Rialto council approves specific-plan amendment and first reading of development-agreement changes that remove park designation

The Rialto City Council voted to adopt resolutions approving amendments to the Renaissance Specific Plan and to conduct the first reading of an amendment to the development agreement that removes a planned public park designation on portions of the Myra Way/Ayala Drive project site.

Staff said the proposed changes would re-designate planning areas 123, 126 and 133 from school/public park/employment overlays to commercial or business-center uses and would reconfigure Myra Way to extend from Linden Avenue to Ayala Drive. The state-subsequent environmental impact report analyzed potential future developments and identified significant and unavoidable greenhouse gas impacts; the staff report included a statement of overriding considerations. "The environmental impact report that was prepared did identify that the project would contribute significant and unavoidable impacts to greenhouse gas emissions," the project presenter said.

The development-agreement amendment removes park-specific provisions, including language requiring the city to use $17,300,000 in fees for park acquisition and construction; staff said $10.3 million of that has already been collected and $6.5 million remains to be collected as residential buildout continues. Council asked whether a developer had been designated; staff said Newland Real Estate Equities is likely the purchaser for the south side but no final development entitlements were before the council tonight. Labor representatives were present in support: Jorge Savala of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters urged approval, saying the project will create local jobs and strengthen the tax base.

Councilmembers discussed park-replacement priorities and options for using the freed fees for other park improvements; several members stressed the council retains discretion to allocate the funds to other park projects if desired. A motion to adopt the resolutions and conduct the ordinance's first reading passed by voice vote with one abstention from Councilmember Andy Caracetes (noted as abstaining because of proximate business interests). Because the ordinance requires a subsequent meeting for passage, the council performed only the first reading tonight.

Next steps: The ordinance will return for final reading and adoption at a subsequent council meeting; future discretionary entitlement applications would be required for any concrete development on the re-designated parcels.