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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1981/02/11 AGENDA City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, February 11, 1981 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Meeting of January 14, 1981 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Conditional use permit PCC-81-6, request to allow the sale of gasoline in conjunction with retail market at 495 Telegraph Canyon Road - Atlantic Richfield Company 2. PUBLIC HEARING: PCA-81-4 - Consideration of amendment to Section 15.56.020 of Municipal Code relating to storage requirements for condominiums 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 February ll, 1981 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Conditional use permit PCC-81-6, request to allow the sale of gasoline in conjunction with retail market at 495 Telegraph Canyon Road - Atlantic Richfield Company A. BACKGROUND 1. The applicant, Atlantic Richfield Company, is requesting permission to convert an existing full service gas station into a convenience market and self- service gas station at the northwest corner of Telegraph Canyon Road and Halecrest Drive in the C-C-D zone. This item was previously before the Planning Commission on November 26, 1980. However, at the request of the applicant, the item was filed without any action. 2. The proposed project does not constitute a substantial change in land use and is therefore not subject to environmental review under CEQA regulations. B. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion to deny the request based on the findings listed in Section "E". C. DISCUSSION 1. Adjacent zoning and land use: North R-1 & C-O-P Single family dwellings and dental office South R-3-G-P Condominiums East C-C-D & C-C-P Service station shopping center West Unzoned Interstate 805 freeway (on ramp) 2. Existing site characteristics. The project site is a 0.59 acre irregularly shaped parcel located at the northwest corner of Telegraph Canyon Road and Halecrest Drive. The site is presently developed with a full service gas station approved by the Planning Commission in 1969 (C-69-17) and constructed in 1971. The building, with a floor area of 1,620 sq. ft., is located in the approximate center of the property and the pump islands, both full service and self service, are located along the Telegraph Canyon Road frontage. The periphery of the site is landscaped and a freestanding pole sign is located at the street intersection. The dental office to the north is approximately 15 feet higher in elevation than the project site while the residential uses are approximately 21 feet higher. The existing 2 to 1 slopes are part of the adjoining properties. City Planning Commission Page 2 Agenda Items for Meeting of February ll, 1981 3. Proposed project. The applicant proposes to discontinue the auto repair service and convert the entire building into a retail market. The pump islands are to remain and be changed into self service only. The proposed conversion results in the market becoming a major use of the property, together with gas sales. This change in land use requires that a new conditional use permit be obtained for the sale of gasoline in conjunction with the market, whereas the site was previously approved for a full service gas station. The applicant also proposes to replace the pole sign with a monument sign which measures 18 feet tong at the base and has an overall height of 7 feet. The actual sign area is approximately 3.7 feet by 12.5 feet (approximately 46 sq. ft.) with the remainder being a masonry base. Other signs include wall signs on the building (including "24 hour" sign) and sign on the canopy. The landscaped area in which the monument sign is to be placed will be enlarged to accommodate the longer sign. There are a number of existing parking spaces on the site which will be supplemented by additional parking on the east and west sides of the building. The total amount of parking will be 13 spaces, 9 of which are required by code for the proposed use. 4. Requirements. The Engineering Department has reviewed the proposed project and has indicated that if the request is approved the applicant will be required to pay a traffic signal participation fee of $1,882.00. In addition, an encroachment permit will be required for work to be done within the existing drainage easement along the southerly property line. D. ANALYSIS 1. Several months ago the Planning Commission considered and approved a similar type of conversion for Atlantic Richfield involving a station located at the corner of Broadway and "E" Street. The conversion of that station is now essentially complete and in operation, however, it has not been operating for a sufficient period of time to fully evaluate. 2. In staff's mind, there is a substantial difference between the situation at Broadway and "E" and the situation at Telegraph Canyon Road and Halecrest. Automotive services of various types are available virtually throughout the length of Broadway so that the service rendered at the ARCO station on the corner of "E" Street and Broadway was not of great importance. However, that condition does not exist in the more easterly portions of Chula Vista and the service stations in those areas comprise the only auto repair facilities available to those areas. Also, the location of the subject service station in close proximity to the on and off ramps for 1-805 places it in a position to assist motorists who experience mechanical problems on the freeway. 