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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-11-22 - AGENDA REPORTS - UDC ANNUAL UPDATE (2)PUBLIC HEARING DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT: Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: November 22, 2005 17 Lisa M. Hardy, AICP ANNUAL UPDATE OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF THE MDG:D USE OVERLAY ZONE, THE VEHICLE SERVICES OVERLAY ZONE, AND THE RIDGELINE PRESERVATION OVERLAY ZONE Community Development RECOMMENDED ACTION Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Adopt a resolution adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration; and 2. Conduct a first reading of the Ordinance for Master Case 05-064 and UDC Amendment 05-002; and 3. Pass the Ordinance to the second reading on December 13, 2005. BACKGROUND In 2004, staff conducted a comprehensive Unified Development Code (UDC) amendment including substantial changes to various sections of the UDC and the addition of the Valley Center Concept Overlay over the Downtown Newhall Special Standards District. At that time, the Planning Commission and City Council inquired about modifications to automotive uses throughout the City, modifications to the City's Hillside Ordinance (Innovative Application), and modifications to the UDC to allow for mixed use developments. At that time, it was decided to include these special code studies as a part of the 2005 Planning Division work program and incorporate these studies into the 2005 UDC amendment process. On September 6, 2005, staff conducted a joint City Council / Planning Commission study session to discuss the proposed revisions to the special study areas (Mixed Use Overlay Zone, Ridgeline Preservation Overlay Zone, and Vehicle Services Overlay Zone). On November 1, 2005, a Adopted: � ►y'D public hearing was held before the Planning Commission to discuss the proposed changes to the Unified Development Code. At that meeting, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the proposed changes to the UDC. However, the Planning Commission gave staff direction to review the parking requirements for mixed use developments and consider additional enhancements to the Mixed Use Ordinance prior to bringing the project before the City Council. Staff has presented the proposed changes to the Council's Development Sub -Committee, the Building Industry Association (BIA), the Chamber of Commerce and several private "mixed use" developers to obtain feedback and direction on the three special code studies. Attached is a "Summary of the Proposed Modifications" to the Unified Development Code along with a comprehensive list of all of the proposed modifications (attached as "Exhibit A"). ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other direction as determined by Council. FISCAL RVIPACT No fiscal impact is anticipated with the proposed changes to the Unified Development Code. ATTACHMENTS Summary of Proposed Modifications Ordinance Exhibit "A" Exhibit "B" Exhibit "C" Exhibit "D" Exhibit "E" Exhibit "F" Exhibit "G" CEQA Resolution Planning Commission Staff Report available in the City Clerk's Reading File Planning Commission Resolution available in the City Clerk's Reading File Mitigated Negative Declaration available in the City Clerk's Reading File Initial Study available in the City Clerk's Reading File Minutes of the Planning Commission Meeting on November 1, 2005 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS CITY OF SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL NOVEMBER 22, 2005 MASTER CASE NO. 05-064 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT 05-002 Prior Planning Commission & City Council Review The City of Santa Clarita Planning Division updates the Unified Development Code on an annual basis to address new issues, policies and regulations that arise. The proposed changes at this time include a variety of revisions, most of which were discussed at the previous study sessions held with the Planning Commission and City Council in June and September 2005. Attached is a copy of all of the proposed changes (Exhibit "A" of the attached ordinance). Within Exhibit "A", modifications are indicated as follows: Underlined sections indicate new wording to the UDC. StFikedweugh sections indicate sections to be removed from the UDC. Mixed Use Ordinance and Overlay Zone Background In May 2004, the City of Santa Clarita adopted an update to the Housing Element of the City's General Plan. The 2000-2005 Housing Element was certified by the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) after several revisions and amendments, as requested by HCD, to address the City's obligation to meet its fair share of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Program Ld, adoption of a Mixed Use Overlay zone, is in response to HCD's comments to meet the goals of the Housing Element and comply with State mandated requirements that the City provide programs to meet its RHNA obligation. Program Ld calls for the City to establish a Mixed Use Overlay along Lyons Avenue, San Fernando Road, and Soledad Canyon Road. These commercial corridors are characterized by underutilized parcels and under- performing commercial centers. A tool used by many communities to revitalize aging commercial strips and provide needed housing is to introduce residential/commercial mixed use in such areas. Project Description Housing Element Program Ld requires the City to establish a Mixed Use Overlay Zone along Lyons Avenue, San Fernando Road, and Soledad Canyon Road. These commercial corridors are characterized by underutilized parcels and under -performing commercial centers. In addition to the commercial corridors suggested in the Housing Element, portions of Sierra Highway and several other properties are being included into the