PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Ursula Luna-Reynosa, Community Development Director
BY: Hayden Beckman, Senior Planner
SUBJECT:
title
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2019-001, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT NO. 2018-001, ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 2018-002 (COUNTY GOTHARD PROPERTY & RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ZONING)
REQUEST:
GPA: To amend the General Plan Land Use Map designation on a 2.26-acre vacant parcel (APN 111-071-37) from current Open Space-Park (OS-P) to Research and Technology (RT); ZMA: To amend the Zoning Map designation in two existing industrial areas from Industrial General (IG), Industrial Limited (IL), and Commercial Office (CO) to Research and Technology (RT); ZTA: To amend three chapters of the Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance to establish land use zoning and development standards for the new Research and Technology (RT) zoning district.
LOCATION:
GPA: Subject parcel is located on the west side of Gothard Street at Prodan Drive. ZMA/ZTA: Existing industrial areas along the Gothard Street corridor (from south of Edinger Avenue to Ellis Avenue), and within the northwest industrial areas, generally bordered by Bolsa Avenue, Springdale Street, Edinger Avenue, and Bolsa Chica Street.
body
APPLICANT:
City of Huntington Beach
PROPERTY
OWNER:
County of Orange and Multiple Various Property Owners
BUSINESS
OWNER:
Multiple Various Business Owners
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
1. Is the project consistent with the City of Huntington Beach land use regulations (i.e., General Plan land use designation, Zoning Map and Zoning Code including any specific plans and overlay districts where applicable)?
2. Does the project satisfy all the findings required for approving a Zoning Map Amendment and Zoning Text Amendment?
3. Has the appropriate level of environmental analysis been determined?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That the Planning Commission take the following actions:
A) Recommend approval of General Plan Amendment No. 19-001 and forward draft Resolution (Attachment No. 2) to the City Council for consideration.
B) Recommend approval of Zoning Map Amendment No. 18-001 with findings (Attachment No. 1) and forward draft Ordinance (Attachment No. 3) to the City Council for consideration.
C) Recommend approval of Zoning Text Amendment No. 18-002 with findings (Attachment No. 1) and forward draft Ordinance and Legislative Drafts (Attachment No. 4) to the City Council for consideration.
end
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Planning Commission may take alternative actions such as:
A) Continue General Plan Amendment No. 19-001, Zoning Map Amendment No. 18-001, and Zoning Text Amendment No. 18-002 and direct staff to return with findings for denial.
B) Continue General Plan Amendment No. 19-001, Zoning Map Amendment No. 18-001, and Zoning Text Amendment No. 18-002 and direct staff accordingly.
PROJECT PROPOSAL:
The proposed project includes the following requests:
General Plan Amendment (GPA) 19-001: To amend the land use designation of a 2.26 acre vacant parcel, APN 111-071-37 (Attachment No. 2):
• from current Open Space - Park (OS-P)
• to Research and Technology (RT)
Zoning Map Amendment (ZMA) 18-001: To amend the Zoning Map designation in two existing areas (Attachment No. 3):
• from Industrial General (IG), Industrial Limited (IL), or Commercial Office (CO)
• to Research and Technology (RT)
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 18-002: To amend the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) to establish land use zoning and development standards for the new Research and Technology (RT) zoning district (Attachment No. 4).
Background:
To inform development of the RT Zone regulations, community engagement efforts included a variety of events and methods. In July 2018, staff and the City’s consultant, RRM Design Group, presented the undertaking to the City’s quarterly Brokers Briefing meeting and conducted two days of stakeholder meetings with businesses, landowners, City departments, community members, brokers, and other interested parties. Valuable feedback was provided from a local market perspective as well as community and code user viewpoints. Key themes included: streamlining processes and permitting, updating and allowing flexible uses, providing compatibility/performance standards, right-sizing parking regulations, and being forward-looking to accommodate advancing technologies and trends. In addition, project announcements were mailed to owners of all parcels in the RT study area in August 2018 advising of the City’s intent and invitation to participate. Regular updates and a frequently asked questions (FAQs) sheet were provided on the City’s website.
