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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-020 Veterinary Surgical Assoc (Adjudicatory Action) AGENDA STATEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: July 24, 2007 SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING - P A 07-020 (Adjudicatory Action), Veterinary Surgical Associates Conditional Use Permit to operate a veterinary facility within an existing building and a reduction in required on-site parking at 7159 Amador Plaza Road. Report prepared by Laura Karaboghosian, Associate Planner ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a veterinary facility (Veterinary Surgical Associates) and to allow for an on-site parking reduction. 2) Applicant's Written Statement. 3) Project Plans. 4) Parking Study prepared by Omni Means dated July 10,2007. 5) Exhibit 6 of the Downtown Core Specific Plan. ~ I) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution (Attachment 1) approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a veterinary facility (Veterinary Surgical Associates) and to allow for an on-site parking reduction. RECOMMENDATION: PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Background: The project site is located at 7159 Amador Plaza Road and is within the Downtown Core Specific Plan area. The project site is located on a parcel setback from Amador Plaza Road, behind a multi-tenant commercial building. Access to the site is from Amador Plaza Road, via a recorded access easement along the southern side of the adjacent parcel west of the project site. The project site is zoned Planned Development with a General Plan Land Use Designation of Retail/Office. The proposed veterinary facility would be surrounded by commercial uses to the north, south and west. Interstate 680 is located to the east of the project site. COPIES TO: Veterinary Surgical Associates KBH Investments LLC File ITEM NO. ~ .l Page 1 of6 G:\PA#\2007107.020 Veterinary HospitallPC July 24IAgenda Statement.doc f \ Multi-tenant Commercial Building History: The project site is located within the Downtown Core Specific Plan area. Chapter 5.3 of the Downtown Core Specific Plan states that permitted and conditional uses allowed in existing buildings shall reference former zoning districts (PD, C-l, or C-2) and shall conform to Section 8.12 of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance "Zoning Districts and Permitted Uses." According to Exhibit 6 of the Downtown Core Specific Plan (Attachment 5), the former zoning district was C-2, General Commercial. The Zoning Ordinance classifies veterinary offices under the category of Animal Sales and Services (Chapter 8.12) as a conditional use requiring Planning Commission review and approval. Since the City is just beginning the planning process to create a new Downtown Specific Plan, no significant modifications were suggested for the exterior of the building at this time. A Site Development Review (SDR) Waiver 07-011 was approved May 3, 2007, allowing for minor modifications to the existing building. The modifications approved include exterior repainting of the building, removing two existing doors and replacing them with windows, removing four existing roll-up doors and filling them in to match the existing wall, and removing one set of existing windows and replacing them with new double glass doors. The Applicant does not propose further modifications to the building at this time. The Applicant is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to operate a veterinary facility, and the approval of an on-site parking reduction. ANAL YSIS: The land use concept for the existing Downtown Core Specific Plan is to foster appropriate development and redevelopment of properties located in the downtown core area of Dublin over the next five to seven years. The Specific Plan allows for the continued use of existing buildings consistent with the previous zoning designation (prior to the adoption of the Specific Plan). In accordance with the Downtown Core Specific Plan Exhibit 6, the former zoning designation of the project site was General Commercial. The Zoning Ordinance identifics Animal Sales and Services as a conditional use within the General Commercial district with approval from the Planning Commission. 20f6 The CUP process allows the City to review the operation of the proposed use to ensure that the project is compatible with the intent of the Specific Plan, Planned Development zoning district and the surrounding uses. All activities associated with the veterinary facility shall take place within the existing building, therefore reducing the likelihood that noise impacts to adjacent users will occur. In accordance with the Conditions of Approval site improvements such as repaving and restriping the parking lot, upgrading landscape material, making improvements to the trash enclosure and installing new concrete ramps to meet ADA accessibility will be required in order to meet current City, State and Federal codes. Operating Characteristics: The proposed veterinary facility will receive referrals from general veterinary offices. The facility will specialize in diagnosing and managing internal medicine, critical care cases, and providing cancer care to family pets. The veterinary facility will also include emergency care for pets during hours when most veterinary facilities are closed. The Applicant's written statement includes a complete description of the facility and is included as Attachment 2. No animals will be boarded on-site, but they may remain on-site while receiving medical treatment. Staff has included a Condition of Approval restricting the boarding of animals. The veterinary facility will be located within an existing two-story 16,716 square foot building (Attachment 3). The first floor will consist of a reception area, waiting room, exam rooms, operating rooms, physical therapy area, emergency veterinary facility, treatment rooms and a pharmacy. The second floor will be used for storage and a conference room dedicated for monthly staff meetings. In the future, office space may be established on the second floor. No additional treatment areas will be allowed on the second level due to the need for additional parking. Upon opening of the veterinary facility, staffing is anticipated to consist of a total of 12 (doctors and support staff) on-site, per shift. When the facility is fully operational, there will be a maximum of 15 employees (doctors and support staff) on-site, per shift. The hours of operation for the facility will be Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the animal patient discharges occurring Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The emergency center will be open Monday through Friday 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., and 24 hours on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The veterinary facility anticipates accommodating no more than 8 patients at one time. Parking Analysis: The City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance contains off-street parking requirements by use type. Pursuant to Section 8.76.080(D) of the Zoning Ordinance, veterinary clinics and hospitals are required to provide one parking space per 150 square feet. Based on this requirement, a total of III parking spaces would be required for the veterinary facility. The Applicant is requesting a reduction in the required on-site parking. The Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 8.76) contains a provision that allows for a reduction of off-street parking for an individual use. A reduction for on-site parking may be granted if: 1) the Conditional Use Permit findings can be made; 2) a parking study prepared by a qualified consultant analyzing the parking demands of the proposed use and the parking demands of similar uses in similar situations demonstrates that the required parking standards are excessive, and propose alternate parking standards which are appropriate and ensure that there will not be a parking deficiency; and 3) overflow parking will not adversely affect any adjacent use. A Parking Study was performed by a qualified parking consultant (Omni Means) which is included as Attachment 4 for the veterinary facility. 