Written Public Comment
From:
To: Public Comment
Subject: Serrano Estates is Inconsistent with the Yucaipa General Plan Date: Sunday, June 25, 2023 11:13:28 PM
The following letter to the editor was published in the Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror on June 16, 2023.
General Plan Deviations
Isn't it odd that the Serrano Estates planned development (PD) secured quarter -acre size lots when the City of Yucaipa General Plan (GP) specifies a minimum lot size of one acre (gross)? The California Government Code § 66473.5 states "A proposed subdivision shall be consistent with a general plan." Not only did Serrano fail to be `consistent,' they missed it by a long shot.
One of the GP's housing programs, Planned Development, promotes creative site design, etc. but does not require "strict application of the current land use district regulations." No where does this guideline (which Serrano must follow) say that development standards, including minimum lot size, can be altered as much as desired. It only allows the exclusion of precise, meticulous employment of existing standards. With this guideline being the only reference to modifying development standards, the GP is not precise in how far a PD can veer from a minimum -lot -size standard.
That being said, Serrano has veered from its RL-1 standard with a whopping 72.5% reduction in lot size. For perspective, the RL-1 standard is one acre (43,560 SF) and Serrano's PD `standard' is a mere 12,000 SF. Although the Planned Development program does not require "strict application" of standards, I believe Serrano's 12,000 SF `estate' lots are far smaller than the program intended.
As it stands, these tiny lots are not even close to resembling Serrano's RL-1 land use designation. The radical reduction of minimum lot size does not "further community -wide goals" as required by the GP's Planned Development program.
Serrano has maximized project density while severely reducing minimum lot size. The GP says "Adherence to an individual goal or policy is not intended to preclude achievement of other goals and policies." Serrano's extreme reduction of minimum lot size does not heed this requirement.
One of the GP's policies requires all new residential development in the North Bench to be consistent with adopted development standards. Even after allowing for PD modifications, Serrano has completely ignored this policy. What's even more concerning is that this policy (HN-2.4 on page 3-10 of the GP) is not mentioned in the City's staff report on Serrano, even though other GP policies are included.
Just this information alone demonstrates Serrano Estates' great inconsistency with the Planned Development program inside the General Plan. As far as I'm concerned, this is a violation of Gov. Code § 66473.5.
I wish I knew why our City Council is bailing out a developer who made bad decisions instead of preserving a rural way of life for Yucaipa residents on the North Bench.
Philip Schneider
Yucaipa