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CC - Conformance Review for Comprehensive Plan, P2017-0042-CP, to Determine Whether the Revised Plans Provide Screening to Minimize Glare and Views into the Parking Structure, and Confirm If Designs for Converting a Portion of Parking into Outdoor Dining Space is Consistent with the Intent of Condition No. 9 of City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004 to Reduce Building Massing.
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Meeting Date: August 27, 2018
Contact Person/Dept: Gabriela Silva, Associate Planner
Michael Allen, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5736
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 1,000-foot radius of the site (08/06/18); (Email) Master Notification List (08/06/18); (Posted) City website (08/06/18); (Published) in Culver City News (08/09/18).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (08/14/18)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council conduct a Conformance Review of Comprehensive Plan, P2017-0042-CP, to make a determination as to whether the revised building elevations minimize glare and views into the parking structure and provide adequate window treatment for the market hall at the ground floor level, and confirm that revised plans adequately reduce building massing along street frontage by converting a portion of the southerly row of parking spaces at the second level of the parking structure into an outdoor dining space, pursuant to Condition No. 9 as specified by the City Council (City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004 - Attachment No. 2). Any Council action on the conformance review will be recorded by motion in the approved minutes of the August 27, 2018 City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND
At its October 25, 2017 meeting, after considering the staff report, applicant presentation and public testimony regarding the Project, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-P016 recommending to the City Council approval of Comprehensive Plan, P2017-0042-CP, General Plan Map Amendment, P2017-0042-GPMA, Zoning Code Map Amendment, P2017-0042-ZCMA, adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Report, and approving Tentative Parcel Map, P2017-0042-TPM, subject to conditions of approval to allow the following development project, located at 12337-12423 Washington Boulevard:
• Site A: A one-story, 21,605 square foot commercial building, including an 11,483 square foot market/food hall, with attached three-and-a-half-level public parking structure containing 184 stalls (includes properties located at 12403, 12413, 12421, and 12423 Washington Boulevard, 4061 and 4063 Centinela Avenue, and 4064 Colonial Avenue)
• Site B: Two (2) one-story structures comprising 5,230 square feet of floor area for commercial/food retail development with a twenty (20) stall surface parking lot (includes properties located at 12337 and 12343 Washington Boulevard)
As part of its recommendation, the Planning Commission included additional conditions of approval to further enhance the building proposed on Site A, with regard to the appearance of the integral parking structure façade at the second story and the amount of glazing at the ground floor of the building. Specifically, the Commission recommended Condition of Approval No. 9 to require the Applicant to submit, prior to building permit issuance, plans for review and approval by the Planning Commission that demonstrate visual enhancements to the building at Site A, in order to minimize glare and views into the garage. As specified by the Planning Commission, Condition No. 9 required submittal of a screening plan with related design details and materials board to indicate the design and materials used to screen all parking structure elevations.
On January 22, 2018 the proposed project and associated draft Ordinance was presented to the City Council for introduction. Condition No. 9 was modified by the City Council to specify that the revised plans for the Conformance Review would also be presented to the City Council for final action and would be required to also include landscape screening, and possible designs for converting a portion of the southerly row of parking at the second level of the parking structure into useable space.
On February 12, 2018, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2018-004, approving Comprehensive Plan, P2017-0042-CP, General Plan Map Amendment, P2017-0042-GPMA, and Zoning Code Map Amendment, P2017-0042-ZCMA, subject to conditions of approval including Condition No. 9 as modified during the January 22, 2018 public hearing and no further modifications to this condition. The final Condition No. 9 reads as follows:
Prior to issuance of a building permit, the developer shall submit plans for a Conformance Review to be presented to the Planning Commission for a recommendation to City Council, and to City Council for final action. The findings for the Conformance Review shall include that the revised plans conform to minimize glare and views into the parking structure. The plans shall include a screening plan (with related design details) and materials board to indicate the design and materials used to screen all parking structure elevations, which shall also include landscape screening. The plans shall also provide possible designs for converting a portion of the southerly row of parking at the second level of the parking structure into useable space.
During this meeting, the City Council refined Condition No. 31, which relates to vehicular circulation on Colonial Avenue. Progress on the design of the street improvements is currently underway, with the most recent activity being the completion of a mailed survey to the residents of Colonial Avenue and adjacent streets to understand the range of preferences related to the vehicle circulation design. At the completion of the public outreach process, staff will bring all matters relating to Colonial Avenue street improvements to the City Council as a separate agenda item.
On July 25, 2018, staff presented the Planning Commission with the plans revised by the Applicant, which are now presented to the City Council. During the public meeting the Planning Commission deliberated upon the proposed revisions and their conformance with Condition No. 9. Among the topics of discussion were how the revised design affects ventilation requirements, the changes to landscape, using the appropriate type of semi-opaque glass, ensuring the second floor parking proposed to be converted to useable space is used specifically for outdoor dining. Two members of the public addressed the Planning Commission regarding the matter; the first expressed concern about the lack of project parking and potential spill-over parking in the neighborhood, and the second expressed concern that enclosing the parking structure component of the building would increase the mass of the building. Following their deliberations, the Planning Commission then moved to recommend City Council approval of the proposed revisions and Conformance Review, provided all ground level planting shown on the October 25, 2017 submittal are provided as shown on the project plans.
DISCUSSION
Over the past several months staff has worked with the Applicant on revisions to the plans for the building at Site A, to address the Planning Commission’s and City Council’s concerns to address the parking structure portion of the building frontage, pursuant to Condition No. 9 of the adopted ordinance.
Per the drawings previously presented to City Council, the structures (Site A and Site B) reflect a design concept that mixes traditional elements of market hall buildings, with more contemporary design features. The project color palette is predominantly light earth tones with shades of brown, tan/beige and copper. The primary materials are standing seam metal panels and high pressure laminate panels, as well as plaster and painted and exposed concrete, and concrete masonry block. The structures on both Sites A and B are designed with similar colors, finishes and architectural style to allow the market hall to visually span Centinela Avenue. The Site A building is one-story with sloping roof that reaches 25’-2” in height. The building footprint provides a deep southerly setback along the westerly segment of the project allowing for a large open dining patio that encompasses most of the Washington Boulevard frontage. In addition, the building includes a three-and-a-half-level parking structure rising above and over the commercial tenant space, revealing two (2) to three (3) levels of the parking structure which steps in height towards the northeast corner of the property, where it reaches 43’-10”. Additional features on this building include a landscaped trellis/awning structure over a walkway at the second level of the garage that is intended to soften the façade, and a 1,075 square foot outdoor dining terrace on the second floor. The original parking structure design is open along all street-facing façades, which Condition No. 9 is intended to address.
The revised plans (Attachment No. 1) show changes that incorporate a storefront window system with semi-opaque glazing (e.g. frosted style glass) along the second floor and part of the third floor of the parking structure. The storefront window system has a grid style mullion to help camouflage the parking structure and reflect the style of older industrial buildings, and is consistent with the grid mullion design in the ground floor windows. The revisions also include application of a rough texture on the concrete column faces of the parking structure. The building colors, canopies, awnings, storefront windows, and standing seam metal system have been refined and detailed as well. The building is now predominantly blue in color with various shades of grey. The blue color is primarily used on the standing seam metal wall and roof elements. The greys are reflected throughout the various concrete components, as well as the laminate panels, reclaimed wood, and metal accents. The plans also show an option for additional seating/dining area on the second floor of the building, within the parking area, resulting in the displacement of six (6) parking stalls. The new glazing on the second and third floor levels will require that the parking structure incorporate an air handling system. The applicant is required to provide specifications related to noise and vibration related to the use of this system in the garage. The City will be entering into a Parking License and Development and Construction Contract with the Applicant which will address sound attenuation requirements.
Public Comments
As of the writing of this report, staff has not received any public comments in response to the public notification for the public meeting.
CONCLUSION/SUMMARY
The proposed revisions specifically address the open areas of the parking structure. The use of semi-opaque glass in the proposed window system helps minimize views into the parking structure, as well as potential light-spill. The incorporation of texturized concrete also adds variety to the building materials palette.
As required by Condition No. 9, the Planning Commission reviewed the plan revisions and found them to be in conformance with the requirements of Condition No. 9 of City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004. Further, the City Council must also review the proposed plan revisions and determine whether such plans serve to minimize glare and views into the parking structure, and that they include a screening plan and also provide possible designs for converting second level parking area into useable space. A determination that the revised plans conform to the requirements of Condition No. 9 must be made prior to the issuance of a building permit for the Project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Revised Plans dated July 13, 2018
2. City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve the conformance review, if it finds the proposed revised plans provide the screening necessary to minimize glare and views into the parking structure as required by Condition No. 9 of City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004
OR
2. Disapprove the conformance review, if it finds the proposed revised plans do not provide the screening necessary to minimize glare and views into the parking structure as required by Condition No. 9 of City Council Ordinance No. 2018-004
*The City Council’s action shall be recorded by motion in the approved minutes of the August 27, 2018 meeting.