Planning Commission approves phased tentative tract map for 59-lot College Heights development

The Ridgecrest Planning Commission on Wednesday approved an amendment to Tentative Tract Map 6700 that divides a previously graded subdivision in the College Heights neighborhood into two phases, a staff member said.

Planning staff told the commission the map covers 59 total lots — 54 designated single-family residential — and includes a retention basin, two landscape easements and a park. Under the amendment, phase one would contain 26 lots plus the park, one landscape easement and the retention basin; phase two would include 28 lots and a landscape easement. "This is a previously graded tract," planning staff said during the presentation.

The amendment is intended to preserve the map while the developer arranges construction. Staff said the map and the next one are "out of extensions," and phasing would give the developer more time to build homes that the city considers "buildable right now." Staff recommended approval and said the project was previously the subject of CEQA review; the initial study and negative declaration date to 02/2007 and staff concluded no new environmental review under CEQA Section 15162 was required because the amendment only phases the previously approved map.

Commissioners questioned water availability and landscape maintenance. One commissioner asked whether any biological assessments had been done given the long period the lots sat vacant; staff replied none had been conducted since grading was done years earlier. When asked about water, staff said the water division had provided no comments indicating a capacity problem. On landscape maintenance, staff said the parcels are already part of the Landscape Lighting and Maintenance District and the drainage benefit assessment district; the Equivalent Benefit Unit (EBU) calculations will be changed from acreage to individual lots and the applicable zones will be adjusted for maintenance funding.

Staff also told commissioners the developer has submitted final tract maps and infrastructure design plans — sewer, grading, road and storm drain improvements — and that those plans are under review by public works. "They seemed pretty urgent and ready to go forward," staff said.

A motion to approve the amended tentative tract map passed unanimously. The roll-call vote recorded five ayes: Farris, Haman, Mondragon, Poxtus and Percival.

The amendment keeps existing zoning and lot-size standards in place; staff noted the site is zoned "estate," with a 10,000-square-foot minimum lot size. No members of the public spoke during the public hearing on this item; notices had been mailed and the hearing had been continued from a previous meeting with no public comments received.

The commission’s approval authorizes the phased map and the associated CEQA determination; no additional environmental mitigation or further CEQA action was required based on staff’s presentation.