Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3 - Staff Report Item: ___3____ Meeting Date: 1/23/18 ITEM TITLE: A. Public Hearing: DR18-0009; Design Review consideration of a two- story, 39,367 sq. ft. building for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic on approximately 1.05 acres located at 341 & 353 H Street. Applicant: Gateway Chula Vista 3, LLC Resolution of the City of Chula Vista Planning Commission approving a Design Review Permit, DR18-0009 to construct a two-story, 39,367 sq. ft. building for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic on approximately 1.05 acres located at 341 & 353 H Street. SUBMITTED BY: Caroline Young, Associate Planner REVIEWED BY: Kelly Broughton, Director of Development Services INTRODUCTION On May 17, 2018, the Applicant submitted a Design Review permit for approval of a two-story, 39,367 sq. ft. building for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic (Project). The use, as proposed, will serve a regional market demand, in addition to the demand of Chula Vista residents. The site is currently vacant with construction underway for a previously approved expansion of the existing parking structure located in the rear of the property (see Locator Map, Attachment 1). 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 Project was adequately covered in previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-99-24), for the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan. Thus, no further environmental review is required. RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution DR18-0009 approving the Project, based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein. DISCUSSION: Project Site Characteristics: The 1.05-acre project site is located in the northwestern portion of Chula Vista. The site is relatively flat and surrounded by apartments to the west and north, commercial retail to the east, DR18-0009 Page No. 2 and commercial office to the south (Attachment 1, Locator Map). Summary of Surrounding Land Uses General Plan Zoning Current Land Use Site: Transit Focus Area Urban Core, UC-2 Vacant South: Public Quasi Commercial Office, CO Sweetwater Authority Office Commercial Office Urban Core, UC-5 Citibank Office North: Transit Focus Area Urban Core, UC-2 Apartments East: Transit Focus Area Urban Core, UC-2 Gateway Plaza West: Transit Focus Area Urban Core, UC-2 Apartments Project Description The proposal includes the construction of a two-story, 39,367 sq. ft. building for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic. The first floor includes several reception/check-in areas for mental health, lab/pathology, audiology/eye & specialty. Rooms are provided for consultation, exam, lab, testing, shot clinic, and other associated medical rooms to provide assistance to the patients. Several staff offices and a breakroom are also provided. The second floor includes additional waiting areas, consultations and exam rooms, administration offices, and a breakroom. A four-story, 92,748 sq. ft. parking garage for Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic is currently under construction in the rear of the site. This parking structure was previously approved as part of the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan. The parking structure will be a continuation of the existing 5-story parking structure location adjacent to the site, except it will only be 4 stories. A total of 240 parking spaces will be provided, exclusively for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient clinic. Architecture The modern style architecture design incorporates textural and natural materials with five different stucco colors ranging from light to dark colors, flat roof, aluminum awnings, and glass. The different colors are “Pure white,” “Passive,” “Roycroft Mist Gray,” Rookwood Clay”, and “Peppercorn.” A clear anodized aluminum arcadia will be provided as an awning for the second floor windows. A Basaltina Nero Arizona Tile Semi Polished material will be provided as a wainscot to further enhance the front entrance. The entrance also has a raised architectural roof feature and a popped out metal frame. Pedestrian/Vehicle Access There are several vehicle and pedestrian access ways on and off the site. The main pedestrian link is provided off of H Street at the Project’s main entrance. Another pedestrian link is provided via a pedestrian path between the proposed building and an adjacent building to the east. This pedestrian path leads to the parking garage in the rear of the site. Enhanced paving is provided at the main entrance along H Street. Vehicles can access the site through two driveways: one along H Street leading directly to the parking structure in the rear; and one via the internal driveway from the Third Avenue entrance to the parking structure on the adjacent site. DR18-0009 Page No. 3 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: 568-450-61-00, 62 Current Zoning: Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan General Plan Designation: Transit Focus Area Lot Area: 1.05 acres PARKING REQUIRED: PARKING PROPOSED: Parking spaces, broken down as follows: Parking Structure: Commercial Office: Handicapped= 17 spaces 1 per 300 sq. ft. Regular= 92 spaces Compact= 131 spaces Total: 132 parking spaces Total: 240 parking spaces SETBACKS/HEIGHT REQUIRED: SETBACKS/HEIGHT PROPOSED: Front: 5 feet from R.O.W 16 feet from R.O.W Side: 0 feet &10 feet (abutting residential) 20 feet & 45 feet (abutting residential) Rear: 0 feet & 10 feet (abutting residential) 160 feet Height: 100 feet 44 