SPECIAL MEETING
AGENDA
City Council
March 27, 2024
Yucaipa Performing Arts Center
12062 California St., Yucaipa, California
Public Comment will be called at the time and place noted on the agenda below for the general public to address the City Council. Please complete a speaker’s form and return it to the Administrative Assistant prior to the beginning of the meeting. Public Comment will be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Procedure adopted pursuant to Resolution No. 2023-07. There is a three-minute time limit for speaking and time may not be ceded to another speaker.
Public Comment Via Mail or Email
Items must be received no later than three (3) business hours prior to the meeting at which the commenter seeks to provide comment. Public comment may be submitted via U.S. Mail to the City Clerk at 34272 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa, CA 92399 or via email to [email protected]. All mail and email correspondence will be archived, distributed to City Council, and retained as part of the public record; however, submissions will not be read out loud during the meeting. The subject line should specify “Public Comment” and include the date of the meeting.
Written public comment submitted will be made available to the public pursuant to the City of Yucaipa policy regarding the distribution of written public comments at City Council and Commission meetings, which may be accessed on the City’s website at https://yucaipa.gov/agendas-minutes/ . Individuals should be aware that comments provided, including personal information, may be disclosable pursuant to the California Public Records Act.
OPEN SESSION – 5:00 PM
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
Justin Beaver, Mayor
Chris Venable, Mayor Pro Tem
Bobby Duncan, Councilmember
Matt Garner, Councilmember
Jon Thorp, Councilmember
Chris Mann, City Manager
Steven Graham, City Attorney
Ana V. Sauseda, City Clerk
PUBLIC HEARING
The order of Business for the Public Hearing Shall Be:
A.Open Public Hearing
B.Staff Presentation
C.City Council Questions
D.Public Comments
E.Additional Council Questions
F.Public Hearing Closed
G.Council Discussion
H.Council Motion and Vote
SPEAKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE BRIEF AND SHALL REMAIN WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TIMEFRAME OF THREE (3) MINUTES. ONCE THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CLOSED, NO FURTHER TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN.
1.SUBJECT: Yucaipa Valley Wine Country Specific Plan (Case No. 24-015/GPA/SP):
The WCSP is a proposed phased development that would subdivide the land into lots (i.e., homes/estates) and nonresidential areas for vineyards, wineries, trails, and open space. The project site consists of approximately 1,094 acres of primarily undeveloped land. Under the proposed WCSP, land uses would be split approximately 50/50, with residential uses on 547.4 acres and nonresidential uses on 546.2 acres. The proposed nonresidential land use designations include Agriculture, Riparian Area, and Water District (Utility) at approximately 465.5, 73.6, and 7.1 acres, respectively. The Water District designation would apply to land owned by the Yucaipa Valley Water District and used for existing utility infrastructure. The residential use acreage would be divided into two groups; the “Villas” which would consist of 629 lots with a maximum buildout density of 4.3 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) where the minimum (net) lot size is 10,000 square feet, and the “Estates” which consist of 462 half-acre lots with a maximum buildout density of 2 du/ac.
The Riparian Area would create a buffer between the proposed residential uses surrounding Wilson Creek and the creek habitat. The Agricultural areas would allow for the establishment of vineyards and wineries, with three different types of wineries allowed:
Micro, Artisan, and Boutique.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council conduct a public hearing, and pursuant to Sections 82.0101 and 83.020305 of the Yucaipa Development Code, consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the Yucaipa Valley Wine Country Specific Plan (WCSP) and certify the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR).
Depending on the City Council's review of the WCSP and the Planning Commission’s recommendation, several potential motions can be made and are as follows:
Recommendation in support of the WCSP:
If the City Council is in support of the WCSP and the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the following motion provided:
1.Adopt Resolution No. 2024-06, approving the Wine Country Specific Plan; certifying that the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) has been completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); accepting the mitigation measures identified in the Final SEIR; adopting Findings of Fact; and adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations; and
2.Approve first reading, by title only, as read by staff, of Ordinance No. 441, adopting the Wine Country Specific Plan and modifying the General Plan Land Use Map Figure CDL-3, Land Use Modification Overlay District to add the Wine Country Specific Plan within the 1,094 acre project area; and
3. Adopt the Findings as contained in the Agenda Report; and
4.Approve the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; and direct Staff to file a Notice of Determination.
Recommendation against the WCSP:
If the City Council is not in support of the WCSP, and does not agree with the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the following motion is provided:
1.Direct Staff to prepare a Resolution to deny the approval of the Wine Country Specific Plan; and
2.Direct Staff to prepare Findings for denial, based on the Planning Commission’s consideration of the Project with respect to Section 83.020310 of the Yucaipa Development Code; and
3.Determine that the Project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15270 of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply to projects which a public agency rejects or disapproves.
Alternatives:
The City Council can make any additional recommendations to modify the WCSP that are deemed necessary to meet the Findings specified by Section 83.020310 of the Yucaipa Development Code, or that would better meet the Goals, Policies, and/or Objectives of the General Plan. In addition, the City Council can consider the additional changes proposed by the Planning Commission and can either remove those changes or make further modifications as necessary.
ADJOURNMENT
Notice Regarding Americans with Disability Act
The City of Yucaipa complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call the City Clerk’s Department at (909) 797-2489, during normal business hours, at least 48-hours prior to the meeting.
Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the city to make reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
CEQA STATEMENT:
Unless stated otherwise on the agenda, every item on the agenda is exempt from CEQA guidelines sections 15060(c), 15061(b)(3), 15273, 15378, 15301, 15323 and/or Public Resource Code Section 21065.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.5, any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the City of Yucaipa to all or a majority of the City Council, less than 72 hours prior to that meeting, are available for public inspection at Yucaipa City Hall, 34272 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, CA 92399, during normal business hours.
NOTICE REGARDING CHALLENGES TO DECISIONS
Pursuant to all applicable laws and regulations, if you would like to challenge the decision of the City Council on an item appearing on this Agenda, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing(s) described in this Agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City at, or prior to, the public hearing.
AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
State of California }
County of San Bernardino } ss.
City of Yucaipa }
I, Ana V. Sauseda, City Clerk of the City of Yucaipa, California, do hereby declare that the foregoing agenda was posted on 03/26/2024, at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting per Government Code 54956, at the following locations:
Yucaipa City Hall, 34272 Yucaipa Boulevard, Yucaipa, California City of Yucaipa website www.yucaipa.org
Ana V. Sauseda, MMC
City Clerk
03/26/2024
Remove by: 03/28/2024