Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 PCSR PH Car West Auto Body r'�✓ � STAFF REPORT a2 PLANNING COMMISSION ��LIFOR�1� DATE: April 23, 2013 TO: Planning Commission SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PLPA-2012-00017 Car West Auto Body Minor Use Permits, Conditional Use Permit, and Site Development Review at 6080 Dublin Boulevard Report prepared by: Seth Adams, Assistant Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Applicant is requesting approval of a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Repairs and Service business; a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Rental business; a Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use; and a Site Development Review Permit for exterior modifications to an existing 26,591 square foot building and associated site improvements at 6080 Dublin Boulevard. 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 a Resolution approving a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Repairs and Service business and for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Rental business; a Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use; and a Site Development Review Permit for exterior modifications to an existing 26,591 square foot building and associated site improvements at 6080 Dublin Boulevard. Submitted By Re ' ed By Assistant Planner Assistant Community Development Director COPIES TO: Applicant File , ITEM NO.: • Page 1 of 11 DESCRIPTION: Figure 1. Project Site The proposed Project is located at 6080 Dublin Boulevard on V 641, the corner of Dublin Boulevard _ ,` mp Pailcs' and Scarlett Drive west of Arlen Ness Motorcycles. Adjacent uses include El Monte RV to the west and a U-Haul self-storage facility to the south. The Project site is approximately one and a ' half (1.5) acres and has an existing 26,591 square foot building that was built and _� m • occupied by Kassabian Motors, • " _ a vintage automobile dealership that has closed its business. ` The site has a General Plan land use designation of Business Park/industrial and ' `' � Outdoor Storage, and the site is zoned Light Industrial (M-1) and is located within the Scarlett * ' Court Overlay Zoning District. The Project site is depicted in Figure 1. The Applicant is proposing to move from their current location at 6077 Dublin Boulevard to operate an auto body repair business and a vehicle rental business within an existing building. The Applicant also proposes to make building facade and site improvements. The City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance classifies such uses as AutomobileNehicle Repairs and Services, and Automobile/Vehicle Rentals, respectively. Auto-related uses in the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District are subject to approval of a Zoning Clearance if they can meet adopted development standards, or a Minor Use Permit (MUP) by the Community Development Director if they cannot (Chapter 8.34.030.E). The Development Standards include requirements for projects to meet the minimum parking requirements and to store all vehicles being repaired indoors. The proposed project does not meet these development standards. Therefore, an MUP is required for this project. The Zoning Ordinance allows for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use, pursuant to a Conditional Use Permit, for projects that cannot meet the parking requirements. A Site Development Review Permit is required for exterior modifications to an existing structure in the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District (Section 8.34.030.13 and 8.1 04.040.A.13). Therefore, the Applicant is requesting approval of a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an AutomobileNehicle Repairs and Service business, a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Rental business, a Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use, and a Site Development Review (SDR) Permit to modify the building exterior and construct associated site improvements including new landscaping. 2of11 ANALYSIS: Minor Use Permits A Minor Use Permit (MUP) is required for projects that do not meet the development standards for the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District. The MUP allows conditions to be placed on the project to ensure compatibility with the surrounding uses. AutomobileNehicle Repairs and Services & AutomobileNehicle Rentals The Applicant proposes to operate an auto body repair business and a rental car business that will primarily serve its auto body customers. The proposed use will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Project will employ 30 people and includes an approximately 20,000 square foot repair garage with 27 indoor service bays and 5 outdoor service bays that will be used for the final detailing of repaired vehicles (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A1.1). All repair work will be conducted indoors and a Condition of Approval has been included to ensure this occurs (Attachment 1, Condition of Approval No. 40). The vehicle rental business will occupy an approximately 187 square foot office within the building and up to three rental vehicles will be kept on-site in marked parking stalls. As conditioned, the Project meets all of the development standards for the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District (Chapter 8.34.080) except for the parking requirements and the outdoor storage of vehicles being repaired. Therefore, the Project is required to obtain approval of a Minor Use Permit. The proposed use does not meet the parking requirements established in the Zoning Ordinance. However, the parking deficit has been addressed through