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side of 1-680 near Stoneridge Mall). Petitioners also wanted the Economic Impact <br /> Analysis that determined that the new hotels, general retail, club retail (a Costco) and <br /> offices will not negatively impact other similar uses that exist in the community to be <br /> recirculated. <br /> As Petitioners did not seek an injunction, the City still accepted and processed <br /> applications for projects consistent with the JDEDZ approvals. <br /> Accordingly, on December 17, 2017, Costco submitted a Design Review application for <br /> construction of an approximately 148,613 square-foot club retail store with a detached <br /> fueling station and related site improvements. This application is currently incomplete <br /> pending a resubmittal from Costco addressing staff's comments from June 2018. <br /> Additionally, on May 4, 2018, the City received a Design Review application for two new <br /> hotels (Springhill Suites and Towne Place Suites) totaling 231 rooms, a drive-through <br /> coffee shop and related site improvements. At its hearing on June 27, 2018, the <br /> Planning Commission approved this application. That approval was contingent on the <br /> resolution of the Petitioners lawsuit and any subsequent actions. <br /> In addition to submitting its application to the City for a club retail store in the JDEDZ, <br /> Costco also joined with the City as a defendant in the lawsuit. Given the inherent delay <br /> associated with litigation, as well as the policy of CEQA to be broadly construed to <br /> maximize information available, the City and Costco have stipulated with Petitioners to <br /> rescind the JDEDZ approvals so that the requested supplemental environmental review <br /> can occur regarding the Stoneridge Apartment Community. Once this supplemental <br /> environmental review is complete, the new air quality analysis and the original <br /> Economic Impact Analysis will both be circulated for public comment. Then, the <br /> Planning Commission and City Council may consider reapproving the JDEDZ project. <br /> Meanwhile, the Costco Design Review application and the Planning Commission <br /> Design Review approval for the hotels will remain on hold and no further applications <br /> will be considered nor permits issued within the JDEDZ project area. If the JDEDZ <br /> project is reapproved, these and any other projects within the JDEDZ project area may <br /> then proceed. <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> Environmental review associated with projects in California is often challenged'. In <br /> 2009, the City faced a similar lawsuit challenging the environmental review in <br /> conjunction with the Staples Ranch development. In that case, the City reconsidered <br /> and reapproved the project after completing the necessary supplemental environmental <br /> review. <br /> There has been an average of 195 CEQA lawsuits per year since 2002 according to Ethan Eklund, Director of the Climate Change <br /> and Business Program, Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />