HomeMy WebLinkAbout16-16 Measure Y, DevelopmentORDINANCE NO. 16-16
AN ORDINANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA,
CALIFORNIA TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF COSTA MESA CONTROL OF THEIR
FUTURE
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA DO HEREBY
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Article 22, "An Ordinance to Give the People of Costa Mesa
Control of Their Future" added to Chapter IX of Title 13 of the Costa Mesa
Municipal Code. Article 22, "An Ordinance to Give the People of Costa Mesa
Control of Their Future" is hereby added to Chapter IX of Title 13 of the Costa
Mesa Municipal Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 13-200.100 Code Amendment.
This ordinance amends the Costa Mesa Municipal Code as follows and
supersedes any provisions that are inconsistent with this ordinance and shall be
known as "Ordinance to give the People of Costa Mesa control of their future".
Sec. 13.200-101 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this ordinance to:
(a) Give the voters of Costa Mesa the power to determine whether Costa
Mesa should allow Major Changes in Allowable Land Use, as defined
below, by requiring voter approval of any such proposed change and
thereby ensuring maximum public participation in major land use and
zoning changes proposed in Costa Mesa;
(b) Ensure that the voters of Costa Mesa receive all necessary and
accurate environmental information on proposals for Major Changes in
Allowable Land Use, so that they shall intelligently vote on any such
proposal;
(c) Ensure that Costa Mesa officials provide timely, accurate and unbiased
environmental review of all proposals for Major Changes in Allowable
Land Use, so that they may minimize or mitigate their adverse traffic and
land use impacts and maximize neighborhood compatibility before the
voters decide on any such change;
(d) Ensure that all elements of the land use change approved by the voters
are implemented; and
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(e) Protect the public health, safety and welfare, and the quality of life, for
all persons living or working or visiting in Costa Mesa.
Sec. 13-200.102 Definitions.
The definitions set forth in this section apply to the provisions of this ordinance
only and do not affect any other provision of law.
(a) "As -Built Condition" means the dwelling units, office and other
nonresidential units, buildings and baseline traffic conditions existing at
the time Costa Mesa issues the notice of preparation of an
environmental impact report for the Major Change in Allowable Land
Use, or, where no such notice is issued, on the date the application for
the Major Change in Allowable Land Use is deemed complete. Illegal
dwellings and other conditions that exist in violation of Costa Mesa's
zoning ordinance and are subject to Costa Mesa's power of abatement,
shall not be accounted for in the As -Built Condition for the purpose of
determining a "Significant Increase," as defined in subdivision (h) below.
(b) "Average Daily Trips" means the number of vehicle trips that a Major
Change in Allowable Land Use would generate on a daily basis. Trips
generated shall be calculated by using the most recent version of the
Trip Generation Manual of the Institute of Transportation Engineers
("ITE") in effect on the date the City of Costa Mesa issues the notice of
preparation of an environmental impact report for a Major Change in
Allowable Land Use or, where no such notice is issued, on the date the
application for the Major Change in Allowable Land Use is deemed
complete. Further, a Daily Trip is a motor vehicle either leaving or
arriving at said property during a given day. Also, for purposes of
counting trips, any vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
greater than 6,000 (six thousand) pounds, shall be counted as
generating two (2) trips for every trip attributed to this sized vehicle.
(c) "General Plan" means the General Plan of the City of Costa Mesa in
effect as of the effective date of this ordinance, or as may be amended
pursuant to this ordinance.
(d) "Intersection Capacity Utilization" or "ICU" means a quantitative
measure of traffic flow of an intersection that includes critical turning
movement volume/capacity (v/c) ratios. ICU is related to Level of
Service (below) and augments the determination of LOS. An ICU of
1.00" is indicative of an intersection that is at maximum capacity.
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 2 of 11
(e) "Level of Service" or "LOS" means a scale that measures the amount
of traffic that a roadway or intersection can accommodate, based on the
ICU of the intersection and such factors as maneuverability, driver
dissatisfaction, and delay.
(f) "Major Change in Allowable Land Use" means any proposed
amendment, change, or replacement of the General Plan, or of Costa
Mesa's zoning ordinance (as defined and contained in Title 13, of the
Costa Mesa Municipal Code) or any Specific Plan or Overlay Plan or
adoption of a new Specific Plan or Overlay Plan meeting any one or
more of the following conditions:
(1) The proposed change in allowable land use would significantly
increase traffic, density or intensity of use above the As -Built
condition, as defined in (k), in the neighborhood where the major
change is proposed.
(2) The proposed change in allowable land use would change a
public use to a private use. A Major Change in Allowable Land
Use in this category shall include a change of use on:
(i) land designated for a public use or a public right-of-way;
provided, however, that the abandonment of a public right of
way that is no longer needed, in conformity to the procedural
requirements of the Government Code of the State of
California, Section 65402 and the Municipal Code of the City
of Costa Mesa, shall not be subject to voter approval.
(3) land designated as utility right-of-way;
(4) land donated, bequeathed or otherwise granted to Costa Mesa;
(5) land used or designated for Costa Mesa school property; or
(6) land owned, controlled or managed by Costa Mesa;
(g) "Minor Change in Allowable Land Use" means any change in land use
that does not meet or exceed the changes as defined in Major Change
in Allowable Land Use, as defined in (f).
(h) "Municipal Code" or "Costa Mesa Municipal Code" means the
Municipal Code of the City of Costa Mesa.
(i) "Overlay Plan" or "Overlay Zone" mean the same and refer to any
zoning code plan covering a currently zoned area of the city that allows
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 3 of 11
a land owner to change from that zone to another to further develop that
owner's property. Said Overlay Zone would include certain restrictions
or incentives to increase the likelihood of a property owner's desire to
develop their property affected by the Overlay Zone.
(j) "Proponent" means any individual, firm, association, syndicate,
partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership,
corporation, trust or any other legal entity applying to Costa Mesa for a
change in allowable land use. If Costa Mesa itself initiates the change,
it shall be deemed the Proponent for the purposes of this ordinance.
(k) "Significantly Increase" or "Significant Increase" means any one or
more of the following increases over or changes compared to the As=
Built Condition:
(1) The traffic generated by the proposal:
(i) would generate more than 200 additional Average Daily Trip
ends; or
(ii) would increase the V/C ratio of the intersection operating
condition in one of the following ways:
a.would increase the V/C ratio to equal to or greater
than 0.040 such that after implementation of the
major change the LOS would be C or worse;
b.would increase the V/C ratio increase to equal to or
greater than 0.020 such that after implementation of
the major change the LOS would be D or worse; or
c. would increase the V/C ratio to equal to or greater
than 0.010 such that after implementation of the
major change the LOS would be E or F or ICU of
0.9 or higher; or
(iii) any increase in ICU at any Costa Mesa intersection from
less than 0.9 to 0.9 or higher; or any change in LOS at any
intersection or on any corridor from better than "D" to "D" or
worse.
(2) For purposes of determining traffic increases attributable to a
Major Change in Allowable Land Use, baseline and projected
ICU and LOS conditions shall be determined considering
weekday peak hour conditions at such time of the year when
local public schools are in session.
(3) The density increase generated by the proposal produces more
than forty (40) additional residential dwelling units than As -Built
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conditions.
(4) The intensity of use generated by the project produces more
than ten thousand (10,000) additional square feet of retail, office
or other nonresidential floor area than As -Built conditions.
(5) The voters declare that dividing a Major Change in Allowable
Land Use, that would otherwise require their approval, into
partial changes that would not by themselves require their
approval obviates their intent to have control over major changes
in allowable land use and is contrary to the purposes of this
ordinance. For the purposes of this ordinance, a "significant
increase" occurs if the combination of a proposed minor change
in allowable land use with one or more other minor or major
changes in allowable land use within a half mile which were
approved within eight (8) years preceding issuance of the notice
of preparation of an environmental impact report or other
environmental review document for the proposed minor change,
or, where no such notice is issued, within eight (8) years
preceding commencement of the City's environmental analysis
for the proposed minor change, meets any increase or change
threshold for traffic, density or intensity of use defined in this
ordinance.
