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HomeMy WebLinkAbout83-059REL:jd 2/18/83 RESOLUTION NO. 83-59 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA ADOPTING A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THE CIVIC CENTER DRIVE CORRIDOR WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, at its regular meeting of January 24, 1983, after duly noticed public hearing, recommended to this Council the approval of a specific plan for the future design and development of that certain area designated in Exhibit A and referred to as the "Civic Center Drive Corridor," which said specific plan, as thus recommended, is set forth in Exhibit B, attached hereto and incorporated herein, and is hereinafter referred to as the Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has submitted to this Council a statement of its reasons for such recommenda- tion; and WHEREAS, this Council has reviewed the initial environmental study and "Negative Declaration" (I.S. No. 82- 130) prepared for the Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan; and WHEREAS, this Council, after duly noticed public hearing, concurs in the recommendation of the Planning Com- mission; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 1. That the City Council finds and determines as follows: (a) The adoption of the Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan will not have any significant effect on the environment, and the "Negative Declaration" (I.S. No. 82-130) prepared for such project is hereby approved. (b) The Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan is required for the systematic execution of the General Plan of the City of Santa Ana. RESOLUTION NO. 83- 59 Page two 2. That the Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan is hereby adopted. ADOPTED this 16th day of May 1983. K kU.I e o rger, ATTEST: Mayor VICE C. GUY, erk of the Council COUNCILMEMBERS: Bricken Ave APPROVED AS TO FORM: Luxembourger Ave Acosta Aye Johnson Aye Young Ave EDWARD J.I/CCPPERY McGuigan. Aye City Attorne Griset Aye ADDENDUM Civic Center Drive STUDY AREA JI'SEVENTEENTH 2 0+,..;ST....� �_ " I` U o 5r wt �. �.. Eli J 12-.SA O � Nrn ifr. at NTA ANA JUNIoA COLLEGE N Tn i T m ,r = n NALfswo.Tn f= al F ��I ST w i w n w w ) • � w � • f x o � i DRIVE I ::a :' '�' ' w rn ,�� € i� sr ',•';? unioipolSiadium F GO ouse Library s, Parking Lot d CIVIC ounty $ � E ET ENTERC``i N it heriff Lav!• �CHcydILi tate _ � .a fTM w iA; ANA J.� ■ Federal ♦. M ® M -]==F-I= Ha aM®F9OO !T I= 0_ Ili -Is 9 z Cid C���il®P8H❑ 'E . Ef,XHIL L q Y.r.SVG{ M"yir• �i CIVIC DEVELOPMENT OPMENT E] SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT 00 Entry Points A TraMk DlreAer •CfX CENTER DRIVE STREET CIVIC CENTER DRIVONIE STUDY PROPOAND STREET TREATMENTS . . Project Boundary F 60 SECTION ONE BACKGROUND The Civic Center Drive Corridor Specific Plan is to protect the quality and character of residential areas adjacent to the Corridor as well as promote the development of quality land uses on the corridor itself. Although the recent economic downturn has lessened the immediate pressure for commercial and office development on this corridor, there will be renewed development interest that will affect this area. Therefore, it is incumbent on the City to prepare for the future development responsible specific planning. The study area includes both sides of Civic Center Drive between Flower Street and Bristol Street. Future development of the area will relate to three factors: the demand for service and professional businesses oriented to serving the Civic Center courts and government operations; the Corridors connection to two major arterials, Bristol and Flower; and a large portion of this corridor being in an active Redevelopment Project area. Because of the possible conflicts between the residential neighbor- hoods and future commercial development which is going to occur along the neighborhood's edge, this specific planning framework will encourage reasonable change in this area and adequate protection for the neighborhoods. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES One of the City's major goals in its Revised General Plan is to preserve and enhance its neighborhoods. Through responsible planning with the neighborhoods, the development occurring along Civic Center Drive can occur and be kept in balance to promote long-term neighborhood stability. The major goal of this study is to plan for and promote orderly change along the Civic Center Drive Corridor while minimizing the impacts from new development on the adjacent neighborhoods. The objectives of this study are to: 1. Buffer the residential neighborhood to the north from new commercial/office land uses. 2. Promote quality commercial/office and residential projects in a way which responds to the economic realities of development on this corridor. 3. Upgrade the visual image of Civic Center Drive. 4. Reduce vehicular traffic on neighborhood streets. 