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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, PREZONE, AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP FOR THE SANCHEZ-HOGGAN PROJECT AT ARCH ROAD AND AUSTIN ROAD APN 181-100-09 AND 179-200-27 (P19-0691)
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt:
a) A Resolution recommending the City Council certify the Sanchez-Hoggan Project Environmental Impact Report, including Statement of Overriding Considerations and adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; and
b) A Resolution recommending the City Council adopt an Ordinance for the Prezoning of two parcels (APN 181-100-09 and 179-200-27) to Industrial, Limited (IL); and
c) A Resolution approving a Tentative Parcel Map for the Sanchez-Hoggan Project, subject to conditions.
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Summary
CT Realty (hereafter “Applicant”) proposes to develop industrial and warehouse uses on two vacant parcels: the 149.01 acre Sanchez property (APN 181-100-09) located at the northwest corner of Arch Road and Austin Road and the 20.76 acre Hoggan property (APN 179-200-27) located north of Frontier Way and southeast of North Littlejohns Creek, combined as the Sanchez-Hoggan Annexation Project (“Project”). The Project proposes industrial and warehouse uses that would be integrated and similar to the adjacent NorCal Logistics Industrial Center (P12-110) that abuts the two proposed Project parcels. Proposed Project site development would consist of building construction, parking lot areas, landscaping, lighting, drainage facilities, with loading and service areas. At full buildout, these facilities could total approximately 3 million square feet and could employ between 1,200 and 1,500 employees.
The proposed Project site area is currently located within the County of San Joaquin and includes an annexation request for the two parcels totaling 169.77 acres. To develop the Project, the Planning Commission is asked to consider forwarding to City Council approval recommendations pertaining to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) with Mitigation Monitoring Program and Reporting Program and the Prezoning of the parcels. Also, the Planning Commission is also asked to approve a Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) to subdivide the 149.01 acre Sanchez property into four parcels.
The proposed Project will advance important land use policy objectives for its growing industrial market and result in a net positive effect on city revenues annually through taxing and licensing, excluding initial development impact fee payments. At buildout, the Project could yield between 1,200 and 1,500 manufacturing and warehousing jobs for the City. The Project is consistent with the 2040 General Plan Land Map designation of Industrial applicable to the site. The Project also furthers General Plan policies aimed at attracting high-quality jobs and tax-generating businesses. All of this is accomplished in a development proposal also compliant with all applicable development standards within SMC Title 16 (Development Code).
DISCUSSION
Background
The Project consists of two vacant parcels that are within the jurisdiction of the County of San Joaquin, but contiguous to the Stockton City Limit boundaries. The annexation area includes Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 181-100-09, which is the 149.01-acre Sanchez property, and APN 179-200-27, which is the 20.76-acre Hoggan property. (Attachment A - Location and Context Map).
The Sanchez property is undeveloped and, in recent years, has been planted with row crops. Weber Slough, a channelized stream, runs along a portion of the eastern boundary of the property adjacent to Austin Road, then crosses the property center as it goes westward. The Sanchez property is bordered on three sides by public roads, including Arch Road, Austin Road, and Logistics Drive. Views from the Sanchez property include light industrial buildings to the west, the California Department of Corrections (CDCR) buildings to the south (181-100-07, 7170 E Arch Road), and Burlington Northern Railroad (BNSF) intermodal facilities to the east of Austin Road.
The Hoggan property is vacant and covered with grasses and weeds and is bounded on the north by North Littlejohns Creek and rural residential houses. Light industrial and warehouse buildings are prominent features of views south and east of the Hoggan property.
The Project site abuts the incorporated limits of the City of Stockton, however, there is no City Zoning Map designation provided to it. The 2040 General Plan Land Use Map designates the subject site as Industrial, detailed in Attachment B - General Plan Land Use Map. The proposed annexation and Prezone designation of Industrial, Limited for both property sites are identified in Attachment C - Annexation and Prezone Materials.
Project Description
The Applicant has applied for all required entitlements to establish industrial warehouse uses on the Project parcels. A tentative parcel map have been proposed for the Sanchez parcel (APN 181-100-09) at the northwest corner of Arch Road and South Austin Road (Attachment D - Proposed Tentative Parcel Map). The proposed industrial center would be integrated and similar to the adjacent NorCal Logistics Industrial Center (P12-110) that abuts the two proposed Project parcels. The industrial and warehouse uses would consist of pads for future building construction, parking lot areas, landscaping, lighting, drainage facilities, with loading and service areas (Attachment E - Project Plans).
STAFF ANALYSIS
To develop the intended industrial uses, the Planning Commission is asked to consider forwarding to City Council approval recommendations pertaining to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Prezoning. Further, it is recommended that the Planning Commission approve a proposed Tentative Parcel Map request, subject to conditions. An analysis of each request is provided below.
