HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Res 97-24 - 1997-09-03
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RESOLUTION NO. 97-24
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEAL
BEACH RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY
COUNCIL APPROVAL OF OPEN
SPACEIRECREATION/CONSERV ATION
ELEMENT AMENDMENT 97-1
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:
Section 1. In October, 1996, Hellman Properties LLC ("Applicant"),
completed and submitted a revised Specific Plan for the Hellman Ranch property and
adjoining properties, appropriate General Plan Amendments, and Vesting Tentative Tract
Map No. 15381 and 15402 (collectively "application") with the City of Seal Beach. The
Applicant seeks amendments to the General Plan to allow the implementation of the
Hellman Ranch Specific Plan, dated October 1996, on the land described in "Exhibit A"
to Resolution No. 97-22, incorporated by reference.
Section 2. Pursuant to 14 Calif. Code of Regs. ~ 15025(a) and ~~ II.C
and ill of the City's Loca1 CEQA Guidelines, staff prepared an Initial Study and a Draft
Environmental Impact Report, which was circulated for public review and comment from
April 8, 1997 to May 27, 1997, in compliance with the provisions of the California
Environmental Quality Act and the City's Loca1 CEQA Guidelines. A Revised DEIR was
circulated for public review and comments from June 9, 1997 to July 23, 1997. Upon
completion of the public review period, a Final Environmental Impact Report was
reviewed by the Planning Commission at a public hearing held on September 3, 1997.
Section 3. A duly noticed public hearing was held before the Planning
Commission on September 3, 1997 to consider the applications. At the public hearing,
Applicant's consultants and representatives, including Applicant's legal counsel, and
several other persons spoke in favor of and in opposition to the request.
Section 4.
The record of the hearings indicates the following:
(a) Applicant seeks to establish the following uses as part of the
Hellman Ranch Specific Plan:
IJ 70 detached single-family residences on 14.7 acres;
IJ a 107.5 acre, 18-hole public golf course:
IJ 23.1 acres of restored saltwater wetlands
IJ 9.7 acres offreshwater wetlands
IJ 20,000 square feet of visitor-serving commercial uses, including an interpretative
center and public facility (Krenwinkel House), on 1.8 acres;
IJ Dedication of Gum Grove Nature Park to the City of Seal Beach, 10.2 acres;
IJ Mineral Production/Future Development on 28.2 acres;
IJ Maintain the Los Alarnitos Retarding Basin, 34.7 acres
(b) The subject specific plan area is comprised of five (5) parcels,
comprising a total of approximately 231.3 acres. Presented below is a summary of
current General Plan and Specific Plan land use designations for the proposed Hellman
Ranch Specific Plan area:
c:lMy DocumenlalRESO\Opcn SJHlCC Amcndmen197-1 PCR.doc\LW\09-1~7
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Open SpacelRecreaJronlConservalion Ekment Amendment 97-1
PIa"",ng CommISSion Reso/ullOn 97-24
September 3, 1997
HELLMAN RANCH PROPERTY
CURRENT GENERAL AND SPECIFC PLAN LAND
USE DESIGNATIONS
Current General Plan Land Uses
Current Soecific Plan Land Uses
Low Density Residential - 75 acres,
329 single family homes
Low Density Residential - 18 acres,
113 single family homes
Multiple Family Residential - 24 acres,
660 multiple family units
Industrial (Oil Extraction)- 36.4 acres
Public Land Uses
Community Park - 26 acres
Flood Control Basin - 38 acres
Wetlands - 41.4 acres
Oil Production - 25 acres
Public Land Uses
Community Park - 17.7 acres
Flood Control Basin - 35.3 acres
Golf Course - 105 acres
(c) The surrounding land uses and zoning are as follows:
NORTH: In the City of Long Beach, the Island Village
subdivision, zoned Planned Development, Westminster Boulevard and the Leisure World
gated community in the City of Seal Beach, zoned Residential High Density-Planned
Development (RHD-PD).