5. Define neighborhood edges. PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION Both sides of Civic Center Drive from Bristol to Flower are currently zoned for commercial services and for professional office or high-density sF¢ -2 - residential development as allowed in the C4, P and CD Districts. The only exception to this is at the terminus of Louise Street where lots are zoned low-density residential. The neighborhood to the north, Washington Square, is an older single-family residential area. This neighborhood is stable and is an area where substantial revitalization and home ownership is increasing. As one of the first Neighborhood Integrity Program areas, the City has designated this neighborhood for special rehabilitation loans, home improvement rebates, and the focus of neighborhood improvement programs aimed at funding street, sidewalk, curb, street lights and neighborhood entryway projects. The south side of Civic Center Drive has a different development pattern from the north side of the street. A relatively small group of homes are sandwiched between the Civic Center Plaza parking lot to the east, Bristol Street, high-density residential development and commercial development to the west and Civic Center Drive to the north. This entire area is in a transition from residential to commercial office. Most of this area is already zoned for commercial development. The CD and P zoned properties on the north side and the C4, CD and P properties on the south side create land use conflicts with adjoining residential uses which must be dealt with if any positive change in development patterns is to occur. Additionally, the neighborhoods are also impacted by commuter traffic using local streets, lack of neighborhood identification and poor aesthetic amenities on neighborhood boundary areas. Also on the boundary of the neighborhoods exist deteriorating properties that are zoned and generally planned for commercial development, but have not been developed because of the developments potential intrusion on the adjacent residential areas. ZONING PATTERNS Zoning along this section of Civic Center Drive varies from property to proerrty and reflects a piecemeal approach to planning. Rezonings from residential to C4 (Shopping Center), R2 (duplex -residential), CD and P (mixed use - either office or high-density residential) occurred over the years. This small area should not have been rezoned with the different types of districts and development standards that now exist. The varying setbacks, different sign regulations from parcel to parcel, varying degrees of City review over development proposals (CD requires site plan and architectural review by Planning Commission, C4 District requires a variance to develop, P and R2 Districts have no review) promote inconsistent development patterns and no control over potentially incompatible uses. It is, therefore, recommended that sections along the corridor be zoned with a single designation to bring consistency to the area and a_future standardized development potential. Development standards can then be applied which are consistent with good planning areawide. L i U ."Ij p -3 - SECTION TWO Recommendati The focus of the remainder of this report is to provide a guide for in the Civic Center Drive Corridor. North Side Civic Center Drive Corridor The north side of Civic Center Drive is designated on the Revised General Plan as Professional Administrative Office and has strong potential for office development, especially on those lots closest to Flower Street. Eecause of its proximity to the Civic Center Plaza and the County Courts Building, the eventual development of offices on the sites zoned CD indicates the need to plan for this change to minimize the impact on the adjoining neighborhood and insure that potential development sites are economically feasible for development. In order to promote specific development guidelines that achieve this report's objectives, it is recommended that lots presently zoned CD, P and R2 on the north side of Civic Center Drive be rezoned to the Specific Development (SD) District. Rather than amend the CD, P and R2 zoning standards to accomplish the specific objectives of this plan for the north side of Civic Center Drive including provisions for large bufferyards, setbacks and more restricted land uses which eliminate high density residential development, the Specific Development (SD) zone was chosen. The SO zoning will provide the potential developer with a set of specific "-^ ::hich are not included in the CD District and sufficient property depth to produce reasonable commercial development, and at the same time, provide the neighborhood to the north with a buffer zone, specific height limitations, more adequate landscaping and yard provisions for new development. New development plans will require thorough City review to ensure these provisions. Any changes to the provisions