Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Osborne Park Expansion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission recommends mitigated negative declaration, general-plan and zone changes for Osborne Park expansion
Summary
The Atwater Planning Commission voted to recommend that council adopt an initial study and mitigated negative declaration under CEQA and approve a general plan amendment and zone change to allow expansion of Osborne Park at 501 E. Belleview Road; staff said one parcel is being acquired and another remains under negotiation.
The Atwater Planning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt an initial study and mitigated negative declaration for the Osborne Park Expansion Project and approve General Plan Amendment 25-01-02000 and Zone Change 25-01-0300 for property at 501 East Belleview Road (APNs ending in -011 and -025).
City staff member Mr. Holm, speaking by phone, told the commission the filing before them is an environmental document and that the proposal would change the general-plan land use from commercial to park and add an open-space overlay to the zoning. "This project is an initial study and a mitigated negative declaration," Mr. Holm said. He added the site plan is conceptual at this stage and that ADA parking, field layouts and other detailed design elements will be provided later as part of formal design work.
During public comment a resident urged the commission to confirm that necessary ownership and signed agreements are in place before the project reaches council and raised tribal and cultural-resource concerns. The speaker also asked whether the city already owns the parcels and whether a property owner has signed any transfer documents. Mr. Holm responded that one parcel is in the process of acquisition, another remains under negotiation, and that staff would not perform work on private property without acquisition. He also described the standard mitigation practice if human remains or artifacts are discovered: "If any human remains are found in the course of construction that construction must stop and a tribal lands adviser has to come to the site and review things going forward," he said.
Commissioners also asked about access and emergency egress. Mr. Holm said the expansion would provide two access points and that the secondary access would be east of the existing ball fields; he noted the project "has been reviewed by all relevant departments including fire." He also said staff will circulate a public survey next week to gather community feedback as the design is formalized.
The commission made the CEQA finding and approved the recommendation to council by recorded vote. The matter will proceed to the City Council for final action on the environmental document, general-plan amendment and zone change.
