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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Res 1657 - 1991-11-20 . . '.. RESOLUTION NUMBER 1657 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 2A-91, AMENDING THE LAND USE ELEMENT TO INCLUDE A "LIMITED COMMERCIAL (L- C)" DESIGNATION, AND AMENDING THE LAND USE ELEMENT "SUMMARY TABLE OF EXISTING AND PROPOSED LAND USES IN ACRES" TO DEPICT THE INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 1.6 ACRES OF LIMITED COMMERCIAL LAND AND A SIMILAR DECREASE IN GENERAL COMMERCIAL LAND WITHIN THE CITY. THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SEAL BEACH DOES HEREBY RESOLVE: WHEREAS, on April 3, 1991, the Planning Commission was requested by several property owners along Seal Beach Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway and Electric Avenue to re-institute hearings to allow for a mixture of residential and commercial uses within the subject area. At the present time the General Plan and the Code of the citv of Seal Beach does not allow for a mixed- use development of this nature. Staff was requested to report back as to the current status of those previous studies and reports and to indicate the necessary steps to re-institute consideration of those previous proposals; and WHEREAS, on April 17, 1991, the Planning Commission considered the report prepared by staff, and received comments from four (4) persons relative to this issue; and o WHEREAS, on June 5, 1991, the Planning Commission received and considered a staff report regarding the establishment of a mixed-use zone and accompanying development standards for the subject area; and WHEREAS, on August 7, 1991, the Planning Commission considered a more detailed staff report regarding the proposed General Plan amendments to the Land Use and Housing Elements to establish the Limited Commercial (L-C) land use designation and set forth the area to be designated as such, the proposed Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments to establish the Limited Commercial (L-C) Zone, and the proposed area of the zone change from General Commercial (C-2) to Limited Commercial (L-C). At the conclusion of consideration of this matter by the Planning Commission, staff was directed to proceed with the scheduling of the necessary public hearings; and Whereas, the city is proposing to establish a Limited Commerc~al (L-C) General Plan land use designation and zoning designat~on and to change the zoning of thirteen (13) lots from General Commercial, (C-2) to L~mited Commercial, (L-C); and Whereas, the subject area is described as the westerly side of Seal Beach Boulevard between Landing Avenue and the northerly Electric Avenue alley, more particularly described as: Lots 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61, ~n Block 218 of Tract 10, "Anaheim Bay Tract", in the City of Seal Beach, County of Orange, State of California, as per map recorded in Book 9, Page 10 of Miscellaneous Map, in the Office of the County Recorder of Said County; and C:\WP&1\SBBLVD\GPA.1-2A PCR\LW\11-21-g1 1 . . .. Planrr.ll19 co.a1..1an", Ko 1657 Genu'al Pl811 .b8~nt. D.-11 WHEREAS, the subject area is comprised of th~rteen (13) lots, encompassing an area of 69,907.5 square feet (1.60 acres). Presently, all thirteen (13) of the lots are designated in the General Plan for General Commercial purposes and are zoned General Commercial, (C-2); and WHEREAS, staff has prepared an initial environmental assessment and proposed Negative Declaration as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and WHEREAS, a duly noticed public hearing was held on November 6, 1991 to consider General Plan Amendment 2A-91; and WHEREAS, the said Commission held said aforementioned Public Hearing; and WHEREAS, at said public hearing oral testimony from four persons favoring the proposed amendments was received by the Plann~ng Commission; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission makes the following findings: 1. The proposed General Plan Amendments, Zoning Text Amendments and Zone Change will provide a less intensive use than is presently allowed under current General Plan and zoning designations. 2. This proposal will result in completion of a city study which was initiated in 1983 and adopted in 1986, but not finalized until adoption of the proposed General Plan Amendments, Zoning Text Amendments, and Zone Change. 3. This proposal will encourage the establishment of new commercial, service, institutional and office uses that do not attract large volumes of traffic and continuous customer turnover. 4. This proposal will limit and discourage development of strip-type, highway-oriented commercial uses that create traffic hazards and congestion because they require numerous individual curb cuts and generate higher traffic volumes. 5. This proposal will m~n~m~ze visual and functional conflicts between residential and nonresidential uses within and abutting the zone. 6. This proposal will encourage elimination of curb cuts for vehicular access and promote more efficient and economical parking facilities, utilizing both on-street park~ng, off-street parking and off-site parking facilities. 7. This proposal will encourage uses that minimize noise and congestion. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the city of Seal Beach does hereby recommend approval of General Plan Amendment 2A-91 to the City Council, as indicated below: 1) Amend Land Use Element to add a new section establishing a Limited Commercial Land Use designation to read as follows: "LIMITED COMMERCIAL LAND USE C:\WP51\saaLVD\GPA.1-2A~PCR\LW\11-21-Vl 2 , . . , . Plannlruj eo-1881on au 11'0 1657 General Plaa AaendIleqt. a-lU The purpose of creating a mixed-use zoning standard is to develop a land use and development standard that creates a climate for renewal, encourages vehicle trip reduction, and reinforces the "village" theme. The proposed development standards and guidelines will guide the orderly improvement of the area along Seal Beach Boulevard, between Landing Avenue and the Electric Avenue alley. The development standards should provide a transition between the more intense commercial uses along Seal Beach Boulevard and the residential areas to the west. The allowable uses and intensity of development permitted should be compatible with the adjoining residential areas. Current land uses along Seal Beach Boulevard consist of a mixture of high density residential, low intensity office, small commercial uses, and vacant land. The proposed development standards are hoped to act as an incentive to help renew this area, and bring about econom~c development to an area of the City which does not present a desirable "window" into the city. A major objective of the proposed development standards should be to recognize the inherent opportunities of the study area, and encourage full utilization of those opportunities. In developing standards and guidelines for the study area, a mixture of residential, professional office, service commercial, low intensity retail commercial, and institutional uses are contemplated. The office, commercial, service and institutional uses should be restricted to those that seem to fit the size, scale, and intensity of the existing development pattern of the community. The intent would be to encourage the sort of enterprise that can be conducted without adversely impacting adjoining residential areas and providing services that local residents would be inclined to walk to. The Seal Beach Boulevard Land Use Study indicates that: "A more suitable use for the area would be a combined commercial/residential use, owner occupied. Professional office, general retail business, and other light commercial uses would be combined with residential uses in the same building. Businesses would be located at street level, with residences up above on the second story. The Task Force has identified this type of land use as an alternative which deserves further consideration. From a planning and land use standpoint, the commercial and residential mixed uses would remain which gives the area its own characteristics and flavor. Secondly, the residential densities and housing type would be more compatible with the exist~ng neighborhood and associated problems of traffic, noise, safety, etc., would be m~nimized. Security, pride of ownership, aesthetics and similar distinctions would become more apparent in the area. Third, this combined commercial/residential use, while retaining the land use characteristics of the area, would offer some degree of land use continuity and a more distinctive function to the area. Other advantages would be that this combined use would satisfy the apparent need for this type of business/residential opportunity in the City, and lower interest rates for financing residentially zoned land. Add~tionally, Anaheim Bay and ocean views are offered from the second story along Seal Beach Boulevard. This CS\WP51\SB&LVD\GPA.l-aA.PCR\LW\11-21-91 3 . . . Plann1ftlJ COIIIII1..1on au IJo 1651 General i'lan Aulaaut U,-1I1 is a strong marketing amenity for residential property and would provide additional ocean view homesites in the City of Seal Beach." ( Source: "Seal Beach Boulevard Land Use study", Section II, Land Use Alternatives, paragraph 3, no date)". 2) Amend Land Use Element Land Use Table, Commercial section, to read as follows: "Proposed/ Developed Undeveloped Total cnmmercial Limited .....Commercial 1.6 0.0 1.6 Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Office Service General 0.0 54.0 :15ih.9149.6 .... . 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 54.0 :17'9...9167.6" . . . . . 3) Amend .city of Seal Beach Land Use Plan Map. as follows: A) Change designation of west side of Seal Beach Boulevard between Landing Avenue and the Electric Avenue alley from "General Commercial" to "Limited Commercial". (To conform with proposed Zoning Classification) B) Change designation of west side of Seal Beach Boulevard between the Electric Avenue alley and Electric Avenue from "General Commercial" to "High Density Residential". (To conform with existing Zoning Classification) . PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Planning Commission of the City of Seal Beach at a meeting thereof held on the 20th day of November_, 1991, by the following vote: AYES: commissioners Fife, Sharp, Law, Orsini NOES: ABSENT: Commiss~oner Dahlman CI\WP51\SBBLVD\GPA91-2A.PCR\LW\11-21-91 4