Planning Commission backs Heartland at Hidden Hills tentative map and 20-year development agreement

The Lincoln Planning Commission on April 16 voted unanimously to recommend the City Council approve a tentative subdivision map and a development agreement for the Heartland at Hidden Hills residential project, and to determine the project exempt from further environmental review under CEQA.

The commission voted 5-0 to find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, then approved separate resolutions recommending that the City Council approve the tentative subdivision map for the 10-acre site and approve a development agreement between the city and the developer. The project applicant and property owners are Edward and Elizabeth Johansen.

Staff Associate Planner Michaela Noble summarized the proposal for commissioners, saying, “The project is proposed to subdivide a 10 acre parcel into 14 single family residential lots ranging in size from 5,560 square feet to 54,316 square feet.” The proposal also includes approximately 5.5 acres of open space and a central trail through the parcel; access would be from Silverado Trail and Base Camp Court within the Hidden Hills community.

Noble told the commission that city staff reviewed the request for a tentative subdivision map and a development agreement and concluded the project is consistent with the City of Lincoln general plan, the Village 1 Specific Plan and the Village 1 Environmental Impact Report. She said staff prepared standard and project‑specific conditions of approval and incorporated applicable mitigation measures from the Village 1 EIR. The draft development agreement would vest the developer’s development rights and runs with the property; staff said the DA term is 20 years from the effective date.

Engineer Tony Frasier, representing the project team, described constraints that shaped the lot pattern, including steep topography and a former mining quarry in the parcel. Frasier said those features required preservation of larger lots in places and limited trail routing through the open space. “The 54,000‑square‑foot site is largely kind of on a hillside,” he told the commission, and he explained that the quarry and other site features constrained grading and connectivity.

Commissioners asked about how the Heartland trail connections fit into the Village 1 pedestrian circulation plan. Noble and Frasier said the project trail will connect into trails being built with Hidden Hills and that additional connections to the east will be completed as adjacent projects are approved and constructed. Staff noted that some trail alignments remain conceptual until neighboring projects advance.

After questions, Commissioner Jerry Johnson moved the CEQA exemption determination; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call (Jerry Johnson, Hutchinson, Jackson, Manning and Chairman Gilbert all voting yes). The commission then voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the tentative map and, in a separate vote, 5-0 to recommend approval of the development agreement.

The Planning Commission’s vote is a recommendation to the City Council; final approval of the subdivision map and the development agreement rests with the council. Staff advised that final compliance with conditions and verification by city departments will occur at subsequent stages of review before final map recordation or building permits.

Votes at a glance

- Determination that the project is exempt from CEQA: Motion carried, 5-0 (Commissioners Jerry Johnson, Hutchinson, Jackson, Manning and Chairman Gilbert — yes). Outcome: approved. - Resolution recommending City Council approve the tentative subdivision map for Heartland at Hidden Hills: Motion carried, 5-0. Outcome: approved. - Resolution recommending City Council approve the development agreement for Heartland at Hidden Hills (20‑year DA): Motion carried, 5-0. Outcome: approved.

What comes next

The Planning Commission’s approvals forward the tentative map and draft development agreement to the City Council for decision. City staff will verify compliance with conditions of approval and the mitigation measures identified under the Village 1 EIR as the project proceeds toward final map and building permit review.