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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1979/04/18 AGENDA City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, April 18, 1979 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -SILENT PRAYER APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Meeting of March 28, 1979 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. Slide presentation by Mary Augustine on the desirability of establishing a system of trails in E1 Rancho del Rey 2. Determination of conformity of MTDB's Light Rail Transit Project with the Chula Vista General Plan 3. Consideration of final EIR-79-7 on Bonita Center East 4. PUBLIC HEARING: GPA-79-5 - Consideration of amendment to General Plan ~lap to change designation of the northwest quadrant of "C" Street and Del Mar Avenue from High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential 5. PUBLIC HEARING: GPA-79-4 - Consideration of amendment to General Plan Map to change designation of the southeast corner of Bonita Road and Otay Lakes Road from High Density Residential to Retail Commercial 6. PUBLIC HEARING: GPA-79-7 - Proposed omnibus amendment to the text of the Chula Vista General Plan 7. Consideration of request for deferral of completion of Public Improvements for Canyon Plaza Shopping Center between Halecrest and Crest Drive ORAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR'S REPORT COMMISSION COMMENTS To: City Planning Commission From: D.J. Peterson, Director of Planning Subject: Staff Report on agenda items for Planning Commission Meeting of April 18, 1979 1. Slide presentation by MarS Augustine on the desirability of establishing a system of trails in E1 Rancho del Re~ Ms. Mary Augustine has requested about one-half hour in which to make a slide presentation dealing with the desirability of establishing a trail system trhough- out E1 Rancho del Rey. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 2 2. Determination of conformity of MTDB's Light Rail Transit Project with the Chula Vista General Plan A. BACKGROUND 1. The City has received a letter from the Metropolitan Transit Development Board requesting that the Planning Commission determine if that portion of the MTDB Light Rail Transit Project proposed for location within the City's jurisdiction is in conformance with the Chula Vista General Plan. Both rail freight and light-rail passenger service would be jointly operated on existing SD&AE rights-of-way from downtown San Diego south to the international border. A passenger station and parking lot would be located on a three-acre site on the north side of "H" Street between Woodlawn Avenue and the SD&A£ tracks. (See Exhibits A and B.) 2. The Planning Commission's review of this project on the issue of General Plan conformity is required by Section 65402 (b) of the State Planning and Zoning Law, which provides, in part, that no real property shall be acquired by a public agency, nor public structure be constructed or authorized, until the location, purpose and extent of such acquisition and/or construction have been submitted to and reported upon by their planning agencies having jurisdiction as to conformity · with their adopted General Plan. 3. The City Council, meeting in regular session on July 18, 1978, adopted Resolution No. 9196 supporting the establishment of this system. B. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion finding that the Metropolitan Transit Development Board's Light Rail Transit Project is in conformance with the Chula Vista General Plan. C. CITY PLANNING ANALYSIS 1. The use of the existing SD&AE rail corridor for light rail transit passenger service, while continuing on optimum level of rail freight service, can be found to be in conformity with the Chula Vista General Plan. Improved linkages with the border area and downtown San Diego, as well as the expansion of industrial development and tourism facilities along the I-5 corridor and in the bayfront, are all major objectives of the General Plan which will benefit from a system of this nature. The SD&AE line shows on the General Plan map and the text of the plan, at page 30, discusses the need to expand transit service to destinations in San Diego, such as the railroad depot. 2. The establishment of the passenger station and parking area will require sensitive site planning and architectural design in Order to minimize its potential adverse impacts upon adjacent residential areas and traffic circulation. The )ITDB has stated that close coordination with the appropriate cities and local communities will be encouraged so as to achieve acceptable and compatible design solutions in this regard. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 3 D. ENGINEERS' ANALYSIS In the broadest sense we view the project to be in conformity with the General Plan. However, there are specific areas of concern with the subject letter which we would like to bring to your attention. They are as follows: !. The City h~s been provided only a concept of the facilities to be constructed. The impact of those facilities cannot be evaluated on the basis of information thus far provided. We anticipate that the primary impact will be traffic oriented. Traffic patterns for the various types of users (park and ride, bus, kiss and ride, bicycle, pedestrian) could easily conflict onsite. Moreover, this hub of activity could conflict with the flow of traffic on "H" Street and on Woodlawn. 2. There is an implication that the City should bear the expense of widening "H" Street so as to accommodate additional loads generated by this project. Neither the need nor the fiscal responsibility has yet been established. 3. The letter states, "With or without the LRT project, future traffic conditions on "H" Street warrant widening." While that statement may well be accurate, this staff is not prepared at this time to support it. We have not made the necessary studies nor have we included any such widening in City long- range improvement plans. 