HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2 - Staff Report DRC 13-26; PCC 14-023C H U L A VISTA
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Item• 2-
Meeting Date: 6/10/15
ITEM TITLE: A. Public Hearing: DRC- 13 -26; Design Review consideration of a 4- story,
30,121 sq. ft. Residence Inn by Marriott hotel with 148 guest rooms, and
associated recreation area on a 3.32 acre site located in the Otay Ranch
Freeway Commercial, Neighborhood PA -12, Planned Community District
(FC2) Freeway Commercial District 2 zone. Applicant: Baldwin & Sons,
LLC.
Resolution of the City of Chula Vista Planning Commission approving a
Design Review Pennit, DRC -13 -26 to construct a 4- story, 30,121 sq. ft.
Residence Inn by Marriott hotel with 148 guest rooms, and associated
recreation area on a 3.32 acre site located in the Otay Ranch Freeway
Commercial, Neighborhood PA -12.
B. Public Hearing: PCC -14 -023; Consideration of a Conditional Use
Permit to deviate from the maximum building height of 35 -ft. to allow a
58 -ft. building for the Residence Inn by Marriott hotel on a 3.32 acre site
located in the Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial, Neighborhood PA -12,
Planned Community District (FC2) Freeway Commercial District 2 zone.
Applicant: Baldwin & Sons, LLC.
Resolution of the City of Chula Vista Planning Commission approving a
Conditional Use Pennit, to deviate from the maximum building height of
35 -ft. to allow a 58 -ft. building for the Residence Inn by Marriott hotel on
a 3.32 acre site located in the Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial,
Neighborhood PA -12, Planned Community District (FC2) Freeway
Commercial District 2 zone.
SUBMITTED BY: Caroline Young, Associate Planner
REVIEWED BY: Kelly Broughton, Director of Development Services
INTRODUCTION
The Applicant has submitted a Design Review and Conditional Use Permit application for
approval of a 4- story, 30,121 sq. ft. Residence Inn by Marriott hotel. The project includes 148
guest rooms with associated recreation area on a 3.32 acre site. The site is vacant and located
within the Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial, Neighborhood PA -12 (see Locator Map,
Attachment 1).
DRC -13 - 26 /PCC -14 -023
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Page No. 2
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project was
adequately covered in previously adopted Final EIR (EIR- 02 -04), for the Otay Ranch Freeway
Commercial (SPA) Plan, and therefore no further environmental review or documentation is
required.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Planning Commission adopt the Resolutions approving the proposed project, based on
the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein.
DISCUSSION:
Project Site Characteristics:
The 3.32 -acre project site is located in the northwestern portion of the Otay Ranch Freeway
Commercial Neighborhood PA -12, on a vacant parcel south of Olympic Parkway and west of
Town Center Drive. Neighborhood PA -12 is bordered on the north, south, and east by
commercial retail, and SR 125 to the west (Attachment 1, Locator Map).
Summary of Surrounding Land Uses
General Plan Zoning
Site: Freeway Commercial
Planned Community
South: Freeway Commercial
Planned Community
North: Commercial Retail
Planned Community
East: Freeway Coml.
Planned Community
West: Res. Low Medium
Planned Community
Project Description
Current Land Use
Vacant
Vacant
Commercial Retail
Vacant
SR 125 /Single - Family Homes
The overall proposal consists of a 4- story, 30,121 sq. ft. Residence Inn by Marriott hotel with
148 guest rooms, with associated recreation area on a 3.32 acre site located in the Otay Ranch
Freeway Commercial, Neighborhood PA -12. The building will be 58 -ft. in height.
The first floor consists of the main entrance, lobby, buffet area, guest rooms, and an 824 square
foot meeting room. The rest of the hotel floor area consists primarily of remaining guest rooms.
The guest rooms include 108 - studio bedrooms, 32 -one bedroom, and 8 -two bedrooms. The
proposed floor plans for all rooms include: a living room, full kitchen and dining room, restroom,
and a bed. For the one and two bedroom room units, a separate bedroom area is provided.
The proposed California style architecture incorporates colored stucco, tiled roofs, wrought iron
accents, decorative tile, and arched openings. Required parking is provided onsite with 157
parking spaces (see Attachment 5, Project Plans).
