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Home My WebLink About03-063 Scarlett Court Design Guidelines AGENDA STATEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: April 10, 2007 SUBJECT: ATTACHMENTS: RECO~TION: PUBLIC HEARING: P A 03-063 Scarlett Court Design Guidelines, General Plan Amendment 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) Report prepared by Erica Fraser, Senior Planner 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 8.104.030.1 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 City Council Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B). 2) Resolution recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan to include policies related to the Scarlett Court Area. 3) Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. 4) March 27, 2007 Planning Commission Agenda Statement (without attachments). 5) Minutes from the March 27, 2007 Planning Commission meeting. 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; 5) Adopt a Resolution (Attachment 1) 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 COPIES TO: Applicant Property Owner File ITEM NOo_B . 1- Page 1 of5 GIPA#\2003103-063 Scarlett Court Specific PlanlPC PHIPC 4-10-07IPCSR 4-10-07 GPA and Guidelines.DOC overlay zoning designation for the Scarlett Court Area (with the City Council Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B); and 6) Adopt a Resolution (Attachment 2) recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan to include policies related to the Scarlett Court Area. 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. 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-I (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 policies for the Scarlett Court area. 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: On March 27, 2007 the Planning Commission reviewed the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines during a public hearing. During the meeting, the Planning Commission requested that several changes be made to the Design Guidelines ( see minutes included as Attachment 5). The changes are discussed in further detail under the analysis section. For additional background information including a discussion of the public participation for the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines please refer to the March 27, 2007 Planning Commission Agenda Statement (Attachment 4). 20f5 ANALYSIS: A full discussion of the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines and the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map are included in the March 27, 2007 Agenda Statement (Attachment 4). Changes to the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines During the Planning Commission meeting on March 27, 2007, the Planning Commission requested that several minor modifications be made to the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. These changes are noted in the following table. Text that has been proposed to be removed is in strike out and new text is underlined. Page # Description of Change 21 and 22 Added a description of modem and postmodem architecture and replaced the pictures on page 21 with images of modem and postmodem buildings. 25 Cinder blocks was added to the "discouraged" list. 26 Modification made to state "Bright and dark contrasting colors should be used for 3111331 Sf SJlr> ~'lnlildiflg as accents only. " The Light, neutral colors image was replaced with a picture of a modern designed building. 29 The following statement was added "Signs should be compatible with the modern and vostmodern architectural style of the building (refer to vage 21 and 22 for a descrivtion of modern and vostmodern architectural styles) ". 31 The blade sign image on this page was replaced with a picture of a blade sign with more modem design. 34 The sign graphic was removed and replaced with two examples of blade signs images with a modem design. 52 The scale graphic with palm trees was replaced with a scale graphic with image that has no palm trees. 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 clearly state the objectives of the design guidelines in order to further the City's goal of enhancing the Scarlett Court area. Staff is proposing an amendment to Section 2.2.6 of the General Plan Land Use and Circulation: Land Use Element to include the following language: Guiding Policy A. Strengthen and improve the Scarlett Court Planning Area. The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines were adopted by the City Council on Guidelines are intended to guide future development and improvements Planning Area to enhance the character and image of the Area. . The Design in the Scarlett Court 30f5 The Scarlett Court Planning Area is visible from Interstate 580, Dougherty Road, the Iron Horse Trail and Dublin Boulevard and the view of this Area from these key roadways is of importance to the City. Imvlementing Policy B. Create an Overlay Zoning District for the Scarlett Court Planning Area. C. Encourage improvements to existing businesses and properties in the Scarlett Court Planning Area. D. Require all redevelopment and improvements related to the site planning, architectural design, lighting, signage and landscaping to be consistent with the adopted Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff has reviewed and determined that the adoption of the design guidelines, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map and General Plan Amendment is 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 the design guidelines, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map and General Plan Amendment are activities that are exempt from CEQA because the guidelines and amendments do not, in itself, allow the construction of any building or structure, but it sets forth the design guidelines and policies 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. These design guidelines and amendments, therefore, have 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, 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 and the General Plan 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: I) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; 5) Adopt a Resolution (Attachment 1) 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 City Council Design Guidelines Resolution attached as Exhibit A and the Overlay Zoning District Ordinance attached as Exhibit B); and 6) Adopt a Resolution (Attachment 2) recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan to include policies related to the Scarlett Court Area. 40f5 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-1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District C-2 (General Commercial( 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: Phase I of the Scarlett Court Specific Plan SURROUNDING USES: Location Zoning General Plan Land Use Current Use of Pronertv 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 -1 (Light Industrial) Retail/Office and Varies Automotive 50f5