The Sierra Madre Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously certified the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the Ginkgo Stonehouse project and approved tentative tract map 65348, clearing the way for a nine‑lot subdivision at 935 and 965 East Grandview Avenue.

Staff told the commission the project proposes nine single‑family lots, roughly four acres of permanent non‑buildable open space across two lots, a private street (Street A) and an on‑site 20‑foot fire access spur with a hammerhead turnaround. Staff estimated grading at about 13,000 cubic yards, balanced as cut and fill, and said the project would tie into existing utilities and comply with low‑impact development stormwater requirements.

“We have determined that the referenced state law does not govern this proposal,” Assistant Planner Wong said during the staff presentation, explaining why a separate discretionary demolition/design review application for another site was being withdrawn. On the Ginkgo Stonehouse EIR, staff concluded most environmental topics would have less‑than‑significant impacts, and identified several topics requiring mitigation, including biological resources, geology and soils, noise, tribal cultural resources and wildfire.

Developer representative Chad Stadnicki said the present plan is consistent with the settlement plan that established development rights for the site and urged the commission to approve the original nine‑lot layout rather than the staff‑recommended reduced‑lot alternative. “We are requesting approval for the 9‑lot subdivision on the western portion of the site,” Stadnicki said, noting the project’s larger lots (minimum about 20,000 square feet on the proposed plan versus about 16,000 on the reduced‑lot alternative) better reflect long‑running community input.

City counsel and the EIR consultant, Eric Turner of VCS Environmental, explained that CEQA requires the lead agency to evaluate reasonable alternatives, including a ‘no project’ alternative and a reduced‑lot alternative. Turner said selecting an environmentally superior alternative is a judgment the commission must make in light of CEQA’s procedural requirements.

An abutting neighbor, Jean Fafinger of 891 East Grandview, told commissioners she believes a 100‑year‑old carriage house on her property was omitted from EIR mapping and raised concerns about privacy, overlooking and drainage. “There’s going to be five lots that touch my property,” Fafinger said, asking to be consulted on drainage work that could affect her carriage house.

Commissioners discussed tradeoffs: Alternative 2 marginally lessened impacts in several categories according to the EIR, but the commission also noted pad elevations and grading differences (particularly at Lot 4) and the community preference for larger lot sizes and internal separation. Fire Chief Bartletta said either alternative would meet code and provide acceptable fire access.

Following deliberation the commission voted 5‑0 to certify the final EIR and adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. The commission then voted 5‑0 to approve tentative tract map 65348 as the original proposal with agreed amendments to condition language (including a revised reference for construction/noise hours to avoid conflicts if the noise ordinance is updated). The approvals are advisory recommendations to the City Council; the council remains the lead decision‑making body with discretion to act differently.

Conditions on approval require implementation of the EIR mitigation measures, recording of permanent open‑space easements, standard low‑impact development stormwater features on each lot, and review of CC&Rs/management provisions as part of the subdivision process.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendation and the certified EIR will be presented to the City Council for final action; the record shows the most recent tolling agreement on the underlying settlement runs through June 30, 2027, and future entitlements and hillside development permits will be reviewed under separate processes.