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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPDR 23-0562 TJ:vm / \\sandevsvs\devsvs\pln\SHARED\04_Current Planning\05_PUD & PCD\01_Active\23-0562_8225 Hughes Lane_Health Center\01_PC\Final Prep\01_PDR 23-0562_Staff Report.docx CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT MEETING DATE: March 21, 2024 AGENDA: 6.a TO: Chair Bashirtash and Members of the Planning Commission FROM: Paul Johnson, Planning Director DATE: March 15, 2024 WARD: 7 STAFF PLANNER: Veronica Martinez, Assistant Planner REQUEST: A proposed revised Planned Development Review to allow the development of a 25,060-square- foot physical fitness center on a portion of 12.62-acre site. APPLICANT: Porter & Associates, Inc. Fred Porter II 1707 Eye Street, Suite 111 Bakersfield, CA 93301 OWNER: Jacaranda Hood, LLC James Lundy 4468 Foothill Road Carpinteria, CA 93013 PROJECT LOCATION: Southwest corner of Hosking Avenue and Hughes Lane APN: Portion of 514-030-29 PROJECT SIZE: Portion of 12.62 Acres CEQA: Section 15332 (Class 3; Infill Development) EXISTING GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION: GC (General Commercial) EXISTING ZONE CLASSIFICATION: C-2/PCD (Regional Commercial/Planned Commercial Development) STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution and suggested findings APPROVING Planned Development Review No. 23-0562 as depicted in the project description and subject to the listed conditions of approval. SITE CHARACTERISTICS: The project site is partially developed with a Starbucks, Taco Bell, and a convenience store. Surrounding properties are developed as: north – single-family residences; east – single-family residences and vacant commercial land; south – single-family residences; and west – single-family residences and the west branch canal. BAKERSFIELD THE SOUND OF ZJ~Wj '[3~ PDR 23-0562 Page 2 BACKGROUND AND TIMELINE: • January 9, 1991 – The subject property was annexed to the City as part of a larger annexation (Hosking No. 3) (Ordinance No. 3334). • March 30, 2005 – City Council approved General Plan Amendment and Zone Change No. 04-0867, changing the property’s land use from LR (Low-Density Residential) to GC (General Commercial) and the zoning from the R-1 (One-Family Dwelling Zone) zone district to the C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) zone district (Ordinance No. 4239). • April 9, 2008 – City Council approved Zone Change No. 07-1724, changing the property’s zoning from the C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) zone district to the C-2/P.C.D. (Regional Commercial/Planned Commercial Development) zone district (Ordinance No. 4503). No development was proposed at that time. • August 15, 2019 - Planned Commercial Development No. 19-0189 was approved by the Planning Commission to allow the development of a 122,500-square-foot retail/commercial center (Resolution No. 90-19). PROJECT ANALYSIS: Proposed Development. This proposal would revise Planned Development Review No. 19-0189, which originally outlined the development of a 122,500-square-foot retail/commercial center in three phases. This plan included six multi-tenant buildings totaling 68,500 square feet, a gas station with a 4,000-square- foot convenience store, a 2,000-square-foot fast food restaurant, and a 48,000-square-foot, 3-story hotel that would provide 110 rooms. This revised plan proposes a 25,605-square-foot, 1-story physical fitness center in place of the originally proposed hotel, designated as Building 6 of the development. Additionally, Building 5 would be relocated, with the square footage to remain the same as proposed in the initial development review. Parking. The purpose of the City’s parking and loading standards is to provide accessible, attractive, secure, and well-maintained off-street parking and loading facilities, reduce parking lot size within the urban setting to mitigate the heat island effect, ensure that parking demands associated with new development are met without adversely affecting nearby land uses, and provide easy access and maneuverability for emergency vehicles. Per the City’s parking standards for a development of this nature, the minimum required parking for this development is 443 parking spaces. As proposed, a total of 468 parking spaces would be provided. It should be noted that the number of off-street parking spaces shall not exceed one hundred and fifty (150) percent of the minimum requirement for commercial uses. The development will provide a surplus of parking consistent with the municipal code and would be subject to a shared parking agreement. Planned Commercial Development (PCD) Development Standards. The planned commercial development zone is intended to allow for innovative design and diversification in the relationship of various uses, buildings, structures, lot sizes and open spaces while ensuring compliance with the general plan and the intent of the municipal code. In addition, the development would provide adequate improvements and standards necessary to satisfy the requirements of the public health, safety and general welfare. This zone is not to be used to restrict commercial development or to compromise other zoning districts that may be more appropriate for a site. Instead, it enables a developer to obtain approval PDR 23-0562 Page 3 of a specific, detailed plan for a commercial development, which ensures that the uniqueness of the project design being proposed is preserved. Standards shall be observed without unduly inhibiting the advantages of modern site planning techniques and innovative planning of commercial and professional office neighborhoods. As such, your Commission has the authority to require design standards, regulations, limitations, and restrictions that are designed to protect and maintain property values and provide or protect community amenities that would foster and maintain the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, including and relating to but not limited to the categories specified in Section 17.54.060 (PCD Latitude of Regulations). Generally, those standards are related to topics such as the construction of fences and walls, structure height, the distance between buildings, parking ratios, open space, architectural design of buildings and structures, and any additional improvements and dedications reasonably necessary to fulfill public needs for the general health, safety, and welfare of the neighborhood and the City. Consistency with General Plan. The project is consistent with land use goals and policies as contained in the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan which include but are not limited to: • Goal 1: Accommodate new development which captures the economic demands generated by the marketplace; • Goal 2: Accommodate new development which provides a full mix of uses to support its population; • Goal 3: Accommodate new development which is compatible with and complements existing land uses; • Goal 4: Accommodate new development which channels land uses in a phased, orderly manner and is coordinated with the provision of infrastructure and public improvements; • Goal 7: Establish a built environment that achieves a compatible functional and visual relationship among individual buildings and sites; • Policy 15: Allow for the development of a variety of commercial centers/corridors which are differentiated by their function, intended users, and level of intensity, including convenience centers serving local residential neighborhoods, sub-regional centers that serve groupings of neighborhoods, and major regional centers which serve the planning area and surrounding areas; • Policy 16: Allow for the development of a variety of commercial uses, including those that serve residents, highway users, and tourists-visitors; • Policy 19: Allow for the intensification and development of existing commercial areas in an infill fashion. • Policy 23: Promote the recycling of block-long corridors of commercial uses to consolidate new commercial uses. • Policy 28: Require that commercial development provide design features such as screen walls, landscaping and height, setback and lighting restrictions between the boundaries of adjacent residential land use designations so as to reduce impacts on residences due to noise, traffic, parking, and differences in scale Consistency with the Zoning Ordinance. This project has been reviewed by the Site Plan Review Committee which has determined that the proposed development is designed in compliance with City standards and policies with the exception of the following retail standard (17.08.140.C.1): Exterior building walls and facades over one hundred feet in length shall incorporate wall plane projections or recesses with a depth of at least three percent of the length of the facade and extending along at least twenty percent of the length of the facade. No facade shall have an uninterrupted length of flat wall that exceeds one hundred horizontal feet. Facades that face public streets shall include arcades, display windows, entry areas, or other such permanent features along no less than sixty percent of their horizontal length. PDR 23-0562 Page 4 In reviewing the elevations, the rear facade of Building 6 consists of lengths of flat wall that exceeds 100 horizontal feet. The applicant acknowledges this but states that the building, overall, maintains various architectural features, material changes, and vertical height changes to meet the intent of the building design standards. Your Commission can: (1) accept the plans as proposed; (2) accept the plans with a condition of approval that they be revised to meet the minimum development standards before issuance of any building permit; or (3) delay approval of request until revised plans are submitted and presented to your Commission for consideration. Staff is recommending Option 2 and has included Condition III.A.5 to require compliance with Section 17.18.140 (Design Standards for Retail Development) of the municipal code for the rear façade of Building 6. Consistency with Surrounding Development. The project site is zoned appropriately for commercial development and is currently under construction as such. Therefore, the proposed development will complement the character of the surrounding community. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND DETERMINATION: This project has been found to be exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City of Bakersfield’s CEQA Implementation Procedures in accordance with Section 15332 (Class 3: Infill Development). This exemption includes projects that are consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations. A Notice of Exemption has been prepared. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: Public notice for the proposed project and environmental determination was advertised in The Bakersfield Californian and posted on the bulletin board in the City of Bakersfield Development Services Building, 1715 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, California. All property owners within 300 feet of the project site were notified by United States Postal Service mail regarding this public hearing in accordance with city ordinance and state law. Comments Received. As of this writing, no written public comments have been received. CONCLUSIONS: Findings. BMC Section 17.54.070 contains findings that must be made in order for your Commission to approve modifications to approved development plans in the C-2/PCD (Regional Commercial/Planned Commercial Development) zone: 1. The development plan is consistent with the general plan and objectives of the zoning ordinance; 2. The proposed development will constitute a commercial environment of sustained desirability and stability, and it will compliment and harmonize with the character of the surrounding neighborhood and community; and PDR 23-0562 Page 5 3. The proposed development justifies exceptions from the normal application of this code in that it integrates such elements as the location of structures, circulation pattern, parking, landscaping and utilities, together with a program for provision, operation and maintenance of all areas, improvements, facilities and services provided on the property. In accordance with these required findings, and as conditioned, staff finds: (1) the project is consistent with the general plan and objectives of the zoning ordinance; (2) the project will constitute a commercial use of sustained desirability/stability and compliment/harmonize with the surrounding neighborhood; and (3) the project would comply with the zoning code with the addition of Condition III.B.5. Overall Recommendation. Staff finds that the applicable provisions of CEQA have been complied with, and the proposal sufficiently demonstrates compliance with the necessary findings. Therefore, staff recommends your Commission adopt Resolution and suggested findings APPROVING Planned Development Review No. 23-0562 with conditions of approval. ATTACHMENTS: Map Set • Aerial • Zone Classification • General Plan Designation Development Plans • Site Plan • Landscape Plan • Floor Plan • Elevations Chapter 17.54 (Planned Commercial Development Zone) Resolution with Exhibits