PC20-491
RESOLUTION NO. PC 20-____
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MENIFEE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2016-287, WHICH AMENDS THE
GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION OF 79.68 ACRES ON THE
SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BRIGGS ROAD AND OLD NEWPORT
ROAD/ROCKPORT ROAD FROM AGRICULTURE (AG) TO SPECIFIC
PLAN (SP)
Whereas, on December 15, 2016, the applicant, the Abacherli Family Trust, filed
a formal application with the City of Menifee for the approval of General Plan Amendment
No. 2016-287 (“Project”) to amend the General Plan land use designation of 79.68 acres
on the southwest corner of Briggs Road and Old Newport Road/Rockport Road (APNs
364-190-005 and -004) from Agriculture (AG) to Specific Plan (SP); and
Whereas, the application for General Plan Amendment No. 2016-287 is being
processed concurrently with Change of Zone No. 2016-288 to change the zoning
classification of the site from Agriculture (AG) to Specific Plan (SP), Specific Plan No.
2016-286 to establish a Specific Plan on the property, and Tentative Tract Map No. 2016-
285 (TR 37131) to subdivide 79.68 acres into 305 residential lots; and,
Whereas, on April 22, 2020, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public
hearing on General Plan Amendment No. 2016-287, considered all public testimony as
well as all materials in the staff report and accompanying documents, which hearing was
publicly noticed by a publication in the Press Enterprise, a newspaper of general
circulation, an agenda posting, and notice to property owners within 500 feet of the Project
boundaries and to the entire Tierra Shores residential neighborhood to the north as well
as to persons requesting public notice; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the City of Menifee resolves
as follows:
Section 1: Consistency with the General Plan. The amendment is consistent with the
intent of the vision, goals and policies of the General Plan as a whole.
Consistency with General Plan
The current General Plan land use designation of the site is Agriculture AG
with a zoning classification of Agriculture (AG) (formerly Heavy Agriculture –
10 Acre Minimum [A-2-10] prior to adoption of the City’s new Zoning Map),
which permits heavy agricultural uses. The project includes a General Plan
Amendment to change the land use from AG to Specific Plan, as well as a
Change of Zone to modify the zoning from AG to Specific Plan.
The Project proposes a suburban residential development which constitutes
an appropriate transition from the agricultural uses and open space to the
east in unincorporated Riverside County and the Wilderness Lakes RV
Resort to the south, toward suburban residential uses to the north and west.
The Project would be a continuation of the development pattern to the north
and to the west, and represents a logical stopping point for suburban style
development within the City. The Project is also proposing a zoning
classification of Specific Plan (SP). The proposed non-agricultural General
Plan Land Use designation and zoning classifications were not anticipated
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General Plan Amendment No 2016-287
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or analyzed in the General Plan EIR. The Project site is surrounded to the
south, north and west by similar style residential and recreational
development in terms of scale and intensity.
The proposed General Plan Amendment to Specific Plan, and the associated
Rockport Ranch Specific Plan would provide land uses, development
standards and design guidelines that implement the goals and policies of the
General Plan, including providing a range of homeownership opportunities,
concentrating growth in strategic locations near transportation options,
providing well-designed transitions between land uses, supporting
multimodal transportation opportunities.
The General Plan Amendment in conjunction with the associated Rockport
Ranch Specific Plan will address community planning goals and design
elements for residential and recreational uses. Two main residential land
uses are proposed within the General Plan area: a courtyard residential
product and larger traditional single-family homes. The pond areas in the
southern portion of the Plan area will be reconfigured into a large lake area
and utilized as storm water basins during rain events for flood protection of
the site. Landscape design was carefully considered to buffer the area Plan
area from land uses to the east while maintaining a sense of residential
transition from the neighborhood to the west and the RV park to the south.
Offsite improvements should help to connect existing neighborhoods with the
Plan area. The project is compatible with surrounding land uses.
In addition, the General Plan Amendment is consistent with the following City
of Menifee General Plan policies:
Land Use
Policy LU-1.1: Concentrate growth in strategic locations to help
preserve rural areas, create place and identity, provide infrastructure
efficiently, and foster the use of transit options.
