STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
PH 6
7/8/2025
TN
Date: July 8, 2025
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From: Patti Garibay, Director - Community Development
Jocelyn Swain, Senior Planner – Community Development
Subject: Appeal of Mixed Use Development at Avenue L and 15th Street West Recommendations:
1. Adopt Resolution No. , upholding the Planning Commission approval of Tentative Tract Map (TTM) No. 24-001 (84317) and Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 21-001 and adopting the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program by denying the appeal; and approving General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 21-001, amending the General Plan land use designation from Non-Urban (NU) to Urban Residential (UR) for 10 acres on the southeast corner of Avenue L and 15 th Street West (APNs 3109-026-032, -040, -042, -044),
2. Introduce Ordinance , amending the City zoning plan for approximately 10 acres of land located on the southeast corner of Avenue L and 15th Street West (APNs 3109- 026-032, -040, -042, -044), known as Zone Change (ZC) No. 21-001, from RR-2.5 (Rural Residential, minimum lot size 2.5 acres) to MU-C (Mixed Use – Commercial).
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the appeal.
Background:
The project site is located on ten acres at the southeast corner of Avenue L and 15 th Street West.
The applicant, Westlanc Partners, filed TTM No. 24-001 (84317) and CUP No. 21-001 for the development of the subject property with a mixed use project consisting of 181 multi-family residential units, a 235 room hotel, 12,800 square feet of commercial uses, and a 3,800 square foot club house; and to subdivide the subject property into six parcels. In order to facilitate the development of the project site, the applicant has also requested a GPA (GPA No. 21-001) and ZC 2 1
0 9
(ZC No. 21-001) to change the land use designation from NU to UR and the zoning from RR-2.5 to MU-C.
An Initial Study for the project was prepared and routed for a 30-day public review period from August 14, 2024 to September 13, 2024. During this time, a request for extension was received from Adams Broadwell and the comment period was extended to September 30, 2024. During and after the comment period, comments were received from three law firms representing various union groups, State and local agencies (Caltrans, CDFW, and AVAQMD), Advocates for the Environment, members of the public (30 letters), and a 23 page petition opposing the project. A Revised Initial Study was subsequently prepared to addressed comments received and was routed for public review from March 19, 2025 to April 18, 2025. All comment letters submitted during and after the public review periods were provided to the Planning Commission and are included as an attachment to this staff report.
The Planning Commission meeting was originally noticed for October 21, 2024. In order to provide the applicant time to conduct public outreach, the meeting was continued to a date uncertain. The applicant conducted public outreach to the community surrounding the project through various means including an outreach letter dated September 28, 2024 and two public outreach meetings held on February 3, 2025 and February 26, 2025.
As a result of the public outreach meetings the applicant agreed to address raised concerns with respect to cut-through traffic on 15th Street West and the water easement/equipment. The applicant has agreed to install a remote controlled access gate across 15th Street West at the southern end of the project site to prevent the public from utilizing 15 th Street West as a short-cut to Avenue M.
The applicant has also agreed to fence the White Fence Farm Mutual Water Company easement/equipment, in a manner acceptable to the Mutual Water Company, to help prevent vandalism and damage to equipment from accidents. Subsequent to the Planning Commission meeting, the applicant has also agreed to install high-efficiency air filters in the multi-family residential units and additional landscaping on the outdoor recreational areas to improve air quality for on-site residents associated with freeway use. These requirements have been added to the conditions of approval.
The public hearing was re-noticed and held before the Planning Commission on April 21, 2025.
During the public hearing, a total of 37 speakers raised concerns regarding a variety of issues including, but not limited to, local/union jobs, lack of affordable housing, traffic, water, noise, air quality, and consistency with the general plan/urban limit line. Most of the speakers were opposed to the project but some were in favor of the project.
The Planning Commission approved the TTM and CUP, approved the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and adopted the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (4-2-0-0-1).
They also voted to recommend approval of the GPA and ZC to the City Council.
Appeal
Subsequent to the Planning Commission approval, Lozeau Drury, representing Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER), filed an appeal stating that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was required due to substantial adverse impacts to biological resources, air quality and noise. In addition to the formal appeal, three other appeals to the PC approval of the project were filed by Adams Broadwell representing Coalition for Responsible Equitable Economic Development Los Angeles (CREED LA), the White Fence Farm Homeowners, and the 2 1
0 9
Law Office of Jordan R Sisson representing UNITE HERE Local 11. The primary issues (broad categories) raised in these appeals include the following:
Air Quality (including valley fever and greenhouse gases) Energy
Transportation
Noise
Public Utilities (including water)
Land Use/General Plan Consistency
Other Potential Impacts (as identified in the appeal letter by Jordan R Sisson “aesthetics, geology and soils, hydrology and water, population and housing, and cumulative impacts, etc.”)
Staff has reviewed the appeals and believes that the Initial Study does not require additional revisions necessitating recirculation nor are there any significant impacts associated with the proposed project which would require the preparation of an EIR as documented in the attached Response to Comments.
Staff recommends that the City Council uphold the Planning Commission approval of TTM No. 24-001 (84317) and CUP No. 21-001, adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration/Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and deny the appeal. Additionally, staff recommends the approval of GPA No. 21-001 and ZC No. 21-001.
JS/vm/gb
Attachments:
A. Resolution No.
B. Response to Comments
C. Conditions of Approval
D. Ordinance No.
E. PC Staff Report, April 21, 2025 - Available on the City’s website www.cityoflancasterca.org and on file in the City Clerk’s Department.
F. White Fence Farm Homeowners Appeal filed May 5, 2025 - Available on the City’s website www.cityoflancasterca.org and on file in the City Clerk’s Department.
G. Adams Broadwell Joseph & Cardozo Appeal filed May 2, 2025 - Available on the City’s website www.cityoflancasterca.org and on file in the City Clerk’s Department.
H. Lozeau Drury Appeal Form with Comment Letter filed April 29, 2025 - Available on the City’s website www.cityoflancasterca.org and on file in the City Clerk’s Department.
I. Sisson Law Group Appeal Form with Comment Letter filed May 5, 2025 - Available on the City’s website www.cityoflancasterca.org and on file in the City Clerk’s Department.