By Allison Jarrell
The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, Aug. 1, to take the next step in negotiations with Ganahl Lumber Company for the sale and development of the Lower Rosan Ranch—a 15-acre property off of Stonehill Drive.
With Councilwoman Pam Patterson and Councilman Brian Maryott absent, the remaining three members of the Council approved an exclusive negotiation agreement with Ganahl Lumber for the property. The approval marks the next step in the overall sale and development process, which staff said will take a “quite bit longer” to complete. City staff is actively working with Ganahl on a site plan.
Ganahl Lumber’s initial proposal includes the Ganahl facility in the center of the property, a restaurant concept at the southern edge of the site, and self-storage and car storage for neighboring auto dealers on the northern portion of the property. The Ganahl store will sell lumber, building materials and hardware primarily to contractors and other professionals.
The city will receive about 10 percent of the net proceeds of the sale, which will go to the general fund, according to city staff. In addition, Ganahl representatives project the facility will provide the city with approximately $480,000 in sales tax revenue and 88 new jobs.
The family-owned lumber company currently has 10 facilities in Southern California, including a store in Capistrano Beach at 34162 Doheny Park Road that opened in 1995. Ganahl President Peter Ganahl said the company will eventually close its Capo Beach location and move those operations to the Stonehill Drive property.
The sale of the Lower Rosan property is required by state law due to the dissolution of redevelopment agencies in 2012. The city called for bids on the property last fall and began reviewing 13 bids in January. The Council held a community workshop on March 29 to receive public input on five of the development proposals, and on April 4, the Council voted unanimously in closed session to begin negotiating the sale of the land to Ganahl Lumber.
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