a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use which is detailed in the Conditional Use Permit section below. The auto body repair business will need to store vehicles that are awaiting repair outside the building. The Project has been designed so that the vehicles being stored outside will be largely obscured from view by a 6-foot high CMU wall adjacent to the driveway on Dublin Boulevard, and a metal canopy on the west building elevation (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheets A1.1 and A4.0). In addition, these vehicles will be secured behind motorized wrought iron gates that run across the Dublin Boulevard driveway, and across the parking lot near the south elevation customer entrance. The wrought iron gate fronting Dublin Boulevard will help to further screen vehicles from view. The Project, as proposed and conditioned, meets the intent of the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. Therefore, Staff recommends approval of the Minor Use Permit (Attachment 1). Conditional Use Permit The City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance establishes parking requirements (Section 8.76.080.D) by use type. The combination of proposed uses generates a requirement for 95 parking spaces on-site as shown in Table 1 below. However, the Project site has a total of 63 parking spaces, resulting in a deficit of 32 parking spaces. 3 of 11 Table 1. Parking Re uirements Use Parking Standard Proposed Project Required Parkin At % Mrs/ 1 spao+e/40b s# 3;373 sf r /�y Re �ei°VideS 1 space/1,000 s.f. Storage 3,028 s.f. 3 spaces Serve Bas 'l space per eruae bay snrie ba :. ". �� Vehicle Rental t�ffice> ace/ g ' 87 s f > 1` ace,TM � ,.r. x° _; 1 SpaceC V hicfe'Rental ac r ofehrcls storage area � Total Required Parking 95 spaces 4 AC 01 aFClnl, >P1"t1�(tdd 'a9, The City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance has provisions for adjustments to the number of required parking spaces when certain conditions are present or when certain findings can be made. One such adjustment is a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use (Section 8.76.050.E), which an Applicant can propose when they believe the required number of parking spaces for the proposed use is not applicable because the use would function differently than the generic use. In such cases a reduction in off-street parking requirements may be granted if: 1. Conditional Use Permit findings can be made. 2. The Applicant submits 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, demonstrating that the required parking standards are excessive, and proposing alternate parking standards which are appropriate and ensure there will not be a parking deficiency. 3. Overflow parking will not impact any adjacent use. The City engaged the services of Omni-Means, an engineering and planning consulting firm, to prepare a parking study to evaluate the parking requirements for this project (Attachment 2). Omni-Means studied the proposed project site, as well as the existing Car West Auto Body facility located directly across Dublin Boulevard from the project site, and another larger Car West facility in Fremont. The parking study has been reviewed by the City's Senior Civil Engineer (Traffic) who supports the findings of the study. Based on their observations of the existing Dublin and Fremont facilities, as well as the proposed Project's operating characteristics and site plan, Omni-Means concluded that the proposed AutomobileNehicle Repairs and AutomobileNehicle Rental uses require a total of 62 parking spaces. The project site has a total of 68 parking spaces, five of which will be dedicated to vehicle detailing (final wash/wipe-down). This leaves 63 parking spaces for customers, employees, rental vehicles, and vehicles waiting for repair, and therefore an adequate number of parking spaces are provided. 4of11 To help ensure that the required number of parking spaces is maintained, a Condition of Approval has been placed on the Project requiring that on-site parking spaces are designated in accordance with the parking study recommendations (Attachment 1, Condition of Approval No. 44). Since the proposed use will employ 30 people, the Condition of Approval specifies that 30 spaces shall be designated for employees, 26 for repair vehicles, 3 for customers, and 3 for rental vehicles. By drafting the Condition of Approval in this manner the Project will be required to designate the necessary number of parking spaces for the actual number of employees without materially differing from the parking study recommendation and it will give the Applicant the ability to accommodate an additional vehicle needing repair. The same Condition of Approval requires that all vehicles be parked on-site in marked parking stalls, and that no vehicles be parked on surrounding streets or properties. The draft Resolution approving the Conditional Use Permit is included as Attachment 1. Site Development Review Site Plan The existing 26,591 square foot building is located towards the northeast corner of the Project site. The building was originally constructed in 1997 for use as an automobile dealership/showroom and it has been vacant since late 2012. The site has one existing driveway on Dublin Boulevard and one on Scarlett Drive, both of which will be upgraded to meet the current City standards. Pedestrian access to the site is provided by existing sidewalks along the full length of the site on Dublin Boulevard and Scarlett Drive. Additionally, an accessible walkway will be provided to connect to the south elevation entries from the sidewalk on Scarlett Drive (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A1.1). The building meets the setback