Planning Commission delays
decision on 79-home hillside project
March 04, 2015
By Mike Kelley
Santa Paula News
A quorum of the Planning Commission opted to wait to make a decision on a project on the western edge of the city where a 35-acre parcel is awaiting the construction of 79 single-family homes.
Commissioners Mike Sommer and John Wisda were not at the February 24 hearing where commissioners asked that more study be done on the proposed project and a handful of speakers noted feared impacts including traffic.
Del Investment Fund seeks to build on a parcel north of Foothill and west of Peck roads; the property is in the Adams Canyon expansion area and must be annexed into the city.
The project has been languishing for more than a decade due to various factors including the death of principal partner Scott Anderson as well as the housing crisis that triggered the severe economic downturn.
Commission Chairman Ike Ikerd and Commissioners John Demers and Fred Robinson were to consider the annexation, General Plan amendment, zone change, specific plan, development agreement and tentative tract map for the hillside development.
Deputy Planning Director Stratis Perros presented the report on the project noting that the 79 homes would be deducted from the 495 home allotment approved by voters in 2007.
The Del Investment project had previously been approved by voters in 2003, the first post-SOAR vote to allow a residential development project.
Perros noted that although the land is targeted for development, “It is difficult to develop ancient landslide property… one of the main features,” of the development would be grading and compacting that would require 750,000 cubic yards of dirt to be moved and terraced in nearby canyons.
Such an operation added would take hundreds of truck trips over a probable two-year period.
A “lot of work,” and studies have been undertaken for the development that would result in Foothill being widen on the north side to allow for a deceleration lane and measures to control storm water runoff.
Residents in the new development “will have certain impacts on Highway 126” at Peck Road where Perros said a traffic signal would be installed at the intersection that already has an “F” rating.
Demers asked about correspondence from county agencies that questioned several aspects of the plan
“This is one public hearing in the queue,” said Perros, “many more will follow,” although questions can be addressed in the interim by city and county staff.
Demers said the ancient landslide and slope create stability concerns and a public works engineering consultant said the area would have to be maintained. The county owns the property above the project area and agreements would also have to be reached.
“Ten years is a long time,” said Robinson, “we need development in Santa Paula. I spent a lot of time looking at the documents… quite frankly, they were overwhelming,” and although he noted slopes are always a concern decision-making is based on studies.
The intersection he added also must be mitigated, as there have been numerous accidents at the corner including one that had occurred the previous weekend.
The county also is involved in that area said Perros as a Foothill Road and a portion of Peck Road are presently in the unincorporated area.
Keith Hagaman of Del Investment told commissioners “The elephant in the room,” is the grading and he is hoping that there will be a need of fill by other developments that could take the dirt.
“Unfortunately,” said Perros, the Environmental Impact Report centered on dumping the fill in canyons and those who might want to purchase it would have to do their own EIR.
“Right now,” he added, “this project is not set up for that… ”
Jim and Jean Wade have borne the brunt of the speeding vehicles that don’t make the sharp turn onto Peck Road as they live on the southeast corner of Peck and Foothill roads.
Jean Wade told the commission that the couple was “really shocked” to find the EIR did not address the dangers at the corner that more traffic would worsen.
The project’s exit is on a curve on the 55 mph Foothill Road and less than a mile where motorists must reduce speed to 15 mph for the curve.
There have been four accidents at the curve in the last two months and the Wades displayed the dozen-plus police reports that have accumulated in the 22 years the couple has lived at the residence.
The latest accident was February 20, a collision that knocked down the wall at the residence that had just been repaired due to a previous incident.
Diana Ponce-Gomez told commissioners she lives “at the very top of the hill,” on Peck Road and her concern is also traffic impacts and safety.
Up to 300 new residents would live in the development and impact traffic in the area and Ponce-Gomez noted Foothill is often used as detour when Highway 126 is shut down hampering any southbound traffic above it at Peck Road.
The “aesthetics” of the proposed development also are a concern noted by Ponce-Gomez.
Several other speakers noted their concern with traffic impacts, landslide potential, light blight, habitats, air quality and other issues.
The dirt to be moved said Richard Main, a Foothill Road resident, would ”fill the Rose Bowl” and the project should be downsized or changed to townhouses.
Cathy Fernandez, who lives on Shasta Drive, said the traffic impacts would also heighten dangers to pedestrians.
Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez said improvements to the intersection are being studied and a guardrail will be provided at the Wades’ property.
But Yanez said the county wouldn’t provide a stop sign unless it is found warranted by a study.
“… We should attend a supervisors meeting,” said Robinson.
Jim Wade said, “The person that dies on that road will be murder, not an accident, as everybody knows what is going on… ”
Another parcel not involved in the project worried Demers who asked what the annexation and rezoning “would do to their property tax bill?”
Increases said Perros are triggered by property improvements not zoning changes.
Chairman Ikerd said his initial concerns were amplified by recent communications.
“Even though I do like to see new development in Santa Paula and know the challenges of building on a hillside,” that can be mitigated, Ikerd said, “I’m not comfortable,” and would like more information.
The other commissioners agreed and continued the hearing until April 28.