4. The letter makes reference to a traffic impact analysis (Task Report No. 12) performed as part of the project planning process. This staff has not had the oppor- tunity to review such document. EXHIBIT A El Cajon La Mesa SAN DIEGO ~,~?_~. Lemon Grove SANTA FE DEPOT IMPERIAl  .__~ 28TH '8TH National City 24TH Pacific Ocean Chula Vista PALOMAR · · PALM Imperial Beach i !IRIS/RTE  SAN YSIDRO San Ysidro _ - ~--- BORDER Tijuana 0 t/2 I 2 4 6 SCALE IN MILES NORTH Figure 1-2 PROPOSED GUIDEWAY ALIGNMENT AND STATION LOCATIONS (EXCEPT CENTRE CITY) EXHIBIT B SD & AE RAILWAY ,~ COLO~DO AVE ~,,' ~;'* I ,~ ~,..~,,,,.,. ' -" ~J__ :' WOODL*AW N AVE. WOODLAWN .,, AVE. ' -- F~ure 2 "H" Street Station Property Requirements City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 4 3. Consideration of final EIR-79-7 on Bonita Center East A. BACKGROUND The draft of this EIR was the subject of a public hearing at the March 28, 1979 Planning Commission meeting; no testimony was offered and the public hearing was closed. Written comments were received from the Environmental Analysis Divi- sion of the County of San Diego, the Sweetwater Community Planning Group, the Environmental Control Commission and Mr. and Mrs. David Wheeler. Consideration of the final EIR was scheduled for the April 18 Planning Commis- sion meeting. B. RECOMMENDATION Certify that £IR-79-7 has been prepared in compliance with the California Environ- mental Quality Act of 1970 and the Environmental Review Policy of the City of Chula Vista and that the Planning Commission will consider the information in the document as it reaches a decision on the project. C. DISCUSSION Consideration of the final EIR was set for this meeting so that the comments on the draft and a response could be incorporated into the final EIR. This has now been accomplished and the document is ready for certification. Also, the traffic section has been refined to clarify differences between the various methodologies used to analyze the impacts. No changes in the conclusions of the report have resulted. When the residential portion of the project is under consideration the Planning Commission should keep in mind that the number of units has been reduced and therefore the population related impacts are overstated in the EIR. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 5 4. PUBLIC HEARING: GPA-79-5 - Consideration of amendment to General Plan Map to change designation of the northwest quadrant of "C" Street and Del Mar Avenue from High Density Residential to Medium Densit~ Residential A. BACKGROUND The unincorporated territory in question was prezoned R-l, Single Family Residential, on October 17, 1978, in anticipation that this property would soon be annexed to the City. B. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Initial Study (IS-78-77) was conducted, and a Negative Declaration issued and certified in conjunction with the aforementioned prezoning. The Environmental Review Coordinator has determined that a second cert- ification of this same Negative Declaration would satisfy the require- ments of CEQA. C. RECOMMENDATION 1. Adopt a motion finding that in accordance with the Negative Declaration on IS-78-77 and the findings stated therein, this project will have no significant adverse environmental impact, and recertify the Negative Declaration. 2. Adopt a motion recommending that the City Council amend the General Plan Diagram from High Density Residential, 13-26 DU/acre, to Medium Density Residential, 4-12 DU/acre, as shown on Exhibit A. D. PLANNING AND ZONING INFORMATION 1. Adjacent General Plan designations (see Exhibit A) North Research and Limited Industrial South Medium and High Density Residential East Medium Density Residential West High Density Residential 2. Adjacent zoning and land use (see Exhibit B) North - I-L-F Light industrial and vacant South - R-1 Single family dwellings and South Bay Pioneers East - R-2 (County) Single family dwellings West - R-3-G-D & R-3-L-M-F Apartments and mobile home park E. ANALYSIS 1. The Con~ission and Council based their endorsement of the R-l, Single Family, prezoning of the subject property on the findings that "the majority of the properties within the proposed annexation boundaries are developed with single family homes and new single family construction / City Planning Commis~_ i Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 6 has occurred recently in the area", and that "the R-1 zone will preserve the single family residential character of the area as well as the natural slopes on the west side of Del Mar Avenue." 2. The General Plan is partially founded upon the city-planning principle that existing, sound single-family residential areas should be protected from multiple-family incursions, and the resultant disruptive and errosive effects thereof. It is now appropriate, therefor, to amend the General Plan Diagram from High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential, in order to achieve the most desireable residential density for the lands in question. 3. Approval of this General Plan Amendment would not necessarily · preclude a future rezonin§ for some sort of clustered housing on the north side of C Street east of the existing apartment development if access can be taken to C Street rather than to Del Mar Avenue. 30 th St. // ~R-3-P-2( ~:, ~ _.--~- , DALE DRIVE MFD : .o.,,,.. EXHIBIT B ~enerul Plon Amendmen~ ~ISTI~ ZONING ALAND USE {PREZONING) O' 200' 4.~0 O' "C" COUNTY CITY SEA VALE STREET ........ '.HUL~ VIST/~ ..... TERN. City Planning Commiss.