Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 07, 2017
Special Orders of the Day
SUBJECT:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 17-1614 APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NO. 176-16 TO CHANGE THE ZONE FROM ML-D (MANUFACTURING, LIGHT, DESIGN OVERLAY) TO RM-25-D (RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE-FAMILY - DESIGN OVERLAY) FOR APNS 7343-001-040 AND 7343-001-041 AND CONSIDER RESOLUTION NO. 17-027 APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 99-16 CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO HIGH DENSITY FOR APNS 7343-001-040 AND 7343-001-041 FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 21205 MAIN STREET (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
On February 28, 2017, the Planning Commission recommended approval of General Plan Amendment No. 99-16 and Zone Change No. 176-16 to the City Council (Exhibit Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4). In addition, the Planning Commission approved Design Overlay Review No. 1622-16 and Conditional Use Permit No. 1008-16 for the construction of a 46-unit affordable “artist lofts” residential development for a property located at 21205 Main Street. After considerable discussion, the Planning Commission unanimously approved the project and with the following amendments to the Conditions of Approval:
• Deleted Condition No. 77 (recommended by staff);
• Added the following Conditions of Approval:
o Social events with more than 50 people require approval of a Shared Parking Conditional Use Permit to ensure adequate parking is available (Condition of Approval No. 37);
o Additional bike parking spaces should be provided (Condition of Approval No. 58);
o The total size of private storage areas should be increased to 960 square feet (Condition of Approval No. 59);
o Individual outdoor spaces should not be used as work areas (Condition of Approval No. 60);
The Planning Commission’s decision approving Design Overlay Review No. 1622-16 and Conditional Use Permit No. 1008-16 is contingent upon City Council approval of General Plan Amendment No. 99-16 and Zone Change No. 176-16. The proposed general plan amendment and zone change create a buffer between the existing industrial uses to the north of the site and existing single family units to the south by changing the designation of the site from industrial to high density residential.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. OPEN the public hearing, TAKE public testimony, and CLOSE the public hearing.
2. Waive further reading and INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 17-1614, entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NO. 176-16 TO CHANGE THE ZONE FROM ML-D (MANUFACTURING, LIGHT, DESIGN OVERLAY) TO RM-25-D (RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE-FAMILY - DESIGN OVERLAY) FOR APNs 7343-001-040 AND 7343-001-041 FOR A 1.81-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 21205 MAIN STREET.”
3. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 17-027, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 99-16 CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL FOR APNs 7343-001-040 AND 7343-001-041 FOR A 1.81-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 21205 MAIN STREET.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Prior City Council Action
On February 21, 2017, the City Council approved the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Development and Loan Agreement (Agreement) by and between the Carson Housing Authority (Authority) and the developer. The purpose of the Agreement is to implement the Authority’s objective of improving and increasing the supply of affordable housing in the City of Carson:
A regulatory agreement restricting income affordability levels will be recorded against the property to specify the terms of affordability restrictions of the units to extremely-low, very-low, and low income residents. These terms will be in effect for a minimum of 55 years following the release of the Certificate of Occupancy.
Details of the Proposed Development
The 1.81 acre site is bounded by the Carson Town Center to the north, Main Street to the east, single-family residential to the south and Moneta Street to the west. The project approved by the Planning Commission consists of constructing three residential buildings (two 2-story and one 3-story) for 45 affordable housing units with leasing preference to artists, 1 manager’s unit, ancillary facilities and related site improvements.
The proposed buildings will provide a minimum of 47-foot and maximum of 85-foot setbacks from the southern property line to the buildings that will help buffer the transition between the adjacent single-story structures and the proposed two and three-story buildings. Additionally, a 20-foot dense landscaping and Moneta Avenue (a fifty-foot wide collector street) adequately buffer the site the single family units to west of the site. The community rooms, including dining hall, performance space/music room, digital media room, and an art gallery, are oriented towards Main Street.
Artist Colony Community Benefits
The proposed “artist colony” housing concept provides leasing preference to artists, the units will be designed to market rate quality, and the project consists of upgraded amenities such as art related community space including a gallery, digital media lab, performance space and creative workspaces. Additional amenities include open space courtyards, an edible garden, sculpture garden and laundry facilities. Social services such as educational, recreational and/or vocational programs will be offered to the residents free of charge.
Planning Commission Discussions
One of Planning Commission’s biggest concerns was the adequacy of the proposed number of parking spaces. A total of 71 parking spaces are provided on-site. A 46-unit market rate project would have required 121 parking spaces. However, state law (AB 744) allows a substantial reduction of required parking spaces for 100% affordable housing project with a ratio of is 0.5 spaces per unit, inclusive of guest and disabled parking. As such, the required number of parking for this development is 23 spaces. This reduction is only applicable if the affordable housing developments are located within on-half mile of a major transit stop. In this case, two Torrance Transit stops are located at Main Street and Carson Street.
After significant discussion, the Planning Commission concluded the project is not proposing enough parking spaces to host large events. Therefore, the Planning Commission, added a condition of approval to require events with more than 50 people to secure additional parking spaces by obtaining approval of a shared parking Conditional Use Permit. The applicant agreed to this condition of approval stating that it was reasonable.
The Planning Commission discussion also touched on issues related to buffering, adequacy of bike parking and private storage, and using outdoor areas as work space.
General Plan Amendment
The project includes a General Plan Amendment to allow the development of a multiple-family dwelling development by changing the existing General Plan designation from Light Industrial to High-Density Residential. The proposed development will create a transitional use between the industrial park to the north and the single-family homes to the south and west of the project site (Exhibit No. 5).
Zone Change - Rezone
State Planning Law requires consistency between zoning and the City’s General Plan Land Use Designation. The subject site’s existing zoning is ML-D (Manufacturing Light - Design Overlay). The proposed General Plan land use designation is High-Density Residential. In order to comply with the zoning and general plan land use consistency requirements, the applicant has proposed to change the zone to RM-25-D (Residential Multiple-Family - 25 units per acre - Design Overlay). The RM-25-D zone allows a maximum of 46 units for this site which is what the applicant is proposing. Therefore, the project would be consistent with the new zoning.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. PC Staff Report/Disposition from February 28, 2017 (pgs. 6-36)
2. PC Resolution (Signed) from February 28, 2017. (pgs. 37-55)
3. Draft Ordinance adopting Zone Change Amendment (pgs. 56-57)
4. Draft Resolution adopting General Plan Amendment (pgs. 58-60)
5. Maps: Amendment to the General Plan Land Use Designation Map and Zoning Map Designation. (pgs. 61-62)
Prepared by: McKina Alexander, Associate Planner