HomeMy WebLinkAbout93-32 - Adopting General Plan Amendment GP-93-01RESOLUTION NO. 93-32
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT GP -93-01, AMENDING
THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE CITY OF COSTA
MESA.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA DOES HEREBY
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, the General Plan was adopted by the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa
by Resolution No. 92-27 on March 16, 1992; and
WHEREAS, the General Plan is a long-range comprehensive document which serves as
a guide for the orderly development of Costa Mesa; and
WHEREAS, by its very nature, the General Plan needs to be updated and refined to
account for current and future community needs; and
WHEREAS, General Plan Amendment GP -93-01 proposes to amend the General Plan
to clarify compatibility of certain zones and uses within various land use designations, correct
mapping errors, and amend the land use designations of a number of small sites to recognize
existing uses; and
WHEREAS, public hearings were duly held by the Planning Commission on March 22,
1993, and by the City Council on April 19, 1993, in accordance with Section 65355 of the
Government Code of the State of California, all persons having been given the opportunity to
be heard both for and against said Amendment GP -93-01 to the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, this Council deems it to be in the best interest of the City that said
Amendment to the General Plan be adopted;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Costa Mesa City Council that the
General Plan is hereby amended by the adoption of General Plan Amendment GP -93-01
clarifying which zones and uses are compatible with various land use designations, making minor
mapping corrections, and changing the land use designations of properties per the attached maps
as shown on Exhibit "A", and making clarifications per the attached pages labeled Exhibit "B"
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that based on the findings of the Initial Study prepared
in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, a Negative Declaration of
Environmental Impact has been prepared for said Amendment and is hereby adopted.
The evidence presented in the record as a whole indicates that the project will not
individually or cumulatively have an adverse effect on wildlife resources or habitat; therefore,
a De Minimis Finding is adopted along with the Negative Declaration.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of April, 1993.
Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa
ATTEST:
a2u�� /.
( �
Deputy City erk of the City of Costa Mesa
1 o
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss
CITY OF COSTA MESA )
I, MARY T. ELLIOTT, Deputy City Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of the City Council of
the City of Costa Mesa, hereby certify that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 93-32 was
duly and regularly passed and adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held
on the 19th day of April, 1993.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the City
of Costa Mesa this 20th day of April, 1993.
l
Deputy Clerk and ex -officio Clerk of
the City uncil of the City of Costa Mesa
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Resolution No. 93-32
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Resolution No. 93-32
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Resolution No. 93-32
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Exhibit B
meet attitudes all play important roles in determining the cost and
availability of housing opportunities in Costa Mesa.
Of paramount concern is the General Plan. This policy document not
only establishes the location and amount of land which will be
allocated to residential development, but also establishes the
intensity of development (in terms of unit densities and 'total
number of units) which will be permitted. While nearly all com-
ponents or elements of the General Plan contain goals and policies
which influence residential development, it is the Land Use Element
which has the most direct influence.
In the 1990 General Plan (amended in 1993), 3,960 acres were
designated for residential development. Of this total, 2,279 acres
were designated for low density development, 826 acres were
designated for medium density development, 855 acres were
designated for high density development. In 1990, 100 acres of the
area designated for residential development were still vacant.
The current land use designations would allow approximately 2,180
units on the existing vacant residential acreage. A breakdown of
the vacant land acreage per land use designation follows:
Low Density Residential (8 du/ac) 1 acres
Medium Density Residential (12 du/ac) -- 53 acres
High Density Residential (20 du/ac except 46 acres
for area north of
1--405 Freeway where
25-35 du/ac is
allowed)
Due to the limited supply of available vacant residential land,
future residential development will depend on private or public
redevelopment of underdeveloped and underutilized land or
reallocation of nonresidential property to residential uses. This
situation is expected to result in even higher increases in the
cost of housing than in the past because of higher land costs
associated with acquiring and demolishing existing older struc-
tures. An increase of approximately 4,200 units is possible from
redevelopment in addition to the 2,180 units possible from devel-
opment of vacant land. The units possible from new development and
redevelopment do not include single room occupancy hotels or granny
units or the residential portion of future mixed-use development in
the Urban Center Commercial land use designation. In addition, the
development projections do not include approximately 200 additional
units that could be developed in the 30 --acre Whittier Avenue
industrial area.
