CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PACKET - Laserfiche WebLink

Page 5 of 6 neighborhoods, a strong employment base, and a variety of community facilities. • Policy 5: Evaluate land-use changes in the context of overall City welfare and goals, as well as the impacts on surrounding neighborhoods. • Program 5.2: Consider surrounding land uses and potential impacts when changing land-use designations. • Policy 8: Preserve and enhance the character of existing residential neighborhoods. General Plan – Housing Element • Program 1.1 of the Housing Element requires the City to maintain the existing zoning of and also rezone (i.e., apply additional zoning districts) to appropriate areas/sites (housing opportunity sites) to allow residential uses consistent with the Housing Element. The subject site was rezoned by applying the HOZ zoning, to accommodate development of the parcel, with three acres reserved for park and open space. Climate Action Plan (CAP) Strategies The CAP includes a strategy to “encourage and facilitate more walking and cycling trips.” The proposed amendments are consistent with this strategy in that they may allow more residents to access a park adjacent to Old Vineyard Avenue by foot or bicycle. Consistency with VACSP and Zoning The proposed amendments are consistent with the VACSP in that the VACSP projected future playfields and play areas on the elementary school site would be open as recreational areas for residents during non-school hours. The Housing Element rezoning of this site provided for three acres of park and open space area. The proposed amendment would maintain the total amount of open space/recreational areas on the site, while providing more flexibility about how this open space is configured. Additionally, the land use pattern within the VACSP includes vineyards/open space abutting along Vineyard Avenue. The proposed amendment would allow a future project to maintain consistency with this land use pattern. Future Project Review During the Planning Commission public hearing, public comments were received from neighbors expressing concerns about the future development of the site, including traffic and public safety issues. The General Plan amendment that is the subject of the City Council’s action does not involve approval of a specific project at this location. The issues raised by neighbors, as well as other project-specific details, will be part of the overall review and consideration of the Trumark Homes project, when it is presented to the Zoning Administrator and Planning Commission for their respective consideration and approval. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) This project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3), because there is no possibility that the proposed general plan amendment will have a significant effect on the environment. Three acres of parks and open space will still be provided on the site and there is no proposed change to the overall site density. Therefore, no environmental document accompanies this report. The future proposed development of the site, including any proposed open space areas, will be subject to a separate CEQA review that will be considered as part of Page 21 of 749