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HomeMy WebLinkAbout- - Additional Documents - 9/8/2015ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS M EJIA, JESSICA Subject: FW: Land Use Resent -From: <KATRINA.FOLEY@costamesaca. From: Georgette Quinn Date: September 6, 2015 at 7:46:09 PM PDT To: <citvcouncil@costamesaca.Rov> Subject: Land Use Please Please STOP the madness of this high density housing!!! We do not have the infrastructure! We do not have the right to continue to IMPACT the environment! noise pollution, air pollution, traffic pollution, people pollution and it goes on and on! Now let's talk about the who can afford this "AFFORDABLE" housing, no one I know. I have lived and worked in the Orange County area all my life, my family is here but cannot afford to live here they are being priced out. I moved to my present home for my final days, quiet neighborhood, affordable, close to all the amenities needed to live out a life of quality. Because of a few greedy people who do not even live in this community, they want to add a burden to those of us who live here and have built a life here, trying to keep family and community. They reap all the profits and those of us have to live with burden! STOP THE MADNESS! You are putting people ON TOP of people! The quality of life goes down FOR EVERONE! Try riding a bike around town! Try sitting on a bus bench without a hassle! Try finding a parking space! Try finding a quiet neighborhood restaurant! c,eoreetlre M. CZ4'Ww, 01 t -5T OCASSE Delegate 2015-2016 ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS MEDIA, JESSICA Subject: FW: Villages of South Coast Attachments: D00O27.pdf From: ARMSTRONG, GARY Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 4:09 PM To: LETOURNEAU, TAMARA <TAMARA.LETOURNEAU @costamesaca.gov>; CITY COUNCIL <CITYCOUNCIL@ci.costa- mesa.ca.us>; Gary Monahan <garymonahan@att.net> Cc: FLYNN, CLAIRE <CLAIRE.FLYNN @costamesaca.gov>; ASHABI, MIN00<MINOO.ASHAB16Dcostamesaca.gov>; GREEN, BRENDA <brenda.green@costamesaca.gov> Subject: FW: Villages of South Coast Tammy and Council Members, Please do not Respond or Reply To All. Attached is a letter authorizing Rose Equities, Leonard Glickman, to act on behalf of the property owner of the Robinson Pharma Building. (1683 Sunflower.) They are asking to be included in the General Plan update similarly to the LA Times/ Tribune property. A discussion of the Robinson Pharma site is included on handwritten p. 6 of the GP Staff Report. We anticipate receiving a formal letter of request prior to Tuesday, again similar to attachment 4, handwritten p.37 of the GP Staff Report from the LA Times site. Council members had expressed a desire to confirm that Mr. Glickman had the authority to represent the Pharma property in entitlement discussions. We assume we will have a letter to distribute on Tuesday morning regarding their request and they do intend to be present at the workshop. We hope to receive the Councils' direction regarding these potential "add on" properties at the workshop. Please call with any questions. Gary Gary Armstrong, AICP Economic and Development Services Director / Deputy CEO City of Costa Mesa (714) 754-5182 September 4, 20 Gary Armstrong Economic Development and Development Services Director/ Deputy CEO City of Costa Meso 77 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, Califo'mia 92626 Mr. Armstrong, As managing patmer of the property ("Property") located at 1683 Sunflower Avenue, Costa Mesa, please use this letter as authorization for Rose Equities to serve in all matters of representation with the City of Costa'Mesa for the potential redevelopment of the Property. We look forward to working closelywith the City -of Costa Mesa. I Sincerely, Joe Wen Managing Partner ASSET MANAGEMENT HOLDING GROUP Walker Street • Cypress, CA 90630 • 714.886.3791 ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS M EJIA, JESSICA Subject: FW: Comments on General Plan update and Urban Plans Attachments: General Plan Update Notes.docx; Urban Pians - amendments v2.docx From: Eleanor Egan Sent: Monday, September 07, 2015 8:37 PM To: PLANNING COMMISSION <PLANNINGCOMMISSION @ci.costa-mesa.ca.us>; CITY COUNCIL <CITYCOUNCIL@ci.costa- mesa.ca. us> Subject: Comments on General Plan update and Urban Plans The attached documents are offered for your consideration and for the record in connection with the Joint Study Session on September 8, 2015.. "Fear No Art" - Andre Miripolsky General Plan Update Notes City staff has done fine work on this General Plan update, within the limitations of not having money for traffic studies. Attachment No. 5 on page 41 shows estimated traffic volumes, but it lacks critical information on the impact of the studied alternative on specific intersections. Without that detail, it is impossible to determine the traffic effects of the alternative studied. There is no information regarding planned circulation improvements, what they are, when they will be constructed compared with the construction of development projects that require the improvement, and whether they will maintain the standard of LOS D or better. The proposed update contains no provision for increasing parkland to accommodate increases in population and minimal private open space in new developments. Collecting park fees is not enough; the update should identify land to be purchased for parks. Especially in light of new plans for intense development on Harbor Boulevard and west of there, new parkland must be identified. The Harbor Boulevard mixed-use overlay makes sense for a residential -retail development, provided the retail serves the local community rather than a regional customer base. • Don't create a canyon of high-rise buildings. • Don't add uses that sell alcohol to an area that is already saturated with them. • Create a downtown plaza with a fountain. If homeless persons try to hog the benches, don't let them. Park rangers need to enforce riles of civil behavior. Economic analysis should include not only the costs and benefits over all but also who would benefit and who would bear the costs. Try to apportion both fairly. Include analysis of whether proposed developments would increase the homeless population. The update should include the Safety, Noise and Open Space elements. In regard to development north of the I-405 freeway, how does the public benefit from development agreements? Why does staff recommend them? The 19 West Urban Plan expansion plan is boring, lacks character and lacks significant open space. The developments we are now seeing in the Westside of Costa Mesa are just what the people warned the City Council against in 2009: higher -density housing that fails to meet applicable development standards, lacks adequate parking, landscaping and amenities, and is incompatible with its surroundings. Beginning in the early 2000's, Costa Mesa determined to revitalize the Westside. The staff held meetings with various groups to assemble a vision for the area. Later, the City Council formed a committee that included at least 70 people representing residents, business owners and other stakeholders. Through a lot of discussion, argument and compromise, they created a vision that would spark investment and maintain the unique flavor and diversity of the community. The staff incarnated that vision into a series of urban plans, each covering a distinct area, with provisions tailored to each particular area. One constraint the Council insisted on was that the traffic generated by full build -out under the plans must not exceed the traffic planned for in the circulation element of the 2000 General Plan. In April 2006, the City Council adopted the Urban Plans. To implement the Urban Plans, a zoning overlay was created that would keep the existing zoning but allow each property owner within the overlay area to develop in accordance with the overlay zoning designation instead of the underlying zone. When development activity slowed and stopped as the Great Recession took hold, some members of the City Council thought to jump-start it. They asked developers what it would take for them to invest in the Westside. The developers recommended amendments to the Urban Plans, incorporating their vision. In 2009, Amendment No. I was proposed, larded with changes to the Urban Plans' development standards. Westsiders, including this writer, warned the Council against the changes, predicting that the "live -work" designation would be turned into high-density apartments, of which the Westside already had too many. Councilmembers Wendy Leece and Katrina Foley expressed similar concerns. Ignoring the warnings, the Council majority, consisting of Allan Mansoor, Gary Monahan and Eric Bever, adopted the amendment, substituting the developers' vision for that of the Council -appointed citizens' committee. In addition, the current City Council majority and Planning Commission have handed out far too many general plan amendments, variances and deviations, like hot dogs at a barbecue. The Council must take one of two actions. It can repeal Amendment No. 1 and restore the people's vision, without unjustified zoning exceptions and general plan amendments. Alternatively, the overlay zones must be eliminated and the entire Westside vision must be re- engineered from scratch, using good planning principles and incorporating the needs and desires of the public. Specifically: • If live -work units are allowed, at least 75% of the floor area must be devoted to work space and designed and built to be unsuited for use as a dwelling. • Development standards from one Urban Plan must not be allowed to be applied to projects in a different Urban Plan area. The three Westside Urban Plan areas have different characteristics, and cherry -picking standards from other areas results in incompatible development. A roof garden or deck should be counted as a story because it has walls. It adds to the visual height of the building and adds to the "canyon effect" on the streetscape. Further, it casts shade and shadows, as any