The General Plan Amendment area is adjacent to existing residential
and recreational land uses along Old Newport Road and Briggs Road.
Residential land uses are sited to the north and west. County
agricultural land is located to the east across Briggs Road, and an RV
park is located to the south. Therefore, the General Plan Amendment
would concentrate growth in a strategic location, continue the
residential development that is already existing immediately to the west
and north to a logical edge (Briggs Road).
Policy LU-1.2: Provide a spectrum of housing types and price ranges
that match the jobs in the city and make it possible for people to live
and work in Menifee and maintain a high quality of life.
The General Plan Amendment, which proposes to designate the project
site as Specific Plan, in conjunction with the Specific Plan itself, allows
for two main residential land uses within the General Plan area; a
courtyard residential product and traditional single-family homes.
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These uses include a variety of lot sizes, which offer choices for
homebuyers in different income levels. The smaller courtyard
residential product can accommodate new homebuyers in the lower
end of economic spectrum, while lots ranging from 5,000 minimum sf
to 7,000 minimum sf can accommodate a range of income levels. This
mix of unit sizes and types diversifies the General Plan area and
creates a sense of community, where people from all ends of the
spectrum can afford to live in an attractive neighborhood. Therefore,
the project provides a range of homeownership opportunities that allow
potential residents to be able to afford to live and work in Menifee.
LU-1.6 Coordinate land use, infrastructure, and transportation planning
and analysis with regional, county, and other local agencies to further
regional and sub-regional goals for jobs-housing balance.
The proposed General Plan Amendment facilitate new residential
development that contributes to regional housing needs. However, the
coordination necessary to meet this goal lies with the broader
collaboration of the City of Menifee’s land use planning and
coordination with regional agencies.
LU-1.7 Ensure neighborhood amenities and public facilities (natural
open space areas, parks, libraries, schools, trails, etc.) are distributed
equitably throughout the City.
The proposed General Plan Amendment facilitates residential
development that will contribute fees in compliance with the Quimby
Act, the city’s park fee ordinance, and the City’s Development Impact
Fee ordinance and will contribute school fees to Menifee Union School
District and Perris Union High School District. The city can then use
those fees to acquire and/or build public facilities throughout the city in
compliance with this General Plan goal.
LU-3.2 Work with utility providers to increase service capacity as
demand increases.
Appropriate capacity is available for the project area. As part of the
Community Development Department’s typical entitlement review
process, the project was provided to and reviewed by the applicable
utility purveyors. Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) provided a
“will serve letter” dated March 12, 2018 for water and sewer services.
LU-3.4 Require that approval of new development be contingent upon
the project’s ability to secure appropriate infrastructure services.
Developers of the project area have secured service availability
confirmation and agreed to offsite improvements for infrastructure
services. Rockport Ranch will provide offsite improvements to Briggs
Road, Old Newport Road, and Tres Lagos Drive. The project is also
required to pay their fair share toward offsite improvements at the
intersection of Menifee Road and Newport Road and the intersection of
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Briggs Road and Holland Road. These payments would satisfy their
fair share contribution to the city’s infrastructure improvements.
Policy C-1.2 Require development to mitigate its traffic impacts and
achieve a peak hour Level of Service (LOS) D or better at intersections,
except at constrained intersections at close proximity to the I-215 where
LOS E may be permitted.
The development will mitigate its traffic impacts as required by findings
within the EIR prepared concurrently with the General Plan
Amendment. Traffic related mitigation measures are included within
the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, which is an
attachment to the EIR resolution.
Policy C-1.3 Work with Caltrans, RCTC, and others to identify, fund,
and implement needed improvements to roadways identified in the
citywide roadway network.
Developers of the project area provide offsite improvements to Briggs
Road, Old Newport Road, and Tres Lagos Drive. The project is also
required to pay their fair share toward offsite improvements at the
intersection of Menifee Road and Newport Road and the intersection of
Briggs Road and Holland Road.
Policy C-1.5 Minimize idling times and vehicle miles traveled to
conserve resources, protect air quality, and limit greenhouse gas
emissions.
