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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCReso02-38 PA00-013 Rec to CC GP/EDSP Amendments DubTranst RESOLUTION NO. 02-38 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN AND EASTERN DUBLIN SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THE DUBLIN TRANSIT CENTER PROJECT PA 00-013 WHEREAS, the Alameda County Surplus Property Authority submitted applications for a 90.65-acre high-density mixed-use pedestrian and transit-oriented development located directly north and east of the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. The project proposes 1,500 high-density residential units, up to 2 million square feet of campus office uses, 70,000 square feet of ancillary commercial uses, an 8.73 acre (net) Neighborhood Park, and a new parking structure to replace existing permanent and temporary surface parking around the BART station. The development includes applications to amend the General Plan; to add the site and related development standards to the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan; to zone the site as PD-Planned Development and adopt a related Stage 1 Development Plan; and to approve a tentative parcel map; collectively known as the "Project"; and WHEREAS, the Project area boundaries include Dublin Boulevard and Parks RFTA to the north, Arnold Road to the east, 1-580 to the south, and the Iron Horse Recreational Trail to the west. Existing uses on the site include the East Dublin- Pleasanton BART station, a major public bus transfer station, associated surface parking lots and other facilities generally near 1-580, and vacant land; and WHEREAS, the Project would amend General Plan land use and other maps to place the Project area within the Eastern Extended Planning Area and to change the land use designations from Public Lands, Business Park/Industrial, and Business Park/Industrial: Low Coverage to High Density Residential, Campus Office, Public/Semi-Public, and Parks/Public Recreation with a Neighborhood Park designation. The Project would amend General Plan text to provide for ancillary retail and service uses in the High Density Residential and Public/Semi-Public land use designations, and would amend Table 2.1 to add the Project to the Eastern Dublin land use summary; and WHEREAS, the Project would amend the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan to add the Project area to the Specific Plan as its eleventh planning subarea, with related land use designations and development guidelines. The land uses and development guidelines provide for a high-density mixed use residential and office project most of which is within ¼ mile of the existing East Dublin BART station. Ancillary retail and service uses would be provided to serve the needs of residents, employees, and transit patrons and would be located on ground floors along Iron Horse Parkway and on the ground floor in or adjacent to the proposed parking garage. Development guidelines also provide for building siting, height, type and entry treatment to enhance the pedestrian scale and focus of the Project; and WHEREAS, the City prepared and circulated a Draft EIR analyzing the potential environmental effects of the Project. A new significant traffic impact identified after the Draft EIR public review period was recirculated for public review. The City prepared a Final EIR comprised of written responses to all comments received on the Draft EIR and the recirculated traffic impact. The Final EIR also includes revisions to the project, including a new 8.73 acre (net) neighborhood park On October 22, 2002, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution 02-37 recommending that the City Council certify the Draft and Final EIRs as the Environmental Impact Report for the Project, which resolution is incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, a staff report, dated October 22, 2002 and incorporated herein by reference, described and analyzed the Draft and Final EIRs and the Project, including the proposed amendments to the General Plan and Eastern Dublin Specific Plan; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed the staff report, the Draft and Final EIRs at a noticed public hearing on October 22, 2002 at which time all interested parties had the opportunity to be heard. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this resolution. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Dublin Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve the following General Plan Amendment based on findings that the amendment is in the public interest and that the General Plan as so amended will remain internally consistent. A. Amend Section 1.4, PRIMARY PLANNING AREA AND EXTENDED PLANNING AREA, first paragraph under Eastern Extended Planning Area as follows. The eastern planning area represents the largest remaining area available for future development in Dublin. The approximately 4,291-acre area east of Parks RFTA will permit the eventual expansion of urban development in order to accommodate the healthy growth of the community B. Amend Section 1.8.1, Land Use Classification, Eastern Extended Planning Area, Residential: High Density as follows. Projects in this category are intended for downtown and urban core areas. Ancillary retail and service uses which provide services to residents in the High Density Residential area are permitted. Projects within this density range must meet the majority of their parking requirements with under-structure parking where feasible. For example, with careful design, densities of up to 80 units per acre can be achieved without exceeding four stories in height. Assumed household size is 2.0 persons per unit. C. Amend Section 1.8.1, Land Use Classification, Eastern Extended Planning Area, Public/Semi-Public/Open Space, Public/Semi-Public Facilities to add a second, new paragraph as follows. Ancillary retail and service uses which provide services to transit patrons may be permitted as a ground floor use in or adjacent to the Eastern Dublin BART station parking garage. D. Amend Section 2.0, LAND USE AND CIRCULATION SECTION, LAND USE ELEMENT, first two sentences under Eastern Extended Planning Area as follows. Figure 1-2B illustrates generalized land uses and circulation for the Eastern Extended Planning Area that lies east of Parks RFTA. This area includes