PC24-617RESOLUTION NO. PC 24-617
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NO. PLN 21-0338 BY AND
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MENIFEE AND MINOR RANCH, LLC
WHEREAS, on June 8, 2021, the applicant, Minor Ranch, LLC ("Applicant") filed
a formal application with the City of Menifee for Development Agreement
No. PLN 21-0338 which proposes a statutory development agreement between the
Applicant and the City of Menifee ("Development Agreement" or "DA") concerning the
development of The Menifee Valley Specific Plan (MVSP) ("Project') for establishment of
provision for development of the Project such as, but not limited to infrastructure
improvement, park benefits, vesting of development rights and timing of public
improvements; and
WHEREAS, the application for the DA is being processed concurrently with
applications for a Specific Plan No. PLN 21-0217 which establishes land uses and
development standards for 590.3 acres, including the Project area, a General Plan
Amendment (GPA) No. PLN 21-0336 to change the General Plan land use map to include
the MVSP land use designation and remove the portion of Menifee Valley Ranch Specific
Plan No. 301 (SP 301) proposed to be removed under Specific Plan Amendment (SPA)
No. PLN 21-0221, a Change of Zone (CZ) No. PLN 21-0335 to revise the City Zoning Map
to include the MVSP zone, a SPA No. PLN 21-0221) (listed above), a Tentative Tract Map
(TTM) No. PLN 22-0033 for a subdivision for conveyance purposes and mass grading,
and a DA No. PLN 21-0338 for the establishment of provision for development of the
Project such as, but not limited to infrastructure improvement, park benefits, vesting of
development rights and timing of public improvements (collectively, the applications are
referred to as the "Project', "Menifee Valley Specific Plan", or "MVSP"); and
WHEREAS, City has found that development agreements will strengthen the
public planning process, encourage private participation in comprehensive planning by
providing a greater degree of certainty in that process, reduce the economic costs of
development, allow for the orderly planning of public improvements and services, allocate
costs to achieve maximum utilization of public and private resources in the development
process, and ensure that appropriate measures to enhance and protect the environment
are achieved; and
WHEREAS, on January 10, 2024, the Planning Commission, held a duly noticed
Public Hearing on the Project, considered all public testimony as well as 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, notices placed on the project site, and notice to property owners within 300 feet
of the Project boundaries, and to persons requesting public notice; and
WHEREAS, the DA has been prepared, processed, reviewed, heard, and
approved in accordance with applicable law, including but not limited to Section 65864 et
seq. of the Government Code and is attached hereto as "Exhibit A" of this Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the City of Menifee resolves as
follows:
Section 1: The proposed DA is consistent with the objectives, policies, general land
uses and programs specified in the General Plan and any applicable specific
plan.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
The proposed DA provides for the following key points:
• 15-year agreement with option for an additional 5 years subject to
completion of minimum 75,000 SF of commercial retail.
• Development Impact Fees (DIF) credits based on facility construction.
• Public facility site dedication of graded pad with utilities.
• Fire Station cash contribution for City construction of the station.
• Pre -established timelines for completion of the sports park, aquatics
center, pedestrian bridge, paseos, private recreation center/clubhouse,
and retail commercial spaces.
• Administrative approvals and allowances for subsequent approvals with
specific conditions.
• Plan check/inspection effort to maintain 3 week/2week timeframe.
• Transportation improvements constructed pursuant to specific
development milestones.
The DA also ensures the following project economic impacts:
Excess Public benefits of $37 million
Payment of DIF and Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF)
estimated at over $65M.
Payment of fair share contributions in excess of $4.7 million
The Project is consistent with the Specific Plan land use designation. In
addition, the Project will provide the residential uses envisioned in the
General Plan and will generating economic growth and supplying needed
infrastructure, services and amenities envisioned in the General Plan.
In addition, the Project and associated DA are consistent with the following
City of Menifee General Plan policies:
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 Project places appropriate uses within an area designated Specific
Plan per the General Plan. Growth has been concentrated in this
strategic location to help preserve rural areas. Through the land use
plan, development standards, and the design guidelines, the Specific
Plan will create a unique place and develop its own identity. The Land
Use Plan, Circulation Plan, Grading Plan, and Phasing Plan of the
Specific Plan will ensure that that development will provide
infrastructure efficiently. A combination of pathways, paseos,
walkways, or similar pedestrian accesses are provided that connect the
individual Planning Areas in the Specific Plan to commercial areas and
recreation areas.
The DA implements and is consistent with Land Use Plan, Circulation
Plan, Grading Plan, and Phasing Plan of the Specific Plan.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
• 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 Project provides a variety of lot sizes that can accommodate
different housing types and price ranges. The Project contains
residential, school, recreation, conservation, public facility civic node,
business park, and commercial uses, which makes it possible for
people to live and work in Menifee and maintain a high quality of life.
• Policy LU-1.5: Support development and land use patterns, where
appropriate, that reduce reliance on the automobile and capitalize on
multimodal transportation opportunities.
The Project provides pedestrian connections, trails, and bike lanes to
facilitate multimodal transportation. The Project was designed to
promote walkability. In addition, a pedestrian connection was added
from the residential portion to the future potential transit stop at the
southwest corner of the Project site adjacent to the existing rail lines. In
addition, the Project site provides paths of travel to encourage walking
of future residents to the future commercial uses and the existing sports
park within the Heritage Lake community to the south across the
BNSFRR rail lines.
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 Project provides planning areas which allow for and
anticipate these types of amenities and public facilities, such as a K-5
school, green spaces, recreational amenities, and agri-commerical
uses such as a community farm. The parks and paseos are distributed
strategically through the Project area so that recreational amenities are
nearby residents.
LU-2.1 Promote infill development that complements existing
neighborhoods and surrounding areas. Infill development and future
growth in Menifee is strongly encouraged to locate within EDC areas
to preserve the rural character of rural, estate, and small estate
residential uses.
The proposed Project is located within an urbanized area, surrounded
by SR-74, Menifee Road, BNSFRR rail lines, and Briggs Road. The
areas surrounding the Project site consist of a mix of land uses,
including industrial, residential, and public/quasi-public facilities. The
proposed Project will promote infill development and complement these
existing and proposed adjacent land uses.
• Policy C-1.1 Require roadways to: Comply with federal, state and local
design and safety standards.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
The TTM proposes improvements for roadways, including but not
limited to, Menifee Road, Briggs Road, McCall Boulevard, SR-74,
McLaughlin Road and Matthews Road/Case Road, which are
consistent with the City's General Plan and the City's Public Works and
Engineering Department Standard Details.
Policy C-2.2 Provide off-street multipurpose trails and on -street bike
lanes as our primary paths of citywide travel and explore the shared
use of low -speed roadways for connectivity wherever it is safe to do so.
The Project provides bike lanes and trails consistent with the General
Plan.
• Policy CD-1.3: Strengthen the identity of individual
neighborhoods/communities with entry monuments, flags, street signs,
and/or special tree streets, landscaping, and lighting.
The Project includes entry monuments with a common architectural
theme that will strengthen the identity of the development. Special
trees and landscaping have been incorporated into the overall design
and streetscapes. Expanded parkways are also included on several
streets to enhance the streetscapes. A round -about is provided within
the Project to add to the community identity as well.
• CD-3.8 Design retention/detention basins to be visually attractive and
well integrated with any associated project and with adjacent land uses.
The MVSP has been designed to include substantial landscaping and
to be screened from adjacent roadways.
• CD-6.1 Recognize the importance of street trees in the aesthetic appeal
of residential neighborhoods and require the planting of street trees
throughout the City.
The proposed Project will include street trees throughout the project
site.
• HE-2.4 Parks and Recreation. Enhance neighborhood livability and
sustainability by providing parks and open spaces, planting trees,
greening parkways, and maintaining a continuous pattern of paths that
encourage an active, healthy lifestyle.
