Amare Apartment Homes Project

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

Location

The project is located within the City of Martinez in Contra Costa County. The project site is approximately 6.06 acres and located in-between Arnold Drive and State Route 4 (SR 4) on assessor parcel numbers (APNs) 161-400-009 and 161-400-010. The site grades down slope from west to east, with an approximately 20-foot hill on the southwest corner of the site. Generally, the project site is vacant and dominated by annual grasses with trees scattered throughout the site.

Background

The project application originally proposed construction of seven three-story buildings that would contain 174 rental residential apartment units. The revised application proposes six three- to four-story buildings that would contain 183 units with nine of those units below market rate, qualifying it as a California Bonus Density Project. An Initial Study-Mitigated Negative Declaration was published in June 2018, and the City received extensive public comments regarding potential biological impacts. The document was not adopted, and the City concluded that an EIR addressing biological resources and transportation impacts due to the increased number of units should be prepared to address those comments, recommend mitigation measures, and comply with CEQA. On July 15, 2022, the City released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Amare Apartment Homes Project. The Draft EIR analyzed the project's environmental impacts and was available for a 46-day public review and comment period, ending on August 29, 2022.

Project Description

The proposed project would involve the construction of six buildings that include 104 one-bedroom units and 79 two-bedroom units for a total of 183 residential dwelling units. In addition, the proposed apartment complex would include on-site amenities such as a workout facility, business center, children’s play area, outdoor kitchen area and parking areas. Three of the buildings, Buildings 1, 2, and 4 would be three stories and up to 35 feet, 2 inches above adjacent grade. The other three buildings, Buildings 3, 5, and 6, would be four stories and up to 44 feet, 2 inches above adjacent grade. With the approval of a density bonus, design review permit, height concession, and waivers/reductions of applicable City development standards that would physically preclude project construction (regarding hillside density, building separation, parking stall depth, rear building setback, drive aisle width, height exception, and parking lot landscaping), the proposed development would be consistent with the site’s current General Plan land use designation and zoning of Mixed Residential/Office and Mixed Use District: Multi-Family Residential/Professional and Administrative Offices respectively.

Documents

Status

On October 11, 2022, following a public hearing, the Planning Commission certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), adopted the Statement of Overriding Considerations, and approved the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the project.

Following action on the Final EIR, the Planning Commission approved the Design Review Permit and Density Bonus applications, subject to conditions of approval.

On September 30, 2022, the City released the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). The FEIR contains a formal response to all the comments received on the Draft EIR.

The Planning Commission will consider the Final EIR prior to taking action on the project. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the project on October 11, 2022.