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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.1 PCSRR Kaiser Commercial - Nissan (PLPA-2019-00003)Page 1 of 10 STAFF REPORT PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: March 26, 2019 TO: Planning Commission SUBJECT: Kaiser Commercial - Nissan (PLPA-2019-00003) Prepared by:Amy Million, Principal Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The property owner is requesting approval to construct a 31,840 s.f. automobile dealership adjacent to the freeway on the southern portion of the 14.89 acres of the Kaiser Commercial property. The application includes an amended Planned Development Zoning Stage 1 Development Plan and approval of a Stage 2 Development Plan for the entire Kaiser Commercial site, and a Site Development Review Permit to construct the automobile dealership on the southern portion of the property. The zoning will continue to only allow commercial uses (no residential is permitted on this property). The Planning Commission will consider and make a recommendation to the City Council regarding the Kaiser Commercial project. RECOMMENDATION: Conduct the public hearing, deliberate and take the following actions: a) Adopt a Resolution recommending that the City Council Adopt an Ordinance amending the Zoning Map and approving a Planned Development Zoning District with a Stage 1 and 2 Development Plan; and b) Adopt a Resolution recommending that the City Council adopt a Resolution approving a Site Development Review Permit for the Kaiser Commercial-Nissan Project. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Background In 2016, City Council approved a Planned Development Zoning District with a Stage 1 Development Plan for the subject site as part of the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center Project (Ord. 7-16). The Kaiser Dublin Medical Center Project included the subject site as Phase 1B with the intention of it being developed with a mix of commercial uses. Because of the financial benefits arising from commercial development, the City included a provision in the development agreement that required Kaiser to actively market Phase 1B and imposed financial consequences on Kaiser if it had not sold the site. As part of that project, the property was given a ne w land use designation of Medical Campus/Commercial. This designation accommodates a range of commercial 5.1 Packet Pg. 6 Page 2 of 10 uses including regional- and community-serving retail uses, professional and administrative offices, hotel, entertainment, automotive sales, and eating and drinking establishments. The 14.89 acre parcel is located south of Dublin Boulevard between Grafton Station and the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center as shown in Figure 1 below. It is bound by I -580 to the south. In February 2019, the Community Development Director approved Tentative Parcel Map 10903 to subdivide the subject property into four parcels. The Stage 1 and 2 site plan reflects these four parcels with the proposed Nissan dealership on Parcel 4. It is anticipated that Parcels 1 and 3 will be improved with hotels and Parcels 2 and 3 will have smaller commercial buildings. All future development will be subject Site Development Review Permit approval by the Planning Commission. Proposed Project The Applicant currently proposes to construct a Nissan auto dealership on the southern end adjacent to I-580. The current request includes Planned Development Zoning with a related Stage 1 and 2 Development Plan and a Site Development Review Permit to construct the auto dealership. 5.1 Packet Pg. 7 Page 3 of 10 ANALYSIS: Planned Development Rezone Chapter 8.32 of the Dublin Zoning Ordinance establishes the intent, purpose and requirements of the Planned Development Zoning District. The Planned Development Ordinance contains requirements that ensure the project components will be developed as a cohesive and complementary project. The Development Plan establishes the following regulations for use of the subject property: permitted and conditionally permitted uses, development regulations, including setbacks, floor area ratios, height limits, parking requirement, standards and design guidelines, site plan of the Project, and other requirements which regulate the improvement and maintenance of the property. An overview of the Planned Development Zoning District is provided below. Stage 1 Development Plan Amendment The existing zoning is Planned Development Ordinance 7-16 approved as part of the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center project. For the commercial property, only a Stage 1 Development Plan was approved. The Stage 1 Planned De velopment Plan requires a Conditional Use Permit to allow more than 10% of the site to have outdoor storage and display, as had been requested by the previous property owner. The applicant is requesting to modify the Stage 1 Planned Development Plan to allow up to 20% of the area be allowed for outdoor storage and display area. No other changes to the allowed uses as provided in the Stage 1 Planned Development Plan are proposed. However, the Stage 1 Development Plan is being replaced in its entirety in order to simply implementation. The proposed Stage 2 Development Plan, which is required to complete the zoning district, is consistent with the amended Stage 1 Planned Development Plan. Stage 2 Development Plan The proposed Stage 2 Development Plan