City of Calabasas, CA
Home MenuRondell Oasis Hotel
The Rondell Hotel, to be operated by the Camrbia Hotels and Suites brand, is under construction and fully framed. The 3-story hotel includes 125 rooms, and amenities such as a pool with outdoor lounging, café for hotel guests and meeting space for business travelers. The hotel is anticipated to be completed by Spring of 2021.
| GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION | |
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Project Title: |
Rondell Oasis Hotel |
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Applicant: |
Rondell Oasis LLC |
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Location: |
4.13-acre site located at 26300 Rondell Street at the eastern terminus of Las Virgenes and Rondell Street (APN: 2069-031-014 and 15) |
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Project Status: |
Approved by City Council on June 22, 2016 - RESOLUTION NO. 2016-1496 |
| Duration: | N/A |
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CEQA: |
Initial Study (IS) to be prepared to determine appropriate environmental review. The determination of what level of CEQA document is required for reviewing a proposed project depends on the results of what is known as an Initial Study. The study is a state-mandated checklist that looks at 18 areas of potential impacts a project may have on the environment. |
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Contact: |
Michael Klein, Planner, (818) 224-1710, mklein@cityofcalabasas.com |
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Useful Links: |
http://www.anzahistorictrail.org/visit/explorer www.rondellhotel.com (applicant initiated website) |
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Site Photos December 2015: |
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Public Hearing Notice: |
Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. - Request for a Conditional Use Permit, Site Plan Review, Lot Merger, Scenic Corridor Permit, Development Plan, Oak Tree Permit and Street Vacation for the construction of a new 73,000 square-foot hotel, which includes 127 rooms, pool and surface level parking. The proposed project includes a Development Plan Permit in order to construct a 50-foot tall 4-story building and construction of retaining walls in excess of 6-feet in height. The project includes the City vacating a portion of Rondell Street that abuts the western property line. An Oak Tree Permit is required to allow for encroachment into the protected zone of two oak trees. The subject site is located at 26300 Rondell Street (APN 2069-031-014 and 2069-031-015), within the Commercial Retail zoning district and Scenic Corridor overlay zone. |
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Staff Reports: |
Planning Commission Meeting - 2/3/16 City Council Meeting - 2/24/16 City Council Meeting - 6/22/16 |
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Presentations: |
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Non-CEQA Public Correspondence: |
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Project Renderings: |
PC Approved Design: Proposed project as recommended for approval by the Planning Commission 4thfloor alternate: Revised fourth floor option to address the Planning Commission’s motion Three-story concept design with parking garage: Conceptual design for a 35-foot tall three-story hotel without the need for vacating Rondell Street. This rendering is for demonstration purposes only and would require a new application submittal. Three-story concept design: To be included as part of June 8,2016 City Council staff report Current Rendering: renderings of the Final Plans reviewed by the Architectural Review Panel, see minutes above. Note that the final plans do not include the covered entrance or roof mounted signs. |
On June 22, 2016, City Council approved the Rondell Oasis Hotel project with Resolution No. 2016-1496 for the construction of a new three-story hotel with a maximum of 67,000 square feet of building area, which includes up to 127 rooms, pool and 151 surface level parking spaces, including a public parking lot on Rondell Street.
The Rondell Oasis Site History
The site consists of one legal lot with two separate Assessor Parcel Numbers, 2069031014 and 2069031015.
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Aerial Map (Digital Maps) |
Tax Assessors Map |
1981
The site is one of two lots created under Tract Map 34801, which was approved by the County in 1981.
Running through the property are two easement areas; one is identified for flood control, and the other a restricted use area which contains various water diversion improvements. Grading of the site for Rondell Road, and the construction of drainage improvements, occurred as part of the conditions of the Tract Map. Construction of the Mobil gas station on the southwestern lot occurred shortly thereafter, with the remainder of the tract left undeveloped. Additional grading to develop a commercial building pad and associated parking was approved by the County in 1985 and completed in 1986.
LA County Building Department grading permit
April 1991 through 1993
Upon incorporation, the City of Calabasas adopted the County of Los Angeles Codes as an urgency ordinance until such time they could develop their own code. This included the County’s Development Code and property zoning, which was formally adopted as an interim zoning ordinance by the City in September 1993. It identified the site as C-3-1 which is a general commercial zone with a wide variety of uses such as retail stores, apartment buildings, child care centers, medical clinics, schools and hotels.
Calabasas Interim Zoning Map, Sept. 1993
1993 -1995
The first Calabasas General Plan consisted of a collection of documents adopted by the City Council between 1993 and 1995. In the September 1995 General Plan Land Use map, a portion of the site was identified as Hillside Mountainous, a non-urban designation and far less intensive land use than the previous Los Angeles County commercial zoning. This designation was likely drawn from the City’s 1993 Community Profile Figure II-2 Existing Land Use Map, which incorrectly identified the site as ‘Uncommitted Open Space”.
Calabasas General Plan Community Profile Figure II-1 Existing Land Use
Calabasas General Plan Land Use Map, September 1995
1995 to 1998
The General Plan efforts which spanned between 1993 and 1995 identified the importance of planning for the remaining infill development along Las Virgenes roadway. Shortly after the adoption of the September 1995 General Plan entitled ‘Agenda For the 21st Century”, the Council launched a master planning effort to guide remaining development along the Las Virgenes roadway. Two documents were generated as part of a community effort; a) the January 1998 Las Virgenes Corridor Road Design Plan and b) the December 1998 Las Virgenes Gateway Master Plan.
The Las Virgenes Gateway Master Plan was a broad planning effort involving an advisory committee, residents, landowners, applicants Council members, staff and consultants. The group held numerous community workshops, and conducted a survey of various interest groups. The results of that outreach were then brought forward in the form of a draft document which was reviewed by the Planning Commission before final consideration by the City Council.