NORTHWEST: Los Angeles/Orange County line.
NORTHEAST: City Police Station, Public Works Yard and other
City facilities in the Public Land Use zone (FLU); Boeing Aviation and Space Division in
the Light Manufacturing (M-l) zone.
SOUTH: Single family dwellings located in the Residential Low
Density (RID) zone.
WEST: Pacific Coast Highway, the Haynes Cooling Channel and
the San Gabriel River.
EAST: Seal Beach Boulevard and the Seal Beach Naval Weapons
Station, in the Public Land Use (FLU) zone.
Section 5. Based upon substantial evidence in the record of the
Planning Commission hearings regarding the application, including the facts stated in fi 4
of this resolution, and in the environmental documentation prepared in conjunction with
this project, and pursuant to fifi 28-2600 and 28-2602 of the City's ~, the Planning
Commission hereby finds that General Plan Open Space/Recreation/Conservation Element
Amendment 91-1 will be beneficial to the short term and long tenn land use goals of the
City of Seal Beach. The Planning Commission further finds that approval of the subject
applications will promote the public health, safety and welfare. Therefore, the Planning
Commission finds that the requested amendments to the General Plan Open
SpacelRecreation/Conservation Element of the City of Seal Beach will be in the public
interest, and makes the following findings of fact:
(a) The proposed General Plan Amendments, Specific Plan
Amendments, and Redevelopment Plan Amendments will provide a less intensive use
than is presently allowed under current General Plan and Specific Plan regulations.
(b) This proposal will result in completion of a city process that was
initiated in 1990, based upon denial of a previous development proposal by the City.
That denial set forth specific findings enumerating the reasons for denial. Evidence
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presented during the public hearing indicates that the project applicant has reevaluated
the proper balance of development and public benefit for the Hellman Ranch property,
and the proposed Hellman Ranch Specific Plan addresses those concerns of the City in
a manner which provides for appropriate development on the subject properties.
(c) The City has identified a number of objectives which are considered
to be essential in achieving sustainable development on the Hellman Ranch property.
Those goals are: wetland restoration; preservation of Gum Grove Nature Park and
dedication to the City; preservation of cultural resources, to the extent feasible;
preservation of open space, to the extent feasible; minimal traffic and air quality impacts;
and, development of commercial and recreation facilities
(d) The proposed project will allow for the attainment of the above
stated objectives of the City.
(e) The proposed project will allow for a reasonable number of
additional residences on the subject property, recognizing the various site constraints
discussed in the EIR and the Hellman Ranch Specific Plan, with the provision of open
space and recreation uses to address the identified objectives of the City.
(f) The proposed Hellman Ranch Specific Plan, and the necessary
General Plan Amendments will not be detrimental to the short term or long term goals or
objectives of the City of Seal Beach and are in the interest of the public health, safety and
welfare.
Section 6. Based on the foregoing, the Planning Commission hereby
recommends that the City Council approve Open Space/Recreation/Conservation Element
Amendment 97-1 as set forth below:
1. Page 3 of the Open Space, Recreation/Conservation Element is revised to
read as follows:
"COMMUNITY PARKS
Community parks are larger than neighborhood parks and are designed to serve the needs of a
broader age group. These parks often attract people from outside the area in which they are
located. Typically, these facilities contain tennis, volleyball, handball and basketball courts, picnic
areas and sports fields for seasonal sports such as baseball and football. Community parks
generally range in size from approximately 5 to 30 acres.
Existinl! Community Park:
Edison Park - College Park West
10.2 acre Gum Grove Nature Park on land within the Hellman Ranch Specific Plan
area.
Prooosed Community Park:
26 aere park 6ft lllfill v.illlift jllftflRlAg 8feIl 2 None planned at this time, however,
additional community park dedications may be warranted in the Hellman Ranch
Specific Plan area at the time land uses are finally determined for Development
Planning Area 9. .
2. Page 6 of the Open Space, Recreation/Conservation Element is revised to
read as follows:
"PUBUClPRlV ATE RECREATIONAL FACILmES
Open Sp... AmomImelll 97-I.PCR.doo
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Open SpacelRecrea/lOnlConservaJwn Elenuml Amendmenl 97-1
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Seplember 3, 1997
Public/Private recreational facilities Itfe lie! may or may not
be open to the general public, but do provide open space
and a service to the community which might otherwise not
be provided. These facilities may be located within a
residential development and owned and maintained by the
residents of the community or they could consist of
individually owned and operated commercial enterprises.
Existing public/private recreational facilities:
Leisure World Golf Course - Leisure World
Leisure World Club House - Leisure World
Old Ranch County Club - Adjacent to College Park East
Old Ranch Tennis Club - Adjacent to College Park East
Hellman Ranch Reserve Golf Course & Clubhouse - Hellman Ranch
3. Page 7 of the Open Space, Recreation/Conservation Element is revised to
read as follows:
"EXISTING ACREAGE PROPOSED ACREAGE
Rel!ional Parks
Beaches 52.1 I Los Alamitos Retarding ~
Basin, Phase I 34.7
Sunset Aquatic Park 28.0 I Sunset Aquatic Park 67.0
Community Parks
Edison 26.0 1.2 Hellman ~ 3
Armed Forces 13.0 2 Hellman ~ 4
Neighborhood Parks
Almond 1.8 MartH&. Ceffiffitlfti~ M s
Marina Community +:4 I L.A. Water & Power 7.0 6
2.4
Eisenhower 1.4
Schooner 0.8
Bluebell 1.3
Heather 1.6
Aster 0.6
Greenbelt
Pacific Electric Right-of- 8.2 1 San Gabriel River 2.3
Way
Special Use Facilities
Gum Grove Nature Park 10.2
N. Seal Beach Center 0.5 I
McGaugh School 6.8 1.7
Zoeter School 2.4 1.7
TOTALS: 145.9 ~
157.1 111.0
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PIaM,ng Comm...ron ResolutIOn 97-24
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GRAND TOTAL (Existing & Proposed):
~
268.1"
4. Page 7 of the Open Space, Recreation/Conservation Element is revised to
read as follows:
"A portion of Marina Hill contains a dense grove of
eucalyptus trees which is known as Gum Grove Nature
Park. There are over 800 trees within this faeili~ area.
This area sft6lihllle preserved will be dedicated to the City
as part of the implementation of the Hellman Ranch
Specific Plan for the enjoyment of the residents of the
community. "
S. Page 23 of the Open Space, Recreation/Conservation Element is
renumbered to Page 24, and a new Page 23 is added to read as follows:
"Wetland Areas
An area of approximately 4h4 23.1 acres of tidal influenced
wetlands will be restored in the southwest comer of the
Hellman property. The size of the wetlands is based on a
wetlands assessment and restoration recommendation by the
Department of Fish and Game in 1980 (upElllled re-veritied
by private consultants in 1989 and 1996) and amended by
the California Coastal Commission in January of 1990 for a
previous project. The Coastal Commission will be
considering the Hellman Ranch Specific Plan at a future
date. The pffJjeet wetland restoration should create a habitat
for a wide variety of fauna, wHIt while supporting the flora
representative of a salt water wetlands. In addition, the
Hellman Ranch Specific Plan provides 9.7 acres of
freshwater wetlands as an integral part of the Hellman
Ranch Reserve Golf Course. A fuller description of the
wetlands and some of its functions is described in the
&ffleRlIed Hellman Ranch Specific Plan. "
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Planning Commission of the City
of Seal Beach at a meeting thereof held on the 3"' day of Se,ptember , 1997
by the following vote:
AYES: Commissioners
Brown, Hood, Larson, Law, and Yost
NOES: Commissioners
ABSENT: Commissioners
~...~
Planning Commission
Open Space AmondmooI97-I.PCR.doc
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