M EMQRAN DLJ M City of Poway
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
(Agenda Related Writings/Documents provided to City Council or Staff after distribut ion of the Agenda Packet for the July 16, 2024 Council Meeting)
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
CONTACT:
SUBJECT:
July 16, 2024
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
Carrie Gallagher, City ClerkcL..f'-
(858) 668-4535 or [email protected]
Item 18 - Specific Plan Amendment (SPA) 22-0001, Development Review (DR) 22-0002 and Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 22-0004, to Allow the Construction of a 30,500 Square Foot Recreational Club with Outdoor Fitness Uses, Restaurant, Alcohol Sales, Small Supportive Retail including Spa and Lighted Recreational Courts; Approve an Addendum to the Farm In Poway Specific Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (FEI R) (EA) 19-001
Item 19 - Consideration of Placing a Measure on the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election Ballot which would amend The Farm in Poway Specific Plan to allow development of a 30,500 square-foot Recreational Fitness Club with outdoor fitness uses, lighted recreational courts, two swimming pools, fitness center, cafe with bar, alcohol sales, a day spa, small supportive retail, and parking on 6.87 acres; Direct the City Attorney to Prepare an Impartial Analysis; Adopt Resolutions Authorizing the City Council to file Written Arguments; and Provide for Filing of Rebuttal Arguments Attached please find correspondence received after the agenda posting deadline and through 3:00 pm the day prior to the meeting.
Reviewed/Approved By:
Assistant City Manager
1 of 57
Reviewed By:
Alan Fenstermacher
City Attorney
July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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EXTE R L E 1/\ I
[email protected]
Anita Edmondson
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brjan Peojn: Peter De Hoff
Life Time Fitness Proposal
Monday, July 15, 2024 12:40:34 PM
Hello Councilmember Edmondson:
In advance of this week's City Council meeting, I wish to express my opposition to the proposal by Life Time for a 30,500 square foot fitness facility at The Farm development.
As you know, as a former GVCA board member and a District 2 resident, I have followed the Life Time proposal closely since early 2023. While I have always seen certain benefits to the community from a modern, well-managed fitness center such as this, I also believe that such a large facility would create some serious problems and hazards. Most importantly, I believe that such a facility would draw much, or most, of its membership from outside of Poway, and would drive significant traffic on Espola Road and Goodeve Drive.
Any commercial facility at The Farm development should be primarily for the benefit of Poway residents. Importantly, despite being urged to do so, Life Time has consistently balked at the suggestion of offering preferential pricing and terms to Poway residents, which could favorably impact the mix of membership. As it stands, based on everything we have seen and heard, it appears very likely that most of Life Time's members would come from surrounding communities, and in my view that is simply unacceptable. A private fitness club that is primarily used by people driving in from outside of Poway would simply deliver a lot of traffic headaches without a commensurate benefit to our residents.
Poway's District 2 is a beautiful and peaceful residential community. I welcome the Farm's sensible commercial amenities that benefit local residents, such as small eating/drinking establishments, shops, walking trails, flower fields, etc. Likewise, I would welcome a health/fitness/recreation facility that would be used by Poway residents, much like the old golf /tennis/swim facilities at Stone Ridge CC were used. But a large commercial business that caters primarily to outside customers really could only have a negative impact on the lives of our residents.
I urge the Council to reject Life Time's proposal as inconsistent with the Farm Specific Plan, and ask that you direct the landowner and developer to re-visit their options and return with a proposal that better suits our community.
Thank you for your consideration.
2 of57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
Sincerely,
John Desantis
[email protected]
Mobile (858) 208-8546
3 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank: Brian Pepin: Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Lisa Chaykowski supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 3:39:36 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Lisa Chaykowski, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Lisa Chaykowski
92064
[email protected]
4 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank: Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Nancy Polston supports Life lime Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 9:18:03 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Nancy Polston, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Nancy Polston
92064
no_ [email protected]
5 of57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
July 13, 2024
Dear Mayor and Councilpersons ....
I urge you all to NOT approve the lifetime project before you, under any circumstances.
I want to remind you all that I supported the Farm Project in 2020, based on the very "Specific Plan" set before us for review. I supported the Farm based on community meetings, illustrations, and promises made by the Farm developers. I thought I was an informed voter and rallied to convince many families and friends to support the farm project. I believed (and still want to believe) that people in our community were coming together to design great facilities, small swim and racket club, restaurants, and meeting places for our neighborhood, and for our city. We supported their vision, and we expect that they will build in accordance with that vision .
The 30K sq foot commercial Fitness building is simply not what we voted for in 2020.
For the record, I am not Anti Lifetime. This simply is NOT a safe location for their project. Good Eve is NOT wide enough to handle the 2000-3000 membership base that Lifetime anticipates. There are 10 driveways, 40 homes, and a playground between Espola Road and the proposed entrance to Lifetime. There is only a sidewalk on one side of the street for families and children to walk and ride on. Allowing this facility in this neighborhood is DANGEROUS.
Developers should not be allowed to present one idea to the voters and simply change the scope and/or intensity of commercial plans 4 years after the fact. Please send a clear message to developers in Poway that they will be held accountable to build what they promise if/when projects are put to a vote and approved. The fact that inflation and interest rates have increased costs to build in the past several years, and the fact that Lifetime may be a lucrative opportunity for developers, should NOT factor in whether this project is approved or not. Bait and switch antics should not be tolerated.
Please mandate that the developers build us a small club house, a pool, and tennis and/or pickleball courts. That is what we envisioned when we voted for and supported this project. This is what we voted for when we allowed zoning changes to Open Space land in our community. Please mandate that facilities be built in the same spirit set forth in the Specific Plan for which we voted.
Lastly, I would like Lifetime to understand that it is a waste of time and money to simply approve and put on the ballot. Poway residents do not want the Lifetime Fitness project in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Clearly, this cannot be a surprise to you. You were present at the last few community meetings informing the community about your plans.
If approved for the ballot, we, the residents of Poway, will fight it. You will lose.
To the council, I say this .... As elected officials, your jobs are to represent the people of Poway. To make decisions based on the majority of your constituents . I implore you all to make a decision tonight, based on the feedback from your community, and from the constituents to whom you all serve.
Thank you all for your service.
Vanessa Springett
6 of57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Al Mclntee supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 12:08:08 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Al Mcintee, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Al Mcintee
92064
ancintee l 2@hotmai l. com
7 of57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
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Subject:
Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus; Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter Pe Hoff Colby Young supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 12:21:19 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Colby Young, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Colby Young
92064
[email protected]
8 of57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Emily Adamiec
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 11:54:16 AM
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Dear City Council,
I am opposed to th e Life Tim e fitness Club proposed for the Farm . I voted yes on th e measure in 2020 based on a small fitness club, tenni s and pickleball co urts th at were in that plan. That is what I would like to see in thi s space. I would love to see something like what th e RB Tennis & Racq uet club has for their residents .
Thank you,
Emily Adami ec (15996 Grey Stone Rd) - Poway Reside nt
858-231-3737
9 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From: Jan Hamilton
To:
Subject:
Peter De Hoff: [email protected]; Cayljn Frank: Brian Pepin; Steve Vaus Item 18, Agenda Packet 2024 07-16
Date: Saturday, July 13, 2024 10:15:33 AM
I
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EXT - R..1 L ~MA IL
The City Council must vote to deny these requested changes to TFIPSP.
If the City Council won't enforce Poway's zoning regulations, who will? Despite what voters were told in November 2020 when they were asked to approve development on this property, this project has turned into a large commercial venture, including a venue for outdoor events with amplified sound and alcohol sales, with a parking lot for 250 cars.
All on property zoned for Open Space-Recreation, with access only through residential neighborhoods .
If the City Council allows this development, where will it happen next? Will it be the open space at the end of Meadowbrook Lane, just down the street from Meadowbrook Middle School? Imagine the traffic .
Poway's zoning regulations will be meaningless, and any developer with enough influence will build whatever can produce the most revenue for them, regardless of the impact to Poway residents' quality of life.
Please VOTE NO.
Jan Hamilton
10 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Jordan Nova
Councilmembers
Lifelime Fitness
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 2:58:28 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Hi there,
I live on Martincoit Road, and I am in full support of lifetime fitness as proposed with the larger square footage. I think it will be an excellent addition to our community , and provide a much needed center for health and wellness for all of the generations.
Looking forward to supporting this!
Jordan
11 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Subject:
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[email protected]
Steve Vaus; Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Kim Davis supports Life Time Poway!
Monday, July 15, 2024 1:07:21 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Kim Davis, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Kim Davis
92064
[email protected]
12 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank: Brian Pepin: Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Karen Konen supports Life lime Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 3:55:22 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Karen Konen, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Karen Konen
92064
[email protected]
13 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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To:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Len Laurence supports Life Time Poway!
Monday, July 15, 2024 1:20:55 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers ,
My name is Len Laurence, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together .
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Len Laurence
92064
[email protected]
14 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Attachments:
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Nick Carruthers
~ ; Steve Vaus; Brian Pepin: Peter De Hoff: Caylin Frank; Anita Edmondson; Chris Hazeltine; Stan Donn July 16th Council Meeting Item
Sunday, July 14, 2024 2:36:11 PM
V2-Item 18-Specific Plan Amendment and CUP .pdf
Please find attached materials for the July 16th Council Meeting.
Thank you, Nick Carruthers on behalf of Poway Voices
15 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
July 15th, 2024
Re: Item 18; Specific Plan Amendment (SPA) 22-0001, Development Review (DR) 22- 0002 and Conditional UsePermit (CUP) 22-0004, to Allow the Construction of a 30,500 Square Foot Recreational Club with Outdoor Fitness Uses, Restaurant, Alcohol Sales, Small Supportive Retail including Spa and Lighted Recreational Courts; Approve an Addendum to the Farm In Poway Specific Plan FinalEnvironmental Impact Report (FEIR) (EA) 19-001
Dear Mayor Vaus and Poway City Council Members, City Manager Chris Hazeltine and City Planner Stan Donn.
Four years ago, "The Farm in Poway Specific Plan" (TFIPSP) was proposed and brought before council (June 16th, 2020) and passed unanimously as resolution 20-051 and was subsequently placed on the ballot (November 3rd , 2020), as required under Proposition FF. Thus, Measure P was approved by voters 17,483 to 10,664. This measure had broad and non-partisan support. Under this proposal the construction of a 3,000 square foot fitness facility together with a pool and tennis courts (The Club) was approved with key deed restrictions.
In May 2023 a new proposal for development of the open space that included "The Club" was presented by Life Time Inc. which included a 30,500 square foot Recreational Fitness Center in contrast to the originally proposed and approved 3,000 square foot facility. At this juncture a flawed traffic study was presented suggesting that traffic impacts of the much larger facility would be less than those of the approved development. Poway Voices, and others, pointed out the error in the applicants' calculations and submitted data at the council meeting on May 2nd, 2023, that the new entity would in fact increase traffic by 20% if consistent methodology was used. Poway Voices calculations were submitted to Development Services (Bob Manis) on April 5th, 2023, prior to the presentation before council. Over a year later Life Time Inc. has obtained the same numbers. Clearly this remains a significant increase in traffic, despite the comment from the traffic consultants (LLG, page 6); "determined that no new significant impacts or increase in the severity of impacts previously identified would occur". One may wonder in what world they live in when a 20% change is deemed insignificant!
We believe there are many reasons to reject this proposal, noise from pickleball, and extraneous light impacting adjacent neighbors, but overall, our greatest concern is the impact on traffic and most importantly the effect of the introduction of "The Club Overlay District" (page 80) which will compound the situation noted above. There appears no justification or explanation for the Overlay District which provides an additional, by our calculations, 60,000 square feet of space for activities that include outdoor recreation courts, locker facilities, outdoor pools and spas, outdoor cafe/bistro with liquor sales, outdoor child's play area, indoor and outdoor exercise areas, and use of the Club Property for child care, hair salon, day spa, medi-spa, cafe chiropractic care, physical therapy, sale of health and fitness-related merchandise. Note, the comment from Life Time; that the Club "was approved for 100,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor 16 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
programming" does not appear in any earlier documents so its origin remains opaque. A priori this does not sound like open space recreational but rather commercial and critically there does not appear to be any consideration of any contribution to traffic. The use of the overlay will presumably also make Life Time exempt from the rules written into the TFIPSP.
Approving this measure will dramatically change what commercial uses can be on open space. The overlay would eliminate the need for a future Prop FF vote for commercial uses on open space, because the vote would change our general plan to allow commercial uses on open space.
In summary, we believe that council should vote to reject this plan outright. If Life Time remains committed to their proposal, then they should initiate a signature drive to place it on the ballot. To be perfectly clear, Poway Voices is not opposed to Life Time or indeed a Life Time facility in Poway. However, such a large commercial enterprise belongs in a more appropriate location, ideally in a business park.
Thank you for taking our concerns into account.
Sincerely,
Nick Carruthers, Chris Cruse, Jana Johnson, Torrey Powers, Alison Park, and Eric Weller 17 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Nicole Young supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 12:22:10 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Nicole Young, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Nicole Young
92064
nikkiyoung I [email protected]
18 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From: R2LJ
To:
Cc:
Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Caylin Frank; [email protected]; Steve Vaus Carrie Gallagher
Subject:
Date:
~- T 8R1 /\L EMA i
7/12/2024
disapproval of commercial business called Lifetime
Friday, July 12, 2024 8:30:00 AM
Ladies and Gentlemen of the City of Poway council,
I am bringing my contest and disapproval of how your predecessor and some of the present councilmen and women have failed to represent our interests and to protect our rights as taxpayers and residents of the City of Poway for over a decade.
Our lives have been significantly and negatively affected by The Farm's development. Our family's health has been compromised with lingering negative effects. My daughters have developed severe respiratory issues, which we believe, based on timing and symptoms, is a direct result of significant dust and contamination from th.e continuous churn of dirt for the last four years while building the 90-foot artificial hill, homes, roads, and paths, immediately in our backyard. Your organization approved and allowed this to happen.
Enough is enough . Your organization has taken our lives hostage for the past five years.
If you move forward with an unnecessary and controversial Lifetime proposal, you will continue to risk our safety and livelihood.
Please be very informed. I will not accept living any longer in the same noisy, dusty, chaotic, unsafe environment that your organization has created for us over the past four years.
Specific individuals within your organization are only looking to achieve their objectives with developers, which benefits them personally and the pockets of the City of Poway, without considering the impacts and long-term adverse effects on the residents. We are being forced out of our home if this proceeds. Any financial loss and expenses, including but not limited to the tax and commission of the forced sale, will be due to the forced evacuation (forced sale) of our home because the conditions of additional mass construction and the daily disruption with a massive commercial entity are no longer tolerable or livable.
Please find decency and humanity in your heart and reject this unnecessary and greedy proposal for a commercial business called Lifetime in the heart of a residential family neighborhood .
Regards,
Ray Jalisi
17342 Tam O shanter Dr.
Poway Ca. 92064
19 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Robert Koenig supports Life lime Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 12:26:05 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Robert Koenig, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Robert Koenig
92064
[email protected]
20 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Randy Middlebrook
Q1v...Qer.k
Life Time Fitness Public Hearing
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 8:46:58 AM
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My name is Randy Middlebrook and I am a long time Powegian (moved here in 1992; daughter a Poway Padre, son is President of the Poway Wrestling Foundation). My family and I live immediately adjacent to the Farm recreation pad (specifically the proposed parking lot) that is under consideration for the Life Time Fitness Club. I have represented many of my neighbors in past discussions with Life Time Fitness and in letters and/or discussions with the City Council. My impression is that Life Time Fitness has the potential to be a large corporate neighbor with a conscience, capable of mitigating neighborhood concerns for the benefit of all.
My neighbors and I have been told (in writing) by Life Time Fitness that they have committed to building a 6' masonry wall along the entire West and South facing perimeter of the parking lot; to significantly increase the planted landscaping on the West and South slopes beyond what Lennar has planted (Life Time created a supplemental landscaping plan), and they agreed to limit the four light poles erected along the West and South facing walls (2x2) to a max height of 10 feet. We are assuming that our Poway City Council will assure us that Life Time Fitness will be held accountable to these commitments.
However, there remains an "elephant in the room" problem. Aside from the fact that we have expressed our opposition to Life Time's insistence on opening at 5am (parking lot lights on at 4:30am), we remain appalled at the drastically oversized parking lot (248 spaces) . We have repeatedly voiced our concerns about the size and scope of the proposed parking lot in relation to both their own facility and our neighborhood, and we have been told they would re-evaluate the parking space count. Clearly, to this point, nothing has changed.
Let's examine the documentation Life Time Fitness submitted to the City for this proposed project. Included in their materials is a professional parking study commissioned by, and paid for by Life Time Fitness. Life Time hired Linscott, Law & Greenspan Engineers (LLG) to analyze and recommend parking requirements for their project. Their engineering firm reviewed parking regulations and requirements at the City of Poway, compared other municipalities and jurisdictions parking requirements, evaluated national parking generation data, and did a deep dive into parking demand counts at Life Time's most comparable San Clemente location to establish the specific parking demand. This deep dive projected parking demand based on "peak use" at all times of operation. So, what did the results of Life Time's parking study reveal? Their own engineering study states, "THE PEAK PROJECT PARKING DEMAND IS CALCULATED TO BE 153 SPACES." Further, the study went on to apply a contingency factor of 15% bringing their recommendation to "180 SPACES PREFERRED FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT ." When compared to the City of Poway's parking requirement of 171 spaces the numbers look amazingly similar. Why then does Life Time Fitness continue to demand 248 spaces? 21 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
SOLUTION : I think there exists a win-win solution for our neighborhood and Life Time Fitness. If the parking lot were to eliminate the 41 spaces along the West and South perimeters the parking count would still be well beyond actual parking demand (36 spaces more than the City requires, and 27 spaces more than Life Time's own parking demand study recommends). Doing so would allow for the West and South facing masonry walls to each be set back by approximately 10 feet. As long as everyone agrees that the space between the wall and the slope(s) remains "landscape only" (and not some other use) we neighbors benefit from more landscaping and better aesthetics, less parking lot light pollution, and less noise from vehicles, doors opening and closing, people gathering and conversing in the parking lot, etc. We have also asked (or the City require) Life Time Fitness to install an automated gate at the entrance of the parking lot that would close when the facility closes (as a parking lot/neighborhood security measure).
I thank you for your consideration on these important matters regarding the proposed Life Time Fitness project.
Sincerely,
Randy Middlebrook
22 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Rosanne Muschenheim supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 10:54:39 AM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Rosanne Muschenheim, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Rosanne Muschenheim
92064
rosie.y. [email protected]
23 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank: Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson: Peter De Hoff Rob Polston supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 11:25:39 AM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Rob Polston, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Rob Polston
92064
[email protected]
24 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus; Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Sree Vegunta supports Life Time Poway!
Monday, July 15, 2024 1:22:59 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Sree Vegunta, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sree Vegunta
92064
[email protected]
25 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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[email protected]
Steve Vaus; Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; peter De Hoff Steve Wickens supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 1:53:55 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers ,
My name is Steve Wickens, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
I. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Steve Wickens
92064
[email protected]
26 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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To:
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[email protected]
Steve Vaus: Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Tony Dubreville supports Life Time Poway!
Monday, July 15, 2024 2: 19:00 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Tony Dubreville, and I am a resident of Poway. I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
l. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Tony Dubreville
92064
[email protected]
27 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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To:
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Date:
[email protected]
Steve Vaus; Caylin Frank; Brian Pepin; Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff Tom Kuhl supports Life Time Poway!
Friday, July 12, 2024 11:48: 18 AM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear Councilmembers,
My name is Tom Kuhl, and I am a resident of Poway . I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Life Time project.
The Life Time project will benefit Poway by:
1. Enhancing the community vision established by The Farm.
2. Providing amenities and services that contribute to the well-being of Poway families.
3. Offering a place for Poway to create memories together.
I respectfully urge you to support the approval of the Life Time Poway. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Tom Kuhl
92064
[email protected]
28 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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[email protected]
Qty_Qm
Council Meeting Comments
Thursday, July 11, 2024 7:36:23 AM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Good morning,
I'm writing to provide comments for Agenda Item 18 of the meeting on Tuesday July 16th.
I'm deeply concerned with the potential 30k sq ft Lifetime Fitness club being established at The Farm development for the following reasons:
I) This is a bait and switch from the original plan. I would have voted "no" on the development if the original proposal included fitness facility of this size
2) This puts a large commercial unit in the heart of a residential community. It does not belong 3) The Farm development has already increased traffic in the area; a gym of this size would make traffic even worse.
4) This brings safety concerns due to increased traffic around a residential community.
Thank you for allowing me to provide input. I hope the council makes the right decision.
Thank you,
Vasken
29 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Vasken Kamiksisian
Steve Vaus
Subject: Re: Life Time
Date: Thursday, July 11, 2024 2:17:49 PM
EXTE R AL EM A i
Thank you for the response and clarification!
Vasken
On Jul 11, 2024, at 2:00 PM, Steve Vaus <[email protected]> wrote:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I believe this is a matter the voters should ultimately decide.
However regarding it being a "bait and switch" (that characterization has been spread on social media) it is inaccurate to call it that. Proposed changes to Specific Plans are not unusual or necessarily nefarious in nature.
In any event that is why there is the requirement for voter approval when major changes are proposed.
Thanks again
sv
30 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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To:
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Aaron Campbell
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 12:46:47 PM
I
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• XTERNA L E 11 IL
Hello Council Members,
I support putting a Lifetime Fitness in the Farm development. I moved to Poway from Scottsdale, AZ around 5 years ago and belonged to Lifetime Fitness in AZ. They are a very high end fitness facility and would be a great addition to the neighborhood.
Thank you,
Aaron
31 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From: chris cruse
To: lli..Qer:k; Steve Yaus: Brian Pepin: Cavlin Frank: Peter De Hoff: [email protected] cc: chris48cruse@amail com
Subject: July 16, 2024 Poway Council Meeting #18, #19
Date: Monday, July 15, 2024 12:12:07 AM
Attachments: 0162 copy pdf
Screen Shot 2024-07-14 at 1 43.41 PM.pnq
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Mayor Vaus and Councilmembers,
Land use approvals are quasi-judicial decisions which
require a "fair hearing" to both sides, those for, and
those opposed to a project.
Despite this requirement, councilmembers met, in
private, in the city manager's office, with
representatives of the developer before approving the
Harmon Ranch Specific Plan. Councilmembers, also
asked follow-up questions of the developer.
The "other side", in this case, Poway Voices, publicly
questioned the validity of the developer's density
claims. Poway Voices asked both staff and council for
verification of these claims, but their requests were
ignored. Every single Councilmember who voted for
the Harmon Ranch Specific Plan said that they did so
based on the developer's claims that something worse
could be built there if the Council did not give Lennar the density increase they wanted. Yet,
Lennar's numbers were never verified.
32 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
After the Harmon Ranch decision was made, a resident
questioned Councilmember Peter De Hoff about his
vote based on the unverified numbers.
Councilmember DeHoff responded with a "back of the
envelope calculation" to show that Lennar's numbers
were possible. But Councilmember DeHoff
calculations showed that he was not familiar with the
state legislation he cited. SB-9 can only be used once
by an owner of adjacent parcels and cannot be further
subdivided using the bonus density law. His
calculations were not possible.
it appears that some councilmembers are making
decisions based only on developer input, and relying
entirely on that imput without independent
verification, even when "the other side" questions the
validity of the developer's claims.
Thus, the Harmon Ranch hearing was not a "fair
hearing". The staff and council rubber stamped the
developer's numbers without doing any due diligence.
Hopefully, the council will do better at the Life Time
Fitness hearing.
On July 16th, you will be asked to judge whether or
not the Life Time project would result "in any new or
increased significant impacts on the environment not
already analyzed in, and fully covered by, the TFIPSP
FEIR." Common sense would tell you that a project of
33 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
almost 100,000 sf of commercial use is going to have
more a lot more impacts that a project of 6,000 sf of
commercial use. So, it is a bit of a surprise that the
staff report agrees with the developer thst there are no new or significant impacts from this massively larger
project.
Life Time claims that the traffic will increase by 20%
and that increase doesn't need to be mitigated. In my
opinion, a 20% increase in the total ADT of the entire
specific plan ADT caused by one project on an open
space parcel is a pretty significant
impact. Nevertheless, I believe the true ADT has been
severely undercounted, and the true traffic count is 2
or 3 times greater than what the Life Time application
claims. I base my assertion on several observations :
1) Life Time did not count any ADT from roofed
structures that were screened on 2 sides, even when
those structures were known to generate traffic from
scheduled classes and workout periods.
2) Life Time did not count ADT from outdoor uses
such as the pools, saunas, bistro, and playing fields
although the scheduled activities in these area will
generate traffic. Other outdoor areas, that don't have
programmed activities such as the dog park, and
playgrounds do have ADT. Life Time's outdoor uses
are much more intensive, yet they are not counted at
34 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
all towards ADTs.
3) Many indoor, roofed areas with walls on 4 sides are
not being counted towards the ADT because they will
be classified as "accessory" uses. These spaces include retail use, hair salons, nail cars, phydical therapy and massage parlors. They would all be considered
commercial uses in strip malls on Poway Rd, and
would need to mitigate for traffic and provide for
parking, Yet Life Time wants these uses not to cut
towards traffic, parking, or towards commercial space
totals. But in fact, they all do generate traffic, need parking spaces and commercial businesses are going to
operate out of those spaces.
4) The "overlay district" that will limit net square
footage to 30,S00sf, no matter what they are using the
other 60,000 plus sf for is arbitrary and capricious. it is inconsistent with the Specific Plan and our General
Plan. The overlay will not make traffic, or parking or
commercial space disappear, it just doesn't count
things that really exist or mitigate for the impacts.
5) The traffic deductions are also questionable.
Reducing the traffic counts by hundreds of ADT
(average daily trips) because of proximity to public
transportation is unrealistic when that bus makes only
one trip between The Farm bus stop and Twin Peaks
middle school and Poway High School in the morning,
35 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
and 2 in the afternoon on school days. According to
TFIPSP, there are only 45 middle and high school
students generated by the Farm development. How is it
possible to deduct several hundred car trips each day
because a small part of The Farm is within 1/4 of that
bus stop? The actual numbers of students who get on
and off the bus at that bus stop are likely only a
fraction of theat deduction.
6) A 10% ADT deduction was taken for being a mixed
use/smart growth project, but, in fact, there is no
mixed use zoning in TFIPSP. It is zoned residential and open space land use. How does it qualify for a mixed
use/smart growth traffic generation deduction when it
is low density and limited commercial? The Harmon
Ranch project has the same land uses as The Farm
residential and open space,- but they did not take this deduction because it requires a higher density to
qualify. TFIPSP has a lower density than HRSP, so
how does TFIPSP qualify for a mixed use/smart
growth deduction in ADT when HRSP did not?
7) Even the vmt (vehicle miles traveled) numbers look
off. LifeTime's application claims that the project
would be considered "local" because the total
commercial square footage was less than 50,000, but a
chart in the same document shows that the total
commercial use is over 53,000 sf, and thus the
classification should have been "regional " and longer
36 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
trip lengths should have been used in the vmt
calculation.
The ordinance to put Life Times modification on the
ballot for voter approval includes the following
paragraph:
'' WHEREAS, the approval of this Ordinance does not
necessarily indicate that the City Council supports the Project, but rather may be the result of the City
Council's desire to allow the people of the City of
Poway to decide whether or not the Project should
proceed."
The council must make a judgment on whether or not
the traffic numbers are valid., if they represent the true impact of the traffic that will be generated. If they are not valid, the Council cannot approve the project or
put it on the ballot for voter's to decide.
Personally, I am very saddened that the council would
even consider making an open space parcel essentially
a commercial zone. Open space is such an essential
part of what makes Poway "The city in the country".
I am sure the voters will reject this, but the council
should not rely on that and abdicate their
responsibilities to judge this project based on the
evidence, which seems very, very flawed. If they do, it 37 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
is an invitation to other developers to use phony
numbers for their own projects. If the council
approves this project, they risk losing public
confidence that the planning process has any integrity
at all.
Sincerely,
Chris M Cruse
<Harmon Ranch - Read-Only.pdf>
This is from peter DeHoff 1 • - • ·-·· .. DeHoff Just sent me this:
Back of the napkin calc here: rs7 lot rnin:4500sw ft by GP. SB9 lot split to 2250. 6.71ac useable land 110 tots. Gov code 65915 b(1)B 5% low income for a single concession and 200/o density increase to max 133 as need to round up. Single concession Is 0 ft side yard setback so SFM with a shared wall e(1) is to kill city nitpicking p(1)A-C is for parking. The drop to 92 is likely due to profitability the fact that parking is probably 1.6 per unit. So the sb9 lot splits would likely be to more than 2250 per lot. Suspect we'd still have our build% coverage but not sure if e(1) kills that. The city calcs seem close enough
38 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Alex Plishner
Monday, March 18, 2024 1:24 PM PDT
Anita Edmondson; Peter De Hoff
Chris Hazeltine; Ryan Green; Arlene Tendick
Harmon Ranch meeting follow up
Good afternoon Councilmember Edmondson and Councilmember De Hoff. Hope all is well.
First and foremost, I want to thank you again for meeting with our team on the 14th to discuss Lennar's vision for the new neighborhood at Harmon Ranch. We appreciate your attention to detail and thoughtful discussion. Included below are the items that required follow up. Please let me know if there is any additional clarity or information we can provide.
1. Trees on the eastern edge buffer:
The proposed tree species and size is Tristania Conferta in a 24" box. It is an evergreen tree with reddish brown bark, deep green leaves, and fragrant creamy white flowers that bloom in the spring and summer months. The tree's growth rate is moderate/fast and the average width at maturity is 25' and average height at maturity is 30-45 feet. This plant material was selected to address neighbors' concerns about privacy. The height at maturity will provide screening from the new homes at Harmon Ranch. The neighbors along the eastern border have been shown the plans for the landscape buffer and were pleased with this project modification.
2. Zoning comparison between the General Plan/Existing Zoning and Harmon Ranch Specific Plan:
General Plan/Existing Zoning Harmon Ranch Specific Plan Houses 58 (RS7 zone) 63 + existing historic house. 64 / 7.26 net ac = 8.8 Dwelling Units per Acre = 8.0 Dwelling Units per Acre
Min. lot size 4,500 SF Homesites range from 3,612 to 4,673 square feet. (average is 3,690 SF) Min. lot width 50' 42'
Front set back 18' 15' to the edge of the home
20' to face of the garage
Side setback 5' 5'
Rear setback 20' 15' - 21' (does not include CA "room") We are proud of the work we've done with neighboring property owners and believe Harmon Ranch is compatible with the surrounding uses, while still meeting the policy objectives within the General Plan.
We look forward to bringing this project forward for your consideration. Should additional questions arise, please feel free to contact us any time.
Thanks again,
Alex L. Plishner
Senior Vice President I Land Acquisition + Forward Planning 39 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
LENNAR .
[email protected]
Mobile 858-344-6988
Office 858-618-4919
16465 Via Esprillo Suite 150
San Diego, CA 92127
If you would like to stop receiving email messages from us at any time, please click here or simply reply to any message and type "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. Lennar strictly adheres to the CAN-SPAM act and will immediately remove your email address from our records upon request. This e-mail is intended only for the use of the person to whom it is addressed and contains information which may be confidential or privileged. If you are not the person to whom this e-mail is addressed, or an agent authorized by such person to receive this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any examination, copying, distribution or other unauthorized use of this e-mail is prohibited. If you received this e-mail in error, please notify me immediately at the e-mail address referenced above. Offers, incentives and seller contributions are subject to certain terms, conditions and restrictions, which may include the use of designated lenders or closing agents and are subject to change or substitution by Lennar without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity. 40 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
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Date:
~
Q1Y....Qm
Council meeting 7-16 items 18 & 19
Sunday, July 14, 2024 4:23:21 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL
To Poway City Council
I am a long time Poway resident who believes in the Poway General Plan.
I oppose the Lifetime Fitness project as currently proposed.
Open space means open space. Not big buildings, game courts, eateries, parking lots,etc.
If the developers wish to continue with this project they should have to gather enough signatures on a petition to place it on the November Ballot at their expense not city tax payers expense.
Yours truly
Carole Cue
41 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
carole Wait
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 12:10:08 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
I oppose the Lifetime Fitness Center at the Farm.
Carole Wait
619-301-2678
42 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Date:
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Denise Udell
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 12:36:00 PM
A survey taken by GVCA has shown that an overwhelming majority of the residents in the area for the proposed Lifetime Fitness project, opposes the club. I encourage you not to even put it on the ballot.
Denise Lidell
(858} 560-8088
43 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
DT Schmitz
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 11:49:42 AM
I
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EXTE RNAL EMAr
I am writing with opposition to the current proposal for Lifetime fitness. Their proposal for a 30K sqft facility is not what voters approved for the Farm project. It also does not fit well into our residential community. Any commercial facility of this size does not belong in this area.
Dan Schmitzer
44 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
~
lli..Qfil
City Council Meeting on July 16, 2024
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 12:36:11 PM
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Agenda item 18. Both ofus are against this item. We approved THE FARM vote and support the original proposed fitness center. Not this enlarged one.
Agenda item 19. If the City council actually approved this oversized fitness center then we both approve putting it on the ballot for a City wide vote.
Howard & Elena Schuss
13373 Highlands Ranch Rd
Poway, CA 92064
45 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Kevin Byrnes
council members
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 3:23:23 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
I am totally against the 30,000 sq ft athletic club at The Farms.
Kevin Byrnes
46 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
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JMP Schatz
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Monday, July 15, 2024 2: 52: 19 PM
I
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EXT R.: l. EMA IL
Dear City Council,
I am 100% OPPOSED to the Lifetime Fitness Club proposed at "The Farm". There will be too much traffic and noise. The proposal is NOT what voters were told and the enlarged size of the business building is absurd. This is a residential neighborhood - not commercial business district! Please vote NO on this proposal.
