Washington Place Residences (City File No. PLN2016- 00304)
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Washington Place Residences PLN 2016 - 00304 City of Fremont Initial Study 1. Project: Washington Place Residences (City file no. PLN2016- 00304) 2. Lead agency name and address: City of Fremont Community Development Department 39550 Liberty Street, First Floor, Fremont, CA 94538 Phone: 510.494.4440 | Fax: 510. 494.4457 3. Contact person and phone number Terry Wong, Associate Planner, City of Fremont Phone: 510.494.4456 | Email: [email protected] 4. Location: 2529 Washington Boulevard, Fremont CA; Alameda County - APN 525-0423-001 5. Project sponsor’s name and address (including e-mail address/fax no. as appropriate): SRE Development Company 901 Campisi Way, Suite 222 Campbell, CA 95008 Contact: Michael Sullivan Phone: 408.819.0615 6. General Plan designation: Residential (Low), 2.3 to 8.7 dwellings per acre 7. Zoning: Single Family Residential (R-1-X-6.5); Proposed Planned District Zoning 8. Description of Project: The proposed Project involves redevelopment of a 2.1 acre parcel located at 2529 Washington Boulevard to allow a new Preliminary and Precise Planned District, and a Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 8342 (PLN2016-00304). The project will create a 14-unit single family home development with a private street. The proposed units would be configured as duet dwellings, with two units located per building with a shared wall, but separate fee title ownership by each family of both the living area/structure and underlying land. The Project is located in the Mission San Jose Community Plan Area of the City, west of the Interstate 680 southbound exit in the City of Fremont (APN 525-0423-001) on the north side of Washington Boulevard. Currently, the majority of the project site is undeveloped, with a creek Line 6K-1 (Washington Creek) running the length of the site on its northern border. Attachment 1, Figures 1 through 5 provides maps of the project area and site. Attachment 2 is the Vesting Tentative Tract Map. The proposed project would remove/demolish two non-historic dilapidated single-story houses located at 2473 and 2529 Washington Boulevard as well as associated ancillary structures and construct 14 units in seven 3-story duet dwellings. Construction would include a total of 36 parking spaces (including 28 covered spaces within 2-vehicle garages), eight guest parking spaces, and a common open space area at the rear of the proposed development. 1 Washington Place Residences PLN 2016 - 00304 The applicant proposes to create separate parcels for each of the fourteen dwelling units (see Vesting Tentative Tract Map Sheets 1 through 7) as well as separate parcels for commonly owned open space areas. The subdivision would be accessed via a new private street leading from Washington Boulevard into the property and providing access to the garages of each unit. A separate parcel would also be created for the on-site portion of the Creek (Parcel F). The Project site density, after development, will be 8.7 dwelling units per acre. The single family homes would feature two different three-story floor plans ranging in size from 1,857 to 1,960 square feet of living area. All residences would be provided with a two-car garage and front porch. Some of the units would have a second story balcony. The eight units fronting on Washington Boulevard are split-level with two stories in the front and three stories in the rear. A landscaped open space would be provided near the center of the site. In addition to owner parking, guest parking spaces would be provided along the private street and adjacent to the common open space at the center of the development. Two pedestrian walkways would be located along the project’s Washington Boulevard frontage and would connect to the front entrances of each residence throughout the development. The property is currently zoned R-1-X-6.5, Single Family Residential. The proposed Project involves rezoning to establish a new Preliminary and Precise Planned District, and a Vesting Tentative Tract Map and Private Street. The Project would require approval by the City’s Planning Commission and City Council. 9. Surrounding land uses and setting: The Project site is currently occupied by two contiguous vacant houses. The Project site is bordered by Interstate 680 (I-680) to the east and residential land uses to the west and south. The subject site has street frontage along Washington Boulevard, directly to the south. A creek Line 6K-1 (Washington Creek) is located along the property’s northern border, with single-family residences sited north of the creek area. Washington Boulevard is a four-lane arterial road with a median island in the middle in front of the project site, with residential neighborhoods along its south side. The proposed development would be accessed via a new private street located directly off Washington Boulevard approximately 275 feet west of the intersection of Washington Boulevard and I-680. Residents would be limited to site access using right-in; right-out only turns. 