approximately 4,291-acres. E. Amend Table 2.1, LAND USE SUMMARY, EASTERN DUBLIN GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AREA to reflect the Project acreage added to the Eastern Dublin planning area, as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. F. Amend the following figures by reference to remove the Project area from the Primary Planning Area and add it to the Eastern Extended Planning Area. 1. Figure 1-1: Land Use & Circulation, Primary Planning Area 2. Figure 1-2: Extended Planning Area 3. Figure 2-1: Sites for Housing Development 4. Figure 2-2: Development Potential, Dublin Planning Area G. Amend Figure 1-2B to add the Project area to the Eastern Extended Planning Area and identify land use designations as shown on Exhibit B attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Dublin Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve the following Eastern Dublin Specific Plan Amendment based on findings that the amendment is consistent with the Dublin General Plan and that the Specific Plan as so amended will remain internally consistent. A. Amend Chapter 4.0, Land Use, to add a new Section 4.9.10, TRANSIT VILLAGE CENTER, as follows. 4.9.10 TRANSIT VILLAGE CENTER LOCATION The Transit Village Center subarea comprises the southwestern most comer of the planning area, directly adjacent to the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station, in the area north of 1-580, west of Arnold Road, south of Camp Parks and east of the planned Iron Horse Trail alignment. LAND USE CONCEPT The Transit Village Center subarea is intended to maximize the transit opportunities presented by the BART station and the associated bus hub by creating a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly and high-density mix of office, residential and retail uses all within easy walking distance of the BART station. Densities within the subarea are the highest planned for the various land areas within the Specific Plan, with residential densities averaging 50 units to the acre, and office densities over 1.0 FAR. To accommodate these densities, office buildings of up to 10 stories will be permitted, helping to make the BART station area a visual focal point for the entire Tri-Valley area. Parking will be primarily accommodated by garages, including a new BART parking garage to replace much of the existing surface parking lots. Because of the area's high visibility, architectural elements within the subarea should present a high-profile, quality image. To encourage transit use, design standards in the subarea should encourage high levels of pedestrian use by creating short street blocks, permitting reduced parking standards, encouraging minimal building setbacks, and designing relatively narrow street sections, with wide, tree-canopied sidewalks and on-street parking. Ancillary retail and service uses that offer convenient goods and services to subarea residents, employees and commuters are encouraged as a ground-floor use for residential and office uses along Iron Horse Parkway to add vitality to the street. TABLE 4.14 Transit Village Center Subarea Development Potential Designation Acres (gr.) Density Development Potential Campus Office 38.3 1.2 2 msf High Density Residential 31.5 48 1,500 units Neighorhood Park 12.2 8.73 park acres Public/Semi-Public 8.65 - Total 90.65 B. Amend Chapter 7.0, Community Design, to add a new Section 7.6, TRANSIT VILLAGE CENTER, as follows. 7.6 TRANSIT VILLAGE CENTER The guiding design concept for the Transit Village Center subarea is to maximize use of regional transit opportunities and minimize reliance on the auto by creating a vibrant, high-density, compact, pedestrian-friendly environment that serves the daily needs of subarea residents, employees and commuters. As a regional transit hub and geographic center of the Livermore/Amador Valley, the subarea should provide a visual focal point for the surrounding area. FORM Development should be urban and compact, with a highly interconnected pattern of streets that accommodates the movement of vehicles while enhancing opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle circulation. BUILDING SITING Buildings should be located adjacent to the sidewalks, with no or minimal setbacks from the sidewalk, and should be oriented toward the street to create a well-defined, pedestrian -scaled and more intimate street space. Where possible, building massing should be broken up so that there are opportunities for pedestrian movement between larger street blocks and to create visual interest. Ancillary retail and service uses, such as restaurants, cafes, and banks should be encouraged as a ground-floor use along and near Iron Horse Parkway. Due to high levels of traffic noise from 1-580 and, to a lesser extent, Dublin Boulevard, buildings adjacent to these roads should be sited and designed to act as noise shields for the rest of the subarea. It is especially important to shield open spaces and gathering places by placing buildings between these use areas and the freeway. Building setbacks from the sidewalk/street right-of-way along Iron Horse Parkway are discouraged. Building setbacks from the sidewalk along Digital Drive, DeMarcus Boulevard, Arnold Road, and Campus Drive should be minimized so that buildings relate to the adjacent street. Landscape setbacks for parking garages and along Arnold, Campus and Dublin Boulevard are permitted. Public utility easements should be located within the street or sidewalk area to limit the need for building setbacks. Sideyard setbacks are not required. Residential and commercial development may be set back from Dublin Boulevard due to the high volume of traffic on the street. BUILDING HEIGHT Buildings should be of a height to enclose the street space, giving it a more intimate scale. In general, buildings adjacent to 1-580 and closer to the BART station should be higher to emphasize that the Transit Center is a major regional focal point and to maximize densities as close to the station as possible. Maximum building heights: High Density Residential: 5 stories over parking Campus Office: 8 stories adjacent to Dublin Boulevard 10 stories adjacent to Digital Drive and 1- 580 BUILDING TYPES Mixed-use buildings are strongly encouraged, especially along Iron Horse Parkway. Both residential and office buildings along this street should accommodate