The Department of Conservation and Development is in receipt of a July 2, 2015 letter from Joe Panetta (Attachment A), on behalf of the Panetta Family, requesting a GPA study involving one parcel located at the northwest corner of the Crow Canyon Road/Bollinger Canyon Road intersection in the San Ramon area. The subject parcel is 2.52+/- acres, inside the Urban Limit Line, and within the City of San Ramon's Sphere of Influence (SOI). The San Ramon city limit runs along the parcel's southern and eastern boundaries. Access is currently gained via a driveway on the Bollinger Canyon Road frontage. Surrounding land uses include agricultural land to the north and west, single-family residences to the south across Crow Canyon Road, and multiple-family residences to the east across Bollinger Canyon Road. The site is used as a corporation yard and has been for many years. Dense stands of mature trees are located around the site's edges and Bollinger Creek runs through the northern portion.   
  
Mr. Panetta's letter requests a change in the parcel's General Plan land use designation from Agricultural Lands (AL; 0.2 units/net acre) to Multiple-Family Residential - Very High Special Density (MS; 45.0-99.9 units/net acre) and Single-Family Residential - High Density (SH; 5.0-7.2 units/net acre) for the purpose of constructing 48 condominium units in four two-story buildings and three single-family residences. However, the conceptual site plan (Attachment B) reflects a less-dense layout that would likely fall into either the Multiple-Family Residential - High Density (MH; 22.0-29.9 units/net acre) or Multiple-Family Residential - Very High Density (MV; 30.0-44.9 units/net acre) designation. Attached for the Board’s consideration under Attachment D are maps and aerial photos of the site and its surroundings, showing the existing and proposed General Plan land use designations. If the Board authorized the GPA study, then the applicant would also file applications for a rezoning [most likely to Planned-Unit (P-1) District], major subdivision, and final development plan.   
  
Staff recommends, however, that the Board deny the request for a GPA study for the proposed project for two reasons, as follows:  
  
First, in accordance with its voter-approved General Plan, the City of San Ramon has adopted the Northwest Specific Plan (NWSP) for a 354-acre area along both sides of Bollinger Canyon Road, north of Crow Canyon Road (see Attachment C - Northwest Specific Plan Land Use Plan). The subject parcel lies in a 64-acre sub-area west of Bollinger Canyon Road designated "Neighborhood E," which is planned for up to 44 single-family residential lots (approximately 20,000 square feet each). The land use plan for Neighborhood E designates the subject parcel as a park. The proposed project would not only exceed the unit count envisioned for all of Neighborhood E, it would be inconsistent with the unit type envisioned (multiple-family vs. single-family), as well as remain inconsistent with the "Parks" land use designation.  
  
The Panettas and the owners of the adjacent Hsientein (Chang) property to the north, which is also within San Ramon's SOI and covered by the NWSP, both filed "concept review" applications with the city, which were reviewed at a joint study session of the City Council and Planning Commission on February 17, 2015. The Hsientein owners envision 50 single-family units and a 100-unit elderly residential care facility on their property. Both property owners were advised that their projects required amendments to the city's General Plan (see Attachment E, the staff report for the study session).   
  
Second, access to the project site appears to be especially problematic. County Public Works staff indicated, and San Ramon Planning staff agreed, that the existing driveway off Bollinger Canyon Road could not be used as the access to the multiple-family portion of the project because it is too close to the intersection (approximately 20 feet away from the intersection where a minimum of 150 feet is normally required). Access from Crow Canyon Road is precluded by a steep grade. The conceptual site plan indicates that access for the multiple-family units would be gained through the neighboring Hsientein (Chang) property. However, the NWSP Land Use Plan does not provide a vehicular connection through the Hsientein parcel to the subject parcel.  
  
Additionally, in this area, both adjacent rights-of-way are within and under the jurisdiction of the City of San Ramon, meaning permits and approvals from the city would be required for access to the Panetta and Hsientein parcels. Since both projects are inconsistent with the city's General Plan and the NWSP, it is unlikely that the city would issue the permits necessary to implement either.  
  
Since the proposed project is inconsistent with the City of San Ramon's General Plan and NWSP, and obtaining vehicular access to the subject site is problematic, staff recommends that authorization for a GPA study be denied.

If the request for a GPA study is authorized, then the applicant would be allowed to submit, and the County would process at the applicant's expense, applications for the land use proposal.

CONTINUED to a date uncertain to allow the property owner to meet with County and City of San Ramon planning departments to discuss a project design more suitable to the area.