Title
PLN150150 - LUNDQUIST (Continued from February 14, 2018)
Public hearing to consider demolition and construction of a single-family dwelling and accessory structures; development on slopes exceeding 30 percent; development within 100 feet of environmentally sensitive habitat (Monterey cypress habitat); development within 750 feet of known archaeological resources; and removal of one dead Monterey cypress tree.
Project Location: 3224 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, Del Monte Forest, Coastal Zone
Proposed CEQA Action: Addendum to a previously-adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution:
a. Approving an Addendum together with the previously-adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH No. 2012061087; Planning Commission Resolution No. 13-007), pursuant to Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines;
b. Amending a previously-approved Combined Development Permit (PLN110114) consisting of:
1) Coastal Administrative Permit and Design Approval to:
a. Demolish a 2,083 square foot single-family dwelling with 740 square feet of deck area and a 249 square foot attached carport;
b. Construct an 8,886 square foot single-family dwelling with 1,296 square feet of balcony area and a 1,106 square foot detached garage, and re-aligned driveway;
c. Replace an existing wood fence with a stone wall and a new driveway entrance gate; and
d. Restore existing paths and driveway to Monterey Cypress habitat.
2) Coastal Development Permit to allow the removal of one dead Monterey cypress tree;
3) Coastal Development Permit to allow development within 100 feet of environmentally sensitive habitat (Monterey cypress habitat);
4) Coastal Development Permit to allow development within 750 feet of known archaeological resources; and
5) Coastal Development Permit to allow development on slopes exceeding 30 percent; and
c. Adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Report Plan.
A draft resolution, including findings and evidence, is attached for consideration (Exhibit B).
Staff recommends approval subject to thirty (30) conditions of approval, including nine (9) mitigation measures.
PROJECT INFORMATION:
Property Owner: Richard C. and Melanie F. Lundquist TRS
Agent: Aengus Jeffers
APN: 008-472-006-000
Zoning: Low Density Residential, 2.5 acres per unit, with a Design Control Overlay (Coastal Zone) [LDR/2.5-D (CZ)]
Parcel Size: 1.68 acres or 73,230 square feet
Plan Area: Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan
Flagged and Staked: Yes
SUMMARY:
The Planning Commission considered and subsequently continued the item on February 14th, 2018 and directed staff to return with more specific findings and evidence. The Commission wanted a finding regarding how this project met the requirements of the newly amended Policy 20 and corresponding text of Section 20.147.040.D.2 of the Coastal Implementation Plan (Title 20 of the Monterey County Code), Part 5, regulating development within the indigenous Monterey cypress habitat in the Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan area. This new finding was needed to provide evidence of how this specific project, in this specific case, met the standards of the new Policy 20 rather than setting a broad precedent. Per Planning Commission direction, staff has added Finding No. 7, ‘Development within the Indigenous Monterey Cypress Habitat Area’, and supporting evidence to address the specific requirements of the recently-amended Policy 20 and the applicable Section 20.147.040.D.2(c)(2). This new finding is specific PLN150150, and contains evidence of how this project meets the standards of the newly adopted Policy 20. Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission approve this project with the incorporation of newly crafted Finding No.7.
Requirements of the new Policy 20 are discussed briefly below, and in more detail in the project discussion (Exhibit A). The Staff Report from the February 14th Planning Commission is also attached as Exhibit J for additional project background information.
DISCUSSION:
New Development Requirements within Monterey Cypress Habitat Area
DMF LUP Policy 20 designates indigenous Monterey cypress habitat as environmentally sensitive habitat, and presumes its presence within and adjacent to the area mapped in LUP Figure 2a. Coastal Implementation Plan Section 20.147.040.2(c)(2) directs that on developed lots (i.e., those with an existing legally established residence), new and/or modified development located outside of the existing legally established structural and/or hardscape area must meet a series of stringent requirements; including:
• Significantly reducing existing hardscape;
• Accommodating the habitat health and vitality and not harming any existing individual Monterey cypress;
• Siting development to avoid the most sensitive habitat parts of the site;
• Defining a surveyed development envelope that shall contain all improvements and structural development;
• Be no larger than 15 percent of the cypress habitat area;
• Restoring all Monterey cypress habitat area outside of the approved development envelope;
• Placing the remaining parcel area within an open space conservation and scenic easement; and
• Providing for off-site restoration of all new coverage at a 2:1 ratio.
Pursuant to the applicable requirements, the proposed development and restoration represents an opportunity to increase and promote Monterey cypress native habitat by over 10,000 square feet. This habitat recovery would be accomplished through both the removal of non-native Monterey cypress and ice plant and hardscape reduction. As proposed, the project would restore 4,191 square feet of hardscape, comprised mainly of the existing driveway, walkways, and other flatwork. When calculated with the proposed construction, this results in a 679-square foot net reduction of hardscape on the site (from 9,974 square feet to 9,295 square feet - a reduction of 6.8 percent), including 119 square feet of hardscape from existing critical root zone areas. While this 6.8 percent reduction in total hardscape may not be considered a sufficiently significant reduction for properties with larger amounts of existing and permitted total hardscape, it is considered a significant reduction given the specific project site’s limited existing and permitted total hardscape of 9,974 square feet relative to neighboring properties fully located in the Monterey cypress habitat area.