requirements for the M-1 zoning district as it is located 20 feet from the back of sidewalk along the Dublin Boulevard frontage, and 10 feet from the back of sidewalk along Scarlett Drive. The full length of each of these building frontages is separated from the sidewalk by existing landscaping that will be supplemented with additional new landscaping as further discussed below. The project is located within the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District and is therefore subject to the Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. The Design Guidelines recommend that parking lots be located behind or to the side of buildings wherever possible. The existing parking lot for this project is located along the south and west sides of the property, and is largely screened by the building. As previously noted, the project site has a total of 68 parking spaces, five of which will be dedicated to vehicle detailing (final wash/wipe-down). The Design Guidelines also recommend that outdoor storage areas be located behind or to the side of buildings, and screened from view by a combination of walls/fences and landscaping. Vehicles waiting for repair will be stored in parking spaces along the west side of the site and underneath a metal canopy along the west building elevation. These vehicles will largely be screened from view along Dublin Boulevard by a 6-foot CMU/wall located to the right of the driveway, and the metal canopy that will project 24 feet from the west building elevation. The CMU wall will be covered with stucco and painted to match the building. A motorized wrought iron gate is proposed at the driveway on Dublin Boulevard and will provide additional screening from the street, as will the frontage landscaping. A second motorized wrought iron gate will span the width of the parking lot on the south side of the building. The two gates are installed to secure the vehicle storage area during non-business hours (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A1.1). 5 of 11 The Design Guidelines call for trash enclosures to be consistent with the design of the building and screened from view from local streets. The trash enclosure for the Project will be located along the south property line approximately 100 feet west of the Scarlett Drive sidewalk. It will be constructed of CMU walls with stucco and paint to match the building, and the solid steel roof will coordinate well with the metal paneling used on the building (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheets A1.1 and A1.2). Due to the trash enclosure being located 100 feet from Scarlett Drive and the existing adjacent landscaping that spans that entire distance, the enclosure will be adequately screened from view from Scarlett Drive. The Design Guidelines also require provision of a bicycle rack on all properties with parking lots containing more than 40 parking stalls, and a bicycle rack will be located near the customer entrance on the south elevation. Finally, the Design Guidelines require that fire sprinkler check valves are screened from view, and the fire sprinkler check valve for the Project will be located north of the Scarlett Drive driveway and screened from view by new and existing landscaping. Architecture The Applicant is proposing significant exterior modifications to the existing building. The Scarlett Court Design Guidelines contain architectural design requirements and recommendations for development occurring within the Scarlett Court Overlay Zoning District. The Project has been reviewed for conformance with the Design Guidelines. The Design Guidelines recommend that buildings be designed with modern and/or post-modern architectural styles, materials, and design details. Post-modern architecture rejects the more strict rules of modern architecture through the use of more complex building forms, elements, and details, including, but not limited to projecting, angled, or rounded roofs or walls that create more complex building forms. The materials used in post-modern designs vary and may include stucco, rock, brick, granite tile, and metal. The proposed exterior building modifications are post-modern in all respects. The north, east and south elevations feature a combination of solid metal paneling, perforated metal screen, glass, and stucco, and the west elevation is comprised of metal paneling and stucco. Along all four elevations there is articulation and/or curvature to provide a substantial amount of physical and visual depth along these facades (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). North Elevation (Dublin Blvd.) The Design Guidelines recommend that elevations fronting a street be articulated. The north elevation (Dublin Blvd.) has four rectangular, framed architectural projections that are gently angled away from the building and covered with a horizontal seam, gray colored metal paneling. Within these framed projections there will be an inset stucco finish wall with two-inch expansion joints (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). In accordance with the Design Guideline recommendation of neutral and earth tone colors, the stucco walls inside the framed projections will be painted tan. The Design Guidelines recommend a strong connection to the street and one of the suggested methods for achieving this is through the use of windows. The space between each of the four framed architectural projections will have a 12'x12' section of anodized aluminum storefront glazing set beneath a stucco finish wall. These stucco sections above each window will be painted a light brown consistent with the neutral color theme encouraged by the Design 6of11 Guidelines. The interior layout places