Mountain Park Specific Plan

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Project Location

The proposed Mountain Park Specific Plan project site is located generally in Gypsum Canyon, south of the Riverside (SR-91) Freeway, in the City of Anaheim and its sphere of influence, Orange County, California. The majority of the Mountain Park project site is in the jurisdiction of the City of Anaheim; however, the southern- and eastern-most portions of the project site are in unincorporated County of Orange in the City of Anaheim’s sphere-of-influence. SR-91 is immediately north of the project site, and the Eastern Transportation Corridor (SR-241) bisects the site into eastern and western segments. A regional location map and aerial perspective of the project site are depicted on Exhibits 1 (Location Map) and 2 (Aerial Perspective of Project Area), respectively.

B. Existing Site Characteristics

The Mountain Park Specific Plan encompasses approximately 3,001 acres. The project site is currently undeveloped with the exception of a 300-acre sand and gravel mining operation located in the northeastern portion of Gypsum Canyon which will be vacated in June 2005.

Access to the project site is currently provided from Gypsum Canyon Road via Santa Ana Canyon Road and the Gypsum Canyon Road interchange with SR-91. The project site is gated and public access is not allowed. There are a number of unimproved dirt roads that traverse the site that were used for previous on-site operations and emergency access.

The project site is topographically complex with several steep canyons and intervening ridges. Elevations within the project site range from 340 feet above mean sea level (amsl) in the northern portion of the project area to 2,200 feet amsl in the southern portion of the site. The central/northern portion of the site along Gypsum Canyon Creek slopes gently upward at approximately two percent from north to south. The slopes within the existing quarry area are generally zero to 45 percent. The majority of the remainder of the site consists of steep slopes ranging from 30 to 75 percent.

Vegetation within the Mountain Park study area is predominantly composed of a wide variety of scrub and chaparral communities. In addition, several grassland, woodland, and riparian habitats exist within Gypsum Canyon Wash and the many tributaries that drain into it. The study area supports several sensitive plant communities: coastal sage scrub; riparian scrub; woodland; and forest; Tecate cypress forest; nolina chaparral; and needlegrass grassland. The coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) is the only federally or state listed species known to exist on-site. Several streams occur on-site and are tributaries to Gypsum Canyon that bisects the site.

The Mountain Park project site is bound on the west by The Summit of Anaheim Hills Specific Plan Community (2,117 existing residential units) and the Sycamore Canyon Specific Plan Community (1,180 existing residential units) in the City of Anaheim; on the south by unincorporated land in the County of Orange (City of Orange Sphere of Influence); on the east by the Coal Canyon Biological Corridors; and on the north by SR-91. Featherly Regional Park and residential communities in the City of Yorba Linda are located north of SR-91.

C. Project Summary

The Mountain Park Specific Plan establishes the framework for the development of the project site. In addition to describing the project’s purpose, vision, and features, the Specific Plan presents the project description, zoning and development standards. Specific project components addressed in the Specific Plan include: land use plan, circulation plan, landscape design concept, grading concept, and phasing.

I-1 Introduction

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Not To Scale Mountain Park Specific Plan

In summary, the Mountain Park Specific Plan allows for the development of an 830-acre, gated residential community with a maximum of 2,500 residential units, public facilities, infrastructure, a fire station, public trails, trail staging area, concession store/interpretive center, school site, and public community park. Open space areas encompass approximately 2,163 acres consisting of Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP)/Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Reserve, The Nature Conservancy Anaheim Conservation Easement (TNC ACE) and other open space areas.

D. Organization of the Specific Plan Document – This Specific Plan is organized into the following five sections:

1. Introduction

The Introduction describes the purpose and intent of the Specific Plan process, along with its enabling legislations, goals and objectives. It further describes the regional and community setting, surrounding land uses, the site’s existing condition, benefits of the Specific Plan, Open Space and Conservation Strategies, and the relationship of the Specific Plan to General Plan Goals and Policies.

2. Development Plan

The Project Description outlines the development plan policies and guidelines for the project, including land use, circulation, housing/population, grading, phasing, open space/conservation and community design.

3. Zoning and Development Standards

This section provides the zoning regulations and standards to govern uses within the site, including permitted land uses, setbacks, landscaping and all necessary development standards to ensure consistency with the provision of this Specific Plan.

4. Public Facilities Plan

The Public Facilities Plan provides information regarding the infrastructure and public services required for project implementation.

5. Appendices

Appendices include a general plan consistency analysis, a 1”=400’scale Development Plan, a 1”=400’scale Concept Grading Study, Explanation of Proposed Development Standards, Condition of Approval and Mitigation Monitoring Program.

E. Purpose and Intent

The City of Anaheim currently has 11 approved specific plans governing land use development in designated areas. Specific plans are customized regulatory documents that provide more focused guidance and regulation for identified areas. The City of Anaheim approved the Mountain Park Specific Plan (SP 90-4) in 1991. The Mountain Park Specific Plan involves an amendment to the SP90-4 (Amendment No. 1) to establish allowable land uses for the project site consistent with City’s current General Plan.