While community engagement tasks were completed, RRM Design Group prepared two reports, a Market Analysis and Technical Background Analysis to enrich the data serving the project outcomes. The Market Analysis described potential market growth and development potentials for the industrial areas to be designated RT, as well as provided insight into development standard issues that might affect the economic feasibility of future development in the RT district. The Technical Analysis Report includes discussion of the existing regulatory setting, and a comparison of examples of RT or related land use zoning standards for relevant zoning examples. Further, the Technical Analysis Report summarized the key findings from the project’s community outreach and stakeholder interview process that was used to build a collaborative interest and consensus for the proposed zoning standards.
Research and Technology
The 2017 comprehensive update of the General Plan included a Land Use Element that introduced a new Research and Technology land use designation. The RT land use designation allows a maximum Floor Area Ratio of 1.0 and intends to permit a wide variety of nonresidential mixed-use development in existing industrial areas along the Gothard Street corridor (from south of Edinger Avenue to Ellis Avenue) and within the northwest industrial areas (bordered by Bolsa Avenue, Springdale Street, Edinger Avenue, and Bolsa Chica Street). The proposed project requests will result in a change in the land use designation upon a single parcel on the General Plan Land Use Map, the amendment of the corresponding Zoning Map to reflect all new RT land use designations, and the establishment of land use controls and development standards for the RT zoning district in the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) in order to implement the RT land use designation as prescribed by the General Plan Land Use Element.
General Plan Amendment No. 19-001
The subject parcel of the General Plan Amendment request is an interior 2.6-acre portion of a site that comprises a portion of a former County landfill property. The remainder of the landfill site, a 9.42-acre parcel fronting Gothard Street, was amended to RT as part of the 2017 comprehensive General Plan update. However, the subject 2.6-acre portion of the site was inadvertently left out of the update and the General Plan Amendment will correct this omission. The subject parcel is also owned by the County, and is immediately west of the 9.42-acre vacant parcel (APN 111-071-35) currently designated RT. Both properties are owned by the County, and function together as one vacant site. This action will bring the entire site under the RT designation for future use, and the new RT development standards to be established will subsequently apply to the entire 11.68-acre site.
Study Session:
The Planning Commission held two Study Sessions for the proposed project.
May 28, 2019
At the first study session discussing the County Gothard Property and Research and Technology Zoning project, staff introduced the three requests of the project, to which the General Plan Amendment request to capture the County-owned Gothard parcel into the RT land use designation had been added. The Commission requested several items of clarification regarding future uses of the RT zone, identify future uses of the County Gothard parcel, and asked staff to include discussion of companion pieces to the project as a means to further implement the vision of the RT zoning district.
June 11, 2019
At the second study session, staff introduced the legislative draft text changes of three chapters of the HBZSO, which constitute the scope of the Zoning Text Amendment request. Commission discussion included clarification of items to be modified with the project, including buffer requirements for auto storage and impound yards, the deletion of vehicle dismantling as a land use, and compatibility of future RT uses with traditional industrial uses. Further, the Commission requested that staff return with an analysis of the possibility of providing standards or other mechanism in the Zoning Text Amendment that would accommodate the installation of pedestrian sidewalks on properties within the RT zone. That analysis is provided for in the attached Companion Topics document (Attachment No. 5).
ISSUES AND ANALYSIS:
General Plan Conformance:
To allow future land uses and development, the City’s existing Zoning Map must correspond to the General Plan Land Use Map adopted in 2017. The Zoning Map Amendment will formally establish the RT zoning designations by changing the existing zoning designations including IG (Industrial General), IL (Industrial Limited) and CO (Commercial Office) of certain properties to RT (Research and Technology), thereby making both the General Plan and Zoning Map land use designations consistent with one another.
To complete the implementation of the RT zoning amendment, the Planning Commission must review, consider and recommend land use zoning and development standards for the new RT zoning district. The text changes proposed by staff in the attached legislative drafts detail the new language and updates to three chapters of the HBZSO that will provide such standards, as best prescribed by the vision of the General Plan Land Use Element. The three chapters to be amended are Chapter 204 (Use Classifications), Chapter 212 (Industrial Districts), and Chapter 231 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Provisions).
