Agenda Item: 1
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: January 24, 2023
SUBJECT: MODIFICATION TO THE TESORO DEL VALLE PRE-
ANNEXATION AGREEMENT REGARDING TIMING FOR THE
COMPLETION OF THE COPPER HILL BRIDGE WIDENING
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: Patrick Leclair
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Conduct the public hearing;
2. Find the modification to the Pre-Annexation Agreement between BLC Tesoro, LLC and the City of Santa Clarita exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 5 Section 15061(b)(3) of CEQA; and
3. Approve a modification to the Pre-Annexation Agreement between BLC Tesoro, LLC, and the City of Santa Clarita affecting the timing for the completion of the construction of the Copper Hill Bridge widening as it relates to the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy for the development.
BACKGROUND
On May 24, 2022, the City Council approved a Pre-Annexation Agreement (PAA) between BLC Tesoro, LLC (the “Developer”), and the City of Santa Clarita (the “City”). The PAA accepted the development of the Tesoro Highlands project as approved by Los Angeles County upon annexation to the City in exchange for support of the City’s annexation efforts. In addition, there were a number of agreements between the Developer and the City regarding the transfer of open space to the City, the Copper Hill Bridge widening construction, the construction of trails, as well as authorization to allow for the creation and administration of a Mello-Roos Community Facilities District through the California Municipal Finance Authority.
The Tesoro del Valle Annexation was completed on November 14, 2022.
COPPER HILL BRIDGE WIDENING
Item H of the PAA details the agreement between the Developer and the City regarding the commencement and completion of the Copper Hill Bridge widening project. Specifically, Item H.2. of the PAA was written as follows to ensure the commencement and completion of the bridge:
2. Applicant agrees to commence the Copper Hill Bridge construction prior to the City’s issuing the first building Certificate of Occupancy and shall complete the bridge construction nine months after construction commencement.
In order to provide more certainty to prospective home builders regarding the number of units that could be completed prior to the completion of the Copper Hill Bridge widening, as well as to address uncertainties of the economy and the global supply chain, the Developer is requesting Item H.2. be modified as follows:
2. The City will not issue Certificates of Occupancy (COO) for the Tesoro Highlands project until the construction of the bridge widening commences, as determined by the Director of Public Works. Once the construction of the bridge widening has commenced, the City will begin issuing COO’s for the project up to a maximum of 342 COO’s of the approved 820 units. It is expected that the bridge widening project will take approximately 12 months to complete. The City will not issue any of the remaining COO’s (units 343 through 820) until the bridge widening has been completed to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works.
Staff is supportive of the request as it supports the City’s efforts to have the Copper Hill Bridge widening completed to further enhance traffic circulation in the City.
CEQA
The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 5 Section 15061(b)(3), the common sense exemption. The activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
X
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts anticipated with the approval of this modification to the Pre- Annexation Agreement.
ATTACHMENTS
Public Notice
Original Signed Tesoro del Valle Pre-Annexation Agreement Revised Tesoro del Valle Pre-Annexation Agreement