(1) "Specific Plan" means any existing Specific Plan in effect as of January
1, 2015 or any Specific Plans as may be amended pursuant to this
ordinance or any new Specific Plans which shall be approved by both
the Costa Mesa City Council as well as the voters of Costa Mesa
pursuant to this ordinance.
Sec. 13-200.103 Effective date; Applicability.
(a) This ordinance shall be binding and effective as of the earliest date
allowed by law (the "Effective Date"). At its first public meeting following
completion of the canvass of votes, the Costa Mesa City Council shall
pass the resolution required by Elections Code Section 9266. The
following day, the elections official of Costa Mesa shall cause a copy of
the complete text of the adopted measure to be filed with the Secretary
of State pursuant to Government Code Sections 34459 and 34460.
(b) Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9205, all Major Changes in
Allowable Land Use approved by the Costa Mesa City Council on or
after the date of publication of the notice of intention to circulate the
initiative petition adding this ordinance to the City Municipal Code, shall
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 5 of 11
be subject to the provisions of this ordinance.
Sec. 13-200.104 Vote of the Costa Mesa Electorate on a Major Change in
an Allowable Land Use.
(a) Each Major Change in Allowable Land Use shall be put to a vote of the
Costa Mesa electorate; provided, however, that no such change shall be
submitted to the Costa Mesa electorate unless the Costa Mesa City
Council has first approved the change pursuant to all state and local
laws applicable to approval of land use changes by the legislative body.
A Major Change in Allowable Land Use shall become effective only after
approval by the Costa Mesa City Council and a majority of the Costa
Mesa Electorate voting "YES" on a ballot measure proposing such
change at either a regular or special municipal election. An advisory
election does not satisfy the voter approval requirement.
(b) The sample ballot materials mailed to the registered voters of Costa
Mesa prior to an election shall describe any Major Change in Allowable
Land Use in a manner that clearly discloses both the scope and main
features of the proposal (including any and all phases) that the Major
Change in Allowable Land Use consists of or depends on, and the
location and the acreage of the project site. The description shall include
the text of any proposed amendment to the General Plan, to Costa
Mesa's zoning ordinance or of any proposed adoption or repeal of, or
amendment to, a Specific Plan. The description shall clearly compare
the proposal and its traffic impacts both to the As -Built Condition and to
existing applicable land use designations and zoning classifications,
providing accurate comparative data concerning existing as well as
proposed densities (in units per acre) and intensities of use (in square
footage, types of use and traffic impacts). If a site-specific development
is proposed in connection with a Major Change in Allowable Land Use,
and existing densities or intensities of use in such site-specific
development are less than the densities or intensities the Major Change
in Allowable Land use proposes, the text of the ballot shall clearly
disclose the maximum total residential, commercial, industrial or other
nonresidential build -out potential, and traffic impacts under build -out,
compared to the As -Built Condition. Easily readable maps shall be used
to assist the voters in the proposal description. All of the information
called for by this subdivision shall be posted on Costa Mesa's website
no later than ten (10) days prior to the Costa Mesa City Council's action
on a Major Change in Allowable Land Use, and such information shall
be updated no later than two business days following the Costa Mesa
City Council's action.
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 6 of 11
(c) For all Major Changes in Allowable Land Use approved by the Costa
Mesa City Council on or after the effective date of this ordinance, the
resulting election required by this ordinance shall be set for the first
regular municipal election following City Council approval of the Major
Change in Allowable Land Use; or, by mutual agreement with the
Proponent, the Costa Mesa City Council may call a special municipal
election, with the cost of the special election borne solely by the
Proponent.
(d) The popular vote required by this ordinance shall be in addition to all
other applicable review and approval requirements for such Major
Change in Allowable Land Use, including environmental review in
compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA" ).
