TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Use District Map of the City of Long Beach as said Map has been established and amended by amending portions of Part 22 of said Map from CCA (Community Commercial Automobile-oriented) to R-4-N (Medium-Density, Multiple Residential) and CCA (Community Commercial Automobile-Oriented) to R-3-T (Multi-family Residential, Townhouse), read and adopted as read. (District 8)
DISCUSSION
On June 18, 2020, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on the proposed (Application No. 1707-10) (Attachment A - Location), considered public testimony, and recommended that the City Council approve the requested actions (Attachment B - Planning Commission Report).
The site is a former redevelopment property located on the east side of Long Beach Boulevard between East 49th Street to the north and the Union Pacific Railroad to the south. Long Beach Boulevard is primarily a commercial corridor with abutting residential uses. The site is located in the Addams Neighborhood area in North Long Beach. The site encompasses five parcels, for a total project area of 1.102 acres (approximately 48,003 square feet), and is zoned Community Commercial Automobile-Oriented (CCA). Two adjacent lots located east of the project site at 132 and 134 East 49th Street are also zoned CCA.
The five-parcel site that is proposed to be developed is currently vacant covered with ruderal vegetation. The developer seeks to construct 18 three-story townhomes within three buildings that are a maximum height of 38 feet (three-stories). The adjacent lots have a single-family residence per lot. No new development is proposed on the two adjacent lots. The proposed project includes a Zone Change from CCA to R-4-N (Medium-Density Multiple Residential) to facilitate the development of the townhomes. A Zone Change for the two adjacent lots (132 and 134 East 49th Street) from CCA to R-3-T (Multi-family Residential, Townhouse) is proposed for consistency with the existing residential land use and adjacent neighborhood zoning.
The site is bordered by commercial uses to the north, across East 49th Street; commercial uses to the west, across Long Beach Boulevard; commercial and residential uses to the south of the Union Pacific Railroad; and residential uses to the east. The project site and adjacent uses are shown in Figure 1 below:
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Figure 1 - Aerial of Project Site  |
Project Proposal
The proposed project involves development of 18 three-story townhomes that would be 38 feet in height, with 41 on-grade parking spaces. The site would include two buildings with eight townhomes each and one building with two townhomes. Of the 18 units, 9 of the townhomes would be 3-bedroom, 3-bath units consisting of approximately 1,411 square feet (SF) and nine of the townhomes would be 3-bedroom, 3-bath plus den units consisting of approximately 1,747 SF. Of the 41 required parking stalls, 36 are proposed as garage spaces (18 of which are proposed in tandem configuration) and 5 would be designated as guest parking stalls. The project will also provide 4,024 SF of private open space and 6,856 SF of common open space for a total of 10,880 SF of usable open space. (Attachment C - Plans). The townhome development is proposed with a variety of green building features, including rooftop solar panels to result in net zero energy townhomes.
Entitlements
As proposed, the project requires the following entitlements:
• Zone Change: Required to change the existing zoning from CCA to R-4-N (which permits medium density residential development) to allow the development of the proposed townhomes. A zone change for the adjacent two residential lots from CCA to R-3-T is proposed to be consistent with the existing land use and adjacent neighborhood zoning district.
• Site Plan Review: Site Plan Committee Review required for a residential project with five or more units as one project.
• Vesting Tentative Tract Map: Required to consolidate five lots into a single parcel and allow the subdivision of airspace and creation of common areas, which enables the creation of individual townhome units that can be sold separately.
Zone Change
The project site is currently zoned CCA (Community Commercial Automobile-Oriented) which permits retail and service uses. Residential uses are not permitted in the CCA zone. However, the General Plan’s Land Use Element, adopted in December 2019, designates the project site as NSC-L (Neighborhood Serving Center or Corridor - Low Density). This PlaceType is a mixed-use land use designation that allows neighborhood-serving, low-intensity commercial uses and low-density apartment and condominium buildings. The NSC-L designation allows up to three stories in height and residential densities of up to 44 dwelling units per acre (du/acre), depending on lot size. This density is required to allow the development of 18 townhomes.
The applicant seeks a Zone Change to R-4-N to allow for the construction of the proposed townhomes in accordance with the R-4-N development standards. The area of Long Beach Boulevard south of the project site has multi-family residential uses and is zoned R-4-N. The rezoning of the project site will be consistent with the adjacent multi-family zoning and medium density development. The adjacent two lots located to the east of the project site are currently zoned CCA, which does not permit residential development. The existing single-family residential structures are legal, nonconforming uses. The City proposed rezoning to R-3-T will recognize the existing residential land use and be consistent with the existing zoning (R-3-T) of the neighborhood east of the project site. Both the R-4-N zone and the R-3-T zone are consistent with the General Plan’s Land Use Designation, NSC-L PlaceType. (Attachment D - Zone Change Map)
Site Plan Review
The site plan review process is established to ensure that the highest quality of land planning and design are incorporated into development projects. The process ensures that new projects are compatible with existing neighborhoods and meet required project development standards. On December 11, 2019, the Site Plan Review Committee reviewed the project architecture and site layout and approved the project pursuant to LBMC 21.25.503. The final approval of the project is contingent on the Zone Change.
