Agenda Item: 14
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: August 25, 2026
SUBJECT: BELCARO AT SAND CANYON PROJECT (MASTER CASE 24-093)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT CONTRACT
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: Andy Olson
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Authorize an amendment to the existing contract with SWCA Environmental Consultants for the preparation of the Belcaro at Sand Canyon Project Environmental Impact Report (Master Case 24-093), and increase expenditure authority by $54,286, including a contingency of $7,081, for a total contract amount not to exceed $423,850.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contract and associated documents, subject to City Attorney review.
BACKGROUND
On March 11, 2025, the City Council awarded the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) contract for the Belcaro at Sand Canyon Project (Project) to SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) for a total contract amount not to exceed $369,564, including a contingency amount of $48,204.
The Project (Master Case 24-093) is a request by New Urban West, Inc. (Applicant) to develop an approximately 194-acre site located on vacant land east of Sand Canyon Road and the existing terminus of Lost Canyon Road, within the Sand Canyon community.
The Project includes a community of 341 single-family, age-restricted (55+) homes; an approximately three-acre private recreation center; 2.5 miles of publicly accessible trails; and approximately 105 acres of open space, including undeveloped open space and Homeowner Association-maintained amenities and slopes. The Project includes a 20 percent density bonus for providing age-restricted housing under state Density Bonus Law.
The Project requires approval of a Vesting Tentative Map, Conditional Use Permit, Oak Tree Permit (Class IV), Hillside Development Review (Class IV), Architectural Design Review, Development Review, and EIR entitlements.
Based on the anticipated impacts associated with the Project, it was determined that the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act document required for the Project is an EIR.
Because the City of Santa Clarita (City) does not have the in-house expertise or resources available to complete an EIR, in January 2025, the City completed a competitive bid process to select an outside environmental consulting firm. SWCA Environmental Consultants was selected to complete this task and was awarded the contract by the City Council.
Draft EIR
SWCA Environmental Consultants has prepared the Draft EIR for the Project, which was circulated for public review on July 7, 2026. The public review period closes on August 21, 2026. At the August 18, 2026, Planning Commission hearing, the Planning Commission continued the public hearing to a date uncertain to provide time to prepare responses to comments on the Draft EIR and to prepare a resolution for a decision on the Project.
During preparation of the Draft EIR, additional consultant services were necessary to complete the environmental analysis. The original contract scope of work assumed a single round of peer review for the Project’s biological technical report, traffic study, fire protection plan, and evacuation analysis. However, an additional round of peer review was necessary for these technical studies, along with additional consultant support to City staff in the areas of wildfire, biological monitoring and conservation, and traffic. To facilitate the timely release of the Draft EIR, City staff authorized the use of the previously approved contract contingency on April 3, 2026, to complete this additional work.
Contract Amendment
With the Draft EIR now released for public review, completion of the EIR process will require SWCA to respond to comments received during the public review period and prepare the Final EIR. Based on the level of review required for the Draft EIR, SWCA anticipates that a comparable level of review and coordination, beyond the assumptions included in the original contract, will be necessary to complete the Final EIR. This work cannot be completed within the remaining funds previously authorized by the City Council.
An amendment to the contract in the amount of $47,205 is required to complete the remaining work associated with the EIR, including drafting responses to all comments received during the public review period. Given the potential for the number and complexity of comments received during the Draft EIR public review period to exceed the original contract assumptions, a 15 percent contingency in the amount of $7,081 is also recommended. The proposed amendment, including the contingency, totals $54,286, increasing the existing contract amount from $369,564 to a total contract amount not to exceed $423,850.
The Final EIR, including responses to all comments received on the Draft EIR, will be considered by the Planning Commission at a future hearing.
The Applicant is responsible for all costs associated with the preparation of the EIR, including the additional costs associated with this proposed amendment. The Applicant will deposit the additional funds into a trust account maintained by the City. Any unspent funds will be returned to the Applicant.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
All costs associated with the preparation of the EIR will be the responsibility of the Applicant for the Project. There will be no fiscal impact to the General Fund associated with this item.
ATTACHMENTS
Amendment Proposal
Original SWCA Proposal (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)