~n Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18~ 1979 page 7 5. PUBLIC HEARING: GPA-79-4 - Consideration of amendment to General Plan Map to change desi§nation of the southeast corner of Bonita Road and Otay Lakes Road from High Density Residential to Retail Commercial A. BACKGROUND 1. According to Mr. Dale W. Combs, project architect and agent for the applicant, ADMA Company, Inc., the proposed General Plan amendment is the first step in a proposal to annex, rezone, and develop a total of 18 acres at this location. A three acre commercial site--the subject of this application--would occupy the corner and consist of 15,000 square feet of retail space, divided into fifteen 1,000 square foot shops, and a 5,000 square foot restaurant or financial office building. The remaining 15 acres would be developed with approximately 150 residential dwelling units. 2. The Environmental Impact Report on this project (EIR-79-7) is the preceding item on the agenda. B. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion denying GPA-79-4. C. PLANNING AND ZONING INFORMATION 1. Existing land use and zoning (see Exhibit B). The territory in question is presently vacant, unincorporated and zoned County A-l-(2) (Agricultural with a 2 acre minimum lot size). The property was prezoned A-8 (Agricultural with an 8 acre minimum lot size) under the City's Sweetwater Valley Prezonin§ Program. The Sweetwater Community Plan, as adopted by the Board of Supervisors on August 25, 1977, designates the property as Residential, 2 DU/acre. 2. Adjacent General Plan designations (see Exhibit A). North Parks and Public Open Space South High Density Residential East High Density Residential West Retail Commercial 3. Adjacent la'nd use and zoning. North A-D-F Municipal Golf Course South A-l-(2) County Vacant (A-8 City prezone) East - A-l-(2) Vacant (A-9 City prezone) West C-C-D Bonita Centre City Planning Commission page 8 Agenda Items for Meeting of 4/18/79 D. ANALYSIS 1. The General Plan establishes long range, general policies for the physical development of the community in a coordinated and unified manner. It is based on careful and comprehensive surveys and analysis of present conditions and future trends, and it organizes and balances the complex set of relationships between urban land uses. Any proposal to amend the General Plan, therefore, must not only be based on clear and present need relative to General Plan policy, but also must be analyzed in relationship to its impact on the City as a whole. 2. Chula Vista, like the preponderance of American cities, is already commercially over zoned. The following table provides the analytical basis for this contention. Commercial Zoning Analysis: City of Chula Vista a. Territory classified commercial 601.58 acres 100% b. Territory developed with commercial uses 341.24 acres 57% c. Territory developed with noncommercial uses 131.10 acres 22% d. Vacant commercial territory 129.24 acres 21% e. Conclusion: 43% of the commercially zoned territory of the City of Chula Vista, or 260 acres of land, are either vacant or devoted to the accommodation of noncommercial uses. f. According to the city planner's rule-of-thumb,1 the 81,000 people of Chula Vista would be served by 122 to 162 acres of commercial territory. g. Standard of the rule-of-thumb: Neighborhood Commercial 0.5 acres/1,O00 capita Community Commercial 0.5 acres/1,O00 capita Regional Commercial 0.4 acres/1,O00 capita Office, Highway, Visitor, Heavy Commercial 0.1 to 0.'6 acres/1,O00 capita The City has recognized this problem and, at page 24, the General Plan states: "A conservative policy is recommended in adding new land to the commercial land supply. It is further recommended that every effort be made to increase the efficient use of existing commercial uses." 1planning authorities on the acreage required to provide combined neighborhood level and community level commercial goods and services to 1,000 persons offer the following figures: Gallion & Eisner, The Urban Pattern, 3rd ed. 1.00 Ac./1,000 persons William H. Claire, Handbook on Urban Planning .92 Ac./1,00~ persons F. Stuart Chapin, Jr., Urban Land Use Planning .75 Ac./1,000 persons Urban Land Institute, Shopping Center Development Handbook 1.08 Ac./1,000 persons page 9 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of 4/18/79 3. According to city planning principles, the General Plan designation of territory for commercial development should be primarily based upon public need. The involved property owner's potential economic gain, the real estate appraiser's determination of a parcel's "highest and best use," and the need to defray costly development improvements are of secondary importance and, by themselves, will not support a commercial redesignation or reclassification. 4. While it must be acknowledged that the evaluation of the demand for small specialty uses is difficult in the absence of knowledge about specific proposed tenancies, staff does not believe that the applicant has established a public need for the redesignation of the territory in question from High Density Residential to Retail Commercial. 5. The Bonita commercial area presently contains 32 acres of commercially zoned City territory. Based upon the aforementioned rules of thumb, this is enough acreage to serve the combined neighborhood and community commercial needs of 32,000 people. This figure far exceeds the current estimate of 20,000 residents in the Sweetwater Valley. Stated another way, the Sweetwater Valley's ultimate population of 40,000 people will require about 225,000 square feet of gross leasable area (GLA) to meet its neighborhood and community commercial needs. This conclusion is predicated upon the standards developed by the authors of the Community Builders Handbook, and supported by Gallion and Eisner in the Third Edition of The Urban Pattern; De Chiara and Koppelman, in the Second Edition of Urban Plannin9 and Design Criteria; and Lewis Keeble, in the Fourth Edition of Principles and Practice of Town and Country Planning. Although the Sweetwater Valley has attained only 50% of its ultimate population, the existing Bonita commercial strip has a GLA of approximately 230,000 square feet. To this figure, the GLA of Sweetwater's unincorporated centers--45,000 square feet--must be added. The total GLA of 275,000 square feet provides strong evidence of the Sweetwater Valley's over commercialization. This over commercialization is at least partially responsible for the valley's 32,000 square feet of vacant GLA. 6. The applicant's acreage is directly adjacent to the Bonita Centre shopping complex and can be adequately served thereby. The creation of additional commercial acreage would promote over commercialization and would have the net effect of erodin~ the economic vitality of existing commercial districts. 