REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Contract Amendment and Direction to Proceed with Issuance of a Notice of Preparation for the Freedom Circle Focus Area [Council Pillar: Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development]
Report
BACKGROUND
On August 27, 2019, the City Council directed staff to proceed with the long-range planning process to designate the Freedom Circle area as a Future Focus Area within the General Plan instead of the preparation of a Specific Plan. This direction was given following the decision by two of the three Freedom Circle property owners funding the Specific Plan (The Sobrato Organization and Irvine Company) to withdraw from their funding of the Freedom Circle Specific Plan process, which had begun in August 2018. The remaining property owner (Greystar) is continuing to fund the Focus Area process while also moving forward with their General Plan Amendment (GPA) application.
DISCUSSION
The change from preparation of a Specific Plan to a Focus Area necessitates a change of scope of the City's contract with Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc (MIG) for preparation of the Focus Area. As a next step in the creation of the Freedom Circle Focus Area and processing of the Greystar GPA, the City will start the environmental review process for both by releasing a Notice of Preparation (NOP).
Based on prior City Council direction, staff is considering preparation of the Freedom Circle Focus Area to be a precondition of the City Council for completing the processing of the GPA for the Greystar parcel.
Contract Amendment with MIG, Inc.
In conjunction with the Greystar GPA, the City Council directed Planning staff to plan for a future transition to a mix of residential and office uses in Freedom Circle by creating a new General Plan Focus Area for the properties around Freedom Circle.
To reflect this change in circumstances and scope, the City is proposing to amend its current contract with MIG. The planning document to...
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