To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vincent Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Steven Rosen, Associate Planner
TITLE:
Title
Harvest Village Tentative Subdivision Map Extension
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving a two-year extension of the Tentative Subdivision Map, Design Review Permit, and Administrative Permit for the previously approved Harvest Village Project, consisting of nine single-family residential lots and homes, at 804 Capitola Drive; and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution were adequately analyzed by a previous CEQA action.
Body
DISCUSSION:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Applicant requests a second two-year extension of the previously approved Harvest Village Tentative Subdivision Map, Design Review Permit and Administrative Permit (File No. PL15-0110). Similar to the original project approval, the extension request must be reviewed by the Planning Commission with final approval by the City Council. The project was originally approved by the City Council on March 1, 2016 with an initial expiration date of March 1, 2018. A two-year extension (PL18-0004) was granted on April 27, 2018, which expired on April 27, 2020. Although this expiration date has already passed, the Applicant submitted the extension request prior to the map’s expiration. Pursuant to Government Code Section 66452.6(e) and NMC Section 16.20.100, the filing of an extension application before the map’s expiration date automatically extends the map until final action on the extension request is taken by the City Council.
The previous approvals would subdivide the 1.35-acre property into nine single-family residential lots. The lots range in size from approximately 4,607 square feet to 8,458 square feet. Four of the proposed home plans are for two-story dwellings ranging in size from approximately 1,409 square feet to 2,203 square feet. One of the house plans (for two of the lots) includes a 632 square foot attached accessory dwelling unit. The houses front on a central courtyard; vehicular access to rear-loaded garages is provided from Capitola Drive via a loop road along the perimeter of the site.
Four different architectural treatments, with a variety of details and exterior materials, are proposed so that no identical house model with the same treatment occurs on adjacent lots. The proposed corner lots (Lots 1 and 9) have architectural details that are carried from the front elevation to the street-facing elevation to provide a consistent design when viewed from the public right-of-way.
The project included the following previously approved entitlements, which are proposed to be extended in this request:
1. Tentative Subdivision Map to subdivide the 1.35-acre site into nine single-family lots;
2. Design Review Permit for the subdivision map and house plans; and
3. Administrative Permit to authorize accessory dwelling units.
The project also included a Zoning Amendment to establish a Planned Development Overlay District and to establish development standards within the Overlay District. There is no expiration date associated with the Planned Development Zoning Amendment.
SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE AND SUBDIVISION MAP ACT
In accordance with NMC Section 16.20.090 and Government Code Section 66452.6, approved tentative subdivision maps shall expire 24 months after they are approved. Tentative maps must be filed and recorded as a Final Map prior to this deadline before grading and building permits can be issued for project construction. NMC Section 16.20.100 (Extensions) states that “upon application of the subdivider filed with the Community Development Director prior to the expiration of the tentative map, such map may be extended by the Council as provided for in section 66452.6 of the Subdivision Map Act.” Government Code Section 66452.6(e) provides for an extension of a tentative map for a period not to exceed six years.
Since there have been no substantial changes in City policies and regulations regarding subdivisions, nor have there been changes that would affect the findings that were made in to support of the subdivision’s approval, Staff finds that a two-year time extension is reasonable. If the proposed time extension is granted, the project would potentially be eligible for one additional two-year extension if approved in the future by the City Council.
PLANNING COMMISSION
On May 21, 2020, the Planning Commission considered the proposed extension (see Draft Minutes Excerpts in Attachment 2). Other than the Applicant, no members of the public provided testimony. The Commission’s comments were limited to asking why construction had not yet begun and whether Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) could be added to all units instead of just two. The applicant stated that they are considering adding ADUs and that the delays are due to California’s shortage of construction labor and materials. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the application.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No direct financial impacts to the General Fund have been identified with this application.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that the potential environmental effects of the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report were adequately analyzed by the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for Harvest Village (File No. PL15-0110) adopted on March 1, 2016 pursuant to CEQA Section 15162.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
ATCH 2 - Planning Commission Minutes Excerpts
ATCH 3 - Planning Commission Staff Report and Project Plans
NOTIFICATION:
Notice of the scheduled public hearing was provided on August 5, 2020, 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 August 7, 2020 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.