Two aspects of the local government role in the housing delivery
system have been criticized as placing undue burdens on the private
sector's ability to build affordable housing. These are (1) the
time delays caused by the review and approval process, and (2) the
fees or other exactions required of developers to obtain project
approval. Critics contend that lengthy review periods increase
finance and carrying costs and that fees and exactions increase
214
Exhibit "A"
Page 6 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
55
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LAND USE INVENTORY
The original General Plan for the City of Costa Mesa was prepared
in 1957 and contained a Master Zoning Plan which divided the City
and its projected sphere of influence into seven land use cate-
gories. In 1970, a new General Plan was prepared which presented
ten land use designations. This plan was revised in 1981, and
included eleven land use designations. This plan incorporates a
total of 13 designations.
Table 56 summarizes the acreage in the City and sphere of influence
according to General Plan Land Use designations as of the adoption
of the 1990 General Plan. The total of 599 acres of undeveloped
land is also presented by land use designation.
Regional Commercial -
TABLE 56:
LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
(1993)
115
1.4
Urban center -
Residential
102.0
72.0
174
2.1
Commercial
0.60 Office
Density
Acres
Acres
Total
9 of
704.0
DU/Acre
Floor Area Ratio
Developed
Undeveloped
Acres
City
Low Density
<8
-
2,278.0
1.0
2,279
26.2
Residential
16.0
semi -Public
Med. Density
512
-
772.0
53.5
825.5
10.2
Residential
<0.10
150.0
0.0
150
1.9
High Density
520*
-
809.0
46.0
855
10.6
Residential
Neighborhood
-
0.25 Retail/
98.5
0.5
99
1.2
Commercial
0.35 Office
General Commercial
-
0.30 Retail/
581.0
14.0
595
7.4
0.40 Office
Commercial Center
-
0.35 Retail/
38.0
3.D
41
0.5
0.45 Office
Regional Commercial -
0.652/0.89**
115.0
0.0
115
1.4
Urban center -
0.50 Retail/
102.0
72.0
174
2.1
Commercial
0.60 Office
Industrial Park -
0.40
704.0
69.0
773
9.5
Light Industry -
0.35
385.0
6.0
391
4.8
Public and -
0.25
961.0
334.0
1,295
16.0
semi -Public
Golf Course -
<0.01
502.0
0,0
502
6.2
Fairgrounds -
<0.10
150.0
0.0
150
1.9
TOTAL
7,495.5 598.5 8,094 100.0
* See High Density Residential text regarding an area in North Costa Mesa where the density
allowance is 25 to 35 DU/acre.
**See Regional Commercial text.
Residential Areas
The Low Density Residential land use designation covers 28.2
percent of the net acreage of the City and its sphere of influence.
This high percentage of low density is not unique to Costa Mesa,
but is found throughout several communities in Orange County. The
accelerated demand for suburban homes experienced in the mid 1950's
and 1960's resulted in the conversion of thousands of agricultural
acres to large single-family housing tracts. Today this use
remains predominant in Costa Mesa. Large scale single-family
development has concluded in Costa Mesa with only 1 acre of
undeveloped Low Density Residential acreage remaining. New single-
family development is expected to take the form of small -lot
subdivisions on in -fill sites, especially in the area east of
Newport Boulevard.
346
Exhibit "A"
Page 7 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Commercial Areas
Commercial use is indicated for 12.6 percent of the City's land
area. This percentage is a significant increase over the City's
earliest estimates of commercial potential. This increase is
largely the result of the fact that Costa Mesa's retail commercial
areas have grown to accommodate more than local needs, serving a
substantial portion of the region.
The 1,424 acres designated for commercial uses contain approxi-
mately 9.7 million square feet of commercial space. These uses are
spread throughout the City, divided into five commercial use
designations. South Coast Plaza contains the largest single
concentration of retail uses in the City. It accounts for 30
percent of the City's commercial square footage and 25 percent of
the retail sales. Within this same area, the development in the
Town Center district contains 20 percent of the City's office
space.
The Harbor Boulevard commercial district encompasses almost one-
third of Costa Mesa's commercial land. Designated by the General
Plan as General Commercial with some Neighborhood Commercial, this
district is responsible for a significant 40 percent of retail
sales, indicating that Harbor Boulevard's trade area is of
regional, rather than local scale. A major factor for this
regional service area is the concentration of new car dealerships
on Harbor Boulevard.
