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CC - Adoption of an Ordinance Approving Comprehensive Plan Amendment (P2021-0174-CPA), to allow a Three-Story, 7,022 Square Foot Community Center, up to Twelve Dwelling Units, a Reconfigured Community Garden, and Associated Site Improvements at 10808-10860 Culver Boulevard (Project).
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Meeting Date: January 24, 2022
Contact Person/Dept: Gabriela Silva, Associate Planner
Jeff Anderson, Interim Current Planning Manager;
Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-5736 / (310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No []
Commission Name: PRCS Commission Date: November 2, 2021
Commission Name: Planning Commission Date: November 10, 2021
Public Notification: (Mailed) Property owners and occupants within a 500-foot radius and extended (11/22/2021); (Posted) City website (11/22/2021), Onsite Sign (11/20/2021); (Published) in Culver City News (11/25/2021); (Email) Master Public Notification List (11/22/2021), Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/20/2022).
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (01/10/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt an Ordinance approving Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) P2021-0174-CPA, subject to conditions of approval (Attachment No. 1).
BACKGROUND
Request
On June 30, 2021, AUX Architecture (the Applicant) applied for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to allow the construction of a 3-story, 7,022 sq. ft., community center, six (6) affordable dwelling units, a reconfigured community garden, and associated site improvements, on a site located in the Open Space (OS) Zone.
Site Information
The Project site is comprised of a portion of land consisting of 49,572 square feet, located within one City-owned parcel that is comprised of 30 lots tied together measuring 67,700 square feet (1.55 acres). The parcel is located on the south side of Culver Boulevard, west of Coombs Avenue and east of Elenda Street, and is bound to the south by a 20-ft wide public alley. The Project site is currently developed with one single-story, 14,023 sq. ft., non-residential structure housing the Wende Museum, a two-story, 4,120 sq. ft. meeting and event facility building (formerly American Veteran Post 2; aka AmVets), a 4,507 sq. ft. community garden space, and other associated site improvements, including landscape, fencing, and sculpture garden. The remainder of the subject parcel (Lots 1-8), which are not part of the Project, are located the Scout House, Rock and Mineral Club, and paddle tennis courts.
Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (PRCS) Commission Public Hearing and Recommendation
On November 2, 2021, the PRCS Commission adopted Resolution No. 2021-PRCS001 recommending to the City Council approval of Comprehensive Plan Amendment P2021-0174-CPA, for proposed Project described above. During the public meeting, the PRCS Commission considered the staff report and comments from the public.
The PRCS Commission also made a second motion, providing the following comments for consideration by the City Council:
The PRCS Commission has reservations and additional commentary on Comprehensive Plan Amendment P2021-0174-CPA:
1. The fact that the Community Garden will not be utilized like the current one and may not meet the needs of the community.
2. There is no inclusion of PRCS programming in the new complex.
3. There are questions regarding the intentions of the term "affordable housing" since it is not intended to provide workforce housing, only housing for artists.
4. The PRCS Commission would like to review and have an opportunity to comment on Phase 3 following the Planning Commission’s conformance review.
Planning Commission Public Hearing and Recommendation
On November 10, 2021, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2021-P012 recommending to the City Council adoption of a Class 32 CEQA Categorical Exemption and approval of Comprehensive Plan AmendmentP2021-0174-CPA, for the proposed Project described above. During the public hearing, the Planning Commission considered the staff report, comments from the public, and requests from the Applicant. More specifically, the applicant requested to modify the language and/or eliminate certain Conditions of Approval in Exhibit A and Standard Code Requirements in Exhibit B of the (then) draft Planning Commission Resolution. The agreed upon changes are reflected in the final Planning Commission Resolution, while others were deferred for City Council consideration.
As part of the Planning Commission’s action, the Commission also made a recommendation to amend or eliminate Condition No. 20, which read: The reconfigured community garden shall be secured by fences or other means in order to safeguard the space(s) from unauthorized access. In part, the Planning Commission expressed that there could be visual issues with implementing a fence, particularly in the relocated garden area, that were not fully understood due to the lack of renderings and similar visual aids.