The proposed ZMA and ZTA requests are consistent with the goals and policies of the City’s General Plan including:
Land Use Element
Goal LU-1: New commercial, industrial, and residential development is coordinated to ensure that the land use pattern is consistent with the overall goals and needs of the community.
Policy LU-1 (C): Support infill development, consolidation of parcels, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Goal LU-5: Industrial businesses provide employment opportunities for residents, supporting the local economy.
Policy LU-5 (A): Support and attract new businesses in the city’s industrial areas.
Policy LU-5 (B): Encourage clean, less intensive industrial development in areas identified in the planning area.
Policy LU-5 (C): Ensure proposed development and uses in industrial areas contribute to the City’s economic development objectives and do not minimize existing uses.
Policy LU-5 (D): Explore opportunities to optimize use of underutilized or underperforming industrial land that is sensitive to surrounding uses, and to introduce new industrial uses that create jobs.
Goal LU-13: The city provides opportunities for new businesses and employees to ensure a high quality of life and thriving industry.
Policy LU-13 (A): Encourage expansion of the range of goods and services provided to accommodate the needs of all residents and the market area.
Policy LU-13 (B): Capture emerging industries such as, but not limited to, “knowledge”-based industries and research and development firms.
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 provided the direction to transform these areas. The ZTA and ZMA requests fulfill the vision of the 2017 General Plan Land Use Element by implementing the new RT zoning designation and establishing land use controls and development standards for the RT areas. The new development standards support the attraction of new industrial and ancillary commercial uses to the City and retention of existing businesses by providing new employment opportunities and an expansion of goods and services to the employees of local businesses and customers from the surrounding communities. The proposed amendments encourage the continuation of traditional industrial uses and introduction of new RT uses by reducing regulatory processes and allowing for more flexible use of building space to ensure the City is responsive to changing employment demand and industry while protecting the local industrial economic base.
Zoning Compliance:
The following provides a review of the proposed amendments of the ZTA request in three sections, organized by sequential HBZSO chapter.
A. Chapter 204 (Use Classifications)
The project will introduce two new use classifications applicable to Industrial Districts:
1. Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing. The manufacture or production of beer, wine, cider, or distilled spirits by any person licensed by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control of the State of California and includes the sale or distribution of said products both within and without the jurisdiction of the City.
The existing HBZSO does not contain a specific land use classification for businesses that manufacture beer, wine, cider or distilled spirits, despite several entitlement approvals for such uses. For example, under the current code, a proposed brewery is classified as a manufacturing operation, and as a standalone use without the provision of on-site consumption, does not require discretionary approval. The introduction of the Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing use formally establishes a definition of land use, and allows certain discretionary oversight as proposed in Chapter 212, discussed below.
2. RT Flex Space. Any combination of manufacturing, research and development, testing, distribution, warehouse and storage space, including retail and/or showroom (max 10% gross floor area), eating and drinking (max 10% gross floor area), and offices (max. 30% gross floor area) are permitted by right when complying with a minimum 1 parking space per 500 gross square feet parking requirement.
Recognizing that the current HBZSO standards are neither reflective of the current business market nor provide for future business needs, growth, or retention, staff is recommending the RT Flex Space use classification to fill the gap between traditional industrial uses and commercial uses. The primary goal of this land use classification is to expand how both existing and new businesses can ‘flex’ their operations within their building space. This new land use classification originates from stakeholder input and market analysis and allows for a scaled injection of commercial uses into primary industrial space as a means to support both existing and new businesses by providing spatial needs above what current code allows. In any scenario, by-right approval of uses under this classification is predicated on the provision of required parking on-site.
B. Chapter 212 (Industrial Districts)
Section 212.02 Industrial Districts Established
The ZTA provides reference to the third Industrial District, the RT Research and Technology District, and these reference changes are included throughout Chapter 212 without further reference in this staff report.
