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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-063 Scarlett Ct Design Guidelines AGENDA STATEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: March 27, 2007 SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PA 03-063 Scarlett Court Design Guidelines and Amendments to Title 8, Zoning Ordinance, of the Dublin Municipal Code to add Chapter 8.34, Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District; amend Chapter 8.104, Site Development Review; and amend the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court area. (Legislative Action) rf)} Report prepared by Erica Fraser, Senior Planner ~. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution approving the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines; and recommending that the City Council adopt an Ordinance adding Chapter 8.34 to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) establishing the Scarlett Court Overlay District, adding Section 8.104.030.J to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) relating to the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Site Development Review, and amending the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court Area (with Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B). 2) Map of Proposed Scarlett Court Specific Plan area. 3) Flyer for the October 20, 2006 Walking Tour and the October 30 Community Workshop. 4) Flyer for the February 22, 2007 Community Workshop. RECOMMENDATION: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution approving the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines; and recommending that the City Council adopt an Ordinance adding Chapter 8.34 to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) establishing the Scarlett Court Overlay District, adding Section 8.104.030.J to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) relating to the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Site Development Review, and amending the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court Area (with the Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B). COPIES TO: Applicant Property Owner File ITEM NO. ~.3 Page 1 of8 G:IP A#12003103-063 Scarlett Court Specific PlanlPC PHIPCSR 3.27.07 Scarlett Court (3.21 ).DGC PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Scarlett Court area is approximately 52 acres in size and consists of approximately 26 parcels. The area is bounded on the west by Dougherty Road, the north by Dublin Boulevard, the south by 1-580, and the east by the Iron Horse Trail right-of-way (see Attachment 2). The area has a General Plan land use designation of Business Park/Industrial: Outdoor Storage (F.A.R: .25 to .40) and Retail/Office and Automotive (F.A.R. .25 to .50). The General Plan designation anticipates retail and manufacturing activities conducted outdoors such as construction materials storage. The zoning district for the area is M-l (Light Industrial), which allows warehousing, industrial, and other similar uses and C-2 (General Commercial), which allows auto related and retail uses. The Scarlett Court area currently contains a variety of industrial uses including: building material sales, light industrial uses, outdoor storage, mini storage, auto repair, and new/used automobile sales. The current predominant uses within the area are auto-related. The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines represent Phase I of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan. Phase I of the Specific Plan includes design guidelines and the necessary amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan only. Phase I includes the following: . Scarlett Court Design Guidelines; . Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to create Chapter 8.34, Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District; . Amendment to the Zoning ordinance to amend Chapter 8.104, Site Development Review; . Amendment to the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation to the Scarlett Court area; and . Amendment to the General Plan to include a Policy for the Scarlett Court area (to be completed in the next several months). Phase II, is anticipated to occur in the future and may include policies and a change in the existing land use designations including permitted and conditionally permitted uses of land as part of a Specific Plan. BACKGROUND: During the Goals and Objectives session for Fiscal Year 200212003, the City Council requested Staff, as a high priority item, to initiate a Specific Plan for the Scarlett Court area. At the time, the City Council was concerned about the potential development/redevelopment of several large and underutilized parcels, including the former Dolan Lumber parcel. In June 2001, Dolan Lumber ceased operations and later sold the property to Dublin Honda (currently under construction). The City Council was also concerned about the aesthetics of this area since the Scarlett Court area is visible from the 1-580 freeway, Dublin Boulevard and Dougherty Road. On August 6, 2002, the City Council held a public hearing to consider the adoption of an Urgency Ordinance for the Scarlett Court area which would have imposed a moratorium on any discretionary action including site development reviews, conditional use permits, or building permits which could alter the appearance or potential use of the property; business licenses for a new use or permit; or the resumption of a use that had been vacant for at least one year prior to the application. During the meeting, the City Council provided direction to Staff on the moratorium and asked that Staff bring some options (alternatives) back to the Council regarding the moratorium, but did not act on the moratorium. 