Public hearing to be held on Cantalena housing development

Updated tract map plans for a major housing development in southeast Menifee will go before the Planning Commission during a public hearing on May 14, the City of Menifee has announced.

The Cantalena project was first approved by Riverside County officials in 2006, before the City of Menifee was incorporated. Developer Richland Communities is now ready to begin the project and has submitted updated tract maps to the City.

The project site is located less than half a mile east of the 215 Freeway and Antelope Road, north of Scott Road, south of Garbani Road, and west of Haleblian Road. Planning Areas 2 and 3 are located at the southern end of the Specific Plan adjacent to Scott Road, while Planning Area 7 is located at the northern end of the Specific Plan adjacent to Garbani Road.

According to the public notice issued by the City, the proposal includes a new tentative tract map for Planning Areas 2 and 3. Area 3 plans now include a 10.91-acre lot for condominium purposes totaling 154 residential townhome units. Planning Area 2 proposes two residential types: 22 lots of detached, single-family cluster product over 14.27 acres totaling 123 residential units, and 12 traditional single-family residential lots over 3.20 acres.

On-site amenities within Planning Area 2 include two approximate 2,000-square-foot pocket parks and a 4,000-square-foot pocket park/gathering area allowing for Bocce Ball or other similar activities. The proposed open space and landscape amenities within Planning Area 3 include an approximate 11,000-square-foot open space area located in the northeast corner of the project, which includes a fenced-in dog park area and separate shade structure with picnic table. More centrally located is an approximate 7,000-square-foot pool area with restroom building.

The new Planning Area 7 tract map proposes 105 residential units (cluster product) over 16.57 acres and 22 residential lots. The project includes the following amenities within Planning Area 7: Two approximate 2,000-square-foot pocket parks, as well as paseo connections to Haleblian Road (east) and Planning Area 8 (south).

The following information about the environmental report was included in the City’s public notice:

“In February 2006, Riverside County approved the Cantalena Specific Plan and certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR No. 463) for the project, along with a Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program (MMRP). In December 2007, Riverside County certified Addendum No. 1 to the 2005 Cantalena Specific Plan EIR (No. 463) and approved TTM No. 33732. A second addendum (Addendum No. 2) was approved in June 2020 to clarify existing regulations and mitigation measures that apply to the project with regard to Biological Resources located on site.

“The City of Menifee Community Development Department has determined that no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances associated with the project that would result in new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects identified in the Cantalena Specific Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR).

“The proposed project is consistent with what was analyzed in the original EIR and the subsequent addendums and therefore does not require additional environmental analysis and is in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15182 (“Projects Pursuant to A Specific Plan”). The project will be required to comply with the original mitigation measures identified in the previously approved EIR and MMRP.”

Any person wishing to comment on the proposed project may do so in writing before the public hearing and will be heard at the time and place noted above. All comments must be received prior to the time of public hearing. All such comments will be submitted to the Planning Commission, and the Planning Commission will consider such comments, in addition to any oral testimony, before making a decision on the proposed project.

For further information regarding this project, please contact Russell Brown at 951-723-3745 or e-mail rbrown@cityofmenifee.us, or go to the City of Menifee’s agenda web page at http://www.cityofmenifee.us. To view the case file for the proposed project, contact the Community Development Department office at 951-672-6777 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please send all written correspondence to:

CITY OF MENIFEE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Attn: Russell Brown, Senior Planner
29844 Haun Road
Menifee, CA 92586