10. Congestion Management Program - Land Use Analysis: The project analysis does not need to be submitted to the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency for review, because there are no “Yes” responses to the following three questions: YES NO This project does not include a request for a General Plan X Amendment. YES X NO There will be no Notice of Preparation prepared for this project. YES NO There will be no Environmental Impact Report prepared for this X project. 11. Other public agencies requiring approval: Alameda County Flood Control District (ACFCD); Alameda County Water District (ACWD); Union Sanitary District (USD). 2 Washington Place Residences PLN 2016 - 00304 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED: The following list indicates the environmental factors that would be potentially affected by this project. Those factors that are indicated as a "Potentially Significant Impact" in the initial study checklist are labeled “PS” while those factors that are indicated as a “Potentially Significant Unless Mitigation Incorporated” are labeled “M”. Agriculture and Forest Aesthetics M Air Quality Resources M Biological Resources M Cultural Resources Geology / Soils Hazards & Hazardous Hydrology / Water Quality Land Use / Planning Material Greenhouse Gas Mineral Resources M Noise Emissions Population / Housing Public Services Recreation Mandatory Findings of Transportation / Traffic Utilities / Service Systems Significance DETERMINATION BY THE CITY OF FREMONT: On the basis of this initial evaluation: I find that the proposed project COULD NOT have a significant effect on the environment, and a NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because revisions in the project have been made by or X agreed to by the project proponent. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that the proposed project MAY have a significant effect on the environment, and an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required. I find that the proposed project MAY have a "potentially significant impact" or "potentially significant unless mitigated" impact on the environment, but at least one effect (1) has been adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards, and (2) has been addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis as described on attached sheets. An ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required, but it must analyze only the effects that remain to be addressed. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, because all potentially significant effects (a) have been analyzed adequately in an earlier EIR or NEGATIVE DECLARATION pursuant to applicable standards, and (b) have been avoided or mitigated pursuant to that earlier EIR or NEGATIVE DECLARATION, including revisions or mitigation measures that are imposed upon the proposed project, nothing further is required. Signature: Date: Printed Name: Terry Wong, Associate Planner For: City of Fremont Senior Planner Review: 3 Washington Place Residences PLN 2016 - 00304 Move the star to project site 4 Washington Place Residences PLN 2016 - 00304 I. AESTHETICS - Would the project: Potentially Significant Potentially Unless Less Than Significant Mitigation Significant No Information ISSUES: Impact Incorporated Impact Impact Sources 1, 8, A a. Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? X Substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not b limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings X 1, 8, A within a state scenic highway? Substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality 1, 8, A c. X of the site and its surroundings? Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would 1, 3, 8 d. X adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area? Environmental Setting The project site consists of a 2.1 acre parcel occupied by two vacant single-story houses and ancillary structures located at 2473 and 2529 Washington Boulevard. The site is overgrown with a dense cover of seasonal grasses and weeds. The Line 6K-1 (Washington Creek) bank on the north side of the project is also overgrown with dense vegetation. Forty-two trees were identified during a tree inventory of the property (see Attachment 2, sheet C-2). The majority of the existing trees are located within the creek channel and block views of the residences to the north. The following discussion is based in part upon a Tree Inventory of 2529 Washington Boulevard, Fremont, California, prepared HortScience, Inc., and dated June 23, 2016. Each project site tree over 6-inches in diameter was rated for preservation suitability based upon age, health, structural condition, and ability to coexist with the planned development. The tree inventory concludes that twelve trees have high suitability for preservation; that ten are moderately suitable; and twelve trees have low suitability. All of the trees are protected, as defined and regulated by the City of Fremont Tree Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 18.215 of the Fremont Municipal Code).