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PC: Consideration of a Lot Line Adjustment, P2018-0087-LLA Located at 3516 Schaefer Street, in the Industrial General (IG) Zone to comply with Subdivision Requirements in the Culver City Municipal Code.
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Meeting Date: November 18, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: Michael Allen, Current Planning Manager
William Kavadas, Assistant Planner
Phone Number: 310-253-5727 / 310-253-5706
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
City Council Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: N/A
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - Planning Commission (11/13/20); (Posted) City Website (10/29/2020); (Sign Posted) on Project Site (10/22/2020); (Mailed) to Surrounding Owners and Occupants (10/28/2020)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (11/12/2020)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Planning Commission 1) adopt a categorical exemption per CEQA Section 15305, Class 5, Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations, finding that there are no potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment; and 2) approve Lot Line Adjustment, P2018-0087-LLA, subject to the Conditions of Approval as stated in Resolution No. 2020-P015.
PROCEDURES
1. Chair calls on staff for a brief staff report and the Planning Commission poses questions to staff as desired.
2. Chair opens the public hearing and receives comments from the general public.
3. Chair seeks a motion to close the public hearing after all testimony has been presented.
4. Commission discusses the matter and arrives at its decision.
BACKGROUND
Request
On March 16, 2018, Phil Roberts, the applicant, submitted an application for a Lot Line Adjustment to reconfigure lot lines between two properties in the Industrial General (IG) zone. Due to company restructuring, the project application was subsequently revised with a new project applicant, Jim Jacobsen, and his representative, Laura Doerges (Applicant). The Applicant is requesting a Lot Line Adjustment in order to consolidate properties that will serve a new office use located at 3512-3520 Schaefer Street.
The Zoning Code authorizes the Director to refer administratively reviewed projects to the Planning Commission when unusual conditions related to a project require Commission review. In this case, the matter has a been referred to the Planning Commission because the proposed reconfiguration results in a unique remnant parcel that is irregular in size and shape, does not conform to typical prevailing block condition layout, and because there have been several successive administrative lot line adjustments of the same parcel over the last 10 years which is unusual. Furthermore, the Zoning Code Section 17.230.020 -Table 2-9- states that the minimum lot area for industrial parcels is determined through the subdivision review process, approved by the Planning Commission
The proposed reconfiguration creates in an elongated length and narrow width for the remnant that is unique compared to other properties in the vicinity, and results in a triangular shaped remnant parcel fronting National Boulevard, and a more conventionally shaped "standard parcel" fronting Schaefer Street with a narrow "panhandle" or flag at the rear of the property extending southerly approximately 540 feet by 20 feet abutting the rear of approximately 10 residential parcels fronting Schaefer Street.
Existing Conditions
The Lot Line Adjustment (LLA) consists of two properties, 3516 Schaefer Street (APN: 4206-002-009), an existing industrially zoned parcel, and a remnant parcel of the Pacific Electric Railroad right-of-way (APN: 4206-002-035), herein referred to by its commonly used address of "8568 National Boulevard". 8568 National Boulevard was previously owned by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority and transferred into private ownership in August of 2006.
The site is located on the border of the Hayden Tract and the Rancho Higuera Neighborhood just south of the Metro E Line right-of-way along National Boulevard, as shown on the Vicinity Map (Attachment No. 2). The subject sites are flat. 3516 Schaefer Street is rectangular in shape measuring 45 feet in width by 120 feet in depth while 8568 National Boulevard is of irregular shape measuring approximately 78 feet wide at the National Boulevard frontage and narrowing to 20 feet wide towards the southern edge of the parcel. 3516 Schaefer Street is currently developed with a commercial structure that will be replaced by surface parking as part of a separate commercial office development. 8568 National Boulevard is currently vacant and paved for parking along National Boulevard, while the 20-foot-wide portion is undeveloped.
The surrounding Hayden Tract neighborhood consists primarily of industrial and business office uses while the Rancho Higuera neighborhood consists of a mix of residential single-family and duplex uses. The City's General Plan Land Use Element designates the project site as Industrial and the property zoning is Industrial General (IG). Properties to the east are zoned Industrial General (IG) while properties to the west are zoned Two Family Residential (R2).
Project Description
The applicant is requesting a Lot Line Adjustment in order to consolidate properties that will serve a new office use located at 3512-3520 Schaefer Street. As shown in Attachment No. 3, the proposed Lot Line Adjustment incorporates the southerly portion of 8568 National Boulevard to 3516 Schaefer Street while the northerly portion is a stand-alone parcel. The resulting 3516 Schaefer Street parcel would be approximately 22,467 square feet in area while the resulting 8568 National Boulevard Parcel would be approximately 5,933 square feet. 8568 National Boulevard would continue to be used for surface parking purposes.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
SUBDIVISION, DENSITY, AND LOT AREA REQUIREMENTS
The Culver City Municipal Code does not have specific criteria or findings for Lot Line Adjustments, however, the State Subdivision Map Act (Map Act) provides applicable standards. A lot line adjustment is permitted under the Map Act:
* Between four or fewer existing adjoining parcels, where the land is taken from one parcel is added to an adjoining parcel;
* When a greater number of parcels that originally existed will not be created; and
* Where the parcels resulting from the lot line adjustment will conform to the local general plan, zoning code, and building code.
The proposed lot line adjustment will modify the lot lines of two parcels by transferring land from 8568 National Boulevard and adding it to 3516 Schaefer Street. 8568 National Boulevard will be reduced in area to 5,933 square feet while 3516 Schaefer Street will increase in area to 22,467 square feet. The total number of parcels will remain the same. Per Table 2-9 of CCMC Section 17.230.020, the Planning Commission determines minimum lot area for industrially zoned properties through the subdivision review process. Therefore, approval of the lot line adjustment by the Planning Commission will satisfy conformance with the Zoning Code. Conformance with the General Plan will be reviewed and discussed later in this report. 1
While the remainder of the 8568 National Boulevard parcel would be smaller than most Hayden Tract properties to the east, it would be similar in size to the industrial properties along Schaefer Street in the Rancho Higuera neighborhood. The IG zoned properties do not have a code-required FAR standard. 8568 National Boulevard would not have a setback requirement because it is not adjacent to a residential use. Therefore, the resulting area for 8568 National Boulevard would be 5,933 square foot with opportunities for multistory construction up to 43 feet in height per IG zone development standards creating a useable and buildable parcel.
The parcel at 3516 Schaefer Street is already part of a larger commercial office development project spanning several lots along Schaefer Street. The addition of the remnant portion along the rear of the parcel will add additional area to provide parking for office use as seen in Attachment No. 4. The remainder of the remnant portion south of the project site would not be developable but could be used for landscaping or open space or where feasible, parking.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY
As the Pacific Electric right-of-way phased out from passenger and commercial rail service use, the property at 8565 National Boulevard was maintained as vacant parcel intermittently used for vehicular parking. The property becomes narrower to the south opposite the street frontage. The narrowest portion of the site is 20 feet wide and separates the industrial properties of the Hayden Tract from the residential properties of the Rancho Higuera Neighborhood. While the 20-foot-wide portion of the remnant portion does not have the typical development potential due to its narrow width it can be designed to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood through appropriate conditions of approval. These may include:
* Restriction on any future development within the 20-foot-wide portion of the property and that it be maintained as open space or parking where feasible.
* Maintenance of the remnant portion free from overgrowth and/or illegal dumping.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The Industrial Land Use designation is intended for manufacturing and industrial uses, but also provides for commercial uses such as the 3516 Schaefer Street office use currently in development. The designation is also intended to limit outdoor activities that would cause unnecessary noise and nuisance. The project will facilitate consistency with the General Plan Goals 1 and 2 that call for preservation of residential neighborhoods and supports economic vitality by reducing opportunities for excess noise, while helping to establish a new office use that improves the Hayden Tract area with new businesses and jobs. Policy 23.H for the Eastern Sub Area also calls for the long-term goal for the reuse of the Exposition Right-of-Way spur. By ensuring the remnant portion is developed as opens space or, where feasible, parking, the property will be consistent with the General Plan.
The proposed Lot Line Adjustment will not create new lots, but will allow for the improved utilization of 3516 Schaefer Street and 8568 National Boulevard without adversely affecting residents along Schaefer Street. All additional code standards for proposed development at either property will be reviewed for compliance when a new development project is submitted for City review and approval.
Based on the proposed Lot Line Adjustment map and recommended conditions of approval, staff considers the project compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Code, and all CCMC and State subdivision requirements. Staff believes that findings for Lot Line Adjustment P2018-0087-LLA can be made as outlined in Resolution No. P2020-P015 (Attachment No. 1).
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, initial review of the project by staff established that there are no potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment and the proposed project has been determined to be Categorically Exempt per CEQA Section 15305, Class 5 - Minor Alteration in Land Use Limitations as the project consists of a minor lot line adjustment that will not result in the creation of a new parcel.
MOTION
That the Planning Commission:
Adopt Resolution No. 2020-P015 approving Lot Line Adjustment P2018-0087-LLA to adjust a property line between two parcels.
NOTES
1. Section 15.10.735 of the Municipal Code includes design standards for industrial subdivisions; however, this Code section includes requirements for minimum alleyway width and turnaround radius only. As there are no alleyways affected by this proposal, the proposed Lot Line Adjustment is compliant with Section 15.10.735.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Planning Commission Resolution No 2020-P015 and Exhibit A-Conditions of Approval
2. Vicinity Map
3. LLA Map, Existing and Proposed
4. Approved Development Plan (under separate permit) at 3516 Schaefer Street