Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: May 28, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Dave Klotzle, Public Works Director
Subject: Joint Use Agreement with AMCAL Terra Campagna Fund, L.P. for Common Driveway, and Quitclaim Deed
BACKGROUND
AMCAL Terra Campagna Fund, L.P. (AMCAL) is the owner of the 360-unit Somis Ranch Apartments farmworker housing development project (Housing Development) being constructed on 19 acres in the unincorporated Ventura County area just north of the City’s Desalter facility on Somis Road as shown on the attached location map (Attachment 1).
The Housing Development was approved through the County of Ventura’s entitlement process in early 2021. During that process, the City reviewed the proposed development plans and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (Attachment 5), and submitted three letters (Attachment 2) commenting on various aspects of the project including aesthetics, vehicle and pedestrian access, security, wastewater services and others.
The Housing Development conditions of approval require two points of direct access from Somis Road, the northern and southern access driveways shown on the location map.
The City’s Desalter project constructed the southern access driveway connection from Somis Road up to the Desalter which is now a shared access (Common Driveway) with the Housing Development. The City and AMCAL acquired separate non-exclusive access easements from the underlying property owner for the shared southern access driveway.
AMCAL constructed a pedestrian walkway along the shared southern access driveway and decorative monument signs near the connection to Somis Road, collectively designating the Common Driveway as the main access route to the Housing Development.
AMCAL constructed the northern access as a secondary exit-only driveway with an automatic gate for exiting vehicles (not direct open access). AMCAL acquired an easement for the northern access driveway from the underlying property owner requiring the exit-only gate and prohibiting bicycle and pedestrian access.
AMCAL - Agreement
May 28, 2025
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AMCAL is required to construct additional improvements on Somis Road including turn lanes, a traffic signal at the northern access driveway and bus stops in each direction.
Lengthening the short left-turn lane on Somis Road for vehicles to turn into the Common Driveway is not included in the roadway improvements planned by AMCAL.
DISCUSSION
AMCAL is coordinating with Ventura County Public Works Agency to obtain the Caltrans permits required for the improvements on Somis Road (State Route 34). In the 1970s a proposed development including the widening of Somis Road was annexed into the City but the annexation was formally reversed after a successful CEQA challenge defeated the project. An easement to the City for the road widening was executed with the annexation and remains on record, and Caltrans requires a quitclaim of the easement (Attachment 3) from the City to Ventura County before the AMCAL improvements are approved and permitted by Caltrans.
Staff have met several times with AMCAL and Ventura County staff to discuss the quitclaim they need from the City and the City’s significant safety concerns regarding conflicts between the high volume of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the Housing Development, and vehicles using the Common Driveway to access the Desalter.
AMCAL has also indicated that a direct access point from the Development to Rancho Campana will no longer be developed, placing more pedestrians on the Common Driveway. The short left-turn lane on Somis Road is another vehicle safety concern as there is limited space for a large number of vehicles, or the large trucks making deliveries to the Desalter, to stack without blocking the northbound through lane as they wait to turn into the Common Driveway.
Additionally, the new southbound bus stop turnout on Somis Road is proposed to be located just to the south of the Common Driveway, increasing the concerns regarding the safety of pedestrians that will have to cross the Common Driveway to use the bus stop.
Construction of the bus stop turnout will also require the relocation of the power pole that supplies electricity to the Desalter, hence the Desalter will be out of operation for an unknown length of time until power is switched over from the relocated pole.
The above discussed traffic and safety concerns at the Common Driveway would be reduced if the northern access driveway, where there is to be a traffic signal installed, served as the main access to the Development instead of being gated and restricted in use.
Discussions with AMCAL have resulted in the proposed Joint Use Agreement for the Common Driveway (Agreement – Attachment 4) including the following provisions to address the City’s concerns and provide AMCAL the quitclaim it needs:
•AMCAL to take actions to encourage Housing Development tenants to use the northern access driveway including street name signage on the traffic signal; modify the gate for twenty-four hour, two-way access activated by key fob issued AMCAL - Agreement
May 28, 2025
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to tenants; and additional traffic reduction and safety measures at the southern access driveway including speed humps, signs, and pavement markings. •AMCAL to maintain the Common Driveway with City contributing 10% of the maintenance costs based on the low level of City use compared to the majority of use by the Housing Development.
•Indemnification and insurance requirements.
•AMCAL to offset the cost to the City of purchasing imported water if power to the Desalter is disrupted for longer than 4 hours.
•City to execute a quitclaim of the Somis Road easement to Ventura County as required for AMCAL to obtain Caltrans approval and permitting of the roadway improvements.
There are outstanding items that City staff are still attempting to verify with the County and AMCAL in order to provide a complete understanding of the access to and from the Project. Some of those items include:
•how the two points of direct access will be utilized for the Project •has the CEQA document and Conditions of Approval (Attachment 6) been complied with relating to the above access concerns
•traffic and safety measures for the left-turn pocket from Lewis Road into the property
•location of the bus stop
•providing direct access to Rancho Campana High School from the Project In addition, City staff has at times received different information from County staff and AMCAL on the items above, making it difficult for City staff to recommend entering into the Agreement at this present time.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
Staff has determined, in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines that the Quitclaim to Ventura County of the Easement Deed is not subject to CEQA review because it can be seen with certainty that the Quitclaim may have a significant effect on the environment. The activity is administrative. Additionally, staff has determined in accordance with CEQA Guideline 15301 that the Joint Use Agreement with AMCAL Terra Campagna Fund is exempt from CEQA review as the Agreement involves operation of existing facilities or structures.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will contribute 10% of the Common Driveway maintenance cost, in an amount to be determined upon completion of maintenance. If production of Desalter water is ceased due to power being out for four hours, the cost to the City for the equivalent amount of imported water is approximately $4,000.
AMCAL - Agreement
May 28, 2025
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RECOMMENDATION
1. Council conduct the Agenda item and obtain additional information from the County and Developer. If Council determines there is sufficient information, approve entering into the Agreement consistent with items 3-5 below.
2. If the Council determines it needs further information prior to approving the Agreement, Council should direct staff to work with the County and AMCAL on those items and bring the Agreement back to Council once Staff has been able to clarify the information needed.
3. Find that the proposed Joint Use Agreement with AMCAL Terra Campagna Fund, L.P. for Common Driveway is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, and the execution of a Quitclaim Deed is exempt from review under CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines; and
4. Authorize City Manager to execute Joint Use Agreement with AMCAL Terra Campagna Fund, L.P. for Common Driveway; and
5. Authorize City Manager to execute the Quitclaim to Ventura County of the Easement Deed recorded on July 10, 1974, in Book 4285 page 529 as No. 45373 in the Official Records of the County of Ventura.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map
2. City Comment Letters
3. Quitclaim Deed
4. Joint Use Agreement
5. Final EIR for the Project
6. Final Conditions of Approval for the Project
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None