Re: Resort and Casino Expansion
RC Homes Inc. is looking to build a 245-unit multi-family project on acreage at the northeast corner of Pechanga Parkway and Loma Linda Road, a long-vacant parcel north of the Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Mayor Mike Naggar said Tuesday the development, a mix of condos and apartments, could lead to construction of a special needs playground on a nearby park, which would give the city a southern counterpart to the popular Eagle Soar playground at Margarita Community Park.
“We negotiated some extra amenities,” said Naggar, who said the city’s bargaining position was strengthened by the developer’s request for a zone change from office space to residential.
A previous plan for that land -- which was rejected in 2013 by the City Council in response to community outcry -- called for a 270-unit condominium complex and 49 single-family homes for seniors.
The council was unimpressed with that development's proposed amenities and multiple members expressed concerns about the condo complex, which included small 1-bedroom floor plans, masquerading as an apartment building in disguise.
During the public hearing ahead of the vote, the council heard from residents who said the development was a bad fit for the neighborhood that would lead to traffic nightmares and the overcrowding of local schools. The people who spoke were backed by neighbors who stood in unison to show their solidarity in opposition.
On Tuesday, Aug. 9, the council -- which now features two new members in Matt Rahn and Michael McCracken -- approved an amendment to the city’s agreement with Los Angeles-based Environmental Science Associates, which is working on the environmental documentation for the new project.
The $6,900 amendment is "necessary," according to a city staff report, to conduct additional traffic analysis, such as looking at how traffic will be impacted by removal of the "eastern bypass" from models and conducting studies showing how AM and PM traffic will be impacted at 15 different intersections.
The previous development had been dubbed "Bella Linda." The new project has been named "Cypress Ridge."
Tacking on the additional $6,900 will bring the total agreement amount on this project with ESA to $159,750, which is covered by the applicant.
Planning Director Luke Watson said in an email that the "eastern bypass" is in the city's General Plan Circulation element but "there is no city funding available and there is no development pending that might be responsible for its construction."
Naggar said the county’s old plans for the area called for a freeway off-ramp south of the Temecula Parkway interchange that would have served the eastern bypass but that off-ramp is no longer considered feasible.
Alex Girda wrote:
> The Pechanga Resort and Casino is due for a sizable expansion.
Artist/Author: AARON CLAVERIE, Press Enterprise August 24, 2016 | |
