Logo courtesy of the City of Gridley

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley City Council has approved an agreement to begin environmental review for the proposed Legacy Subdivision, a large residential development planned on the city’s edge.

The council on March 16 authorized a contract with LACO Associates for environmental review services not to exceed $152,900, clearing the way for required analysis under state law before the project can move forward.

The project site is located between W. Biggs Gridley Road and the Union Pacific Railroad, north of the Lateral 7 canal.

The Legacy project includes the annexation of roughly 96 acres, with about 82 acres identified for potential housing, along with space for commercial, park and open space uses.

City officials said the environmental review, required under the California Environmental Quality Act, will examine impacts including traffic, air quality, biological resources, noise and agricultural land. The process will include preparation of environmental documents and technical studies such as transportation impact analysis and noise assessment.

The environmental review began last month, with an initial draft study anticipated by June and public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council projected for late summer.

The city will manage the review process and select consultants, with costs billed back to the developer through deposits and monthly invoices.

“This is a state-mandated process … to avoid any potential disasters or at least mitigate the risks,” City Planner Christopher Smith said.

Smith said the selected firm submitted the lowest-cost proposal and the fastest timeline among firms that responded. The scope includes project management, planning analysis and technical studies, with costs billed on a time-and-materials basis.

The environmental review is an early step in the project. No construction approvals were considered as part of the action, Gridley officials said.