DRC- 13- 26 /PCC -14 -023 Page No. 3
Onsite amenities include several open space areas throughout the project site consisting of a
passive open space area in between buildings, an outdoor patio and pool area, and a sports court.
Vehicle and pedestrian accesses on and off the site is from Town Center Drive via a public
driveway. Pedestrian paths are located along Town Center Drive and along the perimeter of the
site.
Compliance with Development Standards
The following Project Data Table shows the development regulations along with the applicant's
proposal to meet said requirements:
Assessor's Parcel Number:
643 - 020 -88 -00
Current Zoning:
Planned Community, FC2
General Plan Designation:
Freeway Commercial
Lot Area:
3.32 acres
PARKING REQUIRED:
PARKING PROPOSED:
Parking spaces, broken down as follows:
1 space per unit plus 1 space for every 25
Standard parking= 152 spaces
rooms
Handicapped parking = 5 spaces
(148 units + 6 =154 spaces)
Total: 154 parking spaces
Total: 157 parking spaces
SETBACKS /HEIGHT REQUIRED:
SETBACKS /HEIGHT PROPOSED:
Front: Subject to Design Review
91 feet
Side: Subject to Design Review
56 & 395 feet
Rear: Subject to Design Review
59 feet
Bldg setback from Olympic Pkwy: 75 -11
127 feet
Height: 35 feet*
58 feet
* Increased height may be approved via a Conditional Use Permit and Design Review approval.
ANALYSIS:
Compliance with Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial Neighborhood PA -12 Design Plan
Site Planning/Building Massing and Scale /Building Details
The Freeway Commercial SPA Design Plan includes guidelines and policies for the commercial
site. The primary design influence is SR 125 and automobile oriented commercial center concept
as described in the Otay Ranch Development Plan. Policies relating to automotive orientated
design, building orientation, enhanced elevations and vehicular access are listed in each
document to implement the visions. The proposed building layout and design features meet the
intent of the Freeway Commercial SPA Design Plan as described below.
The land use pattern for the SPA is that of a large commercial use area surrounded by an
enhanced slope buffer and major circulation routes. The commercial uses were planned to
accommodate retailers that serve a regional market. The hotel use, as proposed, will serve a
regional market demand, in addition to the demand of visitors to the Chula Vista area. Currently,
DRC- 13- 26 /PCC -14 -023 Page No. 4
there are no hotels located in any of the City of Chula Vista's Planned Community areas. The
addition of a new hotel will meet the current demand.
In order to comply with the building siting polices and guidelines included in the Design Plan,
the building is visible from the perimeter arterial roadway and along the SR125 edge. The
building shall have a low pitched slopping roof, plain wall surfaces, simple tapered or straight
columns, parapet walls, use of arches, and courtyards. Building sizes consistent with commercial
retail uses shall incorporate these elements in order to reduce the scale and proportions of
building elements. Building scale should be compatible with the surroundings. The Project
includes these features such as low pitched slopping roofs, columns, use of arches, and
courtyards. Due to the adjacent SR 125 and large slopes surrounding the parcel on the west and
north, the building scale is compatible with the surrounding land uses on adjacent parcels.
Varying the height of a building so that it appears to be divided into distinct massing elements,
and /or articulating the building facade by horizontal and vertical offsets in wall planes can
reduce building bulk. The Project incorporates a variety of roof heights throughout the building
with tower elements, varying vertical offsets in wall planes, and low pitched roofs.
Textured and /or enhanced paving may be used to accent driveways and building entries or other
significant areas. Enhanced paving is provided at the entrance to the site in a turn- around area
and extends to the front entrance to the hotel.
Pedestrian routes and pedestrian orientated design features will be provided within the project
along the internal streets, extending from the project entries to major destinations within
commercial center. The Project provides a public driveway to Town Center Drive to link the
pedestrian route to future commercial sites on the adjacent lots as well as to the existing Otay
Ranch Town Center Shopping Center.
Architectural Theme
The Freeway Commercial SPA Design Plan identifies California Heritage architectural styles as
the design inspiration for the Freeway Commercial Center. The architecture of the proposed
hotel development is focused primarily on the California Heritage design theme. The proposed
California Heritage style architecture includes a light color (Alabaster) for the main portion of
the building, with a darker color (Dried Thyme), for accent walls. The building will also have
Spanish tile roof, low sloped roofs, decorative towers, arched openings and walkways, varying
building planes, decorative iron balcony railings, decorative trellis, in addition to accent colors
for the trim and door /window frame color.