The applicant proposes to build 18 three-story townhomes (38 feet in height) on a currently vacant site on Long Beach Boulevard. Sixteen of the proposed townhomes are oriented toward Long Beach Boulevard with front doors and pedestrian walkways accessible from the street. Vehicular access to the project site would be provided via East 49th Street, which would lead to an internal driveway that would provide access to the individual garages and guest parking spaces.
The design of the proposed townhome development reflects a traditional architectural style with a variation of roof pitch, color palette and materials. The project requires a total of 2,700 square feet of common and private open space, and the applicant proposes a total of 10,880 square feet of common and private open space combined. The proposed project meets Title 21 parking requirements for a total of 41 onsite parking spaces. The townhome development is proposed with a variety of green building features, including rooftop solar panels to result in net zero energy townhomes and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold equivalency rating (Attachment E - Green Scorecard).
Overall, the project design is compatible in building design within itself and harmonious with neighboring structures and the surrounding community.
Vesting Tentative Tract Map (VTTM)
The project includes a request for a Vesting Tentative Tract Map (Attachment C - Plans), which proposes to merge five parcels into a single 48,003-square-foot lot and create 18 condominium subdivisions to allow the individual sale of townhomes. As a condition of project approval, the applicant is required to dedicate and improve 13 feet along Long Beach Boulevard and 8 feet on East 49th Street adjacent to the project site for future street widening purposes. The proposed subdivision, including required dedications, supports the orderly development of land consistent with the Zoning and General Plan.
Based on the previous discussion, positive findings can be made for each of the three entitlements needed to allow the development of the 18-townhome project. The proposed Vesting Tentative Tract Map is consistent with the Land Use Element of the General Plan, which designates the project site as NSC-L, and the design of the subdivision is consistent with height and density standards set forth for residential development by the PlaceType. The conditions associated with this approval are included in Attachment F - Conditions of Approval. The detailed findings for each entitlement are attached in Attachment G - Findings.
Conclusion
The project will redevelop a vacant site as well as provide critically-needed housing in the form of for-sale three-bedroom townhouses, for which there has been an expressed need for to satisfy a local shortage in units for larger families. The proposed townhome development is appropriate in design and scale to the neighborhood and site conditions and will make a positive contribution to the Long Beach Boulevard corridor. Staff is able to make positive findings for all of the requested entitlements and recommends that the City Council approve these entitlements (Attachment G).
Public hearing notices were distributed on July 28, 2020, in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 21.21 of the Long Beach Municipal Code. Any written testimony received following the preparation of this report will be provided to the City Council prior to the hearing.
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines, an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND-04-20, State Clearinghouse No. 2020050229) has been prepared for the project and finds that, by implementing identified mitigation measures, the project will not result in significant effects to the environment (Attachment H - IS/MND 04-20). The IS/MND was circulated for a 30-day public review period between May 11, 2020 and June 9, 2020. Staff received seven public comments on the MND, both from members of the public, as well as from other public agencies and organizations. The comments and the responses to the comments are included in the Responses to Comments section of the Final IS/MND (Attachment I). Attachment J also includes public comments received outside of the 30-day public review period.
At its June 18, 2020 regularly scheduled meeting, the Planning Commission took action to recommend approval of the project: five Commissioners approved the project proposal, and two Commissioners were absent.
The matter was reviewed by Assistant City Attorney Michael J. Mais on July 13, 2020 and by Budget Analysis Officer Julissa José-Murray on July 10, 2020.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on August 11, 2020. Pursuant to §21.25.103 of the Zoning Code, the Planning Commission’s recommendations on this matter must be transmitted to the City Council within 60 days of positive action by the Planning Commission on June 18, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no 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 USE DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS SAID MAP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND AMENDED BY AMENDING PORTIONS OF PART 22 OF SAID MAP FROM CCA (COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL AUTOMOBILE-ORIENTED) TO R-4-N (MEDIUM-DENSITY, MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL) AND CCA (COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL AUTOMOBILE-ORIENTED) TO R-3-T (MUL Tl-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, TOWNHOUSE)
Respectfully Submitted,
OSCAR W. ORCI
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER