HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.1 Dublin Crossing Review of Specific Plan/EIR 044 DU4,
STAFF REPORT
19 _0• 82
PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: July 9, 2013
TO: Planning Commission
SUBJECT: PA 08-049 Dublin Crossing. Review of the Draft Dublin Crossing
Specific Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR)
Report Prepared by Kristi Bascom, Principal Planner
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Dublin Crossings Specific Plan is intended to provide a comprehensive vision for
development of approximately 189 acres located north of Dublin Boulevard between Scarlett
Drive and Arnold Road. The. majority of the area is currently part of Camp Parks Reserve
Forces Training Area. The Specific Plan and accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Report
(Draft EIR) are currently being circulated for public review. At this meeting the Planning
Commission will receive a presentation from City Staff and Consultant on the Specific Plan and
Draft EIR and both the Planning Commission as well as the general public will have an
opportunity to provide comments on the draft documents.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission receive Staff's presentation, provide feedback
and accept comments from the public on the Draft Dublin Crossing Specific Plan and Draft
Environmental Impact Report.
Submitted By: Reviewed By:
Kristi Bascom Jeff B. -
Princi al Planner Assistant Community D-velopment Director
Principal Y p
COPIES TO: Applicant
File
ITEM NO.: gel
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G:1PA#120081PA 08-049 Camp Parks Dublin Crossing12011 Restart\PC Study Session 07.09.2013IPCSR.docx
DESCRIPTION:
Background
One of the City Council's key initiatives is to process a General Plan Amendment for private
development on a portion of the Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (Camp Parks). On April
15, 2003, the U.S. Army requested, and the City Council authorized, the commencement of a
General Plan Amendment Study for a 189 acre project area. The project area is generally
bounded by Scarlett Drive, Dublin Boulevard, Arnold Road, and 5th Street (on the Camp Parks
base). The Dublin Crossing project site also includes an 8.7 acre site at the corner of Dublin
Boulevard and Arnold Road owned by the Alameda County Surplus Property Authority and an
8.9 acre site owned by NASA.
The City, in partnership with the U.S. Army Reserve, engaged community members in a
"Strategic Visioning Process" in 2004 that examined the opportunities and constraints of the site,
solicited ideas, and created a vision for the future development of the site. The results of this
effort, and the follow-up direction from the City Council, were shared with the U.S. Army
Reserve with the hope that any future development plans would incorporate the desired vision.
In December 2007, the U.S. Army Reserve prepared a Notice of Availability to solicit a master
developer for the Camp Parks Real Property Exchange/"Dublin Crossings" project area. On
January 10, 2008, the U.S. Army Reserve and the City (and other local public agencies)
participated in an "Industry Day", where all interested developers received information about the
project site, the development process, and received information on the expectations of the City
as it related to development potential as well as public amenities and facilities. The City made a
presentation to interested developers, provided background information including the results of
the Strategic Visioning Process, copies of the follow up letters to the U.S. Army Reserve,
information on City and other agency fees, an expected project processing timeline, and Staff
also answered questions from the development community related to the City's entitlement
process. The City established a webpage for the Dublin Crossings project and posted
documents and information for all interested parties to access.
Following Industry Day, interested developers submitted proposals to the U.S. Army Reserve for
consideration, and in October 2008, the U.S. Army Reserve announced the selection of SunCal
Companies as the master developer. In April 2011, SunCal finalized a Real Property Exchange
Agreement with the U.S. Army Reserve for the property that binds both parties to a timeline and
certain requirements to allow development on the project site to proceed.
Once the Exchange Agreement was signed, City Staff began pre-development meetings with
SunCal. SunCal shared their draft development proposal for the property with Staff and has
engaged the City in a discussion of the opportunities and constraints of the site and SunCal's
obligations to the U.S. Army. The Dublin Crossing land exchange and phasing of the project is
unique because the land plan for this project has been dictated to a great degree by the way in
which SunCal is expected to receive land from the U.S. Army. SunCal must construct certain
facilities for the Army before receiving certain predetermined parcels of land for private
development.
On August 16, 2011, the City Council reviewed the original 2004 vision for the Dublin Crossing
project site and provided updated direction and feedback to be incorporated into future land
plans.
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After the August 16, 2011 meeting, Staff and SunCal met on a regular basis to discuss the land
use and circulation network as well as SunCal's plan to provide parks, open space, and
amenities on the project site. Staff and SunCal also negotiated a package of community
benefits that SunCal proposed to provide in exchange for acceptance of their land plan and
development proposal. These community benefits, and the associated trade-offs, were crafted
into a list of agreement points.