As described above, the Project provides parks and open spaces,
including expanded parkways, trees and a pattern of pathways that
encourage an active healthy lifestyle.
HE-2.5 Public Facilities and Infrastructure. Provide quality
community facilities, infrastructure, traffic management, public safety,
and other services to promote and improve the livability, safety, and
vitality of residential neighborhoods.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
The Project incorporates quality community facilities, including parks,
is conditioned to install infrastructure including sewer, water, roadways,
and will promote and improve the livability, safety and vitality of the
proposed residential neighborhoods and surrounding existing
neighborhoods.
• OSC-1.2: Require a minimum of five acres of public open space to be
provided for every 1, 000 City residents.
Menifee Municipal Code requires 5 acres of parkland for every 1,000
residents. The overall Specific Plan proposes 1,718 dwelling units with
an estimate of 5,220 residents' (using 3.12 person per single-family
residential household and 2.48 persons per multi -family household )2.
Based on the proposed residents, 26.1 acres of parkland would be
required. The proposed Specific Plan proposes 29.8 acres of public
parkland (Planning Areas 7A, 8A, and 8B) on the project site.
Section 2: Consistency with the Zoning Code. The proposed DA is compatible with
uses authorized in, and the regulations prescribed for, the zone in which the
real property will be located.
The General Plan land use and zoning designation of the site is SP 301;
however, the proposed DA is being concurrently processed with a SPA to
remove the Project site from SP 301 and a Specific Plan application to
include the Project site within a new Specific Plan (MVSP). In addition, the
Project is being processed concurrently with a GPA to change the General
Plan land use map to include the MVSP land use designation and remove
the portion of SP 301 proposed to be removed under SPA No. PLN 21-0221
and a CZ to revise the City Zoning Map to include the MVSP zone. The
Specific Plan includes the allowed uses and development standards
applicable to property within the Specific Plan.
The DA contains administrative approvals and allowances for subsequent
approvals with specific conditions, which would supersede the City current
Zoning Code. However, the DA will strengthen the public planning process,
encourage private participation in comprehensive planning by providing a
greater degree of certainty in that process, reduce the economic costs of
development, allow for the orderly planning of public improvements and
services, allocate costs to achieve maximum utilization of public and private
resources in the development process, and ensure that appropriate
measures to enhance and protect the environment are achieved
87.2 percent of residential development is single-family; 12.8 percent of residential development is
multi -family (per the MVSP)
87.2% * 1,718 =1,498 single-family units; 12.8% * 1,718 = 220 multi -family units
3.12 persons per unit * 1,498 units = 4,674 persons (single-family households); 2.48 persons per unit "
220 units = 546 persons (multi -family households)
4,674 + 546 = 5,220 persons
United States Census Bureau. 2019. 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates. Table DP02.
hftps://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=persons%20per%20household&t=Family°/`20Size%20and%20T
ype%3AHousehold%20and%20Family&g=1600000US0646842&tid=ACSDPI Y2019.DP02&moe=false.
Accessed March 2, 2022.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
Section 3: The proposed DA is in conformity with and will promote public convenience,
general welfare and good land use practice.
The Project would facilitate the development of a Specific Plan that includes
a mix of land uses, including industrial, residential, commercial, and
public/quasi-public facilities. The residential uses proposed are similar to
existing development surrounding the Project site. Commercial uses
proposed within the Project are located adjacent to SR-74 away from existing
and planned residences and a buffer is established between the industrial
park component of the Project and existing and proposed residential uses.
The Project is compatible with the surrounding land uses, general plan land
use designations and zoning classifications. The Project incorporates quality
design, trails, parks, landscaping and other improvements which will
enhance the area upon construction. The proposed DA provides for the
orderly construction of road improvements, utilities, drainage and other
improvements. The proposed DA is consistent with the Specific Plan and will
assist the Applicants in implementation of the Specific Plan. The proposed
DA is in conformity with and will promote public convenience, general welfare
and good land use practice
Section 4: The DA will not create conditions materially detrimental to the public health,
safety and general welfare within the City.