7. This proposal would ~dditionally extend the Bonita Road commercial frontage beyond its present easterly terminus at Otay Lakes Road. While the Bonita Centre as presently constituted manifests much order and amenity, its further extension to the east could place the Centre's land use, circulatory, and townscape characteristics into a state of imbalance. The continuing order of commercial areas is dependent upon the maintenance nf qualitative, peripheral residential patterns, and the establishment of precise horizontal limitations. Experience has demonstrated that those commercial districts which are characterized by a limitless drift tend to decline. City Planning Commission page l0 Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 8. The three acres in question represent approximately 30% of the remaining undeveloped High Density Residential city territory in the largely Low Density Residential community of Bonita. These lands are well suited to high density residential development, and the Housing Element of the General Plan encourages the concept of heterogeneous neighborhoods, where practicable, in order to provide residents a choice of living accommodations and to accommodate the housing prefer- ences of individual families and households. 9. The above commentary notwithstanding, it must be recognized that it is difficult to evaluate the market for a small specialty center. Further, rules of thumb as to the commercial acreage required to serve nearby residential areas do not account for persons residing outside the area who use the shopping facilities within the area. Thus, to a considerable degree, Chula Vista serves as the commercial center for the entire South Bay Area, including south of the border residents, and the tax dollars thus generated are increasingly important in the post Proposition 13 era. E. Discussion of Leisure Systems' study entitled, "Retail Space Demand in Bonita" The applicant commissioned the firm of Leisure Systems to evaluate the demand for additional commercial development at the subject location. This portion of the staff report discusses the report of Leisure Systems (enclosed). 1. The economic feasibility study, entitled "Retail Space Demand in Bonita," assigns a 2.5 mile trading radius and approximately 19.6 square mile trading area to the 3.0 acre specialty center proposed for establishment at the southeasterly corner of Bonita and Otay Lakes Roads. The said trading area would encompass Bonita-Sunnyside, Bonita Miguel, Bonita Glen, Lynwood Hills, Sunny Vista, E1 Rancho del Rey, and considerable territory to the north of the South Bay Freeway. 2. By utilizing the aforementioned assignments, the authors of the feasibility study in question are able to conclude that the proposed center's trading area will have a population of 28,521 persons in 1981, and a need for 732,224 square feet of gross leasable commercial area (GLA). The said authors then assume that the trading area will have a probable supply of 504,785 square feet of GLA by the said year, and arithmetically determine that the trading area's shortfall in GLA would be about 227,439 square feet. 3. Although the report purports to be conservative, its findings and conclusions are actually based upon conjecture and extravagance. This statement is predicated upon the following staff findings. a. The trading area of the proposed center has been assigned even though the precise land use and tenant mix of the center and competing centers have not been determined. If specialty centers are developed at Bonita Glen, E1 Rancho del Rey and the Town Centre, the trading radius of the proposed Bonita Road-Otay Lakes Road center could be far less than 2.5 miles, and the space demand for mercantile use in 1981 could be much less than 227,000 square feet. page ll City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 b. Leisure Systems' report also neglects the impact of Naval Exchanges upon local retail trade. These uses siphon off about 10% to 15% of the said trade, and therefore significantly reduce the demand for private GLA. c. The instant feasibility study tends to spread more confusion than light. Its text describes the involved trading area as being almost coterminus with the Comprehensive Planning Organization's Sweetwater Subregional Area, which will have an ultimate population of around 80,000. This subregional area covers 42 square miles and includes the future settlement of the Otay Valley. On the other hand, where the study evaluates competing centers and GLA, it confines its research to Bonita- Sunnyside and E1 Rancho del Rey. It is totally silent with respect to the regional center proposed for the Bonita Golf Course and the expanding Town and Country Shopping Center of Sweetwater Road. 4. Notwithstanding the above commentary, staff's major concern over "Retail Space Demand in Bonita" is its conclusion that 28,000 residents generate a need for 732,000 square feet of GLA. Staff's research indicates that this population generates a GLA demand for 300,000 square feet--including the demand for regional shopping services. F. SUMM~RY 1. Both Chula Vista and the Bonita Valley are overzoned for commercial according to established rules-of-thumb, but care must be taken in applying these rules of thumb to commercial areas which serve persons living outside the area. 2. Evaluation of the market for a small spec~alty center is difficult and defies the rule-of-thumb indicators. 3. The existence of approximately 32,000 square feet of floor area in the Bonita area argues against a further expension of commercial development. 