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Home My WebLink About3.1 The DC (The Dublin Center) Study Session Agenda Item 3. 1 T! STAFF REPORT DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CALIFORNIA DATE: March 22, 2023 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Linda Smith, City Manager SUBJECT: The DC (The Dublin Center) Study Session Prepared by:Amy Million, Principal Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will hold a Study Session to provide the applicant, Landsea Homes, with feedback on the preliminary application for a Site Development Review Permit and Vesting Tentative Maps for The DC project. The DC (formerly SCS Dublin) is located on the vacant SCS Property east of Tassajara Road between I-580 and the north side of Gleason Street. On November 15, 2022, the City Council approved the General Plan and Eastern Dublin Specific Plan Amendments, a Planned Development Rezone with Stage 1 and Stage 2 Development Plans, and a Development Agreement for the SCS Dublin project. In addition, the City Council directed Staff to schedule a Study Session on the project prior to finalizing the Site Development Review Permit application. The Study Session will discuss the details of the architecture along Finnian Way and the residential neighborhoods, the location of the Public/Semi-Public parcel and associated affordable housing, the location and size of the community event space and the town square amenities. No action will be taken at the Study Session. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Receive a presentation from the Applicant on the proposed project and provide feedback. FINANCIAL IMPACT: All costs associated with processing the applications are born by the Applicant. DESCRIPTION: Background The SCS Property is 76.9 acres located north of I-580 between Tassajara Road and Brannigan Page 1 of 5 3 Street and extends to the north of Gleason Drive. The proposed project, newly branded as "The DC" (The Dublin Center), by Landsea Homes is located on 50.04 acres of the SCS Property. The DC project includes all portions of the SCS Property north of Dublin Boulevard (refer to Figure 1). Figure 1. Project Location c ,Gleason Dr. rr e t Central fC / 77 Dublin Blvd. 1 #24 \ r. I-580 On November 15, 2022, the City Council approved the SCS Dublin project, which includes development of up to 600 residential units and up to 265,000 square feet of retail commercial development on the parcel. Project approvals included certification of a Final Environmental Impact Report, General Plan and Eastern Dublin Specific Plan Amendments, a Planned Development Rezone with Stage 1 and Stage 2 Development Plans, and a Development Agreement. The SCS Dublin project stemmed from an extensive City-led community outreach process to engage the community on appropriate land uses for the property. The result of this effort was the City Council's approval of the Preferred Plan for the SCS Property in February 2022. As part of the discussion on November 15, 2022, the City Council directed Staff to schedule a Study Session on the Site Development Review Permit prior to finalizing the application to discuss the details of architecture of Finnian Way, the Public/Semi-Public parcel and associated affordable housing, the location and size of the community event space, and the public park and the town square amenities. Page 2 of 5 4 On February 9, 2023, Mark Chamberlain submitted a Pre-Application on behalf of Landsea Homes to address these issues related to the site design. The City Council is being asked to receive a presentation from the Applicant on the preliminary project and provide feedback. Discussion Items Finnian Way Architecture Finnian Way is envisioned as a neighborhood, main-street experience. It can accommodate up to 40,000 square feet of small retail shops along Finnian Way, which would connect to the Shops at Waterford. As part of this experience, the concept of shophouses was introduced to Dublin. A shophouse is a building type serving both as a residence and ground floor commercial business. The purpose of the shophouse unit is to support activation of the commercial area along Finnian Way. The Applicant will dive into the architecture and building layout for these shophouse buildings as well as the stand-alone retail buildings dispersed along Finnian Way. Affordable Housing Site The DC project includes a±3.8-acre parcel designated Public/Semi-Public and dedicated for affordable housing. Consistent with the Preferred Plan, the Planned Development Zoning for the property placed the affordable housing parcel on the corner of Dublin Boulevard and Tassajara Road in Planning Area (PA) 2 as shown in Figure 2. The Planned Development Zoning provided flexibility in the final placement of this parcel through the Site Development Review Permit. The Applicant will provide various options for the placement of the Public/Semi-Public site for discussion. Figure 2. Planned Development Site Plan and Planning Areas PA-4 PA-3 PA-2 PA-1 I-1 I I I I„ 1 I rann$n . P . r7 j ^Ri� T » Ij r�- F � v '"—F` - 1I� 1 ��. r,1 � � - ! a IMi i fill - -. ,. .. - •, ....u..4. Au of T :J '� .i.N T WO,.. E - : 71 7 I,.� lI: .. n nnnnnn Tassajara Road -- I—, Community Event Space The Development Agreement establishes a requirement for the project to provide a community center, which would include dedication of a retail space improved to a"warm shell" in Planning Area 2. The event space is required to be a minimum of 1,800 square feet. Page 3 of 5 5 The Applicant has evaluated various locations for the placement of the community center along Finnian Way, Tassajara Road, and Dublin Boulevard and will present them for discussion. Town Square Amenities and Public Park Town Square Amenities The original siting and design of the Town Square came from the community outreach process and the Preferred Plan. The Town Square, located along Finnian way, is integrated into the Grand Paseo to draw people together and create more social gathering space. The conceptual layout of the Town Square as shown in the Preferred Plan is provided in Figure 3. Figure 3. Preferred Plan Town Square Concept • 14s'-er ■ ( 3.5k to, Ali 2.5k .. • 1 y ■ Planned Development Zoning approved with the SCS Dublin project (Ordinance No. 14-22) furthered this vision and created landscape design criteria that focuses on quality and intimate gathering spaces. The Town Square landscape criteria emphasizes a variety of seating options including outdoor seating for restaurants and flexible seating (hard, soft, short, tall, reclining, etc.) to accommodate different user needs and preferences. The plant palette, design, and location should provide a variety of species, compliment seating areas, and provide shade. The landscape criteria also noted that a small, low, water feature will provide acoustic and visual calming. The Applicant will present initial design concepts for the Town Square. Public Park Planned Development Zoning Ordinance No. 14-22 envisioned the public park (aka The Grand Paseo), connecting the SCS Dublin site with a generous multi-use path. The plants and trees within the Grand Paseo focus on bio-diversity, low-water/drought-tolerant plantings, and shade trees placed strategically in areas to encourage longer stay times and regular pedestrian and bike circulation, and a distinctive signature tree species should accentuate the paseo. The Grand Paseo could also accommodate community gardens, if desired. The final design of the Page 4 of 5 6 Grand Paseo is subject to the City's park planning and community input process and therefore input from the City Council on this aspect of the project is not requested at this time. ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The City Council is holding a Study Session on The DC project, and no formal action will be taken at this time. The Study Session is not subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it does not have the potential to result in a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect change in the environment and, thus, does not meet the definition of a project under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: Although not required for study sessions, a public notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the proposed project and interested parties to advertise the project and this Study Session. A public notice also was published in the East Bay Times and posted at several locations throughout the City. The project was also included on the City's development projects webpage. The City Council Agenda was posted and a copy of this Staff Report has been provided to the Applicant. ATTACHMENTS: None. Page 5 of 5 7