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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-11 DRC2019-00502 Trails Staff Report (2) TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMENTS 6:00 p.m. DAT TRAN December 11, 2019 DESIGN REVIEW DRC2019-00502 — GCA LAND — A request to consider requirements to construct trail improvements previously approved under Tentative Tract Map SUBTT18961, related to site plan and architectural review of 6 single-family residence on SUBTT18961, located at the northeast corner of Sapphire Street and Brittany Lane in the Very Low (VL) District; APN: 1061-691-21, -22, -23, -24, -25, -26, -27. Site Characteristics and Background: The project site is a 4.75-acre site located at the northeast corner of Sapphire Street and Brittany Lane. The site is within the Very Low(VL) Residential District. The site is surrounded to the north, west and south by existing single-family residential homes which are also in the Very Low (VL) District. The project site's northern boundary is adjacent to an existing 15 foot wide equestrian trail easement at the rear of the single-family homes. The project site's east boundary is shared with Floyd M. Stork Elementary School. On January 28, 2015, the Planning Commission approved Tentative Tract Map SUBTT18961, for the subdivision of the project site into 7 single-family lots.The site was a rectangular lot measuring approximately 315 feet in width (from north to south), and 675 feet in length (from east to west), owned by Mr. Romy Octa. At the time of the review and approval of SUBTT18961, the site was improved with an existing single-family residence located at the northwest corner of the lot. After approval of SUBTT18961, a rectangular lot measuring approximately 172 feet in width and 290 feet in length was created. This new lot, now referred to as Lot 1, contains the above-noted single- family residence. Mr. Octa retained ownership of Lot 1. The remainder of the site, measuring approximately 3.19 acres, was subdivided into 6 single-family residential lots and sold to a developer for future development. Approval of SUBTT18961 included conditions of approval requiring the installation of local feeder trails prior to the recordation of the final map (Exhibit C). SUBTT18961 included a site plan showing a 15 foot wide private equestrian trail easement and 4 foot wide drainage easement along the north property line of Lot 1. The easement on Lot 1 connects to trail easements dedicated along the rear of the other 6 lots to create a unified local trail network. Lot 1 is also the only access point for the trail network onto Sapphire Street. Without Lot 1's trail easement, the other 6 lots' trail easements would not be accessible from the public right-of-way. One of the conditions of approval (Condition of Approval #10) on SUBTT18961 specified that the design of the trail shall conform to Engineering Services Department Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B (Exhibit D). Standard Drawings 1006-B and 1007-B requires a 20 foot wide easement at the entrance of local trail networks. The intent of the 20 foot wide easement is to provide adequate width for equestrian vehicles (e.g. hay delivery vehicles) to access the trail. Standard Drawings 1006-B and 1007-B also specified the exact design of local trail improvements, including metal swing gates, split rail fencing and step-through posts at the entrance. Per Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B, all lots on the project site are required to have the split rail fencing along the length of the trail easement. Lot 1 is required to have the 20 foot easement, metal swing gates and step-through posts at its entrance because it provides access to the other trail's easements. TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMENTS DESIGN REVIEW DRC2019-00502 —GCA LAND December 11, 2019 Page 2 All conditions of approval were required to be fulfilled prior to recordation of the Final Map. The Final Map was recorded on October 22, 2018 and included the 15 foot easement on all lots. However, due to staff error, Condition of Approval #10 was never implemented prior to final recordation. The Final Map did not include the 20 foot wide easement at the entrance of the trail. Trail improvements were also not constructed prior to the recordation of the Final Map.As a result, the trail is unimproved and does not conform to Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B. Analysis: Staff discovered the error during review of the rough grading plans for the project site. The applicant and current property owner, GCA Land, agreed to make the necessary trail improvements as originally specified in the conditions of approval. The improvements would include all trail and drainage improvements along the north side of Lot 1 (Exhibit E). The applicant approached the property owner, Mr. Octa, and offered to pay for all trail improvements. A private agreement was reached between the two parties on October 28, 2019. A signed and notarized letter was submitted to staff, specifying that Mr. Octa granted the applicant permission to install all required trail improvements (Exhibit F). As the original land owner, Mr. Octa would have been required to construct the improvements prior to subdividing the site. With the agreement, the requirement to pay for all trail and drainage improvements would become the responsibility of the applicant. After the project site was surveyed, Mr. Octa realized that the improvements in the 15 foot easement would conflict with existing fruit-bearing persimmon trees planted on the site. There are a total of 6 trees located in the easement. The trees are planted in a line, approximately along the interior easement line, where the split rail fencing would be installed. Mr. Octa requested that the applicant improve the trail without removing the trees and the parties reached an impasse. Staff met with Mr. Octa onsite on November 26, 2019, to discuss the issue. Mr. Octa agreed to permit the 20 foot easement, gate and trail access improvements at the front of the trail as required per Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B. He continued to request that trail improvements not impact the trees. Staff reviewed the conditions and offers the following two options: 1. The City can approve modifications to the trail improvements to preserve the trees. The entrance of the trail would be improved per the Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B, including the 20 foot easement and all improvements at the entrance of the trail. The split rail fencing would extend the entire length of the trail, with breaks in the fencing to accommodate the trees. The exterior easement line (along Lot 1's northerly property line) would have split rail fencing along the entire length. Grading of the trail, which includes installation of decomposed granite as trail surface, would occur throughout the entire length of the trail. In the portions of the trail adjacent to the trees, grading and trail surface installation would be reduced to avoid damage to the root and base of the trees. Due to slope conditions along the trail, some portions of the trail could be reduced to as much as 5 feet in width. These improvements in this option would be the responsibility of the applicant proposing the construction of the 6 new homes. Lastly, in order to preserve the trees, the 4 foot drainage easement along the 15 foot easement would need to be re- routed deeper to the interior of Lot 1 or removed from the plans altogether. The drainage easement is for the sole use of the property owner of Lot 1 and does not affect any other drainage easements on the other lots. The proposed modifications would be permanent until a future redevelopment of Lot 1. At a future date, a condition of approval could be TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMENTS DESIGN REVIEW DRC2019-00502 —GCA LAND December 11, 2019 Page 3 placed on the development approval requiring the property owner bring the site into conformance with the trail standards. 2. The decision could be made to leave the portion of the trail adjacent to the persimmon trees unimproved until such time that the property owner of Lot 1 proposes to further redevelop their property, at which time the final trail improvements could be conditioned and implemented. Lot 1's property owner would be the party responsible for this future improvement. In this option, only the trail entrance and the trail to the east of the persimmon trees would be immediately improved as it relates to the subject development application to construct the 6 new residences. A modification to the existing tract map would need to be submitted for either option. The tract map would be required to show a 20 foot wide easement at the entrance of the site and an alternative design to the drainage easement if it is rerouted. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends the Committee discuss the options outlined in the staff report and provide a recommendation to the Planning Commission. The Committee may also provide alternative recommendations than the two options outlined in this report.The Committee's recommendation will be presented to the Planning Commission as a condition of approval for Design Review DRC2019-00502 related to the site plan and architectural review of 6 single-family residences on the remaining lots. Staff Planner: Dat Tran, Assistant Planner EXHIBITS: Exhibit A Site Plan Showing All Existing Approved Easements Exhibit B Aerial Photo Exhibit C SUBTT18961 Staff Report, Resolutions and Conditions of Approval Exhibit D Engineering Services Department Standard Drawing 1006-B and 1007-B Exhibit E Rough Grading Plans Showing Proposed Trail and Drainage Improvements Exhibit F Signed Agreement with Mr. Romy Octa, Property Owner of Lot 1