Environmental Clearance
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for the Project in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). On January 30, 2020, the City circulated a Notice of Preparation (NOP) inviting comments from interested agencies and the public as to environmental concerns that should be considered in the EIR. The 30-day NOP comment period closed on Friday February 28, 2020 as the scoping meeting was held at the Cesar Chavez Library on February 19, 2020. To comply with neighborhood meeting requirements, a public notice was sent 10-days prior to the meeting for all property owners within 300-feet of the proposed project site.
A Draft EIR (DEIR) was circulated for a 45-day public review period between March 6, 2020 and April 22, 2020 (Attachment F - Draft EIR). The DEIR addressed environmental impacts associated with the proposed Project that are known to the City were raised during the Notice of Preparation (NOP) process or raised during the preparation of the environmental report. The DEIR discussed potentially significant impacts associated with aesthetics, agricultural resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural and tribal resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gases and climate change, hazards, hydrology and water quality, land use, population and housing, noise, public services and recreation, transportation and circulation, and utilities. The DEIR identifies no significant or unavoidable environmental impacts. All potentially significant effects were identified and paired with feasible mitigation measures to reduce them to less than significant levels.
Additionally, the traffic generated from the Market Driven Analysis indicates there is a potentially significant environmental impact where mitigation measures were deemed not to be feasible. This results in the creation of potentially significant environmental impacts and will require a Statement of Overriding Considerations.
The DEIR was circulated for public and agency review. At the conclusion of the Draft EIR reivew period, eight comment letters were received. Comments and responses were included in Final EIR (FEIR) and include the following:
|
Affiliation |
Affiliation |
Individual or Signatory |
Topic(s) |
|
April 21, 2020 |
State Clearinghouse |
N/A (submittal worksheet) |
Documents close of review period, notification of State agencies submitting comments |
|
April 9, 2020 |
CA Department of Toxic Substances Control |
Gavin McCreary |
General list of subjects that should be addressed in the EIR. No comment specific to project. |
|
April 16, 2020 |
State Water Resources Control Board |
Nicholas White |
General description of SWRCB regulatory authority and subjects that should be addressed in the EIR. No comment specific to project. |
|
March 11, 2020 |
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District |
Sharla Yang |
Request for further information on EIR air quality analysis. |
|
March 13, 2020 |
United Auburn Indian Community |
Anna Starkey |
Tribal Cultural Resources should be addressed in a standalone chapter of the EIR. |
|
March 5, 2020 |
Northern Valley Yokuts Tribe |
Katherine Perez |
Request to participate in project planning and analysis, request for cultural resource documents and statement of sensitivity to treatment of Tribal Cultural Resources if encountered during construction. |
|
April 24, 2020 |
CA Air Resources Board |
Stanley Armstrong |
Potential new pollution in disadvantaged communities, technical questions regarding EIR air quality analysis, request that Health Risk Assessment be performed. |
|
April 24, 2020 |
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District |
Sharla Yang |
Concern for heavy truck emissions and mitigation, emissions from off-road equipment, VERA mitigation agreement, Ambient Air Quality Analysis, and request for Health Risk Assessment, compliance with District rules. |
No new significant environmental impacts or issues, beyond those already covered in the Sanchez-Hoggan Project DEIR, were raised during the comment 45-day period. Responses to comments received during the comment period do not involve any new significant impacts or add “significant new information” that would require recirculation of the DEIR pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15088.5. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15088, all substantive comments are responded to in the Final EIR (Attachment G - Final EIR).
In accordance with CEQA Guidelines §15092, the Planning Commission must consider the EIR before acting on the Project. As reflected in the Proposed Resolution, an approval recommendation to certify the EIR is presented, including the adoption of a corresponding Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). The Planning Commission is requested to make a recommendation to the City Council to certify the EIR and adopt the Statement of Overriding Considerations per the CEQA findings contained in Attachment H.
Annexation
As the project site is presently located within the jurisdiction of San Joaquin County, the applicant has requested Annexation of the project site into the City of Stockton. The project site is situated in the City’s Sphere of Influence and, as discussed, designated Industrial by the General Plan Land Use Map. The area proposed for Annexation includes both parcels that are contiguous to the current City Limit boundary (Attachment B).
Pursuant to SMC Section 16.84.020 (Table 4-1), the City Council is the Review Authority for annexation requests upon recommendation from the Development Review Committee (DRC). On April 27, 2020, the DRC forwarded, after considering a City Services Plan, an approval recommendation for the annexation request. The City Service Plan indicates the City can provide services and utilities to the proposed project sites, and the application, as conditioned, will be consistent with all local development standards.
