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10-18-2011 - General Plan Amendment No. 11-02Zone Change No. 11 - Item 8 (2).docCity of West Covina Memorandum A G E N D A ITEM NO. 8 DATE: October 18, 2011 TO: City Manager and City Council FROM: Jeff Anderson Planning Director SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 11-02 ZONE CHANGE NO. 11-02 MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPLICANT: Tom Lau, Charles Company LOCATION: 301 S. Glendora Avenue RECOMMENDATION: The Planning Commission and staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolutions: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, CERTIFYING THE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 11-02, ZONE CHANGE NO. 11-02, PRECISE PLAN NO. 11-05, AND TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 71644 PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT OF 1970, AS AMENDED. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 11-02 The Planning Commission and staff further recommends that the City Council introduce the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NO. 11-02 DISCUSSION: On September 27, 2011, the Planning Commission approved a precise plan and tentative tract map for the development of a mixed-use project consisting of 412 residential condominium units and 20,000 square feet of commercial floor area. The Planning Commission also recommended approval of a General Plan amendment, zone change and a Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact Report. For more detailed information, please refer to the Planning Commission staff report (Attachment #6). The project requires a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). To assist in the preparation of the MND, three technical studies were prepared including an Air Quality Study, a Noise Impact Report, and a Traffic Report. The project related impacts would be less than significant with mitigations incorporated. A list of mitigation measures is included in Attachment #1. General Plan Text Changes and Land Use Designation Amendment A General Plan amendment is proposed for a text change to revise the General Plan document. The General Plan includes nine elements (or chapters), one of which is the Land Use Element. The Land Use Element deals with the establishment of a pattern of land use and standards for the density and intensity of development. Land use designations are established in the General Plan and implemented by the Zoning Code and the Zoning Map. Proposed revisions to the Land Use Element include the establishment of a “Mixed Use” category, the addition of an exception to the density cap of 20 units to the acre, and the addition of goals and policies regarding mixed-use development. The proposed “Mixed-Use” category allows for a mix of residential and compatible office and retail service uses integrated as a cohesive development. Mixed-use development may be vertically or horizontally mixed with emphasis on retail and office uses on ground floors visible from the street and residential on the second and higher floors. The Land Use Element allows higher densities for senior citizen housing and low and moderate income housing that utilize a density bonus. This section of the General Plan is being amended to include mixed-use projects located in the Central Business District area. A Residential Land Use Category for Mixed-Use residential, allowing up to 75 units per acre, is proposed. The Land Use Element currently contains broad goals that the City would like to accomplish. The current goals do not include any reference to creative or progressive types of land use planning in the Central Business District or Eastland commercial areas. In addition, the Land Use Element includes policies that seek to implement the goals. The proposed goals and policies that encourage mixed-use developments are provided in Attachment #3. The proposed General Plan amendment also includes a land use designation change from “Regional Commercial” to the newly created “Mixed Use” designation. With approval of the proposed text changes to the Land Use Element of the General Plan the proposed development will be consistent with the City’s General Plan. Zone Change The proposal also includes a zone change to change the designation from “Regional Commercial” (R-C) to “Specific Plan No. 24” (Lakes District Specific Plan). A specific plan allows communities to focus on the unique characteristics of an area by customizing the planning process and land use regulations. The range of issues/regulations that is contained in a specific plan is left to the discretion of the decision-making body. A Specific Plan must be consistent with the adopted General Plan of the jurisdiction within which it is located. For more detailed information on the required assessment of consistency with the City’s goals and objective of the current General Plan, please refer to Attachment #5. Proposed Development The project is located between Lakes Drive and Walnut Creek Parkway in the western portion of the City of West Covina. The 6.59-acre project is currently occupied by a commercial building, formerly occupied by Wickes Furniture. The project site is surrounded by commercial uses, including the theater to the north, the Glendora shops to the east and Toys R Us to the west. The proposed project consists of a five-story mixed-use development comprised of 412 residential units and 20,000 square feet of retail along Glendora Avenue. A total density of 62.7 units per acre is proposed while the specific plan would allow up to 75 units per acre. The project proposes a total of 207 one-bedroom units and 205 two-bedroom units. The unit sizes range from 712 square feet to 1,638 square feet. The project, as designed, proposes two parking garages. Each parking garage will provide 422 parking spaces. A total of 844 parking spaces will serve the entire project. Parking spaces to serve the retail component of the project will be provided on the first floor of the parking garages, which is semi-subterranean. A total of 124 parking spaces will be located on the first floor to be shared between the retail and residential guest parking. A total of 720 parking spaces are provided for the residential units. The proposed project also includes the redesign of Glendora Avenue and Lakes Drive. A 17-foot dedication will be granted to the City on Glendora