The Specific Plan is a comprehensive document to guide future development of the Mountain Park property. It contains specialized planning and development regulations relating to the property’s unique features. It is the intent and purpose of this document to outline a comprehensive set of development plans, guidelines, development regulations and implementation programs. This will ensure a quality development consistent with the goals, objectives and policies of each element of the City of Anaheim General Plan.

The Specific Plan is regulatory in nature and serves as zoning for the Mountain Park community. Subsequent development plans and subdivision maps must be consistent with both this Specific Plan and the City of Anaheim General Plan. Any situation or condition not specifically covered by the provisions contained within this Specific Plan shall be subject to the regulations of the City of Anaheim Municipal Code.

I-4 Introduction Mountain Park Specific Plan

F. Enabling Legislation

The City of Anaheim’s authority to prepare, adopt and implement Specific Plans is assured by California Government Code Sections 65450 through 65457.

As with General Plans, the Planning Commission must hold a public hearing before recommending the adoption of a Specific Plan by the City Council. The City Council may then adopt the Specific Plan by ordinance and/or resolution. Procedures for the adoption and implementation of Specific Plans are provided in Chapter 18.72 of the Anaheim Municipal Code.

G. Environmental Impact Report No. 331 and Mitigation Monitoring Program No. 137

The Mountain Park Specific Plan was prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City of Anaheim prepared an Initial Study which determined that the project could result in environmental impacts and therefore required an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A Program EIR was prepared to guide the planning effort and analyze issues related to implementation of the Mountain Park Specific Plan. A Program EIR is an EIR which may be prepared for a series of actions that can be characterized as one large project because they are each part of a chain of contemplated actions. A Program EIR can be used to simplify the task of preparing environmental documents for later actions required by the overall development program.

The Program EIR identifies impacts resulting from the development of the proposed community, and determines mitigation measures to address and lessen said impacts. As lead agency, the City of Anaheim will implement the monitoring program for the adopted mitigation measures. Although not a part of the Specific Plan document, the adopted Mitigation Monitoring Program is included in the Appendix in order to facilitate mitigation monitoring and subsequent environmental review.

The Specific Plan and accompanying EIR provide the necessary regulations and documentation for the project site so that future development proposals (i.e., subdivision maps, site plans and/or other discretionary permits) which are consistent with the Specific Plan may be processed and approved in an expeditious manner.

H. Benefits of Specific Plan

This Specific Plan provides for opportunities derived from large scale, comprehensive planning. These benefits include:

1. Comprehensive Land Use – Uses have been arranged to enhance the project’s unique setting and create a sense of community. Residential neighborhoods are designed around a central valley containing an open space corridor. Landscaped roadways and trails connect and unify unique residential enclaves.

2. Regional Open Space – Approximately 2,163 acres of Mountain Park area are designated for preservation as permanent open space, comprising significant hillsides, ridgelines, wildlife corridors and habitat. These open space lands adjoin other open space areas in Coal Canyon, Fremont Canyon and Weir Canyon and will contain regional riding and hiking trails.

3. Parks – A public community park containing lighted playing fields and other amenities yet to be determined will be located adjacent to a school site. Smaller, private neighborhood parks will provide recreational nodes for residential neighborhoods.

4. School – A reservation for a school site. This reservation will allow the Orange Unified School District to acquire this site and provide school facilities, if needed in the future, to serve the students of Mountain Park and also students from surrounding areas.

I-5 Introduction Mountain Park Specific Plan

5. Housing – The residential uses in Mountain Park will help the regional jobs to housing ratio.

6. Public Facilities – Regional highways, regional trails, a public park, fire station, and a water storage reservoir provided by the project will also serve the needs of other city residents.

7. Regional Trails – Regional trails and a trail staging area will be provided by the project.

I. Open Space and Conservation Protection Strategies

Consistent with the provisions of California Government Code Section 65561-65564, the majority of the Specific Plan area is designated for preservation as natural open space.

The Specific Plan provides for the preservation of large-scale, continuous open space/habitat areas Approximately 2,163 acres of habitat preservation and recreation lands have been added to the region-wide open space system.

The Specific Plan open space system is connected to other existing regional open space areas, including the Coal Canyon Biological Corridor to the east, Fremont Canyon and Weir Canyon to the south and Featherly Regional Park to the north. Proposed regional trails link major recreational resources within these open space areas.

J. Consistency of the Specific Plan with General Plan Goals and Policies

California Government Code Sections 65450-65457 permit the adoption and administration of Specific Plans as an implementation tool for elements contained within the local General Plan. Specific Plans must demonstrate consistency in regulations, guidelines and programs with the goals, objectives, policies, programs and uses that are set forth in the General Plan. The Mountain Park Specific Plan is intended to provide guidelines and standards necessary to implement each element of the City of Anaheim’s General Plan.

The Mountain Park Specific Plan is consistent with the City of Anaheim’s General Plan and its applicable goals as set forth in Appendix A.

I-6 Introduction