NOTICE OF INTENT
DATE:
July 27, 2015
TO:
Public Agencies, Organizations and Interested Parties
FROM:
Department of Community Development, City of Santa Rosa
SUBJECT: NOTICE OF PUBLIC REVIEW AND INTENT TO ADOPT A SUPPLEMENTAL
MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION
Pursuant to the State of California Public Resources Code and the “Guidelines for Implementation of the
California Environmental Quality Act of 1970” as amended to date, this is to advise you that the City of Santa
Rosa has prepared an Initial Study on the following project:
Project Name: Fox Hollow Subdivision
Location: 1615 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, APN: 157-020-009.
Property Description:
The Project site is located in the City of Santa Rosa and is bounded on the west side of Fulton Road,
approximately one-quarter mile north of its intersection with Guerneville Road in northwest Santa Rosa.
The project site is undeveloped. Topography is generally flat, with gentle slopes (5-10%) near the center
of the property. Vegetation consists primarily of natural grasses, along with several tree groupings and
extensive eucalyptus plantings. Peterson Creek runs north/south along the rear, or westerly, property line.
The site is surrounded by a mix of land uses, including undeveloped property, residential uses and a city
youth community park.
Project Description:
This document is a Supplement to the October 16, 2008 Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration
(“2008 IS/MND”) originally prepared for the Fox Hollow project as approved the City of Santa Rosa in
2008. The 2008 IS/MND was prepared and circulated pursuant to CEQA. The Approved Project
generally consisted of 178 residential units including 148 single family, 9 duets, and 6 duplexes. The
Approved Project, the 2008 IS/MND and the associated Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program
(MMRP) were considered by the Planning Commission in 2008 and were approved with the finding that,
with implementation of all required mitigation measures, the Approved Project’s environmental impacts
would be less-than-significant.
The 2008 Approved Project consisted of a subdivision application to subdivide the property into 178
residential units on 172 lots for a total residential density of 7.95 units per acre. The largest lot approved
was 8,458 square feet, with an average lot size of 3,980 square feet.
The Modified Project would complete, modify and/or combine the Project improvements assessed in the
2008 IS/MND, and delete some of the development components for a reduction in density over that
approved in 2008. The changes proposed by the Modified Project are described below.
The modified Fox Hollow development is proposing to construct a residential development on the project
site. The proposed development includes 135 single-family lots and 8 duplex lots, for a total of 143 lots.
Associated infrastructure, access roads, and landscaping are also included in the project. The modified
Fox Hollow project development is consistent with the intended use for the site in accordance with the
City of Santa Rosa General Plan, Housing Element, and Zoning Ordinance (R-1-6) with a low density
residential development. The 2008 approval remains valid; however, City Ventures is proposing a
modified project to reduce impacts to wetlands and reduce the number of homes to provide for an
improved design over that of the Approved Project.
Peterson Creek
Peterson Creek is a major feature adjoining the western property line. The Peterson Creek flood control
channel daylights from the City storm drain system into an open channel at the southwest corner of the
Youth Community Park, a public park located immediately north of the project site. Shallow, intermittent
summer flows in this channel emanate from irrigation runoff from the Youth Community Park and other
urban discharges. In an effort to preserve the site’s historic drainage pattern, much of the stormwater from
the project site will be collected in three developed stormwater treatment “rain gardens” that would be
constructed along the western perimeter of the project site. Each rain garden will outflow into Peterson
Creek via a constructed weir-outfall structure at the top-of-bank. These outfalls will release treated
stormwater onto a riprap field extending from the top-of-bank of Peterson Creek to the channel bottom.
The riprap field will dissipate erosive-flow energy and that will otherwise protect the integrity of the
streambank.
Emergency Vehicle Access
The Project is proposing to create an EVA connection to “B” Street via Youth Community Park. The
connection would consist of an approximately 140’ long road that connects from an existing parking lot
within Youth Community Park to “B” Street. The 140’ long, 20’ wide connection would be gated off to
prevent uses other than for EVA purposes.
Footpath Extension
The Proposed Project includes connecting an onsite footpath that will be constructed along the northwest
boundary of the project site with an existing paved footpath that winds through the southwestern corner of
Youth Community Park immediately north of the project site. The proposed offsite footpath extension is
approximately 60 feet long and 5 feet wide.
Off-site Sewer Line
The Project includes construction of a gravity sewer system that would connect South Street via the future
Country Manor Drive right of way. The gravity sewer system would be accessible via manholes on a 12’
wide gravel road. The sewer line would cross through undeveloped lands immediately south and
southwest of the project site. The sewer would be constructed under existing wetlands using a jack and
bore system, reducing the impact to the biological resources. These road extensions will be constructed to
manhole service openings within the 12-foot wide right-of-way dedicated for the operation and
maintenance of the sewer line. The manholes within the 12’ wide road would be accessible from Fox
Hollow to the north and via Country Manor Drive to the south, but would not be on a through road.
Environmental Issues:
Section XVIII of the 2008 IS/MND addressed mandatory findings of significance associated with the
Approved Project. The Approved Project was found to have impacts on seasonal wetlands and potentially
on subsurface cultural resources. Mitigation measures were identified to mitigate, through the purchase
of offsite credits, the impacts to wetlands. Proper protocols were identified should cultural resources be
discovered, ensuring impacts to those resources are less-than-significant. The 2008 IS/MND identified
potentially cumulative impacts. Potential impacts were for Public Services, Traffic and Utilities were
identified as less-than-significant after implementation of Mitigation Measures that addressed potential
cumulative impacts related to traffic and utilities. Other potential impacts were not identified and,
therefore, were not found to combine with impacts from other projects. The 2008 IS/MND is available for
review at 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 3, Santa Rosa.
The Modified Project would develop a smaller project and on a smaller footprint at the same site as the
Approved Project and would be subject to similar environmental conditions. No new resources would be
subject to impacts and no increase in effects would occur. The Approved Project’s mitigation measures
related to air quality, biology, noise and hydrology have been updated to reflect current best management
practices (related to air quality and noise) and to reflect improved layout and additional avoidance of
wetlands. Implementation of mitigation measures discussed in the 2008 IS/MND as modified in this
document would ensure that effects associated with the Modified Project would be less-than-significant.
This Supplemental IS/MND reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City as the lead
agency, demonstrates that much of the environmental analysis including impacts and mitigation
requirements identified in the 2008 IS/MND remain substantively unchanged by the situation described
herein.
A 30-day public review period shall commence on July 27, 2015. Written comments must be sent to
the City of Santa Rosa, Community Development Department, 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 3, Santa
Rosa CA 95404 by August 26, 2015. The City of Santa Rosa Planning Commission will hold a public
hearing on the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and project merits on August 27, 2015 in the
Santa Rosa City Council Chambers at City Hall (address listed above). Correspondence and comments
can be delivered to Patrick Streeter, project planner, phone: (707) 543- 4323, email:
[email protected]