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Home My WebLink AboutItem 8.3 Commercial Opportunity Site Task Force 41 STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK CITY COUNCIL File #470-50 DATE: January 21, 2014 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Christopher L. Foss, Acting City Manager � " SUBJECT: Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force Prepared by Jeff Baker, Assistant Community Development Director EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: On December 17, 2013, the City Council directed Staff to prepare, for their consideration, a community engagement process for Dublin residents in an effort to educate and seek input from the community regarding the remaining undeveloped commercial properties in the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan. In order to most effectively facilitate the community engagement process, Staff is proposing the creation of the Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force. Staff is seeking direction on the proposed task force by the City Council. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None at this time. Staff anticipates the need for consulting services to assist with the proposed task force. These services are currently estimated to cost up to $35,000. Funds have not been allocated in the FY 2014 budget for this community engagement process. Therefore, Staff will return to the City Council with a budget adjustment request to achieve the direction received from the City Council. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report and provide Staff with further direction. L , Submitted By eviewed By Director of Community Development Acting Assistant City Manager DESCRIPTION: On December 17, 2013, the City Council directed Staff to prepare, for their consideration, a community engagement process for Dublin residents in an effort to educate and seek input from the community regarding the remaining undeveloped commercial properties in the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan. In order to most effectively facilitate the community engagement process, Staff is proposing the creation of the Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force. Page 1 of 4 ITEM NO. 8.3 The following is a discussion of the proposed Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force. Staff is seeking feedback and direction from the City Council regarding the proposed task force. Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force Task Force Formation Staff proposes the formation of a task force of no more than 12 members comprised of residents from throughout Dublin. Community members would be selected to serve on the task force through an application process. The task force members would be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Task Force Focus Staff will seek a facilitator and subject matter experts to assist with engaging the task force in a dialogue about development activity as further described below. The primary focus of this dialogue will be commercial development opportunity sites. Staff recommends that this dialogue be extended citywide, rather than only in the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area, in order to ensure that the task force receives a comprehensive education of the issues citywide, as they are inter-related. The goal of this dialogue will be to educate and seek input from the task force in the following areas: • Commercial and residential development activity to date, and future build out; • Current General Plan Amendment studies to convert commercial land uses; • Characteristics of different types of commercial centers and the economics of developing such centers; • Economic viability of the commercial opportunity sites; and • Community design considerations. Task Force Outcomes At the conclusion of the task force meetings, Staff will return to the City Council with a report that will include recommendations for the City Council's consideration in the following areas: • Classify desirability of existing commercial sites; • Desirable design principles; and • Economic development incentives. The task force would not be responsible for recommendations of land use decisions; however, their findings could result in land use decisions by the City Council. Timeframe Staff anticipates that the task force will meet regularly over a four-month period and that a report of the task force findings will be presented to the City Council in September 2014. The following is the proposed timeline: > February: Return to the City Council with a refined scope and a budget request for consulting services > March: Task force appointments > April-July: Regular task force meetings > August: Prepare report on task force findings > September: Present task force findings to the City Council Page 2 of 4 Current General Plan Amendment Studies/Applications The City is currently processing the following General Plan Amendment (GPA) studies that address the conversion of existing commercial sites. Specifically, the City Council directed Staff to conduct outreach to residents as part of the GPA Study for the Promenade. Staff anticipates that this Commercial Opportunity Sites Task Force will address this direction and is seeking City Council confirmation for this purpose. These projects include the following: Table 1: Current GPA Studies Heritage Park Retail/Office(0.25-0.60 FAR) 110,000* -- Retail Office(0.25-0.60 FAR) 15,000 -- Medium Densit Residential(6.1-14du/ac) -- 54 *Land use allows a range of 71,874-172,498 s.f.of commercial development The Green at Park Place General Commercial (0.20-0.60 FAR) 305,000* -- VON lE" Mixed Use 20,000-40,000 400-750 *Land use allows a range of 298,931-717,433 s.f.of commercial development Summerhill/DiManto Parcels 3&4 3'13,,,,aa44 3E 5- s, 4 .) '} ,. �ac' e.wr.fi �xwd i'sxtr k'.. ! `firyd ' Medium Density Residential(6.1-14 du/ac) -- 9-22 Medium-High Density Residential (14.1-25 du/ac) -- 56-100 Hi:h Density Residential (25+du/ac) -- 27-37 General Commercial (0.20-0.60 FAR) 170,319* -- Public/Semi-Public(Max 0.50 FAR) 32,670 max -- Medium Density Residential (6.1-14du/ac) -- 161 *Land use allows a range of 170,319-408,767 s.f.of commercial development The Promenade Neighborhood Commercial (0.25-0.60 FAR) 230,000 80 Public/Semi-Public(Max 0.50 FAR) 76,230 max -- Medium Density Residential(6.1-14du/ac) TBD 140-322 *Land use allows a range of 212,355-509,652 s.f.of commercial development Task Force Cost Staff anticipates costs associated with obtaining a professional facilitator for the task force and may incur costs to bring in subject matter experts. If the City Council provides direction to pursue the task force concept, Staff will seek cost estimates for these services and present it as part of the refined scope. Additionally, the creation of the proposed task force would require a significant investment of Staff time. If authorized by the City Council, a re-prioritization of Staffs Page 3 of 4 assignments may be necessary to defer work that is not time sensitive. Those decisions will be made by the respective department Directors in consultation with the City Manager. Next steps Staff is seeking direction from the City Council regarding the proposed task force including the: 1) task force selection process; 2) focus on commercial opportunity sites; 3) task force outcomes and key focus areas; 4) timeframe to complete the task force meetings and report back to the City Council; and 5) confirm utilizing the task force for input regarding the Promenade. Staff will then return to the City Council with a refined scope and a proposed budget for consulting services to achieve the direction received by the City Council. 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. This informational report is related to establishing a working group to review development sites in the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area and is Categorically Exempt under Section 15306, Class 6 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Information Collection). NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: A public notice is not required for an informational report to the City Council. ATTACHMENTS: None Page 4 of 4