The 92 -acre East Seventeenth Street commercial district contains a
variety of retail commercial uses of generally less intensity than
those found on Harbor Boulevard. one-tenth of the City's retail
sales is attributable to East Seventeenth Street businesses.
The above three commercial areas are responsible for 75 percent of
retail sales. The Newport Boulevard commercial area is responsible
for 7 percent of retail sales.
Industrial Areas
Industrial use is indicated for 1,164 acres of land in Costa Mesa
(Table 57). These uses are primarily concentrated in three major
districts: the Southwest District, the Airport Industrial Area, and
the North Costa Mesa Industrial District. The Southwest District
is the City's oldest industrial areas and the two other areas are
more recently developed industrial parks located in the northwest
and northeast sections of the City.
The Southwest District contains 342 acres of the City's land
designated for Light Industry. This represents 87 percent of the
391 acres designated for such use. This area contained a
substantial amount of industrial development before the City was
formed. The area contains several large manufacturing firms as
well as a high percentage of smaller industrial operations,
frequently in multi -tenant structures. Because of the large number
of manufacturing businesses, both large and small, which have
347
Exhibit "A"
Page 8 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
f'57
small parcels in areas which were designated as industrial by the
City's original Master Zoning Plan in accordance with the existing
uses.
TABLE 57: INDUSTRIAL AREAS (199
Industrial Area General Plan Total Acres
Southwest Light Industry 342
Airport Industrial Park 370
North Industrial Park 411
Other Light Industry 41
TOTAL 1,164
Public and Semi -Public Areas
Costa Mesa contains an unusually high percentage of land designated
as Public and Semi -Public. A total of 1,295 acres in the City and
its sphere of influence has been specified for public and quasi -
public use. When combined with the similar Golf Course designation
and Fairgrounds designation, these uses constitute a large
percentage of the City.
This high proportion is primarily the result of past actions of
various governmental entities. The development of the Santa Ana
Army Air Base during World War II was the first major land
acquisition by a governmental agency. This site has since been
divided, remaining mostly in public ownership. The current public
or quasi -public users of the site are: Orange Coast College, Costa
Mesa High School, Davis Middle School, Presidio Elementary School,
TeWinkle Park, the National Guard Armory, Orange County Fair-
grounds, Civic Center Park, City Hall, and Southern California
College.
A second major land acquisition by the State also preceded the
formation of the City, and was responsible for the public ownership
of Fairview Developmental Center, the Costa Mesa Golf and Country
Club, and the Fairview Regional Park. In 1950, 750 acres had been
acquired for a State mental institution. Today the Fairview
Developmental Center occupies 111 acres of the original site. The
ownership of the Golf Course and most of Fairview Park belong to
the City. Acquisitions by the City and County have expanded this
area of public land to include the Talbert Regional Park Site
adjacent to the Santa Ana River and the adjoining City Canyon Park.
Three golf courses exist within Costa Mesa and its sphere of
influence. The previously mentioned Costa Mesa Golf and Country
Club is the only one of the three which is open to the public. The
two remaining golf courses are private.
349
Exhibit "A"
Page 9 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Comparing the data and estimates in Table 58, the ratio between
persons residing in and persons employed in the City shows a
continued decline through 2010. In 1985, 1.17 persons lived in
Costa Mesa for each person who worked here. The ratio is estimated
to decrease further to 1.09 in 2010.
Local Com arison of Land Use Balance
Since people do not restrict all of their functions to one city, an
examination of the manner in which other cities have divided their
land for various uses is appropriate. Table 59 compares the major
General Plan land uses of Costa Mesa with neighboring cities by
acreage and percentage of each city (including sphere of influence)
allocated for the uses.
A balance between residential and employment opportunities promotes
the possibility for people to live and work in the same area. The
allocation of land for residential and employment -generating uses
is a primary tool which local governments can use to encourage such
a balance. Costa Mesa and its five neighboring cities have
allocated a total of 38,862 acres for residential purposes and
19,175 acres for commercial and industrial, the main employment -
generating uses. The remaining 23,552 acres are designated for
public, agricultural, and other uses. This results in 2.03 acres
of land being specified for residential development for each
commercial or industrial acre. Costa Mesa's ratio is somewhat less
than this average, at 1.8 residential acres per employment
generating acre. However, Costa Mesa does designate a signifi-
cantly greater portion of its land for Medium and High Density
Residential development than any of the adjoining cities. Forty-
two percent of all residential land in the City is specified for
such uses. The availability of land for multiple -family develop-
ment is also an important factor in the balance of uses. Since a
substantial number of persons employed within Costa Mesa and its
neighboring cities do not have the family size or the economic
means to warrant or acquire a home in a low density area, the
establishment of an adequate portion of higher density areas is one
method by which a range of housing types and costs can be en-
couraged.