other top story does. o The study of shade/shadow effects for the 19 West Urban Plan did not analyze the effect of a five -story building, nor of a four-story building plus roof garden. o Applying the mixed-use height standards specified for the north side of the commercial area of W. 19°h Street to other uses in other areas results in monstrosities like that on the south side of W. 17'11 Street, across from Trader Joe's. • A new traffic study is needed to ensure that buildout of the Urban Plans, however they have been or maybe modified, in addition to all other projects in the "pipeline," will not generate traffic in excess of the capacity of the circulation system, maintaining a level of service no worse than D at all affected intersections. IRVINE - _ - NEWPORT BEACH JOHN WAYNE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - 73 wrif OUTH COAST PLAZA _-- INIERSME- -s*'405 --4 '�'"COSTA MESA ti. SOUTH COAST'.41111 low qp- y 4 , Loapa __ J the VILLAGES f SOUTH COAST TH COAST METRO DISTRICT COSTA MESA CA ROSE EQUITIES September 8, 2015 The Honorable Stephen Mensinger City of Costa Mesa 77 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, California 92626 Mayor Mensinger, As you know, the ownership of the LA Times site, located at 1375 Sunflower Avenue, has requested to be included in the current general plan update process. Similarly, for over two years, we have been exploring the various opportunities to appropriately reposition the Robinson Pharma site (1683 Sunflower Avenue) located next to SOCO, one of the most authentic and thriving retail centers in all of Orange County. In fact, the western portion of South Coast Metro is made up of several sites that offer up great opportunity and potential for the City of Costa Mesa to maintain the quality of life it currently affords its citizens and to insure it will also do so for future Costa Mesa generations. We recognize the City is in the middle of its general plan update process and the potential inclusion of projects such as the LA Times and ours could cause delays and additional cost for same. As such, assuming the LA Times is allowed to enter the process, we also ask for similar inclusion. With this letter, we respectfully request that this process consider the redesignation of the Robinson Pharma site for a live -work -play village comprised of a variety of uses. We acknowledge, if the LA Times request is denied, we will respectfully withdraw ours as well. With this in mind, please consider the following thoughts as it relates to the repositioning of the Robinson Pharma site, which we are calling 'the Villages of South Coast,' as part of the revitalization and repositioning of the western portion of South Coast Metro. We have been closely monitoring the general plan update and subsequent planning designations for many of the properties north of the 1-405. Including the LA Times site, the following properties have been discussed for development or repositioning: 1. VANS — Vans recently purchased the property located at 3333 Hyland Avenue, which will include several hundred employees and potentially redevelopment of the parking lot bordering Hyland. This property is also immediately adjacent to SOCO, opposite the Robinson Pharma site. 2. Emulex— 65,435 square feet of office have already been approved at the corner of Sunflower and Susan. This site is currently for sale and as a part of the sales procedure, the repositioning of the property, including the build out of the vacant land, has been encouraged. 3. The corner of Sunflower and Harbor — Designated as the 'Business Park Overlay' in the general plan update draft recommended land uses, there is a suggestion for this intersection to be up -zoned from 0.25-0.75 FAR to 1.0 FAR. 8383 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 632 • Beverly Hills, California 90211 • 323.782.4300 4. Home Ranch — Currently approved for 759,165 square feet of commercial; there is a recommendation to increase this site to 1,200,000 square feet. 5. LA Times — Proposal for 1.0 FAR of 'Urban Center Commercial' use, or approximately 914,760 square feet of development. These properties are an integral part of the west side of South Coast Metro. With the future development of these sites, in addition to the projects already in place, this area of the South Coast Metro District possesses great potential to become a vibrant, mixed-use, walkable and bikeable district, unlike any other economic node in all of Orange County. A global question is what can and should be done from a planning perspective to insure the long-term success of the current and future planned developments? Some of the most memorable and desirable land use districts (for office, retail and residents alike) around the world are those that appropriately mix jobs, retail and residential in a walkable/bike friendly plan. In today's hyper -competitive world of Orange County, the idea of a well -executed live - work -play environment puts both private and public institutions which participate in these settings in an extremely viable position to excel. Our goal for our site is to build on the strengths of the uses already in place and planned. This includes its unique location next to the Santa Ana River Trail, which is 4 miles to the beach, 1.5 miles to Fairview Park and 6 miles to Anaheim Stadium via bike. To this end, we are embracing the emerging bike culture of Costa Mesa (and Orange County) like no other area to date. The result is the creation of a functionally and visibility -stimulating area along the 1-405 freeway, an environment that will be on display for the entire county to marvel and recognize as the gateway to the City of Costa Mesa. If these properties north of the 1-405 are to be developed and draw from the vibrant companies in today's 215Ycentury economy, one of the first questions these corporate leaders will ask is "whether these sites offer up to their employees an environment which affords a high quality of life relative to how they live -work -play?" Large users of space, for instance in a campus setting, will no longer accept sites which are deficient in any one of the elements of live, work or play. We all know the development pattern of the 201h Century, in particular within Orange County, lead to areas of extensive suburban sprawl, where people have to travel the freeway to get to their jobs. Similarly, there are many employment centers where there is a glaring lack of housing options. The answer for both the future corporate leaders of Costa Mesa and the City includes solutions which keep people off the freeway by embracing the definitions of an appropriate job -housing balance in a mixed- use district where employees and the people of the City can live, work and play in a quality environment. From this perspective, it makes for common sense for the City to take a hard look at the above mentioned sites and other properties north of the 1-405 appropriate for repositioning. Costa Mesa is known for both its alternative and eclectic residential neighborhoods and retail (SOCO, the CAMP, the LAB) in addition to the economic firepower of the South Coast Metro District. By taking a comprehensive look to these properties north of the 1-405, the City can appropriately plan for its 8383 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 632 • Beverly Hills, California 90211 • 323.782.4300 future, provide a strong and sustainable economic foundation, while maintaining the integrity of traditional Westside and Eastside Costa Mesa neighborhoods. The repositioning of the Robinson Pharma site, much like the replacement of the State Farm building by SOCO, will be supplanting a building that not only is at the end of its functional use, but by one which is the highest and best use for a site adjacent to acclaimed shopping, a vibrate office hub and the Santa Ana River trail in this little corner of Costa Mesa. With the visibility along the 1-405 and location directly adjacent to SOCO, our site no longer makes sense for warehouse storage and light manufacturing that results in relatively few jobs. Lastly, to best enhance the current and potential future attributes of the western portion of South Coast Metro, the repositioning of the Robinson Pharma site requires execution by an entity that has a long-term perspective. This creates, by definition, a symbiotic relationship between property owner and the strength of the community (benefiting all). We are a family -business with 65 years of experience that always seeks the benefits of long-term ownership. Unlike most other 'developers', we utilize only our family economic resources and do not to sell a project once completed for quick profit. With this outlook, our success more than anything else, is predicated upon a thriving community and its surrounding area. Our financial investment is not only to our benefit but also by definition to our neighbors and community at large. We clearly understand the best mixed-use neighborhoods, in the end, provide a range of economic and community benefits for all of it citizens. As a privately owned family business, with a generational approach to ownership, we pursue a strategy based upon what is best for "one and all". We are prepared to commit our extensive developmental skills and financial resources for the planning and development effort of not only our site but the necessary infrastructure and social services such as: improved traffic enhancements, fire/life safety, bike infrastructure and recreational park land and facilities. We look forward to attending tonight's Joint Study Session to engage in a further dialogue with the Council, Planning Commission and you regarding both our specific request and what is the most appropriate vision for the entire western portion of the South Coast Metro district. Included herein are a set of maps, articles and supporting documents. We appreciate your consideration of our request at this time. RPdGlickman Lespa Managing Partner, Rose Equities 8383 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 632 • Beverly Hills, California 90211 • 323.782.4300 .R A � _ •� _yam _ .x- •- NtY a ARCHITECTS �19 5M TH � .