The General Plan Amendment area is close to Newport
Road/Domenigoni Parkway and I-215. The proximity of both roadways
will reduce the miles travelled and idle times for vehicle trips generated
within the Amendment area. Additionally, fair-share contributions
and/or mitigation requirements will be used to offset idling at key areas
identified in the EIR.
Policy OSC-1.2 Require a minimum of 5 acres of public open space be
provided for every 1,000 city residents.
Developers of the Rockport Ranch Specific Plan will pay fees according
to the City of Menifee’s Municipal Code and Quimby resolution setting
the amount of Quimby Fees, or as subsequently amended thereafter.
Policy OSC-6.1 Protect both existing farms and sensitive uses around
them as agricultural acres transition to more developed land uses.
The proposed project is located on the site of a former operational dairy.
The existing site is not located within an agricultural preserve, nor is the
site under a Williamson Act contract. Exhibit OSC-5 of the City of
Menifee General Plan, Open Space Element shows the existing
agricultural land use as an infill site surrounded by residential and
recreational land uses to the north, south, and west. The transition to
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the proposed Specific Plan zoning, which includes residential and open
space land uses will be a more appropriate use of the land and is
consistent with the existing land uses to the north, south, and west.
Therefore, the proposed transition to General Plan Amendment area
for residential and open space land uses does not conflict with this
policy.
Policy ED-3.1 Incorporate short-term and long-term economic and
fiscal implications of proposed actions into decision making.
Refer to response under Policy 3.3 below.
Policy ED-3.2 Establish a land use plan that is fiscally sustainable
at buildout, because different land uses provide different fiscal balances
(revenues in excess of the costs required to provide public facilities and
services).
Refer to response under Policy 3.3 below.
Policy ED-3.3 Utilize the following parameters on general plan
amendments that are not part of a City-initiated comprehensive
amendment or update: …The City may require a fiscal impact analysis
and mitigation of any negative fiscal impacts for any requested general
plan amendment uses.
The change in land use proposed under this project required the
completion of a Fiscal Impact Analysis (FIA). The FIA concluded that
the annual recurring revenues to the City’s General Fund at project
build-out would equal $362,875 compared to recurring fiscal costs of
$310,933, a net benefit of approximately $51,942. However, based
upon the City’s review of the FIA, the City determined there would be a
shortfall of revenue. The FIA Review evaluated the cost per capita
assuming a full building-out scenario and determined the proportionate
share associated to the development of new residential properties. The
report translates to ($479) for each newly developed detached single-
family residential and ($354) per multi-family residential unit needed to
mitigate future impacts. Given this net negative impact, the developer
is required (per the Project’s Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program and Conditions of Approval) to establish a funding
mechanism, such as payment of an in-lieu fee, to mitigate its impact to
the City’s General Fund.
Consistency with Community Design Element.
Although the Community Design Element section of the City of Menifee
General Plan is optional, the Rockport Ranch General Plan Amendment is
consistent with the Element. The Community Design Element seeks to
establish a level of quality in the built environment for a visually pleasing living
experience. It is for those reasons the Community Design Elements were
crafted. Goals CD-1: Community Image, CD-2: Rural Design, CD-3: Design
Quality, CD-4: Corridors and Scenic Resources, CD-5: Economic
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Development Corridor Design, and CD-6: Community Design Features form
the core vision of the look and feel for the City of Menifee.
Design of the project area considered the past uses of the site and created
a development with a distinct visual character. Architecture was selected for
its unique and attractive facade and utilized several different home styles and
types to give the neighborhood a varied appearance. Landscaped open
spaces were designed to blend the architecture into the built community
environment thereby creating a sense of place. Landscaped greenways were
designed to give public roads a pleasant view as residents traverse through
the Plan area.
Consistency with Housing Element.
Housing Element has identified sites within the General Plan Amendment
area that meet the City’s affordable housing sites under the RHNA. Section
65863 of the Government Code prohibits cities from allowing their inventory
of available sites to be insufficient to meet their remaining unmet RHNA share
for lower and moderate-income housing. California Government Code
Section 65863 requires cities to make certain findings that the remaining
housing element sites can accommodate the RHNA requirements by income
level.
