistent with the General Plan land use designations. The General Plan Land Use Element includes a General Plan and Zoning Compatibility Matrix (Exhibit 6) to determine consistency. This matrix identifies that the SP designation of the General Plan is not consistent with the A-E zoning of the property. As noted, these inconsistencies are proposed to be resolved by the Applicant’s proposal. DISCUSSION The current, first draft of the Hitch Ranch Specific Plan (Attachment 1 ) was submitted on April 14, 2020. This is not yet a complete document . Staff will work with the applicant to refine the plan and provide the context necessary to guide the coordinated development of the project. This W orkshop is intended to provide the City Council and Planning Commission with a high-level overview of the first draft of the Hitch Ranch Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 7 Specific Plan and associated development, and to allow for both policy and design- related feedback. This feedback will allow the Applicant to refine their proposal to be responsive to identified concerns prior to public hearings for official action on the requested entitlements. Organization of the Specific Plan The Hitch Ranch Specific Plan organizes the project into six distinct planning areas (PA). Each PA features unique but interrelated housing development and recreational amenities. The project site is located between the rural Gabbert Road neighborhood at the west and northwesterly boundary, and Downtown High Street at the southeasterly boundary. As a result, the specific plan is characterized by a transition of density and building form as development transitions towards the southeast. Planning Areas 1 through 4 propose increasing densities of residential development as the project mov es from the low-density, larger-lot, detached single-family development at the northwest corner of the project to higher density, multi-family apartments at the southeast. Planning Areas 5 and 6 are reserved for natural open space and water quality treatm ent facilities. The Applicant also proposes to dedicate a 6.66 -acre parcel to the City for the development of affordable housing. This parcel is located immediately to the west of Walnut Canyon School and would be removed from the specific plan area. The development proposed within the individual planning areas and their general distribution are outlined in the following exhibits: Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 8 Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 9 Residential Development and Community Character A variety of housing types are proposed in order to provide a diverse range of options for potential buyers and to moderate the density and intensity of development within the project area. The proposed unit mix and development characteristics within each PA are provided below: Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 10 Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 11 The residential uses outlined in the plan will be unified by a rustic, Old California design theme. The Old California theme and individual architectural styles proposed will maintain a shared context among very different building types and intensities. This style is characterized by the use of natural, subdued colors and materials, with a focus on high-quality design treatment and the use of a variety of forms and building materials. The Old California theme also carries over to the specific plan landscaping pallet, which will include native, fire resistant, and drought tolerant trees, grasses, shrubs, and accents. The Specific Plan identifies individual architectural styles that share the context of the Old California theme, including those below: Architectural Style Proposed Locations Conceptual Rendering Progressive Hacienda PA 2 Progressive Spanish PA 3, 4 Agrarian PA 3 Progressive Farmhouse PA 1, 2, 3 Progressive Traditional PA 1, 2, 3 Contemporary PA 1, 2, 3 Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 12 Mercantile PA 3 Prairie TBD Circulation The specific plan proposes several major roadway connections that provide for internal circulation and make significant connections between existing City arterial and collector streets. As proposed, North Hills Parkway would provide east/west connectivity across the site from Gabbert Road. North Hills Parkway is planned to extend to Spring Road, via the approved Aldersgate and City Ventures development projects . Future projects may also extend North Hills Parkway westward from the project site, across the North Ranch (Rasmussen) and A-B Properties projects, eventually connecting to Los Angeles Avenue. High Street would also be extended westward to Gabbert Road , to provide access to parks proposed at the southerly boundary of the project site. Finally, “Street A” provides a north/south connection between High Street, Casey Road, and Meridian Hills Drive. All roadways are proposed with expansive parkways, walking paths, landscaped buffers, and some feature equestrian trails. Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 13 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Two public parks are proposed along the southerly boundary of the project. The size, placement, and design of both parks may change depending on City needs. The parks and facilities are being reviewed by Staff and will also be negotiated as part of the development agreement. Park A is a 7.34-acre linear park proposed within a detention basin at the northeast corner of High Street and A Street. Park A would be improved with a soccer field, passive “nature zone” area, picnic facilities, and walking paths. Park B is 6.77 acres in size and located at the northwest corner of High Street and A Street. Park B also includes extensive walking and hiking trails, as well as an event space/amphitheater, village green lawn, playground, and “game zone”. Hitch Ranch also features private open space for residents and their guests. The most prominent of these features is “The Outlook”, proposed on a hilltop with expansive views of Moorpark at the southeast corner of Meridian Hills Drive and Street A. The Outlook is an expansive, 9,200 square-foot clubhouse with a pool, gym, clubroom, welcome center, and meeting space. The Hitch Ranch Specific Plan is characterized by hiking and equestrian trails, walking paths, and similar connections that are intended to bring people away from conventional roadways and into the natural realm. Trails and paths will be planned to connect to existing routes on adjacent properties and greatly enhance the City’s network of walking and hiking opportunities. The current plan is draft, but requires additional guidance to fully plan for these connections. Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 14 Large areas of the specific plan are designated to remain as natural open space. This includes all of PA 6 and major areas within PA 1. The details for this land will be refined in future plans and may include utilities, trails, and low intensity public facilities. Other Specific Plan Components The additional components of the specific plan provide development standards for individual planning areas, as well as context for infrastructure and utility service. The specific plan also establishes a framework for implementation of the development, as well as procedures for modifications to the plan. Feedback Requested of the City Council and Planning Commission Staff requests the City Council and Planning Commission’s feedback regarding the topics listed below. Direction on these topics will allow the Applicant to refine the draft specific plan and design of the project.  The density and mix of proposed development across the subject property Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 15  The circulation plan regarding automobile, bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian modes of travel and connectivity  The sensitivity to adjacent existing uses and the methods of ensuring neighborhood compatibility  The proposed allocation of public open space, parks, and recreation areas  The proposed Old California community character and related architectural styles ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION An Initial Study and Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report were completed and circulated in July, 2019. Since that time, Staff has been engaged in the review of a number of technical studies that will eventually inform the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIR will fully evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the development of the project and identify appropriate mitigation measures. Review of the EIR will include robust public outreach. It is expected that the draft EIR may be circulated for public review in late summer/early fall of 2020. FISCAL IMPACT There are a number of f iscal impacts presented with the implementation of a specific plan and major development projects. A fiscal impact analysis will be prepared to fully evaluate the short and long-term revenue and expenses associated with the installation, build-out, operation and maintenance of development within the specific plan. This will include roadways, utilities, public facilities, administration of the Community Facilities District, etc. This analysis will be presented with the Phase I entitlement package at a later date. COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE This Workshop is consistent with the “Enhance Quality of Life for Moorpark Residents Strategy”, as it supports Goal 1, Objective 1 of the City Council’s Strategic Priorities, to “facilitate development of housing op tions for all income levels” by “present(ing) for Council consideration General Plan Amendment of land use element and accompanying entitlements for Specific Plan No. 1 Hitch Ranch. NEXT STEPS Staff will continue to work with the Applicant to refine the plans and draft specific plan, including review by the Development Review Committee. The Draft EIR is being Honorable City Council and Planning Commission 07/08/2020 Special Joint Meeting Page 16 prepared and is expected to be published later this year. Public hearings for Phase I of the entitlement program are anticipated to occur in the first half of 2021. NOTICING No formal action regarding this project will be taken at this Workshop and, therefore public noticing is not required. However, in order to ensure opportunities for public input, a public meeting notice was published in the Ventura County Star newspaper on June 28, 2020. On June 26, 2020, a notice of this meeting and options for participation was sent to all property owners within 1,000 feet of the subject property. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Receive the report and presentation and provide direction to staff regarding the development of the Specific Plan. Attachment 1: Draft Specific Plan (use website link below) https://www.moorparkca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10701 Attachment 2: Draft Project Plans (use website link below; large file) https://www.moorparkca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10706