of the SO District would only occur through a zone change action requiring public notification and hearings. Recommended SD Development Standards I. Permitted Uses A. Administrative and professional offices. B. Medical offices excluding hospitals, clinics mental care facilities, and drug rehabilitation facilities. C. Commercial retail, service or restaurants on the ground floor only; when developed in conjunction with uses permitted in subsection A; excluding arcades, pool halls, recreation or entertainment uses and drive thru restaurants. LL: , . r' -4- D. Those uses unconditionally permitted in the R1 and R2 Districts, developed under the same restrictions and limitations as specified in sections governing same. E. Signage allowed in the P District. F. Parking of motor vehicles in connection with any permitted use. II. Building Height No structure shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet within fifteen feet of R1 zoned property. Every structure in excess thirty-five (35) feet shall provide an additional one (1) foot setback to the required buffer yards for each foot that the structure exceeds thirty-five (35) feet, when adjacent to residentially zoned property. Structures shall be limited in height to fifty (50) feet or four stories. I1I. Landscaped Yards A. Front yard - there shall be a front yard of not less than fifteen (15) feet. All required front yards shall be landscaped with the following plantings: one (1) thirty-six (36) inch box tree, two fifteen (15) gallon trees, and three (3) five (5) gallon ground shrub per thirty (30) feet of lot frontage. Public sidewalks may be integrated into the front yard area. B. Corner lots - there shall be a landscaped side yard on the street side which shall not be less than ten (10) feet. All side yards having frontage on Civic Center Drive shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet. All required side yards shall be landscaped with the following plantings: One (1) twenty-four (24) inch box tree, two fifteen (15) gallon trees and three (3) five (5) gallon shrubs for each thirty (30) feet of yard frontage. Public sidewalk may be integrated into the side yard area. C. Rear Yard - there shall be a landscaped rear yard of not less than three feet. D. Buffer Yard - for all non-residential development there shall be a landscaped buffer yard of not less than fifteen (15) feet along any property line adjacent to property zoned R1. All required buffering yards shall be landscaped with the following plantings: two (2) twenty-four (24) inch box trees, three (3) fifteen (15) gallon trees for each thirty (30) feet of yard. Vertical plantings and shrubbery which act as a buffer shall be emphasized. Ground cover is also required. Parking area shall not count toward any buffer yard area. -5- E. Off -Street Parking Lots - Off-street parking shall be provided in the manner prescribed in Article IV of the City's Zoning Code, as amended. South Side Civic Center Drive Corridor In order to promote a flexible zoning solution in this area designated Mixed -Use Corridor on the Revised General Plan, it is recommended that the entire area be rezoned CD (Civic Development). The present zoning for the area is now very mixed, being C4, P, R2 and CO. The CD District being proposed will promote a more orderly transition for the area and, at the same time, permit the existing uses to remain and be upgraded. The existing CD District development standards are ambiguous in describing the proper regulations and review procedures for development in this disr.rict. There are limited yards required in the CD District and no signage or design guidelines are established. Landscaped front yards vary from fifteen (15) feet in some cases to five feet in other rases. Architectural styles, building bulk, lot coverage and parking layout change from one project to another. Although this zoning is limited to a small area surrounding the downtown governmental complex, there is no consistency from one project to the next in this important area of the City. in a., cit -ort to establish more specific development guidelines and to improve development in the CD District, it is recommended that the following new standards be incorporated in the CD zone and that staff be directed to prepare an ordinance amendment to initiate this change. A. Yards 1. Front Yard - a minimum five (5) foot deep landscaped planter is required between any structure or parking area and public right-of-way. In addition, structures having frontage on a street shall have, at a minimum, street oriented or project entrance oriented and landscaped planter(s) containing an average area equal to or greater than five (5) percent of the total lot area (fifteen (5) foot setback recommended). Public sidewalks may be integrated into front yards but may not contribute to the required minimum landscaping set forth above. 2. Rear Yard - no rear yard is required. 