Significant Ecological Area Changes in LA County Hearing

Dear Property Owners in Antelope Valley, LA County is progressing on making significant changes to the zoning in the County land Areas in Antelope Valley. Some of the changes will make some land parcels worthless unless you buy all the neighbors properties. They plan on only allowing a home to be built on 10 or even 20 acres on the far east side in High Vista Areas. The changes will also not allow you to build in areas where there are endangered plants and animals. There is a new hearing this week, so you need to do your research quickly and send a letter to Richard Bruckner and Supervisor Antonovich to slow this process to at least debate it more. The following is a sample letter we forwarded. More help is needed. Thank You property owners County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning 320 West Temple Street Los Angeles, CA. 90012 Attn: Mr. Richard Bruckner Aug. 2, 2014 RE: The Pending Hillside Management and SEO Hearings It is our understanding that the Los Angeles County General Plan 2035 includes two ordinances within it; the Significant Ecological Area (SEA) and Hillside Management Area (HMA). These two ordinances will drastically affect any future housing needs and job creation within the county of Los Angeles if adopted as it is currently written. our opinion is that these changes go too far and are unneeded, and the amount of land that these plans affected is enormous. We request that the Planning Commission move to a continuance on any further discussion on the SEA and HMA. Allow property owners to review this and debate it further. Sincerely, Property Owner Cc: Supervisor Antonovich

EIR (Environmental Impact Report) is Under Way for Thousands of Future Solar Acres of Land in Lancaster and Los Angeles County

The Lancaster City officials recently authorized an environmental impact report on a proposal to install solar panels on 1,350 to 1,500 acres in west Lancaster. The Sustainable Power Group (sPower) (formerly Silverado Power, LLC) has filed a conditional use permit (CUP 14-10) for the development of 250 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic solar Power on approximately 1,500 acres. Due to the size of the proposed project, the preparation of an EIR is required as part of the approval process. Lancaster Planning Dept. on May 27, 2014 had a request for proposals (RFP) for the preparation of an EIR for the proposed project was sent out for consideration to 12 environmental consulting firms. Seven proposals were submitted to the City by the deadline of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, 2014. Staff and the developer have reviewed the consultant proposals, and staff is recommending that the City retain the services of Stantec to prepare the EIR. Stantec will prepare the environmental impact report at a cost of more than $246,000. The cost would be paid by the Sustainable Power Group, which also would be required to pay a $25,000 deposit to cover city administrative costs. A recent article by the AV Press indicated that the 250-megawatt project is the largest ever proposed within city limits, though other larger solar plants have been approved elsewhere in the Antelope Valley. The planned solar area is generally bounded by 80th and 105th streets west, Columbia Way (Avenue M) and Avenue K-4. Just last month sPower Group received approval from Los Angeles County planners for six solar power fields proposed to cover nearly 1,000 acres around Antelope Acres and west of Lancaster. This 1500 acre Lancaster Solar Project is similar to the Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One which was approved for 230 megawatts on 2,100 acres at Avenue D and 170th Street West. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett's has a 579-megawatt Solar Star development is 3,230 acres straddling the Kern County-Los Angeles County line between 110th and 190th streets west. The Silverado Power/Sustainable Power Group projects approved last month by the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission are proposed on Avenue B east of 110th Street West (20 megawatts, 240 acres), Avenue K west of 110th Street West (40 megawatts, 157 acres), Avenue G west of 70th Street West (35 megawatts, 135 acres), Avenue I west of 112th Street West (20 megawatts, 160 acres), Avenue D at 35th Street West (5 megawatts, 38 acres), and between avenues J to H-8 between 85th and 97th streets west (52 megawatts, 256 acres). In giving their approval, county planners attached a condition to the project at Avenue J and 85th Street West that requires the developer to provide an air filtration system for the adjacent Summerhaven Ranch All-Nations Retreat Center prior to construction. A condition was added to the project on Avenue K west of 110th Street West that requires the developer to dedicate one-third of the site as permanent open space. The Antelope Valley is quickly becoming the Solar Capital of the US. This bodes well for land owners on Lancaster’s West side. Buy land and wait still holds true in Los Angeles County.