for the property establishes the detailed Development Plan, including the site plan for the site (See Figure 2 below), the specific uses that are permitted by right or conditionally permitted (as provided in the previously approved Stage 1 Development Plan), the overall development density and intensity (e.g. FAR, building heights) for the site, and design guidelines for the site. 5.1 Packet Pg. 8 Page 4 of 10 The development will provide interconnected pedestrian and vehicular circulation throughout the site and connections to adjacent developments. A pedestrian pathway located between Parcels 3 and 4 connects Grafton Station and the Water Quality Basin through the subject property to the Kaiser Medical Center. Vehicular access to the property is provided from three driveways off Keega n Street, which is a private street south of Dublin Boulevard and from a right -in/right-out driveway on Dublin Boulevard. The circulation for all parcels is interconnected allowing both pedestrians and vehicles to navigate through the entire property. The Planning Commission resolution recommending approval of the Planned Development Zoning is included as Attachment 1. The draft Ordinance providing the details of the proposed zoning is included as Attachment 2. Permitted, Conditional and Temporary Land Uses The list of permitted and conditionally permitted uses is as provided in the Planned Development Zoning District for the project site (Attachment 2). As mentioned, the list of uses is consistent with the existing Stage 1 Development Plan, with the exception of increasing the allowable storage/display area for automobile sales from 10% to 20% of the site area. The list of uses accommodates a range of commercial uses including regional- and community-serving retail uses, professional and administrative offices, 5.1 Packet Pg. 9 Page 5 of 10 hotel, entertainment, limited automotive sales, and eating and drinking establishments. Design Theme The architecture for the proposed project combines a variety of materials, textures and colors intended to provide visual interest and to complement its surroundings. The architectural style is modern with clean lines and enhanced bold geometry using high - quality materials and a strong color palette. The architectural design promotes high quality materials to provide visual interest in the project and to complement its surroundings. Buildings throughout the Project are no more than 60 feet in height as evaluated in the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center Project EIR. The Nissan dealership, which is included in the proposed project, measures 30 feet at its tallest point. The design of the Nissan dealership is provided in more detail below (Site Development Review Permit) and completely illustrated by the proposed building elevations and landscape plans that are presented in the project plans. Site Development Review Permit A Site Development Review permit for the Nissan dealership is included in the proposed application. The Site Development Review permit for any future buildings on the Kaiser Commercial property will be reviewed as developers are identified and applications are submitted. The Planning Commission resolution recommending approval of the Site Development Review Permit for the proposed Nissan dealership building is included as Attachment 3. The following is a summary of the key component s of the project associated with the Site Development Review. The Site Development Review permit for the Nissan dealership includes the construction of the proposed building, associated parking, landscaping and frontage improvements along Parcel 4 only. Improvements associated with the remaining parcels will take place in the future with their respective approvals. Overall Project Design The proposed project is designed with a glass display/showroom area as the major feature. The overall form of the building is simple with clean and contemporary architecture. The showroom is two stories and has an architectural pop out centered above the entry to accommodate the Nissan sign. The prominent color of the building is a dark grey which will be accented with clear glazing and eventually red signage. The sales and service building is designed with a grey plaster wall on the service portion. The service area is purposely simple to focus attention on the showroom. The exterior of the showroom is clad with an insulated wall metal panel system which has a textured stucco finish. Along the parapet, the same metal panel system is finished with a horizontal wave finish adding definition to the top of the building. Vehicular entries to the service area are designed with three glass overhead doors. Large spandrel glass walls highlight the showroom portion of the building. 