HomeMy WebLinkAboutD-2 - 1035 E. Mauna Loa Avenue PPRSCHEDULED ITEM
D-2
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER
FROM: JOSE D. JIMENEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
DATE: MARCH 3, 2025
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE THE PROCESSING OF A GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENT (GPA) AND A ZONE CHANGE (ZC) TO ALLOW FOR A 153
RESIDENTIAL UNIT DEVELOPMENT COMPRISED OF SINGLE-FAMILY
UNITS, TWO-STORY TOWNHOMES, AND THREE-STORY TOWNHOMES AT
1035 EAST MAUNA LOA AVENUE
BACKGROUND:
Process for Review
In 2020, the City Council directed staff to develop an updated process for reviewing legislative
zoning actions, including General Plan Amendments, Zone Changes, and Specific Plans. The goal
was to allow the Council an opportunity to evaluate these applications earlier in the process.
Previously, the Council only reviewed these applications after staff had vetted them and the
Planning Commission had conducted its review and provided recommendations. Under the
updated policy, applications that involve legislative zoning actions must now be presented to the
City Council for initial direction after completing the Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) process.
Site History
The 9.14-acre site, formerly Powell Elementary School, is owned by the Azusa Unified School
District. The District declared the site, along with other properties, as surplus land in accordance
with Education Code Section 17388.
As part of this process:
•A Facility Advisory (7-11) Committee evaluated the properties, held public meetings, and
made recommendations.
•The Board of Education adopted Resolution #23-24:02 on August 8, 2023, designating the
property as "exempt surplus land" under Government Code Section 54221(f)(1)(I).
•This exemption means the property is not subject to the usual Surplus Land Act (SLA)
requirements, such as offering it to public agencies before sale.
Approved
City Council
March 3, 2025
Preliminary Plan Review No. 2025-01
March 3, 2025
Page 2
Following this designation, the District sent out a Request for Proposals which ultimately resulted in
the selection of Taylor Morrison as the developer for the vacant property at 1035 E. Mauna Loa
Avenue. The developer has submitted a conceptual plan to build 153 residential units on the site.
They are currently in the due-diligence and feasibility stage, for which the school district has set a
deadline of March 31, 2025. The applicant is seeking City Council direction on whether the
application requiring legislative zoning action is viable before proceeding further.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction on one of the following actions:
1)Direct staff to process proposed General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, and related
Design Review Project as presented; OR
2)Direct applicant to make certain changes to proposed plan prior to application submittal for
staff to process; OR
3)Direct staff not to proceed with processing the application.
To clarify, if the City Council selects option 1 or 2 as outlined above, this does not constitute pre-
approval of the proposal. It merely allows the application to continue through the review process.
The full development of the proposed plans, including proposals for the general plan amendment
and zoning change, must be submitted to the City for review. This submission must also include
any necessary studies to facilitate a thorough environmental review, which will assess potential
impacts, identify effects, and propose possible mitigation measures. Once the application is deemed
complete and the appropriate level of environmental review is conducted (as determined by the
environmental consultant), the proposal will be presented to the Planning Commission for their
recommendations. The final decision will then be brought before the City Council for action.
ANALYSIS:
Current Zoning and Land Use Designation
The property is currently zoned and falls under the land use designation of Institutional/School
(INS). The INS zone is applied to properties in the city that are occupied by or reserved for public
facilities and utilities, meeting facilities, public and private schools, libraries, government offices,
etc. Residential housing is not a permitted use within this zone.
Surrounding Uses
The subject site is surrounded by single-family residential to the east, south, and west and multi-
family residential to the north. The parcel to the north has a maximum allowable density of 15 units
per acre while the properties to the west are 8 units per acre. The properties to the east and south of
the project site are within an Unincorporated area of Los Angeles County but seem to be similar in
density to the properties within the City of Azusa limits to the west.
Preliminary Plan Review No. 2025-01
March 3, 2025
Page 3
Figure 1. Aerial View of Project Site
Figure 2. Proposed Density in Relation to Allowable Densities in Surrounding Zones
Preliminary Plan Review No. 2025-01
March 3, 2025
Page 4
Proposed Project
The Mauna Loa Project includes:
1. 153 Residential Units:
o Attached three-story townhomes
o Attached two-story townhomes
o Single-family detached two-story cluster homes
o Density: 17.53 dwelling units per acre
o Unit sizes: Two- to four-bedroom options
2.Site Design & Access:
o Guest parking, driveways, and courtyards
o Primary & secondary entrances on E. Mauna Loa Avenue & N. Calera Avenue
Figure 3. Preliminary Conceptual Site Plan Taylor Morrison
Preliminary Plan Review No. 2025-01
March 3, 2025
Page 5
PPR Review and Initial Feedback
As part of the Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) process, planning staff circulated the proposed
project to other reviewing departments to gather comments and questions for the applicant. Below
is a summary of the initial feedback provided.
Key Comments & Recommendations:
•Site Layout Adjustment: To improve compatibility with surrounding properties, relocate the
two-story townhomes (blue) currently fronting E. Mauna Loa Avenue and N. Calera Avenue
to the northern section of the site, swapping them with the single-family detached cluster
homes (orange).
