Planning Commission approves tentative map for The Arbors

The San Diego County Planning Commission voted to approve a tentative map for a Fallbrook subdivision known as The Arbors.

The Planning Commission’s 6-0 vote November 13, with Adam Day absent, approves the tentative map along with associated conditions for a subdivision northeast of the intersection of Gum Tree Lane and Stage Coach Lane. The 12.9-acre lot, which also abuts East Mission Road, would be divided into 17 residential lots ranging from 0.51 to 0.72 net acres.

The lot is owned by the Sydney B. Nickerson Trust and currently includes a single-family dwelling unit and several structures associated with the nursery which was once on the site. All of the existing structures would be removed as part of the subdivision development. The property has RR2 rural residential zoning, which stipulates half-acre minimum lot sizes, and its residential (3) land use designation includes a maximum density of two dwelling units per acre.

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District, the Fallbrook Union High School District, the North County Fire Protection District, and the Fallbrook Public Utility District have all provided service letters stating that they would be able to serve the project. FPUD, which would provide both water and sewer service, would extend its sewer line approximately 1,100 feet and its water line approximately 1,600 feet to serve the subdivision.

Access to the site would be provided by a public road which would connect directly to Gum Tree Lane. The county classifies East Mission Road as a third priority scenic highway, and the residential lots would be set back from East Mission Road and located on pads fronted by a graded slope which would rise approximately 15 feet above the level of the scenic highway. The grading along East Mission Road and Stage Coach Lane would incorporate contour grading techniques to minimize visual impacts, and landscaping including avocado trees, shrubs and ground cover would provide visual screening and would also mitigate runoff and erosion.

Because East Mission Road is classified as a four-lane road in the county’s circulation element, a noise protection easement would be dedicated across the entire property to minimize traffic-related noise impacts upon the eventual residents. The easement would require noise analysis and mitigation once specific grading and building plans are submitted.

A preliminary noise analysis indicates that the height of noise attenuation barriers which would be constructed along property lines adjacent to East Mission Road, Stage Coach Lane and Gum Tree Lane would range from 6.0 to 8.5 feet.

The developer will be responsible for improvements to East Mission Road, Stage Coach Lane and Gum Tree Lane. East Mission Road along the project frontage would improved to a graded width of 54 feet from the center line, including 44 feet of asphaltic concrete over an approved base and the construction of curbs, gutters and sidewalks. The portion of Stage Coach Lane along the project frontage would be graded to a width of 42 feet from the center line including 20 feet of asphalt concrete pavement over an approved base and the construction of curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. Gum Tree Lane between Stage Coach Lane and the project’s eastern boundary would be graded to a width of 30 feet from the centerline with 20 feet of paving and curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. The road improvements would also include a 14-foot wide left turn lane from East Mission Road to Stage Coach Lane, a 14-foot wide right turn lane from Stage Coach Lane to East Mission Road, a 12-foot wide left turn lane from Stage Coach Lane to East Mission Road, and a 12-foot wide left turn lane from Stage Coach Lane to Gum Tree Lane.

The developer will also be responsible for processing parking prohibitions along the right turn lane segment of Stage Coach Lane, along the project frontage on the north side of Gum Tree Lane and on the south side of Gum Tree Lane between Frazier Elementary School and Stage Coach Lane.

The developer will also build two new streets to serve the project, both of which will end in cul-de-sacs. In order to improve vehicle circulation, the tentative map includes a waiver to the subdivision ordinance which will allow the frontage of one of the lots to measure 29.54 feet rather than conform with the 33-foot minimum stipulated in the subdivision ordinance.

The project would also include approximately 83,360 cubic yards of cut and fill. An environmental Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project was circulated for public review from July 9 to August 10 and was revised on October 29. The Planning Commission’s action also adopted the Mitigated Negative Declaration and found that the project was in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act.

A tentative map becomes a final map after all the conditions of the tentative map, other than those for which permits cannot be issued until a final map is recorded, are fulfilled and all fees and deposits have been paid. The tentative map will expire on November 13, 2012, although a time extension can be issued if a final map has not been recorded by that date.