2of8 The August 6, 2002 City Council hearing on the moratorium was continued to September 3,2002. During that meeting, Staff provided the City Council with three alternative options for a moratorium. At the meeting, the City Council directed Staff to return to the Council with a draft moratorium ordinance which prohibited certain use types while the City worked on the Scarlett Court Specific Plan. The timeframe for the moratorium was not to exceed two years. On October 1, 2002, the City Council held a public hearing to discuss the draft ordinance which prohibited certain uses during a moratorium. At the meeting, the City Council discussed the draft ordinance and received input from the public on the proposed moratorium and current projects property owners were pursuing in the area. Based on public testimony, the City Council decided to table the matter for one year to give property owners time to implement current projects and make improvements to their properties. On October 21, 2003, Staff provided a report regarding the preparation of the Specific Plan which recommended that the City Council authorize Staff to work on the Specific Plan without a moratorium. At the meeting, the City Council authorized Staff to continue preparation of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan. Since October 2003, Staff has begun work on the Specific Plan; however, the completion of the Specific Plan was delayed due to competing high priority goals and the review of several large development projects in the Scarlett Court Specific Plan area including the new Honda Dealership and Arlen Ness Motorcycles. During the Goals and Objectives session for Fiscal Year 200512006, the City Council assigned a high priority for the completion a Specific Plan for the Scarlett Court area by the end of Fiscal Year 200612007. During the City Council meeting on August 6, 2006, Staff discussed the Scarlett Court Specific Plan with the City Council. At the August 6, 2006 meeting, the City Council directed Staff to divide the Specific Plan preparation into two phases. The Council directed Staff to begin work on the Scarlett Court Specific Plan to include landscape, signage and design guidelines as part of Phase I of the Specific Plan. Following the August 6, 2006 City Council meeting, Staff sent a Request for Proposals to several firms. On September 19,2006, the City Council approved a contract with RBF for the preparation of the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines (Phase I). Public Participation On October 20, 2006,RBF and Staff conducted walking tours of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan area. The purpose of the walking tours was to discuss the intent of the design guidelines and to gain an understanding of the property owners and tenants issues or concerns with the Scarlett Court area. On October 30, 2006, RBF and Staff held a community workshop to discuss the design guidelines with the public. The purpose of this workshop was to get community members involved in the process by conducting an image survey of the area, engage the public in a discussion to gain an understanding of any concerns they have with the area or with the preparation of design guidelines and to discuss the purpose and objectives of the design guidelines. After the walking tour and the first community workshop, RBF prepared a set of draft guidelines based on community input. Following the preparation of the draft guidelines, RBF and Staff held a second community workshop on February 22, 2007. The purpose of this meeting was to present the draft guidelines to the public and discuss any concerns or comments they had on the draft guidelines. During this meeting, one comment was received requesting that a lighting section related to auto dealerships be included. The guidelines were revised to include Section 3.4.4, Auto Dealership Display Lighting (page 43 of Exhibit A in Attachment 1). 3of8 Notification of the walking tour, the two community workshops and tonight's Planning Commission meeting were sent to all tenants and property owners in the Scarlett Court area, property owners within 300 feet of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan Area, interested parties, the City Council and the Planning Commission (Attachments 3 and 4). Notices were also posted in all City posting places and were also published in the newspaper. The notice for the second community workshop also notified the public that draft design guidelines were also available for review at City Hall to provide members of the public who were unable to attend the meeting with an opportunity to review the draft guidelines and provide feedback to Staff. ANALYSIS: This project is divided up into two main components: the Design Guidelines and the three associated Zoning Ordinance amendments to implement the Design Guidelines. All actions are explained in more detail below. The Design Guidelines will only be applicable to redevelopment, new development, exterior improvements/modifications (such as new fences, walls or fa~ade remodels) and new or replaced signage. Property Owners and tenants in the Scarlett Court area are not required to improve their properties to comply with the guidelines at this time unless an application is submitted for development activity as described above. Scarlett Court Design Guidelines The intent of the Design Guidelines is to guide future development and improvements in the Scarlett Court Specific Plan Area. The Design Guidelines are presented in the separately bound document attached to this Staff Report as a part of Exhibit A of Attachment 1 and all page numbers referenced in this section are to this separately bound document. The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines contain the following Chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction - this section explains the purpose of the document and also includes an explanation of the permit review process. Chapter 2: ExistingSetting and Future Vision - this section contains information and the vision for the Scarlett Court area. This section also contains three renderings (on pages 9-11) which depict what the Scarlett Court area could look like in the future with the implementation of the design guidelines. Chapter 3: Design Guidelines - the guidelines are described in the following sections: 3.1: Site Planning 3.2: Architectural Guidelines 3.3: Sign Guidelines 3.4: Lighting Guidelines 3.5: Landscape Guidelines Chapter 4: References - this section notes the references that were used to create the design guidelines. Information on the design guidelines sections can be found in the following sections. Site Planning The Site Planning section begins on page 15 of the design guidelines. The purpose of this section is to create a positive visual relationship between buildings, public streets, landscaped areas, parking lots, storage and service areas and uses on adjacent properties. Key components of this section include 