the repair garage up against the Dublin Boulevard and Scarlett Court sides of the building. Due to the unsightly nature of auto repair garages, the Applicant proposed a unique approach to satisfy the Design Guideline recommendations while screening unsightly views. The spaces behind the storefront glazing will be framed in with an approximately 2-foot deep display case. Inside the display case there will be a slate-covered pedestal with an anodized aluminum automobile logo or name mounted atop the pedestal (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Color Renderings, Perspective 1, Storefront Detail). The display case will be illuminated from the ceiling of the display box to create shadows and visual interest at night. A Condition of Approval has been placed on the Project prohibiting the use of window signs or graphics on the display case glazing (Attachment 1, Condition of Approval No. 19). One of the articulation methods recommended by the Design Guidelines is the use of projecting trellises, canopies, or awnings over window openings. Along these lines, a vertical 5-foot, perforated metal panel screen will run the length of the north elevation above the storefront windows, following the plane of the building wall (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). This screen will be mounted to the building with metal stand-offs that will project the panel screen detail approximately two feet outwards, thereby adding another layer of depth and shadow on the building facade. The Design Guidelines require mechanical equipment attached to the building to be screened from public view, and the same perforated metal screen material used on the facade will also be used atop the building to screen roof-mounted equipment. The northeast corner of the building is rounded and includes four sections of anodized aluminum storefront glazing. The window glazing is framed in on the sides with gray horizontal seam metal paneling, and brown painted stucco above (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). The 5-foot high, perforated metal screen panel located above the windows will continue around from the north elevation and follow the curvature of the building plane. As on the north elevation, behind each of the windows there will be a framed display box with a slate covered pedestal with an anodized aluminum automobile logo or name atop it. East Elevation (Scarlett Drive) The east elevation is similar to the north elevation, with three framed rectangular architectural projections covered in gray horizontal seam metal paneling, with an inset tan stucco wall (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). Between these three projections there will be two spans of anodized aluminum storefront glazing, both of which will feature the display box design used on the north and corner elevations. The southernmost window section will be a total of 20 feet in width and it will be divided so that when viewed from the street, the right side of the window would look in on a 8-foot wide display box, and the remaining 12 feet of window will provide visual access to a conference room (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A2.1). The same vertical five-foot, perforated metal screen element above the windows will continue around from the corner elevation and run the entire length of the east elevation, again following the building articulation. South Elevation The south elevation carries over the use of the same metal paneling material used on the north, corner, and east elevations. Approximately one-third of the south elevation will be covered with a light gray colored metal paneling, broken up by two sections of anodized aluminum storefront glazing (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). A 10'x12' section of storefront glazing near the 7of11 southeast corner of the building will include a single entry door to the vehicle rental office, and to its left there will be a 10'x22' window section that will have double doors through which customers will enter the auto body shop. The Design Guidelines recommend that entrances be accented with unique architectural elements. Above the customer entry doors to the auto body and vehicle rental offices, there will be a blue-gray colored, metal-clad canopy that measures 20 feet in height and projects 24 feet from the building. The canopy is supported by three evenly spaced columns sheathed in the same gray color metal used on the north and east elevations. The remaining portion of the south elevation will be finished in stucco and painted tan. A 10'x16' storefront glazing section will be located towards the southwest corner to provide visual access to the employee break room (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet A4.0). Three service doors will provide employee ingress and egress to storage space and offices. The stucco wall section of the south elevation will be capped with a square cornice element painted brown. West Elevation The entire span of the west elevation will be finished in tan stucco, and it will include four metal roll-up doors and two service doors that will provide vehicle and employee access into the body shop garage/work area. These doors will be painted the same brown as the square cornice element that runs the length of the building along this elevation. Attached to the building and spanning the full length of the west elevation, there will be a metal-clad canopy under which vehicles awaiting repair and/or being detailed will be parked. The canopy will have a white metal roof and be closed off on the ends with metal panel walls of the same blue-gray color used on the south elevation canopy roof. Landscaping The