Laying the Groundwork

The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) has allocated 242.5 acre feet per year (afy) of potable water and 280 afy of recycled water, for a total of 522.5 afy, to the City of Del Rey Oaks for use at The Resort at Del Rey Oaks. This allocation is anticipated to meet the water needs of all the uses in the proposed project, based on a detailed water demand analysis performed by RA Partners and LFR Associates. The Phase 2 uses (office space and the expansion of the Resort Hotel) are not included in the proposed project.

The water purveyor for potable and recycled water is the Marina Coast Water District (MCWD). As part of the environmental review process, MCWD will prepare a Water Supply Assessment, in which they will evaluate the water demand for each use in the proposed project.

A significant portion of the overall water demand is identified for irrigation purposes, to be served by recycled or non-potable supply. Federal is committed to water conservation throughout the Resort at Del Rey Oaks and has designed the master plan to take advantage of native vegetation and drought-tolerant and fire-resistant landscaping.

A traffic study is being prepared for The Resort at Del Rey Oaks by Higgins Associates, civil and traffic engineers. The traffic study will identify the impacts associated with the proposed project. It is based on a traffic impact analysis of operations at numerous intersections, road segments, and freeway segments during typical weekday AM and PM peak hours.

The corridors to be analyzed in the traffic study include:

Highways 1, 68 and 218
Del Monte Boulevard
Fremont Boulevard
General Jim Moore Boulevard
South Boundary Road
Ragsdale Drive
Rancho Saucio Lane
York Road

The traffic study will analyze the traffic impacts of all the approved projects in the area as well as the anticipated traffic impacts that could be expected by the cumulative projects in future years in Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, Sand City, Marina, Monterey, Monterey County, Salinas, and the former Fort Ord.

The traffic study will contain recommendations for mitigation to address traffic impacts. To help pay for the cost associated with the mitigation, Federal is required to pay the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) an impact fee of over $40,000 per residential unit and additional fees for all the other non-residential uses. Most of this impact fee will go towards the funding of traffic mitigation.

The proposed Resort at Del Rey Oaks development is located in the City of Del Rey Oaks on the former Fort Ord Army Base. Fort Ord was officially closed in 1991. During the subsequent remediation process, the nature and extent of munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) on the property have been investigated during at least nine efforts through a series of munitions response (MR) actions over a period of more than ten years.

In 2004, the Army transferred the property to Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) in an "early transfer," prior to the completion of the Comprehensive Environmental Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. The Finding of Suitability for Early Transfer (FOSET) transferring the property found that it had been cleared of all dangerous and/or explosive material reasonably possible to detect, that no further MR actions were needed. The FOSET provided that future use of the property did not present a current or future risk to human health or the environment, subject to inclusion and compliance with the appropriate notices, disclosures, and restrictions. The FOSET found the property suitable for early transfer for the use of a resort hotel and golf course, commercial/retail facilities, offices and associated infrastructure.

The State Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) required that a Covenant to Restrict Use of the Property be placed on the parcel to prevent residential reuse but that the future owner may apply for a variance to include residential on all or part of the property once the property has been cleared of MEC to a standard acceptable to DTSC. Accordingly, the applicant has requested that the residential use restriction be removed from the property once an additional verification process confirms that the property is suitable for residential use. Site Map

As the CERCLA process continues, the Army issued a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study in August 2007, which evaluated the property conditions, cleanup alternatives and potential residential use. A Proposed Plan presented the preferred alternative in September 2007. A final Record of Decision selecting the final remedy is expected in the beginning of 2008. The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project will also evaluate the history of remediation efforts as well as the environmental impacts of allowing redevelopment, including residential uses, on the property.

Federal/JER Associates will be installing the entire backbone infrastructure system for The Resort at Del Rey Oaks. The backbone infrastructure system will be sized to meet the needs of the proposed project as well as the Phase 2 uses because they will be dependent upon the same infrastructure system.

The backbone infrastructure system includes:

Grading sequencing plan
Storm-water drainage
Sanitary sewer
Domestic and fire water and recycled water
Joint trench for cable, telephone, electrical, and gas
Major entry road and landscaping

Funding for the infrastructure improvements will come from Federal/JER Associates and the City of Del Rey Oaks. Maintenance of the public improvements, including the main road and the public parks, will be undertaken in partnership between the City of Del Rey Oaks and the developer.

The backbone infrastructure system will result in the delivery of the main road and all utilities to each parcel to be developed. The internal infrastructure system within each parcel will then be built as development within each parcel moves forward.

The Resort at Del Rey Oaks will have a master association that provides ongoing maintenance of common grounds, private infrastructure, and common amenities as well as security and safety service for the various residents and visitors of the development.

This will augment the services provided by the City and add substantial value to the experience of The Resort at Del Rey Oaks for residents and visitors.