City IS LEAD AGENCY on Study 4 Jacobsen/Private Development

CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
NOTICE OF PREPARATION

To:
Distribution List
Date:
July 02, 2008

Subject: Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report

Lead Agency:

CITY OF GRAND TERRACE
Community Development Department
22795 Barton Road
Grand Terrace, California 92313
(909) 430-2247
Contact: Gary Koontz, Community Development Director
Consulting Firm Preparing the Draft EIR:

LSA ASSOCIATES, INC.
1500 Iowa Avenue, Suite 200
Riverside, California 92501
(951) 781-9310

Contact: Chris Del Ross-Risher, AICP, Senior Planner

The CITY OF GRAND TERRACE, acting as the Lead Agency, is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project identified below. We need to know your views or the views of your agency as to the scope and content of the information that should be included in the EIR. If you represent an agency, we are particularly interested in information germane to your statutory responsibilities. If you are a public agency, you may need to use the EIR prepared by our agency when considering your permit or other approval for the project.

This Notice of Preparation contains a brief project description and identifies the environmental issues to be examined in the EIR.
Due to the time limits mandated by State law, your response must be sent at the earliest possible date, but not later than 30 days after receipt of this notice.

Please send your response to Mr. Gary L. Koontz, at the address shown above. Please include the name, phone number, and address of a contact person in your response.

Project Title: Grand Terrace Town Square Master Development Plan
Project Applicant: Jacobsen Family Holdings
Mark Hawley
21800 Burbank Boulevard, Suite 330
Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Project Location: The project site is located along the south side of Barton Road east of Interstate 215, between Michigan Street and the Gage Canal. Surrounding land uses include single-family residential uses to the south, commercial to the west, a Senior Facility, Multifamily Residential, and Professional Offices to the east, with Mixed Commercial and Single Family Residential to the north.

Project Description: The project proposes development of approximately 202,635 square feet of commercial uses in accordance with the Barton Road Specific Plan in five Development Units on approximately 21.11 acres. Proposed development includes:
Development Unit 1 (up to 88,750 square feet of retail space on 8.15 acres),
Development Unit 2 (up to 47,250 square feet of retail space on 4.34 acres),
Development Unit 3 (up to 22,825 square feet of retail uses on 4.60 acres
Development Unit 4 (up to 22,760 square feet of retail space on 2.09 acres) and;
Development Unit 5 (up to 21,050 square feet of commercial uses on 1.93 acres).

These five Development Units are proposed to be constructed in five phases: Phase 1 (consisting of Development Unit 1), Phase 2 (consisting of Development Unit 2, Phase 3 (consisting of Development Unit 3), Phase 4 (consisting of Development Unit 4) is proposed to be completed at a future date following completion of Phases 1 and 2, and Phase 5 (consisting of Development Unit 5) is proposed to be completed at a future date following completion of Phases 1 and 2.

A General Plan Amendment is required for the realignment/extension of Commerce Way as part of the proposed project. The realignment/extension of Commerce Way is proposed to provide a secondary access to Development Units 1 and 2. The General Plan Amendment is necessary to include the realignment/extension of Commerce Way in the Circulation Element of the General Plan.

The proposed project would include a Sign Program that is compatible with the architectural theme and site layout and compliant with Chapter 18.80 of the Grand Terrace Municipal Code. Signs within the General Commercial (GC) district shall be permitted in accordance with the provision of the BRSP. The Sign Program for the proposed project identifies sign design guidelines for all signs (free standing signs, menu board signs, awning signs, and wall signs) associated with the project, prohibited signs, and construction requirements for all signs. The Community Development Director may approve a sign that does not strictly adhere to the sign provisions of Chapter 18.80 of the Grand Terrace Municipal Code provided that the sign is compatible with the surrounding development and is in harmony with the general aesthetics and welfare of the local area. Furthermore, the Planning Commission has the authority to allow deviations from the sign ordinance to approve creative and innovative sign programs or sign solutions under exceptional or unusual circumstances.

Probable Environmental Effects
The proposed project may produce environmental effects associated with air quality, cultural resources, noise, and transportation. The EIR will include an analysis of these topics. The EIR will address the short-term and long-term effects of the project on the environment, the proposed project’s potential to cause direct and indirect growth inducing impacts, and cumulative impacts associated with the proposed project. Alternatives to the proposed project will be evaluated that may reduce impacts determined to be significant in the EIR. Mitigation will be proposed for those impacts that are determined to be significant, to reduce those impacts to levels less than significant. Impacts that are determined to be significant after mitigation will be identified. A mitigation monitoring program will also be developed, as required by Section 15097 of the CEQA Guidelines.
The scope of the environmental analysis for the proposed project is subject to comments from agencies and the public. This Notice of Preparation will remain in effect for a 30-day public review period, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15082. Public agencies, interested organizations, and individuals have the opportunity to comment on and identify those environmental issues which have the potential to be affected by the project and should be addressed further by the City of Grand Terrace in the EIR.

Public Review Period of the Notice of Preparation

July 03, 2008 – August 04, 2008.

A copy of the Notice of Preparation, Initial Study and related files are available for public review at the City of Grand Terrace Community Development Department located at 22795 Barton Road, Grand Terrace, CA 92313 during regular business hours. The Notice of Preparation and Initial Study are available for public review on the City’s website: http://www.cityofgrandterrace.org/.
Public Scoping Meeting
In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 21083.9, a public scoping meeting regarding the project is required. The City of Grand Terrace has scheduled a public scoping meeting at the date, time, and place shown below. The purpose of the scoping meeting is to obtain input regarding the environmental impacts that will be included in the environmental impact report for the subject project. You are invited to attend.

Date:
Time:
Location:
July 15, 2008
6:00 p.m.
Grand Terrace City Hall
Council Chambers
22795 Barton Road
Grand Terrace, California 92313

Date:
July 02, 2008
Signature:
Signature on Original



Title:
Community Development Director