Etiwanda Heights Neighborhood & Conservation Plan

Addendum to the EIR for Specific Plan changes for consistency with the 2021 General Plan. The proposed Project involves an amendment to the Etiwanda Heights Neighborhood and Conservation Plan (“Specific Plan”) with respect to the approximately 790-acre Neighborhood Area (“Neighborhood Area”) located in the City of Rancho Cucamonga (“City”). The proposed amendment does not impact the 3,603-acre conservation area. The proposed amendment (1) aligns the Specific Plan with the maximum residential density established under the City’s 2021 General Plan Update for the entire Neighborhood Area, with specific analysis focused on the 742.54 acres currently controlled by the property owner and master developer, Previti Group, excluding +21 acres designated for commercial uses; and (2) provides additional building types to achieve such density. In addition to the proposed amendment, the City will also consider the approval of a tentative tract map and modified site plans for Planning Areas 1 and 2 (“PA1” and “PA2”, respectively) which areas are proposed for immediate development. For purposes of CEQA, the Project as analyzed herein includes both the Specific Plan amendment and the tract map and modified site plans for PA1 and PA2. The land encompassing the Neighborhood Area of the Specific Plan is designated as Traditional Neighborhood in the General Plan, which permits a gross maximum residential development of up to 8 dwelling units per acre. The proposed Specific Plan amendment would therefore allow for a gross maximum residential development of up to 8 dwelling units per acre consistent with the General Plan. The amendment would also do the following: 1) Add 9 new building types that include duplex, quadplex, 12-plex, walk-up, cottage court, small lot detached, small lot front load, motor court and courtyard building. 2) Modifies objective development standards for the following building types: Estate, Extra Large House, Large House, Medium House, Small House, Small House Variation, Attached A, Attached B, and Shops & Restaurants. 3) Amend the Regulating Zones to do the following: Permit the new building types in the existing regulating zones and expand existing building types in the Camino Overlay, Neighborhood Estates, Neighborhood General 1 and Neighborhood General 2 regulating zones. 4) Add new open space types and standards 5) Add “Shared Yard” as a new frontage type 6) Add the following new block configurations: no rear lane, simple rear lane, complex rear lane, attached open space, close 7) Establish a formal mechanism for transferring development rights (density) within the Specific Plan’s Neighborhood Area to enable less density near existing neighborhoods and facilitate appropriate clustering of residential uses elsewhere within the Neighborhood Area. The tentative tract map proposes to subdivide PA1 and PA2 into buildable parcels in order to facilitate the planned development of these areas in a manner consistent with the changes proposed by the Specific Plan amendment. The plans of development for these areas are shown on the modified PA1 and PA2 site plans, which are also included as part of the Project and analyzed as part of this Addendum. The overall Specific Plan area, originally adopted in October 2019, encompasses approximately 4,393 acres, with the Neighborhood Area intended for residential and limited commercial development, and the remaining 3,603 acres designated for rural development and open-space conservation. No changes are proposed for the 3,603-acre conservation area and no other changes are currently proposed for the additional planning areas that comprise the remainder of the Neighborhood Area. The Project’s adjustments aim to achieve consistency between the Specific Plan and General Plan supporting the City’s housing goals while maintaining compatibility with adjacent uses, preserving scenic foothill views, and enhancing community amenities.