PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE:
NOVEMBER 16, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS PC 26-5254 THROUGH PC 26-5257 RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL THE SUMMARY VACATION AND ABANDONMENT OF DRAINAGE EASEMENTS, PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR A PORTION OF NORTH CITY DRIVE, AND PORTION OF NON-MOTOR VEHICLE ACCESS EASEMENT WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN SDP25-0004 FOR THE BLOCK ONE PROJECT
CASE NUMBERS:
Summary Vacations VAC 26-0007, VAC26-0008, VAC26-0009, VAC26-0010
Body
Recommendation
APPROVE the following:
1. Resolution PC 26-5254 (VAC26-0007) recommending to City Council the summary vacation and abandonment of the Drainage Easement granted by Document 2023-0002258 on January 5, 2023; and
2. Resolution PC 26-5255 (VAC26-0008) recommending to City Council the summary vacation and abandonment of portions of the Drainage Easement granted by Document 2000-0599018 on November 3, 2000; and
3. Resolution PC 26-5256 (VAC26-0009) recommending to City Council the summary vacation and abandonment of public right-of-way for a portion of North City Drive dedicated by Map 16612 on May 1, 2024 as File No. 2024-7000183; and
4. Resolution PC 26-5257 (VAC26-0010) recommending to City Council the summary vacation and abandonment of a portion of the Non-Motor Vehicle Access Easement dedicated by Map 16612 on May 1, 2024 as File No. 2024-7000183, reserving therefrom Pedestrian Access and Emergency Access rights.
Body
Board or Commission Action
N/A
Background
On June 8, 2026, the Development Advisory Committee approved the Block One Development project. The project allows for the mixed-use development of an approximately 17,000 square foot grocery store, a 10,000 square foot retail and restaurant building, a four-story, 90,000 square foot office building with ground floor commercial spaces, a 1,500 square foot restaurant pavilion, and the expansion of the Hampton Inn hotel to add 53 guest rooms. The Block One project is located at the northeast corner of Twin Oaks Valley Road and North City Drive within the University District Specific Plan area (Vicinity Map in Attachment A). In association with the project, drainage easements, a portion of public street easement along North City Drive, and a Non-Motor Vehicle Access easement are proposed for summary vacation and abandonment.
Discussion
Summary Vacation of Public Right-of-Way.
The Public Street, Utility, and Drainage Easement along North City Drive was dedicated on May 1, 2024 by Map 16612 as File No. 2024-7000183.
California Streets and Highways Code (CSHC) Section 8334(a) provides that the legislative body of a local agency may summarily vacate an excess right-of-way or highway not required for street or highway purposes. The portion of North City Drive right-of-way proposed to be vacated is in excess, has not been used for, and is not needed for present or future public street purposes.
Summary Vacation of Public Service Easements.
The drainage easements were granted on January 5, 2023 as Document No. 2023-0002258 and November 3, 2000 as Document No. 2000-0599018. The Non-Motor Vehicle Access easement was dedicated on May 1, 2024 by Map 16612 as File No. 2024-7000183.
CSHC 8333(c) permits the legislative body of a local agency to summarily vacate a public service easement if the easement has been superseded by relocation or determined to be excess by the easement holder, and there are no public facilities within the easement. Staff have determined that the drainage easements and Non-Motor Vehicle Access Easement to be vacated are in excess, and there are no public facilities within those portions of the easements.
Further, Section 8340(d) provides that a public entity may reserve and except from the vacation an easement and right to operate vehicular or nonvehicular trails for use by the public in, upon, over, and across the public easement to be vacated. In this case, Pedestrian Access and Emergency Access rights are to be reserved from the Non-Motor Vehicle Access vacation. The existing facilities in place of the access easement will remain unaffected by the vacation of the Non-Motor Vehicle Access.
In accordance with California Streets and Highways Code (CSHC) Section 8313 and Government Code Section 65402, the local planning agency is required to consider the proposed vacation action and to report on its conformance with the adopted General Plan. Staff reviewed the limits of the proposed right-of-way and public service easement vacations and found that they are not needed for public use, and the vacation and abandonment of the public right-of-way and public service easements would be consistent with the General Plan.
Following Planning Commission action, the proposed vacation and abandonment of public right-of-way and public service easements can be considered by the City Council. If City Council orders the vacation and abandonment, the vacated public right-of-way and public service easements will remove the encumbrances on the property and allow use of the areas by the proposed development.
Environmental Review
The proposed vacation and abandonment of the public right-of-way and public service easements are within the scope of the 2022 Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) (SCH NO. 2008101083) for University District Specific Plan which is in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15162.
Public Comment
No public comments were received during the processing of these vacation applications.
Attachments
A. Vicinity Map
Adopting Resolutions:
1. Resolution PC 26-5254 (VAC26-0007)
2. Resolution PC 26-5255 (VAC26-0008)
3. Resolution PC 26-5256 (VAC26-0009)
4. Resolution PC 26-5257 (VAC26-0010)
Prepared by: Kyrenne Chua, Principal Civil Engineer
Reviewed by: Stephanie Kellar, Deputy City Engineer
Submitted/Approved by: Joseph Farace, Planning Director