The DA will not result in conditions detrimental to public health, safety, or
general welfare. The associated entitlements have been reviewed and
conditioned by the City of Menifee Community Development Department,
Engineering, and Office of the Fire Marshal to ensure that it will not create
conditions materially detrimental to the surrounding uses. Conditions of
approval include substantial landscaping, park and other amenities to
support the proposed residential component, roadway improvements
consistent with the General Plan, expanded sidewalks and a network of bike
lanes to encourage non -vehicular travel, fire infrastructure, and drainage
improvements that will benefit the project site and surrounding areas.
In addition, environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of the
Project 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, Greenhouse Gas, Land Use and Planning and
Transportation.
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 these environmental categories (Air
Quality, Greenhouse Gas, Land Use and Planning and Transportation) 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.
The proposed DA does not contain any provisions that would create
conditions materially detrimental to the public health, safety and general
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
welfare or injurious to or incompatible with other properties or land uses in
the Project vicinity and within the City.
Section 5: Orderly Development. The DA would not adversely affect the orderly
development of property and surrounding area, or the preservation of
property values.
The proposed DA would assist with and would not interfere with the Specific
Plan and implementing maps/land use entitlements. The timing of
infrastructure, including parks, was carefully considered and coordinated
consistent with the EIR for the Project and Project construction and phasing.
Therefore, the DA would not adversely affect the orderly development of the
surrounding area. The proposed DA would not alter the land uses as
proposed in the Specific Plan. The proposed DA would not conflict with
surrounding existing and planned land uses and would not have the potential
to adversely affect property values. The proposed DA would assist with the
implementation of the Specific Plan, which includes improvements to
surrounding roads and the construction of parks. The improvements
associated with the Specific Plan implementation are anticipated to enhance
and improve the surrounding area and not adversely affect property values.
Section 5: Encourage Development. The DA would promote and encourage the
development of the proposed project by providing a greater degree of
requisite certainty.
The assurances provided to the Applicant through the proposed DA, such as
vesting and timing for public improvements, would provide greater certainty
and reduced risk that would encourage development as approved under the
Specific Plan and the infrastructure associated with it that would serve the
surrounding area.
Section 5: The proposed DA that includes a subdivision, and any tentative map
prepared for the subdivision, will comply with the provisions in Government
Code Section 66473.7.
The DA includes a subdivision as described above. A Water Supply
Assessment was prepared and approved by the Eastern Municipal Water
District for the project. The Project complies with the provisions of
Government Code Section 66473.7
Section 9: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Compliance. The MVSP EIR
(SCH# 2022030233) has been completed for the Project and recommended for
certification by the City Council pursuant to a separate Resolution. The DA at issue is
consistent with the EIR, which the Planning Commission has considered as part of its
proceedings. The EIR includes a finding made pursuant to Cal. Pub. Res. Code Section
21081 (a)(3) that specific economic, social, or other considerations make infeasible
mitigation measures or Project alternatives identified in the EIR.
Section 10: Approval of the Development Agreement. The Planning Commission
recommends that the City Council find that the facts present within the public record and
within this Resolution provide the basis to approve DA No. PLN 21-0338.
Menifee Valley Specific Plan - DA
January 10, 2024
Section 11: The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on
which this Resolution has been based are located at the Community Development
Department — Planning Division, 29844 Haun Road, Menifee, CA 92586. This information
is provided in compliance with Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 10th day of January 2024.
A � �/'/!, -
/1-ell CaDue, Chairman
Attest:
J
cia, Administrative Assistant
Approved as to form:
Thai Phan, Assistant City Attorney
ENIFE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
CITY OF MENIFEE )
I, Rachel Valencia, Administrative Assistant of the City of Menifee, do hereby certify that the
foregoing Planning Commission Resolution No. PC24-617 was duly adopted by the Planning
Commission of the City of Menifee at a meeting thereof held on the 10th day of January, 2024 by
the following vote:
Ayes: Diederich, Long, Madrid, Thomas, LaDue
Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
J
chel Valencia; Administrative Assistant