Job/Housing Balance
The current balance of land use determines in part the ability for
people to live near their place of employment, to shop within a
reasonable distance from their homes or work, to use areas set
aside for recreation, and to conveniently carry out other activi-
ties desired in an urban environment. Information available from
the 1980 Census indicates that 31 percent of the employees who
reside in Costa Mesa work in the City. An additional 34 percent
work within 20 minutes of their homes. Thus, 65 percent of Costa
Mesa's employee population in 1980 were able to establish residence
within a reasonable distance to their employment.
351
Exhibit "A"
Page 10 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Me
TABLE 59: LAND USE ELEMENT COMPARISON
1 - Golf Course and Fairgrounds
2 - Planning Reserve, Planned Community, Mixed Use
3 - Fountain Valley does not account for Public/Park Land in Land Use
Element. In 1980, an estimate of 675 acres was quoted for public
use.
4 - Includes Agriculture
352
Exhibit "A"
Page 11 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Public
Other
Costa Mesa
3,960
ac.
1,024 ac.
1,164 ac.
1,295 ac.
652 ac.;
49%
13%
14%
16%
8%
Newport
4,539
ac.
1,386 ac.
302 ac.
1,616 ac.
---
Beach
58%
18%
4%
21%
---
Huntington
11,630
ac.
1,286 ac.
1,762 ac.
2,109 ac.
387 ac.2
Beach
68%
8%
10%
12%
2%
Fountain
3,345
ac.
480 ac.
650 ac.
---
---
Val ley3
75%
11 %
14%
----
---
Santa Ana
10,023
ac.
2,166 ac.
3,184 ac.
1,626 ac.
409 ac.
585
13%
18%
9%
2%
Irvine
5,365
ac.
1,788 ac.
3,983 ac.
10,905 ac.
4,553 ac.4
20%
7%
155
41%
17%
1 - Golf Course and Fairgrounds
2 - Planning Reserve, Planned Community, Mixed Use
3 - Fountain Valley does not account for Public/Park Land in Land Use
Element. In 1980, an estimate of 675 acres was quoted for public
use.
4 - Includes Agriculture
352
Exhibit "A"
Page 11 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Balance of Industrial. and Commercial Uses
Since 1980, the amount of commercial acreage has increased while
industrial acreage has slightly declined.
Commercial
Acreage
Industrial
Acreage
1980 929 ac.
(11%)
1,264 ac.
(15%)
1993 1,024 ac.
(13%)
1,164 ac.
(14%)
In addition, the percentage of undeveloped industrial acreage has
decreased from 27.55 in 1980 to 6.4% in 1990. This is comparable
to 8.8% of commercial land which is undeveloped.
Current marketplace interest is in high-tech industrial parks and
interest is moving away from structures designed for light
manufacturing. The high-tech industrial developments are often
more similar to an office use than a traditional manufacturing use.
This has implications, among other things, for parking requirements
and estimates of traffic generation and employment.
There is also increasing marketplace pressure to utilize industrial
areas for commercial uses due to lower land costs, product costs,
etc. If the trend continues, the balance between commercial and
industrial uses may change significantly.
Costa Mesa has established commercial areas, notable along the
major arterials, the South Coast Metro Area (north of the I-405),
and the Redevelopment Area (in the vicinity of Harbor Boulevard and
19th Street), which could be negatively impacted by the expansion
of commercial uses into industrial zones. If commercial users are
allowed to use the less expensive industrial space, the commercial
zones may then begin to deteriorate as vacancy rates in commercial
buildings increase.
LAND USE CONSTRAINTS
Often, the full impact of certain land use constraints is not felt
until an area is built to or near the limits of the General Pian
designation. Individual projects may not present problems, but the
cumulative effect of several developments at a specific intensity
could prove excessive. The different types of constraints, along
with their impacts and appropriate mitigations, are discussed in
the following sections.
