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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3 - Staff Report - Church StreetCHU1_A VISTA PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA AT . Item: 3 Meeting Date:08/23/17 ITEM TITLE: Public Hearing: Consideration of Design Review Permit DR16-0037 to redevelop the site at 230 Church with a 4 -story, 29 -unit residential efficiency apartment project with 24 on-site and 23 off-site parking spaces, landscaped areas, and the associated access and circulation improvements Resolution of the Planning Commission of the City of Chula Vista approving Design Review Permit DR16-003 7 to redevelop the site at 230 Church Avenue with a 4 -story, 29 -unit residential efficiency apartment building with 24 on-site and 23 off-site parking spaces, landscaped areas, and associated access and circulation improvements, subject to the conditions contained herein SUBMITTED BY: Miguel Z. Tapia, AICD, Senior Planner REVIEWED BY: Kelly Broughton, Director of Development Services INTRODUCTION The Applicant, Silvergate Development, has submitted an application for a Design Review Permit for the redevelopment of the 11,326 -square foot, ' two -lot site located at 230 Church Avenue (Site) with a residential apartment project known as Church Apartments (Project). The Project Site is currently a public parking lot formerly under the ownership of the City's Successor Agency (i.e., Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency). The Site is mid -block on Church Avenue between E Street and Davidson Street in the Downtown Area (see Attachment 1, Locator Map). The Site currently contains 28 parking spaces, which will be removed for the construction of the Project. The proposed Project consists of the construction of a 4 -story structure with 29 efficiency apartments, 28 of which are located on the second, third and fourth floors, and one residential unit and a 24 -space private parking lot are on the first floor. The Project includes approximately 2,031 square -feet of landscaped areas, and approximately 5,800 square -feet of recreational open space in the form of balconies and decks (see Project plans included as Attachment 2). Access to the parking garage will be from the alley on the west side of Project. The Site is located within the V-1 East Village District of the Urban Core Specific Plan area. This land use district allows the construction of residential apartment projects such as the proposed Project, subject to approval of a design review permit by the Planning Commission of Planning Commission August 23, 2017 DR16-0037 — Church Street Page 2 Item No.: _3_ the City of Chula Vista. The project has been reviewed and evaluated by City staff and it is being presented to the Commission for consideration and approval. PUBLIC INPUT During the Project review process, City staff received two comment letters from Mr. Mike Green, who owns property next to the proposed Project Site (please see copy of Letters included in this packet as Attachment 3). Mr. Green's first letter expresses concerns related to parking and indicates that the removal of parking through the sale of the existing public parking lot plus the increased demand generated by the Project would result in a parking deficit; there would be insufficient parking for customers, residents and visitors in the . area. Mr. Green requested that the proposed Project include all the required parking (47 parking spaces instead of 24 spaces) on- site as part of the Project. Mr. Green also recommended that a paseo be built through the Site to connect Church Avenue with Third Avenue. Staff provided a copy of Mr. Green's letter to the Applicant for a response. The Applicant subsequently indicated that a meeting between the Applicant and Mr. Green was held to discuss these issues and that a settlement had been reached. City staff did not hear from Mr. Green on this issue. As part of the discussion between City staff and the Applicant on parking, City staff requested that the Applicant conduct a parking study of the supply and demand of parking in the Downtown District and to test whether there is and there will be sufficient parking supply to meet current and future demand. The study concluded that there currently is and there will be in the near future sufficient parking supply within the Parking District to meet the demand of this and other future projects (please see copy of parking study included as Attachment 4). In June 2017, City staff received another letter from Mr. Green related to vehicular access to the proposed Project garage from the one-way (south) alley. Mr. Green indicated that there is a potential that Project residents will be inclined to use the driveway on his property that connects Third Avenue with the back parking lot of his property, as well as the proposed Project entry to the garage. Mr. Green suggested that the entrance to the proposed Project garage be on Church Avenue. The Project Applicant indicated that Mr. Green had also contacted them on this issue. The Applicant responded that access from "The alley follows the recommendations of "Section VIL Development Design Guidelines" of the Urban Core Specific Plan. The UCSP encourages new development to take vehicular access from alleys. This makes sense because it is dangerous and disruptive to provide access to a parking podium across a pedestrian realm and sidewalk, which would be the case if we ignored the Development Design Guidelines and had vehicular access from Church Ave. This notion of accessing parking areas fi°om alleys is repeated a number of times throughout. Section V11 " The Applicant also indicated that they will make sure that the future residents of the Project will be notified and discouraged from using Mr. Green's property as access into the garage. City staff discussed this issue with the City's Traffic Engineer, who indicated that as the driveway in question is private, the property owner has the right to impose a variety of access limitations through his property in order to discourage non -customers from using it. The Traffic Planning Commission Item No.: 3 August 23, 2017 DR16-0037 -- Church Street Page 3 Engineer also indicated that as part of the Streetscape Improvements along Third Avenue to be constructed in the near future, a landscaped median will be built in that segment of Third Avenue, which will limit access (right in/right out) to Mr. Green's driveway. Mr. Green also has the option of allowing the City to close his driveway as part of the Streetscape improvements. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Development Services Director has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the proposed project was adequately covered in the previously adopted Program Environmental Impact Report FEIR 06- 01 prepared for the Chula Vista Urban Core and certified by the City Council in May 2007. RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission approve the Design Review Permit resolution to develop the subject site with the proposed Project, subject to the conditions listed in the resolution. DISCUSSION: Project Site Characteristics: The 11,326 square -foot (0.26 acres) site consists of two assessor's parcels (568-071-21 and 568- 071-22), which currently contain a public parking lot with 28 parking spaces. There are currently no structures on the Site. The Site is located mid -block between E Street and Davidson Street, to the east of the Third Avenue commercial district. On the west side of the Site is an alley that runs parallel to Church Avenue and Third Avenue and provides one-way vehicular circulation going south. The Site is located within the V-1 East Village District of the Urban Core Specific Plan. The Site is surrounded by a variety of commercial uses, medical/professional offices, and residential uses. Bus Route 929 runs along Third Avenue and Bus Route 705 runs along E Street, with several bus stops within walking distance. The Site is also located within the Downtown Parking District, which extends from E Street to H Street along Del Mar Avenue and Garret Avenue. The Parking District is currently composed of 11 parking lots, three of which are in the process of being sold by the City for private development, including the lot that is the subject of this report. Project Description The proposed Project consists of the construction of a 4 -story structure with 29 efficiency apartments on the second, third and fourth floors, a 24 -space private parking lot on the first floor (below the main building structure), approximately 2,031 square -feet of landscaped areas, approximately 5,800 square -feet of recreational open space in the form of balconies and decks (see Attachment 2, Concept Plans). The residential apartments consist of 26 one -bedroom units that range between 590 to 690 square -feet in area and 3 three-bedroom units that are approximately 1,300 square -feet in area. As indicated earlier, the residential units are located on Planning Commission Item No.: 3_ August 23, 2017 DRI 6-0037 Church Street Page 4 the second, third and fourth floors; one residential unit (ADA Accessible) is located on the first floor next to the parking garage and fronting on Church Avenue. Most of the units contain a balcony that serves as usable open space. Additional balconies are also provided on the second floor breezeway. The main building facade fronts on Church Avenue, while the entry and exit to and from the garage is via the one-way alley located between Church Avenue and Third Avenue. There is not access to the garage from Church Avenue. Project Architecture The proposed project architecture features a modem architectural design that is eclectic and exemplifies and contributes to the dynamic revitalization and vibrancy of the Third Avenue Village. The architecture, draws inspiration from the "Moderne" historic structures along Third Avenue, and fits within fhe variety of architectural styles of the existing buildings along Church Avenue and Third Avenue. The building -mass -is articulated by horizontal and vertical plane offsets, including balconies, which provide variety and interest and are