TO: ADAM PIRRIE, CITY MANAGER
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 11, 2024
Reviewed by:
City Manager: AP
SUBJECT:
Title
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PLACEWORKS TO PREPARE REVISIONS AND POTENTIAL RECIRCULATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE LA PUERTA SCHOOL SITE SPECIFIC PLAN (FUNDING SOURCE: DEVELOPER DEPOSITS)
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SUMMARY
The City has received a request to modify the La Puerta School Specific Plan, increasing the proposed residential units from fifty-six to ninety-one. This change necessitates revisions and potential recirculation of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). PlaceWorks, previously contracted for the original EIR, has provided a proposal for the additional services required.
The La Puerta Specific Plan was initially designed to accommodate fifty-six single-family homes. The proposed increase to ninety-one residential units represents a substantial change in the project scope, requiring updates to the environmental analysis to assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposed development. Where significant impacts are anticipated, an EIR will propose mitigation measures to either eliminate or reduce the impacts. Preparing an EIR does not indicate that the City supports or opposes a project; it simply investigates and analyzes the impacts that could result if the project were built as proposed.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement with PlaceWorks to prepare revisions and potential recirculation of the Environmental Impact Report for the proposed La Puerta project in the amount of $112,007, and authorize a ten percent contingency of $11,200, for a total contract amount of $123,207.
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the staff recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Request additional information from staff.
B. Do not approve the proposed agreement with PlaceWorks and provide alternative direction to staff on proceeding with the environmental analysis of the La Puerta project.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The cost of the proposed agreement with PlaceWorks is $123,207, which includes a base amount of $112,007 and a ten percent contingency of $11,200 to address unforeseen circumstances that may arise during the course of preparing the EIR. The applicant (Trumark Homes) will be responsible for the full contract amount and staff costs required to administer this contract.
A deposit will be collected from the applicant prior to the commencement of the work outlined in the contract. The deposit will be sufficient to cover the cost of the agreement.
The staff cost to prepare this report and administer this project is estimated at $500 and is included in the operating budget of the Community Development Department.
ANALYSIS
Background
The La Puerta School Site Specific Plan proposes the development of a new residential community on the former La Puerta Intermediate School site, located at 2475 Forbes Avenue in Claremont. The school, which closed in 1979, was intermittently used for adult classes until the Claremont Unified School District (CUSD) declared it surplus and put it up for sale in 2013. After a series of proposals and auctions, Trumark Homes entered into an agreement to purchase the property in 2019.
The initial proposal by Trumark Homes included 56 single-family homes. Nine of the homes were proposed to have an integral accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on the second floor. With the ADUs, 65 total dwelling units were proposed. The project site, encompassing approximately 9.77 acres, does not include any part of the La Puerta Sports Park.
In April 2023, Trumark Homes submitted a preliminary Builder’s Remedy application for an 87-unit housing development at the site. Builder’s Remedy is a state housing law that requires a streamlined review of housing development projects that will provide a certain percentage of affordable units (Cal. Gov. Code § 65589.5(d)). The Builder’s Remedy plan from April 2023 contained 72 market-rate units and 15 low-income units to fulfill the State’s requirement of 20 percent affordable units (87 total units). In October 2023, Trumark Homes updated their Builder’s Remedy application, increasing the units further to 91 total units. Like the initial proposal, the Builder’s Remedy application does not include any part of the La Puerta Sports Park.
Although Trumark Homes submitted a Builder’s Remedy application in April 2023, Trumark Homes told staff its preferred project was the initial proposal for 56- single-family homes. As a result, and at Trumark Homes’ request, staff and PlaceWorks continued to process and study the potential environmental impacts of the 56-unit project. In April 2024, Trumark Homes notified the City that it changed its preferred project to its Builder’s Remedy application for the site. The proposed agreement will allow PlaceWorks to prepare a revised Draft Environmental Impact Report that studies the 91 single-family home Builder’s Remedy project, which may require recirculation of the revised Draft Environmental Impact Report.
Project Schedule
PlaceWorks estimates that the process of revising and recirculating the La Puerta Specific Plan EIR will take approximately six months, concluding in late-2024. Public hearings to the Claremont Planning Commission and City Council will follow subsequently.
FAQs Link
Staff has prepared a dedicated webpage on the proposed development on the City’s websites. The link to that page is:
https://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/living/development-projects/la-puerta-development.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following: Council Priorities, Sustainability Plan, General Plan, and the 2022-2024 Budget
CEQA REVIEW
Approval of this agreement is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Alex Cousins
Community Development Director Management Analyst
Attachment:
PlaceWorks Proposal - May 20, 2024