To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Rick Tooker, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Karlo Felix, Senior Planner
TITLE:
Title
Ramona West Annexation, an Annexation of Three Properties Totaling 4.2 Acres at 330 to 336 Silverado Trail
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution requesting that the Local Agency Formation Commission initiate proceedings for the annexation of the three properties at 330 to 336 Silverado Trail; and determining that the actions authorized by this Resolution were adequately analyzed by a previous CEQA action.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Applicant, Ramona West Family Trust, requests annexation of three parcels at 330, 332, 334, and 336 Silverado Trail (APNs 046-060-002, -006, -007) totaling 4.2 acres. All three of the subject parcels are owned by the Applicant. The parcels have been developed with four single-family homes, one barn, and a vineyard.
The parcels are located within an unincorporated “pocket” substantially surrounded by the City, within the City’s Rural Urban Limit (RUL), and the City’s Sphere of Influence (SOI). The subject properties are located within the SFI-173, Single-Family Infill General Plan Designation which allows for single-family residences at a density range between four and eight units per acre. The property is located within the RI-5, Single-Family Infill Zoning District which allows for residential development with a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet. No development is proposed as a part of this application. Any future development proposal would be reviewed by the City after the completion of the annexation of the subject properties into the City.
During the review of this application, Staff surveyed one other property owner within the unincorporated pocket to assess their interest in annexation. The property owner expressed opposition to being included in the annexation.
It has been the City’s general policy to respect the interests of property owners who are unwilling to participate in or respond to the annexation process. Therefore, this proposed annexation does not include any additional properties other than 330 to 336 Silverado Trail. However, the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has the authority to expand the boundaries of the annexation to include the entire pocket if it determines this is appropriate based on its review of the application.
The proposed annexation was forwarded to reviewing agencies and no specific comments or conditions of approval were received. Staff recommends that the City Council recommend to LAFCO that the boundaries be modified to extend to the centerline of Capitola Drive on the east-side of the project site.
The protocol to approve the annexation of the subject properties requires that the City Council adopt a Resolution requesting that LAFCO initiate proceedings to complete the annexation.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
A minor increase in City revenues is anticipated due to property tax and paramedic fee reapportionment. A corresponding increase in City costs is anticipated due to the costs associated with servicing the single-family homes and the vineyard.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15168(c)(2), the proposed annexation is within the scope of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) adopted for the City of Napa General Plan, certified December 1, 1998 because no environmental effects could occur as a result of the annexation that were not previously analyzed in the EIR and no new mitigation measures would be required.
The project proposes the annexation of three parcels that are currently located within the SOI and RUL. The parcels are located within the SFI-173 General Plan Designation and within the RI-5 Zoning District. While the project would allow for future residential development (consistent with the General Plan), no development is currently proposed, and any potential environmental effects from development of the parcels at the permitted density were analyzed in the EIR.
In addition, although two of the parcels (APNs 046-061-033 & -039) (approximately 3.27 acres) are currently utilized as vineyards and are identified as Class II in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service land use capability classification (a classification identified as prime agricultural soils in the EIR), they are substantially surrounded by residential development, and neither of the parcels are identified on the State Farmland Mapping Program as Farmland or are subject to a Williamson Act contract. Moreover, the EIR considered the environmental effects of developing small agricultural plots on prime agricultural soil to be significant but found them to be offset in part by General Plan policies that focus development within the RUL. The EIR also made findings of overriding considerations regarding the loss of some prime agricultural soils within the City to allow land within the RUL for urban uses.
Based on this analysis, there is no substantial change introduced by the project that involves new significant impacts; there are no substantial changes to the circumstances which the project is being undertaken that involves new significant impacts; and there is no new information of substantial importance that shows the project will have a significant effect. As no new effects could occur and no new mitigation measures are required for the project, the annexation is within the scope of the EIR for the City of Napa General Plan, and pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168(c)(2), no new environmental document is required.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution Requesting that the Local Agency Formation Commission Initiate Proceedings for the Annexation of the Three Properties at 330 to 336 Silverado Trail
EX A - Location Map
NOTIFICATION:
Notice that this application was received was provided by the City on January 30, 2018, and notice of the scheduled public hearing was provided on April 18, 2018 by US Postal Service to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of the subject property. Notice of the public hearing was also published in the Napa Valley Register on April 20, 2018 and provided to people previously requesting notice on the matter at the same time notice was provided to the newspaper for publication. The Applicant was also provided a copy of this report and the associated attachments in advance of the public hearing on the project.