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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-11 - ORDINANCES - MC NO. 17-054 UDC NO. 17-002 (2)ORDINANCE NO. 17-10 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING MASTER CASE NO. 17-054, CONSISTING OF UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE NO. 17-002, AMENDING THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. FINDINGS OF FACT. The City Council does hereby make the following findings of fact: A. The City of Santa Clarita General Plan requires the implementation of the City of Santa Clarita Unified Development Code (UDC) to be in compliance with the Government Code of the State of California. B. The City of Santa Clarita periodically prepares updates to the UDC at the direction of the City Council, the Planning Commission, or the Director of Community Development (Director) in accordance with the procedures and criteria set forth in UDC Section 17.28.120 Zone Changes and Amendments. C. On March 21, 2017, the City of Santa Clarita (the "Applicant") initiated an application (Master Case No. 17-054, UDC No. 17-002) to update amendments to the City of Santa Clarita UDC (the "2017 Sign Ordinance Update" or the "Project"). D. The 2017 Sign Ordinance Update is a City-wide project located within the City of Santa Clarita in the County of Los Angeles. E. Staff met with representatives and members of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation on March 7, 2017, to discuss the proposed amendments and to request feedback and suggestions. A letter of support for the proposed text amendments was issued by the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation on April 25, 2017. F. Staff met with representatives and members of the Valley Industry Association on March 7, 2017, to discuss the proposed text amendments and to request feedback and suggestions. A letter of support for the proposed amendments was issued by the Valley Industry Association on April 14, 2017. G. Staff met with representatives and members of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce on March 24, 2017, to discuss the proposed amendments and to request feedback and suggestions. A letter of support for the proposed amendments was issued by the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce on April 21, 2017. H. The Project application was deemed complete on April 20, 2017. I. The proposed amendments are consistent with and further implement the Goals and Policies of the City of Santa Clarita General Plan. J. The City Council Economic Development Committee held a duly -noticed meeting to discuss this Project on April 3, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. The meeting was held at City Hall, Orchard Room, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, California 91355. K. The Planning Commission held a duly -noticed public hearing on this Project on May 16, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, California. L. At the public hearing described above, the Planning Commission considered the staff report, staff presentation, and public testimony on the proposal, and in a 5-0 vote, approved Resolution No. P 17-08, recommending the City Council approve Master Case No. 17-054. M. The documents and other materials that constitute the record of proceedings upon which the decision of the Planning Commission was based is the Master Case No. 17-054 project file which is located in the Community Development Department, specifically in the custody of the Director of Community Development. N. The City Council conducted a duly -noticed public hearing at their regular City Council meeting on June 27, 2017. The public hearing was advertised in The Signal newspaper on June 6, 2017. The public hearing was held at City Hall, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, at 6:00 p.m. O. At the public hearing of June 27, 2017, the City Council received a staff presentation summarizing the proposed Project, opened the public hearing, received public testimony regarding the Project, received further staff comments and answers to questions, and closed the public hearing. P. The City Council conducted a first reading of an ordinance to amend the City of Santa Clarita UDC, and passed the ordinance to a second reading on July 11, 2017. Q. The documents and other materials that constitute the record of proceedings upon which the decision of the City Council is based is the Master Case No. 17-054 project file which is located in the Community Development Department, specifically in the custody of the Director of Community Development. SECTION 2. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT FINDINGS. Based upon the foregoing facts and findings, the City Council hereby finds as follows: A. A Notice of Exemption was prepared for the proposed Project. B. The Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 5, Section 15061(b)(3) which states that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. C. The proposed updates to the City of Santa Clarita UDC will not have a significant effect on aesthetics, and there is no possibility of any other effect on the environment. SECTION 3. GENERAL FINDINGS FOR MASTER CASE NO. 17-054. Based on the above findings of facts, recitals, and the entire record, including, without limitation, oral and written testimony, and other evidence received at the public hearings, reports, and other transmittals from City staff to the City Council, and upon studies and investigations made by the City Council, the City Council finds as follows: A. The proposal is consistent with the General Plan. The Project is consistent with the General Plan as it carries out a number of the General Plan goals, objectives, and policies, including Policy LU 4.1.4, Policy LU 4.1.5, Objective LU 4.3, and Objective LU 6.5. Policy LU 4.1.4 states, "Promote economic opportunity for all segments of the community, including small businesses and new businesses." The Project is consistent with Policy LU 4.1.4 by updating sign standards that better support the needs of the business community, including small businesses and new businesses. Policy LU 4.1.5 states, "Provide a clear and consistent planning and permitting process to encourage new development that