Scoping Meeting – General Plan and Zoning Code Update

PUBLIC NOTICE/NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Project: Laguna Woods General Plan and Zoning Code Update Lead Agency: City of Laguna Woods Project Applicant: City of Laguna Woods The City of Laguna Woods (City) is preparing a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) addressing potential environmental impacts associated with a proposed update to its General Plan and Zoning Code (proposed project). The purpose of this notice is to: (1) serve as a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an EIR pursuant to the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15082; (2) advise and solicit comments and suggestions regarding the scope and content of the EIR to be prepared for the proposed project; and, (3) provide notice of the public scoping meeting. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The proposed project would:  Create the following four new overlay zoning districts that allow housing development: ○ Residential High Density Overlay – would allow 30 to 50 dwelling units per acre ○ Residential Medium Density Overlay – would allow 20 to 30 dwelling units per acre ○ Residential Medium‐Low Density Overlay – would allow 15 to 20 dwelling units per acre ○ Residential Low Density Overlay – would allow 8 to 10 dwelling units per acre Creation of the new overlay zoning districts also includes the creation of development standards for each.  Rezone 17 properties (a total of 18 parcels) to allow housing development in addition to the uses already allowed under the existing zoning on those properties. This action would accommodate the City’s 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) housing needs allocation. The City plans to apply one of the four new overlay zoning districts to each parcel; no change in General Plan land use designation is proposed. See summary table below.  Change the General Plan land use designation and rezone 12 properties (a total of 14 parcels) to better correlate existing uses with land use designations and zoning. See summary table below.  Update the City’s General Plan Circulation Element and Noise Element to ensure internal consistency with the City’s General Plan Housing Element, update background and existing condition information, update the identification of priority issues, update goals and policy objectives, and make other changes intended to modernize the documents while also promoting clarity and ease of use. Site [Existing Use / Assessor’s Existing General Plan Proposed General Plan Existing Zoning District Proposed Overlay Parcel Number (APN) / Address] Land Use Designation Land Use Designation Zoning District or Zoning District Town Centre Vacant Lot Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 616‐012‐29 Overlay N/A (East of 24331 El Toro Road) Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel Commercial (No Change) Professional & Residential High Density Parking Lot Administrative Office Overlay 621‐131‐38 24481 Moulton Parkway Rossmoor Electric Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 621‐131‐21 Overlay 24351 Moulton Parkway Saddleback Golf Cars Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 621‐131‐26 Overlay 23252 Via Campo Verde Laguna Woods Self Storage Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 616‐012‐19 Overlay 24151 Moulton Parkway Page 1 of 5  Site [Existing Use / Assessor’s Existing General Plan Proposed General Plan Existing Zoning District Proposed Overlay Parcel Number (APN) / Address] Land Use Designation Land Use Designation Zoning District or Zoning District Animal Hospital Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 616‐012‐03 Overlay 24271 El Toro Road PS Business Park (excludes Jack‐ Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density in‐the‐Box) Overlay 616‐021‐30 23582 Moulton Parkway Smart Parke Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential High Density 621‐211‐09 Overlay 24334 El Toro Road McCormick & Son Mortuary Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential Medium‐ 621‐091‐016 Low Density Overlay 25002 Moulton Parkway Lutheran Church of the Cross Community Facilities (No Change) Community Facilities‐ Residential Medium‐ 616‐041‐01 Private Low Density Overlay 24231 El Toro Road Geneva Presbyterian Church Community Facilities (No Change) Community Facilities‐ Residential Medium‐ 616‐191‐05 & 616‐191‐06 Private Low Density Overlay 24301 El Toro Road Saint Nicholas Catholic Church Community Facilities (No Change) Community Facilities‐ Residential Medium‐ 621‐121‐11 Private Low Density Overlay 24252 El Toro Road Temple Judea Community Facilities (No Change) Community Facilities‐ Residential Low Density 621‐121‐18 Private Overlay 24512 Moulton Parkway Laguna Country United Methodist Community Facilities (No Change) Community Facilities‐ Residential Medium Church Private Density Overlay 621‐121‐23 24442 Moulton Parkway Medical Building in Town Centre Commercial (No Change) Professional & Residential High Density 616‐012‐24 Administrative Office Overlay 24331 El Toro Road Willow Tree Center East Commercial (No Change) Community Commercial Residential Low Density 621‐121‐30 Overlay 24260 El Toro Road Helm Center Commercial (No Change) Professional & Residential Medium‐ 621‐091‐15 Administrative Office Low Density Overlay 24902 Moulton Parkway City of Laguna Woods ‐ City Hall Commercial Community Facilities Community Commercial Community Facilities‐ 621‐121‐29 Public/Institutional 24264 El Toro Road City of Laguna Woods ‐ Santa Residential Community Open Space Residential Community Open Space‐Passive Vittoria Open Space 616‐351‐06 N/A (West of San Remo & Santa Vittoria) Golden Rain Foundation ‐ Garden High Density Residential Open Space Residential Multifamily Open Space‐Recreation Center #1 616‐021‐18 23742 Moulton Parkway El Toro Water District ‐ Rossmoor Open Space Community Facilities Open Space‐Recreation Community Facilities‐ No. 1 Dam Public/Institutional 616‐021‐33 23600 Moulton Parkway El Toro Water District ‐ R‐1 & R‐2 Commercial Community Facilities Community Commercial Community Facilities‐ Reservoirs Public/Institutional 616‐012‐02 24141 Moulton Parkway El Toro Water District ‐ Oso Lift Open Space Community Facilities Open Space‐Passive Community Facilities‐ Station Public/Institutional Page 2 of 5  Site [Existing Use / Assessor’s Existing General Plan Proposed General Plan Existing Zoning District Proposed Overlay Parcel Number (APN) / Address] Land Use Designation Land Use Designation Zoning District or Zoning District 622‐071‐21 N/A (Intersection of El Toro Road & Aliso Creek Road) El Toro Water District ‐ Pump Residential Community Community Facilities Residential Community Community Facilities‐ Station P‐4 & Reservoir R‐4 Public/Institutional 621‐201‐06 & 621‐201‐07 N/A (off Calle Sonora Oeste, behind buildings) El Toro Water District ‐ Pump Residential Community Community Facilities Residential Community Community Facilities‐ Station P‐3 & Reservoir R‐3 Public/Institutional 622‐061‐11 N/A (North of Avenida Sosiega & Bahia Blanca West) El Toro Water District ‐ Gate 11 Residential Community Community Facilities Residential Community Community Facilities‐ Lift Station Public/Institutional 616‐351‐04 N/A (San Remo & Santa Vittoria) El Toro Water District ‐ Recycled Open Space Community Facilities Open Space‐Recreation Community Facilities‐ Water Treatment Plant Public/Institutional 616‐021‐03 23542 Moulton Parkway El Toro Water District ‐ Northline Open Space Community Facilities Open Space‐Recreation Community Facilities‐ Sewage Lift Station Public/Institutional 616‐021‐05 & 616‐021‐35 23201 Ridge Route Drive El Toro Water District ‐ Aliso Creek Residential Community Community Facilities Residential Community Community Facilities‐ Lift Station Public/Institutional 621‐101‐18 24091 Avenida Sevilla Discretionary Actions. Required discretionary actions associated with the proposed project include the following: certification of the EIR; approval of updates to the General Plan Land Use Element; approval of updates to the General Plan Noise Element; and, approval of updates to the Zoning Code. PROPOSED PROJECT LOCATION: The City of Laguna Woods is located in the southern portion of Orange County within Southern California. Given that the City’s General Plan addresses policy issues throughout the City, the project area includes all lands within the City’s boundaries. The map below and table provided immediately prior to this paragraph show the locations of all affected properties. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: The EIR will examine potential environmental impacts of the proposed project in relation to the following Environmental Analysis categories: Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Population and Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems, and Wildfire. These categories reflect the probable environmental effects of the proposed project and are subject to change based on the analysis conducted as part of the EIR. The EIR will also identify appropriate and feasible mitigation measures, if necessary, for each of the environmental impacts listed above. Although the proposed project is not anticipated to result in impacts related to Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Biological Resources, Geology and Soils, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Mineral Resources, these topics will be briefly discussed in the EIR. An Initial Study has not been prepared for the proposed project and is not required pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15063. PROJECT SCOPING PROCESS: Circulation of this Notice of Preparation (NOP) starts a 30‐day public review and comment period on the scope of the EIR that begins on August 1, 2022, and ends on August 30, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. All interested parties, including the public, responsible agencies, and trustee agencies, are invited to provide comments and input on Page 3 of 5 the scope and content of the environmental analysis to be addressed in the EIR. Responsible and trustee agencies should provide comments and input related to the agencies’ respective areas of statutory responsibility. Comments received during the scoping period will be considered during the preparation of the EIR. Public agencies and interested parties will have an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed project during the 45‐day public review period to be held after the publication and circulation of the EIR. Address Comments To City of Laguna Woods Attn: General Plan and Zoning Code Update 24264 El Toro Road Laguna Woods, CA 92637 or via e‐mail to: cityhall@cityoflagunawoods.org (please reference “General Plan and Zoning Code Update”) SCOPING MEETING: The City will conduct a public scoping meeting in order to present the proposed project and the EIR process and provide direction to the public on comments. The City encourages and invites all interested parties to participate in the following public scoping meeting in order to learn more about the project, ask questions, and submit comments. Date/Time: Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 2 p.m. Location: Laguna Woods City Hall, 24264 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637. Participation will also be possible via telephone or computer. Instructions for participating remotely will be posted 72 hours prior to the public scoping meeting at Laguna Woods City Hall (address above) and www.cityoflagunawoods.org. For more information, please contact Rebecca M. Pennington, Development Programs Analyst, City of Laguna Woods, at (949) 639‐0561 or rpennington@cityoflagunawoods.org. Page 4 of 5 Map of Affected Properties Page 5 of 5