3. Side Yard - no side yard is required. B. Sign Regulations - to conform with recommended sign code revision or as set forth in the new City Sign Code. 10 C. The review of all development plans to conform to the standards established for the CD District shall be carried out by the City's Zoning Administrator. Appeal of decisions shall be to the Planning Commission. -Circulation Due to the grid pattern of the street system, there are many traffic impacts involving non-residential traffic. The north side of the study area is impacted by increasing amounts of traffic through the residential neighborhood and will undoubtedly be further affected by future office development along Civic Center Drive. Due to the grid pattern of the streets in this area, there are no barriers to reduce this impact. An integral part of preserving the character of this neighborhood is to reduce non-residential traffic through the area where possible. This study proposes cul-de-sac treatments on three streets and neighborhood entryway treatments at two intersections. In determining which streets should be closed to through traffic, three criteria were considered: The extent to which residential streets must be used to move all types of traffic through the neighborhood to the nearest arterial streets. 2. The need for adequate emergency access, and The negative impact on local residents created by non-residential high traffic volumes. From this analysis, Baker, Freeman and Lowell Streets are recommended for closure at Civic Center Drive. All three streets have adequate through -access to other connecting streets and are easily served by Tenth Street via Westwood, Towner and Flower Streets for access from the south. Recommended Steet Treatments 1. Cul-de-sac Lowell Street 100 feet north of Civic Center Drive. 2. Cul-de-sac Freeman Street 100 feet north of Civic Center Drive. 3. Cul-de-sac Baker Street 100 feet north of Civic Center Drive. 4. Construct primary neighborhood entrypoint treatment at Towner Street at intersection with Civic Center Drive. 5. Construct primary neighborhood entrypoint treatment at Westwood Street at intersection with Civic Center Drive. 6. Implement traffic diverter on Louise Street at Civic Center Drive, (review after one year to assess effectiveness). 7. Proceed with a General Plan Amendment changing Washington Street from an arterial designation to a local street and implement traffic control measures to discourage non -neighborhood traffic. 8. Study neighborhood -wide traffic impact from new traffic sources from Civic Center area; recommend traffic control measures, (e.g. traffic diverters, stop signs, or additional street closures), to insure neighborhood integrity. l,..l.._. - g -7- Streetscape As a major entryway into Santa Ana's downtown and the Civic Center complex, it is very important that Civic Center Drive be a visually attractive street. The City must upgrade landscaping along the right-of-way through increased tree plantings, ground covering in the parkway and provide Visual screening of the parking tot and stadium on the south side of Civic Center Drive. Also recommended is that a landscaped median be constructed along this section of Civic Center Drive in conjunction with the other right-of-way improvements. A median in Civic Center Drive will not only upgrade the aesthetic nature of this corridor, but, will also provide a barrier to through traffic in and out of the neighborhood to the north. A median along Civic Center Drive will prohibit eastbound lefthand turns from Civic Center Drive and prohibit southbound lefthand turns out of the neighborhood. A median here will greatly reduce through north -south traffic in Washington Square . These improvements would constitute a major public investment; however, it would be promoting high standards for new development in this area and would make this area a much more attractive entryway to the downtown area. Additionally, neighborhood entryway treatments are being designed as part of the Neighborhood Preservation Program. These portals will also complement other public investment along the corridor. CONCLUSION The adoption of the Specific Plan for the Civic Center Drive Corridor between Flower and Bristol Streets will provide a mechanism that will accomplish the goal of protecting the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor while establishing responsible development standards that will permit quality growth to occur on the corridor. This balanced approach to planning for the future of the area will insure that the problems of the past and the current ambiguous status of planning for the area will come to an end. The deterioration that has occurred because of the inability to properly develop the area should also stop and the entire corridor should begin to be revitalized as responsible development occurs. It is recommended that the provisions contained in this Specific Plan be adopted and implementation of the plan started.