Design Guidelines call for landscaping treatments that include a variety of trees, grasses, shrubs and wildflowers. Accordingly, the Applicant is proposing to supplement the existing landscaping with new trees, shrubs and groundcover along Dublin Boulevard, Scarlett Drive, and the southern edge of the site (Attachment 1, Exhibit A, Sheet L1). There is an existing 20-foot wide planter strip along Dublin Boulevard, and a 10-foot wide planter strip along Scarlett Drive. Along the Dublin Boulevard and Scarlett Drive frontages, eleven existing pine trees will be removed and replaced with a total of six 36-inch box European Hornbeam trees. Existing Callery Pear trees will flank both the Dublin Boulevard and Scarlett Drive driveways. For groundcover, the existing Bearberry Cotoneaster will remain along the back of sidewalk, and the areas around the building will be filled in with 5-gallon Maori Queen New Zealand Flax, and 2-gallon White Flower Carpet Rose shrubs. The south edge of the site will be landscaped along its entire length, with the existing shrubs and trees being retained at the southeast corner, and the remainder being filled in with 5-gallon Xylosma shrubs, Bearberry Cotoneaster groundcover, six 24-inch box Canary Island Pines, and three 24-inch box Dark Pink Crape Myrtle trees. The existing landscaping along the west edge of the site includes a mixture of existing groundcover, five Canary Island Pines, and five Crape Myrtle trees. No modifications are proposed for the landscaping along the west edge of the site. The Design Guidelines also recommend that vines and shrubs be planted between walls and public streets in order to soften the appearance of walls. In addition to New Zealand Flax and Carpet Rose shrubs, the Applicant proposes to plant Creeping Fig vines at the base of the CMU 8of11 wall located to the right side of the driveway on Dublin Boulevard. These vines will grow to cover the wall and soften its appearance when viewed from Dublin Boulevard. CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, SPECIFIC PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The Project is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Business Park/industrial and Outdoor Storage, which allows for a range of non-retail, retail, and manufacturing uses. The Project is consistent with the Light Industrial (M-1) zoning in that Automobile/Vehicle Repairs and Services and Automobile/Vehicle Rentals are permitted uses subject to approval of a Minor Use Permit, and the development of the Project site complies with the development standards and design guidelines contained in the Zoning Ordinance and Scarlett Court Design Guidelines. REVIEW BY APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES: The Building Division, Fire Prevention Bureau, Public Works Department, and Dublin San Ramon Services District reviewed the Project and provided Conditions of Approval where appropriate to ensure that the Project is established in compliance with all local Ordinances and Regulations. Conditions of Approval from these departments and agencies have been included in the attached Resolution (Attachment 1). NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: In accordance with State law, a Public Notice 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 received no objections from surrounding property owners regarding the Project. A copy of this Staff Report has been posted to the City's website and provided to the Applicant. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), together with the State Guidelines and City Environmental Regulations require that certain projects be reviewed for environmental impacts and when applicable, environmental documents prepared. For this project, Staff recommends that the project be found Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 15301 (Minor alterations to existing facilities involving little or no expansion). The project involves no expansion of the existing building, but includes only architectural modifications, a Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use, and Minor Use Permits for the operation of Automobile/Vehicle Repairs and Services and Automobile/Vehicle Rental businesses within the same existing building. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution approving a Minor Use Permit for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Repairs and Service business and for the operation of an Automobile/Vehicle Rental business; a Conditional Use Permit for a Parking Reduction for an Individual Use; and a Site Development Review Permit for exterior modifications to an existing 26,591 square foot building and associated site improvements at 6080 Dublin Boulevard, with the Project Plans attached as Exhibit A. 9of11 2) Focused Parking Analysis for the Proposed Car West Auto Body Relocation in Dublin, CA, Final Report dated August 23, 2012, and prepared by Omni-Means, Ltd. 10 of 11 GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANT: Jim Ewertsen, Metro Engineering, 960 Fulton Ave., Sacramento, CA 95825 PROPERTY OWNER: Dublin Blvd LLC, 3880 Blackhawk Rd., Suite 300, Danville, CA 94506 LOCATION: 6080 Dublin Boulevard ASSESSORS PARCEL NUMBER: 941-0550-039-03 GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: Business Park/Industrial and Outdoor Storage ZONING: Light Industrial (M-1) SURROUNDING USES: LOCATION ZONING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CURRENT USE OF PROPERTY North PD Retail/Office and Automotive Auto Body Repair South M-1 Business Park/Industrial and Self-Storage Outdoor Storage East M-1 Retail/Office and Automotive Arlen Ness Motorcycles West M-1 Business Park/industrial and El Monte RV Outdoor Stora e 11 of 11