Council Postpones Staples Ranch Discussion to August

The City Council's consideration of revised environmental reports for the Staples Ranch project was rescheduled for August after the city missed a 10-day notification requirement to inform the community about the discussion.

City Manager Nelson Fialho said the city sent out notices nine days ago instead of the 10 days required. 

Fialho said the issue will come back to the council at a special meeting on Aug. 24. Other documents that need council review will be discussed the rest of September.

The project, which has been in discussion for years, entails an auto mall, 45-acre senior center, commercial and retail development and parks. 

Last year, the council approved the project's environmental report.

A lawsuit was filed against the city, claiming that the environmental impact reports for the project were inadequate. In response to the lawsuit, which was settled in September, the city updated its biological surveys. 

As part of the settlement, the City Council must review the revised documents and notify the public of the meeting 10 days before.

The council was set to discuss the "preferred project," which calls for four-lane extension alternative for Stoneridge Drive. The plan will create two lanes of travel in each direction on the road and Arroyo bridges. In the future, the road will be restriped to accommodate two lanes in each direction. 

Other items the council  were to consider included recommendations from the Planning Commission:

• Soundwall for Stoneridge Drive between Kamp Drive and Rheem Drive (estimated at $400,000)
• Another soundwall on the southside of Stoneridge Drive between Guzman and Trevor Parkway (estimated at $300,000)
• Spreading of San Joaquin Spearscale seeds in the community park (estimates not available)