City Council First Reading Public Hearing
On December 13, 2021, the City Council held a public hearing to review and introduce the proposed Ordinance (Attachment No. 1) for Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 1, P2021-0174-CPA, (Attachment No. 2) and to adopt a Class 32 CEQA Categorical Exemption for the proposed Project. The City Council was provided with the PRCS Commission resolution, Planning Commission staff report and resolution, preliminary development plans, and minutes for a detailed review of the Project. In addition, the City Council was presented with requested changes to the proposed Conditions of Approval (Exhibit A), and Standard Code Requirements (Exhibit B). Following deliberations and discussion, the City Council introduced the Ordinance with changes for the CPA reflected in the Conditions of Approval (Exhibit A), and Standard Code Requirements (Exhibit B).
The changes specified by the City Council included the following:
• Revision to Condition of Approval No. 2, substituting new language that clarifies the implementation of the Project phases and conditions. The revised wording reads: As described in the CPA, the Applicant shall be responsible for implementing Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Project and Phase 3 will be completed in partnership with the City, as set forth in a written Phase 3 implementation agreement to be negotiated by the parties. All conditions will be implemented and cleared on a per phase basis.
• Revision allowing the Project replacement open space community garden at a City park as reflected in Condition of Approval No. 20 pertaining to fences/security barriers as follows: “The Project will provide an equivalent amount of open space on the Project site to replace the displaced community garden. The City will work to relocate the community garden space at a Culver City Park”, in order to implement the above revision
• Revision to Condition of Approval No. 13 to allow required short-term bicycle parking to be placed in the public right-of-way.
• Removal of Condition of Approval Nos. 15 and 16.
• Revision to Condition of Approval No. 46 to clarify work will be completed if existing improvements are damaged.
• Revision to Condition of Approval No. 56 to ensure that the City has the ability to use the Community Center space if needed.
• The City Council also discussed the potential of allowing up to twelve (12) dwelling units under Phase 3 of the CPA, as well as allowing additional height and floor area. The provision of an additional six (6) dwelling units and/or larger units will require further study during the Conformance Review to determine if it is physically and financially feasible. The outcome of that study will be reported to the City Council in the project Conformance Review. In addition, further environmental review may be required if more than six (6) units are developed. In the event the additional six (6) dwelling units are determined to be feasible, the revised CPA will be presented to the Planning Commission and City Council for consideration.
The proposed Ordinance, as amended during the introduction, is now presented for adoption by the City Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines, a Categorical Exemption, Class 32 - In-Fill Development Projects, was adopted by the City Council on December 13, 2021, which determined that the Project will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. The Comprehensive Plan Amendment is within the scope of the adopted Categorical Exemption and the circumstances have not significantly changed and no new significant information has been found that would impact the environmental determination. Therefore, no new or additional CEQA analysis is required.
CONCLUSION
Adoption of the proposed Ordinance will permit the Project to move forward, resulting in the construction of the community center and future implementation of the affordable housing and community garden components, which will add a total of up to twelve (12) net new affordable dwelling units to Culver City’s housing stock. In addition, the CPA will allow the revitalization of the existing underutilized building on a City-owned property and result in a project that provides complementary commercial uses and additional housing. The addition of housing is consistent with the City’s revitalization goals for the area. Therefore, Staff recommends approval of the proposed Project including the findings for Comprehensive Plan Amendment, P2021-0174-CPA, as outlined in the proposed Ordinance (Attachment No. 1).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the proposed Ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Ordinance (including Exhibit A: Conditions of Approval, and Exhibit B: Standard Code Requirements)
2. Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 1 (P2021-0174-CPA)
MOTION
That the City Council:
Adopt an Ordinance approving a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, P2021-0174-CPA, subject to conditions of approval and code requirements, to allow the construction of a 3-story community center, up to twelve (12) affordable housing dwelling units, a reconfigured community garden, and associated site improvements.