REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Remon Habib, City Engineer
Date:May 28, 2024
Subject:Ortega BESS, Revision to Conditions of Approval No. 65 and 66 Relating to Camino del Norte Improvements
Recommendation
Approve revisions to Conditions of Approval No. 65 and 66 to state as follows:
65. Prior to issuance of an occupancy permit, the applicant shall relocate and reconstruct culvert headwalls and shall provide cash in lieu as determined by an Engineer’s estimate for the cost of half-width improvements along Camino del Norte.
The engineer’s estimate shall include half-width improvements such as pavement section, curb, gutter, sidewalk, relocating power poles, and other incidentals along the project’s frontage.
66. Prior to issuance of an occupancy permit, the applicant shall provide cash in lieu as determined by an Engineer’s estimate for the cost of LS-2B lighting system. Cost shall include poles, luminaires, pull boxes, and other necessary incidentals.
Background
On July 19, 2022, the Planning Commission approved the Commercial Design Review No. 2021- 12 for Ortega Grid, LLC to construct a 20-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) on a
1.79-acre site. Grading permit and other permits have been issued and the project is currently under construction.
Discussion
On May 20, 2024, Hecate Grid LLC (Hecate) sent a formal letter requesting a revision to Conditions 65 and 66 to be revised.
The original conditions are listed below:
Camino Del Norte Revisions
1 1
9 7
65. Applicant shall be responsible to design and construct the half-width street improvements along the property’s frontage on Camino del Norte such that the ultimate right-of-way width conforms to the General Plan Circulation Element. Camino del Norte is classified as a Secondary Highway.
•Improvements include, but are not limited to road pavement widening, curb, gutter, sidewalk, signing and striping, street lighting (LS-2B system), and driveway. •Applicant shall be responsible to relocate the culvert headwall and overhead power poles (as approved by the utility purveyor) for the construction of the ultimate road widening.
66. Project will be responsible to design and install streetlights along the property’s frontage.
Streetlight system shall be designed as LS-2B system. Streetlight plans shall include details such as location, pole, and luminaire type, and pull box design. Streetlight plans shall include as part of the Street Improvement Plans.
Hecate will complete the relocation of the culvert headwall, which will extend the culvert beyond the ultimate road width, and the driveway tie into the existing road pavement.
Hecate has been working with Southern California Edison (SCE) on the relocation of the transmission lines on Camino del Norte. Due to the complexity with relocating the transmission and the short frontage width of the project site, SCE has recommended to the Hecate as well as to the City staff to defer relocating the poles until a longer segment of the Camino del Norte is widened.
Cash in lieu collected will be applied to widening Camino Del Norte as part of a larger project from Main Street to 2nd Street. Staff is currently working with other developers on a cooperative effort in order for construction cost to be shared among multiple developments along Camino Del Norte.
Fiscal Impact
The City will collect an amount based on an approved Engineer’s estimate in lieu of construction of frontage improvements on Camino Del Norte.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Conditions of Approval Modification Request Attachment 2 – Revised PA 2021-26 Final Conditions of Approval