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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.2 Fallon East General Plan Amendment Study Initiation Request (2)STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 5 Agenda Item 7.2 DATE:March 16, 2021 TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM:Linda Smith, City Manager SUBJECT:Fallon-East General Plan Amendment Study Initiation Request Prepared by: Amy Million, Principal Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider initiating a General Plan Amendment Study for approximately 73 acres east of Fallon Road on the GH PacVest and Alameda properties. The Study would evaluate changing the existing General Plan land use designation from General Commercial to General Commercial/Campus Office. The City Council’s Two-Year Strategic Plan includes an objective to look at establishing an Economic Development Zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon Road. This action would further that strategic priority. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Resolution Approving the Initiation of a General Plan Amendment Study to Evaluate Changing the Land Use Designation from General Commercial to General Commercial/Campus Office for Approximately 73 acres of the GH PacVest and Alameda Properties. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost to prepare the General Plan Amendment Study includes Staff time and the consultant cost to conduct environmental review, which is estimated to be $20,000. There is sufficient funding in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 operating budget to cover the costs. DESCRIPTION: Background: The City Council identified in their Two-Year Strategic Plan the objectives of looking to establish an Economic Development Zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon Road, and working with area property owners in conjunction with the Dublin Boulevard extension project on issues such as road and project mitigation, entitlements, and supporting infrastructure. The properties east of Fallon Road are situated along the designated right-of-way for the future Dublin Boulevard extension. The GH PacVest property (approximately 190 acres) is bound by Fallon Road to the west, I-580 to the south, and Croak Road to the south and east. The 141 Page 2 of 5 Alameda property (1.25 acres)is located north of the I-580 off ramp bound by Fallon Road to the west, and Croak Road to the north and east. See Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Location Map and Property Ownership On September 15, 2020, the City Council received an initial report on the Fallon-East Property Planning and Development Framework. The City Council was supportive of the Staff recommendation to create a hybrid land use designation to provide flexibility desired by the existing landowners while supporting the City’s goal of these properties developing with economic and job-rich uses such as Life Science, Advanced Manufacturing, Clean/Green Technology, Automation and Robotics, Technology Startups,and Incubators. On October 20, 2020, the City Council received a second report on the Fallon-East Property Planning and Development Framework that provided the initial framework for the creation of an Economic Development Zone. The Economic Development Zone will be considered by the Economic Development Committee at its April meeting before being brought back to the City Council at a future date. Over the past year, the City has been holding discussions with some of the larger landowners of these properties to better understand their vision for developing their properties. In January and February 2021, Staff met with the Fallon-East property owners to discuss the City Council’s discussions to date including the preliminary land use changes, creation of the Economic Development Zone,and the Dublin Boulevard extension project. 142 Page 3 of 5 Proposed Amendment It is the City Council’s policy to initiate all General Plan Amendment Studies prior to accepting an application and/or processing a General Plan Amendment. The City Council will consider initiating a City-led General Plan Amendment Study to change the land use designation from General Commercial to General Commercial/Campus Office on 72.1 acres of the GH PacVest property (APN: 985-0027-002-00) and on the 1.25-acre Alameda property (APN: 985-0027-003-00). The proposed project would also include amending the land use designations in the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan. The Planned Development zoning designations for these properties are consistent with the existing General Commercial and proposed General Commercial/Campus Office land use designations and, therefore,no amendment to the Planned Development zoning is required at this time. Figure 2. Existing Land Use Map 143 Page 4 of 5 Figure 3. Proposed Land Use Map The proposed General Commercial/ Campus Office land use designation will retain all the land uses currently allowed under the General Commercial designation and create additional flexibility allowed by the Campus Office designation. This hybrid land use designation allows for a wide variety of minimum-impact, light industrial uses as well as commercial uses which are compatible with the overall character and economic health of the industrial area. Analysis If the City Council initiates a General Plan Amendment Study, Staff would then prepare a General Plan Amendment Study for the GH PacVest and Alameda properties, which would include: 1.Determining the associated impacts from the land use change; 2.Conducting the appropriate level of environmental review and documentation;and 3.Preparing an analysis of the project for consideration by the Planning Commission and the City Council. Work on the General Plan Amendment Study would be completed concurrently with amending the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan for the properties. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), together with State Guidelines and City of Dublin CEQA Guidelines and Procedures require that certain projects be reviewed for environmental impacts and that environmental documents be prepared. Staff recommends the 144 Page 5 of 5 initiation of the General Plan Amendment be found categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15306, Class 6 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Information Collection). STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: Strategy 5. Large Land Tract Development and Open Space: Objective A. Look to Establish an Economic Development Zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon Road. Objective B. Work with the area property owners in conjunction with the Dublin Blvd. extension project on issues such as road and project mitigation, entitlements, as well as supporting infrastructure. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: All Fallon-East property owners were notified of this meeting and the City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Resolution Approving the Initiation of a General Plan Amendment Study 145 Attachment 1 RESOLUTION NO. XX – 21 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN APPROVING THE INITIATION OF A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT STUDY TO EVALUATE CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL/CAMPUS OFFICE FOR APPROXIMATELY 73 ACRES ON THE GH PACVEST AND ALAMEDA PROPERTIES APN: 985-0027-002-00 AND 985-0027-003-00) (PLPA-2021-00009) WHEREAS,the City Council identified in their Two-Year Strategic Plan the objectives of establishing an economic development zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon road, and working with area property owners in conjunction with the Dublin Boulevard extension project on issues such as road and project mitigation, entitlements, as well as supporting infrastructure; and WHEREAS,on September 15, 2020, the City Council received an initial report on the Fallon-East Property Planning and Development Framework supporting the City Council’s Two- Year Strategic Plan objectives. The City Council was supportive of the Staff recommendation to create a hybrid land use designation to provide flexibility desired by the existing landowners while also supporting the City’s goal of these properties developing with economic and job-rich uses such as Life Science, Advanced Manufacturing, Clean/Green Technology, Automation and Robotics, Technology Startups, and Incubators; and WHEREAS,the General Plan Amendment Study Initiation Request has been reviewed in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and was found to be Categorically Exempt under Section 15306, Class 6 of the State CEQA Guidelines; and WHEREAS,a Staff Report was submitted outlining the issues surrounding the General Plan Amendment Study initiation request; and WHEREAS,the City Council did hear and consider all such reports, recommendations, and testimony hereinabove set forth. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Dublin does hereby approve the initiation of a General Plan Amendment Study to evaluate changing the land use designation from General Commercial to General Commercial Campus Office for approximately 73 acres of the GH PacVest and Alameda properties. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of March 2021, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: 146 ______________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _________________________________ City Clerk 147 Fallon EastGeneral Plan Amendment Study Initiation RequestCity CouncilMarch 16, 2021 Vicinity Map Background•City Council’s Two-Year Strategic Plan –Establishing an Economic Development Zone to prioritize commercial and industrial development east of Fallon Road. •City Council Meetings on Sept 15 & Oct. 20•Economic and job-rich developments –Life Science, Advanced Manufacturing, Clean/Green Technology, Automation and Robotics, R&D, Technology Startups and Incubators. Existing Land Use Map Proposed Land Use Map Existing v. Proposed Land Use EXISTINGPROPOSED Proposed General Plan Amendment StudyIf authorized, the Study will analyze: 1. Land use change and proposed densities;2. Environmental impacts; and3. Additional studies as required.Planning Commission review and recommendation to the City Council. Recommendation Adopt the ResolutionApproving the Initiation of a General Plan Amendment Study to Evaluate Changing the Land Use Designation from General Commercial to General Commercial/Campus Office for Approximately 73 acres of the GH PacVest and Alameda Properties.