4of8 pedestrian and bicycle circulation (which includes suggestions on the location and appropriate styles of bicycle racks), screening of electrical and mechanical equipment and building siting. Architectural Guidelines The Architectural Guidelines section begins on page 21 of the design guidelines. The purpose of this section is to provide principles for various architectural elements and encourage high quality design in the Scarlett Court area. Some key components of this section include appropriate building mass, a discussion on articulation of buildings, appropriate building materials and colors and roof forms. Sign Guidelines The Sign Guidelines section begins on page 29 of the design guidelines. This purpose of this section is to provide guidelines for the design, construction and placement of signs in the Scarlett Court area. The guidelines apply to new signs and signs which will be replaced, relocated or if the repair of a sign will cost more than 50 percent of the value of the sign. The guidelines in this section supplement the sign regulations in Chapter 8.84, Sign Criteria, of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance. This section includes a discussion on inappropriate signs (for example, signs attached to a fence, handheld signs, etc.) and appropriate signs. Guidelines for appropriate signs include wall signs, monument signs, blade signs (a sign that projects perpendicular to a building), freeway oriented signs, directory signs and directional signs are also included in the guidelines. The freeway oriented sign section (pages 35-36) limits the height of these signs to 35 feet (the height of the existing Dublin Auto Mall electronic sign) and recommends that businesses co-locate on the signs to limit the number of freeway oriented signs in the area. The section also includes guidelines on the readability of signs, sign materials and lighting. Lighting Guidelines The Lighting Guidelines section begins on page 41 of the design guidelines. The purpose of this section is to provide guidelines to ensure adequate, safe, and appropriate lighting levels. The guidelines include recommendations on light design, reduction of glare and spill-over lighting and also include a section on auto dealership display lighting. Due to the special security needs of dealerships, this section also includes a section on page 43 which relates to auto dealership lighting and includes height limits for the sign poles and recommendations on display lighting. Landscape Guidelines The Landscape Guidelines start on page 45 of the design guidelines. The purpose of this section is to provide guidelines on landscape materials to promote the orderly development of the landscape environment as well as guidelines which promote attractive and high quality screen walls and fences. Pages 45-46 of the design guidelines include appropriate types of fences and walls for the screening of service areas, equipment, parking lots and trash areas. Fences and walls which are discouraged in the area can be found on page 47 and include fences constructed with chain link, plywood and barbed wire, which can be seen from the right-of-way or the Iron Horse trail. The guidelines also include general landscaping guidelines on pages 47-53 which include the screening of vehicle displays, suggested locations for plant materials, maintenance and parking lot landscaping. Page 53 of the design guidelines states that the primary street tree for Scarlett Court and Scarlett Drive is the Bradford Pear tree and the accent tree is the Yoshino Flowering Cherry tree. The guidelines also include the London Plane tree on Dublin Boulevard (and this tree is currently planted along Dublin Boulevard). The street trees in the design guidelines are compatible with the City's Streetscape Master Plan. 5of8 A plant matrix which includes recommended trees, shrubs and groundcover for the Scarlett Court area can be found on pages 55-57. Newly proposed projects and improvements which include landscape improvements or new landscaping will need to select plant materials from this matrix. Zoning Ordinance and Map Amendments In order to ensure that the Design Guidelines are complied with, Staff is proposmg the following amendments to Title 8, Zoning Ordinance, of the Dublin Municipal Code: 1. The Addition of Zoning Ordinance Chapter 8.34, Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District (following approval of the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines); 2. An Amendment to Chapter 8.104, Site Development Review; and 3. An Amendment to the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation to the Scarlett Court Area. Addition of the New Chapter 8.34 of the Dublin Municipal Code (Scarlett Court Overlay District) Since the Design Guidelines are Phase I of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan an overlay zoning district is necessary to implement the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines and provide the mechanism for ensuring that projects or improvements proposed in the Scarlett Court area comply with the Design Guidelines. The full text of the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance is attached as Exhibit B to Attachment 1 to this Staff Report. In summary, the new Chapter 8.34 of the Zoning Ordinance states that any exterior improvements, signs, new development or construction in the Scarlett Court area shall be subject to a Site Development Review process specific to the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District and that the project shall be reviewed for substantial compliance with the Scarlet Court Design Guidelines. The Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District is a designation that will exist on the properties in the area in addition to the base Zoning District that each property in the Scarlett Court District retains (M -1, Light Industrial). The base Zoning District contains all information regarding permitted and conditionally permitted uses, development standards, and regulations, while the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning designation provides a mechanism to review development on any of the properties in the District for substantial compliance with the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. In approving the attached Resolution (Attachment 1), the Planning Commission will be