city council meeting november 18, 2013

Planning & Community Development Department

Conditional Use Permit #6036 &Street Vacation

1727-1787 East Walnut Street and235 North Allen Avenue

“Allen-Walnut TOD Project”City Council MeetingNovember 18, 2013


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Allen-Walnut TOD Project

• Project Description>Mixed-use project.

128 Rental Apartments. 5,000 square feet of commercial space. 203 parking spaces.

» 134 spaces in one level of subterranean parking.» Accessed from Walnut Street.

>Two buildings. West: 15 units in three stories. East: 113 units in four stories.

>Meridith Avenue to be vacated.


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E Walnut St

N A

llen

Ave

Locust St

E Corson St

AllenGold LineStation

Project Site

800 feet


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• Vicinity


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E Walnut St

N M

erid

ithAv

e

N A

llen

Ave

Locust St

ECSP-CG-3

RM-16

CG

Conditional Use Permit For Housing

Permitted“By Right”

Meridith Ave.Street Vacation


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E. Walnut St.

N. A

llen A

ve.





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• East Elevation

• South Elevation





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• Looking northeast across Walnut Street


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• Looking northwest across Allen Avenue


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• Entitlements:>Conditional Use Permit to construct housing on

the CG-zoned portion of the site;>Street Vacation of Meridith Avenue; and>Design Review.


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• Review Authorities:>Planning Commission made recommendation on

Street Vacation, Conditional Use Permit, and environmental review to City Council.

>City Council makes final decision.>Design Commission will conduct design review.

Tentatively scheduled for December 10.

>Arts & Culture Commission will conduct public art component review. Preliminary review occurred on October 9.


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• Public Art Ordinance.>1% of the building permit valuation shall be

allocated by a developer for a public art component. Design Commission cannot approve Concept Design

Review for the project until submittal of a Public Art Application.

Concept Art Plan must be submitted within 45 days of Concept Design Review.

Final Design Review cannot occur until the Concept Art Plan is approved.

Final Art Plan must be submitted within 45 days of Final Design Review.

>20% of 1% is due upon submittal for building permit plan check.


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• Review Authorities:>Arts & Culture Commission reviewed Preliminary

Concept Art Plan on October 9, 2013. Commission directed applicant to return for Concept

Art Plan review prior to submittal of Final Art Plan:» More fully develop art concept to, “…provide complexity

and layered meanings beyond aesthetic design…” Staff is recommending a revised condition of approval

#20:» “The project shall meet all requirements of the Public Art

Process. The applicant shall submit a formal application for Concept Art Plan for review and approval by the Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission within 90 days of the effective date of this approval.”

Cultural Affairs staff will continue to work with applicant, art consultant, and artist to evolve public art component.


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• Planning Commission.>Public Hearing held October 23, 2013.>Voted 8-0 to recommend approval of project and

environmental documents.>An addendum was prepared in response to

questions about traffic study methodology.>Two speakers voiced opposition to project:

Increased traffic congestion; and Inadequate on-site parking.


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Conditional Use Permit #6036

• Density Bonus>State Law

Senate Bill 1818

>Section 17.43 of Zoning Code Multi-family or mixed-use project with five or more

units (before the bonus). Affordable categories:

» Very Low Income;» Low Income; and» Moderate Income.

Permitted “by-right”. Comply with all applicable codes and requirements. Environmental review required.


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• Density Bonus>Maximum density bonus allowed varies:

% of housing (before bonus)

% of bonus (over max)

Very low income housing

5%10%11%

20%27.5%35%

Low income housing

10%15%20%

20%27.5%35%

Moderate income housing

10%20%30%40%

5%15%25%35%


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• Density Bonus>Developers may request concessions or waivers

from development standards in order to provide affordable units.

>No deviations from any development standards proposed as part of this project.


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• Zoning Code Compliance:>Residential Density/Density Bonus:

Nine ‘very low income’ units; and One ‘moderate income’ unit.

>Permitted density bonus: 30 percent, or 33 more units. 16 percent, or 18 unit proposed.


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• Zoning Code Compliance:>The project is in compliance with other

applicable development standards of the Zoning Code including: Setbacks; Encroachment plane; Height; and Floor Area

Ratio.

>All applicable development standards will be verified during review of plans submitted for building permit.


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• Zoning Code Compliance: (continued)

>Parking for TOD projects:

Land Use Zoning Code Requirement (TOD)Minimum Spaces

Required

Spaces Proposed

Residential

1.0-1.25 / unit < 650 s.f. 64 units 64 (80

max.)64

1.5-1.75 / unit ≥ 650 s.f. 64 units 96 (112

max.)96

Guests 1.0 per every 10 units 128 units 13 13Commercial (restaurant) 9.0 per 1,000 s.f. 2,500 s.f. 23 23

Commercial (retail) or 2.7 per 1,000 s.f. 2,500 s.f. 7 7Commercial (office) 2.25 per 1,000 s.f. 2,500 s.f. 6 6

Total 202 or 203

202 or 203


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Street Vacation

• Portion of Meridith Avenue to be vacated:>Dead-end terminus.>80 feet wide and 120 feet from Walnut Street

north.>Located between 1727 &1757 E. Walnut St.

• Vacated area to be used for:>Occupied by portion of new construction; and>Private driveway to access the site.

• Letters of support from adjacent property owners.


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Street Vacation

• Current Condition of Meridith Avenue:>17-foot wide sidewalk on both sides; and>46-foot wide roadway.>Terminates at north end:

Does not comply with Pasadena standards for cul-de-sacs.

Not sufficient turn-around space for public and street maintenance vehicles

>Curb ramps at corners do not comply with Pasadena standards for ramps.

• 46-foot wide crossing will be replaced private driveway, reducing its width by half.


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Street Vacation

• Department of Public Works has determined:>No need, present or future, to retain this area for

its intended public purpose.>Relinquishing all rights to vacated area will

relieve the City from future maintenance responsibilities and any liability associated with the vacated area.


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Street Vacation

• Department & Agency Comments:>Notice (March 2013) sent to various utilities,

other City departments, and County agencies.>Comments received:

Pasadena Water and Power; Pasadena Public Works; AT&T; and Charter Communications.


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General Plan & Specific Plan Consistency

• General Plan Land Use Element:>Project is consistent with following Objectives

and Policies: Targeted Development (1.1 and 10.1: Targeted

Development Areas, 1.2: Specific Plans, 1.3 and 10.2: Transit-Oriented and Pedestrian-Oriented Development, 1.4: Mixed-use);

Affordable Housing (3.1: Exemption for Affordable Housing, 3.2 Density);

Character and Scale of Pasadena (5.7: Enhanced Environment and 5.10 Spatial Attributes);

Job Opportunities (11.2: Employment Diversity and 11.7: Increase Jobs).


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• General Plan Land Use Element: (continued)

>Project is consistent with following Objectives and Policies: Housing Conditions (15.1: Sizes and Types, 15.2

Increase Supply, 15.3: Equitable Distribution); Transit/Pedestrian Coordination (22.1: Urban Design,

22.3: Pedestrian Access); and Participation (27.4: Consultation)

» Neighborhood Meetings hosted at site:» March 23, 2013 » October 12, 2013


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• East Colorado Specific Plan:>Specific Plan supports:

Beautifying streetscape; Increasing supply of multi-family and affordable

housing; Improving multi-modal mobility; Creating focus areas, or “nodes”, to help establish a

sense of place.

>Gold Line Sub-area: Higher density residential projects along Allen Avenue. Mix of uses, including ground-floor retail/commercial

and residential and/or office uses above.


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Environmental Review

• Initial Environmental Study:>Topic areas with less than significant impacts

include: Aesthetics; Air Quality; Geology and Soils; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Noise; and Transportation/Traffic.

>Topic areas with potentially significant impacts: Cultural Resources; and Hazards and Hazardous Materials.


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• Cultural Resources: Excavation may reveal archeological / paleontological

resources. Mitigation Measures:

» Qualified archaeologist and/or paleontologist retained in order to investigate the resources.

• Hazards and Hazardous Materials: Soils have contamination from previous uses. Mitigation Measures:

» Remediation and disposal of any contaminated soil, asbestos, and lead-based paint on the site, as well as the disposal of the hydraulic hoists from former auto repair use.

• Impacts Mitigated to Less Than Significant Level.


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• Transportation and Traffic:>Traffic Study.

7 street intersections:» No intersections would be impacted.

4 street segments:» Threshold of impact:

» 5.0%.» Street segment impacts:

» 0.5% to 2.2%.

• Less than Significant Impact.


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• Transportation and Traffic:>Addendum prepared at Planning Commission’s

request: Methodology used in selecting intersections and street

segments to be analyzed; Explanation of trip generation adjustments (e.g.,

internal capture of trips between land uses in a mixed-use development, proximity to transit, etc.); and

Increase in street segment impacts to not account for trip adjustments:

» Range with adjustments: 0.5% to 2.2%» Range without adjustments: 0.6% to 2.4%


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Conclusion

• Compatibility Analysis:>Project is compatible with surrounding mix of

commercial and residential uses. Greatest mass of project is located along Walnut Street

and at the corner of Allen Avenue and Walnut Street, a prominent intersection in the city.

Lowest mass of project is located adjacent to the existing residences to the northwest of the site:

» 40 foot separation.


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Conclusion

• Compatibility Analysis:>Surrounding area is one in transition:

Away from commercial/industrial uses Towards a vibrant mix of commercial, retail, and

residential uses, as envisioned by the East Colorado Specific Plan.

>Project is a part of this transition Will set high standard to positively influence future

development in the years to come.


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Recommendation

• Staff recommends that the City Council:1) Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and

Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program;2) Adopt Findings in Attachment A and Conditions

of Approval in Attachment B to: Approve Conditional Use Permit: to construct housing

on a CG-zoned site as part of a TOD project.» Revised condition of approval #20:

» “The project shall meet all requirements of the Public Art Process. The applicant shall submit a formal application for Concept Art Plan for review and approval by the Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission within 90 days of the effective date of this approval.”


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Recommendation

• Staff recommends that the City Council:3) Find that the vacation is consistent with the

General Plan Mobility Element and is unnecessary for public use for street purposes;

4) Declare that the City's interest in the vacation is in easement only for public street purposes; and that the land is not owned by the City as fee title;

5) Adopt a resolution vacating the subject portion of land, in accordance with conditions and recommendations;


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Recommendation

• Staff recommends that the City Council:6) Authorize the City Manager to execute a

Condition Satisfaction Contract between the City and the applicants.

7) Direct staff to file a Notice of Determination within five days.


Conditional Use Permit #6036 &Street Vacation

1727-1787 East Walnut Street and235 North Allen Avenue

“Allen-Walnut TOD Project”City Council MeetingNovember 18, 2013


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• Transportation and Traffic:>Addendum:

Identification of intersections and segments in Traffic Impact Study Area:

A. Immediately adjacent or in close proximity to the project site;

B. In the vicinity of the project site that are documented to have current or projected future adverse operational issues; and

C. In the vicinity of the project site that are forecast to experience a relatively greater percentage of project-related vehicular turning movements.


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• Draft Land Use Element Map:

E Walnut StN

Alle

n Av

e

Locust St

ECSP portion = 64,469 s.f.

» 2.25 FAR = 145,055 s.f.» Project = 114,940 s.f.

CG portion: 19,166 s.f. » 1.0 FAR = 19,166 s.f.» Project = 15,100 s.f.


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• City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance>Multi-family or mixed-use project with 10 or

more units.>Minimum 15% of total units shall be affordable

(low or moderate income units): % can be reduced for very low income units. Certain City fees reduced for on-site affordable units. Option of an in-lieu fee.

>1994-2012 – a total of 993 affordable units were built Citywide: 15% of all units constructed.


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• Density Bonus Law (SB 1818)>Multi-family or mixed-use project with 5 or more

units (before the bonus).>Affordable categories (based on total housing

cost): Very Low – total housing cost is 30% of 50% of the Los

Angeles County median income. Low Income – 30% of 80%. Moderate Income for sale – 40% of 110%. Moderate Income for rent – 30% of 120%.

>Permitted “by-right”.>Comply with all applicable codes and

requirements.>Environmental review required.


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• Density Bonus Law (SB 1818)>Maximum density bonus allowed varies:

% of housing (before bonus)

% of bonus (over max)

Very low income housing

5%10%11%

20%27.5%35%

Low income housing

10%15%20%

20%27.5%35%

Moderate income housing

10%20%30%40%

5%15%25%35%


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• Concessions & incentives (SB1818)>Multi-family or mixed-use project with a density

bonus.>Includes a reduction in a development standard

or modification of another Zoning Code requirement: Results in an identifiable, financially sufficient & actual

cost reduction. Does not include additional density beyond the density

bonus.

>Number of concessions or incentives vary:

Very Low

Low Moderate (sale)

One 5% 10% 10%

Two 10% 20% 20%

Three 15% 30% 30%


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• Concessions & incentives (SB1818)>Affordable Housing Concession Permit:

Public Hearing before the Hearing Officer; appealable to BZA.

Processed like a Minor Variance. Design review required; environmental review

completed.

>Specific Findings: Required in order for the units to be affordable.

» Staff hires a consultant to complete a fiscal study to verify concessions are necessary.

Will not have a negative impact on public health, safety, the environment or a historic resource.

>Waivers to Development Standards


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• Density Bonus Law (SB1818)>Concessions approved:

Five total:» Floor area (2), floor area & height (1), commercial

depth (1) and street setbacks (1) Locations:

» Central District Specific Plan (4)» Fair Oaks/Orange Specific Plan (1)

Number of units in a project:» Total of 25 bonus units, or 22% over density.» Range from one bonus unit to 13 bonus units per

project.

>No waivers approved

city council meeting november 18, 2013

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