� 5 i IT the Villages of South Coast Costa Mesa, California Rose Equities � r r -- Vt. Before URBAN ARF_NA July 15, 2015 u S Fe`•r 9v+- -ewib 1220 w nnow+, cwnrw earr� s+s.e�•.eoso r+s-ee�-eoa�i.: .w.-i•e�ne.wm the Villages of South Coast Prepared remarks, to be submitted at September 8, 2015 Joint Study Session Honorable Mayor Mensinger, council, and planning commission, my name is Leonard Glickman, managing partner of Rose Equities. I am here to speak on behalf of the site located at 1683 Sunflower Avenue, referenced in the agenda as the Robinson Pharma site. As you know, this site is located next to SOCO, one of the most authentic and thriving retail centers in all of Orange County. It is also adjacent to the Santa Ana River Trail, a key component to the emerging bike culture of the city and a variety of other employment generating uses. It is area known as the western portion of the South Coast Metro District. These three building blocks, located in a little pocket of northwest Costa Mesa, carry with it the framework to create a dynamic and vibrant mixed-use district.....the type that is the envy for private and public citizens alike as we move deeper into the 21St Century. For this reason, we think there are significant advantages to taking a comprehensive look at this area, which includes sites like the aforementioned LA Times, VANS, Emulex and others. And of course, the Robinson Pharma site is right in the middle of it. We believe by looking at this area comprehensively, the result would be the creation of a functionally and visibility -stimulating area along the 1-405 freeway ..... an environment that will be on display for the entire county to marvel and recognize as the gateway to the City of Costa Mesa. Imagine driving south on the 1-405, crossing over the bikers riding along the Santa Ana River, and coming to three shining beacons of Costa Mesa's Gateway as one looks to their left... ROSE EQUITIES September 8, 2015 the Villages of South Coast First, you would come upon the live -work -play, walkable, bikeable village we imagine for our site, one we are calling the Villages of South Coast... Second, you see the eclectic retail star that is SOCO. And third, you would come to the headquarters of VANS, the corporate embodiment of Costa Mesa's own alternative economic heartbeat. Now imagine looking right and seeing the edge of one of Costa Mesa's cherished neighborhoods, Mesa Verde. Imagine living in this neighborhood, riding your bike up through the Santa Ana River Trail and enjoying your purchases from the SOCO farmers market while sitting in the new park we aim to include in our village. This is the best part... by looking at the opportunity offered by western portion of the South Coast Metro District to provide a strong and sustainable economic foundation for the City's future.... It does so by maintaining the integrity of traditional Westside and Eastside Costa Mesa neighborhoods that are so cherished by the City's citizens. As it relates to the LA Times, we understand ownership has asked for inclusion in the general plan process and associated EIR. To this note, we recognize the City is in the middle of this process and understand the potential inclusion of projects such as the LA Times and ours, could cause delays and added cost to same. Assuming the LA Times is granted inclusion to this general plan process, we also ask for similar inclusion and respectfully request that the City, council and planning commission consider the redesignation of the Robinson Pharma site for a live -work -play village comprised of a variety of uses. We are aware of the costs this would add to the general plan process and are prepared to fund same. However, I want to be clear, if the LA Times request to be included in the general plan update process is denied, we will respectfully withdraw our request to be included in same. In the end, we want more than anything to look to the leadership of the City of Costa Mesa for the best way to move forward. ROSE EQUITIES September 8, 2015 the Villages of South Coast Lastly, I want to bring a little attention to who we are and the value we bring to the community of Costa Mesa. To best enhance the current and potential future attributes of the western portion of South Coast Metro, the repositioning of the Robinson Pharma site requires execution by an entity that has a long-term perspective. This creates, by definition, a symbiotic relationship between property owner and the strength of the community (benefiting all). We are a family -business with 65 years of experience that always seeks the benefits of long-term ownership. Unlike most other 'developers', we utilize only our family's economic resources and do not to sell a project once completed for quick profit. With this outlook, our success more than anything else, is predicated upon a thriving community and its surrounding area. Our financial investment is not only to our benefit but also by definition, to our neighbors and the community at large. To that note, we are prepared to commit our extensive developmental skills and financial resources for the planning and development effort of not only our site but the necessary infrastructure and social services required to the city, such as: 1. improved traffic enhancements 2. fire -life safety inclusion 3. bike infrastructure and 4. the before mentioned recreational park land and facilities we aim to include in and around our site. I have included a couple conceptual initial images of just a part of our thinking on the 444. P4 11 The first one is access to the bike trail and the second is a potential ball field located adjacent to the Santa Ana River Trail. Thank you again Honorable Mayor, council and planning commission for your time. I look forward to your thoughts on the opportunity the western portion of South Coast Metro provides for the City's future, in addition to the continued progress toward the repositioning of the Robinson Pharma site. Questions... ROSE EQUITIES September 8, 2015 7�1 }� *.r AN r, 1 4 • +A~f +¢ I f INTERSTATE 405 w - the VILLAGES �4 , of SOUTH COAST 1` 1 _IL• `e 4Lr JR Ok AWj • 1 ' 7� 15' f •t 4 T t � fir w MOP ir ow 4 T■ r ? � +� a i , ter. - `' 4 a the VILLAGES of SOUTH COAST W C1110vi■:iai - % 1 DEL NIIARFASHION ISLAND #2 OC MALL _ .. JOHN WAYNE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEWPORT BEACH ` Av +�yS, � x.Foxx, xr :yam uS� �" r - ;rte• ''-� .. - - - .�! i t !+.IR ^'YY;a t �� f�-�L��'^y„ J-,�v -•'ir s - - OUTH COAST PLAZA �'` " #1 OC MALL• y�v , "^�: y 'mow '-� ;'••`i}r> - - 'r til • _ RANCH. I Iy� ixrzasrarz~ - •1-R .` . '= -:-+_ ._.�_ ��'-��.{._ �: -� A C i 405 ' �� ^_ � � - �`•�`,�� ,yam — "'�- •..v ;t -- ' .fir 3'.- `. -u - . _ `I v COSTA MESA AWNFL �'e { ;��•;F'-?1't ��=� 4.r It x 40 Aq r s IFOP,- -• - - R .1 r _. „^ �• '4"t`4'j moi, �"'' ol OL Los Ingeles Diamond I Riverside Bar San Bernardino Co. TLOS ANGELES COUNTY / Whittier I / — — — y' ORANGE COUNTY d Los Angeles Co. I North Orange County F y0 9 tY � Norwalk Submarket o°ti��°y, — r / Yorba � Linda Long Cerritos Beach Airport 'k 7 , WestOrange Co L Submarket Seal Beach Huntington Beach Fullerton Placentia — — — Riverside Co. ark Villa Central i r `� Park Orange County 39 Anaheim Submarket °� �s'o ` r 9 F Oran- g g 9 II c F ` r 1 FOG ��i r Los Garden Alamitos Grove In r r = I r r \ r Santa r Ana Tustin Blvd r 1 Irvine \V III Mesa Y/ ► 1 ► • � 1 Orange County lewport / South Beach `�� C/ Orange County > Submarket P a c i f i c O c e a n Laguna I Laguna Beach Niguel San Juan Capistrano 10 Miles N 5 Miles 12 r r \ � r \ Lake r ` Elsinore r / ` Lr L r / � r / � r / I r t r t r / t L� 3 i SUPPORTING MATERIALS In addition to our prepared statement, we have enclosed a series of articles and supporting materials, on a variety of issues, which should be part of the continuing dialog for the City of Costa Mesa as part of its ongoing review for the western portion of South Coast Metro. ROSE EQUITIES September 8, 2015 4/24/2015 What Attracts Tech Pros to OC?- Daily News Article - GlobeSt.com You are here: Home > Daily News > What Attracts Tech Pros to OC? Last Updated: April 24, 2015 EXCLUSIVE What Attracts Tech Pros to OC? By Carrie Rossenfeld I Orange County New Event! Expand your SoCal network at RealShare San Diego on May 28. ORANGE COUNTY, CA—In short, a better lifestyle is driving young, highly educated, motivated, balanced and successful tech talent to the Orange County market, Alex Hayden, EVP who leads CBRE's tech and media practice in Orange County, tells GlobeSt.com. We spoke with Hayden exclusively after the release of his firm's national report on tech talent, which revealed that Orange County had a 31 % growth in tech talent since 2012, making it one of the top -10 "momentum markets" for tech -driven office leasing demand. GlobeSt.com: What is unique about the type of tech talent that is attracted to Orange County? Hayden: "Companies looking Hayden: A lot has to do with the type of culture the tech companies are trying to create. OC fits the prototype talent are making a larger of highly educated, motivated, balanced and successful employees. The location can be the ultimate draw for commitment to Orange County." companies: "Come work for my fast-growing, exciting tech company. We are located in a perfect area where you can surf and ski, enjoy shopping and nightlife and live in a great community." Easy sell! GlobeSt.com: What is being done to bring in and retain this type of talent in the region? Hayden: Higher -paying jobs and nearby affordable rental housing. GlobeSt.com: How do you see this sector growing in Orange County in the future? Hayden: We see continued desire from the employers to be in this locale due to the lifestyle that matches the desires of the M illennial employee. The biggest issue is the cost and availability of affordable housing; yet, many of the new multifamily developments are going up to offset this, much of which is being built by the