Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the
Costco/Vineyard II Retail Development Project
To: Agencies and Interested Parties
From/Lead Agency: City of Murrieta Planning Division
Date: May 20, 2020
Subject: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Costco/Vineyard II Retail Development Project DP-2018-1652, CUP-2018-1653, TPM 37511 (Costco) and DP 2018-1656 (Vineyard II) (State Clearinghouse No. 2018061062)
A Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared for the proposed Costco/Vineyard II Retail Development Project (project). The City of Murrieta (City) is the local lead agency, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), responsible for preparation of this document.
Project Location: The proposed project is located in the City of Murrieta, Riverside County, California. Specifically, the project site is located northeast of the intersection of Clinton Keith Road and Antelope Road, and east of Interstate 215. Additionally, the project site is located on the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute Murrieta quadrangle, in Section 35 of Township 6 South, Range 3 West. The project site consists of an approximately 26.3-acre vacant site. A mass grading operation for an approximately 18.7-acre portion of the project site was undertaken intermittently since approximately 2006 under permits issued by the City and ceased in December 2019. The project site is surrounded by existing single-family and multifamily residential development to the east, Vista Murrieta High School and a future commercial development (under construction) to the south, Interstate 215 to the west, and a vacant site to the north. The City’s General Plan Land Use Map designates the project site as Commercial (C). The City’s Zoning Map shows the site as being zoned Regional Commercial (RC). The project site is not on any lists of hazardous sites enumerated under Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.
Project Description: The project applicants, Costco Wholesale and Retail Development Advisors, propose the construction of a new retail development consisting of a Costco warehouse with tire center, gas station, a fitness building, a major retail pad, two smaller retail shops, one casual dining restaurant, one drive-through fast-food restaurant, two detention basins, and associated parking. The Costco warehouse would be developed on an approximately 16.4-acre parcel (Costco parcel) composing part of the site, and would consist of an approximately 153,362-square-foot warehouse building including a tire center. A separate gas station parcel of approximately 1.21 acres (included in the 16.4 acres) would be developed with a 32-pump gasoline sales facility with overhead canopy. The remaining retail development would take place on an approximately 7.83-acre parcel to the east of the proposed Costco site and would include the following pads: a 37,000-square-foot fitness center; a 16,000-square-foot major retail pad that may include an office store, pet supply store, health and beauty store, shoe store, or other similar retailers; service-oriented retail shops such as a pick up and drop off dry cleaner (no plant on site), hair salon, or phone store in 11,900 square feet and 3,500 square feet buildings; a 1,200-square-foot casual dining space with drive-through and window service; and a 2,400-square-foot fast-food restaurant with drive-through.
The project would also involve the construction of a portion of Warm Springs Parkway from the southern site boundary to the northern site boundary. Construction of the project would require additional grading activities at the project site to create level pads. The project would also include construction of two detention basins and associated parking on the site, construction of the extension of Warm Springs Parkway from the southern site boundary to the northern site boundary of the site between the Costco parcel and the Vineyard II development, and undergrounding of 141 feet of existing power lines on Antelope Road from the north property line of the Costco parcel. The project would be entitled and constructed in two phases. It is anticipated that the Costco would employ 250 full-time employees, and the fitness center, retail, and restaurants collectively would employ 35 employees, totaling an anticipated 285 employees. The project would require a conditional use permit for the Costco tire center, a development plan, and tentative tract map.
Summary of Impacts: A Draft EIR has been prepared pursuant to the CEQA Statute (California Public Resources Code, Section 21000 et. seq., as amended) and Guidelines (14 CCR 15000 et. seq.). No impacts to agricultural, forestry or mineral resources would occur as a result of the proposed project. Impacts related to aesthetics, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials (wildfire-related impacts require mitigation), hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, population and housing, public services, recreation, and utilities and service systems would be less than significant. Impacts to air quality (construction impacts), biological resources, cultural resources, noise, tribal cultural resources, and wildfire would be less than significant with mitigation measures incorporated. Impacts to air quality (operational impacts) and transportation (operational impacts) would be significant and unavoidable.
Public Comment Period: The public comment period for this Draft EIR will begin on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, and end on Monday, July 6, 2020 (comment letters must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2020). The City requests that comments be limited to the material contained in the Draft EIR.
The Draft EIR is available for review at the City website, www.murrietaca.gov/290/Public-Notices. Hard copies of the document are also available for review at the City of Murrieta Planning Division Office. Please submit comments in writing to:
City of Murrieta Planning Division
Attn: Dennis Watts, Senior Planner
1 Town Square
Murrieta, California 92562
Email: [email protected]
Pursuant to the California Governor’s Executive Order N-54-20, an electronic PDF of the Draft EIR is available for download on the City’s website at www.murrietaca.gov/290/Public-Notices. Also, in accordance with the California Governor’s Executive Order N-54-20, all materials shall be submitted electronically to the State Clearinghouse CEQAnet Web Portal (https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/).
In addition, in the event that the Governor’s Executive Order N-33-20 (commonly known as the “Stay at Home Order”) is lifted during the public review and comment period, hard copies will then be available at the following locations:
• City of Murrieta Planning Division, 1 Town Square, Murrieta, California 92562
• Murrieta Public Library, 8 Town Square, Murrieta, California 92562
Any comment letter submitted to the City should include the name for a contact person in your agency. If you have any questions, please contact Dennis Watts at (951) 461-6060, via email, or in writing at the address above.