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HomeMy WebLinkAbout31B - VARIANCE - 1500 E WARNER AVEREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: DECEMBER 3, 2012 TITLE: VARIANCE NO. 2012-09 TO ALLOW A MONUMENT SIGN TO EXCEED THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WIDTH AND SIGN AREA AT THE BROOKHOLLOW OFFICE PARK LOCATED AT 1500 EAST WARNER AVENUE - BROOKHOLLOW OFFICE PARK ASSOCIATION, APPLICANT CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ? As Recommended ? As Amended ? Ordinance on 1" Reading ? Ordinance on 2nd Reading ? Implementing Resolution ? Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Receive and file the staff report approving Variance No. 2012-09 as conditioned. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION On November 13, 2012, the Planning Commission adopted a resolution approving Variance No. 2012-09 as conditioned by a vote of 5:0 (Acosta absent) to allow a monument sign to exceed the maximum allowable height, width and area at 1500 East Warner Avenue, located in the Specific Development No. 8 (SD8) zoning district. The Planning Commission made no changes to the recommended conditions of approval outlined in the attached staff report (Exhibit A). FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Ja ' . Trevino Executive Director Planning & Building Agency VF:rb vflreports\Vas\VA12-09 Brookhollow sign.cc Exhibit: A. Planning Commission Staff Report 31 B-1 31 B-2 REQUEST FOR Planning Commission Action PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 13, 2012 TITLE: PUBLIC HEARING - VARIANCE NO. 2012-09 TO ALLOW A MONUMENT SIGN TO EXCEED THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WIDTH AND SIGN AREA AT THE BROOKHOLLOW OFFICE PARK LOCATED AT 1500 EAST WARNER AVENUE Prepared by Vince Fregoso PLANNING COMMISSION SECRETARY APPROVED O As Recommended O As Amended O Set Public Hearing For DENIED 13 Applicant's Request ? Staff Recommendation CONTINUED TO Executive Director Planning Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION Adopt a resolution approving Variance No. 2012-09 as conditioned. DISCUSSION Request of the Applicant Shlrin Zarkesh, representing the Brookhollow Office Park Association, is requesting approval of a variance to allow a monument sign to exceed the maximum allowable height, width and area. Specifically, Section 41-862(c)(3) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) allows parcels that are larger than 15 acres to have one monument signs that is a maximum of 15 feet in height, 10 feet in width and sign area that is a maximum of 60 square feet. Protect Location and Site Description The Brookhollow Office Park, located at the southeast corner of Warner and Grand Avenues, is a 35-acre development that consists of 24 parcels and eight common area lots. A total of 24 one and two-story buildings are located within the office park that encompass approximately 399,516 square feet of floor area. The office park is governed by Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's) that are controlled by a Master Association. The southern three-acre section of the office park is currently vacant but was entitled in 2006 to allow for retail and restaurant uses. Surrounding land uses include both industrial and commercial development to the north, commercial uses and the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway to the south, office uses and the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway to the east, and a Southern California Edison distribution station, industrial and hotel/motel uses across Grand Avenue to the west (Exhibits 1 and 2). EXHIBIT A 31 B-3 Variance No. 2012-09 November 13, 2012 Page 2 Protect Descrintion The proposed project consists of the installation of a monument sign along the east property line of the development that fronts the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway. The sign is proposed to be located between the retail building at 1554 East Warner Avenue (Brookhollow Drive) and the two-story office building at 1560 East Warner Avenue (Brookhollow Drive). The sign is proposed to be 26 feet in height, 14 feet 4 inches in width and contain a sign area of 171 square feet. The signs will incorporate Brookhollow's trademarked web address on the structural support column and contain panels for six major tenants. The web address will consist of reverse pan channel letters with halo illumination. The tenant panels will be routed out push through letters with internal illumination. The sign will incorporate a legerstone veneer that will be incorporated into the existing monument signs within the Brookhollow Office Park (Exhibits 3, 4 and 5). Project Background In May 1977, the City Council approved a rezoning of the subject property from Industrial to Specific Development No. 8 (SD-8) to allow the construction of the Brookhollow Office Park. Shortly thereafter, the first of the 24 buildings were constructed, with construction completed by 1985. The site's zoning was changed due to the mixture of uses (retail, office and warehouse) proposed for the site. In 1989, 2004 and 2006, the SD was revised to address new uses and modify development standards in place at the office park. In 2005 and 2007, subdivision maps were approved to allow the creation of 15 separate parcels at the office park. General Plan and Zonina Analysis The General Plan land use designation for the site is Professional and Administrative Office (PAO), which allows for office development sites such as Brookhollow Office Park and ancillary signage for permitted developments. Professional and Administrative Office areas are designed to serve as anchors for the City's office uses. The project site and signage proposal is consistent with this General Plan land use designation. The zoning for the site is Specific Development District No. 8 (Brookhollow Office Park). The SD-8 designation is a mixed-use zone that allows office, restaurant, retail, hotel and industrial land uses. The zoning also permits signage that supports uses permitted in the SD No. 8 district. Therefore, the proposed use is also consistent with the zoning designation. Prolect Analysis Variance requests are governed by Section 41-638 of the SAMC. Variance requests may be granted when it can be shown that the following can be established: That there exists a special circumstance related to the property, such as size, shape, topography, location or surroundings. 31 B-4 Variance No. 2012-09 November 13, 2012 Page 3 • That the granting of the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of substantial property rights. • That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public or surrounding property • That the granting of the variance will not adversely affect the General Plan. If these findings can be made, then it is appropriate to grant the variance. Conversely, the inability to make these findings would result in a denial. Using this information, staff has prepared the following analysis, which forms the basis for the recommendation contained in this report. Regarding this project, Section 41-862(c)(3) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) states that no monument sign, if located on a parcel of land that is over 15 acres in size, shall be taller than 15 feet, wider than 10 feet and have a sign area greater than 60 square feet. As the applicant is proposing to install a larger monument sign, a variance needs to be approved. In analyzing the variance request staff believes that the following findings of fact warrant approval of the variance. • The project site has a special circumstance related to its size, shape and location. The Brookhollow Office Park is a triangular shaped parcel of land located in a highly urbanized setting that is immediately adjacent to the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway. Immediately surrounding the office park are several large single-tenant buildings that have visibility from the SR-55 Freeway. Since the Brookhollow Office Park has approximately 100 tenants with little or no visibility to the freeway, the location and placement of these buildings makes it difficult to identify the tenants. In order to allow the major tenants to be distinguished from the other adjacent structures, signage that is visible from the SR-55 Freeway is necessary. The current limitation restricting the largest monument signage to a maximum of 15 feet in height and 60 square feet in size is not adequate given the developments location adjacent to a freeway. The granting of the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of substantial property rights. The larger monument sign will allow the office park the ability to adequately identify the major tenants within the project. Further, allowing the larger signage will allow the Brookhollow Office Park to be competitive with similar uses in the area. The signage will be consistent with Policy 2.2 of the Land Use Element, which supports commercial uses to accommodate the City's needs for services. • The granting of the variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to surrounding property as the remaining signage will be in compliance with all aspects of the Specific Development No. 8 (SD-8) zoning district. In addition, the proposed signage will not generate any operational impacts that will adversely affect surrounding properties nor distract vehicles travelling on the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway. Finally, the signage will be designed to comply with the provision of the California Building Standards Code. 31 B-5 Variance No. 2012-09 November 13, 2012 Page 4 • Finally, the granting of the variance will not adversely affect the General Plan of the City since the proposed signage was designed to be in conformance with the City's General Plan goals and policies. For example, the signage is consistent with Goal 2 to promote uses that enhance the City's economic and fiscal viability, and Goal 4, which encourages development that protects and enhances sites and districts which are unique community assets that enhance the quality of life. Public Notification The project site is not located within the boundaries of an organized neighborhood, but is located within the Brookhoilow Office Park Association. The president of this Association was notified by mail 10 days prior to this public