Flood Hazards
Approximately 1,725 acres of northern and western Costa Mesa are
within a Flood Hazard Area as determined by the Federal Insurance
Administration. Thus, in a 100 -year flood it is anticipated that
17 percent of the City will be subject to at least 1 foot of
flooding. This constraint requires consideration of the types of
uses appropriate for areas subject to flooding. The flooding
depths in the 100 -year flood will range from 1 to 7 feet. Thus, if
development is to be allowed in the Flood Hazard Area, the
toleration of the uses to inundation must be considered.
353
Exhibit "A"
Page 12 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
Project Lot Area shall mean the total area of a project after all
required dedications or reservations for public improvements,
including but not limited to streets, parks, schools, flood control
channels, etc.
Project shall mean a development proposal submitted under a single
ownership or control at the time of the initial plan submittal and
approval. A project may be subdivided or developed in phases by
subsequent multiple owners. However, the initial building
intensity established by the initial project approval shall be
maintained throughout the development of the entire project.
Trip shall mean a one—way vehicular journey either to or from a
site, or it may be a journey totally within the site. The latter
is usually referenced to as an internal trip. Each trip will have
two trip ends, one at the beginning and the other at the destina—
tion.
Trip Budget shall mean the maximum number of AM and PM peak hour
trips allocated to a project site. The trip budget shall be
derived by multiplying the project area by the allowable floor area
ratio and by the AM and PM peak hour trip generation rates for the
applicable land use classification.
Trip Rate shall mean the anticipated number of trips to be
generated by a specific land use type or land use classification.
The trip rate shall be expressed as a given number if trips for a
given unit of development intensity (i.e., trip per unit, trip per
1,000 sq.ft., etc.). Trip rates used in the calculation of trip
budgets under the provisions of this section of the Land Use
Element shall be those rates established by City Council resolu—
tion.
LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS
The General Plan contains thirteen land use designations dividing
the City's net area into four basic types of uses. The General
Plan designates three residential densities, five types of commer—
cial areas, two industrial districts, and three public or semi—
public type uses. The Land Use classifications are discussed in
this section.
Residential
Costa Mesa's 3,960 residential acres are divided into the Low,
Medium, and High Density Residential designations.
Low Density Residential:
Low Density Residential areas are intended to accommodate single—
family residences on their own parcels, attached housing which
provides a greater portion of recreation or open space than
typically found in multi—family developments, and clustered housing
which affords the retention of significant open space. Low Density
Residential areas should be located away from or protected from the
more intense nonresidential areas and major travel corridors. The
density in such areas is up to eight units to the acre.
385
Exhibit "A"
Page 13 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
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Using average household size data from the 1990 Census, the
projected population density within this designation would be up to
20 persons per acre.
Existing stable single --family neighborhoods should be preserved.
The establishment of attached or clustered housing through the
Planned Development concept can be allowed in appropriate Low
Density Residential areas as a means to encourage the combination
of parcels or to make more efficient use of larger parcels.
The residential areas in Costa Mesa designated as Low Density are
almost entirely developed. This development includes several large
single—family tracts developed from the mid -1950's through the
1970'x. Also included are neighborhoods which contain a mixture of
single—family and nonconforming multi—family development. The
residential area east of Newport Boulevard contains a significant
amount of development which exceeds the density maximum in its Low
Density Residential areas. This development is the result of past
zoning policies practiced by the City and County. Conversion of
such properties to conforming development has been, and will
continue to be, a slow process.
As the majority of land for Low Density Residential use has become
fully developed, future large scale single—family tract development
is precluded. It can be expected that larger single—family lots
will be proposed for subdivision in the future. Planned
Developments near the maximum density may also become more common,
perhaps through combination of parcels and replacement of single—
family development.
Nonresidential uses which complement and serve the surrounding
residential neighborhood are also appropriate within this designa—
tion. These uses typically include schools, parks, churches,
libraries and public facilities. Additional uses authorized by
State law, such as group residential facilities, accessory
apartments, granny flats, and family day care homes are also
appropriate.
As shown in Table 60, the Costa Mesa Traffic Model for the General
Plan uses the following peak hour rates for single—family detached
housing: the AM peak hour rate is .75 per dwelling unit and the PM
peak hour rate is 1.0 per dwelling unit. Commercial uses as
approved in the official commercial uses list for the Transition
Area (854 through 1014 West 19th Street — even numbers only, and
1903 Federal Avenue) , or later approved through a Specific Plan for
this area shall be allowed. A Specific Plan shall be prepared for
the Transition Area to further address allowable uses, trip budget
limits, and design guidelines. Allowable peak hour trips for the
Transition Area shall be calculated based on the Neighborhood
Commercial trip rates.