Section 212.04 Land Use Controls
The ZTA adds a third column next to the existing IG and IL columns in Section 212.04, which outlines the approval procedure for each listed use classification.
The RT column identifies land use approval procedures that mirror those for the IG and IL districts with the following exceptions:
1. Commercial Recreation and Entertainment
Current process: Provision L-2, subject to CUP to ZA
Proposed process: Subject to CUP to PC
Commercial recreation and entertainment uses are commercial operations that create a high amount of vehicular traffic and parking demand, often including businesses that require large amounts of building space such as health and fitness clubs, theatres, bowling alleys, and shooting galleries. Parking, compatibility issues, and a desire to preserve the industrial base within the RT zone are the basis to recommend a higher level of discretionary review and analysis for these uses.
2. Eating and Drinking Establishments
Current process: Provision L-3, subject to CUP to ZA in a free standing structure or as a secondary use in a building, maximum 20% of the floor area.
Proposed process: Delete reference to Provision L-3, and insert reference to revised provision L-2; permitted by right only when operated as an ancillary use to a primary industrial use and for general public use after providing minimum parking on-site (1 space per 100 square feet).
Removing the CUP requirement for new eating and drinking uses will encourage new restaurants, cafes, and similar uses to open, providing new jobs and services to the daily users of the RT zoning districts. In conjunction with the new RT Flex Space use classification discussed above, the ZTA fulfills the direction of the General Plan by providing a wider variety of commercial uses designed to accommodate employees while continuing to allow traditional industrial uses.
3. Offices Business & Professional
Current process: Provision L-1, subject to CUP to ZA only for a mixed-use project with a minimum 3 acres site and other requirements; maximum 10% of gross floor area in IG and IL districts.
Proposed process: Office areas for buildings in RT district permitted by right up to 30% of gross floor area (no additional parking required). No change to IG or IL districts. CUP to ZA to exceed
The ZTA will remove Provision L-1 from Offices Business & Professional, thereby establishing the new criteria in Provision L-10, which permits office areas for buildings within the RT district to occupy a maximum 30% of gross floor area without providing additional parking, compared to the current maximum of 10% in the IG and IL districts. Further, the ZTA will delete the reference to Additional Provision (G), and add reference to Additional Provision (C). Additional Provision (G)’s existing requirements for accessory offices are to be included in Provision L-10, and place new language in Additional Provision (C) identifying that accessory office spaces exceeding the maximum limits require a CUP from ZA supported by a parking demand study for all uses on site. Discussion of the deletion of Additional Provision (G) is provided below.
4. Wholesaling, Distribution & Storage
Current process: Permitted by right (no limitation on square feet).
Proposed Process: Uses up to 150,000 gross square feet permitted by right,
CUP to ZA for uses greater than 150,000 square feet.
Large scale (>150,000 square feet) wholesaling and distribution uses require a high level of large truck traffic that creates adverse noise and circulation impacts to surrounding businesses, as well as the overall traffic movement of the surrounding community. Creating an entitlement requirement for large scale wholesale and distribution uses will act as a disincentive to locating such uses in the RT district, thereby preserving the flex industrial base for both traditional industrial uses and new RT Flex space uses as envisioned by the General Plan.
Section 212.04 Additional Provisions
In addition to the Land Use Controls revisions listed above, the ZTA will amend multiple elements of the Additional Provisions, as they would apply to the RT district.
Additional Provision L-2
• Delete reference to CUP to ZA
• Use is permitted only when designed and operated for principal use by employees of the surrounding industrial development as an ancillary use to a primary industrial use.
• For general public use, permitted upon consideration of vehicular access and complying with minimum parking requirements.
• Applies to Eating and Drinking Establishments and Commercial Recreation and Entertainment uses only.
Additional Provision L-3
• Placed in Reserved status and language deleted. Provisions for Eating & Drinking Establishments moved to L-2.
Additional Provision L-4
• Added ‘fueling’ reference to identify service stations per Planning Commission direction.