hearing and was contacted to ensure that they were notified of the project and to see if there were any areas of concern. No areas of concern were identified by the Association nor was there a request that the applicant present the project to a meeting of their members. The project site was posted with a notice advertising this public hearing, a notice was published in the Orange County Reporter and notices were sent to all property owners within 500 feet of the project site. At the time of this printing, no correspondence, either written or electronic, had been received from any members of the public. CEQA Analysis In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act the recommended action is exempt for further review per Section 15301. The Class 1 exemption allows the construction of minor projects with no expansion of the existing use. Categorical Exemption Environmental Review No. 2011-58 will be filed for this project. Conclusion Based on the analysis provided within this report, staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve Variance No. 2012-09 as conditioned. Vince Fregos , AICP Principal Planner VF:jm Oreportsfts\VA12-09 Brookholiow sign. 11 1312.pc Attachments: Exhibit 1 - I Vicinity Map Exhibit 2 - Land Use Map Exhibit 3 - Site Plan Exhibit 4 - Signage Plans 31 B-6 Rt M1 SD-69 Ml R1 p jRl ? 1 ? a?•oavR Ml Ml ae t? Ml SD-69 iii M1 1 RI RI Rt RI SD-69k% M1 LL- ' Ml F• Rl ? M1 .? M1 M1 c RI RI Ml ml PM)m L R7 , ww.orod /I- gm -? Ml W WiS2 AiC R2 is• !I City of T-lln R2 I o // r RZ 1%011 I/ U R2 M7 Mt - ii $0-8 it ml iCtr - t ? Il ?t c1 R2 I ???? iii LE:jj:U SD-12 I !?I Ml R2? 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Gri fT.,Cn ( I ( I f w _! { SUBJECT SITE ;' - I .. ?n j Of f ICE ?i t 1 ' ' v h 0 QJ? Z VACANT l7 VA 2012-9 ?_ Le BROOKHOLLOW OFFICE PARK SIGN VARIANCE 1 S00 EAST WARNER AVE. P L A N N I N G A N D B U I L Dl N G A G E N C Y EXHIBIT 2 31 B-8 s c?3 ., I C!7 CI fl ? fl ?( N U Q O O ?y O id N f?1 !! itA ry } 1 Iw- I i l-- I Iw- I hw-' 11'w- I Y I:"ati?oTto}"hoox® Am" i O ,•, et 1 i ' r f j N 1713 6 2 rn ut TO O y c a?i oz 'p N G 1 p? ,•as Nrn _. 0.N a? 'fik f 3 km% 90 0 ?o N J m •N ? d?9 O,a 7b C'0 b 0 M.N ® p 00 ® ? i? 3nN3AV ONVUE) BIT 3 I ? I 0 D CI V) O ./ 1 C} ?, ? 'L1 i o ? Q O•q a O Ct ? B at H 21QllOttq}I3tlQOH,fl fil •y 1 1'zL h 00 I V { • F .Y 0."I ?? iI N V C31 in a 1J I C .C C N _1C t E O n ?7) % Coco I C) O (] ?yl?wn m to C" wow? o? ° r ro-? mz Z Q PMZ OLU 1-or wO oatw v> > y s oz<_, ?g? a Y quo 3 S o n ((t woo '-r O zUoOQID 0LLJCj U ZLIJDWT -j wwwaw pow r°-1 hTi.??Z 1--I--I- f- t.? 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S N W Y ¢U LL?OW F l7 gNg 7 N -1 'Lill r -s } „Q •l ,R -1 T N to ? r r r r I ? 1 1 ? I T? d N V r? _ j 1= zi rnollommoa o o? ? }qty V ? ? f ? Q 1 I ?- r 1 { `/ 1 " 1 I ' • 1 F,• 1 1 . 1 6 f W-' AA • ?R I "L #1. I t p7?- i V ?? • $$ I Q' Cl Ow< U) W W-Jo qqq ?)/l? ^? }( I 11 11 II l!1 - zQ? ? i?? ?a Ch at I ? [[ LLI ll! o fl IZoox s 1. v LLK U r ? M N o ,? a A ,f. •? .. 3 a 3 %J I Li I A. ROH - 11/13/12 RESOLUTION NO. 2012-14 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING VARIANCE NO. 2012-09 AS CONDITIONED TO ALLOW A MONUMENT SIGN TO EXCEED THE ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WIDTH AND SIGN AREA AT THE BROOKHOLLOW OFFICE PARK LOCATED AT 1500 EAST WARNER AVENUE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines and declares as follows: A. Applicant is requesting approval of Variance 2012-09, to allow a monument sign to exceed the maximum allowable height, width and sign area at the Brookhollow Office Park located at 1500 East Warner Avenue. B. Variance No. 2012-09 came before the Planning Commission on November 13, 2012, for a duly noticed public hearing. C. Section 41-862(c)(3) of the Santa Ana Municipal Code allows parcels that are larger than 15 acres to have one monument sign that is a maximum of 15 feet in height, 10 feet in width and sign area that is a maximum of 60 square feet. The Brookhollow Office Park is a 35 acre development. The sign is proposed to be 26 feet in height, 14 feet 4 inches in width and contain a sign area of 171 square feet. D. The Planning Commission determines that for Variance No. 2012-09, the following findings, which must be established pursuant to Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 41-638 in order to grant a variance from the provisions of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, have been established: That because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location, or surroundings, the strict application of the zoning ordinance is found to deprive the subject property of privileges not otherwise at variance with the intent and purpose of the provisions of this chapter. The project site has a special circumstance related to its size, shape and location. The Brookhollow Office Park is a triangular shaped parcel of land located in a highly urbanized setting that is adjacent to the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway. Immediately surrounding the office park are several large Resolution No. 2012-14 31 B-13 Page 1 of 4 single-tenant buildings that have visibility from the SR-55 Freeway. Since the Brookhollow Office Park has approximately 100 tenants with little or no visibility to the freeway, the location and placement of these buildings makes it difficult to identify the tenants. In order to allow the major tenants to be distinguished from the other adjacent structures, signage that is visible from the SR-55 Freeway is necessary. The current limitation restricting the largest monument signage to a maximum of 10 feet in height and 60 square feet in size is not adequate given the developments location adjacent to a freeway. 