Compatible zones include R1, PDR—LD and I&R.
Medium Density Residential:
The Medium Density Residential designation is intended for single—
and multi—family developments with a density of up to 12 units to
the acre. The townhouse development known as the French Quarter,
located on the west side of College Avenue north of Watson Avenue,
shall be further limited to a maximum of 80 units. The 12 units to
NM
Exhibit "A"
Page 14 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
63
the acre standard can be exceeded for existing Medium Density
Residential lots less than 7,260 sq.ft., but not less than 6,000
sq.ft. where density calculation fractions equal to or greater than
1.65 may be rounded to two units. This allows conforming R2 lots
less than 7,260 sq.ft. to have two units, but still would preclude
rounding for other situations, including R2 lots less than 6,000
sq.ft. in area.
Density bonuses may be granted by the City when a project is
designed to provide housing for households with specialized
requirements. Such households include senior citizens,
handicapped, low-income, and other households with needs not
sufficiently accommodated by conventional housing. However, the
project's resulting density may not exceed 12 units/acre except for
density bonus which may be granted to affordable senior citizen
projects.
Using average household size data from the 1990 Census, projected
population density would range from up to 30 persons per acre.
The type of development which is found within this designation is
generally more tolerant to impacts which would adversely affect low
density development. Although still susceptible to the impacts
caused by more intense uses and noise, a Medium Density Residential
development has greater potential to provide mitigation through
visual and acoustical shielding. Thus, areas for Medium Density
Residential use can be established closer to potentially disparate
uses than can Low Density Residential, providing the potential
impacts are not of a severity which precludes mitigation.
Medium Density Residential land in the City is largely composed of
already developed parcels, many originally subdivided for single-
family use. Of these properties, a substantial number are zoned
for single-family residences while those with multi -family zoning
can typically accommodate a maximum of two units. Certain areas
designated as Medium Density Residential are characterized be deep,
narrow parcels with areas ranging from approximately 18,000 to
20,000 square feet. This is especially prevalent east of Newport
Boulevard.
Because of the location and intensity of development, Medium
Density Residential areas are also appropriate for quasi -
residential uses such as senior citizen congregate care facilities,
convalescent hospitals and group residential homes. Schools,
churches, parks, libraries and related public facilities are
equally appropriate.
Complementary commercial uses within this designation may be
allowed in planned development projects provided that the commer-
cial uses will not generate any additional AM or PM peak hour
vehicle trips than what would occur if the entire project site were
developed at its maximum residential potential as allowed by the
General Plan. As shown in Table 60, the Costa Mesa Traffic Model
for the General Plan uses the following peak hour rates for single-
family attached housing: the AM peak hour rate is .80 per dwelling
unit and the PM peak hour rate is 1.0 per dwelling unit. Floor
Area Ratios and population densities for commercial projects shall
be the same as the Neighborhood Commercial land use designation.
Compatible zones include R1, R2, PDR -MD and I&R.
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Resolution No. 93-32
High Density Residential:
Areas designated as High Density Residential are intended for
residential development with a density of up to 20 units to the
acre. Density bonuses may be granted by the City when a project is
designed to provide housing for individuals and families with
specialized requirements. Such households include, but are not
limited to, senior citizens, handicapped, and low income. However,
the project's resulting density may not exceed 20 units per acre
except for density bonus which may be granted to affordable senior
citizen projects.
In addition, the 41—acre vacant parcel, referred to as Sakioka
lot 1, has a higher density limit of 25 to 35 units to the acre.
The upper limit of 35 units per acre shall include any density
bonus.
Using average household size data from the 1990 Census, projected
population densities would range up to 50 persons per acre except
for the Sakioka lot 1, where the maximum population density is 88
persons per acre.
High Density areas should be located in proximity to transportation
routes, especially those served by public transit. The establish—
ment of such areas within convenient distance to shopping and
employment centers is also encouraged. Although proximity to the
above uses and transportation routes often results in a residential
development being subject to adverse impacts, High Density
Residential development can be less susceptible to such impacts
than lower densities if visual and acoustical shielding techniques
are incorporated into the project.
In addition to the above locational preferences, viable High
Density development is also dependent upon site characteristics.
A site should be of appropriate size and dimension before the
higher densities within this designation are allowed.