The Menifee Housing Element states that General Plan designations in the
range of 20.1-24.0 dwelling units/acre can be used to meet the City’s Very
Low- and Low-income requirement of 2,495 units. The City has designated
a number of parcels with that residential density to both vacant land and
under-utilized sites in Romoland towards meeting the Very Low and Low
RHNA numbers for 2014-2021. All these parcels provide for a total 3,063
potential units thereby exceeding the RHNA criteria by 568 units.
Implementation of the Project would not conflict with the City’s ability to meet
the affordable housing requirements due to the extra capacity of potential
sites in the City of Menifee. The Housing Element assumes no residential
units on the Project site as it is zoned for Heavy Agriculture. The Project
would develop 305 single-family residences and would not demolish existing
housing. Thus, implementation of the Project would not conflict with the City’s
ability to meet the affordable housing sites as identified in the Housing
Element.
The Project would be consistent with or otherwise would not conflict with any
of the adopted Housing Goals. Additionally, the Project would provide 305
residential homes on lot sizes ranging from multifamily-type courtyard to
5,000 sf to 7,500 sf in size, which would assist the City in meeting its share
of the Moderate and Above Moderate regional housing need. The mix of
single-family homes and courtyard residential, with each type located in
clusters of similar minimum lot sizes, equates to a Plan area total of Medium
Density Residential (MDR), 2.1-5 dwelling units (DU)/acre. This Amendment
must incorporate or otherwise not hinder the following Housing Element
goals HE-1: Housing Diversity, HE-2: Neighborhood Quality, HE-3: Housing
Assistance. To achieve these goals the development plan for Rockport
Ranch will include a variety of unit styles, unit bedroom counts, home square
footages, and lot sizes that offer a range of economic opportunities to
potential home buyers. An assortment of single-family homes and single-
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General Plan Amendment No 2016-287
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family courtyard homes are included in the Plan area to increase the
homeownership opportunities for all income levels and to help satisfy the
requirements included within the Housing Element.
For these reasons, the General Plan Amendment is consistent with the City’s
General Plan objectives, policies, and programs.
Section 2: The General Plan Amendment prescribes reasonable controls
and standards for affected land uses to ensure compatibility and integrity of
those uses with other established uses.
The Project site is bounded as follows: Old Newport Road and Tierra Shores
single-family residential development to the north; Wilderness Lakes RV
Resort to the south; The Lakes residential development to the west; and
Briggs Road, Ramona Egg Ranch, and agricultural fields to the east. The
proposed General Plan Amendment is compatible with the surrounding land
uses. A General Plan Amendment and Change of Zone will be needed for
the Project to be consistent with land use designations and zoning
classifications.
The Land Use Plan of the General Plan was designed to ensure compatibility
of proposed land uses with other established uses. The project places
residential uses adjacent to the existing residences and recreational uses
surrounding the site. The lot sizes and development standards of the Specific
Plan are consistent with surrounding existing residential developments. The
height, colors, materials, and development fabric are consistent with the
surrounding development to the north, west and, somewhat to the south. The
Project will contrast with the rural agricultural uses to the east in terms of the
development fabric. When placed in the context of the development to the
north, west, and south, and utilizing Briggs Road as an “urban growth limit”
of the City, the Project is appropriate in its location.
The Project will provide enhanced landscaping along roads that border the
Project, including Old Newport Road, Briggs Road, Tres Lagos Road, and
Laguna Vista Drive, including new entryway monuments, masonry walls, and
plants suited to local soils and climate. Trails in the Plan area have been
designed to link the community to the adjacent streets outside of the General
Plan area with two access points connecting to Briggs Road, one access
point to Old Newport Road, and one access point to Tres Lagos Drive. In
addition, the lighting plans will be reviewed to ensure shielding and
acceptable light levels at these adjacent uses. The Land Use Plan of the
General Plan was designed to ensure compatibility of proposed land uses
with other established uses. The project places residential parcels adjacent
to the existing residences surrounding the site. The lot sizes and
development standards of the general plan area and incorporated into the
tentative tract map design are consistent with surrounding existing residential
developments. Therefore, the General Plan Amendment prescribes
reasonable controls and standards for affected land uses to ensure
compatibility and integrity of those uses with other established uses.
while protecting environmentally sensitive land uses and species.
