HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1988/07/19 Item 28
COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
I tern 28
Meeting Date 7/19/88
ITEM TITLE:
Pub 1 i c Heari n9: GPA-88-1 - Consi derati on of an amendment to
the Land Use Element of the Chu1a Vista General Plan by the
redesignation of 2.09 acres on the westerly side of Otay Lakes
Road between Bonita Road and Allen School Lane at 3956 Otay
Lakes Road from IIMedi urn Dens i ty Res i denti alII (4-12 du I s acre)
to "Professional and Administrative Commercial II
Resolutionp~ 7 S- Approving GPA-88-1 for the designation
of approximately 2.09 acres "Professional and Administrative
Commercial II
SUBMITTED BY: Director of Planning
REVIEWED BY: City Manager~ (4/5ths Vote: Yes___No___
The appl i cants, Robert E. Crane and John E. Dauz, propose to acqui re and
develop a 2.09 acre site on the westerly side of Otay Lakes Road between
Bonita Road and Allen School Lane with an office building.
The proposed General Plan amendment is prerequisite to the zoning of the site
1 a zoning cl assifi cati on whi ch woul d permi t the proposed offi ce commercial
.se. However, an application for rezoning has not been submitted at this time.
In July 1985, the City Council of the City of Chula Vista, by a split vote,
denied a proposed General Plan request (GPA-84-6) to redesignate the subject
property from II Low Density Residential II to "Retail Commercial II and
IIProfessional and Administrative Commercial" on the plan diagram of the Land
Use Element of the Chula Vista General Plan. The Council accepted the staff
recommendation to approve a redesignation from IILow Density Residential II (l to
3 du's per acre) to IIMedium Density Residentia111 (4 to 12 du's acre). While
the 1985 action supported the staff position and rejected the Planning
Commission position to redesignate the subject land to Professional and
Administrative Commercial, staff and the Planning Commission are both
recommending the Professional and Administrative designation.
The present staff position is predicated upon the substantial increase in the
demand for suburban offi ces duri n9 the past three years, and the app 1 i cant I s
submittal of documentation which clearly supports this demand. Even more
important is staff's belief that the IIProfessiona1 and Administrative
Commercialll designation could, in fact, preclude the Otay Lakes Road Extension
of the Bonita Road Retail Commercial Strip.
The Planning Department's survey provides evidence that the demand for
suburban offi ce space is parti cul arly strong in the Boni ta Communi ty. The
proposed redesignation would partially meet this demand, without adversely
_affecting adjacent residential uses. The subsequent rezoning of the subject
wo-acre site to a well-tailored office-commercial classification would tend
co increase the protection of the said residential uses from potential further
encroachment of commercial activities into the area.
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Page 2, Item 28
Meeting Date~
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Based on the attached Initial Study and comments on the Initial Study and
Negative Decl arati on, fi nd that thi s project wi 11 have no si gnifi cant
environmental impacts and adopt the Negative Declaration issued on
IS-88-38.
2. Adopt the attached resolution to redesignate the subject site from "Medium
Density Residential" to "Professional and Administrative Commercial II on
the plan diagram of the Chula Vista General Plan.
BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: On June 22, 1988, the Planning
Commission took the following action:
1. Unanimously adopted the Negative Declaration issued on IS-88-38 which is
herewith forwarded to Council for adoption; and
2. Unanimously recommended that Council adopt a resolution redesignating the
enti re 2.09 acres from "Medi urn Dens i ty Res i denti alII to IIProfess i ona 1 and
Administrative Commercial.1I
DISCUSSION:
Existing Site Characteristics
The subject property is currently developed with two houses located on the
southerly portion of the site, a storage shed on the westerly portion and
a large red barn located on the northerly portion. The site slopes
downward in a northerly direction towards Bonita Road. The property
immediately to the south is approximately 15 feet higher in elevation and
the properties to the west range from 15 feet to 25 feet hi gher. The
property 1 ine between the westerly properties and the subject site 1 ies
within the slope between the properti es. The easterly 50 feet of the
property is a public road easement, but is not dedicated. Another 20 foot
easement also traverses the easterly portion of the site as well as the
northerly side.
2. General Plan Designations (See Exhibit A)
The plan diagram of the Land Use Element of the General Plan designates
the project site as Medium Density Residential, 4-12 dwelling units per
gross acre. The adjacent designations are as follows:
No r th : Re ta i 1 C omme rc i a 1
South: Low Density Residential (1-3 DUlac)
East: Low Density (1-3 DUlac), Medium Density (4-12 DUlac)
and High Density (13-26 DUlac) residential designations
West: Low Density Resi denti al (1-3 DUlac)
Otay Lakes Road proposed as a prime arterial (128 foot right-of-way) has
been designated as a scenic route in the City of Chula Vista's Scenic
Routes Element of the General Plan.
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Page 3, Item 28
Meeting Date~
3. Zoning and Land Use (See Exhibit B)
The property is currently zoned R-3-P-8 (Multi pl e-Fami ly Res i denti a 1 at 8
DU's/ac subject to a precise plan)
North: C-C-D
"Bonita Centre" Shopping Center
South: R-R-l (County)
East: R-2-20-D
R-E
R-3-P-8
SDG&E Substation
Single Family Dwellings
Single Family Dwellings
Condos
West: R-R-l
(County)
Single Family Dwellings
4. Proposed Development
I f the proposed general plan amendment is approved, it is the app 1 i cant IS
plan to purchase the property, demolish the existing buildings and build
an office building on the site.
ANALYSIS
. The proposed amendment would authorize an increase in the territory
des i gnated for commerci a l-offi ce development, and thereby woul d address
the growing demand for "suburban office space" within the City of Chula
Vi sta and its Bonita Community. Accardi ng to the market report prepared
for the applicant, Chula Vista has less than a 2% vacancy rate in
conjunction with office uses.
2. The proposed amendment would preclude the southerly extension of the
Bonita Road retail strip, along the westerly side of Otay Lakes Road, and
would preclude any effort to increase Chula Vista's substantial retail
overcommercialization. Furthermore, the subject site is physically
isolated from other, potential commercial sites. Its redesignation to
"Professional and Administrative Commercial," therefore, should not result
in the initiation of an "0tay Lakes Road Commercial Strip."
3. The parcells isolation is partially predicated upon its topography. It is
situated in a depression, and its development with an office building
would not visually or functionally affect adjacent residential uses.
4. The subject parcel presently accommodates a large red barn, which has, for
several years, housed a commercial feed business. This business.s
operati on has not materi ally impacted nearby resi dences, and there is no
evidence that a well-planned office building on the site would increase
local land-use friction.
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Page 4, Item 28
Meeting Date~
Conclusion
The proposed amendment would partially meet the Chula Vista Planning Area1s
increasing need for suburban office space, without increasing its
retail-commercial overzoning or adversely affecting adjacent residential areas.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
WPC 5325P
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th2 City Council of
Chula Vista, California
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Dated