REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
July 30, 2015
FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
THROUGH: MIKE SANCHEZ, Assistant Director
Development Services Division
BONIQUE EMERSON, Planning Manager
Development Services Division
BY: WILL TACKETT, Supervising Planner
Development Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
Consideration of alignments and widths of proposed public streets for a 20-lot industrial parcel map for property located on the northwest corner of the intersection of E. Central and S. Orange Avenues (Council District 3)
1. Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment No. TPM-2012-
06 dated March 20, 2015
2. RESOLUTION - Approving the street alignments and widths of proposed public streets within the
boundaries of Vesting Tentative Parcel Map No. 2012-06
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council take adopt the resolution adopting the environmental finding of a Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for Environmental Assessment No. TPM-2012-06 dated March 20, 2015; and, approving the proposed street alignments and widths for Vesting Tentative Parcel Map No. 2012-06 as shown on the attached Exhibit “A” dated February 17, 2015.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Yamabe & Horn Engineering, Inc., on behalf of Denken Farms, property owner, has filed Vesting Tentative Parcel Map No. 2012-06 proposing a 20-parcel industrial subdivision of approximately 122 acres of property generally located at the northwest corner of the intersection of East Central and South Orange Avenues in the City of Fresno.
Three new local industrial street segments utilizing a 64-foot wide right-of-way section are proposed within the boundaries of the map. All streets proposed for dedication will be required to be improved in accordance with Department of Public Works standards, specifications and policies to afford appropriate access to the industrial properties. The new street alignments and widths are supported by the Development and Resource Management Department and Public Works Department.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Section 66426(c) of the Subdivision Map Act and Section 12-1203 of the City of Fresno Parcel Map Ordinance, the governing body (City Council) must approve any proposed public street alignments for industrially zoned property prior to approval of a tentative parcel map proposing more than four parcels.
Therefore, staff is requesting that the City Council approve the public street alignments and widths proposed in order to facilitate Development and Resource Management Department approval of the tentative parcel map. It should be noted that City Council approval will also be required prior to recordation of a final Parcel Map; resulting in the actual subdivision of land. It should also be noted that approval of the tentative parcel map does not approve development on the parcels proposed to be created. A master development plan for the entirety of the subdivision and/or site plans for individual properties within the boundaries of the subdivision will be required to be approved through submittal of entitlement and special permit applications to the Development and Resource Management Department prior to issuance of any building permits for the subject property
The subject property is currently being utilized for agricultural purposes and is located within an area which is designated exclusively for heavy industrial uses. Surrounding properties within the immediate vicinity of the subject property remain predominantly vacant or in agricultural production. However, a portion of properties located to the east of the subject property across South Orange Avenue comprise an industrial landfill. Properties to the north of the subject property comprise a similar industrial park, which was previously subdivided and developed for the same purposes as the proposed project. The street alignments and widths proposed for the subject property will provide interconnectivity between both the existing and proposed industrial park subdivisions.
The entirety of the subject property (as well as the existing adjacent industrial park subdivision to the north of the subject property) is currently zoned M-3 (Heavy Industrial District) and is planned for Heavy Industrial land uses by the Fresno General Plan and Roosevelt Community Plan. The proposed subdivision and future development of the subject property may therefore be considered by staff to be consistent with the planned land use designation for the subject property.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Development and Resource Management Department staff have prepared an initial study and environmental checklist and have evaluated the potential for impacts associated with a 20-lot industrial subdivision of the subject property and the associated improvement and dedication of public street and infrastructure facilities pursuant to Vesting Tentative Parcel Map No. 2012-06.
The environmental assessment initial study was prepared for this project in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. This process included the distribution of requests for comment from other responsible or affected agencies and interested organizations.
Preparation of the environmental assessment necessitated a thorough review of the proposed project and relevant environmental issues and considered previously prepared environmental and technical studies pertinent to the Roosevelt Community Plan area, including the Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) SCH No. 2012111015 for the Fresno General Plan. These environmental and technical studies have examined projected sewage generation rates of planned urban uses, the capacity of existing sanitary sewer collection and treatment facilities, and optimum alternatives for increasing capacities; groundwater aquifer resource conditions; water supply production and distribution system capacities; traffic carrying capacity of the planned major street system; air quality, conversion of agricultural land and, student generation projections and school facility site location identification.
The proposed subdivision has been determined to not be fully within the scope of MEIR No. 111015 as provided by the CEQA, as codified in the Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21157.1(d) and the CEQA Guidelines Section 15177(c). It has been further determined that all applicable mitigation measures of MEIR No. 111015 have been applied to the project, together with project specific mitigation measures necessary to assure that the project will not cause significant adverse cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts and irreversible significant effects beyond those identified by MEIR No. 111015 as provided by CEQA Section 15178(a). In addition, pursuant to Public Resources Code, Section 21157.6(b)(1), staff has determined that no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the MEIR was certified and that no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time that the MEIR was certified as complete, has become available. Therefore, it has been determined based upon the evidence in the record that the project will not have a significant impact on the environment and that the filing of a mitigated negative declaration is appropriate in accordance with the provisions of CEQA Section 21157.5(a)(2) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15178(b)(1) and (2).
Based upon the attached environmental assessment and the list of identified mitigation measures, staff has determined that there is no evidence in the record that the project may have a significant effect on the environment and has prepared a draft mitigated negative declaration for this project. A public notice of the attached mitigated negative declaration finding for Environmental Assessment No. TPM-2012-06 was published on March 20, 2015 with no comments or appeals received to date.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because this resolution does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Affirmative action by the Council will result in timely deliverance of the review and processing of the application as is reasonably expected by the applicant. Prudent financial management is demonstrated by the expeditious completion of this land use application inasmuch as the applicant has paid to the City a fee for the processing of this application and that fee is, in turn, funding the respective operations of the Development and Resource Management Department.
Attachments:
Exhibit A: Vesting Tentative Parcel Map No. 2011-10 dated February 17, 2015
Exhibit B: Vicinity Map
Exhibit C: Aerial Photograph of the Subject Property (2015)
Exhibit D: Environmental Assessment No. TPM-2012-06 dated March 20, 2015
Exhibit E: Council Resolution