(e) All subsequent City permits and approvals necessary to implement all or
part of a Major Change in Allowable Land Use shall conform to the
voter -approved change. Under no circumstances shall any subsequent
permit or approval authorize, allow or otherwise accommodate higher
densities, intensities of use, or trip generation than the densities,
intensities and trip generation approved by the Costa Mesa City Council
and the voters.
(f) No certificate of occupancy for any structure built as part of a proposal
that depends on a Major Change in Allowable Land Use shall be issued
until:
(1) All mitigations of traffic impacts, including control signals,
increases in right-of-way capacity via widening roads, or other
right-of-way or intersection improvements, as may be required by
the Costa Mesa City Council, have been developed and
implemented, and the City Engineer has certified completion and
operation of all traffic impact mitigations in full compliance with
the Costa Mesa City Council's approval action; or
(2) Costa Mesa has received payment of the then current trip fees
and a fully enforceable agreement between Costa Mesa and the
Proponent specifying any other considerations to implement the
appropriate mitigation measures.
(g) Except as provided in Section 6, Paragraph (b) below, any permits or
approvals issued without voter approval, where such voter approval is
required under this ordinance, shall be null and void.
Sec. 13-200.105 Application for Major Change in Allowable Land Use;
City Review.
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 7 of 11
(a) To carry out the purposes of this ordinance, any application for a Major
Change in Allowable Land Use shall contain accurate and up-to-date
factual data and information, and the subsequent written City review
shall include the following (in addition to all other disclosures required
under CEQA and Title 13 of the Costa Mesa Municipal Code):
(1) The information required by Section 13-200.104, subdivision (b),
above;
(2) A site plan or diagram, drawn to scale for any site specific
amendment;
(3) A complete, objective discussion of the potential inconsistencies
between the proposal that consists of, or depends on, the Major
Change in Allowable Land Use, and:
(i) surrounding uses in the neighborhood;
(ii) the General Plan;
(iii) the City's zoning and subdivision ordinances; and
(iv) any applicable Specific Plan or Overlay Plan.
(4) To the extent the proposal differs from existing uses, a full
description of the mitigations necessary or recommended for
adoption to minimize neighborhood impacts and incompatibility
shall be provided.
(b) A complete, objective analysis of the traffic circulation and traffic safety
impacts of the proposal that consists of, or depends on, the Major
Change in Allowable Land Use. The traffic analysis shall be prepared
directly by, or under direct contract to, the City, and shall make accurate
determinations for the purposes of Section13-200.102, subdivision
(k)(1), above. ICU and LOS impact analysis shall be provided for all
corridors and intersections subject to any significant impacts due to the
Major Change in Allowable Land Use. LOS analyses shall use current
best practices described in the current Highway Capacity Manual
published by the Transportation Research Board, a division of the
National Research Council. The traffic analysis shall adequately
disclose the direct, the indirect or secondary, and the cumulative
impacts of the proposal accounting for all relevant factors, such as
proportion of heavy weight vehicular traffic, bus stops, intersection and
corridor oversaturation (downstream traffic queuing impacts), pedestrian
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 8 of 11
traffic, side street and driveway entrances and exits, ingress stacking
and overflowing, and turn lane queuing and overflow. The traffic analysis
also shall identify the mitigations necessary or recommended to reduce
the traffic impacts to an ICU below 0.90 or LOS D or better for the
corridors and intersections subject to this analysis. The location, nature
and adverse construction -phase impacts of the traffic impact mitigations
shall be clearly described.
(c) To reduce delay for Proponents, the City's decision-making bodies may
review and conditionally approve discretionary permit applications
required for a proposal prior to the Costa Mesa electorate's vote on a
Major Change in Allowable Land Use on which such proposal depends;
provided, however, that no conditional permit approval will become
effective unless the related Major Change in Allowable Land Use is
passed by the voters and has itself become effective. If the related
Major Change in Allowable Land Use is rejected by the voters, such
change and all conditional permits shall have no force and effect.
Sec. 13-200.106 Exceptions.