highlighted by accent colors and materials that break up the roof line. The building fag.ades include a variety of building materials and colors, including cement plaster, concrete, metal and composite wood screening, aluminum siding, and others. The overall design, form and scale of the building fit within the guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan's Village District and set a strong precedent for future development planned for downtown Chula Vista, Land Use and Zoning The table below shows the current, General Plan, and zoning designations for the subject Site and the surrounding sites: Parking As indicated previously, the proposed project is located within the Urban Core Specific Plan, as well as the Downtown Parking District. The Urban Core Specific Plan requires residential projects to provide 1.5 parking spaces per residential unit plus 1 guest parking space for every 10 units. This requires the subject Project to provide 47 parking spaces. The Urban Core Specific Plan also allows projects to provide 50% of the required parking on-site, while the rest can be provided off-site in private and/or public parking lots within 500 feet of that Site. The Downtown Parking District also offers the option to pay an In -Lieu -Fee for each of the spaces not provided on site. The project includes 24 parking spaces to be located on the ground floor, beneath the Current Use General Plan UCSP (Zoning) Site Public Parking Lot Mixed Use Residential Vl East Village North Office/Residential Mixed Use Residential V1 East Village East Church Avenue/ Office/Residential Mixed Use Residential Vl East Village South Apartment Complex Mixed Use Residential V1 East Village West Commercial Retail Mixed Use Residential V2 Village Parking As indicated previously, the proposed project is located within the Urban Core Specific Plan, as well as the Downtown Parking District. The Urban Core Specific Plan requires residential projects to provide 1.5 parking spaces per residential unit plus 1 guest parking space for every 10 units. This requires the subject Project to provide 47 parking spaces. The Urban Core Specific Plan also allows projects to provide 50% of the required parking on-site, while the rest can be provided off-site in private and/or public parking lots within 500 feet of that Site. The Downtown Parking District also offers the option to pay an In -Lieu -Fee for each of the spaces not provided on site. The project includes 24 parking spaces to be located on the ground floor, beneath the Planning Commission Item No.: 3 August 23, 2017 DR] 6-0037 — Church Street Page 5 building's three stories. For the other 23 parking spaces, the applicant proposes to pay the In - Lieu Parking Fee allowed within the Parking District and also allowed by the Urban Core Specific Plan. The fee will contribute to fund the construction of additional future parking throughout the Parking District. In order to determine if there is sufficient parking in the nearby public parking lots to serve the demands of the subject project, the Applicant commissioned a parking analysis. The analysis conducted a series of parking occupancy counts at the nearby public parking lots located within 500 feet from the proposed Project Site (Public Parking Lots 1, 2, 3, 10 and 11), including the on-site existing parking lot. Based on the observed parking occupancy counts and the anticipated parking demand of the Project, the analysis concluded that the public parking located within the public parking.,iots in the vicinity of the subject Project would be able to accommodate the off-site parking demand. Consistency with Development Standards The proposed residential development has been evaluated using the Urban Core Specific Plan's development standards and regulations. Following is a table that shows the required standards of the zone and the proposed project features: Development Standard V 1 East Village Zoning Project Proposal Building Height 18 ft. Min.; 45 ft. Max. 45 feet Building Setbacks: East (Front): North Side: South Side: West (Rear): 0 feet 0 feet 0 Feet 0 Feet 0 - 6 Feet 0 Feet 0 Feet 0 Feet Floor Area Ratio (FAR): 2.0 Max. 1.89 Street Wall Frontage: 50% Min. 75-86% Parking Required: 47 spaces 24 on-site; 23 off-site Open Space Required: 5,800 sq. sf. 5,885 sq. ft. Landscaping: 15% of site 18% ANALYSIS: As indicated previously in this report, the Urban Core Specific Plan contains the required regulations and development standards to review and evaluate development projects for consistency with the General Plan's vision and goal for the area. The proposed residential Project was reviewed and evaluated based on the regulations, development standards, and design guidelines listed in the V1 East Village District. Following is the analysis of the Project based on the applicable policies of the Urban Core Specific Plan. Planning Commission Item No.: 3 August 23, 2017 DR16-0037 — Church Street Page 6 Land I Iw- The proposed Project is consistent with the vision, objectives and policies of the General Plan and the development standards and design guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan. The Project would redevelop an existing public parking lot site and provide additional residential units within the City's Downtown area with convenient access to public transit. Bus Route 929 runs along Third Avenue and Bus Route 705 runs along E Street, with several bus stops within walking distance from the proposed Project. It should be noted that Bus Route 929 along Third Avenue is one of the routes with the most riders in the system with approximately 2.3 million riders per year. Easy accessibility to public transit would also contribute to connect the project residents with other parts of the City and the region. The Project will provide multi -family housing to residents, whp would make use of and support the local commercial businesses that provide a variety of goods and services. The proposed Project is also consistent with the Urban Core Specific Plan development regulations related to land use, building height, -Floor Area Ratio, setbacks, building wall frontage, parking, and landscaping and open space. As shown in the table above, the Project meets all of the regulations of the Urban Core Specific Plan, Site Planning and Building_Placement/Orientation/Building Architecture The Project was analyzed based on the design guidelines established in the Urban Core Specific Plan. The Following is a set of design standards related to Site Planning, Building Placement and Building Architecture applicable to the proposed Project followed by a statement indicating how the Project is consistent with those guidelines. Site Planning "New infill buildings should reinforce the pedestrian -orientation of the Village by providing storefronts next to the sidewalk and locating parking areas away from the street. " "Create continuous pedestrian activity along public sidewalks in an uninterrupted sequence by minimizing gaps between buildings, " "Parking lots should be located to the rear of buildings, subterranean, or in parking structures" and "Locate rear parking lot and structure entries on side streets or alleys in order to minimize pedestrian/vehicular conflicts. " The Project's 4 -story building structure with three floors of residential units and tucked -under parking garage with 24 spaces and one Accessible living unit are creatively and efficiently placed on the site to be oriented to the street and encourage pedestrian activity. The Project provides a residential unit on the first floor with recreational open space that creates activity and connects the building residents with the street. Windows and balconies on the building upper floors also connect the residents with the street and provides "eyes on the street." The Project's parking located on the ground floor with access from the alley is contained within the building Planning Commission August 23, 2017 DRI 6-0037 — Church Street Page 7 Item No.: 3— and screened from public view. The building fagade on Church Avenue provides an uninterrupted view of the building and encourages pedestrianaccess and activity without the potential interruption of vehicles coming out of the building. This is allowed by maintaining sole access to the parking garage from the alley, rather than having access to parking on Church Avenue. The Project's pedestrian connection and accessibility, plus the alley access to the parking garage, is consistent with the above guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan. Building Architecture "The design of an infill building in the Village, particularly its front facade, should be influenced by historically significant facades on the street but should not attempt to copy them. " "Building facades should be detailed in such a way as to make them appear smaller in scale. The smaller scale can be achieved through vertical and horizontal articulation such as: • breaks (reveals, recesses) in the surface of the wall itself; • placement of window and door openings; Or the placement, of bay-t,indows, balconies, awnings, and canopies. The proposed Project architecture features a modern architectural design that takes from the architectural styles of existing buildings in the district. The architecture draws inspiration from the "Moderne" historic structures along Third Avenue, and fits within the variety of architectural styles of the existing buildings along Church Avenue and Third Avenue. The building mass is articulated by horizontal and vertical plane offsets, including windows, doors, balconies, which provide variety and interest and are highlighted by accent colors and materials that break up the roof line. The building fagades include a variety of building materials and colors, including cement plaster, concrete, metal and composite wood screening, aluminum siding, and others that create a varied and interesting design composition. The overall design, form and scale of the building ht within the guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan Village District and sets a strong precedent for future development planned for downtown Chula Vista. The Project has been