Vineyards at Sand Creek EIR and Planning Services – City of Antioch
The proposed project is located in the Sandcreek Focus Area of southern Antioch. The project consists of a 650-unit residential development, parks, and associated infrastructure on approximately 130 acres. Requested project entitlements included a General Plan Amendment from Business Park to Residential, Rezone from Study Zone to Planned Development District with a Master Development Plan, Development Agreement, Vesting Tentative Map, Use Permit, and Design Review. Raney was under contract with the City to provide planning assistance in the review and processing of the project application. In addition, Raney was under contract with the City to prepare an EIR for the project. The EIR addressed all CEQA sections, including Aesthetics, Agricultural Resources, Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning/ Population and Housing, Mineral Resources, Noise, Public Services and Utilities / Recreation, and Transportation and Circulation. Of particular note is how the proposed project interfaced and potentially impacted Sand Creek. In addition, the project required major roadway and infrastructure improvements that required coordination on timing of improvements with each phase of the project. Raney prepared and presented the Planning Commission and City Council staff reports, as well as assisted with preparation of the necessary ordinances and resolution. The EIR has been certified and the project approved.
Cedar Flat Estates Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration – City of Galt
The proposed Cedar Flat Estates project is located in northeast Galt and consists of a 120-unit Planned Unit Development, gated subdivision with an associated 10-foot wide bicycle/pedestrian trail along an ephemeral drainage. The lots range in size from 6,510 to 9,410 square feet and the project includes the development of an internal road network to provide access to the proposed residences. The project combines three previously-approved residential projects (the Village at Lexington Heights Project and the Four Seasons and Lonnie Estates Project). The required approvals for the project include approval of a rezone and tentative subdivision map.
Raney worked closely with the City throughout the environmental review process and provided the City with input and guidance regarding appropriate environmental findings and mitigation for the environmental issues identified in the IS/MND. Particular areas of concern included biological resources (e.g., wetlands and Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat), and drainage given the site’s proximity to Deadman Gulch. Other primary issues of concern for the proposed project included air quality / greenhouse gases, noise, and transportation and circulation. The project’s Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration has been completed and was approved in December 2015.
Timberline at Auburn EIR – City of Auburn
The proposed gated age-restricted community will include a total of 860 dwelling units, which includes 78 lofts. The project is proposed to include a range of residential products, including Independent Living buildings (three story), Villa Duplexes, detached Villas, and Assisted Living buildings. The approximately 25 acres on the east side of the project will be a commercial center that will satisfy most of the needs of the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) residents as well as area residents and visitors. North of this center will be additional office and commercial uses. Raney prepared a project-level EIR that will provide a comprehensive analysis of the anticipated environmental effects associated with completion of the proposed project. The primary environmental issues of concern for the Timberline at Auburn project are Aesthetics; Air Quality; Biological Resources; Geology and Soils; Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use & Planning; Mineral Resources; Noise; Public Services; Transportation and Circulation; and Utilities & Service Systems. The Draft EIR was prepared and circulated for public review. The Final EIR was completed and certified, and the project was approved. A lawsuit was filed, and the judge ruled in favor of the applicant; however an appeal has been filed.
Newland Homes Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration – City of Morgan Hill
The Curtis Park Village project included obtaining the appropriate entitlements for the infill development of approximately 250 single-family home sites, 310 multi-family housing units, approximately 50,000 square feet of first floor commercial uses with multi-family housing on upper floors, approximately 150,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving commercial uses, and five to six acres of park/open space.