Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1982/07/14 A G E N D A City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, July 14, 1982 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Meeting of June 23, 1982 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Conditional use permit PCC-82-21 to establish 24-hour mini market and self-serve gas station at the northwest corner Palomar Street and Walnut Avenue - Atlantic Richfield Company 2. Consideration of appeal of denial by Design Review Committee of PCM-82-27, for a fast food drive-thru restaurant, 500 block Telegraph Canyon Road McDonald's Restaurant DIRECTOR'S REPORT COMMISSION COMMENTS To: City Planning Commission From: Bud Gray, Director of Planning Subject: Staff report on agenda items for Planning Commission Meeting of July 14, 1982 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Conditional Use Permit PCC-82-21; request to convert an exist!n~ service station at 800 Palomar Street into a mlnl-market/se~f-serve station - Atlantic Richfield Company A. BACKGROUND 1. The applicant is seeking permission to convert an existing full service gasoline station located at 800 Palomar Street into an AM-PM Mini-Market/Self Serve Station. The property is zoned ILP. 2. An Initial Study, IS-82-34, of possible adverse environmental impacts of the project was conducted by the Environmental Review Committee on July 1, ~982. The Committee concluded that there would be no significant environmetal effects and recommended that the Negative Declaration be adopted. B. RECOMMENDATION 1. Find that this project will have no significant environmental impacts and adopt the Negative Declaration issued on IS-82-34. 2. Based on the findings contained in Section "E" of this report adopt a motion determining that the proposed sale of convenience goods will provide a service to the motoring public as well as residents in the immediate neighborhood and approving PCC-82-21 subject to the following conditions: a. A landscaping and irrigation plan shall be submitted for approval along with the application for a building permit to remodel the existing building. Landscaping shall be provided along the northerly and westerly property lines. b. No storage or display of merchandise shall occur outside of the building. c. The cooler box for display of beer and wine products shall be limited in size to 5' wide and 7' high. Page 2 d. The 24' high pole sign at the southeast corner of the property shall be replaced with a monument sign which shall not exceed 8 1/2' in height or contain more than 85 sq. ft. of sign area including the price signs. e. The 24 hour sign on the building shall be allowed a maximum letter height of 20 inches instead of the proposed 30 inches. f. No signs visible from outside the building shall advertise the sale of beer or wine. g. Window signs shall not exceed 10% of the window area. h. The freeway oriented pole sign located at the northwest corner of the property may remain provided that the applicant submits a written agreement with the City of Chula Vista in which the applicant agrees that said sign would be removed at the direction of the Planning Commission. i. Owner shall provide sidewalk ramp at the curb return at Palomar and Walnut Avenues. j. Owner shall dedicate sufficient right of way to include all the existing public sidewalk at the southeast corner of the property. k. The placing of any signs on the site, other than those authorized by the conditions outlined, shall be deemed as reason to cause the Planning Commission to revoke this conditional use permit. 1. The proposed building color scheme shall be coordinated with the earth-tone color scheme shown for the AM-PM Mini-Market lettering on the monument sign. C. DISCUSSIO~ 1. Adjacent zoning and land use. North ILP Road easement and industrial South CTP Service station (full service) East ILP Vacant (approved industrial complex) West Unzoned Interstate 5 freeway 2. Existing site characteristics. (a) The subject property is a 16,191 sq. ft. irregularly shaped parcel located at the northwest corner of Palomar Street and Walnut Avenue. The site is presently developed with a service station which once offered full service but which is not being offered at this time. The building (1,580 sq. ft.) is located near the northeast corner of the property and has an attached canopy extending southerly over 2 pump island parallel to Palomar Street. The service bays are located on the west side of the building. Access is provided by two driveways on Palomar Street and one driveway on Walnut Avenue. There -2- Page 3 is a 15 ft. road easement along the westerly property line which has been retained to provide access to the properties to the north even though they receive their primary access by way of a road easement from Walnut Avenue. The 15 ft. easement on the property is paved and there is an existing driveway ramp serving the adjacent properties. The ramp is necessary because the site is approximately 3 to 4 ft. higher in elevation than the property to the north. A retaining wall is constructed along the northerly property line. (b) Existing signs consist of the normal wall signs on the building and two pole signs. A 24 ft. high 33 sq. ft. pole sign is located at the southeast corner of the property and a 43 ft. high 182 sq. ft. freeway oriented sign is located near the northwest corner. Because only one free standing sign is allowed in the IL zone both signs are considered non-conforming. The freeway oriented sign is also non-conforming due to its height and size (maximum 35 ft. high and 150 sq. ft.). Price signs have been placed on one of the light standards. 