Signal Hill’s long-planned Heritage Square mixed-use retail and residential development—a joint project between the City and Signal Hill Petroleum—has undergone yet another revision and there may be more.
The only development currently on that site at Cherry Avenue and E. Burnett Street is a Mother’s Market, which would remain as the surrounding oil field is developed into homes, restaurants and other businesses.
In response to public input during a 2018 community meeting and an August public workshop, the City has twice reduced the project’s housing density, building height and commercial space.
During a Tuesday, Sept. 21 Planning Commission public workshop, Community Development Director Colleen Doan shared the new scaled-back conceptual plans to solicit input, not only on Heritage Square, but three other planned new-housing sites. Most public comment, however, focused on Heritage Square.
The City first revised Heritage Square development plans following a Planning Commission community meeting in December 2018 when nearly 50 residents objected to the scale and density of the project—which originally included 199 apartments and a six-story parking structure. Residents also expressed concerns about traffic, parking and safety because of “transient” renters.
The City reduced the plan’s housing units from 199 units to 72 mostly townhouse-style homes with no rental units. It further reduced that number to 60 units—54 townhomes and 6 single-family homes designed for above-moderate income earners—after more resident feedback during an August public workshop.
John Moreland, developer KTGY’s director of planning, said the townhome plans include two to four bedrooms in 1,200 to 2,100 square feet, with two-car garages. Each unit may also have its own private roof deck.
The six slightly larger single-family home plans have three bedrooms and a two-car garage, Moreland said. Each also has a one-or two-bedroom accessory unit with its own garage.
The revised plans also reflect reduced building heights, a smaller parking structure and less commercial footage.
Despite those changes, more than a dozen residents—mostly from the project’s neighboring Crescent Heights Historic District—wrote or called in to Tuesday’s virtual meeting objecting to the plans over traffic safety, housing density, lack of historical character, obstructed views and the wish for a park.
Several commenters said the number of single-family homes planned along Rose Avenue should be reduced from six to five to allow for larger lot sizes and setbacks further away from the street.
“People want homes with yards,” resident Doug Lewis said.
Many also said the City should install speed bumps, stop signs and a traffic light on Crescent Heights Street, which borders the project, to ensure resident safety.
Others said the project’s planned architecture is too modern and should incorporate historical features consistent with the neighborhood’s character. They also asked for a park on the site connecting to the city’s trail system.
Members of a local carpenter’s union commented that the City should require the developer to hire local labor, who could then afford local housing.
Only one commentator, whom Associate Planner Ryan Agbayani identified as architect Bazena Jaworski, lamented the reducing modifications, saying the Heritage Square plan has lost its “main street” city-center character.
“Great projects take vision,” Jaworski said.
Doan emphasized that Heritage Square, along with the three other proposed housing sites—which it calls Orange Bluff, Walnut Bluff and Town Center Northwest—are still conceptual and will continue to evolve. The City will be completing a draft environmental impact report (EIR) for all sites by Sept. 29 for public review.
Per that State’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA)—which determines new housing needs in each California municipality every eight years—Signal Hill must create 517 new dwelling units by 2029, whether apartments or single-family homes.
The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on all the plans in November. The City Council will then conduct two public hearings, in December and January, before deciding whether to approve the plans, which are due to the State by Feb. 20, 2022.
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