HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-24 - AGENDA REPORTS - PATIOS CONNECTION COSTCO PROJ MC 19-067 (2)Agenda Item: 15
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CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:1
DATE: November 24, 2020
SUBJECT: PROPOSED REVISION TO THE PATIOS CONNECTION (COSTCO)
PROJECT - MASTER CASE 19-067
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: David Peterson
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Receive staff report; and
2. Direct staff to move forward with the processing of any application to modify the project as
described in the staff report.
BACKGROUND
On January 21, 2020, the Planning Commission approved the Patios Connection Project
(Project). The Project was proposed by Westfield Valencia Town Center Mall (Applicant), and is
located at 24201 Valencia Boulevard in the community of Valencia.
The approved Project consists of approximately 101,000 square feet of net new commercial
space, including:
• The demolition of the existing 128,000 square -foot Sears building; and
• The construction of:
o A 154,000 square -foot Costco, with 275 roof -top parking spaces;
o A 30-pump fuel sales facility;
o A 34,000 square -foot gymnasium;
o A 32,000 square -foot cinema;
o Approximately 7,500 square feet of new retail space; and
o A 2,100 square -foot expansion of the existing Canyon Santa Clarita music venue.
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The Project included the following entitlements:
• A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the 79-foot cinema;
• A Minor Use Permit for a 14 percent parking reduction;
• A Development Review for review of the site plan package;
• An Architectural Design Review for review of the Project architecture;
• An Oak Tree Permit for the removal and relocation of oaks located in the parking lot; and
• An Initial Study, which resulted in the creation of a Mitigated Negative Declaration
(MND).
Included in the Project approval were requirements for the following off -site improvements (Off -
Sites):
The completion of improvements at six intersections throughout the community for
purposes of traffic mitigation, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA);
The completion of improvements to a number of ingress and egress points to the
Westfield Valencia Town Center mall; and
A realignment of Citrus Street, between Valencia Boulevard and Magic Mountain
Parkway.
PROPOSED PROJECT REVISION
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the current economic environment, and the related need to
address its associated long-term effects, the Applicant is proposing the reduction of the approved
gym and cinema uses.
On October 7, 2020, the Applicant approached the City of Santa Clarita (City) with a proposal to
revise the scope of the Project. The proposed revision will reduce the scope of the approved
Project, but will retain all Off -Sites required in the originally approved Project scope.
The proposal includes the following alterations:
• Removal of the 34,000 square -foot gymnasium;
• Removal of the 32,000 square -foot cinema;
• Removal of the roof -top parking deck; and
• A reduction in the amount of new retail space.
The proposed alterations would reduce the total amount of commercial space included in the
approved Project by approximately 66,000 square feet.
The revised Project would retain the following elements:
The demolition of the existing Sears building;
The construction of the new Costco building;
The construction of the new gas station;
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• The retention of a portion of the new approved retail space; and
• The expansion of the existing Canyon Santa Clarita music venue.
Although the scope of the Project has been reduced, the Applicant has still committed to
completing all Off -Sites required with the original approval.
The total net new square footage associated with the originally approved Project of 101,000
would be reduced to approximately 35,000 square feet. Given the reduction in square footage,
the code parking requirement would be reduced proportionally. A technical memo prepared by
the applicant demonstrates that with the loss of the 275-space roof -top parking deck, the required
14 percent parking reduction will not be impacted. In addition, parking demand will be
consistent with the number of on -site surplus parking spaces at peak -demand included in the
original approval. Off -site parking options during the holiday season will also continue to be
provided.
An MND was prepared for the approved Project and determined that all impacts associated with
the Project are mitigatable to a level of insignificance. The revised Project is smaller in scope
than the original approval and will not result in any additional significant impacts that require
mitigation under CEQA.
REVIEW PROCESS
Pursuant to the City's Unified Development Code Chapter 17.09, the Project revisions will be
reviewed by City staff and approved, denied, or altered by the Director of Community
Development. The applicant will be required to formally relinquish the CUP issued for the
revised Project. Staff will review the revised Project for code consistency and architecture. All
applicable conditions from the approved Project's conditions of approval will be retained.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other actions as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
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