Irvine Co. GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers in know about tech talent in Orange county? Hayden: When compared to other cities that the report identifies as top tech -talent markets both around the country and here on the West Coast, the Orange County lifestyle has advantages. Housing is less expensive than in markets like the Bay Area and New York, commute patterns are shorter, office space is less expensive and lifestyle activities such as surfing, skiing and L.A./San Diego nightlife are all within an hour's drive. Companies looking for talent are recognizing these things and are making a larger commitment to Orange County. Stay ahead with GlobeSt.com's National AM Alert for original coverage of the latest transactions and trends shaping the commercial real estate industry. Sign Up Today! About Our Columnist Carrie Rossenfeld is a reporter for the West Coast region of GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum. She was a trade -magazine and newsletter editor in New York City before moving to Southern California to become a freelance writer and editor for magazines, books and websites. Rossenfeld has written extensivelyon topics including commercial real estate, running a medical practice, intellectual -property licensing and giftware. She has edited books about profiting from real estate and has ghostwritten a book about starting a home-based business. Bio I Email About ALM I Customer Support Copyright© 2015 ALM Media Properties, LLC. Al rights reserved. I" f�UA Insighh_ Innoratkn Cannrcled. http://wuwv.g lobest.cominews/12_1096/orang ecounty/technology/What-Attracts-1h-4 to- OC- 357312- 1. html ?zkPri ntabl e= true 1/1 - Streetsblog.net - http://www.streetsbiog.net - How Sprawl Worsens California's Terrible Drought Posted By Angie Schmitt On April 10, 2015 @ 11:18 am In Network Roundup 1 6 Comments California is in the throes of a drought that Governor Jerry Brown called I1] 'unprecedented in recorded history." There are many factors behind the severity of the state's drought, and one of them is land use. In a prescient post from last year, Jon Mendelson at Network 4 blog Stockton City Limits [3] warned that California's water crisis was likely to get worse, adding that cities like Stockton & aren't doing themselves any favors by gid continuing to build the most water - intensive kind of development: sprawl. He L2] says Stockton could be a poster child for the kind of development that strains Sprawling development strains California's fragile natural resources in California: water resources. Photo: Stockton City Limits Recent reports from Smart Growth America ("Paving Our Way to Water Shortages: How Sprawl Aggravates the Effects of Drought [41") and Western Resource Advocates ("A Comparative Study of Urban Water Use Across the Southwest [51") argue that the type of growth that's been a hallmark of the Central Valley the past few decades leads to cities that consume far more water than is sustainable. The studies found that urban growth patterns with a relatively low density of units per acre especially those featuring primarily single-family houses — use more water than higher - density, mixed-use plans. They also indicate that the more pavement used for a development, such as for parking lots at a sprawling strip mall, the less rain recharges groundwater stores. These impervious surfaces carry stormwater to drains and ultimately into waterways where it can't be used for consumption, instead of allowing water to soak back into the ground to be extracted by wells. The findings, while directly related to other regions, are applicable to Stockton. Climate models for the coming century generally predict dwindling snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the primary source of drinking and agricultural water for Stockton and California 15 as a whole. That means the current worst -in -a -century drought could become common. Cities such as Stockton, which is predicted by the general plan to grow significantly from its current size of 300,000 during the next 20 years, will have to do with less. Don't be mistaken — the sprawling development patterns of Stockton and cities up and down the state aren't wholly to blame for this year's drought. The lion's share of California's drought should be attributed to record low rainfall in 2014 and an antiquated water rights system. (It's also true that agriculture consumes more water than urban users, so some might argue San Joaquin County would become more water efficient the more local farmland is turned to houses. It's a noxious viewpoint considering our immediate region relies economically on ag production and doesn't have to import its farm water like the Central Valley's west side, but it's an argument nonetheless.) But the point remains that with a growing population and a water supply that will at best stay the same, planners and developers would be Coke- bottle -glasses shortsighted to not take every chance to make cities more efficient when it comes to water. Elsewhere on the Network today: Plan Charlotte [61 shares public health expert Richard Jackson's research linking the obesity epidemic to the unwalkable environments we've constructed. And Seattle Transit Blog [7] says one secret to affordable housing is to build more transit. Article printed from Streets blog. net: http://www.streetsbiog.net URL to article: http://www.streetsblog.net/2015/04/10/how-sprawl-worsens- californias-terrible-drought/ URLs in this post: [1] Governor Jerry Brown called: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/04/09/drought-california- brown/ 25544867/ [2] Image: http://streetsblog.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/04/scl- sprawl-overhead.jpg [3] Stockton City Limits: http://stocktoncitylimits.com/2014/03/19/is-stocktons- sprawl-making-the-drought-worse/ [4] Paving Our Way to Water Shortages: How Sprawl Aggravates the Effects of Drought: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/documents/DroughtSprawiReport09.pdf [5] A Comparative Study of Urban Water Use Across the Southwest: http : //www.westernresourceadvocates.org/ media/ pdf/SWC ha pter4. pdf [6] Plan Charlotte: http://plancharlotte.org/story/richard-jackson-built-environment- and-transit-charlotte UCIRVINE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL ECOLOGY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL PROGRESS REPORT A REPORT PRODUCED BY THE METROPOLITAN FUTURES INITIATIVE (MFI) EXECUTIVE IN THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL ECOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE SUMMARY JUNE 11, 2014 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE John R. Hipp Jae Hong Kim Victoria Basolo 2 Following a century of uninterrupted growth, the Southern California region is now the second largest metropolitan area in the U.S. As highlighted in our first Regional Progress Re- port (RPR), the region's urban landscape has transformed drastically during this time. Although trends such as population and employment decentralization and suburban and exurban expansion continue, traditional development patterns such as sprawl cannot by themselves account for this transformation. Given the sheer magnitude of this continued growth and the ongoing tumult in the housing markets, this issue of the RPR is timely and consequential. Consider Irvine. While other cities in the re- gion have struggled with shrinking tax bases and inability to attract new investment, Irvine has grown into a thriving economic hub with the highest jobs to housing ratio among large Southern Californian cities. Although complex, this regional transformation has not occurred in a random fashion. Rather, it has resulted from actions taken by individuals, groups, and agencies with specific goals in mind. The way in which this transformation unfolds will determine the vitality of our neighbor- hoods and the health of the entire region. Understanding the nature and consequences of these transformation patterns is thus vital in planning for growth, development, and quali- ty of life. In this second Southern California RPR, we attempt to reveal the complexity and dynamics of our ever changing region. We analyze pat- terns in land development alongside socioeco- nomic changes within the six -county Southern California region - Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventu- ra counties - over the last 20 years. First, we describe the changes in land use pat- terns for clusters of cities during this period. We follow with statistical models that explore why development happens as it does in certain locations. Second, we assess the consequences of this land use change for neighborhoods, paying particular attention to its impact on the economic vibrancy of neighborhoods. Although these first two foci can provide some meaningful insights into the nature of devel- opment in the broader Southern California region, the latter part of the Report utilizes the insights from these analyses to make projec- tions about a key development site in Orange County: the Great Park area. Consistent with the larger goals of the RPR series, we hope that our models, using detailed demographic, social, environmental, economic, and quality of life trends, will provide valu- able knowledge and information for policy makers and the public alike, and thus help inform public discussion about the future of the region. Presented below are a summary of some of our key findings. DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS • From 1993 to 2005, a consistent trend in Southern California was the development of single-family housing units. Single-family residential land increased by 15% (in acres), a pace that matched regional population growth rate (approximately +14.67o from 15.5M to 17.6M. • While single-family residential increased in all six counties, the net growth rates varied substantially, from Los Angeles County's 5% increase in acres to Riverside's 45% increase in acres. • Nearly 95% of all new single-family housing was developed on vacant or converted agri- cultural lots. In other words, the transition from other urban uses, such as other type of residential and open space & recreation, to single-family housing was not substantial. • The growth in multi -family residential land was about half the rate of single-fam- ily units (about 8%), although the scale of these multi -family projects appears to have increased over this period. This increase in scale seems most pronounced in Los Ange- les County and Orange County. • Los Angeles County lagged behind all other counties in multi -family residential land development in both numbers of parcels and area. Los Angeles only added 900 acres, while Orange added 3,000 acres and River- side added 1,600 acres. • Non-residential urban land uses also ex- panded substantially within the region. In particular, "Mixed Development" uses increased by more than 50% (in acres) be- tween 1993 and 2005. However, industrial uses (i.e. light industrial, heavy industrial, and extraction) actually shrank in Los Ange- les and Orange counties, though it increased in the region overall. Each county had distinct patterns of land use conversion: 1. Imperial County extensively developed farmland areas. 