Silverado Power Advancing the RAM Program

The California Public Utilities Commission created Renewable Auction Mechanism RAM program to drive utilities to procure more distributed renewable energy generation projects of twenty megawatts or less as part of the States 33% by 2020 plan. The RAM program established a regulated auction in which developers bid to sell at their lowest price and, because projects rely largely on existing transmission and distribution infrastructure. This has created numerous smaller solar projects. Silverado Power (SP) have won power purchase agreements (PPAs) with California utilities Southern California Edison (SCE). Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) in RAM auctions. These six new solar PV projects amount to a total of 41 megawatts. They have projects in San Bernardino County called Expressway A and Expressway B, each with two megawatts co-located in Victorville, CA. Also co-located in Victorville are Victor Mesa Linda A, a two-megawatt project with an SCE PPA, and Victor Mesa Linda B, a five-megawatt project with an SDG&E PPA. The Lancaster projects are Western Antelope Blue Sky A at 110th West at K on 157 acres, Western Antelope Dry Ranch 256 acres at 90th West and J. They also have American Solar Greenworks 70th West at G on 135 acres, Lancaster WAD 35th West and D using 40 acres, North Lancaster Ranch 105th West at B on 80 acres, and Silver Sun Greenworks at 120th West and I on 80 acres. This is part of Silverado’s plan to develop lots of solar with a low profile, so this could be the beginning of what could be a new trend in solar development. They indicate that they are creating smaller project to help minimize the impact on the local communities and environment. They estimate they need 5 to 7 acres per megawatt according to reports. They expect to create 200 jobs via these projects and construction running through 2016.

Transit Orientation Development T. O. D. Zoning in Lancaster Ca.

Over the past decade, the City of Lancaster has been updating its General Plan and Zoning Code along with other planning documents that include the Lancaster Design Guidelines, the Master Plan of Trails and Bikeways, the Downtown Specific Plan, and vision plans for selected areas – with the goal of making Lancaster a more sustainable, livable, walkable, bikeable and valuable community. A key strategy and central focus of this work has been to restore, intensify, and reanimate the City’s historic downtown and surrounding neighborhoods and corridors, an effort that has already yielded remarkable positive results in the form of the transformed Lancaster Boulevard (The BLVD) and a rebounding Downtown economy. The 2030 General Plan defines a set of Transit Village Planning Areas surrounding the Downtown core, and directs that new zoning standards be prepared for these areas to implement more walkable, mixed-use, transit-oriented development patterns. The City applied for and received a funding grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) – part of a larger Sustainable Communities grant that Metro received from the Strategic Growth Council – to prepare these T.O.D. Zones for the Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest Transit Planning Areas. These T.O.D. Zones provide a means of implementing the community’s vision and expanding the revitalization that is already under way by providing unique and focused development standards that enable and promote high quality, walkable, mixed-use and transit oriented neighborhoods surrounding The BLVD core and the Metrolink Station. They define development standards and use standards for the design of buildings and related site improvements in the areas. This zoning is vision-based and describes community expectations for the urban character and form of these neighborhoods. These place-specific zones encompass the subjects of land use and development intensity, but also include significant amounts of information about the design of the neighborhood streetscapes, the scale and form of new buildings, and the intended physical character of each area. They provide clear direction for how pedestrian-oriented streets and other public open spaces are made, and how private buildings are located and designed to physically shape and overlook those streetscapes and public spaces, fostering a strong sense of community security while encouraging pedestrian activity. Such are the foundation of transit-oriented places and neighborhood environments that build and hold their value over time. The T.O.D. Zones are based on general objectives, which are central to making safe, valuable, walkable transit-oriented urban places: This transit zone is between Ave I and Ave J running north to south along Division and diagonally along Sierra Hwy. It also encompasses some area west of Sierra Hwy and south of Lancaster Blvd (I-8). Within in this T.O.D zone there will be subzones such as SA Station Area, CC Corridor Commercial, EC Employment Commercial, and WD Workshop District. This is all part of the 2030 General plan. This area will eventually be more bike oriented and walkable with shops and services and a connection to the Metrolink. The area is currently developed and some areas do not conform to the current future plan. For example there are homes east of Sierra Hwy and South of Lancaster Blvd. They will not be destroyed, but they must at least conform to the prior zoning and codes. It is unlikely anyone can change their current zone to anything else but what would in the future conform to the T.O. D. So if you have a duplex then you will not be able to change the house to something else unless it is change to a new T.O. D zone.