Mixed Use Overlay Zone that encompass the Master Case 05-064 November 22, 2005 Page 2 of 5 same characteristics. All properties and corridors within the proposed Mixed Use Overlay Zone are depicted on Exhibit "C" of the attached ordinance. The proposed zoning standards will establish and encourage both vertical and horizontal mixed use with the review and approval of a Minor Use Permit, while ensuring that each mixed use development provides the necessary open space and parking and adequately buffer residents from any adverse impacts of adjacent commercial development. General Plan Designation and Zoning The proposed Mixed Use Overlay zone will apply to properties with land use and zoning designations of Community Commercial (CC), Commercial Office (CO), and Business Park (BP) zones along portions of Soledad Canyon Road, Sierra Highway, Lyons Avenue, San Fernando Road and those properties identified on the Mixed Use Overlay Map (Exhibit "C" of the attached ordinance). The proposed Mixed Use Overlay Zone will not apply to any currently zoned residential properties. The Mixed Use Overlay Zone will maintain the underlying zoning designations. A property owner will have the option of developing his or her property with the development standards of either the underlying zone or the Mixed Use Overlay zone. However, a combination or interchange of the two zones will not be permitted. There are incentives for the property owner or developer to develop under the Mixed Use Overlay Zone, such as reduction in setbacks, flexibility in parking standards, and an expedited processing of the development review process by requiring a Minor Use Permit rather than a Conditional Use Permit. The proposed Mixed Use Overlay zone is consistent with the goals, policies and programs outlined in the City of Santa Clarita General Plan Housing Element. The proposed overlay zone is consistent with Goal 1 of the Housing Element to provide opportunities for the production of a range of new housing in planning areas to meet the needs of all income groups and Program Ld to revitalize underutilized and under -performing commercial centers. The overlay zone is also consistent with Goal 2 of the City's General Plan Land Use Element to achieve the development of a well-balanced functional mix of residential land uses. Vehicle Services Ordinance & Overlay Zone Background As part of 2004 UDC modifications, concerns were raised as to the proliferation of vehicle repair facilities along major corridors, especially in commercial areas. Therefore, the City Council modified the UDC to require Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) for vehicle repair facilities in all commercial and some industrial zones. As part of these modifications, staff was directed to establish a method that would encourage these uses to concentrate in appropriate areas throughout the City. Project Description In order to address the concerns of the City Council, staff has prepared a Vehicle Services Overlay Zone to concentrate these uses in four distinct areas in the City. These four areas include Master Case 05-064 November 22, 2005 Page 3 of 5 a portion of the Valencia Industrial Center, the Springbrook corridor, the Honby area and "Auto Row" along Creekside Drive as shown in Exhibit "D" of the attached ordinance. With the exception of Auto Row, these are in existing industrial areas and not located on major.roadways. In this overlay zone, all auto repair uses, with the exception of body repair and painting, will be permitted uses and therefore will not be required to go through the CUP process that is required outside of the overlay zone. In the overlay zone, painting and body repair will be required to obtain a Minor Use Permit (MUP) in lieu of the CUP. This overlay does not change the requirements for areas outside of the overlay zone. Auto uses in the Vehicle Services Overlay Zone would still be required to comply with the development standards for automotive uses that are currently required by the Unified Development Code. At the June 2005 Study Session, the Planning Commission requested information regarding the financial incentives for uses locating within the proposed Vehicle Services Overlay Zone. Staff feels that there are a number of incentives for vehicle repair facilities to locate in these areas including a streamlined permit process, fee savings between the minor and conditional use permit processes, and the benefit of locating different types of repair facilities in proximity to one another. Planning staff also met with the Economic Development Division, the City Attorney and a relocation specialist to determine the feasibility and considerations for the City to offer additional incentives. After reviewing this request, there are a number of conditions that are applied to projects that use City funds for relocation (i.e.; requiring the use of prevailing wages) that would make it cost prohibitive. Ridgeline Preservation Ordinance & Overlay Zone Background The City originally adopted the Ridgeline Preservation and Hillside Development Ordinance in 1992. This ordinance combined both the ridgeline and hillside requirements and established guidelines for hillside development. This ordinance includes the Innovative Application process where a project proposed on a Primary or Secondary Ridgeline may be approved if the project is deemed "innovative" through a number of findings. As a part of the 2004 UDC amendments, the City Council and Planning Commission requested that staff pursue updating and clarifying this ordinance, with special attention to the Innovative Application. Project Description As discussed in the September 2005 study session, staff presented the proposed modifications to the existing Ridgeline Preservation and Hillside Development Ordinance. The changes include: The separation