feet ANALYSIS: Compliance with Chula Vista Municipal Code and Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan Design Guidelines Site Planning and Building Placement/Orientation The Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan Design Guidelines includes guidelines and standards for commercial uses. The design guidelines promote: Avoid unarticulated box-like buildings, to create architectural variety, and to promote a pedestrian scale at street level. At least one primary entrance fronting on H Street shall be required for each building. The proposed features throughout the site meet the intent of the design guidelines. The Project provides a 16-ft. front setback from the right-of-way to maintain a wide pedestrian sidewalk and includes street trees along H Street. The two-story building promotes a pedestrian scale at the street level. In accordance with the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan, a six-story building was envisioned for this property. The Applicant is only proposing a two-story building in order to enhance the pedestrian scale and create a greater transition between the Project and the adjacent two-story apartment building to the west. The only public entrance to the building is off of H Street. The entrance is enhanced by a wide recessed entryway with enhanced landscaping through street trees, planter boxes, benches, pedestrian lights, and flag poles. The entrance also has a raised architectural roof feature and a popped out metal frame. The proposed colors and materials complement the adjacent commercial retail and office building for a cohesive design. DR18-0009 Page No. 4 Building Design The Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan Design Guidelines promote: The street level facades shall be highly articulated with architectural detailing, storefront design, arcades and awnings. The design shall maintain architectural rhythm and storefront diversity. Entrances shall be designed to integrate storefronts, signage and window display into the overall fabric on the building form. The Project’s architecture is consistent with the policies of the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan Design Guidelines. The proposed modern style architecture includes five different colors ranging from light to dark colored stucco, such as “Pure white,” “Passive,” “Roycroft Mist Gray,” Rookwood Clay,” and “Peppercorn” which provides contrast to avoid a blank wall. A clear anodized aluminum arcadia will be provided as an awning for the second floor windows. The building mass is articulated by horizontal and vertical plane offsets, which provide variety and interest and are highlighted by accent colors and materials that break up the building elevation. Two areas along H Street will be recessed, one at the main entrance and the other to the west, to provide the varying wall plane offsets. A Basaltina Nero Arizona Tile Semi Polished material will be provided as a wainscot to further enhance the front entrance. Parking The Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan requires 1 space per 300 square- feet. Therefore, the required parking for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic is 132 spaces. A four-story, 92,748 sq. ft. parking garage for Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic is currently under construction in the rear of the site. A total of 240 parking spaces are being provided within the parking structure. The Applicant has proposed 92 regular parking spaces, 131 compact spaces, and 17 handicapped spaces. The Project exceeds the required parking by providing 108 additional parking spaces. In accordance with the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan, no more than 55% of the Projects total parking spaces shall be compact spaces. A total of 55% of the parking spaces will be compact. The Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan, contains three different phases of development, Gateway I through III. The parking structure will be a continuation of the existing 5-story parking structure location adjacent to the site within the Gateway I and II area, with the exception that it will only be 4-stories. The construction of the parking structure, within the Gateway III area will complete the parking requirement for the entire Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan. Each of the 240 spaces within the new parking structure will be used exclusively for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic, and labeled as such, in order to ensure parking is provided for the clinic and not for the adjacent retail and office uses. CONCLUSION The proposed two-story, 39,367 sq. ft. building for the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic is a permitted land use in the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan. The proposal complies with the policies, guidelines and design standards of the Gateway Chula Vista Redevelopment Project Specific Plan, Chula Vista Municipal Code, and Landscape Manual. Therefore, staff recommends the Planning Commission approve Design Review Permit, DR18- 0009 subject to the conditions listed in the attached Resolutions. DR18-0009 Page No. 5 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 18705.2(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 application fees and processing costs are borne by the Applicant, resulting in no net fiscal impact to the General Fund or the Development Services Fund. Attachments 1. Locator Map 2. Planning Commission Resolution DR18-0009 3. Disclosure Statement 4. Project Plan (Flash Drive)