3. While it is true that another full service station (Shell) is located across Halecrest Drive from the subject station, it is obvious that that station is very busy. A self service station is located just west of 1-805 on the north side of Telegraph Canyon Road and a full service station exists on the south side of Telegraph Canyon Road just west of 1-805, but this grouping of stations must serve not only the freeway but the entire East Chula Vista area. It seems to staff that the automobile service facilities in this general area are important City Planning Commission Page 3 Agenda Items for Meeting .of February ll, 1981 to freeway users and to residents of the area. No additional commercial zoning is contemplated along Telegraph Canyon Road eastof 1-805 so that the existing stations in the area will be required to serve that area as it continues to develop. 4. Turning to the question of the need for additional facilities for the sale of food and beverage items, such as would be offered if PCC-81-6 is approved, it seems to staff that no such need is apparent. A 24 hour 7-Eleven store is located on the north side of Telegraph Canyon Road just west of 1-805 and a super- market (Von's) is located in the new Telegraph Canyon Center just east of the freeway. Other stores within that center also sell merchandise typical of the ARCO Mini Shops. 5. It must be recognized that the applicant could close the lubrication and service bays of the subject station and operate as a self-service station without approval of the Planning Commission. However, the ability to re-open the service bay operation at some point in the future would remain more feasible under that alternative than if the conversion to a market were authorized. All things considered, it is staff's conclusion that the subject full service station is important to serve the needs of freeway users and the residents of East Chula Vista and that the proposed mini-market is not required to serve those needs by virtue of the proximity of the 7-Eleven store, Von's and other shops in the Telegraph Canyon Center E. FINDINGS 1. That the proposed use at the particular location is necessary or desirable to provide a service or facility which will contribute to the general well-being of the neighborhood or the community. No evidence has been presented to substantiate the statement by the applicant that the proposed mini~market would be a necessary or desirable service for the neighborhood or the community. 2. That such use will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety or general welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity, or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity. The proposed use will be detrimental to the general welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity since a viable and needed automobile service activity will be eliminated in order to provide the mini-market operation. City Planning Commission Page 4 Agenda Items for Meeting of February ll, 1981 2. PUBLIC HEARING: PCA-81-4 - Consideration of amendment to Section 15.56.020 of Municipal Code relating to storage requirements for condominiums A. BACKGROUND 1. This item involves a proposed amendment to the condominium regulations of the Municipal Code to redefine the location and distribution of the required storage space for condominiums. 2. The proposed amendment is exempt from environmental review as a class l(a) exemption. B. RECOMHENDATION Adopt a metion recommending that the City Council enact an ordinance amending Section 15.56.020 C of the Municipal Code to increase the required adjacent storage from 40% to 70% of the required total storage and to delete the provision which allows existing interior space to count toward the required storage area. (Exhibit "A", attached, shows the proposed amendments.) C. DISCUSSION l. On January 15, 1981 the Planning Department submitted a report to the City Council on the present storage requirements for condominium projects. The report was prompted by the Council's concern that the storage requirements were being "stretched" beyond the original intent of the provisions by allowing storage located in several locations, such as oversized linen closets and bedroom closets to be counted toward the required storage. Upon review of the report the City Council, by a vote of 3 to 2, directed the staff to prepare an amendment to the condominium regulations to increase the amount of adjacent storage from 40% to 70% of the total. Table 1, below, shows the requirements of the present ordinance and indicates the amount of adjacent storage that would be required with the increase from 40% to 70% TABLE 1 Storage requirements for condominiums under the present ordinance with 40% required to be adjacent and with the proposal for 70% required to be adjacent. (Was) (Proposed) Bedrooms in Unit Total Volume (cu.ft.) 40% Adjac.