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General Plan Amendment No 2016-287
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Section 3: The General Plan Amendment provides for the protection of the health,
safety, and/or general welfare of the community.
The Amendment will not result in conditions detrimental to the public health,
safety, or general welfare as proposed. The associated entitlements have
been reviewed and conditioned by the City of Menifee Community
Development, Engineering, Building and Safety and Fire Departments to
ensure that it will not create conditions materially detrimental to the
surrounding uses. Conditions of approval for those concurrent entitlements
include substantial landscaping, park, and other amenities to support the
proposed residential component, roadway improvements, a network of Class
II and III bike lanes/routes, fire infrastructure, and drainage improvements
that will benefit the project site and surrounding areas.
In addition, environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of the
General Plan Amendment have been analyzed in the EIR. The EIR
determined that potential impacts would all be less than significant with the
necessary mitigation incorporated, except for significant and unavoidable
impacts to Air Quality. A Statement of Overriding Considerations is included
for the EIR stating that the impacts of the project are acceptable and
outweighed by the benefits of the project. Except Air Quality, the proposed
entitlements are not anticipated to create conditions materially detrimental to
the public health, safety and general welfare or injurious to or incompatible
with other properties or land uses in the project vicinity.
Section 4: Compliance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
An EIR has been completed for the project and recommended for certification
by the City Council pursuant to a separate Resolution. The General Plan
Amendment is consistent with the EIR, which the Planning Commission has
considered as part of its proceedings. In addition, environmental impacts
resulting from the implementation of the Change of Zone have been analyzed
in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIR determined that potential
impacts would all be less than significant with the necessary mitigation
incorporated, except for significant and unavoidable impacts to Air Quality. A
Statement of Overriding Considerations is included for the EIR stating that
the impacts of the project are acceptable and outweighed by the benefits of
the project. With the exception of the environmental category of Air Quality,
the proposed entitlements are not anticipated to create conditions materially
detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare or injurious to or
incompatible with other properties or land uses in the project vicinity.
NOW THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the City of Menifee hereby
recommends to the City Council the following:
1. That the City Council determine that the “Findings” set out above are true
and correct.
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General Plan Amendment No 2016-287
April 22, 2020
2. That the City Council finds that the facts presented within the public record
and within the Planning Commission Resolution provide the basis to
approve General Plan Amendment No. 2016-287, and that the Council
approve said Amendment.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this the 22nd day of APRIL 2020.
_________________________
Randy Madrid, Chairman
Attest:
_______________________________
Stephanie Roseen, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:
______________________________
Ajit Thind, Assistant City Attorney
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LEGEND
ROCKPORT RANCH - MENIFEE, CA
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT EXHIBIT
PROPERTY BOUNDARY
EXISTING RIGHT OF WAYGENERAL PLAN LAND USEDESIGNATION = OS-WA PORTION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE
NORTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 1,
TOWNSHIP 6 SOUTH, RANGE 3 WEST,
IN THE CITY OF MENIFEE, COUNTY OF
RIVERSIDE, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SAN
BERNARDINO BASE AND MERIDIAN
EXCEL ENGINEERING
440 STATE PLACE
ESCONDIDO, CA 92029
PHONE (760) 745-8118
FAX (760) 745-1890
364-190-004, 005
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE
(PREVIOUSLY WAS AN
OPERATING DAIRY FARM)
THE ABACHERLI
FAMILY TRUST
29875 NEWPORT ROAD
MENIFEE, CA 92584
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
CITY OF MENIFEE )
I, Stephanie Roseen, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Menifee, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Planning Commission Resolution No. PC20- was duly adopted by the Planning
Commission of the City of Menifee at a meeting thereof held on the 22 day of April 2020 by the
following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
_______________________________
Stephanie Roseen, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
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491
Diederich, Karwin, Phillips, Thomas, Madrid
None
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