Additional Provision L-6
• Delete ‘day care’ from non-permitted status. General Day Care uses under current code (non-medical care for 13 or more persons on a less than 24 hour basis, including nursery schools, preschools, and day care centers for children or adults) are permitted subject to CUP to ZA in IG and IL districts. The same would apply in the RT district.
Additional Provision L-9
• Upgrade approval from Administrative Permit Neighborhood Notification to a CUP to ZA for Personal Enrichment uses greater than 5,000 square feet.
Additional Provision L-10
• Remove Reserved status.
• Add provision for office areas within buildings in RT district permitted by right up to 30% of gross floor area (no additional parking required).
• No change to IG or IL districts (maximum 10% ancillary office with no additional parking required).
• CUP to ZA to exceed these maximums supported by a parking demand study.
• (From Additional Provision (G)): Medical/dental offices, insurance brokerage offices, and real estate brokerage offices except for on-site leasing offices are not permitted in any Industrial District.
(New) Additional Provision L-13
• Establish Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing Requirements:
o Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing uses without eating and drinking for public sales or service are permitted.
o Maximum 1,000 square feet of indoor and/or outdoor eating and drinking area per business requires Administrative Permit with Neighborhood Notification.
o Indoor and/or outdoor eating and drinking areas greater than 1,000 square feet require CUP to ZA.
• Add “L-13” to Land Use Controls reference for Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing uses.
Additional Provision (C)
• Delete maximum 10% accessory office uses.
• Add CUP to ZA requirement for office areas exceeding maximum allowable percentage as established in L-10.
• Add “(C)” to Land Use Controls reference for Offices, Business & Professional.
Additional Provision (D)
• Delete “adjunct office and”. Ancillary office criteria will be established in Additional Provisions L-10 and (C).
• Delete “any retail sales are limited to goods manufactured on-site.” This limitation is not consistent with goals of General Plan Land Use Element or vision of the RT district.
• Add reference to IG and IL districts only, since RT district has separate office and commercial space allowances.
• Add exclusion of business and professional office from 25% floor are allowance. Current code permits up to 25% of floor area of a primary industrial use to be commercial space subject to CUP to ZA. Subject ZTA allows office space up to 30% in RT district and reference is therefore unnecessary.
Additional Provision (G)
• Add Reserved status.
• Delete existing text. Office criteria will be established in Additional Provisions L-10 and (C).
Additional Provision (H)
• Delete reference to “dismantling”. No known auto dismantling as primary use businesses exist. Such uses are incompatible with surrounding uses and inconsistent with goals and policies of the General Plan Land Use Element.
• Revise language to identify that within IL and RT districts, auto storage and/or impound yards are subject to CUP by ZA in lieu of PC.
• Revise criteria for vehicle storage uses in all Industrial districts:
o Replace mandatory 660 linear foot buffer from an R district with Administrative Permit with Neighborhood Notification for vehicle storage uses within 660 linear feet of an R district.
o Establish vehicle storage or impound yards on public agency owned property are permitted, subject to screening requirements.
o Add language to establish screening requirements for permanent storage or impound yards.
o Add language to establish screening requirements and disallow vehicle washing for temporary storage or impound yards.
o Delete “items stacked” and refer to vehicles in storage yards shall not exceed height of screening walls or be visible from adjacent public streets. This would require that larger vehicles such as RVs be placed in the interior of a site to reduce visual impacts to surrounding properties.
Additional Provision (R)
• Add Neighborhood Notification requirements when no other entitlement is required. This establishes an Administrative Permit process for non-amplified live entertainment requests located within 300 feet of a residential zone or use. Under current code, non-amplified live entertainment outside of 300 feet radius from residential zone or use is permitted. The City desires to review and conditionally approve such uses within the Industrial Districts to reduce potential impacts to surrounding uses.
Additional Provision (T)
• Delete and add Neighborhood Notification requirement to (R). Additional Provision (T) is no longer necessary.