4. While the subject property is not ideally located for residential develop- ment, being at the intersection of two major thoroughfares, this can be mitigated by proper building setbacks, orientation and insulation, and by landscaping. G. CONCLUSION All things considered staff feels that the arguments for denial of the application outweigh those for approval. AMENDMENT GPA-79-4 . ~. :.,. o' 500' ~oo°' ... ~ 1'. ~:~:r--.-.. : : " - · e .................. . .t~ . ....................... _~--...: .. ....... ~,..~...~ ................. ..~ GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT (~~ GPA-79-4 ' E~(ISTING LAND USE AND ZOI'JING" i * CHUL~ VtSTA MUNtC[PA[. GOLF COURSE I "BONITA CENTRE'" I~ SHOPPING CENTER I VAC. YAC. VAC. _CHUL A. _VIS_TA_ I ~ SFD ~ SFD I'-- ...... SFO I ~ SFD I SFD m i LLEN SCHOOL LANE WRANGLER CT. City Planning Commiss,on Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 12 6. PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Omnibus Amendment to the Chula Vista General Plan A. BACKGROUND 1. The Chula Vista City Planning Commission is currently engaged in the comprehensive review of the several elements of the Chula Vista General Plan. During one of its study sessions, the Commissioners expressed concern over several anachronisms, inconsistencies and outdated forecasts in the text of the Plan. 2. The Planning Department has perused the text of the said parent document and prepared a list of recommended changes. These changes are proposed under the "Recommendation" section of this report and discussed under the "Analysis" section. 3. An Initial Study, IS-79-38, of possible adverse environmental impacts of the proposed project was conducted by the Environmental Review Coordinator on January 22, 1979. The Coordinator concluded that there would be no significant environmental effects and recommended that the Planning Commission adopt the Negative Declaration. B. RECOMMENDATION 1. Adopt the Negative Declaration, IS-79-38, and find that this amendment to the Chula Vista General Plan will have no significant environmental impact. 2. Adopt a motion recommending that the City Council adopt the following revisions to the text of the Chula Vista General Plan. a. Page 25, paragraph 1 - Shopping Center at 1-805 and East H Street. Existing text: A regional shopping center of about 75 acres is proposed at the interchange of Interstate 805 and "H" Street. This center should be designed to service the newly proposed community and expanding region. Proposed text: The plan diagram indicates a major shopping center at the inter- section of 1-805 and East "H" Street. This center, which would occupy 30 to 40 acres of land, could be regional in scope, or accommodate a mixture of regional, community, visitor, and/or recreational commercial uses. A portion of the involved acreage could also be properly allocated to an automotive sales and service park. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 13 b. Page 24, paragraph 3 - Residential Density in the Central Community. Existing text: In general, the density of the residential area between the Chula Vista Shopping Center and the Third Avenue Business District, is proposed to increase substantially from the existing average of 6 to 10 dwelling units per net acre to over 30 as a result of the development of high rise apartment building in the area designated as very high density. This intensity of land development is intended to provide a feasible alternative to undesirable ribbon commercial development as well as to strengthen the market of both centers. The area between the Third Avenue Business District and the Montgomery Freeway, and other areas designated high density, are expected to reach a net density averaging as high as 25 dwelling units per net acre. Such an increase in density will be the result of continuing construction of multi-family structures on remaining vacant sites as a replace- ment for older single family units. Proposed text: This plan calls for an increase in residential density on the · periphery of the urban core (Town Centre) and the Chula Vista Shopping Center, as well as the densification of much of the territory situated to the north of H Street, between the urban core and I-5, in the Central Chula Vista Community. This increase would enable this municipality to better meet the growing demand for housing in the Planning Area and South Bay. It would also tend to promote retail trade and services in established commercial areas, and thereby stabilize the Central Community's land use pattern. Notwithstanding the need to increase residential densities in the Central Community, an effort should be made to protect those areas within the said community which have developed and main- tained an orderly and stable single family dwelling fabric. FL,r- thermore, the establishment of new high density districts should be consistent with the public's interest in environmental quality and the maintenance of high townscape planning, circulation, aad traffic engineering standards. c. Page 23 (near bottom) - Very High Density Text: Very High Density. This density category is intended to designate areas which would be characterized by high rise and garden apart- ments. Although single family units would continue to exist within the Very High Density area in the early years of the planning period, City Planning Commis n page 14 Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18~ 1979 ultimately these areas are expected to be almost exclusively multi-family in character. The residential density of areas designated "Very High Density" should be considered as potential sites for senior housing. Where such housin~ is proposed, the standard density for these areas could be increased substantiall~ provided that such density were compatible with surroundin~ land use, bulk and height patterns, and would not adversels affect ambient residential enjoyment, traffic