The Annexation and Prezone are consistent with the General Plan industrial land use and within the City’s Sphere of Influence. The project site includes two parcels that are contiguous to the City limit boundary and will not create a jurisdictional island. The updated City Service Plan consists of all service and tax information for the project site as well as applicable fees at the time of Annexation and future construction. The City Council will consider the annexation and Prezoning actions at a future public hearing. If approved by City Council, the City Manager would be authorized to file an annexation application with the San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO).
Prezoning
Since the project site is presently located within the County of San Joaquin, Annexation must occur and be preceded by “Prezoning” it through a Zoning Map Amendment. The Project, therefore, includes a request to Prezone the site to Industrial, Limited (IL) Zone. The 2040 General Plan Land Use Map designates the project site as Industrial. Pursuant to Table 2-1 (General Plan Relationship to Development Code) of the General Plan, the IL Zone is compatible with the Industrial General Plan Land Use Map designation of Industrial.
As reflected in the proposed Resolution, all necessary findings can be made to support the proposed Prezoning action. Upon approval of the Annexation by the San Joaquin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the Zoning Map Amendment (Prezone) would become effective and applicable.
Development Permits
By code, the Director is the Review Authority for Tentative Parcel Map requests. However, given the Tentative Parcel Map requires environmental review and prezoning, the Director has elevated the Tentative Parcel Map approval to the Planning Commission for final determination, as provided by SMC Section 16.84.050.A.3 and 16.88.050(B)(5).
Tentative Parcel Map
The proposed Project consists of a Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide the Sanchez parcel (APN 181-100-09) into four lots. The 149.01-acres (gross) will be divided into the following: Parcel 1 (±62.83 acres); Parcel 2 (±57.97 acres); Parcel 3 (±6.83 acres); and Parcel 4 (±10.45 acres), with about ±10.93-acres included for public right-of-way dedication. The configuration of the proposed lots is consistent with the City’s standards for the subdivision of lots in the rural area. As indicated in the City Service Plan, all utilities and city services (Police and Fire) for the proposed parcels can be provided by the City.
The proposed Project is consistent with the General Plan Industrial designation and the proposed Prezone of Industrial, Limited (IL) for subdivision design, lot sizes, and lot configurations. Access to the new parcels is proposed to be taken from the existing Austin Road, and Logisics Drive and necessary services and facilities can be provided as shown in the City Service Plan. The applicant will be required to widen and improve all current roadways as necessary to accommodate Project traffic including trucks. Additionally, the design of the subdivision and its proposed improvements are not likely to cause substantial environmental impacts as the site is currently utilized for agricultural uses. Future enhancements to the site will be reviewed by all applicable federal, state, and local agencies for compliance to all construction standards to ensure health and safety. Therefore, the site is physically suitable for the development as the Project is consistent with the industrial requirements and has been conditioned to comply with all applicable development standards.
Public Comments
On February 19, 2020, the applicant held a neighborhood meeting/environmental Scoping meeting to present the development proposal and received feedback on the proposal to prepare an EIR. In accordance with SMC Section 16.88.025 (Neighborhood Meetings), a public notice was sent 10-days before the meeting for all property owners within 300-feet of the proposed project site. The meeting was attended by City staff, the applicant, and one member of the public.
On May 8, 2020, the California Department of Bureau of Environmental Justice sent a comment letter outlining potential concerns about air quality impact on the adjacent sensitive receptors and options for reducing emissions and improving air quality for the project area (Attachment J). To address these concerns, the applicant agreed to a variety of options consistent with the State recommendations, the City’s Climate Action Plan, and State building code requirements for energy efficiency. These options proposed by the applicant are referenced in the conditions of approval (Attachment J - Proposed Conditions of Approval) for implementation during the site design, construction, and ongoing operations. Aside from this letter and the ones included as part of the FEIR, no other comments have been received since the completion of this report.
Notice for the Planning Commission public hearing for this request was published in The Record on May 17, 2020, and mailed notice was sent to all property owners within a 300-foot radius at least ten days prior. As of the writing of this staff report, no written comments have been submitted.
Attachment A - Location and Context Map
Attachment B - General Plan Land Use Map
Attachment C - Annexation and Prezone Materials
Attachment D - Proposed Tentative Parcel Map
Attachment E - Project Plans
Attachment F - Draft EIR
Attachment G - Final EIR
Attachment H- CEQA Findings
Attachment I - Community Meeting Information
Attachment J - Public Comment and Response
This staff report was prepared by Matt Diaz, Planning Manager, (209) 937-8598; matt.diaz@stocktonca.gov <mailto:matt.diaz@stocktonca.gov> .