2. Los Angeles County was outpaced by Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino in acres of various types of new development. 3. Orange County saw a large expansion of multi -family residential but a substantial de- cline in industrial land and military uses. 4. Riverside County rapidly grew in single-fam- ily residential and public facilities, which are associated with population increase. 5. San Bernardino County saw substantial gains in land for commercial & services, industrial, and transportation, communication & utili- ties. 6. Ventura County experienced a modest ex- pansion of its urban territory, falling between Los Angeles and rapidly expanding River- side and San Bernardino. EXPLAINING LAND USE DEVELOPMENT • Proximity to amenities had important effects on which types of development occurred. Closer proximity to business subcenters and the beach increased the likelihood of sin- gle-family housing, multi -family housing, commercial, industrial, public infrastructure, mixed-use, open space & recreation, and office space development. Proximity to transit stations increased the likelihood of single and multi -family residen- tial, commercial, industrial, public infrastruc- ture, mixed-use, and office space develop- ment. • Proximity to transit stations also increased the likelihood of redevelopment into com- mercial, public facilities, and office space. • On the other hand, proximity to freeways reduced the likelihood of single-family units, which is preferable from the perspective of reducing exposure to noxious fumes on high- ways; instead such parcels were more likely to experience commercial or transportation, The full report is available at: http: / / socialecology.uci.edu / mfi a An communications, and utilities development. Whereas proximity to free- ways increased the likelihood of land being redeveloped into commercial and industrial, it also increased redevelopment into multi -family housing. • Diversity in neighborhoods appeared important for some development. Neighborhoods with a mixture of land -uses were more likely to experi- ence single and multi -family, commercial, industrial, public infrastructure, and office development. • Although racial and ethnic heterogene- ity in neighborhoods appeared to reduce single-family, multi -family, commercial, mixed-use, and office space development, this effect disappeared in the most recent decade; furthermore, racial heterogeneity had no effect on redevelopment. • The education level of the residents ap- peared to impact development. Neighbor- hoods with a higher percentage of residents without a high school degree were less like- ly to experience single-family, multi -family, commercial, mixed-use, and office space de- velopment. And such neighborhoods were more likely to experience redevelopment into commercial, industrial, and public facilities. • Neighborhoods with a higher population density (in the initial year) were more likely to experience single-family, industrial, public facilities, mixed-use, and office space development. CONSEQUENCES OF LAND USE DEVELOPMENT • New urbanism styles of development (e.g., higher population density and walkability) appeared to induce more rapid increases in neighborhood housing prices and loan amounts. They also experienced incoming residents with higher incomes over time. • The mix of land use in a neighborhood also appeared to increase sales prices and reduce unemployment: home loan appreciation was higher if the neighborhood not only had high amounts of retail, but also high amounts of retail in nearby areas. In con- trast, a neighborhood that has retail nearby, but not in the neighborhood itself, experi- enced the lowest appreciation rates. And neighborhoods with low levels of retail in the neighborhood and nearby experienced the largest increases in unemployment over time. • Consistent with the push for more dense developments, there appears to be a strong preference for shorter commutes as neigh- borhoods with longer average commuting distance experienced lower appreciation in home sales prices and home loan amounts over time, as well as lower average income for incoming residents and increasing un- employment rates. • Nearby parks have positive consequences for neighborhoods. Closer proximity to a park for homes in a neighborhood led to greater increases in home sales prices and home loan amounts. Such neighborhoods also experienced greater increases in retail jobs over time, and lower unemployment rates. • It was also the case that the size of the park mattered, as larger parks showed positive effects as well. Home sales prices and home loan amounts increase more strongly if the nearby park is larger than if it is a small park. Neighborhoods near large parks also experience a stronger growth in white-collar jobs over time. • The presence of highly educated persons has notable positive effects for neighbor- hoods over time. Neighborhoods with more highly educated residents (at least a bach- elor's degree) experienced larger increases in home sales prices and loan amounts over time. Such neighborhoods also experienced a greater influx of higher income residents over time, falling unemployment rates, and a larger increase in white-collar jobs. • The presence of unemployed residents had additional negative effects on a neighbor- hood over time. Neighborhoods with higher unemployment experienced smaller in- creases in home sales prices and home loan amounts over time. Such neighborhoods also saw losses in retail and blue-collar jobs over time. • Another measure of neighborhood disad- vantage—the poverty rate—had a negative effect on white-collar job growth over time. • Neighborhoods that suffered from a higher vacancy rate of housing units experienced fewer white-collar and blue-collar jobs over time. • The level of violent crime had important consequences for the economic health of the city's neighborhoods over time: neigh- borhoods experienced smaller increases in home sales prices and home loan amounts over time if they were in cities with high- er violent crime rates. The income level of residents moving into neighborhoods in high violent crime cities were also lower over time. Cities with higher violent crime rates experienced decreases in white-collar, blue-collar, and retail jobs over time. • A city's financial health had important con- sequences, as cities with a higher revenue to expenditure ratio had greater increases in home sales prices and home loan amounts, as well as greater increases in the income of incoming residents. • An increase in the number of retail or blue-collar jobs in a neighborhood led to more white-collar jobs the next year. • White-collar jobs appear to spur job growth, as neighborhoods with a large number of white-collar jobs in nearby areas showed greater growth in retail jobs; furthermore, a large increase in the number of white-collar jobs in nearby areas increased retail jobs in the neighborhood the following year. LAND USE, PARKS, AND CRIME • Whereas blocks with parks have more crime than a residential block, they typically have less crime than a block in a commercial area, industrial area, or a school. • Big parks in our study have less crime than do smaller parks. • Big parks will tend to have less crime if they are surrounded by government buildings, office buildings, retail, or recreation use. • But big parks will tend to have more crime if they are surrounded by vacant lots or industrial land use. The full report is available at: http: / / socialecology.uci.edu / mfi The New Economy and Jobs/Housing Balance in Southern California SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 4 ASSOCIATION Of GOVERNMENTS Southern California Association of Governments 818 West 7th Street, 12th Floor Los Angeles, California 90017 April 2001 V. DYNAMICS OF JOBS/HOUSING BALANCE The creation of geographic imbalances between employment and housing availability is largely a natural economic and sociologic phenomenon with a tendency to be self-correcting over time. Before World War II, job formation in Southern California concentrated around a few major job centers such as downtown Los Angeles, due to the "agglomeration" economies that accrue to companies being in close proximity to one another. Housing developed chiefly in suburban areas with relatively inexpensive land. Housing was connected to job centers by publicly funded highways. With increasing highway congestion over the last fifty years and the depletion of developable land for new industrial sites in urban core areas, jobs have tended to migrate to suburban locations to take advantage of lower land and labor costs and shorter commute times. For example, thirty years ago Orange County cities largely served as "bedroom" communities for Los Angeles companies, but Orange County now is a jobs -rich subregion, with many of its