(cu.ft.) 70% Adjac (cu.ft.) Studio and One 150 60 105 Two 200 80 140 Three 250 100 175 Four or more 300 120 210 2. The condominium standards also allow closet or cabinet space within the unit to count toward the required storage if it clearly exceeds what is normal for such spaces. While several developments have been approved with interior storage ageas where such areas were clearly in excess of normal, the City Council expressed some displeasure over that practice. For that reason and in order to foster east of admin- istration of the ordinance, this portion of the ordinance is recommended to be deleted. City Planning Conmission Page 5 Agenda Items for Meeting of February ll, 1981 D. CONCLUSION The proposed amendments will increase the security and convenience of the required storage areas and will eliminate the ambiguity associated with determining whether or not an existing storage area is clearly above what is "normally" provided. The amendment probably will also make it somewhat more difficult to convert apartments to condominiums. EXHIBIT A -- CONVERSION OF DWELLING UNITS TO INDEPENDENT OWNERSHIP Section 15.56.020 or dwelling group into a comdominium project, -t-he ~o{~l-*eq~.ived.-spaee .em~j,i~-R-~qea. r!.y shall be occupied prior to the property owner's --e-yeceed~ ~ elosot- aed- c~oi~e~- sq~e~ compliance with the following requirements: -whioh 4s- rtorm~l-~- pro~ided -fog s~aeh-~ A. Condominium developments shall meet the -4.~ri{. fire protection standards which govern 6-7-. One-half of the required space may be multi-family residences, dwelling groups, and provided within the attic if it is acces- other types of rental projects. All existing sible by a pulldown or stationary stair- fire protection facilities shall be maintained, way. B. Walls which meet the standards of the 7.8.- Storage located within the carport area Uniform Building Code shall be installed shall not constitute more than s~hirt3 between the airspaces of condominium cent of the required space, if not ad- units, jacent to the unit. C. Unless otherwise authorized by the planning ] 8-9-. Storage space must be designed so as to commission and city council pursuant toI be architecturally compatible with the Section 15.56.070, each condominium unit character of the condominium develop- shall be provided with enclosed storage space ment. in accordance with the following standards: 9 143. Storage spaces shall not be located where 1. Each condominium unit shall be pro- they would increase the danger of fire vided with an enclosed storage space for or block important access routes to fire the personal and private use of each or police personnel. Where attic storage owner in accordance with the following ! is provided, it shall be enclosed with one table: ~ hour fire resistive construction. D. Condominium projects shall conform to the Number of bedrooms Cu. ft. of enclosed Uniform Housing Code which exists at the in condominium unit storage space time of their establishment by subdivision map. The Housing Code requirements are Studio and one 150 those which govern multiple-family Two 200 dwellings and dwelling groups. Three 250 E. All condominium projects shall meet the Four or more 300 protective-lighting standards of the Uniform Housing Code. 2. Enclosed storage spaces may contain no F. Condominium projects shall conform to the dimension smaller than two feet and off-street parking requirements which exist may not be divided into more than two at the time of their establishment by locations. No k3c~4~o.n .m.a-y .c.m~4~-i,q k,s~* subdivision map or parcel map. The off- 4fl~ f~rt-), -pe-~c--o.n-t -of- t-he- r-oq-mva, d. street parking requirements are those which s~omg~-~t~a~, seventy govern multiple-fa~nily dwellings and 3. At least fovty,,~pcrcent of the required dwelling groups. qontiguous with space must b'~atl-j~%m-~ t'o-eF, vei'~l~i~n-the G. Condominium projects shall comply with unit it serves, tile guidelines of the design manual of the 4. Storage spaces shall be as secfire as pos- city, and shall be reviewed by the design sible. All storage spaces which are ac- review committce, except where cessible from outside the living area must condominium projects are located with the utilize one-inch dcadbolt single cylinder Chula Vista town centre No. 1 locks, security type hinges with nonre- redevelopment project area, in which case movable pins, and solid core d&r)rs, the guidelines of tile town centre dcsigu Such spaces must be constructed in a manual shall govern, and the reviewing body secure workmanlike manner and of ma- shall be the town centre design review board. terials so as to resist ['orccd entries. Notwithstanding the provisions of 5. Thc configuration of the storage space subsection G, tile property owner shall not shall allow for all portions of it to be be required to make major structural or easily reached, spatial changes to existing buildings. -6,. .A. st-ar-t~ge s.t~ee leeated wi-t41i~{heq, i-tm'g'H. Each condominium unit shall be served by asea.-of ~,-u~iX-w~ht be e~t~nt~d-~crw~rd a separhte water heater, and by separate 411-1