12 Agenda Report - Laserfiche WebLink

PUBLIC COMMENT Public notices were sent to property owners within the standard 1,000-foot noticing radius of the subject property and living within the California Reflections, Danbury Park, Heritage Valley, Jensen Tract, Shadow Cliffs, and Vintage Hills developments. A map of the noticing area is attached. Attached are the emails and letters expressing support, concerns, and opposition to the proposed development received up to publishing the City Council staff report. All additional comments will be forwarded to the City Council under separate cover. An email from Jim Townsend, Trails Development Program Manager, East Bay Regional Parks District, stating support of the Iron Horse Trail street crossings is attached separately. Staff and the applicant worked with representatives of Congregation Beth Emek, the only adjacent neighbor to the site, to address their concerns. Staff has also responded to the concerns of other residents in the general area and has included conditions to address them. However, staff understands that some issues remain, mainly regarding overall traffic volumes on Valley Avenue. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Environmental review for the proposed project is covered by an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), which is attached. Staff believes that the project- related impacts are mitigated, with the mitigation measures incorporated in the project's design or referenced with conditions of approval, and that there would be no significant unmitigated environmental impacts. Staff, therefore, believes that the Mitigated Negative Declaration can be approved in conformance with the standards of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Planning Commission concurred with this assessment and recommended approval of the IS/MND. If the City Council concurs with this environmental assessment, it must make the finding that the Mitigated Negative Declaration is appropriate prior to recommending approval of the proposed project. CONCLUSION The proposed project is a large commercial center located on an infill property on a major intersection and surrounded by a variety of commercial and industrial uses. It is anchored by a Home Depot building supply and garden center, a Longs Drugs pharmacy with a 24-hour drive-through, and a variety of smaller commercial tenants. The size and location of the project site on a gateway intersection/entrance to the City, separated from Stanley Business Park by Bernal Avenue and the commercial uses existing and under construction on Bernal Avenue qualifies it for a major commercial development of this type, and past planning has anticipated such a project at this location. The proposal was reviewed by staff and by the Planning Commission at two work sessions and at a public hearing, where the community provided its input on the project's design, uses, and amenities and communicated its concerns on traffic, noise, Page 19 of 21