|
Title:
|
CC - Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the Culver City Zoning Map, as Referenced in Title 17, Zoning, of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC), Section 17.200.015 - Zoning Map; Adopted to Facilitate the Development of a 3 to 4 Story Office Building (Known as The Brick and the Machine) with Ground Floor Retail and Restaurant at 9735 Washington Boulevard.
|
title
CC - Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the Culver City Zoning Map, as Referenced in Title 17, Zoning, of the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC), Section 17.200.015 - Zoning Map; Adopted to Facilitate the Development of a 3 to 4 Story Office Building (Known as The Brick and the Machine) with Ground Floor Retail and Restaurant at 9735 Washington Boulevard.
body
Meeting Date: November 12, 2018
Contact Person/Dept: Jose Mendivil/Associate Planner
Michael Allen/Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5736
(310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 500 foot radius of the Project Site (08/06/18); (Sign) Posted on the Site (08/06/18); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (11/06/18); (Posted) City Website (08/09/18); (Published) Culver City News (08/09/18).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (10/30/18)
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt an Ordinance approving Zoning Code Map Amendment P2017-0021-ZCMA (Attachment No. 1).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Request and Planning Commission Action
On January 27, 2017, Clarett West Development (Applicant/Property Owner) submitted an application for an Administrative Modification, Administrative Use Permit, Site Plan Review, General Plan Map Amendment, and Zoning Code Map Amendment to allow the development of an office, retail, and restaurant project, (Project) and a request to reduce the number of required parking spaces by twenty-four (24).
On June 27, 2018, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-P015 approving the Project and recommending to the City Council approval of General Plan Map Amendment P2017-0021-GPMA, Zoning Code Map Amendment P2017-0021-ZCMA, and a reduction in required parking by 24 spaces through the use of an in-lieu fee
The Commission was supportive of the Applicant's request as it addressed several issues including utilization of off-peak parking in the downtown and supported downtown business, but it did not address the key mobility issue of generating in lieu parking fees in order to develop peripheral parking to alleviate downtown traffic congestion.
City Council First Reading Public Hearing
On August 27, 2018, the City Council conducted a public hearing to review and introduce the ordinance changing a portion of the site's Zoning and to review and approve the resolution changing a portion of the site's land use designation and requiring a fee for reduced parking. After receiving public testimony and some deliberation, the City Council determined that additional information related to the Project was needed. The public hearing was continued to October 22, 2018 in order to allow time for Staff to work with the applicant to prepare a retail market analysis to address the commercial viability of the Project retail tenant spaces and for the Developer to provide an alternative proposal to address the concerns related to the proposed in lieu parking fee.
October 22, 2018, City Council Meeting
In early October 2018, the City entered into an agreement with Noell Consulting Group (Noell) to perform a market analysis related to the Project. At the October 22, 2018, City Council meeting Noell summarized their findings which determined that there is a demand for restaurant, retail, and office space as proposed by the Developer. They further concluded that the project's site and floor design are flexible enough to accommodate variable commercial uses over time should market forces shift demand from one desired use to another.
The City Council also heard a summary on the Developer's alternative to an in-lieu parking fee for reduced parking. The Developer agreed to a voluntary contribution to the City's mobility fund in the total amount of $525,000, consisting of $175,000 as a one-time, payment to the mobility fund prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy; and additional payments to the fund of $35,000 annually for 10 years. The one-time payment equates to approximately $2.20 per square foot of office and retail development and over the 10-year term the proposed contribution equates to $6.50 per square foot. These amounts compare favorably with the mobility fund contributions related to the recent entitlements for the Culver Studios and the former HBO projects. Staff reported that the funds will be used to address area mobility measures to benefit the Project and the downtown area in general which has been experiencing increasing traffic congestion and mobility problems.
The City Council took the following actions:
a) Introduced an ordinance amending the Zoning Map, changing a portion of the project site's zoning from Commercial Downtown (CD) to Commercial General (CG) (Attachment No. 1); and
b) Adopted a resolution (i) approving a change in a portion of the project site's General Plan Land Use designation from Downtown to General Corridor; (ii) approving a reduction in the number of required parking spaces through the use of shared parking facilities; and (iii) modifying Project Condition of Approval No. 18 regarding a voluntary contribution to the City's mobility fund.
The proposed Ordinance is now presented for adoption by the City Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, an Initial Study was prepared for this Project. The Initial Study determined that the Project would not result in significant impacts on the environment provided certain mitigation measures are required and a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was prepared as the required CEQA clearance documentation for the Project. The MND and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) was adopted by the Planning Commission on June 27, 2018, which determined that the Project will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. Pursuant to Section 15162 of CEQA, Zoning Code Map Amendment P2017-0021-ZCMA is within the scope of the adopted MND, the circumstances under which the MND was prepared have not significantly changed, and no new significant information has been found that would impact the MND. Therefore, no additional environmental analysis is required.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Ordinance (including Exhibit A - Proposed Zoning Map)
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
Adopt an Ordinance approving Zoning Code Map Amendment P2017-0021-ZCMA.