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LVGMP Chapter 4, page 8 |
LVGMP Chapter 2, page 3 |
The master plan effort identified a vision of the corridor divided into highway oriented uses at the north end adjacent to the freeway, transitioning southerly to commercial and residential zones which decreased in intensity as the corridor moved towards parkland and open space. The Rondell property was identified as ideal for highway and auto oriented commercial land uses. The site was recommended for up-zoning under the Las Virgenes Overlay Zone to a more intensive land use consistent with the master plan objectives.
“ Limited retail/highway/auto-oriented development shall be allowed consistent with the General Plan Business-Retail designation and the Commercial, Retail Zone designation. The allowed uses shall include hotel/motel uses…”
Las Virgenes Gateway Master Plan, Chapter 4 - Land Use, page
The site, along with others, was identified as part of a Las Virgenes Gateway “Overlay” zone, with special guidelines applying. Among those was the desire to maintain the natural beauty of the mountains and create a ‘gateway’ to the western portion of the City through roadway and landscaping enhancements identified in the las Virgenes Road Corridor design plan and special development standards reinforcing the scenic corridor. Among those is a unique height measurement to assure the scenic views of the mountains would be maintained:
"No development shall be located on the east or west hillside areas along Las Virgenes Road at an elevation that is greater than half the height of the top of ridgeline or backdrop hillside”.
Las Virgenes Master Plan, Chapter 4 - Land Use, page 15
The Las Virgenes Road Corridor Design plan also offered specific guidance for roadway improvements for the section of las Virgenes Road from the freeway to Agoura Road. Acknowledging the heavy traffic volume and auto serving commercial activities along this stretch, the design plan offered specific ideas to meeting the challenge of ‘maintaining a healthy business environment providing visibility and access to commercial entities, which while at the same time reclaim(ing) the street as part of the Calabasas township”. The plan included methods to scene buildings by creating a “tunnel of canopy of street trees and median landscaping”, as reflected in the following image, taken looking north up Las Virgenes road from just south of the 101 freeway eastbound off ramp (Rondell site marked with a red star).
Las Virgenes Road design plan, page 41
1998 Las Virgenes Road Corridor Design Plan
June 2004
The City briefly considered purchasing the site and the adjacent parcel to the North in June of 2004. The City’s Traffic and Transportation Commission discussed and endorsed the submission of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority Call for Projects grant proposal for a Transit Facility/Park-and-Ride Transportation Center. The grant was not made, largely on the basis that the MTA determined that there was insufficient ridership to support the location of a park and ride facility at this location.
2006-2008
In December 2008, the City concluded a two and one half year process to prepare and adopt the 2030 General Plan. That plan re-adopted the Las Virgenes Road Corridor Design Plan, as well as the Las Virgenes Gateway Master Plan (page IX-6), which included a land use designation of the property as Business - Retail. The 2030 General Plan affirms the objectives of those plans in establishing an approach to development in this area:
“Natural hillsides will continue to dominate the Ventura Freeway corridor west to the Las Virgenes Road interchange...Freeway oriented commercial uses will continue in the southern quadrants of the Las Virgenes interchange, focusing on urban design improvements to reduce the visual clutter created by a proliferation of driveways and signs. New commercial development and residential development may occur along the east side of Las Virgenes road at Agoura Road…”
2030 General Plan, page II 5/6
“The Las Virgenes Gateway Master Plan and the Las Virgenes Road Corridor Design Plan, both adopted in 1998, are companion documents. The Gateway Master Plan provides direction on the planned development or re-development of private properties along the corridor, while the Corridor design Plan focuses on the desired appearance and functionality of the public realm, including the roadway, sidewalks, street lighting, furnishings, landscaping, etc.”
2030 General Plan, page IX-6
Current Proposal
On November 10, 2014, Rondell Oasis LLC filed an application for a new project located at 26300 Rondell St. The proposed project includes a request for a Conditional Use Permit, Site Plan Review, Tentative Parcel Map, Scenic Corridor Permit, Development Plan and Street Vacation for the construction of a new 72,954 square-foot hotel, which includes 127 rooms, pool and surface level parking. The proposed project includes a Development Plan Permit to construct a 50-foot tall 4-story building in the Commercial Retail zoning district. The applicant is also requesting that the City vacate the portion of Rondell Road that abuts the western property line. The subject site is located at 26300 Rondell Road, within the Commercial Retail zoning district, Scenic Corridor overlay zone and the Las Virgenes Gateway Masterplan.
The project was reviewed by the Development Review Committee (DRC) on December 2, 2014 and by the Architectural Review Panel on February 27, 2015.
This project was reviewed by the City’s Architectural Review Panel (ARP) on February 27, 2015, March 27, 2015, April 17, 2015 and April 24, 2015. The ARP recommended approval of the current design to the Planning Commission.
A Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared on November 4, 2015 and was circulated for comments to be received by December 4, 2015.
A public hearing before the planning Commission is tentatively scheduled for February 2016.
Story poles for the proposed hotel were installed on January 1, 2016. The story poles provide a complete outline of the proposed structure and a sign with a color rendering of the development.
May 2016
Concurrent Project Submittal
On May 12, 2016, the applicant submitted an application for construction of a 67,177 square-foot, 3-story self-storage facility and associated office on the property located at 26300 Rondell Street, within the CR-SC zoning district. The application includes a request for the following permits: Conditional Use Permit, Site Plan Review, and Scenic Corridor Permit.
This application has been submitted as an independent application for the site. It does not replace the application for the 4-story hotel.