of the Ridgeline Preservation section from the Hillside Development requirements. The Ordinance title will be modified to Hillside Development Ordinance. Primary and Secondary Ridgelines would be combined on the City's Ridgeline Map to be protected Ridgelines. Therefore, there would not be a distinction between Primary and Secondary Ridgelines (Exhibit `B" of the attached ordinance). The creation of a Ridgeline Preservation Overlay Zone to protect the designated ridgelines in the City. The new overlay zone creates a 1,000 foot buffer on either side of Master Case 05-064 November 22, 2005 Page 4 of 5 the top of the protected ridgeline (Exhibit "F' of the attached ordinance). In this area, a Ridgeline Alteration Permit would be required for construction if the structure is within the upper 2/3 of the mapped ridgeline (Exhibit "G" of the attached ordinance). The Ridgeline Alteration Permit would require both Planning Commission and City Council approval. The removal of the Innovative Application from the Unified Development Code. A number of the Hillside Development Guidelines have now been incorporated into the UDC. For example, previous guidelines recommending additional architectural setbacks and landscaping, as well as guiding contour grading practices and the design of retaining walls were incorporated into the UDC as requirements. The proposed changes codify and further strengthen the requirements for hillside development and place a higher standard on any hillside development in the City. Reconfiguration of the Sign Ordinance Background The Santa Clarita Sign Code was adopted by the City Council in 1990 to establish standards on the type, size, height and number of permitted signs. A 1999 amendment outlined the approval process of the sign permit application. A 2003 amendment included new definitions, standards for temporary freestanding signs and provisions to remove non -conforming signs. Sign Code revisions were not included in the 2004 UDC update. Project Description As part of the general 2005 UDC update, staff has included several modifications and updates to the Sign Code. This includes modifying standards for directional signs and developing new standards for electronic reader board signs, commercial uses in residential zones and wall signs for larger commercial retail businesses. In addition, the Sign Code was reviewed for general "clean-up" items and for consistency within the different sections. The proposed updates will not result in existing legal signs becoming non -conforming. The City Attorney's office also reviewed the proposed updates to ensure they are consistent with State Law. Special Standards Districts Trail Requirements In September 2005, the Planning Commission conducted a joint study session with the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission regarding trails in the Sand Canyon and Placerita Canyon Special Standards Districts. As a result of that meeting, staff proposes clarifications to the Special Standards Districts for both Placerita Canyon and Sand Canyon. The proposed modifications establish identical trail requirements for both Districts, encourage provisions for feeder trails, and establish the reference to each District's trails map. Master Case 05-064 November 22, 2005 Page 5 of 5 Department Name Change Organizational changes within the City of Santa Clarita have triggered changes within the UDC. In fall 2005, the Department of Planning and Economic Development was renamed the Community Development Department. Therefore, all references to the Planning and Economic Development Director and Department have been replaced with the new Community Development Director and Department as described in Exhibit "B" of the attached ordinance. State -Mandated Density Bonus Ordinance In order to comply with California State mandates regarding the provision of senior housing and affordable housing, the City's current Density Bonus Ordinance has been replaced with new regulation that came into effect on January 1, 2005. The State's Density Bonus Ordinance requires all municipalities to consider applications that include an affordable housing component according to weighted density scale and consider various concessions or incentives related to parking, setbacks or other standards or fees required by the City. Downtown Newhall Special Standards Superseded by Downtown Newhall Specific Plan With the anticipated adoption of the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan by the City Council in November 2005, the Downtown Newhall Special Standards District will be superseded and removed from the UDC. The Downtown Newhall Specific Plan will be in full effect at the time the UDC Amendments become effective, therefore, there will be no lag time between removal of the Downtown Newhall Special Standards District and the initiation of the Specific Plan. Development Standard Augmentation In summer 2005, the City's Executive Team and managers worked together to critique and augment a variety of current development standards within the UDC. This resulted in a number of enhancements to the standard requirements for new residential and non-residential development. Specifically, these include modifications to requirements for open space, transit and pedestrian access, enhanced pedestrian crossing treatments, fencing, development in proximity to railroad rights-of-way, undergrounding of utilities and slope treatments, among others. Miscellaneous Code Changes Revisions are proposed to clarify the intent of the UDC, eliminate inconsistencies, and to correct minor grammar and spelling errors. Minor changes are completed every year to improve the quality of the document and keep the UDC as current and user-friendly as possible. SACMCURREMIV2005\05-064 (Auto Overlay Zone)\CC Summery of Proposed Modifiwilons.doc