Section 212.06 Development Standards
|
|
IG |
IL |
RT |
Additional Requirements |
|
Minimum Lot Area (sq. ft.) |
20,000 |
20,000 |
15,000 |
(A)(B) |
|
Minimum Lot Width (ft.) |
100 |
100 |
75 |
(A)(B) |
|
Minimum Setbacks |
|
|
|
(A)(C) |
|
Front (ft.) |
10; 20 |
10; 20 |
10; 20 |
(D) |
|
Side (ft.) |
0 |
15 |
0 |
(E)(F) |
|
Street Side (ft.) |
10 |
10 |
10 |
|
|
Rear (ft.) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(E) |
|
Maximum Height of Structures (ft.) |
40 |
40 |
40 |
(G) |
|
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) |
0.75 |
0.75 |
1.0 |
|
|
Minimum Site Landscaping (%) |
8 |
8 |
8 |
(H)(I) |
|
Fences and Walls |
See § 230.88 |
|
|
Off-Street Parking and Loading |
See Ch. 231 |
(J) |
|
Outdoor Facilities |
See § 230.74 |
|
|
Screening of Mechanical Equipment |
See § 230.76 |
(K) |
|
Refuse Storage Area |
See § 230.78 |
|
|
Underground Utilities |
See Ch. 17.64 |
|
|
Performance Standards |
See § 230.82 |
(L) (N) |
|
Nonconforming Uses and Structures |
See Ch. 236 |
|
|
Signs |
See Ch. 233 |
|
The development standards recommendations for the RT district are identical to the IG Industrial General standards, with the following exceptions:
1. Minimum Lot Area: Reduced to 15,000 gross square feet for new parcels.
2. Minimum Lot Width: Reduced to 75 linear feet for new parcels.
3. Maximum Floor Area Ratio: Increased to 1.0, as adopted by the 2017 General Plan Land Use Element.
4. Additional Provision (N): Provides performance standards for all Industrial Districts intended to protect public health, safety, comfort, convenience, and general welfare and to protect the industrial economic base of the City. Performance standards support industrial activities that do not adversely affect the health, happiness, and safety of the people living and working in nearby areas:
(N) Performance Standards. The following regulations provided herein apply to all activities, processes, and uses within the Industrial Districts and are provided solely for reference in conjunction with Chapter 230.82. Existing and proposed uses within the Industrial Districts must conform to all federal, state, and City laws, ordinances, and standards at all times.
1. Dust, Fumes and Odors. Excessive dust, odors, smoke, fumes or particulate shall not be emitted, unless otherwise permitted. Uses shall comply with all rules established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40), the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) or their successor agencies.
2. Electromagnetic Interference. No electromagnetic interference with electronic equipment beyond the property line shall be permitted and shall be in compliance with applicable Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations.
3. Glare. Significant, direct glare shall not be visible beyond the property line of the applicable use.
4. Heat and Humidity. Heat emitted shall not increase the temperature of another property in excess of five degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Noise. Chapter 8.40 of the Municipal Code, Noise Control, shall be enforced.
6. Waste Disposal Discharge. Discharge of any liquids or solids into any body of water, watercourse, sewage system, or ground shall not be permitted, except in compliance with applicable regulations of the State of California Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board or their successor agency.
7. Waste Containment. Storage and handling of wastes shall be practiced so as to prevent nuisance, health, safety and fire hazards. Any hazardous waste shall be stored in a closed container.
8. Vibration. Vibration transmitted through the ground shall not be produced with the exception of vibration from temporary uses, i.e. construction and vehicles entering and exiting.
9. Location of Measurements. Measurements for determining compliance with the standards of this Section shall be taken at the lot line of the establishment or use that is the source of a potentially objectionable condition, hazard, or nuisance.
