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Home My WebLink About020507 PH Amend Condominium Develop 320 W 4th St Urban WestREQUEST FOR AGENCY/ COUNCIL ACTION MEETING DATE: FEBRUARY 5, 2007 rlafilcn 4. -r� Maw A*aTlkr rr otwy -%. AI vaNez, a.rld 8+- �.stayrt� -vi;� D C to m► eij7) ab p f) TITLE: PUBLIC HEARING - AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 2006 -04 TO ALLOW A ZONE CHANGE FROM C3 -A TO SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT ZONE NO. 80, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2006 -14, SITE PLAN REVIEW NO. 2006 -07 AND IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT TO ALLOW MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WITH FIVE CONDOMINIUM UNITS AND GROUND FLOOR RETAIL LOCATED AT 320 WEST FOURTH STR T - WEST +,, RATE ES, APPLICANT Ck CI Y MANAGER EXECUTIVE DI ECTOR RECOMMENDED ACTION CITY COUNCIL ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: 021000wo, ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1st Reading ❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER 1. Approve and adopt the amended Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Program, Environmental Review No. 2004 -234. 2. Adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application No. 2006 -04. 3. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2006 -07. 4. Adopt a resolution approving Conditional Use Permit No. 2006 -14 as conditioned. COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ACTION Direct the Agency General Counsel to prepare and authorize the Executive Director and the Secretary to execute a First Implementation Agreement. Planning Commission Action On September 25, 2006, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Program, Environmental Review No. 2004 -234; adopt an ordinance approving Amendment Application No. 2006 -04; adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2006 -07; and adopt a resolution approving Conditional Use Permit No. 2006 -14 as conditioned by a vote of 7:0 to allow a zone change from Central Business Artists Village (C3 -A) cc Specific Development Zone No. 80 and to allow mixed use development with five condominium units and ground floor retail at 320 West Fourth .a West End Lofts February 5, 2007 Page 2 Street. The item was scheduled for the October 16, 2006 City Council meeting, but was continued at the request of staff. A neighboring property owner expressed concern over potential impacts to adjacent historic buildings due to future construction activities related to this project, as well as concerns regarding possible aesthetic impacts. The applicant agreed to pursue additional professional studies to investigate any potential impacts. No additional impacts were found. These studies were included in the Mitigated Negative Declaration, and this environmental document was re- circulated for public comment. On January 22, 2007, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve and adopt the amended Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Program, and Environmental Review No. 2004 -234 by a vote of 5:0 (Gartner absent)(Exhibit A). DISCUSSION Background and Project Description The subject property is located at 320 West Fourth Street (Exhibit A -1) in the Central Business Artists Village (C3 -A) zoning district, and has a General Plan land use designation of District Center (DC), and is located within the Downtown Historic National Register District. Surrounding land uses include historic commercial buildings to the east (Semi- Tropic Hotel), west (West End Theater), and south (American Legion Hall) (Exhibits A -2 and A -3), as well as the Ronald Reagan Federal Building to the north. An alley runs directly behind the property in an east /west configuration. The proposed project consists of the construction of a new 16,000 square foot mixed -use building with 1,189 square feet of retail on the first floor, 3,544 of basement that includes parking and storage, as well as five residential units occupying the remaining upper floors, on a 4,000 square foot lot. Parking will be provided in a garage using a mechanical parking lift. The application includes a request for a zone change to create a Specific Development zone with development standards for the proposed project. In addition, an original Disposition and Development Agreement dated November 15, 1983, allowed for an approximately 12,000 square foot, three level building. Office /retail was proposed on the above ground levels and the basement was to be used for storage. The first implementation agreement would revise the scope of development to allow for the above mixed -use project. 4 -2 West End Lofts February 5, 2007 Page 3 Analysis of the Issues This project, though small in size, presents a number of complex issues due to its location on a small infill lot within a National Register Historic District with limited site access in an area that is completely built out. The following analysis highlights the policy issues that were considered during the review of this project. The project was also the subject of several study sessions, most recently with the Historic Resources Commission on September 7, 2006 and subsequently with the Planning Commission on September 11, 2006. The questions raised at these meetings have been addressed through the final design and recommendation of approval for the project. T,anci TT-,P The property is currently zoned C3 -A. This zoning designation allows commercial uses by right and live /work communities subject to the approval of a conditional use permit. The proposed mixed -use project includes a commercial component on the ground floor and residential units above. The residential units, while they may be used in a live /work manner, are not designed to the standards for live /work communities contained within the C3 -A zone. In addition, the property is within the boundaries of the Santa Ana Renaissance Specific Plan study area and, as such, it is anticipated that its zoning will change with the ultimate adoption of the Specific Plan. That being the case, staff believes that the best way to provide a regulatory framework for this project in the interim is to create a Specific