City Council Holds on Rezoning Request for Senior Condo Complex

To rezone or not to rezone, that was the question before the City Council of Big Bear Lake last night, in once again reviewing the proposal for a 35-unit senior condominium complex on a 2.97 acre parcel, just west of the Big Bear Senior Center on the Boulevard across from Baker Pond. Though in months (and years) past, issues have been brought up with regard to eagle habitat, traffic, water, and fire evacuation safety—all of which city staff reiterated have been mitigated—the Public Hearing on the project turned into a three-hour discussion for Council, which was also weighing whether or not to enter into a Development Agreement with developers Brian Weber and Michael Rafferty, in addition to rezoning the parcel as multiple-family residential. A Development Agreement, which is voluntary on both sides, would assure the developer that future regulations would not affect the project and, for the city’s part, would ensure some specifics, including details such as requiring the developer to pay for 100% of a traffic signal if deemed necessary. A number of people took to the podium, both for and against the condo project, and Council spent considerable time questioning Forest Service biologist Robin Eliason on the eagle issue. Since 1984, when the Environmental Impact Report for the area was completed, Eliason says there has been a substantial reduction in the eagles’ perch habitat area around Big Bear Lake. Councilmember Liz Harris said, “Our eagle habitat is a consideration, but we have people who need jobs, and we need the construction jobs that might come with this.” Though the conversation regarding the rezoning and Development Agreement took the bulk of last night’s five hour Council meeting, Mayor Rick Herrick made a point of incorporating a number of project suggestions into the yet-to-be-drafted agreement, which Council will revisit at a future meeting. Though both Mayor Pro Tem Bill Jahn and the City’s Director of Planning Jim Miller noted that, at a certain point, the project becomes “all for naught” if building density were reduced and city exactions become too much. All told, Council directed staff to work with the developer to create a Development Agreement, which would include points such as the identification of eagle perches, a reduction in fire hazards, use of best green practices, additional entrances for seniors and possibly a traffic signal, a reduction in number of units, and perhaps a lap pool at the complex.