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HomeMy WebLinkAbout37 - NB-2 - Proposed Urban Plan Amendment to Amend - 10/6/2015CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: OCTOBER 6, 2015 ITEM NUMBER: IVB -2 SUBJECT: PROPOSED URBAN PLAN AMENDMENT TO AMEND THE SOBECA AND WESTSIDE URBAN PLANS DATE: SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CLAIRE L. FLYNN, AICP ASST. DEV. SVCS. DIRECTOR (714)754-5278 RECOMMENDATION Direct staff to proceed with an Urban Plan Amendment to amend the SoBECA and Westside Urban Plans. BACKGROUND Joint Study Session of September 8, 2015 The City Council and Planning Commission conducted a joint study session to provide feedback to staff regarding a potential amendment to the Urban Plans. The study session report and online video may be found at: http://www.costamesaca.gov/index.aspx?page=1823 Attachment 1 provides a brief summary of comments from City Council and Planning Commission. These comments formed the basis of staff's recommendation for the Urban Plan Amendment. Proposed Project The proposed project is City -initiated Urban Plan Amendment to amend development regulations and to provide additional clarification/discussion related to mixed-use, live/work, and residential development in the mixed-use overlay zone, for the following urban plans: 1. SP -05-06 SoBECA Urban Plan: This Urban Plan establishes provisions for mixed-use development, including live/work development, in the 39 -acre SoBECA plan area. 2. SP -05-07 19 West Urban Plan: This Urban Plan allows horizontal and vertical mixed- use development in the 103 -acre 19 West Urban Plan area. 3. SP -05-08 Mesa West Bluffs Urban Plan: This Urban Plan allows live/work or residential development pursuant in the 277 -acre Mesa West Bluffs Urban Plan area. In the case of the Mesa West Urban Plan, this would represent the Second Amendment to the Plan. 4. SP -05-09 Mesa West Residential Ownership Urban Plan: This Urban Plan specifies residential development standards/incentives or a density bonus in the 238 -acre plan area. SoBECA and Westside Urban Plans Adopted in April 2006, the SoBECA and Westside Urban Plans (available for download at costamesaca.gov, Development Services webpage) serve as "regulating plans" which establish provisions for mixed-use development and residential development in the mixed-use overlay district. These regulating plans define the unique characteristics of the mixed-use overlay zone, including a matrix of permitted, conditionally permitted, and prohibited uses and development standards. The provisions of the urban plans are only activated by Planning Commission adoption of a site-specific Master Plan. City Council is required to screen every urban plan proposal in advance of application submission. Following is a brief description of the each Urban Plan: SP -05-06 SoBECA Urban Plan: The SoBECA Urban Plan establishes provisions for mixed-use development in the 39 -acre SoBECA plan area. This area is primarily characterized by light industrial, office, and general commercial uses and is bounded by Baker Street (north), Bristol Street (east), and SR -73 (west). • SP -05-07 19 West Urban Plan: The 19 West Urban Plan area consists of 103 acres of industrial, commercial, and residential uses. The plan area is located in the Westside, generally along 19th Street, Superior Boulevard, and southeast of Victoria Street and Placentia Avenue. The mixed-use overlay zone allows horizontal and vertical mixed-use development pursuant to an approved site-specific Master Plan. Live/work development may also be approved, but the Mesa West Bluffs Urban Plan development standards related to live/work development must be applied. SP -05-08 Mesa West Urban Plan: The Mesa West Urban Plan area is approximately 277 acres in size. The plan area is generally located south of Victoria Street, west of Superior Avenue, and to the City's western and southern corporate limits. Light Industrial General Plan land use designations comprise the plan area. The mixed- use overlay zone allows live/work or residential development pursuant to an approved site-specific Master Plan. This Plan was amended by Council in 2009. SP -05-09 Mesa West Residential Ownership Urban Plan: This overlay plan area consists of 238 acres of high- and medium -density residential uses. In the mixed- use overlay zone, applicants with qualified projects may apply for specified residential development standards/incentives or a density bonus pursuant to an approved site-specific Master Plan. The Urban Plan boundaries are attached (Map Exhibit, Attachment 2). ANALYSIS Objectives of the Proposed Urban Plan Amendment The Urban Plans have been in place for nine years. During this time, the City processed 20 development projects which have entitlements, selling, under construction, or pending plancheck. Over two dozen urban plan screening requests have also been considered by City Council. A summary table of the 20 development projects is attached (Attachment 3) and graphic