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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1984/03/22 Item 4a COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT Item4, 4a Meeting Date 3/x$/84 ITEM TITLE: Public Hearing: PCM-80-13-A - Consideration of an amendment to the Rice Canyon SPA to allow the use of commercial property for residential purposes - Financial Scene Inc. and Terra Nova Corp. a. Resolution /4578 Approving residential use of lot 331 of Hidden Vista Village SUBMITTED BY: Planning Director ����;; (4/5ths Vote: Yes No X ) . REVIEWED BY: City Manager J/11 \wv?, This item involves a request to amend the approved Rice Canyon Sectional Planning Area (SPA) Plan of the El Rancho Del Rey Specific Plan in order to be allowed to use approximately 3.4 acres of property (Lot 331 Hidden Vista Village Subdivision) designated for commercial recreation use for residential purposes. The Environmental Impact Report, EIR-79-8, for the Hidden Vista Village development was previously certified by the Planning Commission and City Council . On February 2, 1984, the Environmental Review Coordinator found that the information contained in EIR-79-8 was adequate for the proposed project and satisfied CEQA review requirements and recommended that the EIR be recertified with the notation that the information contained therein was considered in reaching a decision on the project. RECOMMENDATION: That Council recertify EIR-79-8 and concur with Planning Commission recommendation including the authorization of the Design Review Committee to approve the site plan and architectural proposals for Lots 331 and 332. BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: On February 22, 1984, the Planning Commission by a vote of 5-0 with two absent recommended that Council approve the residential use of lot 331 of Hidden Vista Village in accordance with Resolution PCM-80-13-A. DISCUSSION: Approved SPA Plan In 1980 the City Council approved the Sectional Planning Area (SPA) Plan for the Rice Canyon area of the El Rancho Del Rey (ERDR) Specific Plan as well as the tentative subdivision map (Hidden Vista Village) covering the entire 450 acres. Under the provisions of the ERDR Specific Plan text, the City also approved the residential development of areas designated for commercial/ /�/rs73 Page 2, Item 4, 4a Meeting Date 3/20/84 recreation along the south side of East "H" Street with the exception of Lot 331 which was to be developed with a recreation building, tennis courts, swimming pool , and parking for approximately 60 cars. Lot 330 (immediately east of Lot 331 ) was approved for 140 apartment/ condominium units. Lot 332 (immediately to the west) was originally to be developed with 232 units of Section 8 housing, but since the time of approval , the Section 8 housing program has been discontinued by the Federal Government. In October 1983 the City Council approved the land use to provide for the development of 232 units on Lot 332. Proposed Amendment The applicant is now requesting that Lot 331 also be allowed to be developed residentially and is proposing to develop a 150-unit senior housing project adjacent to the commercial retail area along "H" Street. Rather than locate the senior project between the two apartment projects, the applicant wishes to develop the westerly 3+ acres of Lot 332 with the senior project and shift the low and moderate income project easterly. This would place the senior project adjacent to the proposed commercial area for convenient shopping and services. In addition the change in land use would allow the two apartment-type projects to be placed together shifting the senior project from the main access area. Approval of the senior housing project at the proposed location will require filing an adjustment plat or parcel map to relocate the common property line between lots 331 and 332. Plans for the 232-unit apartment project will be reviewed at the DRC meeting of 3/15/84 and verbal follow-up will be available for City Council . No definitive plans have been filed for the 150-unit senior project; however, staff has worked with developer on an overall site plan. ANALYSIS: The two major points of this request are: 1) changing the 3+ acre commercial/recreation use to a residential designation and (2) allowing the development of a 150-unit senior housing project. In the first instance, it is believed that the residential development of the property would better serve the community by providing additional housing opportunities. Commercial/recreation activities can be a viable land use serving the community when supported by proper market analyses. The original land use designation was proposed by a former property owner without benefit of any market study. The residential developments planned in this area of Chula Vista are, for the most part, self contained offering residents on-site recreational amenities. The deletion of the commercial/recreation land use appears to make more economic and planning sense in view of the emerging development patterns. In the case of the senior housing project, the City Council has expressed a desire to disperse these projects throughout the city rather than concentrate them in one area. Approval of this request will assist in fulfilling that goal . Normally, senior housing projects require Planning Commission and City Page 3, Item 4, 4a Meeting Date 3/20/84 Council approval through the conditional use permit process. In this instance, however, the applicant is seeking conceptual approval of the senior housing project. Since this request is subject to a public hearing, the public has the opportunity to speak on this issue and conditions of approval are being recommended which would make the permit process unnecessary. It is further recommended that the project design be subject to approval of the Design Review Committee which is also conducted as a public hearing. Another significant issue involves the total number of affordable units being proposed in the two projects. As indicated earlier, the original SPA plan approval included a commitment for the construction of 232 low-income units within the Rice Canyon SPA. The present developer of the apartment project has proposed that 20% of the 232 units (46 units) will be available for low income families as well as all 150 of the senior units (see attached Exhibit "A") . The 46 units combined with the 150 units of senior housing brings the commitment to a total of 196 units, or 36 units less than originally proposed. A meeting was held between the City's Housing Coordinator, the Planning Director, a representative of Financial Scenes and the developer of the 232-unit apartment project. As a result of that meeting, Financial Scene has agreed to make the commitment for the additional 24 low-income units in one of the future development phases. The adjacent condominium development planned for 140 units on the south side of "H" Street as well as the proposed 358 condominium units planned on the north side of "H" Street offer the best opportunity to fullfil the low-income commitment. FISCAL IMPACT: None WPC 0817P '"."-7(> - 1 by the City Council of ai4�G���+� China Vista, C Cf�tt , E�z Dated -- alted - , x // -79