Development zone that would address the unique circumstances of the proposed project rather than amending the larger C3 -A zone (Exhibit B). Parking and Site Access Parking will be provided at a comparable amount to that of existing multi - family residential code requirements of one space per bedroom. Since the proposed units have open floor plans, it is proposed to impose the following parking requirements: • One parking space for each unit with a size of 1,600 gross square feet or less of residential area per unit. Two parking spaces for each unit with a size of 1,601 gross square feet up to 3,200 gross square feet of residential area per unit. 4 -3 West End Lofts February S, 2007 Page 4 • Three parking spaces for each unit with a size of 3,201 and larger gross square feet of residential area per unit. This creates a total requirement of eight parking spaces for the project. The parking for the commercial (ground floor) component of the building, as well as any guest parking, would be served by existing street parking and public parking structures. The applicant proposes to supply these eight parking spaces via a stacking parking lift accessed from the rear alley. It has been determined through a study by Kaku and Associates that alley access is a viable solution for this infill project. The parking lift will have assigned spaces per residential unit, and Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC &Rs) will be in place to educate prospective owners as to any property constraints (Exhibit C). Architecture and Historic Compatibility The proposed building will be designed in a modern architectural style with design details and use of building materials to tie it into the existing fabric of the Historic District, while at the same time providing a strong counterpoint to the historic architecture surrounding it (Exhibit D). The building will feature a shopfront glass facade at the ground level accented with metal canopies over the retail /gallery entry doors. The front facade of the building for the upper residential floors include large roll -up windows clear non - reflective glass. Stone veneer will clad the facade on the bottom three floors in order to tie in to create a feel of permanence and natural materials found in the historic fabric of the block. Through a study performed by an architectural historian, Kaplan Chen Kaplan (Exhibit E), and review by the Historic Resources Commission, it has been determined that the juxtaposition of contemporary style architecture and eclectic historic commercial architecture meets the Secretary of the Interior's Standards as it relates to infill development. Additionally, the Downtown National Register District includes buildings in a variety of heights ranging from single story to six stories. Based on this information and analysis, staff believes that the proposed structure is compatible with the massing and scale of other buildings in the district. 4 -4 West End Lofts February 5, 2007 Page 5 Historic Ghost Billboard The project site is located on a lot that has been vacant since 1978. The site has been occupied by a variety of one and two -story buildings over time, with a fire and subsequent demolition, of a commercial building in 1978. The site was cleared and the existing basement was excavated. During the demolition, a "ghost billboard" was uncovered on the adjacent Semi Tropic Hotel building directly to the east (Exhibit A- 7). This sign is a remnant of billboard advertising painted directly on the building's party wall. While not individually listed on the Santa Ana Register of Historical Properties, it has been determined through a study by a qualified architectural historian that the ghost sign is eligible for listing in the California State Historical Register, thereby rendering it worthy of preservation. Additionally, the Historic Resources Commission had the opportunity to review and comment regarding this project at its September 7, 2006 meeting. The applicant proposes to highlight this ghost sign by creating a courtyard next to the adjacent Semi - Tropic Hotel building. This will be accomplished through a 30 -foot setback of the proposed building for a width of approximately 15 feet. This courtyard will be gated, and will highlight the public view of the historic ghost sign through landscaping, a water feature, and an interpretive sign with photos of the sign in its entirety. Additionally, the sign will be fully documented through the completion of a Historic American Building Survey (HABS) This survey includes large format pictorial documentation, as well as historical documentation and drawings. Summary and Conclusion Based upon the analysis detailed above, it is recommended that the City Council approve Amendment Application No. 2006 -04, approve and adopt the amended Mitigated Negative Declaration for Environmental Review No. 2004- 234, Site Plan Review No. 2006 -07 and Conditional Use Permit No. 2006 -14. CEQA COMPLIANCE In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, a Mitigated Negative Declaration Environmental Review No. 2004 -234 has been prepared for this project (Exhibit A -4). 4 -5 West End Lofts February 5, 2007 Page 6 FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. J Ja M. Trevino cutive Director Planning and Building Agency f (azt, 6a Nancy T. dwards Assistan Director Community Development Agency HS:rb hS \West End Lofts \a 06 -04 SPR06 -09 CO 06- 14.cc- agency I e REQUEST FOR COUNCIL /AGENCY ACTION FEBRUARY 5, 2007 PUBLIC HEARING — AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO. 2006 -04 TO ALLOW A ZONE CHANGE FROM C3 -A TO SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT ZONE NO. 809 CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2006 -149 SITE PLAN REVIEW NO. 2006 -07 AND IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT TO ALLOW MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WITH FIVE CONDOMINIUM UNITS AND GROUND FLOOR RETAIL LOCATED AT 320 WEST FOURTH STREET — URBAN +WEST +STRATEGIES, APPLICANT For Exhibits, please refer to the City Council and Community Redevelopment Agency Joint Session Agenda Item #80.A 4 -7 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK. sm