Because of their location and intensity of development, High
Density Residential areas are also appropriate for quasi--residen—
tial uses such as senior citizen congregate care facilities,
convalescent hospitals, and group residential homes. Schools,
churches, parks, libraries and related public facilities are also
appropriate.
Complementary commercial uses within this designation may be
allowed in planned development projects provided that the commer—
cial uses will not generate any additional AM or PM peak hour
vehicle trips than what would occur if the entire project site were
developed at its maximum residential potential as allowed by the
General Plan. As shown in Table 60, the Costa Mesa Traffic Model
for the General Plan uses the following peak hour rates for high
density residential uses: the AM peak hour rate is .53 and the PM
peak hour rate is .67. Floor Area Ratios and population densities
for commercial projects shall be the same as the Neighborhood
Commercial land use designation.
Compatible zones include R2, R3, PDR -HD, PDR -NCM and I&R.
Commercial
Five designations are applied to the land in Costa Mesa allocated
for commercial uses. These designations vary in location and
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Resolution No. 93-32
65
The Conditional Use Permit process shall comply with the procedures
and siting criteria established by the Orange County Hazardous
Waste Management Plan, the City of Costa Mesa's ordinance provi-
sions for these type of facilities, and other State legislation, as
appropriate.
Costa Mesa has several major General Commercial districts. Each of
these districts is substantial in size and is extended along
highways in Costa Mesa. virtually all of the General Commercial
areas have frontage on either a Primary or Major Highway as
indicated on the Master Plan of Highways.
Compatible zones include CL, C1, C1 -S, C2, PDC, AP and P.
Commercial Center:
The Commercial Center designation is intended for large areas with
a concentration of diverse or intense commercial uses. Appropriate
uses include a wide variety and scale of retail stores,
professional offices, restaurants, hotels and theaters. Intense
service uses, such as automobile repair and service, should be
discouraged. The Commercial Center area, which is located in the
downtown Redevelopment Area, has its own character and contains
shopping centers, entertainment facilities, office buildings, or
other commercial development appropriate for its location and
purpose. The Commercial Center is intended to serve both local and
regional needs. Because of the large service area, direct access
to major transportation corridors is essential. Separation or
buffering between Commercial Centers and sensitive land uses is
also required.
Development within this designation is intended for a variety of
intensities ranging from one- to four-story buildings. The
allowable floor area ratio is 0.35 retail/0.45 office.
As shown in Table 61, the Costa Mesa General Plan Traffic Model
uses the following peak hour rates in determining the trip budget
for projects in this classification: the AM peak hour rate is 1.46
trip ends per 1,000 square feet, and the PM peak hour rate is 3.44
trip ends per 1,000 square feet.
Based upon the standards included in Table 63, anticipated
population density for the standard mix of uses in the Commercial
Center designation would be 45 employees per acre. A development
that consisted of office use only would require up to 66 employees
per acre. Residency hotels such as single room occupancy (SRO)
hotels may be located in the Commercial Center district. These
hotels would have resident populations of up to 131 persons per
acre. Again, these estimates are generalized and should be more
refined as specific development proposals are approved.
Institutional uses may also be appropriate in this commercial
designation provided that land use compatibility issues have been
addressed and the trip budget is not exceeded. These types of uses
would require a discretionary review and approval process.
391
Exhibit "A"
Page 17 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32
The General Paan Traffic Model uses the following peak hour rates in
determining the trip budget for projects in this classification: the
AM peak hour rate is 0.93 trip ends per 1,000 square feet, and the PM
peak hour rate is 0.97 trip ends per 1,000 square feet (Table 64).
Anticipated population densities are dependent upon the particular mix
of uses within a given project. However, based upon the standards
provided in Table 63, the population density would be an average of
40 employees per acre. An office development would have a population
density of 58 employees per acre.
Complementary commercial uses within this designation may be allowed
provided that the commercial uses will not generate any additional AM
or PM peak hour vehicle trips than what would occur if the site were
developed at its maximum industrial potential as allowed by the
General Plan. Commercial recreational uses may also be appropriate in
this industrial designation provided that the commercial recreational
uses will not generate any additional AM and PM peak hour vehicle
trips than what would occur if the site were developed at its maximum
industrial potential as allowed by this General Plan designation.
Institutional uses may also be appropriate in this industrial
designation provided that land use compatibility issues have been
addressed and the trip budget has not been exceeded. Institutional
uses would require a discretionary review and approval process.