circulation, environmental quality, or the ~eneral order as amenity of the community. The senior housin9 established under the escalated density standard discussed in this paragraph should be situated in areas which are served by nearby commercial, medical, public transportation, recreational and ~overnmental services. This policy rs predicated upon the ~rowin~ need for senior housin9 and the recognition that the average population density of senior dwellin~ units is sub- stantially less than those occupied by families. d. Pages 23 (bottom) and 24 (top) - Residential Density in the College area. Text: The General Plan Map shows residential development expanding eastward into the mesas and foothills. ~~ Adjacent to H Street, north and west of Southwestern College, a limited area of ~$~ medium density development is proposed ~ ~ ~ l~l ~$)~ to encourage development of an active community center for this new easterly area, and to meet the housinq demand created, in part, by the colleqe. This ~ medium density ~f~ a]~ is expected ~ ~$~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ f~f ~$~ ~ %~X~ to achieve a ~$~ yield of about ~ ~ to ~ 10 families per qross acre. Terrace houses, cluster development, and $~) garden apartments should constitute the predominant dwelling types in this section of the community. e. Pages 26 (bottom) and 27 (top) - Industrial Development in the Bayfront Community and Otay Ranch Text: The area proposed for industrial development in Chula Vista is located in a crescent shaped belt alon~ the western, northern, and southern sides of the Planning Area. This belt i~ portions of the S~eetwater and Otay Valleys, the Tidelands, and selected areas east of the Tidelands and west of Broadway. Proposed industrial development is divided into two classes; {1) general industry, ~ )~ ~, and (2) limited and research industry ~ I~)7 ~. ////// proposed deletions proposed addenda City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 General industrial use is ~fi~l~ proposed ~lffi~ %~ ~f~ffi% ~ ~ ~fi~ ~l~f~ for a large part of the Bayfront Redevelopment Project Area and in the ~ Otay Valley. Expansion and development of ocean shipping facilities by the Port of San Diego as proposed in their Tidelands Master Plan ~Jt~g~t~ ~gt~ ~ g~f~ could spur industrial develop- ment in the Bayfront Community: This development would probablS include manufacturinQ~ process~n§, warehousinQ, and related commercial and comme~cial-office'land uses. ~l~fi~ $~ ~ It is the City of Chula Vista'spolicy that. .the Ba]front area shall be r~developed with recreational, v~s~tor commercial, and residential land uses, as well as industrial uses in accordanc~ with the adopted Bayfront Specific and Bayfront Redevelopment Plans. f. Page 28 (middle) - San Miguel Freeway & Second Avenue Text: The freeway network serving Chula Vista will consist of the following elements: a. Montgomery Freeway (Interstate 5) will continue to link Chula Vista (and its industrial belt) with Downtown San Diego to the north and Tijuana, Mexico to the south. b. The Inland Freeway (Interstate 805) will provide a bypass of the industrial belt and Drovide access from the heart of the Chula Vista residential area north to San Diego and south to Tijuana. fi/ c. The South Bay Freeway (Route 54) on the north side of Sw~eetwater Valley will provide good access to and from the northeast, La ~esa and E1 Ca,on. It will also be the shortest route from the Industrial belt to U. S. Interstate 8 and the rapidly expanding Phoenix, Arizona area. ////// proposed deletions proposed addenda page 16 City Planning Commiss Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 ~l d. The Otay Freeway (Route 75) in the Otay Valley south of th--e Planning Area will provide east-west access from the Silver Strand to Brown Field ~ g. Page 29 (next to last) - North-south major road system Text: The north-south Major Road system includes the following: a. Tidelands Avenue which traverses from the National City boundary through the tidelands industrial area to J Street. b. Broadway (or National Avenue) is the old north-south hiqhway. It intersects the major east-west thoroughfares and gives access to the Chula Vista Shopping Center. On this street is located the principal thoroughfare commercial development in the City. c. Fourth Avenue traverses Chula Vista from National City and the South Bay Freeway on the north to the southerly terminus of the Planning Area giving access to the Third Avenue- Civic Center area and the Chula Vista Shopping Center. d. Hilltop Drive ~ $~ A~ serves as a major north- south thoroughfare ~ for the Fesidential area east of Third Avenue. e. Otay Lakes Road provides access from the South Bay Freeway on the no~th to the Southwestern College community center and Telegraph Canyon. Its southerly extension to the Otay Valley is reserved for use after 1980. f. San Miguel-Proctor Valley artery~ (formerly Route 125/San Mi§uel Freeway) located in the far eastern part of the Plannin9 Area, will be the principal north-south major road of the Lakes Community. h. Page 31 (mid-page) - South County Civic Center Text: Civic Center General Plan studies indicate that the existing Civic Center is appropriately located in the proximity of the Third Avenue Business District and other major elements of central Chula Vista. In the future, the Civic Center will contain expanded administra- tive facilities of the City~ ~ South County Administrative Center - South Bay Courts Complex will be developed at the southwesterly quadrant of H Street and Third Avenue. This complex will be an inte9ral part of the Chula Vista Town Centre No. 1 Project Area. ////// proposed deletions proposed addenda City Planning Commiss.~n page 17 Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 i. Page 18 (bottom) - Population Projects Table: Population Projection for Chula Vista Chula Vista City Population Population in % of San Diego San Diego Region Region Chula Vista Year ~$~ ~ ~$~ ~ City Population 1960 ~/0 4.1 ~l~ 1,033,000 42,034 1970 ~7 5.0 ~ 1,358,000 68,000 1975 6X~/TX~ 4.8 ~ 1,557,000 ~9~0~ 75,000 1985 7l~t~l~ 4.8 ZJ~l~ 2,032,000 ZZZJ~tZ~O 97,000 1995 7/~t¢J~ 5.3 ZJ~J~O¢ 2,460,000 Z~O/Z6~J~O 131,000 ~. .Pa9e 33 (second para9raph) - Bayfront Development Existing text: The current Port District Master Plan proposes the partial reclamation of San Diego Bay by land fill. The Chula Vista Plan proposes industrial development primarily terminal and warehousing facilities, and a marina and a small boat launching ramp. Strict control should be exerted to keep the amount of land filling at an absolute minimum in order to preserve this important natural asset. Consideration should be given to reevaluating the Tidelands Plan pursuant to providing more recreational facilities, not necessarily for the visitor but for the citizens of the area who have supported the bond issues which have made the Unified Port District's programs possible. Most of the recreational facilities shown on the Tidelands Plan are located in the northern portion of the bay and much of this is visitor-oriented. It is believed that the South Bay, with its rapid growth, should also be provided with more bay-oriented recreational facilities on the Tidelands Master Plan. As stated previously, both Plans are being reevaluated. Proposed text: The Bayfront Specific and Redevelopment Plans depict a well- ordered balance of industrial, commercial, residential, and "natural" land uses. The parks promenades, and preserved marshes of the Bayfront will provide the residents and visitors of Chula Vista additional opportunities for active and passive recreational pursuits. ////// proposed deletions proposed addenda City Planning Commission page 18 Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 C. ANALYSIS 1. The proposed omnibus amendment to the Chula Vista General Plan is partially "housekeeping" in nature, and is designed to eliminate conflicts between the Plan's text and plan diagram, and to update demographic forecasts and land-use policy. On the other hand, some of the proposed changes are also substantive in nature, and, if adopted, would affect the Chula Vista Planning Areas projected patterns of growth, development, and conservation. 2. The first proposed change involves the proposed regional shopping center in the Rice Canyon area. While the existing text calls for a 75-acre regional center, the proposed amendment would scale the site down to approxi- mately 40 acres, and provide commercial land-use options for the site. The proposed changes are consonant with the recently-adopted E1 Rancho del Rey Specific Plan. 3. The second change proposed under the omnibus amendment addresses the General Plan's sanction of vast areas of high-density residential throughout much of the Central Chula Vista Community. The new text suggests caution in the implementation of the plan, and recommends that the rezoning of land within the involved community be based on thorough planning and traffic engineering studies. The said new text also urges the protection of the orderly and stable single-family dwelling enclaves of the Central Community from piecemeal incursions of high-density develo'pment. This protection is the basis of the City of Chula Vista's Areas-in-Transition Program. 4. The existing text of the General Plan calls for extensive high-density residential development on the periphery of Southwestern College. This policy is not supported by the area's pattern of circulation or its topography. Furthermore, the history of American city planning provides ample evidence that high residential densities and collegiate campuses often coalesce to produce urban decline, if not blight. The density proposed for the College area under the omnibus amendment is medium in range, and corresponds to the density policy of the E1 Rancho del Rey Specific Plan. 5. The omnibus amendment also addresses the Bayfront area. Although this area was formerly called the Tidelands Industrial Belt, and was primarily reserved for industrial development, it is now governed by the Bayfront Specific and Bayfront Redevelopment Plans. The land use proposed under these plans includes recreation, residential, and visitor commercial, as well as industrial. The proposed change in the industrial policy of the text conciliates Chula Vista's industrial-development policies with its Bayfront objectives. 6. The State Highway Commission has removed the San Miguel Freeway (Route 125) from the State Highway Plan. The City of Chula Vista has eliminated this freeway from the General Plan's plan diagram, and has redesignated the proposed artery a "major road." The change in the text would correspond with the said diagramatic changes, and would thereby promote plan consistency and credibility. page 19 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 7. The amendment under consideration also incorporates the proposal that Second Avenue be deleted from the list of major roads. This street serves a well-ordered, single family area, and cannot be effectively widened without substantially reducing peripheral residential enjoyment. Furthermore, CPO's "1978 Average Daily Traffic Volumes, San Diego Metropolitan Area" study indicates that Second Avenue does not carry an arterial volume of traffic. 8. The existing text of the General Plan calls for the location of the County's South Bay offices in the Municipal Civic Center, or adjacent thereto. Under the proposed amendment, the County's administrative offices and courts would be sited on the lands acquired for their accommodation. These lands are located in the southwesterly quadrant of Third Avenue and "H" Street. It should be noted that the proposed location of the County's South Bay facilities is endorsed by the Public Building General Plan Element and the Town Centre Redevelopment Plan. 9. The proposed amendment updates the City of Chula Vista's population forecast, and brings it into a state of consistency with the projections of the Housing General Plan Element, and those of the Comprehensive Planning Organization. 