Azusa Great Park & Residential Project

Background

Development of the Rosedale Master Planned Community is essentially complete. A total of 1,227 of the 1,250 authorized homes have been completed, sold, and occupied, leaving 23 unbuilt units remaining within the City’s approved authorization pursuant to the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan (MNSP). All public parks, land dedications and required infrastructure improvements within the community have been completed and accepted by the City, except for the Great Park - which was planned for construction in an area located on the north side of East Promenade between Azusa Veterans Way and Rosedale Avenue. Completion of the Great Park was delayed due to Azusa Unified School District’s (AUSD) litigation and uncertainty about the obligation and timing of construction of the K-8 school, which has now been resolved.

On November 18, 2019, the City Council authorized the sale of bonds from CFD 2005-1 Improvement Area 2, and $7.25 million of which is allocated to reimburse the District for facilities, and $7.0 million of which is allocated for development of the Great Park by Rosedale Land Partners (RLP). This action allowed the AUSD and Developer to settle their lawsuit.

Project Description

Rosedale Land Partners II, LLC, is requesting approval of a site plan for the development of 23 single family detached homes on 6.23 acres of vacant land located at 807 East Promenade, on the north side of the Promenade between Azusa Veterans Way and Rosedale Avenue. The site is part of the Great Park Neighborhood within the Promenade District of the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan.

The site is surrounded to the east and south by existing three-story multi-family townhomes (Sage Court and Parsons Place neighborhoods). To the west across Azusa Veterans Way is the Arborview/Tamarind Lane neighborhood of two-story townhomes. To the north is the vacant nine-acre former K-8 school site, which is now proposed to be developed as a public community park.

The subject site has been rough graded and has existing sidewalk, street and utility improvements along the west, south and east sides. Twenty-six parallel parking spaces have been improved along the north side of the Promenade abutting the site. Drainage from the vacant site is currently collected in a temporary detention basin at the southeast corner of the property, which is connected to an existing City-owned 36-inch storm drain in Azusa Veterans Way. The site is served by an existing City-owned 10-inch sewer in Azusa Veterans Way and water lines in each of the abutting public streets.

The six-acre site was previously planned for a joint use park to be developed as part of a K-8 school. Two acres of the site were to be dedicated to the City of Azusa and the balance of the site dedicated to the Azusa Unified School District as part of the school. However, due to a lack of students generated from new housing within the Rosedale community, the District abandoned plans for a school at this location, and in accordance with a November 18, 2019 Settlement Agreement and Mutual General Release, the District has relinquished all rights to the school site and the joint use park site. As the site is no longer needed for school purposes, RLP is proposing a plan to relocate and expand the community park to the larger, adjacent nine-acre site.

The proposed 23 homes represent the final residential units authorized to be built within the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan area and Rosedale Master Planned Community. The site plan and homes are designed in conformance with the “Type 7 – Residential Detached” design guidelines of Chapter 3 of the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan. Eleven of the 23 homes will feature front doors and porches fronting onto the Promenade, with garages placed to the rear of the homes and accessed from a private street off of Azusa Veterans Way. The remaining 12 homes across the private street will face north toward the park, with pedestrian access provided via a sidewalk running along the base of the private, landscaped common area slope abutting the proposed community park to the north. A solid masonry wall is proposed at the top of the existing private slope to provide security and a buffer from the community park activities.

The private street is designed at 36 feet wide to provide parallel parking on both sides, similar to all other public streets within Rosedale. A total of 21 onstreet parking spaces within the tract will be available for residents and guests. Each home is designed with either a two-car or three car garage and full-length two-car driveway apron to maximize onsite parking for residents and their guests. In addition, a five-foot wide landscaped parkway and five-foot wide sidewalk are proposed along both sides of the private street to provide safe and efficient pedestrian circulation.

The proposed site plan also incorporates an enhanced landscaped public setback along Rosedale Avenue to accommodate a pedestrian connection between the Promenade and the future community park located north of the site, as called for in the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan. A 20-foot wide landscaped public setback is proposed along Azusa Veterans Way across from the Arborview neighborhood.

No final architecture has been developed at this time, pending City concurrence on and conceptual approval of the site plan for the six-acre site. However, the site plan proposes two different floor plan concepts featuring two-story homes, approximately 2,800-3,200 square feet, with 3-5 bedrooms, living spaces forward, garages to the rear accessed off a private common drive, and interior private yards and courtyards. The minimum typical lot area for each home is 55’ x 120,’ though the actual width of individual lots may vary depending on site conditions and the final site plan. In addition to the 23 residential lots, additional lettered lots for the private street and common open space areas will be incorporated into the tentative tract map.

Final approval of the 23 new homes will require City approval of a number of Minor Modifications to the Monrovia Nursery Specific Plan, which have been submitted under separate cover, as well as approval of a Tentative Tract Map and a Design Review application for formal approval of final architectural floor plans and exterior elevations for the 23 homes.

Documents

Community Parks Survey and Results 

Revised 2-22-22 - Site Plan of Azusa Great Park and Residential Project 

Previous Meetings

Study Session - Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - April 15, 2021

Study Session - Planning Commission Meeting - August 11, 2021

Study Session - Planning Commission Meeting - December 8, 2021

Schedule

Community Workshop - March 1, 2022 - 7:00 PM - English

Community Workshop - March 1, 2022 - 7:00 PM - Spanish

Community Workshop - March 1, 2022 - 7:00 PM - Mandarin

Joint Study Session - Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - March 3, 2022 - 7:00 PM

Public Hearing - Planning Commission Meeting - March 23, 2022 - 7:00 PM 

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