2. That the granting of a variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of one or more substantial property rights. The granting of the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of substantial property rights. The larger monument sign will allow the office park the ability to adequately identify the major tenants within the project. Further, allowing the larger signage will allow the Brookhollow Office Park to be competitive with similar uses in the area. The signage will be consistent with Policy 2.2 of the Land Use Element, which supports commercial uses to accommodate the City's needs for services. 3. That the granting of a variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to surrounding property. The granting of the variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to surrounding property as the remaining signage will be in compliance with all aspects of the Specific Development No. 8 (SD-8) zoning district. In addition, the proposed signage will not generate any operational impacts that will adversely affect surrounding properties nor distract vehicles travelling on the Costa Mesa (SR-55) Freeway. Finally, the signage will be designed to comply with the provision of the California Building Standards Code. 4. That the granting of a variance will not adversely affect the General Plan of the City. Finally, the granting of the variance will not adversely affect the General Plan of the City since the proposed signage was designed to be in conformance with the City's General Plan goals and policies. For example, the signage is consistent with Goal 2 to promote uses that enhance the City's Resolution No. 2012-14 31 B-14 Page 2 of 4 economic and fiscal viability, and Goal 4, which encourages development that protects and enhances sites and districts that are unique community assets that enhance the quality of life. E. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act the recommended action is exempt for further review per Section 15301. The Class 1 exemption allows the construction of minor projects with no expansion of the existing use. Categorical Exemption Environmental Review No. 2011-58 will be filed for this project. Section 2. The Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana, after conducting the public hearing, hereby approves Variance No. 2012-09 as conditioned in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein as though fully set forth. This decision is based upon the evidence submitted at the abovesaid hearing, which includes, but is not limited to: the Staff reports and exhibits attached thereto; and, the public testimony, all of which are incorporated herein by this reference. ADOPTED this 13th day of November, 2012, by the following vote: AYES: Commissioners: Alderete, Gartner, Mill, Nalle, Yrarrazaval (5) NOES: Commissioners ABSENT: Commissioners ABSTENTIONS: Commissioners None (0) Acosta (1) None (0) Eric Alderete Chairman APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney By: Ryan O. Hodge Assistant City Attorney 31 B-15 Resolution No. 2012-14 Page 3 of 4 CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARTHA RAMIREZ, Clerk of the Planning Commission, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2012-14 to be the original resolution adopted by the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Ana on November 13, 2012. Date: Clerk of the Planning Commission City of Santa Ana Resolution No. 2012-14 31 B-16 Page 4of4 Conditions for Approval for Variance No. 2012-09 Should the Planning Commission approve Variance No. 2012-09, the approval is subject to compliance, to the reasonable satisfaction of the Planning Manager, with all applicable sections of the Santa Ana Municipal Code, the California Administrative Code, the California Building Standards Code and all other applicable regulations. The applicant must comply in full with each and every condition listed below prior to exercising the rights conferred by this variance. The applicant must remain in compliance with all conditions listed below throughout the life of the variance. Failure to comply with each and every condition may result in the revocation of the variance. A. Planning Division 1. All proposed improvements must conform to the Site Plan Review approval of DP No. 2011-23 and the staff report exhibits. 2. Any amendment to this variance must be submitted to the Planning Division for review. At that time, staff will determine if administrative relief is available or the variance must be amended. 3. All monument signs within the Brookhollow Office Park shall be remodeled to be consistent in design and materials. Exhibit "A" 31 B-17 31 B-18