(a) This ordinance shall not apply to any Major Change in Allowable Land
Use that is limited to allowing the development of a public school or a
hospital.
(b) This ordinance shall not preclude completion of a site-specific
development that depends on a Major Change in Allowable Land Use
approved before the effective date of this ordinance, if before such date,
the holder of any permit or other entitlement for use for such
development has lawfully and in -good faith acquired a vested right,
under state law, to carry out the development to completion.
(c) The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to the extent that they
would violate state or federal laws.
(d) This ordinance shall not be applied in a manner that would result in an
unconstitutional taking of private property.
(e) This ordinance shall not apply to affordable housing proposals required
by state or federal law.
(f) This ordinance shall not apply to any Major Change in Allowable Land
Use of property with legal non -conforming residential units that were
occupied on the date of publication, pursuant to Elections Code Section
9205, of the notice of intention to circulate the initiative petition adding
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 9 of 11
this ordinance to the Municipal Code, so long as the proposed change in
allowable land use meets all the following conditions:
(1) the existing residential units are rendered conforming under the
proposed change;
(2) the proposed change does not allow an increase in the number
of residential units on the property;
(3) the proposed change does not create a Significant Increase in
traffic or intensity of use; and
(4) the proposed change does not create a reduction in open space
or in any set back.
Sec. 13-200.107 Relationship to Municipal Code.
If any provision of this ordinance conflicts with other provisions contained in the
Costa Mesa Municipal Code, the provisions of this ordinance shall supersede
any other conflicting provision.
Sec. 13-200.108 Amendments.
No provision of this ordinance may be amended or repealed except by a vote of
the people of Costa Mesa.
Sec. 13-200.109 Judicial Enforcement.
Any aggrieved person shall have the right to bring an action to enjoin any
violation of this ordinance or to enforce the duties imposed on Costa Mesa by
this ordinance.
Sec. 13-200.110 Construction.
This ordinance shall be liberally construed to accomplish its purposes. Nothing
herein shall be construed to make illegal any lawful use being made of any land
in accordance with City land use and zoning regulations in force before the
effective date of this ordinance.
Sec. 13-200.111 Consistency with Other Ballot Measures.
If another ballot measure is placed on the same ballot as this measure and deals
with the same subject matter, and if both measures pass, the voters intend that
both measures shall be put into effect, except to the extent that specific
provisions of the measures are in direct conflict. In the event of a direct conflict,
the measure which obtained more votes will control as to the directly conflicting
provisions only. The voters expressly declare this to be their intent, regardless of
Ordinance No. 16-16 Page 10 of 11
any contrary language in any other ballot measure.
SECTION 2. Effective Date. Pursuant to California Government Code §36502
and California Elections Code §9217, because a majority of the qualified voters
voting in the election on Measure "Y" voted in favor of the adoption of such
measure, this ordinance is deemed valid and binding and shall be considered as
adopted upon the date that the vote was declared by the City Council, and shall
go into effect ten (10) days after that date.
SECTION 3. Severability. If any section, subdivision, clause, sentence, phrase
or portion of this ordinance is declared invalid by a court of competent
jurisdiction, the remaining sections, subdivisions, clauses, sentences, phrases
and portions shall remain valid and enforceable. The voters declare that they
would have passed all sections, subdivisions, clauses, sentences, phrases and
portions of this ordinance without the section, subdivision, clause, sentence,
phrase or portion declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction.
SECTION 4. Certification/Summary. Following the City Clerk's certification
that the citizens of Costa Mesa have approved this Ordinance, the Mayor shall
sign this Ordinance and the City Clerk shall cause the same to be entered in the
book of original ordinances of said City; and shall cause the same, or a summary
thereof, to be published as required by law.
I hereby certify that the An Ordinance to Give the People of Costa Mesa Control
of Their Future was PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the people of
the City of Costa Mesa on this 8th day of November, 2016.
CITY/OF COSTA MESA
6►-NW1100009UNW901
ATTEST:
BRENDA GR N. CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM
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