conforms to the General Plan." The Project is consistent with Policy LU 4.1.5 by eliminating the need for unnecessary or excessive discretionary reviews, thereby encouraging new development that conforms to the General Plan. Objective LU 4.3 states, "Enhance older commercial and industrial areas." The Project is consistent with Objective LU 4.3 by updating sign standards that may be utilized to enhance older commercial and industrial areas. Objective LU 6.5 states, "Promote high quality development that enhances the urban environment and builds long-term value." The Project is consistent with Objective LU 6.5 by updating sign standards that are consistent with and implement the City's community design and safety standards, thereby promoting high quality development that enhances the urban environment and builds long-term value. B. The proposal is allowed within the applicable underlying zone and complies with all other applicable provisions of the UDC. The UDC is a regulatory document intended, among other things, to implement the General Plan by establishing regulations and standards that are the basis for regulating development on a City-wide basis within the various zone designations. The Project does not include a request for a physical development or improvements within a specific property that would require a determination that such Project is allowed or requires compliance with provisions of the UDC. Rather, the Project generally consists of new or modified development standards to regulate wall signs, special event banner signs, and community signs in a manner that better support current City goals for business development, while implementing the City's community design and safety standards, protecting the aesthetic environment from visual clutter, and maintaining and enhancing the City's visual appeal. As such, the text amendments are in compliance with the purpose and intent of Section 17.51.080 - Sign Regulations (Private Property) and therefore the UDC. C. The proposal will not endanger, jeopardize, or otherwise constitute a hazard to the public convenience, health, interest, safety, or general welfare, or be materially detrimental or injurious to the improvements, persons, property, or uses in the vicinity and zone in which the property is located. The UDC is a regulatory document intended, among other things, to implement the General Plan by establishing regulations and standards that are the basis for regulating development on a City-wide basis within the various zone designations. Nothing contained in the Project would endanger, jeopardize, or otherwise constitute a hazard to the public because the Project is regulatory in nature, and the resulting document would modify applicable sections and provisions of the UDC to regulate wall signs, special event banner signs, and community signs in a manner that better support current City goals for business development, while implementing the City's community design and safety standards, protecting the aesthetic environment from visual clutter, and maintaining and enhancing the City's visual appeal. D. The proposal is physically suitable for the site. The factors related to the proposal's physical suitability for the site shall include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. The design, location, shape, size, and operating characteristics are suitable for the proposed use; 2. The highways or streets that provide access to the site are of sufficient width and are improved as necessary to carry the kind and quantity of traffic such proposal would generate; 3. Public protection services (e.g., Fire protection, Sheriff protection, etc.) are readily available; and 4. The provision of utilities (e.g. potable water, schools, solid waste collection and disposal, storm drainage, wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal, etc.) is adequate to serve the site. The UDC is a regulatory document intended, among other things, to implement the General Plan by establishing regulations and standards that are the basis for regulating development on a City-wide basis within the various zone designations. The Project does not include a request for a physical development or improvements within a specific property that would require a determination that such Project is physically suitable for the site. Rather, the Project generally consists of new or modified development standards in order to regulate wall signs, special event banner signs, and community signs in a manner that better support current City goals for business development while implementing the City's community design and safety standards, protecting the aesthetic environment from visual clutter and maintaining and enhancing the City's visual appeal. SECTION 5. The City Council hereby approves the amendments to the City of Santa Clarita Unified Development Code (Exhibit A). SECTION 6. If any portion of this Ordinance is held to be invalid, that portion shall be stricken and severed, and the remaining portions shall be unaffected and remain in full force and effect. SECTION 7. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days from its passage and adoption. SECTION 8. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published as required by law. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 11th day of July, 2017. MAYOR ATTEST: r ITY CLERK DaT STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) I, Mary Cusick, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that foregoing Ordinance No. 17-10 was regularly introduced and placed upon its first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 27th day of June, 2017. That thereafter, said Ordinance No. 17-10 was duly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council on the 11 th day of July 2017, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Kellar, McLean, Miranda, Weste, Smyth NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None AND I FURTHER CERTIFY that the foregoing is the original of Ordinance and was published in The Signal newspaper in accordance with State Law (G.C. 40806). 'CIYY CLE "EXHIBIT A" OF ORDINANCE 17 - UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE NO. 17-002 INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE L