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CC - Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing Other Non-Residential Ground-Floor Uses, including Office Use, at The Lucky Development as permitted in the City’s Mixed-Use Development Standards.
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Meeting Date: May 10, 2021
Contact Person/Dept: Jose Mendivil, Associate Planner
Michael Allen, Current Planning Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5757; (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Hearing: [ ] Action Item: [ ] Consent Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (Email) Gov Delivery (04/26/21); (Email) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (05/05/2021)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (04/21/2021)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a Resolution authorizing other non-residential ground-floor uses to include office use, for The Lucky Mixed-Use Development located at 12821 Washington Boulevard.
BACKGROUND
The City Council approved The Lucky mixed-use development on September 12, 2016. The Lucky is a 5-story building with 37 residential units, and 7,206 square feet of ground floor retail space located at 12821 Washington Boulevard in the Commercial General (CG) Zone. Construction of The Lucky is completed and partially occupied.
Request
On March 4, 2021, the property owners and developer of The Lucky submitted a request to allow various types of office uses on the ground-floor including professional office, medical, dental, or veterinary office (Attachment No. 2).
Although the property owner/developer has requested the City authorize a veterinary clinic as one of their proposed substitute uses, staff recommends such use not be permitted, due to the potential conflict in a mixed use building between noise generated by a veterinary clinic and the residences above.
Mixed Use Development Standards
The City Council amended the Mixed-Use development standards on February 8, 2021, which became effective on March 10, 2021. The recently amended Mixed-Use regulation opened the opportunity for other non-residential uses on the ground floor, provided activation of the street frontage is achieved. The request for a substitution of other non-residential ground-floor use requires a City Council resolution authorizing the change.
DISCUSSION
The applicant states that there is a lack of demand for retail tenant market space in small street fronting commercial uses such as the ground floor of The Lucky which is consistent with the trends of retail in general. Further the COVID 19 pandemic has increasingly limited all indoor commercial activities resulting in an absence of retail space inquiries. The Lucky’s listing brokers believe that, even with relaxed state-mandated public health orders, interest from retail tenants will remain low for an extended period. During the previous year, on-line consumer item purchases have increased, and it may take time for traditional pedestrian reliant retailers to have the sufficient capital to once again, fill empty ground floor street fronting commercial space.
The applicant requests City Council authorize other non-residential uses at the ground floor including professional office, medical office, dental office, and veterinary clinics, potentially attracting local businesses to occupy the tenant spaces. The office and medical related uses will promote activation of the urban edge and enhance pedestrian activity in the area with businesses and customers patronizing other commercial uses in the vicinity.
CONCLUSION
The proposed non-residential uses are consistent with the allowed commercial uses in the CG Zone and increase the potential for fully occupied ground floor spaces. With full or near full occupancy, ground floor leases and occupancy will generate more pedestrian activity as The Lucky business operators and customers will patronize surrounding businesses furthering the development’s economic potential. Staff recommends the City Council authorize the request.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines the Planning Commission adopted a Negative Declaration on July 27, 2016, as part of The Lucky project approval, determining the mixed-use development would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. Pursuant to CEQA guidelines, on September 16, 2016, the City Council approved the development and determined no new environmental analysis was required. The action to approve the proposed non-residential uses that are allowed in the CG Zone, is within the scope of the adopted Negative Declaration and the circumstances under which the Negative Declaration was prepared have not significantly changed and no new significant information has been found that would impact the Negative Declaration; therefore, no new environmental analysis is required.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the request for approval of other non-residential ground floor uses at The Lucky.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2021-05-10_ATT 1_Resolution Authorizing Other Non-Residential Ground Floor Uses
2. 2021-05-10_ATT 2_March 4, 2021 Applicant Request
MOTION
That the City Council:
Adopt a resolution authorizing other non-residential ground-level uses, including professional office and medical and dental office for The Lucky Mixed-Use Development located 12821 Washington Boulevard.