ground-floor ancillary retail and service uses that provide convenient goods and services to employees, residents, and BART commuters. A hotel, or mixed-use hotel/office development on Site D-1 should be considered that would provide ground-floor service uses and could share parking facilities with the adjacent BART garage. Residential and commercial architecture should be varied in form and style to provide visual interest and to avoid long, monotonous facades along pedestrian- oriented streets. ENTRIES Building entries should be sited to promote sidewalk activity and to maximize pedestrian use of adjacent streets. Locate ground-floor retail and service uses so that they front on Iron Horse Parkway and are clustered so that long stretches of "dead" street frontage are avoided. Encourage uses, such as cafes, that can "spill out" onto the adjacent sidewalks. Design sidewalks of sufficient width to provide for outdoor seating. Site major building entries and lobbies so that they are visible and accessible from the street, not just parking areas. Design residential units with balconies and windows affording views of the street to create the security of "eyes on the street". PARKING Parking standards should be reduced as much as possible to encourage the use of public transit. Most parking should be provided in garages and located so that street frontages are not dominated by it. · Permit 1.5 parking spaces per unit for residential uses, and 3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet for office uses. Recognize shared parking with these uses and BART, as well as on-street parking to accommodate most of the parking needed for ancillary retail and service uses. Utilize parking studies from other transit- oriented developments to encourage developments with lower parking ratios. Reduce the site area needed for off-street parking by allowing curbside parking space around the project perimeter to count toward the project's parking requirements. Establish a means of discouraging BART patrons from utilizing on-street and nearby residential and office parking by enforcing on-street parking limitations and providing secure parking garages. Encourage the use of parking garages and minimize on-site surface parking. Locate and design garages so that they do not distract from the pedestrian experience by "wrapping" residential units around them, fronting them with retail uses, or other means. Encourage shared-use of residential and office parking facilities with ground- floor retail and service users to provide adequate parking to encourage retail development along Iron Horse Parkway. Encourage shared-use of BART garage parking with hotel/conference/evening entertainment venues, as well as other public/semi-public uses. CIRCULATION The internal street system should be designed so that it accommodates the movement of vehicles, at relatively slow speeds and reasonably high levels of congestion, while enhancing the pedestrian experience. Utilize street and intersection standards that minimize the width of streets (curb- to-curb), and the distance between intersections. Limit comer radii to reduce the distance pedestrians must travel to cross intersections. Develop wide sidewalks along Iron Horse Parkway to accommodate pedestrian circulation, window shopping, outdoor merchandising and cafes. Encourage the development of sidewalk cafes and indoor/outdoor restaurants as ground-floor uses that can "spill out" onto the sidewalk along this street. Provide wide sidewalks, pedestrian-scale lighting, seating and other amenities on all Transit Center streets to encourage and accommodate pedestrian circulation from the office blocks to the retail area and to BART. Create a logical, well-marked bicycle lane system that provides access to the BART station, the Iron Horse Trail, the East-West Trail located along the north side of Dublin Boulevard, and development within the subarea. OPEN SPACE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES Because of the relatively small size of the subarea and the desire to maximize densities within the subarea to encourage transit use, large public open space areas south of Dublin Boulevard are discouraged. Instead, a series of public and/or private plazas, greens, and corridors should be developed south of Dublin Boulevard that provide recreational amenities and social gathering spots for residents, workers and commuters. A pedestrian and bike trail system should provide safe and convenient access to nearby parks and schools within Eastern Dublin. · Provide a central "Village Green" for the residential area that provides a common meeting and gathering place for area residents that is shielded from freeway noise and wind by intervening buildings. Connect the Village Green to the BART station via pedestrian corridors through adjacent residential development. · Provide pedestrian corridors and open plazas within large office developments to break up building masses and to provide convenient walking access to all parts of the subarea and adjacent areas. Create a small public "square", through building placement and landscaping, near the entrance to the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station that can serve as a meeting or gathering place. Utilize water or other features to reduce the negative impact of freeway noise. · Create small plazas in appropriate locations along Digital Drive and Iron Horse Parkway that provide opportunities for public art and for informal gatherings. · Provide a new neighborhood park north of Dublin Boulevard that maintains or enhances the overall park acreage-to-population ratio within the City of Dublin with the inclusion of the new Transit Center residential neighborhood. C. Amend Figure 4.1, Land Use Map, to add the Project area to the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area and identify Specific Plan land use designations as shown on Exhibit C attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. D. Amend other Specific Plan figures by reference as appropriate to add the Project area to the Specific Plan area. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 22nd day of October, 2002 by the following vote: AYES: Cm. Johnson, Musser, Jennings, Fasulkey and Nassar NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: Pla~i~Man-~ger GSPA#X2000\00-013\PC reso recommending GPA_SPA approval (3).DOC