On May 29, 2012, the City Council held a special meeting to review SunCal's Draft Land Plan
and the Draft Development Agreement Points, which together formed SunCal's development
proposal for the property. At the meeting, Staff sought input from the City Council on the Draft
Land Plan and the Draft Development Agreement Points and affirmation from the City Council
that the concepts illustrated and described in the two documents were acceptable. Following
the May 29, 2012 meeting, Staff and SunCal continued to meet every other week to discuss
refinements to the Draft Land Plan, potential changes to the project to respond to direction
provided by the City Council, to learn more about SunCal's plans for a Community Facilities
District (CFD) for the project, and to review design concepts for the Community Park.
On May 7, 2013, Staff presented the refined project proposal to the City Council and requested
feedback on outstanding items including the creation of a Community Facilities District to fund
the project infrastructure, the size and location of the project parks, construction of the parks,
and feedback on future Development Agreement points. The City Council reviewed several
questions posed by Staff and provided direction to Staff and SunCal on these key issues. The
City Council accepted the Development Agreement Points at a subsequent meeting on June 18,
2013. With these "big picture" items resolved, the Draft Specific Plan (Attachment 1) and
accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) (Attachment 2) were completed
based on the City Council direction.
The purpose of this Planning Commission meeting is to review the Draft Dublin Crossing
Specific Plan in its entirety. Staff and the City's consultants will provide an overview of the
document and will focus the presentation on those portions of the document that are unique to
this Specific Plan. The meeting will provide an opportunity for review and discussion by the
Planning Commission and will also provide an opportunity for the public to provide verbal or
written comments on either the Draft Specific Plan and Draft EIR during the public comment
period.
ANALYSIS:
Specific Plan Overview
The Dublin Crossing Specific Plan is intended to provide a comprehensive vision for the
development of the project area over the next 10 to 15 years over the course of five
development phases. The Specific Plan has been crafted to respond to the feedback and
direction provided by the City Council over the past two years.
It is a plan for the orderly development of approximately 189 acres, which includes 8.7 acres
owned by Alameda County Surplus Property Authority, an 8.9 acre parcel owned by NASA, and
a 172-acre portion of the 2,485-acre Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (Camp Parks).
The Specific Plan addresses the future development of the project area, which includes
demolition of the existing buildings and other improvements on the site and construction of a
residential mixed-use project with up to 1,995 single- and multi-family residential units; up to
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200,000 square feet of retail, office and/or commercial uses; a 30 acre Community Park; a 5
acre Neighborhood Park, and a 12 acre elementary school site to serve up to 900 students.
The Specific Plan document is divided into the following sections:
1. Introduction
2. Land Use and Development Standards
3. Design Guidelines
4. Circulation and Streetscape Design
5. Infrastructure and Public Services
6. Public Realm (Parks, Open Space, Public Facilities)
7. Administration, Implementation and Financing
The main sections of the document are described in more detail below.
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter establishes the principles and objectives of the Specific Plan, the planning process,
the area's setting and constraints, and its relationship to existing plans and policies.
Chapter 2: Land Use and Development Standards
This chapter explains the conceptual land use plan for the Specific Plan area; identifies land use
policies, and defines the land use designations unique to the Specific Plan. Figure 2-1 is the
Conceptual Land Use Plan that illustrates the location of the following proposed land use
categories:
• DC — Low Density Residential. 41.9 acres of land that allows for residential development
at a density of 6-14 units/net acre.
• DC — Medium Density Residential. 46.5 acres of land that allows for residential
development of 14.1-20 units/net acre.
• General Commercial/DC — Medium Density Residential (14.1-20 units/net acre). 9.1
acres of land that allows for either medium-density residential or commercial
development.
• General Commercial/DC — High Density Residential (20.1-60 units/net acre). 9.9 acres of
land that allows for either high-density residential or commercial development.
• Mixed Use. 13.2 acres of land that allows for either commercial-only or a
commercial/residential mixed use development of 20.1 to 60 units/net acre. Either
scenario will include a five acre Neighborhood Park site.
• School. A 12-acre site intended for a future elementary school. May be used for low
density residential uses if the school district decides it does not need a school in the
Specific Plan area.
• Park. A 30-acre site intended for a future Community Park.
• Open Space. 2.6 acres of land that allows for non-developed uses such as creek
corridors, private recreation, flood control, or habitat areas.
This chapter also describes the roadway network and the proposed development phasing
(based on the Applicant/Developer (SunCal)'s agreement with the U.S. Army), which greatly
influences the land plan.
Development standards for each land use designation and residential product type are also
described. For instance, in the DC — Low Density Residential land use district, there are
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development standards provided for detached single-family homes that differ from the
development standards for an attached townhome, both of which are permitted in that land use
district.
Chapter 3: Design Guidelines
This chapter explains design concepts and establishes design policies and design guidelines for
development in the Specific Plan area. While development standards are requirements that
must be met, design guidelines have more flexibility and are encouraged/discouraged rather
than required/prohibited. The design guidelines and are intended to be used in conjunction with
the more quantitative development standards noted in the previous section.