•Building Massing: Adjust the single-family detached cluster homes by stepping back the
second story from the first-story façade to reduce the visual impact.
•Infrastructure Requirements: Conduct traffic and sewer capacity studies to ensure the
project can be adequately serviced.
•Utility Requirements: The existing overhead power lines must be relocated underground.
Note: The proposed site plan remains subject to change based on these comments to address the
identified concerns.
Required Entitlement for the Proposed Project
To proceed with the proposed 153 residential project, the following entitlements would be required,
along with appropriate environmental determination following thorough analysis of all relevant
studies and report as they relate to traffic, infrastructure, etc.:
General Plan Amendment and Zone Change (Legislative Zoning Actions)– The subject property
is currently zoned and has a land use designation of Institutional. Residential housing is not a
permitted use in this zone. Therefore, the applicant will need to process both a zone change and a
general plan amendment to allow for the proposed usage. The Planning Commission would review
the changes and make a recommendation to the City Council.
Design Review and Tentative Tract Map – The project would be required to obtain Design Review
approval for the design of the proposal, and Tentative Tract Map for the subdivision. Both of these
would be reviewed.
CONCLUSION:
The City Council has the ability to direct staff to continue processing the subject project if it is
inclined to do so, or direct staff and/or applicant to work on additional changes in order to accept
the application for the Specific Plan Amendment. Alternatively, the City Council may direct staff
not to consider the proposed legislative zoning action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The is no fiscal impact related to this item.
Preliminary Plan Review No. 2025-01
March 3, 2025
Page 6
Prepared by: Reviewed by:
Anthony Alvarado Jose D. Jimenez
Senior Planner Economic and Community
Development Director
Knarik Vizcarra
Planning Manager
Reviewed and Approved by:
Sergio Gonzalez
City Manager
Attachments:
1)Developer Letter and Proposed Conceptual Site Plan for 1035 E. Mauna Loa Avenue Site
6440 Oak Canyon, Suite 200, Irvine, California 92618
12/10/24
Anthony Alvarado
City of Azusa Planning Department
213 E Foothill Boulevard, Azusa, CA 91702
RE: Project Description for the Former Powell Elementary School and Proposed Residential Development in Azusa, CA
Anthony,
We are pleased to submit this letter as part of the preliminary plan review package for the proposed residential development
project on E Mauna Loa Avenue. This submission aligns with previous discussions with Anthony and Jose. Taylor Morrison
is seeking entitlement through either a Planned Development or Specific Plan application. Below, we provide an overview of
the proposed project, including site development standards and its key features.
Project Overview
- Site Area: Approximately 9.14 acres gross, approximately 8.73 acres net
- Proposed Development: 153 residential units, comprising attached 3-story townhomes, attached 2-story townhomes, and
single-family detached 2-story cluster homes
- Building Gross Area: 242,577 square feet
- Net Density: 17.53 dwelling units per acre
- Construction Type: VB with NFPA 13D sprinkler system compliance
Proposed Site Development Standards
Development Standard Provided
Private Open Space 38,862 SF (254 SF per unit blended)
Common Open Space 18,487 SF (120 SF per unit)
Guest Parking 56 stalls (0.37 stalls per unit)
Front Setback 15’
Rear Setback 15’
Side Setbacks 15’
Min. Setback Between Buildings 10’
Max. Building Height 40’
Main Drive Aisle Width 26’
Alley Width 24’
Attachment 1
Taylor Morrison
Page 2 of 2
Key Features of the Project
1.Building Composition:
a.Includes two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom units ranging from 1,300 to 1,908 square feet.
b.Buildings will incorporate varying architectural styles to enhance aesthetic diversity.
c.Single family detached product predominantly located adjacent to existing single family product on the East
and North property edge. Two-story townhomes front along N. Calera Ave and E. Mauna Loa Ave. Every
two-story townhome along the property line has a front door facing the public ROWs. Three-story townhome
products are located on the interior island away from the property boundaries.
2.Community Amenities:
a.Tot lot, BBQ area, shaded gathering space, and a dog park.
b.Enhanced landscaping with drought-tolerant plantings and eco-conscious irrigation systems.
c.A central paseo with a pathway promoting pedestrian connectivity throughout the community.
3.Sustainability:
a.Incorporates efficient utility systems, including electric vehicle charging stations.
b.Designed in compliance with California’s water conservation requirements (AB1881).
We are confident that this submission satisfies the City’s requirements and look forward to working collaboratively to bring
this project to fruition. Should you require any additional information or clarification, please do not hesitate to contact Matt
Maehara at (714) 397-6461 or via email at mmaehara@taylormorrison.com.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to working with the City to bring this project to life.
Sincerely,
Matt Maehara
Land Acquisition Director
Taylor Morrison, Southern California Division
Phone: (714) 397-6461
Email: mmaehara@taylormorrison.com
Attachment 1
1035 E Mauna Loa Ave
7
Attachment 1