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Home My WebLink AboutPC Resolution _4858- Case 5.0576- SP- 1ARESOLUTION NO.4858 OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO REMOVE THE PR, M15, AND H30 DESIGNATIONS WEST OF SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE AND REPLACE THEM WITH L2 (LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL 2 UNITS/ACRE), REDESIGNATE 35 ACRES SOUTHWEST OF THE CANYON HEIGHTS DEVELOPMENT FROM L2 TO C (CONSERVATION) INCLUDING A DENSITY TRANSFER OF 70 UNITS TO ADJACENT EASTERN PROPERTY, AND REDESIGNATE THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE AND MURRAY CANYON DRIVE FROM M15 (MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL 12-15 UNITS/ACRE) TO H30 (MEDIUM -HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL 21-30 UNITS/ACRE) FOR THE PLANNING AREA ENCOMPASSING APPROXIMATELY 721 ACRES LOCATED SOUTH OF MURRAY CANYON DRIVE, NORTH OF ACANTO DRIVE, WEST OF THE PALM CANYON WASH, AND EAST OF THE SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS, ZONE W, W-R-1-B, R-1-B, W-R-1 A, R-1-A, 0-20, U-R, R-2, AND SPA, PORTIONS OF SECTIONS 34, 35, AND 36. WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs has initiated an application for various General Plan Map Amendments in Specific Plan #1A; and WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing of the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Springs to consider Case No. 5.0576 - SP-1A, a request to amend the General Plan Map, was given in accordance with applicable law; and WHEREAS, on June 25, 2003 a public hearing to consider Case No. 5.0576 - SP-1A, a request to amend the General Plan Map, was held by the Planning Commission in accordance with applicable law; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 15063 of the California Environmental Quality Act, an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Reports for the Canyon Park Resort and Spa Specific Plan was prepared and staff found that with the incorporation of proposed mitigation measures, the proposed amendments could not have a significant effect on the environment; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including but not limited to the staff report, all written and oral testimony presented. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEREBY FINDS AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: The proposed General Plan Amendments are in compliance with the Final Environmental Impact Report that was prepared for the Canyon Park Resort and Spa Specific Plan project that was certified and adopted on July 19, 1991 and the additional Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), certified and adopted on January 19, 1994 is in compliance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and the City's CEQA Guidelines. The FEIR, MND, and EIR Addendum for Case No. 5.0576 - SP-1A adequately address the general environmental setting of the proposed Project, its significant environmental impacts, and the alternatives and mitigation measures related to each significant environmental effect for the proposed project. The Planning Commission has independently reviewed and considered the General Plan Amendments and determined that the amendments are in conformance with the information contained in the certified Final Environmental Impact Report and Mitigated Negative Declaration. The Planing Commission further finds that with the incorporation of proposed mitigation measures, potentially significant environmental impacts resulting from this project will be reduced to a level of insignificance and therefore recommends approval of the EIR Addendum for the project. The justification for not preparing a subsequent EIR is provided in the EIR Addendum. The revised project does not involve: substantial changes to the project analyzed in the EIR which would involve new significant effects on the environment or substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts; substantial changes with respect to the circumstances under which the project is being undertaken which would involve new significant effects on the environment not analyzed in the EIR or substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts; or new information of substantial importance which would involve new significant effects on the environment not analyzed in the EIR or substantially increase the severity of previously identified impacts. The preparation of an EIR Addendum is appropriate if some additions and changes are necessary but there are no new significant effects, no increase in the severity of impacts, and there is no new information that was not previously analyzed. The Specific Plan amendment would result in: • a reduction in overall density of the Specific Plan by 37 units; • the location of 230 single family residential units west of South Palm Canyon Drive; • the removal of any hotel, commercial, and restaurant uses from west of South Palm Canyon Drive; and • a 38% reduction in the number of trips generated by the project. All potential impacts were previously analyzed and the impacts associated with the Specific Plan Amendment will be reduced due to the overall reductio in density, the reduction in intensity of land uses west of South Palm Canyon Drive, and the increase in lands designated for conservation. The existing development is consistent with the proposed and existing Specific Plan and therefore, conditions have not changed. The information in the EIR and subsequent environmental assessments are consistent and the components of the project are consistent. n 2: The entire planning area consists of approximately 721 acres and is composed of the Canyon South Golf Course and Clubhouse, the Indian Canyons Resort Hotel, residential development, and conservation/open space. The proposed General Plan amendment will facilitate existing and future development. The proposed general plan amendment will also allow the General Plan Map to remain consistent with the land use designations in Specific Plan #1A. The Canyon South Golf Course and Clubhouse reconstruction projects were both previously approved under a separate permitting process. The proposal for the Indian Canyons Hotel is conceptual in nature. The hotel site will be located on approximately 13.3 acres of property land located at the southeast corner of South Palm Canyon Drive and Murray Canyon Drive. The dike will be realigned towards the south to match the existing dike west of South Palm Canyon Drive. The hotel is conceptually planned at 4 to 5 stories, 80 to 100 foot high maximum building height, and compliance with the City's high rise ordinance with regards to setbacks to adjacent development. The concept drawings in the amended Specific Plan were prepared for analysis purposes and are included in this action. Prior to approval of the actual hotel architecture and site plan, a Planned Development District will need to be submitted for separate review and approval. The residential component of the plan attempts to tie together the single family residential development that is already occurring in the area. Residential development will take place primarily in Planning Areas 2, 3, and 6. Architectural guidelines have been included and area developed from standards already in place as part of the City's architectural review process for single family residences in the Specific Plan area. Potential developments will be a mix of individual single family residences, condominiums, and single family tracts. The conservation component of the plan totals approximately 238 acres, an increase of 38 acres over that previously approved. Most of the land reserved for conservation purposes is in the western half of Section 34. There are also approximately 35 acres of land designated for conservation located southwest of the Canyon Heights development and 31 acres of the Palm Canyon Wash near the eastern boundary of the Specific Plan. The proposed Specific Plan reflects current property ownership and development patterns. Development has followed what was approved in the master plan for the area and therefore, will be consistent with planned land uses in the area. The proposed amendments have been analyzed in relation to the Sierra Club and Andreas Palms stipulated judgement, filed with the Riverside County Clerk on August 18, 1993, and found to be consistent with the terms of the agreement. The specific plan has been designed to comply with the terms and conditions of the Stipulated Judgement. Based upon the proposed plan, significant additional environmental protections are incorporated into the revised Specific Plan. They include the relocated hotel site outside of Peninsular Bighorn Sheep (PBS) habitat, additional open space in PBS habitat, additional open space in the Palm Canyon Wash, and reduction of the Specific Plan boundary by approximately 20 acres at the northeast corner. .lion 3: The amendment to the General Plan will result in the proposed Specific Plan amendments being in conformity with the General Plan Map and Report. Section 4: The subject property is suitable for the uses intended in the General Plan designation in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses, and other considerations deemed relevant by the Commission. Section 5: The proposed change of General Plan designation is necessary and proper at this time, and is not likely to be detrimental to the adjacent property or