Planning commission backs annexation, prezone and tentative tract for 88.9-acre subdivision despite unavoidable traffic impacts in FEIR

The Hanford City Planning Commission on Feb. 25 voted to recommend City Council approve the annexation of 88.89 acres into the city, prezone the site to RL-5 (low-density residential) and forward Vesting Tentative Tract 943, after staff presented a focused final environmental impact report that found significant and unavoidable transportation impacts.

Staff told the commission the project proposes a 75.02-acre single-family subdivision of three parcels and would yield 326 dwelling units (4.3 units per gross acre). The subdivision plan includes a 3.58-acre neighborhood park, a 3-acre on-site storm basin, and planned street improvements including Aquifer Drive (major collector, 84-foot right of way), Springcrest Drive (minor collector, 68-foot right of way) and Hume Avenue (major collector, 88-foot right of way). Staff said the projected population for the subdivision is about 1,196 residents and that park land meeting Quimby Act formulae would be provided in phase 1.

A focused final environmental impact report (State Clearinghouse No. 2024060956) prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act concluded that most environmental categories were either no impact or less than significant but identified land-use and…