recommending that the City Council authorize the addition of the new Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District. Amendment to Chapter 8.104, Site Development Review, of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance Staff proposes to add the following paragraph to the Site Development Review section 8.104.030.1 of the Zoning Ordinance (Projects subject to Site Development Review): "Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Site Development Review. Any development in the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District (as indicated on the Zoning Map) shall be reviewed in accordance with and subject to Chapter 8.34, Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District, in addition to this Chapter." In approving the attached Resolution (Attachment 1), the Planning Commission will be recommending that the City Council authorize amending Chapter 8.104 of the Municipal Code and adding a new Section 8.104.030.J to require improvements in the Scarlett Court area to be reviewed in accordance with Chapter 8.34, Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District, and the adopted Design Guidelines. Amendment to the Zoning Map to add an Overlay Zoning Designation to the Scarlett Court Area In order to indicate which properties the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Ordinance applies to, the Zoning Map needs to be amended to include the overlay district. The Zoning Map will still indicate the 6of8 base zoning district (M-l, Light Industrial and C-2, General Commercial) for each property, but will also indicate the area in which the Scarlett Court Overlay zoning regulations apply. In approving the attached Resolution (Attachment 1), the Planning Commission will be recommending that the City Council amend the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court Area. The Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Map is attached as Exhibit B to Attachment 1 General Plan Amendment In addition to the Zoning Ordinance amendments, Staff is also proposing an amendment to the General Plan to include a policy statement which discusses the Scarlett Court area and clearly identifies that the Scarlett Court area will be treated differently from typical zoning districts in the City. In the absence of a Specific Plan, the General Plan Amendment will afford the City protection and will clearly state the objectives of the design guidelines in order to further the City's goal of enhancing the Scarlett Court area. According to State Law, the City is limited to four General Plan Amendment actions per year. Each action can include multiple projects/sites. In an effort to group several General Plan Amendments at one time, Staff proposes to include the General Plan Amendment with two other General Plan Amendments (Casamira Valley and Vargas) which are anticipated to be reviewed by the Planning Commission during the next month. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff has reviewed and has determined the adoption ofthis ordinance to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). Section 15061(b)(3) states that CEQA applies only to those projects that have the potential to cause a significant effect on the environment. The adoption of this ordinance is an activity that is exempt from CEQA because the ordinance does not, in itself, allow the construction of any building or structure, but it sets forth the design guidelines that shall be followed if and when a building or structure is proposed to be constructed or a site is proposed to be developed under existing entitlements. This ordinance, therefore, has no potential for resulting in significant physical change in the environment, directly or ultimately. Individual projects in the Scarlett Court area will be reviewed for compliance with CEQA CONCLUSION: The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines will only apply to exterior improvements and new construction and do not require improvements to be made to the properties in the Scarlett Court Area. The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines have been prepared to guide the design of future development, improve the public realm to enhance the area's image and create a unique sense of place and to enhance the aesthetics in the Scarlett Court Area. The proposed amendments to Title 8 of the Municipal Code will provide a suitable mechanism to implement the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines in the absence of an adopted Specific Plan. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution approving the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines; and recommending that the City Council adopt an Ordinance adding Chapter 8.34 to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) establishing the Scarlett Court Overlay District, adding Section 8.104.030.1 to the Dublin Municipal Code (Zoning Ordinance) relating to the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District Site Development Review, and amending the Zoning Map to add an overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court Area (with the Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B). 7of8 GENERAL INFORMATION: PROPERTY OWNER: Various APPLICANT: City of Dublin 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, CA 94550 LOCATION: 941-0550-010-22, 941-0550-012-08, 941-0550-012-11, 941- 0550-013-04, 941-0550-014-02, 941-0550-015-04, 941-0550- 015-05, 941-0550-015-08, 941-0550-016-04, 941-0550-019-05, 941-0550-019-09, 941-0550-019-10, 941-0550-025-02, 941- 0550-028, 941-0550-029, 941-0550-032-02, 941-0550-032-03, 941-0550-033,941-0550-034,941-0550-037-05, and 941-0550- 036-03. ZONING: M-l (Light Industrial) Zoning District GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: Business Park/Industrial and Outdoor Storage and Retail/Office and Automotive (APN: 941-0550-019-10 only) SPECIFIC PLAN: Scarlett Court Specific Plan SURROUNDING USES: Location Zoning General Plan Land Use Current Use of Property Site M -1 (Light Industrial) Business Park/Industrial Varies and Outdoor Storage and Retail/Office and Automotive North PD (Planned Retail/Office and Varies Development) Automotive South N/ A (1-580) N/A 1-580 Freeway East PD (Planned High Density Transit Center Development) Residential West M-l (Light Industrial) Retail/Office and Varies Automotive 8of8