31B - VARIANCE - 2702 N BRISTOL ST

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Variance No. 2012-07 September 24, 2012 Page 2 A contemporary architectural design has been proposed by the developer. The building will incorporate relief in the massing through the use of different building volumes and materials. Exterior materials such as cedar wood siding, smooth trowel stucco, stone veneer and dark bronze aluminum windows will be utilized on the structure. Access to the project site will be provided from both Bristol Street and Memory Lane. The parking requirement for a bank use is 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet of building (Section 41-1348). A total of 24 parking spaces will be provided on-site, which is in compliance with code requirements (Exhibits 3, 4 and 5). Proiect Background The project site is currently vacant, but was previously occupied by a service station use from the early 1960's until 1998. In late 1998, the necessary permits were issued to demolish the service station facility. In 1999, plans were submitted to construct a new service station on the property, with the City approving a zone change to redesignate the property from Specific Development No. 27 (SD-27), which allowed the development of apartments, to Community Commercial (C-1). Although the necessary entitlements were granted for this new service station, permits were never issued, and the site has remained vacant. General Plan and Zonina Analvsis The General Plan land use designation for the site is General Commercial (GC), which allows for retail, office and commercial uses such as banks. General Commercial districts are primarily located on commercial corridors and major arterial roadways in the City. They provide accessible commercial development along City arterials as well as provide support facilities and services, including banks and financial institutions. The site is consistent with this General Plan land use designation. The subject site is located in the Community Commercial (C-1) zoning district. The C-1 district is a zoning designation that allows for retail, commercial and office uses such as a bank or other financial institution. The proposed project is consistent with the C-1 zoning designation. Proiect Analysis Regarding this project, Sections 41-368, 41-369 and 41-372 (a) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) states that buildings in the C1 zone requires a 15 foot front and side yard landscaped setback if the yard abuts a public street, as it does in this case along both Bristol Street and Memory Lane. As proposed, the building will have a five foot setback along Bristol Street (after an eight foot dedication for street widening purposes) and an eight foot setback along Memory Lane. The applicant is requesting approval to allow the reduced setback to remain as proposed, which would require the approval of a variance from the code discussed above. 31 B-4