PC RES 1997-055 •
P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 97-55
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION THE OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES RECOMMENDING
APPROVAL OF ADDENDUM NO. 6 TO ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT NO. 36 TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN
CONNECTION WITH APPROVAL OF A DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE
DEVELOPERS OF THE OCEAN TRAILS PROJECT,
CONSISTING OF A SEVENTY-FIVE LOT RESIDENTIAL
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (RPD), PUBLIC OPEN SPACE,
AND AN 18-HOLE PUBLIC GOLF COURSE WITH RELATED
FACILITIES LOCATED IN COASTAL SUBREGIONS 7 AND 8
WHEREAS, an application package was filed by the Zuckerman Building Company
and Palos Verdes Land Holdings Company requesting approval of tentative parcel maps,
vesting tentative tract maps, conditional use permits, a coastal permit and a grading permit
to allow the construction of a Residential Planned Development of 120 single family
dwelling units and for development of an 18-hole golf course, a clubhouse and parking
facilities on a 258 acre site bounded by Palos Verdes Drive South on the north,
Portuguese Bend Club and Community Association on the west, the Pacific Ocean on the
south and Los Angeles County Shoreline Park on the east; and,
WHEREAS, a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was prepared and
circulated for 45 days from June 7, 1991 through July 22, 1991 in order to receive written
comments on the adequacy of the document from responsible agencies and the public;
and,
WHEREAS, subsequent to the circulation of the Draft Environmental Impact Report
and preparation of written responses, the applicant revised the scope of the project and
reduced the number of proposed single family residences to 40 units in Vesting Tentative
Tract Map No. 50666 and 43 in Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 50667, and an 18 hole
golf course with related facilities within the boundaries of both Vesting Tentative Tract
Maps, and, due to the changes in the project, an Addendum to the Draft Environmental
Impact Report (ADEIR) was prepared; and,
WHEREAS, based on review of the Addendum to the Draft Environmental Impact
Report , the City determined that the information submitted in the AEIR cited potential
additional significant environmental impacts that would be caused by the revised project,
and directed preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR). The
SEIR, which incorporates information and findings set forth in the Addendum to the Draft
Environmental Impact Report, was prepared and circulated for 45 days from March 19,
1992 through May 4, 1992, during which time all interested parties were notified of the
circulation period and invited to present written comments to the information contained in
the SEIR, in conformance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality
Act; and,
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WHEREAS, on June 1, 1992 the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
adopted Resolution No. 92-53 certifying Environmental Impact Report No. 36, in
connection with Vesting Tentative Tract Map Nos. 50666 and 50667, Tentative Parcel Map
Nos. 20970 and 23004, Conditional Use Permit Nos. 162 and 163, Coastal Permit No. 103,
and Grading Permit No. 1541 for an 83 lot Residential Planned Development, public open
space, and an 18 hole public golf course with clubhouse and related facilities on 261.4
acres in Coastal Subregions 7 and 8; and,
WHEREAS, on December 7, 1992, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 92-115 approving an Addendum to Environmental Impact
Report No. 36, in connection with approving Revisions to the Ocean Trails project
applications described above, in order to address concerns expressed by the California
Coastal Commission with regard to adequate provisions for public open space, public
access and habitat preservation; and,
WHEREAS, on October 5, 1993, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 93-89 approving a second Addendum to Environmental
Impact Report No. 36, in connection with re-approval of the Ocean Trails project
applications described above, in order to comply with a Court mandate to provide
affordable housing in conjunction with the project, pursuant to Government Code Section
65590; and,
WHEREAS, on September 6, 1994, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 94-71 approving a third Addendum to Environmental
Impact Report No. 36, in connection with approval of Revision "A" to the Ocean Trails
project applications described above, in order to incorporate changes to the project made
by the California Coastal Commission in April 1993, and (based on additional geologic
information) relocate the golf course clubhouse, reduce the number of single family lots
from 83 to 75 and approve a location for the golf course maintenance facility and on-site
affordable housing units; and,
WHEREAS, on March 11, 1996, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 96-15 approving the fourth Addendum to Environmental
Impact Report No. 36, in connection with approval of Revision "B" to the Ocean Trails
project applications, in order to incorporate changes to the project made by the California
Coastal Commission in January 1995 regarding the relocation of the golf course
clubhouse, Paseo del Mar roadway and public trails to accommodate a reconfiguration of
the public parking facilities, as well as additional modifications to the public trails in order
to provide clarification or to be consistent with the California Coastal Commission's
approval and to include an 8.5 acre vacant property owned by the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Unified School District into the golf course.
