Soledad planning commission recommends EIR certification, approves Almond Acres subdivision

The Soledad City Planning Commission on June 1 voted to recommend that the City Council certify a final environmental impact report and approve the Almond Acres planned unit development and vesting tentative subdivision map for a 12.48‑acre site on the west side of Orchard Lane and Cedar Lane.

Staff told the commission the project would create 55 single‑family homes and a 12‑unit multifamily building proposed as a 100% affordable rental component (Parcel B). The site also contains an existing mobile home park of roughly 18 units that staff said will remain in place; staff estimated approximately 85 housing units on the site after buildout. Because the project exceeds the five‑acre threshold, staff said a focused EIR was prepared and that vehicle‑miles‑traveled (VMT) impacts remain "significant and unavoidable" under current state thresholds.

Why it matters: Certification of the EIR with a statement of overriding considerations allows the city to proceed with entitlements despite environmental impacts the document identifies as unavoidable. Staff and the developer described the multifamily component as the project's mechanism to meet state and local affordable‑housing requirements.

What staff and the developer said: Planning staff summarized required public‑infrastructure conditions, including street dedications, roadway and stormwater improvements, and a condition to install red curb at cul‑de‑sacs to preserve emergency vehicle turning radii for a new ladder truck. Staff said the project proposes roughly 334 parking spaces overall and that Public Works provided a "will‑serve" confirmation for water and sewer capacity subject to the required improvements.

The developer (presenting a project history) said the property was purchased in 2021, that the entitlement process began in 2022, and that a focused EIR budget and technical work followed in 2024–2025. The developer projected grading could start in the fall with home construction beginning the following spring and a possible completion around spring 2029, subject to market conditions.

Public comment and community concerns: Supporters included Jeff Morgan, president of Chispa, which wrote a letter backing the project and its affordable units. Local resident Jake Martinez Perry said the development could provide a pathway to homeownership for families like his.

Opponents filed written comments and spoke to the commission, urging denial. Jose Martinez, whose letter was read into the record, urged the commission to vote no, writing that the EIR’s conclusion of "significant and unavoidable" traffic impacts would increase car trips near a nearby school and threaten children’s safety. Other written commenters raised similar concerns about traffic, neighborhood character, and the adequacy of mailed notice beyond the 300‑foot radius.

Agency coordination: Staff reported agency comments from the Native American Heritage Commission, PG&E, the Monterey Bay Air Resources District, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and from MST (Monterey‑Salinas Transit). MST requested coordination so a future circulator route or stop could be accommodated; staff said the city and developer will continue that coordination.

Commission discussion and approvals: Commissioners asked whether the 12 affordable units would be rental units (staff confirmed they are rental units that may be rented at incomes up to 100% of area median income), whether accessibility/ADA requirements were included (staff said all construction must meet California Building Code and ADA standards where applicable), and how units count toward the city's RHNA (staff said units count when certificates of occupancy issue, though building permits can yield interim credit). Commissioners also discussed sequencing of the affordable component and infrastructure obligations.

Actions and outcome: The commission first moved to approve Resolution 2026‑03 to certify the final EIR, adopt CEQA findings and a statement of overriding considerations and to adopt a mitigation monitoring and reporting program; the motion was seconded and passed 3–0 with two commissioners absent. The commission then moved to approve Resolution 2026‑04 recommending that City Council approve PUD‑24002 and vesting tentative map TM24003 for the Almond Acres subdivision; that motion also passed 3–0 with two absent.

Next steps: Both recommendations will go to the Soledad City Council for final action. The developer and staff said infrastructure and final map steps remain; staff noted many conditions (traffic mitigation, street dedication, stormwater and biological protections, and monitoring for discoveries during construction) will carry forward into final approvals.

Context: Staff said the project is intended to add housing to meet the city's regional housing needs allocation and that the multifamily parcel is intended to satisfy the project's inclusionary/affordability requirement. The EIR concluded most impacts could be mitigated to less‑than‑significant levels except for VMT, which the document found to be significant and unavoidable under state guidelines and the city's lack of an established VMT policy.