Site D the Hot Topic During Tuesday Night’s City Council Meeting

Tuesday night’s Diamond Bar City Council meeting was dominated by the Site D Specific Plan.

Site D, which encompasses about 30 undeveloped acres at the corner of Diamond Bar Boulevard and Brea Canyon Road, is owned by the Walnut Valley Unified School District. During the meeting, Community Development Director Greg Gubman gave an overview of the revised January 2012 Site D Specific Plan, including a chronology of the project and information on road work.

The site plan has changed from half residential, half commercial to fully residential. In March 2010, the plan was for 202 dwelling units, and 154,000 square feet of commercial space. The January 2012 plan calls for 200 dwelling units, a two-acre neighborhood park, and an entry feature at Diamond Bar Boulevard and Brea Canyon Road.

“Not surprisingly, eliminating commercial results in an environmentally superior project,” Gubman said. “Also notable is after mitigation measures are applied to the revised project, it will no longer result in any significant environmental impacts.”

During the public comments section, residents from both Diamond Bar and Walnut spoke. David Bussey of Diamond Bar told the Council that he had been following the development for about 20 years.

“I think that we have reached, I won’t say where I’d like to be, but I think we have a really good compromise here on exactly what the developer wants to do with it,” he said. “I can guarantee if we had gone the commercial route I would have a bank of lawyers here, there were lawyers chomping at the bit to take this on contingent because the idea of commercial property here was so wrong.”

Bussey added that after attending a workshop regarding the site, it was “clear to anybody who was there that the neighborhood doesn’t want it [commercial space] and the city doesn’t need it, because half of the commercial property you look around at in the city is empty. How much sales tax does the Ralphs building generate right now? Look at all those buildings, empty places. Kmart looks like Elvis still shops there, and you’ve got spots in the Kmart parking lot where a car hasn’t parked in 30 years.” 

While Bussey said that originally he did not want to see the land developed, “the school district is in dire financial straits, and we owe it to them to at least recognize that they need some of this money and they need it tomorrow.”

Steven Ly, chief executive officer of the Regional Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley, told the Council that he was concerned with the complete elimination of the commercial aspect of the site.

“Some issues of specific concern are, as the San Gabriel Valley becomes more developed, having empty and vacant land and using it correctly is a very important thing,” he said. “Making sure we have enough for commercial development is a very important factor for necessary job and retail components.” 

He added that people who work in Diamond Bar need places where they can eat and shop.

“The city of Diamond Bar has this great corporate complex where your City Hall is, as well as other agencies, and these places need areas to shop, eat at, do business. Having a commercial component in your Site D is very necessary to have that happen as well.”

After public comments, some members of the Council addressed the public’s concerns and shared their own opinions on the project.

“The Walnut Valley Unified School District has the right to develop the property,” said Council member Carol Herrera, who once served on the WVUSD Board of Trustees. “They are the owner, and I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the public to mandate that the school district leave the property as is. School districts are in dire need of money for education, and parents in Diamond Bar constantly fundraise to add to the programs that are in the schools. I’m happy we’re finally to this point.”

Staff recommended the Council adopt a resolution certifying the environmental impact report and approving the mitigation reporting and monitoring program and adopting findings of fact for the January 2012 Site D Specific Plan, changing the existing general plan land use designation to specific plan on Site D; adopting a resolution approving General Plan amendment No. 2007-03; approving the January 2012 Site D Specific Plan, and approving development agreement No. 2012-01, and Herrera moved the Council to do so; all voted yes except for Mayor Ling-Ling Chang.

Chronology of Site D:

The city and WVUSD entered into a memorandum of understanding on July 1, 2007, and agreed to collaborate on a specific plan to guide future development of Site D as 50 percent commercial, 50 percent residential. On June 22, 2009, a draft environmental impact report (EIR) was released for public review, and on May 11, 2010, the Planning Commission recommended certification of the EIR, and approval of the “50-50” specific plan and actions. City Council began public hearings on June 15, 2010, and a community workshop was hosted by WVUSD on October 16, 2010. The WVUSD Board of Trustees recommended revising the specific plan to 100 percent residential on December 1, 2010, and on December 7, 2010, City Council directed staff to revise the specific plan to eliminate commercial, limit housing to 200 dwelling units, and include a two-acre neighborhood park and entry feature near the intersection of Brea Canyon Road and Diamond Bar Boulevard.