Disney Studios Ranch Expansion on Hwy 14 just South of Antelope Valley

Golden Oak Ranch (ABC Studio at the Ranch) is an 890 acres movie ranch owned by Disney. It is meant to serve as a back lot and filming location. It is located off of Placerita Canyon Road in Canyon County. Just last year ABC studio planned to expand the project an additional 58 acres into a new TV and film production studio. The project has been approved by L A County Regional Planning. According to ABC’s studio website the area uses natural settings like forests, creeks, hillsides, meadows, country roads, a lake and farm and prairie sets. The ranch set has been used by numerous movie and TV sets like Bonanza, Electric Horseman, a Pirates of the Caribbean movie and Mad Men (Don Draper’s childhood scenes). The ABC ranch studio offer a permanent studio location that can help the local economies in this area. Additionally, Tejon Ranch Centennial offers Film set opportunities. There have been a number of commercials, TV and films using the desert of Antelope Valley as a back drop. These are featured on a movie set tour, and they were specifically built as movie backdrops. The Viagra commercial with a man in a 1968 Camaro overheating is set at a road side gas station which is called Club Ed. It is located at 150th east at K. This site has been used in other films such as Martin Lawrence’s “Nothing to Lose”. There are three different sets on this stretch of road such as the Easy Rest-Inn used in the film “Eye of the Storm”. Also the “Kill Bill” Church is at 198th East at Ave G. The Terminator movie has a few locations in Antelope Valley, including the last seen at the Super Store, where a boy takes a picture of the Sarah Conner character.

San Francisco based Silverado Power Plans to build Six Solar Sites in parts of Lancaster and Los Angeles County

Silverado Solar plans to build six solar energy fields within almost 1,000 acres in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The projects are on the west side of Hwy 14 and they all have been partially approved by Lancaster Planning Department and Los Angeles Regional Planning. They run between 30th Street West and 120th streets West. Lancaster planning’s website indicates that two of them will be above Ave D near Hwy 14, while the other four will be south of Hwy 138. Silverado is currently buying the land and negotiating prices with realtors and sellers. What seems unique is that some of the parcels are 2.5 acres in size such as the area at 100th West at Ave K. Most of the time we have found that solar firms target large parcels. This causes the solar firm to negotiate with numerous sellers while getting approval from LA Regional Planning. According to AV Press, the six projects will generate a combined 172 megawatts of energy with the largest one being a 52 megawatt facility on 256 acres, running from avenues J to H-8 between 85th and 97th streets west. There are a lot of individual parcels in this area as well. Officials have yet to fully approve the plans and are still receiving public comments as part of the environmental impact review process. Dust and the availability of water seems to be a hurdle. Silverado claims to have a solution to use water outside of the area or reclaimed water. There have been a lot of solar projects and this dust issue was not addressed with the other projects now run by First Solar. Silverado came late to the game and now they have to implement dust control guidelines as part of the environmental report. It is very likely they will have a number of other mitigation procedures because of the impact on the burrowing owl, ground squirrel and other plant and animal species that maybe affected. The west side of Antelope Valley has seem an increase in land sales because of all of the solar projects in the area. Many local homeowners don’t like this alternative energy growth so close to home, but the land owners who live elsewhere have been happy to unload their land. Stay tuned here with vacantlanddeals.com and we will provide current updates on this project and others as they affect real estate in Lancaster and Palmdale, Ca

KB Home Projects In Lancaster East Side 2014

There are at least 3 major housing projects on the East side in Lancaster Ca. They are being undertaken by KB Homes. The first on our list is a 13.60 acre housing development called KB Homes Ol Bel Sol at 25th East and Ave K. This is a 41 single family home tract. The second is a 38.75 acres project called Dorado Vista at the south east corner of 30th East at Ave J, this project is a subdivision of 141 single family homes. The third project is a 40 acre project at the south eastern corner of 35th East at Ave J. This subdivision is a project for 169 single family homes and it is called Dorado Skies Community. According to KB Homes website the priced target of Dorado Skies is $238-$275k per home and there is no HOA. They look to plan five different types of tract homes. The 2000 square foot homes are 3 to 4 bedrooms and the 3200 square foot homes at 4 to 5 bedrooms. 141 Single family home at The Dorado Vista site which is located at 30th east and Ave J. The average listing price is $167,564. They are 3 beds, 2 baths, approximately 1,988 square feet, and will be built this year. The smaller project in O' Bel Sol, is sold out. The average listing price is $167,564. The floor plan has 4 beds, 2 baths, approximately 2,548 square feet, and they were built in 2013.