24-309
LA PUERTA SCHOOL SITE SPECIFIC PLAN (#24-SP01), TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 83121 (#20-TTM01), CERTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT EIR (SCH #2022020137), AND APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF DISCRETIONARY FEE IN-LIEU OF PROVIDING ON-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 55 SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED HOMES ON A 9.58-ACRE SITE AT 2475 FORBES AVENUE (APN: 8670-003-900). APPLICANT: TRUMARK HOMES..Body SUMMARY The applicant, Trumark Homes is requesting City Council approval of a proposed development consisting of 55 single-family detached homes and associated access, circulation, infrastructure, and landscape improvements. This project will not encroach in or otherwise impact any part of the La Puerta Sports Park. Each of the 55 new homes will be two stories tall and include a two-car garage, driveway, and private yard. The project density is approximately 6 dwelling units per acre. Six of the homes will also include attached accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The 55 residential lots range in size from 4,260 square feet to 8,457 square feet (5,445 square foot average) and will support the four types of single-family homes: § Plan 1: 3 or 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two-stories, 2,470 sq-ft total § Plan 2: 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, two-stories, 3,012 sq-ft total § Plan 3: 4 or 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, two-stories, 3,293 sq-ft total § Plan 4: 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, two-stories, 3,013 sq-ft total The Project Site is a nearly square 9.58-acre vacant parcel that was formerly used as a public school by the Claremont Unified School District (CUSD). The parcel is located at 2475 Forbes Avenue and is further identified as Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 8670-003-900. Adjacent uses include Thompson Creek Trail to the north, Navarro and Lamar Drives to the south, Forbes Avenue to the east, and La Puerta Sports Park to the west. In 2018, all buildings, structures, and improvements on site were demolished except for the asphalt paving. The following is the list of the discretionary approvals the project applicant is requesting from the City to implement the proposed project. 1. Approval of a General Plan Amendment from Public to Residential 6 (residential homes between 2.1 and 6 units per acre), which is the land use designation of the surrounding neighborhoods. 2. Approval of a Zone Change from Public to Specific Plan, which is required to implement the development and design standards of the proposed Specific Plan. 3. Adoption of the La Puerta School Site Specific Plan, which includes the development and design standards (e.g., building height and setback, density, lot size, design guidelines) for development in the project site. 4. Approval of the Tentative Tract Map to subdivide the Project Area into 55 residential lots for individual ownership, the creation of five lettered lots to be set aside for common area landscaping and access improvements, and four lettered lots for internal streets. 5. Certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and adoption of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21165 and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15050, the City of Claremont is the lead agency responsible for the preparation of the EIR addressing potential impacts associated with the project. The complete DEIR, FEIR, and all associated attachments are available on the City website at: <https://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/living/development-projects/la-puerta-development> 6. Approval for the applicant to satisfy the requirements of the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (Chapter 16.036 of the Claremont Municipal Code (CMC)) by paying a discretionary fee in-lieu of constructing nine moderate income units within the project. 7. Approval of the design of the project including site plan, architecture, and landscaping by the Architectural and Preservation Commission. On April 6 and April 20, 2021, the Planning Commission conducted a preliminary review of the project and provided direction to the applicant. On February 28, 2024, the Architectural and Preservation Commission (APC) reviewed the proposed Specific Plan and associated site plan and provided direction to the applicant. The APC’s review was preliminary. Final review of the building designs and landscaping by the APC (item 7 above) will occur after the City Council decision and once more detailed plans are prepared. While the application was pending, the City drafted, circulated, and adopted a state-mandated update to the City of Claremont General Plan Housing Element for the Sixth Cycle Planning Period (2021-2029) (‘Housing Element Update’). The Housing Element Update amended the land use and zoning for the subject site and created Specific Plan Area No. 16 that applies to the 9.6-acre site, which was identified the site as Opportunity Site 39. As a result, Trumark Homes’ project no longer requires approval of a General Plan Amendment or Zone Change, which are items 1 and 2 above. The City Council is being asked to take the following actions at this time by approving the draft resolution (Attachment A): § Review the La Puerta School Site Specific Plan (Attachment B) for compliance with the current General Plan, zoning code, and map and approve or deny the document. § Review the proposed Tentative Tract Map (TTM No. 83121) (Attachment C) for consistency with Chapter 17 (Subdivisions) of the Claremont Municipal Code (CMC) and the Claremont General Plan and approve or deny the Tentative Tract Map. § Review the Draft and Final EIR for the 55-unit project (available on the City Website) and certify the EIR and approve the associated EIR Findings of Fact and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) (Attachment D). § Review the materials submitted by the applicant and either approve or deny the request to pay a fee in-lieu of reserving nine of the new homes for sale to low and moderate income individuals (Attachment E). The draft resolution provided as Attachment A to this report makes all of the findings required for the City Council to approve each action. RECOMMENDATION
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- September 23, 2024
- On agenda
- February 28, 2024