PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSION
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Ursula Luna-Reynosa, Community Development Director
BY: Hayden Beckman, Senior Planner
SUBJECT:
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GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2019-001, ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 2018-002, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT NO. 2018-001 (COUNTY GOTHARD PROPERTY & RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ZONING)
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REQUEST:
To review the draft legislative changes to three sections of the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) that establish a set of zoning standards for the Research and Technology (RT) zoning district.
APPLICANT:
City of Huntington Beach
PROPERTY
OWNER:
County of Orange and Multiple Various Property Owners
BUSINESS
OWNER:
Multiple Various Business Owners
LOCATION:
APN 111-071-37 (West side of Gothard Street at Prodan Drive) and multiple existing Industrial zoning districts
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
To introduce a recommended set of new zoning land use and development standards for the Research and Technology (RT) zoning district (Attachments No. 1, 2, and 3).
PROJECT PROPOSAL:
One of three requests of the overall proposed project, Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) No. 18-002 will amend three chapters of the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance to establish land use controls and development standards for the future RT land use designation. The three chapters to be amended are Chapter 204 (Use Classifications), Chapter 212 (Industrial Districts), and Chapter 231 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Provisions).
BACKGROUND
The 2017 General Plan Update identified target industries and opportunity areas in the Northwest Industrial and Gothard Corridor subareas where technology manufacturing and service industries provide a high potential for growth, and thus established the new Research and Technology (RT) land use designation to transform these areas. To complete the implementation of the General Plan’s economic development strategies, the Planning Commission must review, consider, and recommend new land use controls and development standards that provide flexibility in the RT zone.
However, the existing HBZSO industrial land use and development standards lack the flexibility to be compatible with the City’s current business market environment and the vision of the General Plan’s goals, policies, and objectives. The General Plan RT designation provides for a wide variety of non-residential mixed-use development and encourages both employment uses and commercial uses designed to accommodate employees while continuing to allow traditional industrial uses such as manufacturing and production.
To provide for these new standards, staff is recommending the following summarized modifications to the HBZSO:
Chapter 204 Use Classifications
• Establish two new Use Classifications:
o RT Flex
o Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing
Chapter 212 Industrial Districts
• Increase allowable by-right office space from 10% to 30%
• Establish Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing requirements
• Update automobile storage provisions
• Permit RT Flex uses by-right
• Performance Standards to minimize impacts to adjacent and surrounding uses
• Additional minor code revisions and corrections to facilitate recommended RT standards
Chapter 231 Off-Street Parking and Loading
• Identify new office and flex parking ratios consistent with Chapter 212 amendments
The legislative drafts of the amended chapters are attached for reference.
Study Session
The Planning Commission held the first of two study sessions on the proposed project on May 28, 2019. Staff provided an update to the elements of the project and answered several questions relating to CEQA, the General Plan Amendment request, existing industrial businesses, and the nature of commercial uses in the RT zone as envisioned by the General Plan.
CEQA:
The City Council adopted Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) No. 14-001 for the General Plan Update in 2017, which included implementation of a new Research and Technology General Plan land use designation. The General Plan EIR Program projected growth and 2040 buildout numbers for non-residential development, including 463 acres of the RT land use designation. Thus, the General Plan EIR provides the environmental setting and analysis to serve as the first-tier California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document for the proposed project.
Although the establishment of RT zoning land use controls and development standards will result in some changes or additions to the General Plan EIR, there will not be a change in the buildout characteristics that results in new significant impacts or an increase in the severity of a previously identified impact in the General Plan EIR. As analyzed in the draft Addendum to the General Plan Program EIR, the proposed project will not result in an action that requires further evaluation pursuant to CEQA, and neither the Planning Commission nor the City Council will need to take action on the Addendum.
PUBLIC HEARING DATE:
The Planning Commission public hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 25, 2019.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Chapter 204 (Use Classifications) Legislative Draft
2. Chapter 212 (Industrial Districts) Legislative Draft
3. Chapter 231 (Off-Street Parking and Loading) Legislative Draft