To further illustrate that in this case, a 6.8 percent reduction in hardscape can be considered significant, Staff researched total hardscape footprints on nearby project sites. Based upon County-approved entitlements since 2011, neighboring properties in the Monterey cypress habitat area contain total hardscape baselines well in excess of 11,000 square feet. In addition, the 6.8 percent reduction in total hardscape is also considered a significant reduction given the proposed total coverage of 9,295 square feet will only be 12.7 percent of the project site, relative to the 15 percent maximum total coverage allowed under Coastal Implementation Plan Section 20.147.040.2(c)(2) and the neighboring properties described below.
Lot Size Total Hardscape Total Hardscape
Property Address (sq ft) Coverage (sq ft)* Coverage (%) Planning File No.
3184 17-Mile Dr 65,343 15,976 24.4% PLN100579
3168 17-Mile Dr 129,860 29,058 22.3% PLN160117
3188 17-Mile Dr 65,340 11,410 17.4% PLN160179
3212 17-Mile Dr 121,096 15,661 12.9% PLN040662
3224 17-Mile Dr 73,230 9,295 12.7% PLN150150 **
3196 17-Mile Dr 118,483 12,637 10.7% PLN150548
* Structural and Hardscape Coverage Combined
** Lundquist Project Site
In summary of this chart, the project site currently uses its hardscape efficiently, and the proposed project pares this hardscape down to the bare minimum of about 12.7 percent of the project site.
Overall, the project incorporates recommendations for improving the health and viability of the habitat system as a component of the development. As proposed, conditioned, and mitigated, the project would result in significant improvements over the existing site development pattern by:
• Reducing hardscape;
• Moving existing structural and hardscape development away from existing Monterey cypress trees;
• Reducing the landscaped area on the parcel;
• Increasing the amount of easement and protected habitat area; and
• Promoting the health and vitality of the Monterey cypress habitat to the maximum extent possible.
The proposed development avoids the critical habitat area and the most sensitive habitat parts of the site as much as possible. Since the entire site is considered cypress habitat, the siting focused on consolidating existing hardscape within a single driveway and building envelope. The proposed single-family dwelling will be in the same general building and hardscape footprint as the existing single-family dwelling, with minor adjustments to increase setbacks from Monterey cypress located near the existing building footprint. The project results in greater cypress habitat value on the site, and in relation to adjacent and surrounding habitat areas, than the existing baseline habitat value, and enhances Monterey cypress habitat values overall.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The County prepared, circulated, considered, and adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND; SCH No. 2012061087) (Exhibit F) for the original Combined Development Permit (PLN110114). The MND concluded that the project as designed and mitigated had reduced potential impacts to a less than significant level. Issues that were analyzed in the MND included: aesthetics, biological resources, cultural resources, geology/soils, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use/planning. Mitigations were recommended to reduce potential impacts to less than significant for aesthetics, biological resources, and cultural resources. The current proposal does not alter the analysis or conclusions reached by this MND. The County has prepared an Addendum (Exhibit E) for PLN150150 which states that none of the conditions described in Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines calling for preparation of a subsequent Initial Study or EIR have occurred, there are no new significant environmental effects or increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects, and there is no new information of substantial importance that was not known at the time the previous MND was adopted. The proposed demolition and rebuild of the single-family dwelling does not raise any new potential significant impacts that were not previously analyzed and/or mitigated under the original permit and MND. Mitigation No. 8 regarding archeological resources will be slightly modified to include the excavation of the area for the new residence in addition to the new driveway, fence, and garage, and to include a tribal monitor. No unresolved issues remain and the project, as proposed and mitigated, is consistent with applicable policies regarding hazards and protection of environmental resources.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The following County agencies or departments reviewed this project:
Ø RMA-Public Works
Ø RMA-Environmental Services
Ø Environmental Health Bureau
Ø Water Resources Agency
Ø Pebble Beach Community Services District - Fire Department
The proposed project was referred to the Del Monte Forest Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC) for review. The LUAC, at a duly-noticed public meeting on June 4, 2015, voted 5 - 0 to support the project as proposed (Exhibit C).
Prepared by: Joseph Sidor, Associate Planner, x5262
Reviewed by: Brandon Swanson, RMA Services Manager
Approved by: John M. Dugan, AICP, RMA Deputy Director for Land Use and Community
Development
The following attachments are on file with the RMA:
Exhibit A - Discussion
- includes the full text of the amended Del Monte Forest Land
Use Plan (LUP) Policy 20 and Coastal Implementation Plan Section
20.147.040.D.2(c)(2) for developed lots
Exhibit B - Draft Resolution, including:
- Conditions of Approval and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan
- Plans
Exhibit C - Del Monte Forest Land Use Advisory Committee Minutes (June 4, 2015)
Exhibit D - Vicinity Map
Exhibit E - Addendum
Exhibit F - Mitigated Negative Declaration/Initial Study
Exhibit G - Planning Commission Resolution No. 13-007 (March 13, 2013)
Exhibit H - Del Monte Forest Land Use Plan Policy 20 (effective February 7, 2018)
Exhibit I - Coastal Implementation Plan Section 20.147.040.D.2
Exhibit J - February 14th Planning Commission Staff Report
cc: Front Counter Copy; Planning Commission; California Coastal Commission; Brandon Swanson, RMA Services Manager; Joseph Sidor, Project Planner; Aengus Jeffers, Agent; Richard Lundquist, Owner; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); LandWatch; Planning File PLN150150