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WHEREAS, on September 3, 1996, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 96-72 approving the fifth Addendum to Environmental
Impact Report No. 36, in connection with the approval of Revision "C" to the Ocean Trails
project, in order to relocate two single family residential lots in Vesting Tentative Tract Map
No. 50667 from the end of Street "A" to the end of Street "C", revisions to the boundaries
of open space Lots B, C, G and H, conversion of the split-level lots in Vesting Tentative
Tract Map No. 50667 to single-level lots, revisions to the gold course layout, revisions to
the public trail system, combination of parallel trail easements, construction of a paved fire
access road west of the Ocean Terraces Condominiums and amendments to several
Conditions of Approval and Mitigation Measures to modify the required timing for
compliance; and,
WHEREAS, on September 17, 1996, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 96-
80 requiring the preparation of a Development Agreement between the developers of the
Ocean Trails project and the City for the specific purpose of establishing the obligations
of the developers to maintain the public improvements associated with the project and to
establish an in lieu fee instead of imposing the City's golf tax; and,
WHEREAS, on September 9, 1997, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution
No. 97-44 approving Conditional Use Permit No. 163 - Revision "D"to modify the rear yard
setback requirements on four lots within Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 50667 to comply
with the Los Angeles County Fire Department requirements for a fuel modifications zone
between the residential units and the adjacent East Bluff Preserve Area; and,
WHEREAS, on October 10, 1997, copies of the Addendum No. 6 to Environmental
Impact Report No. 36 were distributed to the Planning Commission and prior to taking
action on the proposed Development Agreement for the Ocean Trails project, the Planning
Commission independently reviewed and considered the information and findings
contained in Addendum No. 6 to EIR No. 36, and determined that the documents were
prepared in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act
and local guidelines, with respect thereto; and,
WHEREAS, on October 14, 1997, after notice issued pursuant to the provisions of
the Development Code, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider draft
Addendum No. 6 to Environmental Impact Report No. 36 and the proposed Development
Agreement for to the Ocean Trails project, at which time all interested parties were given
an opportunity to be heard and present evidence.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE, AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: That the approval of the Development Agreement will provide for the
maintenance of the public improvements required to be constructed in conjunction with the
Ocean Trails project. Therefore, pursuant to Sections 15162 and 15164 of the State
CEQA Guidelines, approval of Addendum No. 6 to the previously certified EIR, rather than
P.C. Resolution No. 97-55
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the preparation of a subsequent or supplemental EIR, is appropriate for the consideration
of the proposed revisions to the Ocean Trails project, based on the following findings:
1. That the approval of the Development Agreement does not require revisions to the
previous EIR, since there are no physical changes to the project and therefore, no
new significant environmental impacts that have been identified, which were not
considered in the previous EIR.
2. That substantial changes to the project would not occur with respect to the
circumstances under which the project is undertaken, which would require important
revisions to the previous EIR, since there are no new significant environmental
impacts that were not considered in the previous EIR.
3. That there is no new information of substantial importance to the project which
indicates that the project will have one or more significant effects not discussed
previously in the EIR; that significant effects previously examined will not be
substantially more severe than shown in the EIR; that no mitigation measures or
alternatives, previously found not to be feasible, would now in fact be feasible and
would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the project; or that no
mitigation measures or alternatives which were not previously considered in the
EIR, would now substantially lessen one or more significant effects of the
environment.
Section 2: In approving Addendum No. 6 to EIR No. 36, the Planning Commission
has reviewed and considered the Addendum No. 6 document, attached hereto and made
a part thereof, as Exhibit "A" and the Mitigation Monitoring Program, attached hereto by
reference and made a part thereof, as Exhibit "B".
Section 3: The Addendum No. 6 to EIR No. 36 identifies no new potential significant
adverse environmental impacts to the areas listed below, beyond those already identified
in the Final EIR No. 36, and the Supplement and Addenda Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to EIR No.
36, as a result of the proposed revisions to the Ocean Trails project:
1. Landform, Geology, and Soils
2. Hydrology and Drainage
3. Biological Resources
4. Cultural and Scientific Resources
5. Aesthetics
6. Land Use and Relevant Planning
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7. Circulation and Traffic
8. Air Resources
9. Noise
10. Public Services and Utilities
11. Population, Employment and Housing
12. Fiscal Impacts
Section 4: That approval of a Development Agreement would not require additional
mitigation measures or deletions/modifications to the mitigation measures included in the
Final EIR, as well as the Supplemental and Addends Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to EIR No. 36.
Section 5: That, while the implementation of mitigation measures as discussed in
Final EIR No. 36 and the Supplemental and Addenda EIR Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to EIR 36
will further reduce the impacts of the project, it is not possible to entirely eliminate the
cumulative impacts associated with the project. Therefore, the Findings and Statement of
Overriding Considerations, as provided in Final EIR No. 36, are hereby incorporated by
reference.
Section 6: All findings, attachments and Statement of Overriding Considerations
contained in Resolution Nos. 92-53, 92-115, 93-89, 94-71, 96-15 and 96-72, as adopted
by the City Council on June 1, 1992, December 7, 1992, October 5, 1993, September 6,
1994, March 11, 1996, and September 3, 1996, respectively, are hereby incorporated by
reference.
Section 7: For the foregoing reasons and based on the information and findings
contained in the Staff Report, minutes, and evidence presented at the public hearings, the
Planning Commission of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes hereby recommends to the City
Council approval of Addendum No. 6 to Environmental Impact Report No. 36, based on
the determination that the document was completed in compliance with the requirements
of the California Environmental Quality Act and Sate and local guidelines with respect
thereto.
P.C. Resolution No. 97-55
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PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 14th day of October 1997 by the
following vote:
AYES: Commissioners Al beri o, Cartwright, Slayden, and
Chairman Vannorsdall
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT: Commissioners Clark, Ng, and Vice Chairman Whiteneck
Donald E. Vannorsdall
Chairman
rP�
Carolynn Petru, AICP
Director of Planning, Building and
Code Enforcement, and Secretary
to the Planning Commission
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