workers living in the Inland Empire. This phenomenon largely explains why the Southern California region is one of multiple employment centers spread over a vast area, and why average home -to -work travel times have changed little over the last thirty years. In 1990, 68% of commuters surveyed in the region indicated that their drive between home and work was easy, and that the majority of the population lived less than 20 miles from their workplace (Southern California Association of Governments 1990). That same year, being "close to my work" was only ranked eleventh in importance out of sixteen factors considered in choosing a place to live. However, the booming economy of Southern California over the last decade has markedly increased traffic congestion and, according to recent surveys, has increased commuter drive times. In addition, there are several major development trends that have emerged over the last decade that run counter to achieving a greater job/housing balance throughout the region. The first is the economic ascendancy of the "New Economy" of high-tech, information -based industries. The second is the "fiscalization" of land use brought about by several voter initiatives that have significantly reduced the incentive for local government to support residential development. Fortunately, there are encouraging signs that the expansion of traditional "old economy" industries into currently job poor/housing rich areas of the region could help offset these trends towards increased jobs/housing imbalance. There are also indications that some of the "New Economy" companies are beginning to locate in these areas. A. The New Economy It has been argued that the advent of the information -based New Economy of high-tech/dot.com companies should reinforce the natural tendency of business to migrate to areas of high housing availability. This is because these types of enterprises are much less anchored to natural resources and transportation facilities in their siting decisions and are consequently much more "footloose" than traditional industries. Also, the increasingly widespread use of new telecommunications technology has diminished the need for employees to travel to centralized work centers since they can work at home or at satellite work sites just as efficiently. The New Economy and Jobs/Housing Balance in Southern California 39 Compared to other regions of the country where the New Economy predominates, the clustering of high-tech industries is less pronounced and relatively more dispersed in the SCAG Region. This could be due to a number of factors, including the greater geographic expanse and economic diversity of the region, the embryonic nature and lack of maturity of many high-tech companies and conversely, the inability of some older, established companies to attract venture capital investments. Also, the fact that many of the information technology companies in the region have closer relationships to the companies that they serve than to other high-tech firms in that sector has likely inhibited the formation of intensely collaborative clusters. High-tech companies have established themselves primarily in West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley, Culver City, the South Bay cities (particularly Torrance and El Segundo), and in Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Brea in Orange County (see Table 20). Being close to the ocean and beaches, world-class research universities (particularly University of California - Los Angeles, University of California -Irvine, and the University of Southern California) and the only major international airport in Southern California (LAX) are important factors that explain the location of high-tech firms in these areas. Table 20 Top 10 Cities for Venture Capital Investment, SCAG Region, 4th Quarter 1998 Investment (In City Millions $) % of SCAG Region Los Angeles $1,125 22% Santa Monica $719 14% Irvine $614 12% Culver Cit $299 6% Pasadena $257 5% Torrance $223 4% West Lake Villa e $179 3% EI Se undo $149 3% Costa Mesa $144 3% Brea $131 3% Source: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Money Tree Survey and Ventureeconomics.com These areas are all jobs -rich, and the continued clustering of firms at these high-tech nodes will continue to exacerbate problems associated with job/housing imbalances, especially related to long commute distances. Santa Monica is establishing itself as a major player in the high-tech field. With the surge of new high-tech jobs there, traffic is now worse on I-10 travelling west from downtown Los Angeles than to downtown from Santa Monica. This is a reversal from historic traffic patterns, and signifies the diminished economic dominance of the central business district of Los Angeles in relation to Santa Monica and West Los Angeles (Shuit 2000). Venture capital investments in the region closely correspond to the location of high-tech clusters in the information technology and biomedical technology sectors. As shown in Map 14, venture capital firms have recently made the majority of their investments in companies in Los Angeles, The New Economy and Jobs/Housing Balance in Southern California 52 Limitations Determining a balanced jobs/housing ratio presents problems. Each region of the country is different, so it is not easy to develop a standardized figure. The mean for the SCAG region in 1997 was 1.25. The projected mean for 2025 is 1.43. The 2025 mean is not in the "balanced" quintile using the 1997 standards, but is in the "Gain Jobs" quintile. This is because projections for 2025 show higher jobs/housing ratios for Orange County and the Inland Empire RSAs than the ratios in 1997. Orange County is expected to become even more jobs -rich while the Inland Empire is projected to alleviate its jobs/housing imbalance with an influx of jobs. Both of these factors are driving the average jobs/housing ratio higher. To control for the higher ratios that are skewing the mean to a number (1.43) outside of the "balanced" range, the analysis considers the median for these two years. The projected median for 2025 is 1.3 1, which falls just outside of the balanced category. Still, this is up from the 1997 median of 1.12. Robust projected employment figures are sending the ratios higher as Orange County becomes more jobs -rich and as the Inland Empire begins to have its own jobs -rich RSAs. This analysis did not examine other regions of the country to determine a statewide or nationwide balanced ratio. The analysis was concerned solely with how the different RSAs related to each other within the region. Household Growth and Jobs/Household Growth Footprint Methodology Household Growth Footprint • The number of new households is determined by subtracting the total households projected in 1997 from those projected for 2025 (new households) • The amount of acreage needed to accommodate the number of new households between 1997-2025 is calculated by dividing the number of new households above by the average density (number of household units per acre). Three scenarios regarding average density are used: (1) the 1996 density for each county; (2) a 25% increase in density; and (3) a 50% increase in density. • Total acreage required to accommodate housing is derived by adding acreage needed for public amenities (roads, schools etc.) to the acreage projected for housing on a 1:1 basis. • The percentage of "developable land" needed for dividing the total acreage in c above (for each of the scenarios) derives housing (including amenities) by the "potentially developable land (excluding wetlands, prime and unique farmlands, Q3 flood zones and areas most suitable to large numbers of endangered species). In addition to this definition of potentially developable land, this analysis also used the same formula to determine the percent of land needed if developable land is defined as "developable and accessible" or "all developable land." • Developable land = all land excluding the following: land that is already developed, land under public ownership (such as federal and state-owned lands, public parklands, military The New Economy and Jobs/Housing Balance in Southern California 101 4/1/2015 Orange County housing shortage could drive out workers, hurt economy- LA Times Orange County housing shortage could drive out workers, hurt economy By TIM LOGAN MARCH 31, 2015, 9:00 AM If nothing changes, Orange County's shortage of housing will drive out workers and drag down the region's robust economy, a local business group warns. In a report out Tuesday, the Orange County Business Council projects that the county's housing shortfall will deepen sharply unless communitiestiere build more apartments and houses at a greater density. THEW Without more places for workers to live, said Wallace Walrod, the council's chief economic advisor, more twenty- and thirtysomethings will leave will struggle to recruit high-quality employees. NAME REA "We already lose more than we should," he said. "This has long-term consequences for our economic competitiveness." The report -- a scorecard the council has released three times since 2oo8 -- measures the number of housing units and the number of jobs in Oran At 1.5 jobs per housing unit, the county already has 50,000 to 62,000 too few homes to support its workforce, the report estimates. And if state pro growth and housing development hold, Orange County will fall another ioo,000 units short of its housing needs over the next 25 years, Walrod pr "We know that the economy is going to continue to grow jobs," he said. "We're going to need to put people somewhere." Traditionally, that "somewhere" has been on newly developed land somewhere in Orange County, or in less-expensive locales in Riverside or San B Counties. But developable land is growing sparse along the coast, and, in a place where 40% of workers already spend an hour or more commutin IS ' pushing east becomes less appealing all the time, Walrod said. S I The answer, he said, lies in building up, not just spreading out. IN LIP "The era