Throughout Otay Ranch, enhanced elevations are required where developments are visible from
public rights -of -way as well as pedestrian areas. A variety of methods shall be used to provide
interest, including, but not limited to: articulation of wall planes; variation in heights,
fenestration and glass, architectural molding, color or material changes, graphic signing, and
other similar techniques, which are provided by this Project.
Enhanced elevations should include varying building elements, roof pitches, and setbacks to
avoid monotony. In addition, distinctive building elements shall be oriented toward highly
visible corners and front entrances of buildings. Street facing facades are required to incorporate
a range of scale - defining elements that relate larger building masses to the scale of the
pedestrian. Elements may include columns, archways, doorways, and upper floor balconies and
DRC -13 -26 /PCC -14 -023 Page No. 5
windows. The Project provides these features on all sides of the building in addition to
decorative iron screens, decorative non - occupiable oriels, painted trellis, and building offsets
were added throughout the exterior of the building to avoid a monotonous design. Tower
features have been placed at corners of the building.
Parkin
The Planned Community District (FC2) Freeway Commercial District 2 zone regulations require
1 space per unit plus 1 space for every 25 rooms for a hotel use. Therefore, the required parking
is 154 spaces. The project exceeds the required parking by three parking spaces and does not
propose any compact parking.
Conditional Use Pen-nit
In accordance with the Planned Community District (FC2) Freeway Commercial District 2 zone,
an increase in the building height can be approved via a Conditional Use Permit and Design
Review Permit. The additional building height will allow the Applicant to add a total of 148
hotel rooms and necessary amenities associated with a hotel. The additional height, bulk, mass
and proportion of a 4 -story building is compatible with the site, as well as in scale with the
existing and future structures on adjoining and surrounding properties in the area. The Otay
Ranch Town Center has building heights ranging from one to three stories. The proposed
building is located a significant distance away from adjacent buildings.
The surrounding area consists of the SR 125 to the west, one -story retail buildings to the north
across Olympic Parkway, and vacant properties to the east and south. The surrounding un-
development land may also be allowed to exceed the height limit of 35 -ft., if desired. Attachment
5, Project Plans, shows a future hotel site to the east that will also exceed the building height
limit, subject to a separate Design Review permit and Conditional Use permit. Therefore, the
additional height due to the location of the proposed building is found to be in scale with the
surrounding properties in the area.
CONCLUSION
The proposed Residence Inn by Marriott hotel is a permitted land use in the Otay Ranch GDP
and is permitted in the Planned Community District (FC2) Freeway Commercial District 2 zone
of the Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial SPA Plan. The proposal complies with the policies,
guidelines and design standards for the Otay Ranch Freeway Commercial Design Plan. The
height increase will allow for a viable four story hotel and will not be out of scale considering
future development in the area. Therefore, staff recommends the Planning Commission approve;
1) Design Review Permit, DRC- 13 -26, to construct a 4- story, 30,121 sq. ft. Residence Inn by
Marriott hotel with 148 guest rooms, with associated recreation area, and; 2) Conditional Use
Permit, PCC -14 -023, to deviate from the maximum building height of 35 -11. to allow a 58 -ft.
building for the Residence Inn by Marriott hotel, subject to the conditions listed in the attached
Resolutions.
DECISION -MAKER CONFLICTS
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the Planning Commission members and has found no
property holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property, which is the subject of this
action. Staff is not independently aware, nor has staff been infonned by any Planning
Commission members, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict
DRC -13 -26 /PCC -14 -023
of interest in this matter.
FISCAL IMPACT
The application fees and processing costs are paid for by the Applicant.
Attachments
1. Locator Map
2. Planning Commission Resolution DRC -13 -26
3. Planning Commission Resolution PCC -14 -023
4. Disclosure Statement
5. Project Plans
J:\ Planning \Caroline \Discretionaiy PeimitsTreeway Commercial Marriott Hotel \DRC- 13 -26, PCC -14 -023 PC Staff report
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