Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Special Orders of the Day
SUBJECT:
Title
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 17-033 APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 1006-16 TO CONSTRUCT A NEW INFLATABLE AIRSHIP HANGAR AND MAINTENANCE BUILDING AND OTHER SITE IMPROVEMENTS CONSIDER INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 17-1616 APPROVING ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 27-16 TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROPOSED SIGNS ON A PROPERTY ZONED SU-BP-D-ORL (SPECIAL USE; BLIMP PORT; DESIGN REVIEW; ORGANIC REFUSE LANDFILL) AND ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 27-16 TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROPOSED SIGNAGE, FOR THE EXISTING GOODYEAR BLIMP PORT LOCATED AT 19200 SOUTH MAIN STREET (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
The item was continued from the March 7, 2017 meeting to allow the Planning Commission to consider and take action on this item. Staff had published the public hearing notice for the March 7, 2017 City Council meeting prior to the March 14, 2017 Planning Commission hearing to accommodate Goodyear’s schedule.
On March 14, 2017, the Planning Commission recommended approval of Conditional Use Permit No. 1006-16 and Zone Text Amendment No. 27-16 to the City Council. In addition, the Planning Commission approved Design Overlay Review No. 1627-16 and Variance No. 561-16 for the construction of a new blimp hangar, maintenance building and related site improvements at the existing Goodyear blimp port at 19200 South Main Street.
The Planning Commission’s decision approving Design Overlay Review No. 1627-16 and Variance No. 561-16 is contingent upon City Council approval of Conditional Use Permit No. 1006-16 and Zone Text Amendment No. 27-16. If the City Council makes substantial changes to the requests described in this staff report, the Planning Commission may have to reconsider their approval.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. TAKE additional public testimony, and CLOSE the public hearing.
2. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 17-033, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CALIFORNIA, TO APPROVE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW INFLATABLE AIRSHIP HANGAR AND MAINTENANCE BUILDING AND OTHER SITE IMPROVEMENTS ON A PROPERTY ZONED SU-BP-D-ORL (SPECIAL USE; BLIMP PORT; DESIGN REVIEW; ORGANIC REFUSE LANDFILL) FOR THE EXISTING GOODYEAR BLIMP PORT LOCATED AT 19200 SOUTH MAIN STREET; AND
3. WAIVE further reading and INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 17-1616, entitled, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, TO APPROVE ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 27-16 TO AMEND SECTION 9159.2 (D)(10) (PART 5-OPEN SPACE ZONE AND SPECIAL USES; SU-BP ZONE (BLIMP PORT); SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS; SIGNS) OF THE CARSON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING BLIMP PORT SIGNS ON A PROPERTY ZONED SU-BP-D-ORL (SPECIAL USE; BLIMP PORT; DESIGN REVIEW; ORGANIC REFUSE LANDFILL) FOR THE EXISTING GOODYEAR BLIMP PORT LOCATED AT 19200 SOUTH MAIN STREET.”
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate.
IV. BACKGROUND
Conditional Use Permit
The proposed project includes the addition of a new 40,000 square foot airship hangar, 4,500 square foot maintenance building, modifications to the existing administrative building and an expanded landing and mooring area at the center of the site. The proposed project also includes new fencing at the project site perimeter. At this time, Goodyear is proposing facility improvements to accommodate their new airship, which is expected to arrive in October 2017.
The site is part of the former BKK landfill, which operated on the site from 1948 to 1960. In 1967, Goodyear Tire and Rubber purchased the property and constructed the airship facility. The facility has been in operation ever since.
The Goodyear Carson Airship Facility was built on a portion of the former BKK Carson Landfill (Victoria Golf Course/BKK Carson Landfill) which has undergone a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for soil and landfill gas media, and the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for soil and landfill gas was finalized this year. Because of Goodyear’s location on the former landfill, the proposed site improvement activities required coordination and discussion with DTSC to ensure that the landfill cover will not be compromised by any of the activities, that contingency and health and safety plans are in place for workers and the public, and to ensure that the activities will allow for continued compliance with the current post-closure monitoring and maintenance requirements outlined in the final RAP.
Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates blimp operations which include a 1,300’ radius area in which all proposed structures are limited to a maximum of 50’ height. To address the FAA’s height restriction, staff had initially recommended that the Blimp Overlay Zone, which currently includes only the blimp site, be expanded to include the 1000’ buffer area through approval of Zone Change Case No. 177-17. After considerable discussion, Goodyear, the FAA, neighboring property owner Watson Land Company, and City staff have agreed that staff will route future development proposals within the 1000’ radius to FAA for their review and comment. All future developments within this 1000’ radius will have to agree to restrictions proposed by FAA. Therefore, the Planning Commission did not take action on Zone Change Case No. 177-17.
Zone Text Amendment
Signage is proposed on the new hanger and new maintenance building that totals 21,528 square feet. Current code requirements limit the total sign area to 3,120 square feet. In order to consider this increase in sign area, the applicant has proposed a zoning ordinance amendment.
The proposed project is a one-of-a kind facility with a distinctive identity and character. The Goodyear blimp makes appearances above the annual Rose Parade, Academy Awards, Super Bowl Week activities, X-Games and hundreds of NCAA, NBA, MLB and NHL games. Because of its unique landmark qualities, staff supports the request to provide larger signage.
Moratorium Exception
The project site is located within Area 1C of the “Signature Project” moratorium area. On June 8, 2016, the City Council approved an exception to the moratorium for the modification to the Carson airship base to accommodate the new fleet of airships, finding the project to be consistent with and complementing the “Signature Project” as a regional destination that serves the local market.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. PC Staff Report / Disposition from March 14, 2017 (pgs.5 - 70)
2. PC Resolution (Signed) from March 14, 2017. (pgs. 71 - 90)
3. Summary - Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study (pgs. 91 -97)
4. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (pgs. 98 - 101)
5. Draft Ordinance adopting Zone Change Amendment (pgs. 102 - 104)
6. Draft Resolution No. 17-033 adopting Conditional Use Permit (pgs. 105 - 123)
7. Development Plans (pgs. 124 - 128)
Prepared by: Max Castillo, Assistant Planner