of big master -planned communities is not quite over, but it's ending," he said. "The kind of development that's going on in Orange Count! fundamentally changing. It's going to be more infill, mixed-use, high-density development." Walrod pointed to Irvine -- the only city whose housing growth has kept pace with job growth in recent years -- and Anaheim as cities that are try more housing at higher density. In other parts of the county, planning commissions and neighborhood groups are pushing back. The study also pointed to high development fees - $40,000 to $8o,000 per unit -- and regulatory hurdles as factors that slow homebuilding in Orange County and elsewhere in coastal Southern Cal EWMANh A report earlier this month from the state Legislative Analyst's Office detailed similar supply challenges drive up the cost of housing in many coastal markets up and down California. Keep an eye on housing and real estate in Southern California. Follow me on Twitter at @bytimlogan Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times http://www.1atimes.com/busi ness/l a-fi -orang e -county- housi ng -shortag e-20150 26 ml 1/2 3/19/2015 Print Article: To keep up with demand, O.C. needs 7,000 new homes per year, state says owANcr: COUNTY REGISTER To keep up with demand, O.C. needs 7,000 new homes per year, state says By JEFF COLLINS 2015-03-18 16:55:17 Orange County needs to build 7,000 more homes a year than it is currently building to make housing more affordable, the state Legislative - Analyst's Office reported this week. 7, Statewide, the pace of new homebuilding needs to be increased by 100,000, the agency said in the new report. PI The Legislative Analyst's office, which provides non-partisan policy and ' is Nfiscal reviews, says runaway housing costs threaten household finances and the state's economy as a whole. The report says that the typical California home price is double the national average, while median rents are 50 percent higher. "We think this issue is one of the biggest issues facing the state and the state's economy right now," said Brian Uhler, a state analyst who helped write the report. Californians spend an average of 27 percent of their income on housing, compared to a national average of 23 percent, the report said. People who work in coastal communities like Orange County face commutes that are 10 percent longer than the national average, because high housing prices force them to move further away from their jobs. Californians also are four times more likely to live in crowded conditions. Even California's least expensive housing markets are more expensive than average, with higher housing costs contributing to poverty, the report said. "The state's high housing costs make California a less attractive place to call home, making it more difficult for companies to hire and retain qualified employees, likely preventing the state's economy from meeting its full potential," the report said. Obstacles to more construction include land constraints, homebuilding costs that average $50,000 to $75,000 more per house than in the rest of the nation, and local resistance to building higher density housing. The state's tax system also encourages communities to prefer commercial development over housing — and in particular multi -family housing like apartments and condos. Solutions, Uhler said, could involve reforming laws affecting environmental and governmental reviews or redistribution of the state's sales and property tax revenue to encourage homebuilding over retail development. For example, a higher proportion of sales tax dollars could go to municipalities based on their population rather then the volume of business transacted within its boundaries. This might encourage local governments to approve more housing development. "If we really want to make serious progress on the housing cost front, we really have to make changes in many or all of those areas," Uhler said. http://www.ocregister.conVcommon/printer/�iew.php?db=ocregister&id=654708 7 1/2 POW A.NFW :. tx ro« i September 4, 2015; Gary Armstrong Economic Development and Development Services Director/ Deputy CEO City of Costa Mesa 77 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, California 92626 Mr. Armstrong, As managing partner of the property ("Property") located at 1683 Sunflower Avenue, Costa Mesa, please use this letter as authorization for Rose Equities to serve in all matters of representation with the City of Costa Mesa for the potential redevelopment of the Property. We look forward to working closely with the City of Costa Mesa. i Sincerely, Joe Wen Managing Partner INTERNATTON �L ASSET MANAGEMENT HOLDING GROUP a 1- ;10900 Walker Street • Cypress, CA 90630 • 714.886.3791 MEDIA, JESSICA Subject: FW: Study Session Comments from Council Member Monahan Attachments: MapRequest.pdf Dear Mayor and City Council Members, I met with Council Member Monahan this morning to receive some comments on the proposed Study Session. He requested that I summarize those comments to share with you at the meeting if he were unable to attend. Council member Monahan is suggesting we expand the Residential Incentive Overlay Zone (blue); per the attached exhibit. His expansion area is shown in purple, and would include properties on the east side of Newport Blvd. From Flower to 20th Street and extend eastward to Fullerton Avenue. Secondly on the west side of Newport Blvd. it would include properties from Bay Street to Victoria along Newport Blvd. He felt that these properties could be given a lower cap than 40 du's per acre and felt that 24 du's per acre would be adequate. He felt that these overlays were important to incorporate in the General Plan Update, but if the GP was delayed in any way he suggested that the Council prioritize the creation of these overlays separately. Council Member Monahan also requested that staff bring forward at a future Council Meeting some recommendations for revised Residential Zoning Densities based on the August 10, 2015 survey staff prepared of other Orange County cities. Lastly he wanted to comment that he felt no amendments were needed to the existing Westside Urban Plans. Gary Gary Armstrong, AICP Economic and Development Services Director/ Deputy CEO City of Costa Mesa (714) 754-5182 I m ■1 V,A MEDIA, JESSICA Subject: ------ Forwarded Message -- From: "Cynthia McDonald" To: "uarv.armstrona&..costa FW: Fw: General Plan Update C ; claire.flynn(a),costamesaca.gov; "Brenda.Green&costamesaca.gov." <Brenda.Green(a-)costamesaca.gov.> Cc: "Sandra Genis" <sl eg nis a,aol.com>; "FOLEY, KATRINA" <katrina.fole costamesaca. ov>; " ar .monahan costamesaca. ov" <gary.monahan@costamcsaca.gov>; "jim.ri eimer(a,costamesaca.gov" <jim.ri heimer r costamesaca. ov>; "Menninger Steve" <stevemensinger@,,me.com>; Stephan Andranian" Sent: 9/8/2015 2:49:41 PM Subject: General Plan Update I received the agenda and staff report for this meeting at 11:00 a.m. last Friday. The late delivery of these materials right before a holiday weekend made it difficult to timely review the proposed changes and provide comment. The following are my initial comments about the proposed changes to the Land Use element of the General Plan: Harbor Gateway: Staff removed the residential overlay that was previously proposed by the City's consultant, yet we see a notation that Rose Equities is interested in building a mixed use project (containing high density residential) directly across the street. In order to evaluate how that might impact the city, staff needs to provide the approximate number of residential and commercial units in that development, and the estimated vehicle trips. Also, what will be the impact of Van's relocation to South Coast Drive and how does the City intend to deal with the traffic from that project given that SOCO is now generating much more traffic? Finally, staff s notation that the developer should pay for the traffic mitigation is correct and a development agreement should be adopted that contain provisions for mitigation related to that project. Home Ranch: The buildings are now shorter and I appreciate Segerstrom for being such a responsible developer. However, there is no indication what the new plan will be. Will lowering the building height decrease any of the open space? What is the estimate of vehicle trips? Also, I believe that part of Home Ranch should be designated historic farmland, something Costa Mesa doesn't have, but other cities do. I realize that this involves another huge contribution by the Segerstrom family, but the old farmhouse certainly should be a museum dedicated to the history of that family, and part of the lima bean field could be used a community garden and educational facility for schoolchildren. Harbor Boulevard/Newport Boulevard: This overlay targets motels and older commercial properties. While some of those businesses have outdated facilities and have been the source of problems for some of the community, the loss of these businesses is problematic. We already have the challenge of homelessness, and taking away motels that provide housing for low income residents means elimination of the little transitional housing the city has, thus exacerbating that problem. Unless the City can adopt a transitional housing plan, replacing these facilities will likely make the homelessness problem worse. In addition, apartments will not solve the upside down position we currently have in the ownership to rental ratio. Homeownership units are preferred, but the location of homes in most of these areas seems very odd unless you are targeting adjacent properties, such as mobile home parks, as well. It seems to me that mixed-use developments would be more appropriate. In addition, both these boulevards need protected bikeways in order to ameliorate additional vehicle trips. SoBECA and the Westside Overlays: Roof decks should not be considered open space. Open space has traditionally been space that abuts the foundation and creates a buffer between neighbors. By placing buildings in closer proximity and causing