Section 3.1 (General Design Guidelines) apply to all building types (residential, commercial, or
public facilities) and provides direction on:
• Overall building design;
• Building articulation and massing;
• Indoor-Outdoor relationship between a site and building(s);
• Building materials, colors, and finishes;
• Building base and top treatments;
• Entry design;
• Windows and doors;
• Roofs;
• Mechanical equipment and utilities;
• Service, storage, and loading areas;
• Perimeter walls and fences;
• Onsite public art;
• Exterior lighting; and
• Green Building.
Section 3.2 (Residential Design Guidelines) contains additional guidelines that are specific to
both single- and multi-family residential structures. The following section goes into greater detail
regarding the suggested elements that are to be incorporated into different architectural styles.
Section 3.4 (Commercial and Mixed Use Design Guidelines) contains additional guidelines that
apply to commercial and mixed-use projects.
The Design Guidelines chapter also covers Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
(CPTED), which aims to create safe spaces through careful site planning.
Chapter 4: Circulation and Streetscape Design
This chapter explains the circulation and streetscape design in the Specific Plan area, describes
the roadway hierarchy and proposed public right-of-way mobility plans for all modes of
transportation including transit, pedestrians and bicycles, and contains design policies for the
circulation network. The chapter also contains design concepts for the Specific Plan area's
main project entries and details on future street landscaping and streetscape amenities.
Chapter 5: Infrastructure and Public Services
This chapter describes the plan for infrastructure and utility needs, including potable water,
recycled water, sewer, and stormwater drainage and detention.
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Chapter 6: Public Realm (Parks, Open Space, Public Facilities)
This chapter identifies the goals and design concepts for the community and neighborhood park,
trails and bikeways within the parks; and describes public facilities anticipated within the Specific
Plan area.
Chapter 7: Administration, Implementation, and Financing
This chapter discusses the development review procedures by the City of Dublin and other
relevant permitting agencies applicable to the Specific Plan. Implementation of the proposed
land uses shall be through a tiered process as outlined in this chapter. A process for
amendments to the Specific Plan is also discussed. Additionally, financing sources,
maintenance responsibilities, and costs are identified for major infrastructure improvements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Notice of Availability for the Draft EIR for the project was published concurrently with the Draft
Specific Plan. The time period for the City to solicit and receive comments from the public on
the Draft EIR runs from June 24, 2013 to August 8, 2013 (45 days). Comments may be
received in writing, via email, or provided verbally at the Planning Commission meeting. The
Planning Commission and City Council will consider certification of the Final EIR once the whole
project package moves forward to a public hearing.
NEXT STEPS:
City Staff and the Applicant will review feedback provided at the Study Session and discuss
revisions to the document as appropriate. After the public comment period on the Draft EIR
closes, responses to comments received on the documents will be prepared as necessary. The
Draft Specific Plan and Draft EIR are anticipated to be reviewed by the Planning Commission
and City Council at public hearings this fall.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A Notice of this meeting was published in the Valley Times, mailed to all property owners and
tenants within 300 feet of the Specific Plan area boundaries and all persons who have
expressed an interest in being notified of meetings related to this project or in general. The Staff
Report for tonight's meeting was also available on the City's webpage.
ATTACHMENTS: 1) Draft Dublin Crossing Specific Plan, dated June 2013 (hard copy provided
under separate cover).
2) Draft Dublin Crossing EIR, dated June 2013 (electronic version on CD
provided under separate cover).
II
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GENERAL INFORMATION:
APPLICANT: Joe Guerra
Dublin Crossing LLC (SunCal Companies)
2392 Morse Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614
PROPERTY OWNERS: United States Army (172 acres), Alameda County
Surplus Property Authority (8.7 acres), and NASA (8.9
acres)
LOCATION: Approximately 189 acres including 8.7 acres owned
by Alameda County Surplus Property Authority, an 8.9
acre parcel owned by NASA, and a 172- acre portion of
the 2,485-acre Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training
Area (Camp Parks) in the center of Dublin, north of
Interstate 580 and Dublin Boulevard. The Project site
is bound by 5th Street to the north, Scarlett Drive to
the west, Dublin Boulevard to the south, and Arnold
Road to the east.
APNs 986-0001-001-15 (partial),
986-0034-002-00, and
986-0034-006-00
ZONING: Agriculture (APN 986-0001-001-15)
Planned Development (APNs 986-0034-002-00 and
986-0034-006-00
GENERAL PLAN: Public Lands (APN 986-0001-001-15)
Parks/Public Recreation (APN 986-0034-002-00 and
APN 986-0034-006-00
SURROUNDING USES:
LOCATION ZONING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE CURRENT USE OF
PROPERTY
North Ag Public Lands Camp Parks
South PD High Density Residential and Residential Apartments
Campus Office (Transit Center)
East PD Campus Office Business Park
PD and Medium-High Density Residential Combination of uses including
West Light and Retail/Office, apartments, service
Industrial Business Park/Industrial and commercial, and retail uses
Outdoor Storage
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