designed to integrate and blend with the context, character, and scale of the surrounding neighborhood. The Project will be a pedestrian friendly development intended to connect with the street, the rest of the neighborhood, and connect to public transit. All street -facing building elements are designed to support pedestrian traffic and engage the residents with the activities of the street and the immediate community and the commercial activities along Third Avenue. Planning Commission August 23, 2017 DRI 6-0037 — Church Street Page 8 FAR/Building Height/Setbacks Item No.: _3_ The proposed Project is also consistent with the Urban Core Specific Plan regulations related to the building Floor Area Ratio (FAR), building height and building setbacks. The subject Site, currently composed of two parcels, has an area of approximately 11,589 square -feet. (The Project will be conditioned to consolidate the two lots into one). The Urban Core Specific Plan allows a maximum FAR of 2.0. FAR is a zoning tool used to regulate building form and bulk; FAR is used in the Urban Core Specific Plan instead of Density. The FAR is obtained by dividing the total enclosed building area by the Site area. The proposed Project has a FAR of 1.89 which is within the FAR permitted by the Urban Core Specific Plan. The maximum allowed building height (45 feet) is also met by the Project's proposed height of 45 feet. The Urban Core Specific Plan building setback requirement for the subject Site is zero, which means that the building can be built up to the property lines. While the Project is built along the north and south property lines, the Project's north and south elevations on the upper floors avoid solid walls along the property lines. These elevations are well articulated by the use of balconies, which serve as recreational open space for the residents. Offen Space and Landscaping The Urban Core Specific Plan requires the provision of 200 square -feet of usable open space. Open space is any areas with minimum dimensions of 60 square -feet (6'x10') and devoted to the following common, private, or public uses: patios, porches, balconies, decks. The Urban Core Specific Plan specifies that an open space is a passive or active recreational/leisure use or facility that is not used for enclosed dwelling unit floor area or commercial use space. Based on the proposed 29 units, the total amount of open space required is 5,800 square -feet. The Project provides approximately 5,885 square -feet of open space in the form of balconies and decks, which meet the requirements and guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan.. Additionally, the Project provides approximately 2,031 square -feet of landscaped areas in the form of trees, shrubs and groundcovers, mostly concentrated in the parking garage along the south property line and along the front of the building along Church Avenue. The Project conforms to the requirements of the Urban Core Specific Plan in terms of the required open space and landscaping. CONCLUSION The proposed Project will provide new investment and modern housing facilities and site improvements that will contribute to revitalize and enhance the Site and the neighborhood. The Project's pedestrian orientation and location will provide convenient access for residents to nearby public transportation. The Project will provide new housing that will improve the housing mix and enhance residential opportunities in the neighborhood. The Site will be developed with a quality project that is consistent with the vision, objectives and policies of the General Plan and meets the requirements and guidelines of the Urban Core Specific Plan. The proposed Project is well planned, incorporating the principals of Smart Growth and resource conservation. It is designed to respect and blend with the community character, local history, and climate. The proposed Project will re -activate the street and Planning Commission August 23, 2017 DR16-0037 — Church Street Page 9 Item No. 3 contribute to improve the neighborhood and create residential and business activity in this part of the City. Based on the description and evaluation of the project and the conclusions above, staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve the proposed Project subject to the conditions contained in the resolution. 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. Consequently, this item does not present a disqualifying real property -related financial conflict of interest under California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(11 ), for purposes of the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code §87100, et seq.). Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any Planning Commission member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision -maker conflict of interest in this matter. FISCAL IMPACT The proposed Project is a private development. The application fees and processing costs are paid for by the Applicant. Attachments 1. Locator Map 2. Project's Concept Plans 3. Public Input Letters 4. Parking Study