massing of a project, the addition of making a deck "open space" becomes meaningless. Roof top decks have floors, they have walls, and sometimes they even have a little roof or patio cover. They cast shadows, just like another story. Let's just call them what they are, an additional level to the house. The addition of common open space of 4,000 sq. ft. is nice for the residents of those projects, but we are still feeling the impacts of additional residents on our parks and sportsfields, so that does nothing to help the city. In addition, these projects should be required to provide more parking, particularly if a live/work has a business where clientele are coming and going. Those clients need parking and the neighbors shouldn't be providing it and suffering the consequences of doing so. The increase in work space is helpfiil, but I think the ratio of workspace to living space needs to be increased so a true live/work project is built, not the sort of project we have been getting on the pretense of being live/work. Additional setback from the street would is desirable so we get away from the canyon effect we are starting to see in areas. Also, why should the development standards from different urban plans be shifted to apply to other areas? The plans should stick to the applicable area so the characteristics of the neighborhood are preserved. Careful attention should be paid to the fagade of buildings and roof design so that buildings don't become OOParts. During the outreach for the General Plan update, this was one of the concerns that residents voiced repeatedly. Perhaps it is time to repeal that 2009 Amendment to Urban Plans as it clearly does not reflect the residents' desires in its implementation. Sakioka 2: The change from 28 du/ae to 40 dii/ac is without change to the trip budget. This needs fiirther explanation. It would be helpful if specific numbers were provided. In addition, this is an area that could use sportsfields, recreational bikeways and walking trails that connect to the trails in other cities nearby. Also, this area would be a good location for a transit center, something Costa Mesa is lacking, but will require as the city grows. General Comments about the General Plan: All new projects should be assessed a mitigation fee for additional bikeways/recreational walking paths that are built nearby. Parkland and recreational bikeways and walking trails should be identified. For example, the abandoned rail line near the LA Times building should definitely be designated as a target for conversion into a recreational trail that links to other paths/trails/open space in that area. In addition, as we build up the North part of the city, we need to identify potential parkland/recreation field space. While I realize that some of the new projects are largely undefined, it is important to have an estimated calculation of the daily trips when possible. If we see an area that is going to be greatly impacted by additional vehicle traffic, the bikeways and walkability committee needs to review its potential for a bikeway. The City needs to adopt an inclusionary housing agreement so that businesses are afforded a stable work force. This will be an important part of attracting businesses to Costa Mesa. If the City (or a developer) acquires Fairview Developmental Center and seeks to attract a large company to use it for its corporate headquarters or to create a campus -style business center, affordable housing for workers will be a necessary component for those businesses. Many of the concerns of residents that have been expressed during the outreach have been largely ignored. From the City's surveys of residents, the following is a summary of what the residents said are their concerns: ► Housing: • Affordable (low income, seniors, etc.) • More homeownership versus rental • Balanced housing and jobs • High density housing is a problem ► Preservation of open space and creation of new spaces that allow for diverse recreational activities ► Creation of a vibrant downtown gathering place ► Keeping traffic circulation safe and efficient ► Homeownership Here is a summary of what the residents of Costa Mesa value: ► Open space ► Maintaining neighborhood character ► Bikeability/walkability of public streets ► Safe and efficient traffic circulation ► Homeownership Where is the vibrant community gathering place the residents requested? What are the proposed improvements/changes with respect to circulation? 3 What are the proposed changes to the Open Space element? This element works in conjunction with the Land Use, Housing and Circulation elements and we need to know how they integrate and how the changes to the elements affect one another. Thank you for your consideration. I will provide additional thoughts as I continue to review the materials supplied on the City's website. Cynthia McDonald Costa Mesa, CA 92626 l" Tribune Real Estate September 8, 2015 VIA EMAIL The Honorable Stephen Mensinger City of Costa Mesa 77 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, California 92626 Re: Tribune Propertv/Former LA Times Printing Press Mayor Mensinger As you know, an affiliate of Tribune Real Estate Holdings LLC ("Tribune") owns the former LA Times Printing Press property. Tribune has been exploring opportunities to allow the property to be redeveloped in a way that is beneficial to the City of Costa Mesa and to Tribune. Recently, we acquired the adjacent four -acre ballpark that fronts Harbor Boulevard. This acquisition will ultimately allow the site to have direct access to a signalized intersection on Harbor Blvd, enhancing traffic flow and maximizing the potential for the new development to be well planned and attractive to technology and creative businesses. In this endeavor, our intention is to partner with Kearny Real Estate Company to develop an appealing and innovative development proposal. As part of this effort, we have been working with Stantec, the City's traffic engineer, at our cost, to confirm that our proposed land uses do not generate unacceptable impacts. Tribune has been an active participant in the General Plan update process since January of 2014 and has provided informal input into the process over time and has indicated its desire to redevelop the site with non -industrial uses. Our April 2, 2015 letter was a response to a request from staff that our concerns be placed in writing. Tribune did take the steps to have a preliminary traffic analysis prepared analyzing the proposed land use change in the context of the other changes being proposed as part of the General Plan update. In this way, we could better understand the broader implications of any change from industrial to mixed use and commercial. Based upon the traffic data we have just received, we do not understand the basis for the statement in the Staff Report that a change from industrial uses to mixed and commercial uses results in a fivefold increase in average daily trips. The city's traffic engineer Stantec compared the current industrial trip generation rate with various scenarios of commercial development contemplated by Tribune and Kearny. While traffic would increase, at least one of the scenarios 202 WEST FIRST STREiET I LOS ANGELES, CAI 90012 1 or Tribune Real Estate would only result in an increase from about 2,600 to 7,300 average daily trips (about 2.8 times). This modest increase in traffic can be accommodated by existing transportation infrastructure. Indeed, the trip generation estimates for the Tribune property currently included in the updated model for the 2035 proposed General Plan (approximately 19,000 average daily trips) would actually generate far more traffic than a development scenario up to a 1.0 FAR of mixed-use development. Since Stantec has indicated that the proposed changes in land use in the General Plan (which includes significantly higher trip generation from the Tribune site) can all be accommodated without any major upgrades to current infrastructure, we think the results of the Stantec study show that there can be a change to a general plan Commercial designation without the creation of additional impacts. We also retained the services of Kosmont Companies and determined that mixed use development would generate City revenues ranging upwards of $775,000 as compared to the current industrial permitted development which could be expected to generate approximately $70,000 to $80,000 in annual revenue. This means that for a modest increase in traffic that is less than that proposed in the 2035 General Plan model, City revenues can be increased at least tenfold. The range of revenue would vary with the mix of uses that is ultimately feasible as determined by the market, but in each case would be significantly greater than an industrial development. Moreover, mixed-use development is projected to create an additional 1,400 jobs on the property. Lastly, the Staff Report suggests that a Development Agreement would be needed for any change to the General Plan designation. We do not understand why the two actions need to be linked. As the Stantec work demonstrates, impacts of potential development are already being considered as part of the traffic model for the General Plan update. Any proposed new project would necessarily require site-specific analysis to make sure any project's specific impacts are mitigated but at this point, the work to date shows that there are no other mitigation measures involving the circulation improvement that would be required as a result of a change to mixed-use commercial. We applaud the City for its forward thinking in wanting to secure the long-term economic health for the City. The Tribune site will be a key part of attracting future job growth and businesses to the Costa Mesa community. We urge the Council as part of the General Plan process to incorporate an Urban Center Commercial or General Commercial designation into the General Plan. Yours very truly, 0 Murr1K,!, ,uee President Tribune Real Estate Holdings, LLC 202 WEST F(RST STREET I LOB ANGELES, CA 190012