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AGENDA REPORT
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| | | | | | | | DATE:
| January 19, 2021
| TO:
| Mayor and City Council
| FROM:
| Stefan T. Chatwin, City Manager
| | SUBJECT: | Public Hearing; and
Resolution 2021-20 of the City Council of the City of Fairfield Adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration (ER2019-043) for Annexation and Development of a 10,342 square-foot Church and Associated Site Improvements on a Vacant ±1.23-acre Parcel on Sunset Avenue (APN: 0037-160-040), and Finding the Proposed Annexation (ANX2019-002) of the Entire ±2.1-acres Located on Sunset Avenue (APNS: 0037-160-040, 0037-160-060) Consistent with the City’s General Plan and Municipal Service Review |
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| | | | | | | | | RECOMMENDED ACTION | | Hold public hearing and adopt resolution. |
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| | | | | | | | | STATEMENT OF ISSUE | | Joseph Palafox, on the behalf of the Blessed Baptist Church, requests to annex two unincorporated parcels (APNS: 0037-160-040, 0037-160-060) totaling ±2.1-acres into the City of Fairfield for the development of a ±10,342 square-foot church and associated site improvements on the one vacant parcel (APN: 0037-160-040). |
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| | | | | | | | | DISCUSSION | Background Information: At the September 15, 2020 City Council meeting the Council adopted Ordinance 2020-17, which temporarily prohibits the pre-zoning of territory located outside City boundaries until a new general plan has been adopted. Prohibiting the City’s ability to pre-zone properties therefore facilitates a nearly-complete moratorium on annexations. The prohibition applies to all applications for pre-zoning not completed as of July 21, 2020, the date City Council requested the moratorium.
There are five small areas, ranging from one-quarter acre to three acres of developable land already pre-zoned by the City. These “islands” are completely surrounded by City limits and still able to request annexation under the proposed ordinance. Current Solano Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) law encourages and expedites island annexations that promote greater efficiency in providing services to small, isolated unincorporated areas. The proposed project is one of the identified islands that are pre-zoned and, therefore, allowed to proceed with an annexation request under Ordinance 2020-17.
Project Description: The proposed project is a church and related site improvements. The church building includes a sanctuary to seat up to 180 people, three classrooms, several ancillary support, and administrative spaces, as well as kitchen facilities. Site development includes parking, landscaping, and stormwater quality treatment areas.
Because the property is not currently within City limits, annexation is required to facilitate the development proposal. The proposal requests a ±2.1-acre unicorporated island be annexed into the City of Fairfield. The unicorporated island is made of two properties; the ±1.23-acre project site (APN:0037-160-040) and an adjacent ±.87-acre parcel to the southwest (APN:0037-160-060). The adjacent parcel has been included into the annexation request as it is a condition of LAFCO. LAFCO defines an island as territory that is surrounded, or substantially surrounded, by the City to which the annexation is proposed. LAFCO regulations require that the entire island is incorporated as a whole. Partial annexation of an island will not be supported by LAFCO. Therefore, the annexation proposal must consider not only the project site but the adjacent parcel as well.
General Plan/Zoning Consistency: The proposed “church or place of worship” land use is consistent with the RM (Residential Medium) General Plan and Zoning land use designations. Churches are a permitted use in the RM zoning district along a collector or arterial roadway such as Sunset Avenue. Furthermore, the proposed land use is consistent with the following General Plan Objectives:
Policy ED 7.3: Preserve and enhance the community's assets and character, including education, agriculture, open space, recreational amenities, cultural amenities, and other factors, which make the community an attractive area to live, work, and invest.
Policy LU 2.3: Review and comment on all development proposals within the unincorporated areas of the City’s sphere of influence and in neighboring cities.
Policy LU 10.1: Where infill development is proposed, the character, scale and density of existing single-family residential neighborhoods should be preserved in the new development.
Objective LU 18: Encourage infill development and compact growth.
Objective UD 4: Ensure high standards of quality in development.
Objective UD 8: Encourage and approve infill development which is compatible with the surrounding area.
Annexation: The applicant requested annexation of a ±2.1-acre site, made up of two parcels, into the City of Fairfield. The annexation is necessary to obtain the provision of City services, such as sewer and water, to serve the project’s utility needs. The Municipal Service Review is a document approved by LAFCO that identifies planned annexations, and the City’s ability to provide services to annexation areas. To support the requested annexation the following findings must be made; 1.) services must be available for the subject property, 2.) the annexation must be consistent with the City’s General Plan and Municipal Service Review, and 3.) the site would need to be pre-zoned.
The project meets all requirements for annexation. Full utilities and services are available to serve the annexation area. The proposed annexation area is within the City of Fairfield’s Sphere of Influence and Urban Limit Line. Furthermore, the subject area has a General Plan designation of RM (Residential Medium) and a pre-zoned designation of RM, which allows the development of churches. Finally, the most recent Municipal Service Review approved by LAFCO identifies the site as Annexation Area “I”. This site is identified as an “Island Annexation” (surrounded by existing municipal boundaries), for which the City encourages annexation to promote efficient provision of urban services and utilities. Based on these considerations, staff concludes that the City can make the findings required to support the proposed annexation.
Should the City make findings in support of annexation, the project requires LAFCO approval of the annexation to the City of Fairfield, the Fairfield Suisun Sewer District, and detachment from the Suisun Fire Protection District and Solano County Lighting Service Area. The project’s entitlement will not be valid until LAFCO approves and completes these actions.
Environmental Review: Based on the findings of the Initial Study, staff identified potential significant impacts relative to air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, and tribal cultural resources. The identified impacts can be reduced to less than significant levels with the implementation of mitigation measures recommended in the Mitigated Negative Declaration to satisfy the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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| | | | | | | | | FINANCIAL IMPACT | There are no direct financial impacts to the City. |
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| | | | | | | | | PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION | At its November 18, 2020 meeting, the Planning Commission held a public hearing that was duly noticed in the Daily Republic on October 30, 2020. At the meeting, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2020-28. The resolution approved the project design and recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration and find the proposed Annexation consistent with the City’s General Plan and Municipal Service Review.
For this January 19, 2020 City Council meeting, a public hearing notice was published in the Daily Republic newspaper on December 30, 2020, mailed to all persons who own property within 500 feet of the subject property, and posted on site. The City has received no questions or comments regarding this proposal at the time of this writing.
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| | | | | | | | | ALTERNATIVE ACTION | | The City Council may choose to not adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration or find the Annexation consistent with the City’s General Plan and Municipal Service Review. Should the City Council not approve the Proposed Resolution, Blessed Baptist Church project could not move forward. |
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| | | | | | | | | STAFF CONTACT | Meily Sheehan, Senior Planner
(707) 428-7474
msheehan@fairfield.ca.gov
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| REVIEWERS: | | Reviewer | Action | Date | | Feinstein, David | Approved | 1/7/2021 - 1:23 PM | | Answerer | Approved | 1/7/2021 - 1:51 PM | | Feinstein, David | Approved | 1/7/2021 - 2:02 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 1/7/2021 - 5:17 PM | | Alexander, Amber | Approved | 1/7/2021 - 5:18 PM |
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