3. Proposed use. The applicant intends to remodel the existing building into an AM-PM Mini-Market. The service bays will be removed and the exterior of the building painted white with red, orange and blue color bands. Signing will consist of the typical "AM-PM" and "24 Hour" signs on the building. The pole sign at the street intersection is to be replaced with an 8-1/2 ft. high monument sign containing a sign area of approximately 85 sq. ft. including the gas price signs. 4. Similar establishments. (al Auto repair facilities. Previous reports on similar requests have discussed the value of auto repair facilities in close proximity of the freeway interchanges and that this concern is not as great along Interstate 5 where there are a number of auto repair operations 1/4 to 1/2 mile to the east along Broadway. In this instance, the service station across the street is a full service station. Therefore, service will remain available in the area. (b) Proposed service. As mentioned earlier there are no convenience markets in the general vicinity. The proposed market will therefore provide a service to the residents of the area not presently offered. (c) Refinement of plan. The proposed site plan should be revised to provide landscaping to the rear of the existing building. This will help soften the appearance of the station from the road easement and the properties to the north. The landscaping along the westerly property line should also be revised to provide for better circulation. -3- Page 4 (d) Signs. This applicant is proposing to remove a 24' high pole sign at the corner and replace it with a monument sign. However, the large 43' high freeway sign would remain on a previous conversion of another Arco station at 720 "H" Street. The Planning Commission allowed the sign to remain (the staff had recommended removal) on the basis that there were other freeway oriented signs in the area that would remain. Planning Commission approval was given on the condition that removal could be required in the future. In this instance, the Shell station across the street also has a freeway sign which is not affected by this request. In light of the Commission's previous decision, I believe the applicant should be allowed to keep the freeway sign under the same stipulation that the Planning Commission may require its removal in the future. 5. Mini-Markets in the IL zone. At the present time retail markets as the one proposed are not listed as allowable uses or conditional uses in the IL zone. However, under the conditional uses section (1944.040) paragraph D of the I-L zone, restaurants, delicatessens and similar uses are permitted upon approval of a conditional use permit. The proposed mini-market which offers a number of fast food items is in my estimation, similar to a delicatessen and may be processed as such. D. FINDINGS 1. That the proposed use at the 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. The proposed use will provide a convenient service to motorists, travelers and residents in the immediate area who desire to purchase convenience items while buying gas. There are no other convenience markets within the immediate vicinity of the subject property. 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 conversion of an existing full-service gasoline station into a mini-market will not adversely effect nearby residential uses. The lubrication bays have already been closed. 3. That the proposed use will comply with the regulations and conditions specified in the code for such use. The proposed project will require approval of a building permit prior to construction; said permit process will ensure that the project meets the requirements of the Uniform Building Code and the Municipal Code. -4- Pa ge 5 4. That the granting of this conditional use permit will not adversely affect the general plan of the City or the adopted plan of any government agency. The subject property is designated for light industrial use on the general plan. The zoning ordinance provides for retail commercial uses within industrial zones subject to a conditional use permit in order to provide these services to the industrial area. ML:dl WPC O122P/OO15Z -5- negative declaration PROJECT NAME: ARCO Mini-Market PROJECT LOCATION: Northwest corner of Palomar Street and Walnut Avenue PROJECT APPLICANT: Atlantic Richfield Company 300 West Glen Oaks Boulevard Glendale, CA 91202 CASE NO. IS-82-34 DATE: July 1, 1982 A. Project setting The project site consists of .27 acres at the northwest corner of Walnut Avenue and Palomar Street. The site is presently operated as a service station. Adjacent land uses consist of a con~nercial office to the north, I-5 freeway to the west, Walnut Avenue and a vacant lot to the east, and Palomar Street to the south. Because of the developed nature of the site, there are no biological, archae- ological or historical resources present. There are no known geologic hazards in the vicinity of the project site. B. Project description The applicant proposes to locate a small accessory retail food sales area within an existing service station. This project requires a conditional use permit to authorize the change in land use and is therefore not exempt from environmental review. The project involves interior remodeling, replacement of wall shelving, racks, coolers, counters, etc. C. Compatibility of zoning and plans The current service station operation is a continuing nonconforming land use, as defined in the Chula Vista Municipal Code. The proposed changes in the structure and addition of retail sales items will require a conditional use permit in order to qualify as a conforming land use in the present I-L-P zone. The project site is located along one of the entrances to the city. Architec- tural compatibilit7, landscaping, signs, etc. will be reviewed for aesthetic compatibility by the Planning Commission and Design Review Committee. The proposed land use is compatible with the General Plan land use designation of "Research and Limited Industrial." D. Fi__n_di__n~s of insignificant impact 1. The project is void of any significant natural or manmade resources; there are no known earthquake faults in the vicinity of the project. 2. The land use as proposed is consistent with the land use element of the General Plan and the project is not anticipated to achieve short term to the disadvantage of long term environmental goals. city of chum vista planning department f~'~k~'~ · environmental review section IS-82-34 -2- 3. Project implementation is not anticipated to result in any impacts which could interact to create any substantial cumulative effect on the environment. 4. The project will not cause the emission of any harmful substance which could prove detrimental to the health or welfare of humans. E. Consultation 1. Individuals and organizations City of Chula Vista Steve Griffin, Associate Planner Bill Harshman, Senior Engineer Tom Dyke, Building Department Ted Monsell, Fire Marshal Duane Bazzel, Assistant Planner Applicant George Ryan 2. Documents IS-82-14, Atlantic Richfield Company City of Chula Vista Municipal Code and General Plan PCC-82-21, ARCO Hini-Market ~n,. Ini' ;.~1 .... : ' '' ~crm., documenting the l~in l~n,:,: ,~: p.r~ ';~,:;:1 : : ' ~',: :rip,let nl'~- on ['i}.e and avall,lblo [or ENVI~x~.XEN'FAL REVf[iW CCOP~[NATOR ~ city of chula vista planning department PALOMAR ST., st' vegetables vac home sf I I I Page 6 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of July 14, 1982 2. Consideration of appeal of denial by Design Review Committee of PCM-82-27~ request for freestanding restaurant at 500 block of Telegraph Canyon Road - McDonald Corp. A. BACKGROUND On July 1, 1982, by a vote of 2 to I, the Design Review Committee denied an application to construct a freestanding restaurant in an existing shopping center on Telegraph Canyon Road. B. RECOMMENDATION 1. Recertify that EIR-74-3 (Canyon Plaza Shopping Center) has been prepared in accordance with CEQA and note that the Planning Commission will consider the information in the report as they reach a decision on the project. 2. Deny the project on the basis of incompatible architectural design with the existing center due to the following: (a) "Light bars" on ~be ~of need to be. removed. (b) The modified gambrel roof design (a roof having two pitches) should be eliminated in favor of a single pitched mansard. (c) The fascia design should be wider to be in scale with the other buildings in the center. C. DISCUSSION 1. The applicant proposed to construct a 2,800 sq. ft. fast food, drive-thru restaurant on a vacant parcel within the Canyon Plaza Shopping Center, in the 500 block of Telegraph Canyon Road. 2. The original site plan and architecture was approved in two phases 3-4 years ago by the Planning Commission. The property is zoned C-C-P with all design review now accomplished by the Design Review Committee. The proposed architecture for the restaurant was not included in either of the two previously approved phases. 3. The bulk of the center's building area, over 100,000 sq. ft., is contained in three long rectangular buildings set to the rear of the property, paralleling Telegraph Canyon Road. In addition two freestanding bank buildings anchor each end of the project, with the subject building to be located closer to Telegraph Canyon Road near the midpoint of the lot. One additional small foto kiosk also exists close to Telegraph Canyon Road. 4. The proposed structure consists of a one-story all wood exterior, with a red "S" style tile on a modified gambrel roof. A series of "light" bars are located on the mansard roof'as well as a sign facing Telegraph Canyon Road. 5. The Design Review Committee first considered the application on May 20 and continued the item, directing the applicant to propose certain modifications to bring the design into compatible state with the center. The applicant made several Page 7 City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of July 14, 1982 revisions such as enclosing the roof mounted sign, providing a wider fascia, and reducing the number and enclosing the light bars with wood. However, the applicant indicated to the Committee on the second submission that the company would not change the basic roof design or remove the light bars since these features were a distinct corporate image. D. CONCLUSION 1. The argument used by the applicant that further changes cannot be accomplished because the corporate image would be lost, must be weighed and examined very carefully. Speaking architecturally, the image of McDonald's restaurants has certainly improved over the years. The Planning staff could cite hundreds of examples of corporate images which are both poor and good examples of architecture. Corporate images not only change periodically but individual adjustments are made to fit community needs and architectural styles established for specific retail centers. 2. If the building in question presented a strong architectural statement there would be less concern with "fitting" into the center. With relatively minor design modifications (see staff exhibit) the building can be redesigned to fit this center and with the use of building signs as well as a freestanding pole sign to be located along Telegraph Canyon Road, the business will be adequately identified. E. FINDINGS 1. The general design and proportions used in building, primarily the inclusions of light bars and the modified gambrel roof design, is not compatible with adjacent structures within the shopping center. 2. Variations in the roof detail were not completed as directed by the Design Review Committee in order to create visual interest and compatibility with the shopping center. II