C. Chapter 231 Off-Street Parking and Loading Provisions
The ZTA will amend Chapter 231.04 Off-Street Parking and Loading Spaces Required, Schedule A for Industrial Use Classifications:
|
Industrial |
|
|
Speculative buildings |
1 per 500 sq. ft. (Maximum 10% office area in IG or IL District Maximum 30% office area in RT District ) |
|
Manufacturing, research assembly, packaging |
1 per 500 sq. ft. |
|
Wholesaling, warehousing and distributing space |
1 per 1,000 sq. ft. |
|
Offices |
1 per 250 sq. ft. if office area exceeds 10% of gross floor area in IG or IL District; 30% in RT District |
|
Outside uses: storage, wrecking/ salvage and lumber yards |
1 per 5,000 square feet of lot area, but no less than 5 |
|
Mini-storage facilities |
|
|
Single-story |
1 per 5,000 square feet |
|
Each additional story |
1 per 2,000 square feet plus 2 spaces for caretaker’s unit |
As recommended in Chapter 212, staff proposes to allow up to 30% interior office area for buildings located within the RT zoning district. The proposed changes to Schedule A will ensure that readers of the HBZSO are aware of this requirement should those persons only read Chapter 231 seeking information regarding parking requirements. The ZTA does not propose to modify the minimum parking ratios in any manner.
Urban Design Guidelines Conformance:
Not applicable.
Environmental Status:
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 Program EIR 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 through ZTA 18-002 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 GPA, ZTA, and ZMA 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.
Within the Industrial Districts (IG, IL, and RT), all future discretionary projects are subject to CEQA and may have potential project or site specific impacts that would require environmental review. Future review and analysis will be determined on a case by case basis.
It should be noted that the GPA would affect a single parcel that is part of a former landfill that was closed in 1962. While the two parcels that make up the landfill site are located within the City of Huntington Beach, the property is owned by the County of Orange and managed by Orange County Waste & Recycling (OCWR). The property is subject to ongoing regulatory requirements including routine inspections, sampling events, reporting and maintenance associated with groundwater, surface water, and other environmental monitoring processes. OCWR has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) to allow for the removal of coastal sage scrub that currently grows on the property in an effort to permit a future land use on the property. The City is not the lead agency for the MND but is coordinating with OCWR and the County regarding the coastal sage scrub removal efforts and mitigation. Upon adoption by the City Council, the RT land use controls and development standards proposed by ZTA 18-002 would be applicable to the County landfill site.
Coastal Status:
Not applicable.
Design Review Board:
Not applicable.
Subdivision Committee:
Not applicable.
Other Departments Concerns and Requirements:
The Public Works Department, Fire Department, Office of Business Development, and Building Division have reviewed and participated in the drafting of the proposed RT language and development standards.
Public Notification:
Legal notice was published in the Huntington Beach Wave on June 27, 2019, notices were sent to individuals/organizations requesting notification (Planning Division’s Notification Matrix), and notices were sent to property owners of parcels that will be designated RT as a result of the proposed project. As of July 3, 2019, two phone calls from property owners were received requesting additional information.
Application Processing Dates:
|
DATE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION: |
MANDATORY PROCESSING DATE(S): |
|
Not applicable. |
Not applicable. |
SUMMARY:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of General Plan Amendment No. 19-001, and Zoning Map Amendment No. 18-001 and Zoning Text Amendment No. 18-002 with findings, and forward to the City Council in that the project:
§ Implements multiple goals and policies of the General Plan Land Use Element
§ Establishes land use controls and development standards for the Research and Technology zoning district that provide for new flexible requirements that will attract and retain new businesses and support the future needs of existing businesses.
§ Cleans up Chapter 212 Industrial Districts to reflect current market needs for new uses and development, and improve clarity by addressing minor inconsistencies.
§ Codifies existing policies and code interpretations and allows select entitlement requests to be reviewed by a more appropriate hearing body or to be permitted by right in the new RT district.
§ Provides for land use opportunities on public agency owned property in Industrial Districts.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Suggested Findings of Approval - ZMA No. 2018-001 and ZTA No. 2018-002
2. Draft General Plan Amendment No. 2019-001 Resolution and Exhibit
3. Draft Zoning Map Amendment No. 2018-001 Ordinance and Exhibit
4. Draft Zoning Text Amendment No. 2018-002 Ordinance and Exhibit A. Chapter 204 (Use Classifications) Legislative Draft; Exhibit B. Chapter 212 (Industrial Districts) Legislative Draft; and Exhibit C. Chapter 231 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Provisions) Legislative Draft
5. Companion Topics