TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Douglas Park Planned Development District (PD-32-North) Development Standards Table 2 relating to the regulation of off-premises alcohol sales uses, read and adopted as read. (District 5)
DISCUSSION
In December 2004, the City Council approved the establishment of the Douglas Park Planned Development District (PD-32), which included PD-32 Development Standards, Design Guidelines, and a Development Agreement, for the build-out of the 261-acre former Douglas aircraft production site centered at Lakewood Boulevard and Cover Street, north of the Long Beach Airport. PD-32 aimed to integrate a variety of land uses including light industrial, office, retail, hotel, and residences. Amendments that split PD-32 into North and South segments, and converted the planned uses in the North segment - the area north of Cover Street - from residential to office, light industrial, and retail uses, were approved in 2008. PD-32: North was created with three subareas to optimize land use locations (Attachment A - PD-32: North Subarea Map). Subarea 1, located in the northeast corner of Douglas Park, was established as PD-32’s retail-commercial hub. Per Table 2, Uses by Subarea of the PD-32: North Development Standards, off-premises alcohol sales are prohibited in all subareas.
In October 2016, entitlements were approved for the Long Beach Exchange (LBX) project, a 266,000-square-foot retail-commercial development in Subarea 1. Currently under construction, the shopping center features a mixture of primarily retail and restaurant tenant spaces ranging from 3,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet in size. The largest of the center’s tenant spaces have been designed for retail occupancy, including a leasing area intended for a full-service grocery store. The current prohibition of off-premises alcohol sales applies to all LBX tenants, including the grocery store, a use that typically includes alcoholic beverages among their inventory.
With the exception of PD-32: North, Subarea 1, no area of the City zoned for retail-commercial uses outright prohibits off-premises alcohol sales. In all such areas there exists the right to apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to establish off-premises alcohol sales privileges. The Subarea 1 prohibition was originally put in place not knowing which specific commercial uses, and in what sized tenant spaces, ultimately would be developed in the area. The proposed Table 2 of PD-32: North amerndment would eliminate Subarea 1’s off-premises alcohol sales prohibition and introduce a CUP requirement for such uses (Exhibit A of the Ordinance - Draft Amendment).
On February 15, 2018, the Planning Commission Commission held a public hearing to consider the requested amendment (Attachment C - Planning Commission Report). After a staff presentation, the Planning Commission closed the public hearing, deliberated, and in their advisory capacity to the City Council, found the retail nature of the amendment consistent with the General Plan Land Use Element’s stated goals for the area encompassing PD-32: North, Subarea 1, which include the establishment of “large activity centers allowing employment centers, retail, offices, high density residential, visitor serving facilities, and professional service” land uses. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the PD-32: North, Table 2, amendment.
Adoption of the amendment would result in the application of a consistent citywide CUP process for off-premises alcohol sales requests. Additionally, the amendment would eliminate a conflict between the PD-32: North Development Standards and the Douglas Park Development Agreement in effect for all of PD-32. The Development Agreement specifically excludes “traditional full-service or specialty grocery store” uses from their otherwise blanket off-premises alcohol sales prohibition.
Public hearing notices were published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram and distributed on March 13, 2018, and no responses were received as of the date of preparation of this report. Any responses and comments received will be conveyed to the City Council prior to the public hearing.
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Douglas Park Project (then called PacifiCenter) was certified in 2004, and an Addendum was certified in 2009 (State Clearinghouse No. 2001051048). The Addendum was prepared in response to a number of proposed modifications to the project analyzed in the 2004 EIR, among them an increase in allowable retail square footage in the area encompassing PD-32: North, Subarea 1. Because the proposed amendment relates to retail use allowances within buildings allowed by the PD-32: North Development Standards, the project is within the scope of development anticipated and analyzed as part of this EIR. No additional environmental review is required for this project.
This matter was reviewed by Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Mais on March 14, 2018 and by Budget Analysis Officer Julissa Josè-Murray on March 16, 2018.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on April 3, 2018. Section 21.25.103 of the Zoning Regulations requires presentation of this request to the City Council within 60 days of the Planning Commission hearing, which took place on February 15, 2018.
FISCAL IMPACT
The recommendation would amend a table in a planned development district. There is no direct fiscal or local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AMENDING THE DOUGLAS PARK PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PD-32-NORTH) DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TABLE 2 RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF OFF-PREMISES ALCOHOL SALES USES
Respectfully Submitted,
TOM MODICA
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER