Agenda Item: 16
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: May 10, 2022
SUBJECT: REVISION TO THE SAND CANYON PLAZA MIXED USE PROJECT (MASTER CASE 14-077) REGARDING TIMING FOR THE
COMMERCIAL COMPONENT CONSTRUCTION
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: Patrick Leclair
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Receive the staff report, presentation, and conduct the public hearing; and
2. Adopt a resolution approving Master Case 22-055, consisting of Minor Use Permit 22-008 and Development Review 22-014, to modify Condition of Approval PL4 for the Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project.
BACKGROUND
Previous Project Approval - The Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project
The Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project (Master Case 14-077) was approved by the City Council on September 12, 2017 (Resolutions 17-79 and 17-80).
In addition, the project was modified by the Planning Commission (Master Case 20-046) in August 2021 to:
1) increase the assisted living facility from 85,000 square feet (SF) to 147,000 SF; 2) reduce the commercial area from 60,000 SF to 44,994 SF; 3) replace one large water feature with two smaller water features; and 4) replace the parking structure with surface parking within Planning Area 1 of the project.
As modified, the approximately 87-acre project site is divided into five Planning Areas as follows:
Table 1-1
Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project Summary
Planning Area
(PA) Number
Project Use Commercial Square Footage Residential
Dwelling
Units
Acreage
PA-1 Commercial/Retail/Restaurant/
Assisted Living
44,994-SF commercial retail/restaurant
147,000-SF assisted living facility (140 beds)
N/A 9.6
PA-2 Multifamily Attached N/A 323 12.2
PA-3 Multifamily Attached N/A 138 10.3
PA-4 Single-Family Detached
Condominiums
N/A 71 7.3
PA-5 Single-Family Detached
Condominiums
N/A 48 6.3
Streets N/A N/A 6.3
Private Park/Recreation Center N/A N/A 2.0
Drainage Basin N/A N/A 1.0
Open Space/Landscaped Areas N/A N/A 31.4
Right of Way Dedication N/A N/A 1.1
TOTAL 44,994-SF commercial retail/restaurant;
147,000-SF assisted living facility
580 87.5
Existing Site Condition
The project site has been previously disturbed for the construction of a mobile home park and associated infrastructure, along with roadway improvements for Soledad Canyon Road and drainage infrastructure along Sand Canyon Road. Following the City Council approval for the closure of the mobile home park in 2002 and the approval of the Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project in 2017, all coaches and associated above-ground infrastructure have been removed from the project site. The site remains vacant in anticipation of the development of the approved project.
GENERAL PLAN, ZONING AND SURROUNDING USES
The approximately 87-acre project site is located at the northeast corner of Sand Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road. Approximately 84 acres of the project site are located in the Mixed Use Neighborhood zone and General Plan land use designation, and approximately 2.5 acres in the southeast corner of the site are located in the Urban Residential-3 (UR3) zoning and General Plan land use designation. Approximately 34 acres in the southwest corner of the site are located within the Planned Development overlay zone.
The project site is bordered by vacant land in unincorporated Los Angeles County to the north and State Route 14 to the south, across Soledad Canyon Road. Existing single-family residential uses in the Urban Residential-2, UR3, and Urban Residential-5 zones are located to the east and west, with commercial uses in the Community Commercial zone to the southwest portions of the project site at the intersection of Sand Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road. The project site is in close proximity to Oak Spring Canyon Park, as well as Mitchell Elementary, Pinetree Elementary, and Sulphur Springs Elementary schools and the College of the Canyons East Campus.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Proposed Modification
The applicant is proposing to modify Condition of Approval PL4 for the project. As originally approved by the City Council, PL4 requires the commercial and assisted living portions of the project be constructed prior to occupying more than 50 percent of the approved residential units in order to ensure a mixed-use project would be built on the project site. The original condition reads as follows:
PL4. The applicant shall construct the commercial portion of the mixed use project prior to occupancy of the 290th residential unit, unless otherwise approved by the Director of Community Development.
In order to construct the mixed use project originally envisioned for the project site, the applicant has requested that the commercial phasing originally approved under PL4 for the Sand Canyon Mixed Use Project be modified as follows:
PL4. Prior to the 324th occupancy, the applicant agrees to complete rough-grading of the entire site, consistent with the grading plans, and complete Phase 1 of the project as shown on Exhibit A. Completion of Phase 1 includes: 1) the shell construction (floors, walls, roof) of the commercial anchor building and its associated site improvements (parking, landscape, utilities, etc.); 2) common area landscape in Phase 1, including the frontage on Sand Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road; 3) the corner monument sign/water feature; and 4) the updated LMD sign.
With the approval of the proposed modification, the applicant would be able to build all of the apartments (323 units) within PA-2 of the project prior to the completing the commercial improvements noted in the new PL4 Condition of Approval. In order to proceed with the construction of the remaining attached townhome units (138 units) and detached single family condominium units (119 units), those aspects of the commercial component described in PL4 must be completed. No other changes to the project or Conditions of Approval are proposed at this time. The plan referenced as “Exhibit A” in the PL4 modification is attached for reference.
Proposed Entitlements
Given the City Council originally approved the Conditions of Approval for the Sand Canyon Plaza Mixed Use Project, the proposed revision to condition PL4 requires action by the City Council on the following entitlements:
Minor Use Permit
The project requires the approval of a Minor Use Permit (MUP) to modify the original approval for the project. In accordance with Section 17.09.020 of the Unified Development Code (UDC), minor modifications to a conditionally approved project are subject to the approval of an MUP.
Development Review
In accordance with Section 17.23.120 of the UDC, all commercial and residential developments are subject to the approval of a Development Review.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
An Environmental Impact Report was certified for this Project on September 12, 2017. The proposed revision to the Conditions of Approval for the Project are minor in nature and do not require any further analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other actions as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The project would not have a negative fiscal impact on the City’s General Fund. The applicant would be required to pay various development impact fees including, but not limited to, Bridge and Thoroughfare fees, Transit Impact fees, and Library Impact fees.
ATTACHMENTS
Public Hearing Notice
Resolution
Phase 1 Site Plan