The Duarte City Planning Commission voted 3-2 on a package of resolutions Thursday recommending approval of a developer-led plan to build 169 townhomes on the former Andres Duarte School property at 1433 Crestfield Drive and to reconfigure and upgrade Otis Gordon Park.

The project would change the site’s land-use designation and zoning from public facilities to high-density residential (R-4), split the parcel into a residential lot and a park lot, and approve a tentative parcel map, site plan and design review, and a plan development permit. Commissioners also recommended certification of the environmental impact report prepared for the project and forwarded the entitlements to the City Council for final action; staff said that hearing will likely be scheduled for Sept. 23.

Why it matters: The school district said declining enrollment and related revenue shortfalls left it with excess campus capacity; the district proposes a long-term lease of the site to generate recurring revenue while preserving public access to parkland. The plan would add family-sized rental housing to the city’s housing stock and provide a multimillion-dollar overhaul of Otis Gordon Park, but opponents raised concerns about traffic, loss of a school site, and whether the housing will be affordable to city residents.

The project and what it would include

The applicant’s proposal calls for 169 townhome-style rental units across roughly 7 acres of the former school site, with the adjacent park retained on approximately 6 acres, staff said. The residential portion would be arranged in 26 buildings (25 residential buildings plus a recreation building). Of the 169 units, 132 are proposed as three-bedroom units and 37 as four-bedroom units; unit sizes are described in the record as ranging from about 1,358 to 1,475 square feet, with an average of roughly 1,425 square feet. The community/recreation building is listed at 3,564 square feet, including a 2,570-square-foot common area.

The applicant proposes three Spanish-style architectural themes across the project and public art at a prominent corner. Parking would meet the city’s requirement of two covered spaces per unit and one guest space per four units; the project uses a mix of side-by-side and tandem garage layouts and includes detailed garage-dimension language in a revised condition (standard garages: minimum 20 by 20 feet; tandem garages: 11 feet wide and 38 feet deep). The park redesign would include new turf, LED field lighting, a new restroom building, meandering sidewalks, upgraded irrigation and landscaping, new metal bleachers and about 57 parking spaces (the park currently has no parking lot), staff said.

Affordable units and lease revenue

As part of the proposal the developer and district agreed to set aside 16% of units — 28 units — as moderate-income rentals (described in the record as restricted to households earning 80–120% of the county area median income). The Duarte Unified School District said it selected a lease arrangement rather than a sale to preserve long-term flexibility and to provide a recurring revenue stream the district can use for programs and facilities.

EIR findings and mitigation measures

Rincon Consultants prepared the environmental impact report and presented the final EIR findings to the commission. Suzanne Huerta, the project manager for Rincon, told commissioners that the draft and final EIR found most impacts would be less than significant and that where thresholds were exceeded, mitigation measures were required and incorporated into a mitigation monitoring and reporting program (MMRP). Mitigation measures listed in the staff packet and the EIR summary include:

- Construction-period air-quality controls (e.g., use of Tier 4 construction equipment).
- Preconstruction biological surveys and avoidance measures for nesting birds and protected species.
- Cultural-resource worker awareness training, archaeological monitoring during ground-disturbing activities and procedures to follow if resources are uncovered.
- A noise/vibration mitigation measure requiring static rollers instead of vibratory rollers for work within 26 feet of residences along the project’s northern boundary.
- Measures from tribal consultation including provision for Native American monitoring during ground disturbance.

Huerta also said the EIR analyzed vehicle miles traveled pursuant to state law, and that the city separately commissioned a level-of-service traffic analysis. She stated that the EIR did not identify any impacts that would require recirculation of the draft EIR.

Alternatives considered

The EIR’s alternatives analysis included a no-project alternative, an alternative retaining the school at full capacity (identified in the EIR as environmentally superior but inconsistent with the project objectives of adding housing), and alternatives analyzing development under AB 2295 (a state law that allows housing development on educational agency-owned property under specified conditions). The AB 2295 alternatives showed that the district could, under state statute, pursue denser housing with fewer local discretionary approvals; staff and the consultant noted that those alternatives would not meet the project objective of park improvements and/or would increase environmental effects compared with the proposed project.

Public comment and discussion

Speakers at the public hearing were divided. Supporters — including representatives of the school district, the developer, and many nearby residents — told the commission the project provides family-sized housing that could bring household types likely to have school-age children, preserves and funds a major park renovation, and gives the district revenue to protect programs. Duarte Unified Superintendent Dr. Nadia Hillman, who spoke for the district, described declining enrollment and said the district chose a lease (not a sale) to maintain flexibility; she said the project “will provide substantial ongoing lease revenue, dollars we can invest where they are needed most.” The developer’s representative, George Voigt, said the proposal will create 3- and 4-bedroom townhomes “to attract households with school-aged children” and commit to 28 deed-restricted moderate-income units.

Opponents concentrated on traffic, parking, and school capacity. Public commenters said they fear increased traffic on neighborhood streets, insufficient parking, and that closing a school site reduces the city’s options for future school capacity. Several speakers urged the commission to require stronger affordability, to reopen the school instead of leasing the land, or to reject the rezoning. A portion of speakers also challenged outreach and translation for non-English speakers; one commenter said they were unable to submit written comments by email and raised Brown Act and Surplus Land Act questions; staff and legal counsel replied that procedural steps required by law had been followed and that surplus-land procedures and procurement of a developer were discussed in the public record.

Commission action and conditions

After extended discussion and two motions on the record, the commission first considered and failed a motion to deny the project (the denial motion did not carry). The commission then voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the package of resolutions and entitlements, including certification of the final EIR and the plan development permit, with a staff-proposed amendment to a condition addressing garage use and minimum garage dimensions and an explicit prohibition on allowing excessive storage that would reduce required parking clearance. Roll-call votes recorded during the approval motion were: Yesenia — yes; Wolf — no; Becker — yes; Rodriguez — yes; Quaint — no. The commission majority directed staff to forward the record and recommended resolutions to the City Council for the final decision; staff indicated the council hearing will likely be noticed for Sept. 23.

What remains unresolved

Speakers and several commissioners asked for additional clarity on two issues the commission flagged: (1) whether the project will materially increase enrollment in Duarte Unified (district officials said they expect the family-sized units to help but did not present a consultant projection in the hearing that tied predictable student counts to the proposal), and (2) whether the 16% moderate-income set-aside could be increased; the developer said the 16% figure (28 units) reflects the project pro forma and the proposal team’s best feasible offer, while staff said the city’s independent financial review informed that feasibility.

Next steps

The commission’s recommendation and the certified EIR will be forwarded to the Duarte City Council for a public hearing and final action. If the council approves the entitlements, project permits and the ground-lease details would be finalized thereafter; if the council denies the rezoning or entitlements, the project would not proceed as proposed.

Ending note

The Planning Commission’s recommendation does not approve construction; it forwards the matter and the certified EIR to the City Council for a final decision. The commission majority emphasized the project’s park upgrades, newly provided parking for the park, and 28 deed-restricted moderate-income units; dissenting commissioners and many public speakers objected to the loss of a school site, potential traffic and parking impacts, and the sufficiency of affordability commitments.