Avenue. This dedication area will be improved with angle parking spaces. On Lakes Drive to the north, angle parking is proposed and the street will be reconfigured to reduce the number of eastbound lanes to one. The proposal does not affect the westbound lanes. As such, a total of 53 off-street public parking spaces will be provided. The Specific Plan proposes a lower parking rate than the West Covina Municipal Code. The project proposes a total of 844 parking spaces, while Specific Plan development standards require a minimum of 784 parking spaces. If the Municipal Code development standards were followed, a minimum of 1,007 parking spaces would be required. The Specific Plan requires that common open space as well as private open space be provided. A minimum of 140 square feet per unit of common open space is required with minimum dimensions of 10 feet by 10 feet. The project exceeds the common open space requirement by providing four open space areas varying in size between 9,020 to 11,500 square feet. An enclosed patio on all ground units provides private open space and a balcony is provided for all the units located on the second through fifth story. The proposed project will have a height of 64 feet. The building would feature a stucco exterior with a variation of brown/beige earth-tone colors. Portions of the roof will provide a metal overhang to break up the continuous roofline on the buildings. The buildings provide articulation and variation by providing recessed areas, balconies and windows. The residential ground units along the north and south elevations provide a “stoop” frontage. The design breaks up the mass and allows for the project to have a better relationship with the street. The steps to the stoop will lead to a private patio area and a resident could access the unit from the street. However, the primary entrance to these units will be located from inside the complex. These units will be elevated four to five feet above the sidewalk grade to provide privacy. The proposed tentative tract map would create 412 “air space” lots for residential condominium purposes and one “air space” for the commercial spaces. The subdivision design requires the approval of a “Condominium” map due to the shared ownership of the lots. A Homeowner’s Association (HOA) will be formed and CC&R’s (Covenants, Codes, and Restrictions) created to regulated the HOA. The HOA would be responsible for maintaining all common areas, including driveways, guest and retail/commercial parking spaces, open space, trash enclosures and like items. The approved precise plan resolution contains a condition of approval that estimates the park fees at about $2.5 million. However, it is the City’s practice to give a project credit for on-site park space that would relieve public parks.  In this case Public Works has estimated about 59,000 square feet of on-site park space that would result in a reduced Park Fee of about $1.3 million. The proposed project is the first mixed-use project to be processed in the City and represents a new development concept. The construction of the project can be catalyst for improvements within the area that could attract a wider range of activities and create a dynamic atmosphere between existing and future uses. The addition of new residents to the area will energize the area and the building orientation in relationship to the street will encourage a more active street. Lastly, it is estimated that the project would generate 45 new jobs (Based on the formula used by the City of Los Angeles). PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW AND ACTION: The Planning Commission held a public hearing regarding this matter on September 27, 2011. The Planning Commission was supportive of the project. They discussed that the proposed project was a good way to redevelop the site, provide additional housing opportunities and bring more residents to the City that will support the existing and future commercial/retail uses within the City. Commissioner Carrico expressed concern regarding the reduced amount of parking but thought the benefits of the project would outweigh that potential issue. Commissioner Stewart indicated that well-designed mixed-use projects have proven to be successful in other cities. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Commission voted 4-0 (Commissioner Holtz absent) to approve the precise plan, and tentative tract map as well as to recommend approval of the General Plan amendment, zone change, and Mitigated Negative Declaration to the City Council. In approving the project, the primary reasons cited by the Planning Commission included improvement to the area and the addition of well designed and attractive buildings that would be an asset to the surrounding community and could stimulate further development. The Commission therefore acted to approve the proposal. FISCAL IMPACT: The project is estimated to generate $855,978 in property taxes and $36,000 in sales tax. It is also anticipated that the new retail/restaurant component of the project would generate an estimated annual business license tax of $2,685 (based on five new retail stores and one new restaurant). _______________________________ _______________________________________ Prepared by: Fabiola Wong Reviewed/Approved by: Jeff Anderson Senior Planner Planning Director Attachments: Attachment 1 – Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact Resolution Attachment 2 - Draft General Plan Amendment Resolution for Approval Attachment 3 - Proposed General Plan Land Use Element Goals and Policies Attachment 4 – Draft Zone Change Ordinance for Approval Attachment 5 – Assessment of Consistency with City’s General Plan Attachment 6 – Planning Commission Staff Report dated September 27, 2011 Attachment 7 – Planning Commission Minutes dated September 27, 2010 Attachment 8 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 11-5440, Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact Attachment 9 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 11-5441, General Plan Amendment No. 11-02 Attachment 10 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 11-5442, Zone Change No. 10-02 Attachment 11 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 11-5443, Precise Plan No. 11-05 Attachment 12 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 11-5444, Tentative Tract Map No. 71644