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Hanford planning commission recommends removing decorative lighting requirement for Live Oak East; developer to contribute $150,000 to park
Summary
On March 25 the Hanford City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend city council approval of amendments to the Live Oak master plan and three tentative tract maps to remove a decorative lighting requirement in eastern tracts and replace it with city-standard fixtures, with the developer contributing $150,000 toward park amenities.
The Hanford City Planning Commission on March 25 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve amendments to the Live Oak master planned development and three associated tentative tract maps to remove a decorative lighting requirement in the eastern portion of the Live Oak project and substitute the city standard lighting, with the developer offering $150,000 for neighborhood park amenities.
Staff said the request applies only to Live Oak East Tracts 865881 and 912, located east of Twelfth Avenue, and stems from the developer's difficulty sourcing the Glendora acorn-style sidewalk pole previously specified in the master plan. The staff report noted an addendum to the project's environmental impact report and concluded the proposed amendments did not require a subsequent or supplemental EIR under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidance cited in the staff presentation.
The Live Oak master planned community was originally approved in February 2009 and covers approximately 390 acres within Hanford city limits. Staff said the developer, San Joaquin Valley Homes, is proposing to eliminate the decorative lighting requirement for the eastern tracts and use the city's standard light (Public Works construction standard GE-56) instead, and to offset the change by contributing $150,000 in amenities to Live Oak Park within Tract 865.
"The Glendora sidewalk pole with acorn light is no longer offered by Southern California Edison," staff said during the presentation, and the applicant sought the amendment after staff determined the swap could not be approved administratively because the change represents the removal of an amenity originally approved in the master plan.
San Joaquin Valley Homes representative Nick Peters, identified as the builder's representative, spoke in favor of the amendment and said he was available to answer questions. Commissioners asked staff whether the already-built portion of the subdivision would retain decorative fixtures (it will not) and whether spacing or prewiring for fixtures would be affected (staff said locations should remain the same and no significant redesign is anticipated). Staff also confirmed the development agreement was extended to Nov. 10, 2027.
The commission voted to adopt four separate resolutions recommending City Council approval of: PUD Amendment No. 2 (resolution 2025-13) and amendments to tentative tracts referenced as resolutions 2025-14, 2025-15 and 2025-16. Each motion passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Nelson, Curtis, Norris, Vice Chair Douglas and Chair Ham recorded as voting yes.
Because these actions are recommendations, final approval rests with the Hanford City Council. If the council concurs, the decorative acorn-style fixtures required in the original Live Oak master plan would be replaced with the city standard lighting in the eastern tracts and the developer's $150,000 contribution would be directed to park amenities in Tract 865.
Staff materials and the developer's amendment request are in the project record; the commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for decision.