5.1 Packet Pg. 10 Page 6 of 10 Site Plan, Access, Circulation, and Parking As shown on the proposed site plan (Figure 3 below and Sheet A -1.0 of the Project Plans, see Attachment 5), the front of Nissan building is oriented towards I -580 and Keegan Street, with the remainder of the building facing west to the water quality basin and north towards the future parcel. It is anticipated that the development on the future parcel will be designed so that the front entry focuses away from the Nissan dealership leaving the back areas of the buildings relating to one another. Primary vehicle access into the site will be provided off Dublin Boulevard via Keegan Street with a secondary internal access drive between the subject parcel and the adjacent parcel to the north. The proposed Stage 1 Development Plan allows up to 20% of the entire Commercial parcel (14.89 acres) to be used for outdoor display and storage of vehicles as part of the auto dealership. More than 20% requires approval of a conditional use permit. The proposed site plan shows 18.6% of the entire commercial parcel to be used for outdoor display and storage and therefore a conditional use permit is not required. This do es not include areas used for required parking or indoor spaces. Figure 3. Nissan Site Plan Parking Parking requirements for the proposed auto dealership are regulated by the City of Dublin Zoning Ordinance (Section 8.76.080.D). The parking requirem ents for the project are the sum of the different uses. The following table illustrates the number of parking stalls that are required for the use. 5.1 Packet Pg. 11 Page 7 of 10 Table 1: Required Parking Use Parking Requirement Total Area Required Number of Parking Stalls Indoor/Outdoor Display 1 per 1,000 sq. ft. 44,141 sq. ft. 44 Service Area 1 per 400 sq. ft. 26,529 sq. ft. 67 Office 1 per 250 square feet 1,759 sq. ft. 7 Total Stalls Required 118 Total Stalls Provided (excluding tandem stalls) 359 As shown on the above T able, a total of 118 parking stalls are required for employees and visitors. The Applicant is proposing to provide 359 parking stalls on the site. Of these stalls, 118 parking stalls will be designated for employee, visitor parking and the remaining spaces will be used for display and inventory parking. Typical of an auto dealership, the proposed project will exceed the minimum parking requirements in order to accommodate vehicle inventory. The row of parking stalls along the southern boundary of the property are located within the potential future BART right-of-way as part of the BART to Livermore Extension. Although BART has decided to not advance the BART to Livermore Extension Project, the area remains reserved for potential development in the future. With the required parking outside of this area, these spaces are for the sole purpose of display and storage. Therefore, even with the removal of these spaces, the auto dealership would have an adequate amount of parking to meet the City’s requirements. Landscape The site is currently devoid of vegetation, other than grasses which are disked regularly for maintenance. The preliminary landscape plan includes a conceptual plant pallet with a variety of trees, including 24” box trees along the perimeter of the site. The interior of the site is accented with a mix of 1-gallon and 5-gallon shrubs. New landscape areas are proposed with a variety of drought tolerant plants suitable for low maintenance and water conserving efforts. The landscape concept inclu ding the planting plan and palette is provided on Sheets L1.1-L1.4 of the Project Plans (Attachment 5). Public Art Compliance The applicant intends to satisfy the City’s public art requirement through the payment of in-lieu fees. Condition of Approval No.16 confirms this intention. CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, SPECIFIC PLANS, AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The project is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Medical Campus/Commercial which allows a range of commercial uses including reg ional- and community-serving retail uses, professional and administrative offices, hotel, entertainment, limited automotive sales, and eating and drinking establishments. The General Plan encourages projects to relate well to the surrounding developments, and 5.1 Packet Pg. 12 Page 8 of 10 the proposed project is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood that includes commercial, office, and residential, uses. The proposed project is consistent with the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan because the Plan states that regionally -oriented commercial uses should be located south of Dublin Boulevard and near freeway interchanges where convenient vehicular access will limit traffic impacts to the rest of Dublin and the commercial center is intended to serve the community as well as the region. 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 4). ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: On September 20, 2016, the City Cou ncil certified the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center Project EIR which included the subject site identified as Phase 1B. Upon approval of the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR, the City Council adopted mitigations, a mitigation monitoring program and a Statement of Overriding Considerations (Resolution 153-16). The EIR examined potential environmental impacts resulting from the project at full build out in the following topic areas: • Aesthetics, Light, and Glare • Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Emissions • Biological Resources • Cultural Resources • Geology, Soils, and Seismicity • Hazards and Hazardous Materials • Hydrology and Water Quality • Land Use • Noise • Public Services and Utilities • Transportation In summary, the EIR concludes that the project will have significant impacts in several topic areas and mitigation measures have been written to reduce the impacts to a level that is less than significant. These impacts are primarily related to aesthetics, air quality, biology, cultural resources, geology, hydrology, noise, and transportation. As is typical for other projects of this size, several other impacts were identified where, even with the implementation of mitigation measures, the effects to the environment are still expected to be significant. There are impacts to vehicular delays at certain street intersections in the future, notable greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution impacts that cannot be mitigated. The mitigation measures adopted as part of the mitigation monitoring and reporting program addressed the impacts of the project site. Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines section 15162, 5.1 Packet Pg. 13 Page 9 of 10 the proposed project was examined to determine if another environmental document should be prepared. The City conducted a review to determine if the proposed project met any of the standards requiring the preparation of supplemental environmental review under CEQA. Based on a review of the project, the environmental analysis in the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR and all the information in the Project record as a whole, the City has determined that there is no substantial evidence that any of the standards are met. The mitigation measures adopted as part of the mitigation monitoring and reporting program addressed the impacts of the project site. This included mitigation measures for Aesthetics, Light, and Glare, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology, Soils, and Seismicity, Hydrology and Water Quality, Noise and Transportation. In order to evaluate the potential Pha se 1B, the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR included assumptions on the intensity of development and types of uses. For the purposes of providing a conservative analysis, the EIR included the following key assumptions: Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR Key Assumptions for Phase 1B Development Potential 250,000 square feet of commercial uses evaluated as either 250,000 square feet of retail uses or office uses, whichever yields the highest impact scenario for a particular impact area. For example, office uses would yield the highest weekday morning (AM) peak-hour trip generation value, while retail uses would yield the highest weekday afternoon (PM) peak -hour trip generation value; therefore, the traffic analysis used office uses for the AM peak hour and retail uses for the PM peak hour. This allowed flexibility as plans for the Commercial Parcel became more defined. Uses Types of potential uses on the Commercial Parcel may include hotel, restaurant, recreational and/or other retail uses (including regional-serving retail), or office uses in the research and development fields with a possible focus in the biotechnology, medical device, health care, or pharmaceutical sectors. Other possibilities to be studied for potential Commercial Parcel development might include skilled nursing, senior living, or licensed care facilities. Timing Development of this phase would between 2016 and 2020 Maximum Height 1-4 stories in height (25-60 feet) Parking Surface parking for 700 -1,100 vehicles Site Access Four access points, including: ➢ Unsignalized right-in/right-out on Dublin Boulevard ➢ Three driveways along the private street (Keegan Street) Based on the Project record as a whole, the proposed project is within the scope of the project covered by the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR. The circumstances under which the Project is to be undertaken have not substantially changed since the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR were prepared and will not substantially change with the approval of the Project. As supported by th e project description, Stage 1 and 2 Planned Development Plan and Site Development Review Permit plans, the EIR adequately describes the impacts of the Project for the purposes of CEQA, no mitigation measures 5.1 Packet Pg. 14 Page 10 of 10 or new alternatives are required by the Project other than those previously disclosed and analyzed in the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR. Approval of the project will not create any site‐specific operations giving rise to environmental effects different from those examined by the EIR or requiring the preparation of an Initial Study. The proposed project is subject to the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. Consequently, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162, the Project impacts are covered by the Kaiser Dublin Medical Center EIR and no further environmental review is required for this project. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with State law, a public notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the project site. A public notice also was published in the East Bay Times and posted at several locations throughout the City. A Planning Application sign was posted on the project site and the project was also included on the City’s development projects webpage. A copy of this Staff R eport has been provided to the Applicant. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution recommending approval of the Planned Development Zoning 2. Exhibit A to Attachment 1 - Draft Ordinance 3. Resolution recommended approval of the Site Development Review Permit 4. Exhibit A to Attachment 3 - City Council Resolution approving the Site Development Review Permit 5. Exhibit A to Attachment 5 - Project Plans 5.1 Packet Pg. 15