Campus Town project in Seaside gets Phase 1 final map approval

SEASIDE – The Seaside City Council adopted a resolution through its consent agenda at its meeting last week that included the approval of the Campus Town Specific Plan Final Map Phase 1, and approved the Draft Subdivision and Improvement Agreement for Phase 1A.

A consent agenda is used to facilitate the approval of items on the City Council’s agenda with a single motion with the understanding that materials sent to council members in advance of a meeting adequately explain what is required for each item and no discussion is required.

The Council adopted the resolution that determined that KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture, LLC, is acting in good faith compliance with the provisions of the Development Agreement; and approved the Campus Town Specific Plan Final Map Phase 1, a portion of Vesting Map VTM-01, and approved the Draft Subdivision and Improvement Agreement for Phase 1A.

The city of Seaside is initiating the recordation of the Phase 1 Final Map, a portion of the Vesting Tentative Map, and creating legal parcels allowing KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture II, LLC., – the applicant – to purchase Phase 1A.

The area of Phase 1A is about 37 acres and is bounded by Lightfighter Drive to the north, U.S. Army property to the south, General Jim Moore Boulevard to the east and 1st Avenue to the west. According to city documents, associated with the Final Map, the Draft Subdivision Improvement Agreement for Phase 1A of the Campus Town Specific Plan has been prepared for recordation concurrent with the purchase of Phase 1A by KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture, LLC., which will contractually bind the developer to complete improvements.

Phase 1A is anticipated to be the first place to see development of the Campus Town project.

The city of Seaside and the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the city of Seaside, and developer KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture, LLC., a California limited liability company, entered into a purchase and sale agreement on Feb. 6, 2020, for the property described as “Surplus II” and “26 Acre Parcels” and is approximately 103.5 acres in size, collectively referred to as the “Property.”

The proposed Campus Town project would permit the construction and operation of 1,485 housing units, 250 hotel rooms, 75 hostel beds, 150,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment uses, and 50,000 square feet of office, flex, makerspace (collaborative workspace) and light industrial floor space. It would also include park and recreational areas (including approximately 9 acres of public open space and 3.3 acres of private open space), roadways, parking and supporting infrastructure, on approximately 122.23 acres of land, through the adoption of the Campus Town Specific Plan and associated entitlements, according to the city of Seaside.

On March 5, 2020, the City Council conducted a hearing on the developer’s application for this agreement, and found and determined that the following actions were consistent with the General Plan: the Campus Town Specific Plan, the General Plan Circulation Element Amendments, the Zoning Map and Text amendments creating “Campus Town Specific Plan” District, the Development Agreement, the Vesting Tentative Subdivision map and the Inclusionary (affordable) Housing Agreement for Campus Town Property.

At that same meeting, the City Council reviewed and certified, after making appropriate findings, the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Campus Town Specific Plan Project.

With the approval of the Final Map Phase 1 for the Campus Town Specific Plan, a portion of the Vesting Map VTM-01, Draft Subdivision Improvement Agreement for Phase 1A, and Annual Review of the Development Agreement. Subsequent to the Phase 1 Final Map and Phase 1A Subdivision Improvement Agreement on May 5, 2022, the city of Seaside and the developer, KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture, LLC., have agreed to modifications as the result of easements, property exchanges and to identify street names on the Final Map as approved by separate action. The city and developer have also agreed to an updated Subdivision Improvement Agreement that further clarifies responsibilities. These revisions require a new Final Map and supporting documents to be approved.

The Phase 1A map shows streets with the names of people that have been part of Seaside’s history such as Rucker, Rubio and Jordan avenues, as well as, Blackwell, Watts, Smith and DeBerry courts.

A sign in the area designated for the Campus Town development near Cal State Monterey Bay shows the plan for the project. (Arianna Nalbach/Monterey Herald)

The city of Seaside conducted the annual review of the Development Agreement and determined KB-Bakewell Seaside Venture, LLC., is acting in good faith in compliance with the provisions of this agreement.

The Final Map Phase 1 subdivides the Campus Town Specific Plan for construction of uses. The Final Map Phase 1 encompasses approximately 37.29 acres of the total 103.5 acres of Vesting Map VTM-01. The final map application was deemed complete by the city engineer on Jan. 10.

The Draft Subdivision Improvement Agreement was prepared to contractually bind the developer to complete Phase 1A improvements, a portion of Final Map Phase. The Draft Subdivision Improvement Agreement for Phase 1A will be recorded concurrent with the transfer of property to the Applicant.

Once recorded, the Subdivision Improvement Agreement contractually binds the Developer to complete the Project improvements in accordance with the Final Map Phase 1 and to provide security for completion in accordance with the city requirements.