In Planned Development projects, the combination of residential,
institutional and commercial uses may not exceed the AM or PM Peak
hour vehicle trips that would occur if the entire project area were
developed at its maximum industrial potential as allowed by the
General Plan. Floor area ratios and population densities for
commercial projects would be similar to the Neighborhood Commercial
land use designation. Residential densities in Planned Development
projects are not to exceed 20 dwelling units per acre. The
corresponding population density range is up to 50 persons per acre.
Facilities that transfer, store or dispose of hazardous wastes that
are generated at another source (off-site) may be allowed in this land
use designation, pursuant to the issuance of a Conditional Use Permit.
The Conditional Use Permit process shall comply with the procedures
and siting criteria established by the Orange County Hazardous Waste
Management Plan, the City of Costa Mesa's ordinance provisions for
these type of facilities, and other State legislation, as appropriate.
Costa Mesa's Industrial Park land is divided between the North Costa
Mesa and Airport Industrial Districts as discussed in the Land Use
Inventory section. Both are developed with industrial and office uses
as envisioned by the Industrial Park designation.
Compatible zones include MP, PDI and CL.
Light Industry:
The Light Industry designation specifies areas intended for a variety
of light and general industries. Uses in such areas are expected to
be small manufacturing and service industries as well as larger
industrial operations. Although the uses within Light Industry areas
are intended to be less intense than those allowed in Industrial
Parks, the frequent lack of a physical separation between Light
Industry areas and residential areas necessitates on-site mitigation.
Highway access to such areas should be provided in a manner which
directs industrial traffic away from more sensitive uses.
396
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Resolution No. 93-32
67
Development within this designation would be characterized by a
combination of one- and two-story buildings. Because of the location
of Light Industry areas and their proximity to residential uses,
higher buildings should be restricted to areas which will not impact
the surrounding more sensitive uses. The allowable building
intensity is a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.35.
As shown in Table 62, the Costa Mesa General Plan Traffic Model uses
the following peak hour rates in determining the trip budget for
projects in this classification: the AM peak hour rate is 0.96 trip
ends per 1,000 square feet, and the PM peak hour rate is 1.03 trip
ends per 1,000 square feet.
The average population density would be 31 employees per acre, and
53 employees per acre for office uses based upon the standards
provided in Table 63.
Complementary commercial uses within this designation may be allowed
provided that the commercial uses will not generate any additional
AM or PM peak hour vehicle trips than what would occur if the site
were developed at its maximum industrial potential as allowed by the
General Plan. Commercial recreational uses may also be appropriate
in this industrial designation provided that the commercial
recreational uses will not generate any additional AM and PM peak
hour vehicle trips than what would occur if the site were developed
at its maximum industrial potential as allowed by this General Plan
designation.
Institutional uses may also be appropriate in this industrial desig-
nation provided that land use compatibility issues have been
addressed and the trip budget has not been exceeded. Institutional
uses would require a discretionary review and approval process.
In Planned Development projects, the combination of residential,
institutional and commercial uses may not exceed the AM or PM peak
hour vehicle trips that would occur if the entire project area were
developed at its maximum industrial potential as allowed by the
General Plan. Floor area ratios and population densities for
commercial projects would be similar to the Neighborhood Commercial
land use designation. Residential densities in Planned Development
projects are not to exceed 20 dwelling units per acre. The
corresponding population density range is up to 50 persons per acre.
The 30 -acre area located west of Whittier Avenue is designated Light
Industry in recognition of the existing development in the area.
Nevertheless, the area may lend itself to residential development in
the future. Therefore, this area has an underlying Low Density
Residential designation that can be activated concurrently with the
development of a Specific Plan. The Specific Plan would address the
issues of transitioning from industrial to sensitive residential
uses.
Facilities that transfer, store or dispose of hazardous wastes that
are generated at another source (off-site) may be allowed in this
land use designation, pursuant to the issuance of a Conditional Use
Permit. The Conditional Use Permit process shall comply with the
procedures and siting criteria established by the Orange County
Hazardous Waste Management Plan, the City of Costa Mesa's ordinance
provisions for these type of facilities, and other State legislation,
as appropriate.
The majority of the City's Light Industry land is located in the
Southwest Industrial District. This district directly adjoins
residential areas (primarily High Density Residential) to the
397
Exhibit "A"
Page 19 of 19
Resolution No. 93-32