TITLE
Adopt resolution submitting the amendment of the Local Coastal Program to the California Coastal Commission for its consideration and approval. (District 2)
DISCUSSION
Lodgeworks L.P. is requesting approval to construct a new five-story, 125-room hotel at 290 Bay Street in the Pike development (Exhibit A - Site Map and Photos). The hotel will have guest rooms located on floors two through five, with a ground floor lobby, restaurant, and bar area. In addition, 14,725 square feet of the ground floor is reserved for retail space. The site owner, Developers Diversified Realty, has stated their intent to fill this retail space with a major anchor tenant. The building is required to meet the (LEED) Certified level of energy-efficient design standards.
On June 4, 2009, Planning Commission approved the Site Plan and Certified the Environmental Impact Report (Exhibit B - Planning Commission Staff Report). Subsequent to Planning Commission approval, a code amendment to Subarea 5 of PD-6 is necessary to allow a second hotel with the proposed height.
Subarea 5 was written for a specific project that was to occur at the Pike, and as a result, includes very specific provisions regarding the height and intensity of different uses, including retail uses, hotels, theaters, and amusement rides. Within the subarea, one hotel is allowed up to a height of 12 stories and 400 rooms. The Avia hotel was built at that location and is seven stories and 140 rooms. The proposed Hotel Sierra is located on the site originally planned for an I MAX theater, which was allowed at a height of 80 feet. While the subarea does allow for the number of hotel rooms proposed, and anticipated a building of 80 feet high, it does not currently allow a second hotel to be developed at a height of 80 feet. Staff believes that these regulations are overly restrictive, and recommends that they be amended to allow the hotel project to proceed as this would further the goals of PD-6 and improve the Pike ...
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