30f6 The Parking Study was conducted on May 3,2007, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a similar facility (operated by the Applicant) in the City of Campbell to determine the parking demand for the proposed Dublin veterinary facility. The Parking Study bases its findings on two factors: 1) interior use allocation of the veterinary facilities; and 2) the number of staff on-site per shift. The Campbell location was selected for observation due to it being of similar size and staffing as the proposed Dublin veterinary facility. The Parking Study concluded that the 16,000 square foot Campbell facility which includes a 3,000 square foot emergency veterinary facility, had a peak parking demand rate of2.85 spaces per 1,000 square feet of the facility. The building in which the Dublin veterinary facility will be located is 16,716 square-feet in size. Of the overall building area, 1,700 square feet will be used for storage and 4,000 square feet will be occupied by the emergency veterinary facility. Since emergency treatment is provided when the veterinary hospital operations are closed (6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays), the emergency veterinary facility will not generate parking demand during the day. Therefore, only the treatment areas which comprise approximately 11,000 square feet of the building will generate daily parking demand. Based on a peak parking demand rate of 2.85 spaces per 1,000 square feet, the peak parking demand for the proposed facility is 31 spaces (excluding emergency veterinary facility). Additionally, the Campbell veterinary facility has 15 employees on-site per shift with an observed maximum parking demand of37 parking spaces. The Dublin veterinary facility will begin operating with 12 employees but increase to 15 employees on- site per shift once fully operational. Because the Campbell veterinary facility has 15 employees on-site per shift with an observed parking demand of37 and the Dublin veterinary facility is anticipated to have a maximum of 15 employees on-site once fully operational, it was determined that the Dublin veterinary facility would also require 37 parking spaces in order to accommodate the proposed veterinary facility. According to the plans provided, 38 parking spaces are proposed. Therefore, the required number of on- site parking is met. According to the Applicant's written statement, an overlap in the hours of operation between the emergency veterinary facility and the veterinary hospital operations will take place. However, the time upon which overlap takes place is minimal and the number of staffing does not exceed 15 thereby falling within the Parking Study's parameters. Conditional Use Permit Required Findings: In order for the Planning Commission to approve a request for a Conditional Use Permit, the Planning Commission must make all findings (Section 8.100.060 of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance) as shown on pages 2-3 of the Resolution (Attachment 1). With the addition of the proposed Conditions of Approval contained in the Resolution, including the provision to establish 37 parking spaces on-site, the prohibition of outdoor activities and boarding of animals, limiting staff levels to 15 on-site at a given time and modifying the building to create additional treatment areas, the Conditional Use Permit findings as required by the Zoning Ordinance can be made. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The project has been reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), CEQA Guidelines and the Dublin Environmental Guidelines and has been found to be categorically exempt from the environmental review requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities). 4of6 NOTICING: In accordance with State law, a public notice regarding this hearing was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the proposed project. A public notice was also published in the Valley Times and posted at several locations throughout the City. To date, the City has not received any comments or objections from surrounding property owners or tenants regarding the current proposal. REVIEW BY APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES: The proposed project has been reviewed by the Building Division, Public Works Department, Police Services Department, and the Alameda County Fire Department. Conditions of Approval have been included where applicable. CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, SPECIFIC PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan Land Use designation of Retail/Office and the Downtown Core Specific Plan which allows for the continued use of the existing building consistent with the former zoning designation of General Commercial. Veterinary facilities (or an Animal Sales and Service facility) are allowed in the General Commercial Zoning District with approval of a Conditional Use Permit from the Planning Commission. A veterinary facility is an appropriate service for the community because it will provide needed local specialty medical care for resident's cherished pets. CONCLUSION: This application has been reviewed by the applicable City departments and agencies, and their comments have been incorporated into the Conditions of Approval for the project. The proposed veterinary facility, as conditioned, is consistent with the Dublin General Plan, Downtown Core Specific Plan, and Zoning District in which the project site is located and represents an appropriate project for the site. The veterinary facility will provide a resource for people seeking specialty medical care for their pets. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt Resolution (Attachment 1) approving a Conditional Use Permit to allow the operation of a veterinary facility (Veterinary Surgical Associates) and to allow for an on-site parking reduction. 50f6 GENERAL INFORMATION: PROPERTY OWNER: KBH Investments LLC, 7153 Amador Plaza Road, Dublin, CA 94568 APPLICANT: Dr. Dwight Gaudet, Veterinary Surgical Associates, 1410 Monument Blvd., Concord, CA 94520 LOCATION: 7159 Amador Plaza Road ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBER: 941-0305-033 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: Retail/Office SPECIFIC PLAN/ LAND USE DESIGNATION: Downtown Core Specific Plan! Retail/Office ZONING: Planned Development SURROUNDING USES: Location Zoning General Plan Land Use Current Use of , Property Site Planned Development Retail/Office Commercial North Planned Development Retail/Office Commercial South Planned Development Retail/Office Commercial East N/A N/A Interstate 680 West Planned Development Retail/Office Commercial 6of6