exhibits (Attachment 4). The objectives of the Urban Plan amendments include the following: • Make timely revisions to the documents based on experience gained with projects under construction. • Provide additional guidance to applicants to promote architectural excellence, open space, and • Address comments from City officials and the community on certain Urban Plan requirements. Action Plan / Proposed Urban Plan Amendment Based on the feedback obtained at the joint study session, the following revised table summarizes the proposed amendments to the urban plans. (See next page) Planning staff has prepared a Request for Proposals to contract with an architectural firm to prepare new concept renderings (four total) which feature a variety of architectural styles for the Urban Plan area. [This page is intentionally blank.] Table A — Proposed Urban Plan Amendment Proposed Text Amendment SoBECA 19 West Mesa Residential West Ownership Bluffs 1. Urban Plan Boundaries and Architectural Exhibits: • Reflect No Changes to Urban Plan Boundaries No Change No Change No Change No Change • Develop new architectural exhibits and illustrative ■ ■ ■ ■ exhibits of desirable architectural prototypes to promote architectural excellence. 2. Revise Certain Development Standards. • Add provision allowing development lots of less ■ ■ ■ ■ than one acre provided that the development standards are met. • Increase 10 -foot front setback requirement to to a ■ ■ ■ NA 15 -foot front setback. • Remove all references to tandem garages. ■ ■ ■ NA • Clarify that other development standards from ■ ■ NA NA different urban plans may apply to a project. 3. Increase Open Space Requirements. • Increase minimum 10% open space requirement to ■ ■ ■ NA 30%, but allow a 10% allowance for roof deck areas. • Allow square footage of roof decks to be partially ■ ■ ■ NA counted towards the open space requirement. 10% allowance). 4. Promote architectural excellence transition ing. and int e ration. • Add design guidelines or standards such as ■ ■ ■ ■ stepped elevations from two-story to three-story along street frontage to avoid shear walls along minimum front setback. • Require very distinct architectural treatment and ■ ■ ■ ■ varying surface materials/finishes among the different units of a proposed multi -story development. • Require commitment to the originally -approved ■ ■ ■ ■ color board and materials for the project, unless otherwise modified by Planning Commission 5. Promote and better define work space in live/work unit. • Mandate that work spaces cannot include a ■ ■ ■ NA bathroom with a shower/or bath. • Preclude use of any units for short-term vacation ■ ■ ■ NA rentals, boarding house use, Air B&B, etc. • Require that work spaces be specifically designated ■ ■ ■ NA for office/commercial purposes and cannot be used as a bedroom. Buyer notification required. Notes: "NA" indicates not applicable. " ■ " indicates that the Proposed Urban Plan Amendment shall include this change, as described. Timeline of Proposed Urban Plan Amendment Subject to Council authorization of this work activity, staff will proceed with the amendments to the Urban Plans for Planning Commission and City Council approval. Because there are no material changes to the Urban Plan overlay zones, a General Plan amendment is not required. A flow chart of the planning process is shown in the exhibit below. JUNE -AUGUST 2015 NOWDEC 2015 2. Receive input from City Council and Planning Commission at a Joint Study Session SEPT 2015 3. Prepare an Action Plan for Urban Plan Amendments EARLY OCT 2015 4. Request Council Direction at CMctoberPublic Hearing �• i 5. Draft Urban Plan Amendments per Council direction OCT-NOV 2015 7. City Council Public Hearing(! DEC/JAN 2016 [k7 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED City Council has the following alternatives available for consideration: 1. Direct staff to proceed with the Urban Plan amendment as proposed. 2. Direct staff to proceed with any modifications to the Urban Plan amendment. 3. Receive and file. No changes to the Urban Plans will be made. FISCAL REVIEW Fiscal review is not required for this item. LEGAL REVIEW Legal review is not required for this item. CONCLUSION Based on the feedback obtained at the joint study session, staff is proposing certain changes to the Urban Plans. Once Council authorizes the action plan and specific amendments, staff will proceed with preparing the Urban Plan amendments for public hearings in December (Planning Commission) and January 2016 (City Council). CLAIRE L. FLYNN, AICP GARY ARMSTRONG, AICP Asst. Dev. Svcs. Directort Deputy CEO/Dev. Svcs. Director Attachments: 1. General Summary of Comments from 9/08/2015 Joint Session 2. Map Exhibit of Urban Plan Areas 3. Summary Table of Urban Plan Development Proiects 4. Photo & Graphic Exhibits of Development Projects Distribution: CEO Assistant CEO (2) Deputy CEO/Dev. Svs. Director City Attorney Deputy City Attorney Public Services Director Transportation Services Manager Staff (4) File (2)