10. Under the proposed amendment the residential standard for areas designated "Very High Density" could be escalated where senior housing is proposed. This escalation is designed to promote the economic feasibility of low and moderate income senior housing, in accordance with the goals, objectives, and statements of policy of the Housing Element of the General Plan. The proposed amendment embodies safeguards which would protect the order, amenity, environmental quality, and fluid circulation of the Chula Vista Planning Area from the adverse impacts of "very, very high density." The zoning legislation, which would be required to implement the subject density escalation, would contain specific regulations which would augment the amendment's safeguards. ll. Finally, the omnibus amendment restates this municipality's adopted policies for the growth, development, and conservation of the Bayfront Community. D. CONCLUSION The adoption of the proposed amendment would increase effectiveness and viability of the Chula Vista General Plan. By resolving conflicts in policy, which have developed over the past 13 years, the credibility of the General Plan would also be promoted by the adoption of the said amendment. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 page 20 7. Consideration of a request for a Deferral of Completion of Public Improvements for Canyon Plaza Shopping Center between Halecrest and Crest Drive A. Background 1. Section 12.20.040 and 12.24.050 of the City Code requires completion of public improvements before a certificate of occupancy is granted. Any change from this situation requires that a deferral of improvements be granted. On January 12, 1979, the Engineering Department received a letter dated January 11, 1979 from Project Design Consultants inquiring about conditions to be met by the Developer in order to open Vons Market to public use prior to completion of the public improvements. 2. After investigation by the City Engineer, the Director of Public Works wrote a letter dated January 23, 1979, to Project Design Consultants explaining that the project had been under construction since June of 1978; that in his opinion, the developer has had ample time to complete the public improvements. The letter also pointed out the added congestion at the Telegraph Canyon Road-Halecrest Drive intersection which would result if Vons Market was opened without access from both Telegraph Canyon Road and Halecrest Drive. Early opening of Vons would have a serious detrimental affect on traffic flow on Telegraph Canyon Road. The Director further stated that the developer does have the right to pursue the granting of a deferral; however, Engineering staff would not recommend to the Planning Commission approval of the deferral. If the Planning Commission granted the deferral, the following conditions would be recommended prior to the opening of Vons Market: a. Improved access to Vons would have to be provided both from Halecrest Drive and Telegraph Canyon Road. The second box culvert crossing and Telegraph Canyon channel east of Halecrest Drive would have to be completed and opened to traffic. b. The box culvert near the service station would be closed to traffic to prevent left turn movements from Telegraph Canyon Road. This access is too close to the intersection of Halecrest Drive to permit left turn movements. c. The parking lot would have to be paved and adequate lighting provided within the parking lot and at access points to Halecrest Drive and Telegraph Canyon Road. page 21 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 d. A temporary paved right turn pocket from Telegraph Canyon Road to the crossing must be constructed. e. The sewer must be air tested and wayne balled prior to Vons' opening. f. The deferral would expire 90 days after Planning Commission approval. All improvements must be completed by the date the deferral expires. 3. On January 19, 1979, the City Engineer sent a memo to the Director of Building and Housing requesting the Department to withhold final inspection and certificates of occupancy for all structures within the shopping center until notification by Engineering. 4. In a letter dated March 15, 1979, Project Design Consultants formally requested a deferral of public improvements so they may open Vons Market and Thrifty Drug Store on April 15, 1979. The Developer agreed to meet all those conditions as stated in the letter of January 23, 1979. B. Recommendation 1. Based on the findings contained in Section D of this report, adopt a motion to disapprove the request for a deferral of public improvements. Should this deferral be granted however, it is recommended that items IA- 2a through f of this report be incorporated as conditions of approval. C. Analysis 1. Telegraph Canyon Road is a four lane, divided, major thoroughfare and has a traffic count of 19,000 vehicles per day. 2. The proximity of the intersection of Halecrest Drive and Telegraph Canyon Road to the 1-805 interchange makes this location hazardous with respect to turning movements, and ingress to and egress from one or two driveways adjacent to the shopping center. 3. At present, Crest Drive is closed and traffic is being diverted to Halecrest and Paseo del Rey. Estimates of time show that this condition will exist until about May 21, 1979. This places even more burden on the Halecrest intersection. 4. No basis for justifying the requested deferral was set forth in the letter of request. City Planning Commission page 22 Agenda Items for Meeting of April 18, 1979 D. Findings 1. In view of the fact that both Vons and Thrifty are on the west end of the shopping center, the traffic will be concentrated at or near the intersection of Halecrest and Telegraph Canyon Road. 2. Additional traffic generated in this area would be detrimental to vehicular safety. 3. No basis for the deferral has been presented.