Regards,
Lynne' Schatzlein
Green Valley Highlands resident
47 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From: maryel[enambrose@comcast net
To: ~
Subject: 7/14/24 Council Meeting #18 and #19
Date: Friday, July 12, 2024 2: 11:45 PM
You don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important EXTERNA L [MA I
Mr. Mayor,
We moved to The Farm last October from Portland, Oregon. Not sure how many actual Farm residents you have heard from in this process but we have all been trying to figure out a variety of issues post -move such as schools/doctors/daycare etc. All of these tasks have left little time to stay on top of a very important issue affecting all of us here at The Farm - the proposal by Life Time Fitness to increase the proposed building size from the original plan of 6,000sf to 30,500sf. In addition to the building, their proposal includes an additional 62,000sf outdoor space that will function much the same as indoor space - specialized workout areas for cardio, cycling, kids camp, etc and includes a 175 seat public restaurant and a public spa.
Have you ever driven through our neighborhood? How long ago? I urge you to find time before Tuesday's Council meeting to drive the neighborhood and assess the impact of this proposal. See our two lane streets, our one sidewalk, our one lane for parked cars, our tot lot playground location. And maybe you will better understand our concerns.
Our position as residents directly affected by City Council's decision is that a facility of this size - regardless of how beautiful a plan and which business owns it-will generate a staggering increase in traffic through our neighborhood compared to the original plan.
And that doesn't even address the concerns about noise from pickleball, nighttime lighting, traffic safety/speeding, crime, overflow parking etc. The Farm was never designed to handle a commercial facility of this magnitude. We believe there are extremely important public safety implications that should be addressed by City Council before this proposal is allowed out for a public vote. There should be a high public safety bar for essentially moving a commercial operation of this size into a small residential area.
Here is some background which MAYBE your Planning Department took the time to prepare for you. Or maybe they just rubber-stamped what the Traffic Consultant put together without taking the time and due diligence to independently assess the components hidden inside the details submitted by LTF.
As you know, traffic can be impartially estimated per San Diego Assoc. of Governments (SAN DAG) guidelines for a health club based on square footage, and outdoor pools and courts based on acreage. The SAN DAG calculation attributes 30 car trips per day per 48 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
1,000 sf of facility (as does Life Time) but Life Time is not counting ANY traffic attributable to the significantly increased size of the outdoor workout facilities, spa or the public restaurant. Why? They are claiming a special ovelay which allows them to count usage differently. Why? City Council has not called them out on this. Why not? Council better explain this to residents as we feel side-deals have been struck which are NOT appropriate or warranted.
Building/ Area Description Size or Quantity SANDAG Daily SANDAG Lifetime's Trips Daily Trips Traffic Claim
Calculation
Originally Planned Building - For 6,000 sf 30 trips per 1,000 180 trips Reference sf
Proposed - Fully Interior Building 30,500 sf 30 trips per 1,000 915 trips 915 trips sf
Outdoor Space (classes, spa, Est. 30,000 sf 30 trips per 1,000 900 trips o trips bar/restaurant, etc) sf
Swimming Pools+ 6 Pickleball Remaining 0. 75 300 trips per acre 225 trips O trips Courts acres
TOTAL 2,040 trips 915 trips
The original master planned called for a 6,000sf recreational use building and the balance as "open space" which was permitted to include courts, pool, and snack bar.
Then Life Time was offered the opportunity to purchase the land and developed a new plan for this space. Their plan increased the interior facility size to 30,500sf and designed a 62,000sf outdoor space to accommodate 2 pools, 6 pickleball courts, outdoor bar/dining facility, and.unique outdoor workout spaces for cardio, cycling, spa, kids play and Kids Academy spaces. Life Time's proposal provides just under 100,000sf of total indoor and outdoor programming, as stated in their most recent documents.
As residents of The Farm and as people who use basic logic, we have found Life Time's public approach to be questionable at best, and potentially even deceptive, in the way that they have minimized the estimate of traffic this facility will generate. Life Time's approach has been to designate all "outdoor space" programming use as different from interior programming use - and, therefore, avoid having to count ANY increased traffic generated from those 62,000sf. Wait - No car trips to use just the pools? To attend an outdoor class workout? To play the "loudest sport in America", pickle ball? To eat outdoors at the bar/cafe open to the public? Of Course There Will Be! And so, by unilaterally and intentionally mis-categorizing all this outdoor programming into an "Accessory Use" category which is traditionally reserved for structures like 49 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
maintenance sheds, the traffic numbers can be instantly altered to a deceivingly low count. And this is OK with City Council?
From their documents and public meetings, we know that this private club estimates monthly dues of $600 for a family of 4 plus a one-time initiation fee. Life Time has set an initial membership goal of 2,000 but has no plans to cap membership at this level. It will operate from 5 am -1 0pm 7 days a week, with extended use available through temporary use permits. The 6 outdoor pickle ball courts- "America's noisiest sport" - will be in use every day from 7 am -1 0pm. Between member use and public use of the facilities, there will be overflow parking on the adjacent streets of Good eve, Dean Court and Abbey Roads. The spa, bar and cafe will be open to the public. And all of this located in the middle of the neighborhood, with our 2 lane streets. No natural intersections for stopping or ways to slow traffic and protect pedestrians.
Life Time said in their Zoom call to Farm residents a few months ago that they have 21 0 locations across the country. 7 are in California. Only 1 is in a residential setting-why do you suppose? Maybe because other City Councils stepped up and looked first at what were the public safety implications of their proposals? And then came to the decision to protect the interests of the city residents, not the developer.
The impact of this additional traffic, in our opinion, will create multiple public safety issues within the neighborhood. The increased traffic on Goodeve and Abbey Roads WILL cause more accidents, WILL increase speeding on our streets, WILL result in increased maintenance costs (that are unlikely to be offset by Lifetime's glaringly low $5,000 monthly HOA), and WILL increase homeowner's insurance premiums compared to a smaller, community-friendly club. The increased traffic WILL create a safety issue for kids and families walking, biking, on scooters on the ONE sidewalk we have our streets. And that means the kids walking/biking to Painted Rock and Chaparral Elementary schools (located in the center of this new traffic congestion area) will be more at an increased risk of being struck by a vehicle. The lack of natural intersections for slowing traffic with STOP signs, no crosswalks, no bike lanes and smaller residential roadways give no protection against speeding traffic coming from ALL possible directions and those drivers seeking side-street "shortcuts" to their club.
We believe the current infrastructure simply wasn't built to handle the traffic, noise level, lighting, parking and security issues which flow from this size of a project. This size and type of facility should be placed in a commercial, not residential, zone which is inherently designed to easily manage all these aspects, including providing public transportation access. Simply stated: It's a nice proposal- but it's placed in the wrong location.
No big commercial belongs in the middle of a residential neighborhood not planned for 50 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
that since the beginning . We residents should not bear the burden of the increased traffic/speeding, noise level, lighting and safety issues simply because a plan looks pretty or the "process" requires it be up for a citywide vote. No, first and foremost, it is up to City Council to determine if it meets what should be a high bar for public safety.
Then, and only then, should it be allowed to move through the public vote process .
We believe this proposal does not meet the bar the City of Poway should have for public safety of its residents and neighborhoods. We urge you to stop it now.
Respectfully,
Mary Ellen & Jim Ambrose
Residents of The Farm, Poway
51 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Pam Benler
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 11:44:45 AM
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EXTERNA · M
Council Members:
As voting residents of Bridlewood, my husband and I are already feeling the impact of increased traffic from The Farm. We urge you to NOT allow the larger fitness facility at this site which will only aggravate the traffic/noise/night lights situation.
Thank you for your consideration,
Pamela and Hasan Benler
52 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Pam K.
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 11:29:46 AM
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EXTCRNAL EMA IL
Attention Council Members,
We are adamantly opposed to the Life Fitness Center at the Farm expansion. It is a true bait and switch. We already voted for a much smaller fitness facility ... done! The amount of traffic this would create at the Espola/Martincoit intersection is unmanageable particularly during early morning hours and late in the day when both Chaparral and Painted Rock school students pass through the intersection. This is NOT a city center nor should it become one.
Creating this massive expansion is not in keeping with the original plan of a SMALL community facility. There are many other fitness centers available in the city center, many of which have come and gone. There is no need for another huge center. Opening this up to a full city vote is what the developer wants as none of the residents in South Poway would be affected but may vote for the project anticipating increased tax revenue for the City. Please take the residents of this area into consideration and vote NO on the Farm Fitness Center expansion.
Pam & Raj Kirpalani
13404 Cricket Hill
Poway, CA 92064
[email protected]
53 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Ron Lewis
Steve Vaus
Re: City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Thursday, July 11, 2024 7:31:10 AM
'XT ·IZ AL EM A IL
Mayor Vaus,
Thank you for reading my note and responding.
This topic is a "Hot Button" for me!
I am very disappointed that the developer is trying to pull the "bait and switch " on this project.
Regards
Ron
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 10, 2024, at 4:55 PM, Steve Vaus <[email protected]> wrote:
Thanks for weighing in. I agree.
From: Ron Lewis <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2024 3:42 PM
To: Councilmembers <[email protected]>
Subject: City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19
EXTERNAL EMAIL
Dear City Council members,
I Do Not Support the current plan proposed by Lifetime Fitness. The developer should build the plan as proposed to and voted on by the citizens of Poway.
If the City has any intention to adopt this plan, it is mandatory that this issue should be on the November ballot, and must be approved by the voters of Poway Regards
Ron
Sent from my iPhone
54 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Ray Wilson
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Wednesday, July 10, 2024 12:25:04 PM
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EXTERNAL EMAIL
Please oppose any expansion of the fitness facility at the Farm. An increase of !Ox the original plan is ludicrous. The Farm project would have never been approved by residents of Poway had the proposed fitness facility been 30,000sq. ft. The proposed change assaults common sense and smacks of an end run around what our community wants.
Thank you.
Ray Wilson
16070 Summer Sage Rd.
Poway.
55 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Steve Delva
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Friday, July 12, 2024 3:07:33 PM
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~, !'ERNA EMf\lL
My name is Steve Delva. My wife Kerry and I live in Green Valley. We have watched the evolution of the Farm ever since it ceased to be a golf course. Although we felt there could have been better plans for the property, nevertheless The Poway voters have spoken.
McNamera in his presentations continually stressed that what was being presented was what was going to be built. We took him at his word but expected that there would be some slight revisions required over the course of the project.
What is being proposed is not even remotely close to a minor revision and should be voted down.
I have a hard time understanding how this benefits anyone other than the owners. They should not be rewarded for the bait and switch. Make them build what was approved.
This is a hard NO.
Steve and Kerry Delva
56 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19
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Silke Miller
Councilmembers
City Council Meeting July 16, 2024 - Agenda Items 18 and 19 Sunday, July 14, 2024 5:57:50 AM
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EXTER.l A JMA IL,
Dear Council members
The farm has already noticeably increased traffic and noise and decreased quality of life and pedestrian security in Green Valley, approval of the Lifetime fitness club will aggravate this further. While housing is important for the community, a luxury fitness club is not. In previous public hearings, a representative from the City did not have any proposal how to mitigate the traffic and noise issues and instead was evasive and dismissive of citizens' concerns. I urge you to vote against approval of Lifetime fitness and also to prevent the City from using the ballot as loophole to cater to developer's interests.
Best regards,
Silke Miller
57 of 57 July 16, 2024, Items #18-19