Planning Commission recommends City Council approve 41-home tract map at 263 S. San Jose Drive

The Glendora Planning Commission voted 4-0 on July 1 to recommend that the City Council approve a tentative tract map and development plan (PLN24-0045) from the Olsen Company to subdivide city-owned land at 263 South San Jose Drive and build 41 detached single-family homes, seven of which the developer said would be reserved for moderate-income buyers.

Senior planner Yanni Siva told commissioners the project includes a tentative tract map, a development plan review and a request for early vesting and streamlining; staff also circulated a redlined version of the conditions of approval. Siva said the site is a city-owned parcel listed for sale under the State Surplus Land Act and that state law allows developers to request concessions such as reduced parking, smaller lot dimensions and additional building height.

Brian Geist, vice president of the Olsen Company, presented the project and said the developer held multiple community outreach meetings. Geist gave a timeline that, if the project proceeds, would take the proposal to City Council in August with grading expected in October and model homes opening in October 2026 and final deliveries in February 2027. He described the plan as 41 detached homes with three open-space areas, approximately 12–15 oak trees preserved on site and public streets (including a Woodland Lane extension) with five-foot sidewalks and traffic-calming chokers.

The developer’s traffic consultant, Alex Tabrizi of MAT Engineering, summarized a traffic study that used AM/PM peak counts taken in mid-April. The study concluded the project would add about 29 morning trips and 40 evening trips and that the studied intersections currently operate at acceptable levels of service overall; it found the addition of the project would not substantially change intersection performance and that a signal at San Jose and Foothill is not warranted under standard signal warrants.

Residents who spoke at the public hearing expressed safety and cut-through traffic concerns. Steve Kerman, who identified himself as a long-time neighborhood resident, said, “I thought I saw a little F there at San Jose and Foothill,” and urged measures to minimize traffic through Woodland Lane. Annie Bridal, who said she has lived on Woodland Lane for 44 years, said the neighborhood is “a close knit community” and urged commissioners to consider safety for children who play in the street. Erica Munoz, a local business owner, urged more affordable housing options in Glendora.

In discussion, commissioners and staff noted that San Jose Drive is a substandard, narrow street today and that the project would provide a full cul-de-sac at the end of San Jose and an additional connection that developers and staff contend will improve emergency access. Commissioners asked technical questions about the traffic study, including why some movements register levels of service E or F (the traffic engineer explained unsignalized-left-turn movements can reach E or F while the intersection average may be acceptable) and how many peak-hour trips are required to meet signal warrants (the traffic engineer said roughly 100 cars per hour on the approach is a rough rule of thumb; the project generates fewer trips and does not meet common warrant thresholds).

Commissioners also discussed the project’s affordable units; Geist said the seven moderate-income homes would be three-bedroom, two-bath units with an estimated price of about $360,000 as presented by the developer. The Olsen Company provided economic-impact figures in its presentation, including construction-period business and personal income and projected recurring local revenue; the developer said those figures were based on a 2015 National Association of Home Builders study (presentation materials were left with the commission for review).

On a motion to recommend City Council approval of the categorical exemption and the tentative tract map and development plan (PLN24-0045 / Tentative Tract Map No. 84681), the Planning Commission recorded a 4-0 vote in favor; one commissioner (Tim Crimmins) was absent. The commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; final approvals and any conditions will be decided by council.

The commission closed the public hearing after presentations and public testimony and moved to consideration and a motion. The motion as recorded: recommendation to City Council to adopt a categorical exemption under CEQA and to approve tentative tract map number 84681 and the associated development plan for 41 detached single-family homes at 263 South San Jose Drive (project PLN24-0045).