Ginkgo Stonehouse Residential Project (TTM No. 65348)

The Ginkgo Stonehouse Residential Project, located at 935 East Grand View Avenue in Sierra Madre, California, proposes the development of nine single-family detached residential lots on approximately nine acres of land, with a designated non-buildable area of four acres permanently restricted to passive open space and limited maintenance activities such as brush management and fuel modification. The project requires approval of Tentative Tract Map 65348 and involves the demolition of four existing structures, site grading, installation of a private cul-de-sac, retaining walls, utilities, and stormwater management systems, with construction activities estimated to take 60 working days across phased demolition, grading, and paving stages. All development is subject to strict environmental compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including implementation of a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the City of Sierra Madre, covering biological resources, air quality, noise, water quality, wildfire hazards, and cultural protections. The project must adhere to protocols for special status species, including Crotch’s bumble bee and nesting birds, with buffers verified by biologists and coordinated with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and CDFW for permit compliance. Special requirements mandate continuous cultural resource monitoring by a Native American Monitor approved by the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation, with authority to halt work upon discovery of culturally significant materials, all of which must be relinquished to the Tribe. Tree preservation and replacement are governed by a certified arborist’s plan conforming to local municipal codes, with in-lieu fees required if replacement space is unavailable. Construction activities are restricted within 10 feet of offsite structures, and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) must be implemented with biofiltration systems to meet NPDES and municipal code standards. All inspections occur on-site, with enforcement responsibilities shared between the City’s Planning and Building and Safety Divisions and the contractor, using standards such as Caltrans’ vibration thresholds and SCAQMD dust regulations. Environmental fees must be paid upon filing the Notice of Determination, and project approvals are contingent upon final verification of mitigation measures, submission of monitoring reports to the City, CDFW, and the Tribe, and compliance with data reporting to the California Natural Diversity Database. The project is not subject to FAR compliance or federal procurement structures but is governed entirely by state and local environmental and land use regulations.