TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending and restating the Downtown Shoreline Planned Development District (PD-6), read and adopted as read. (District 2)
DISCUSSION
The Aquarium of the Pacific is planning a project titled the "Pacific Visions Expansion" that will consist of a 23,330-square-foot addition to the existing Aquarium facility. The primary feature of this expansion will be a two-story, sixty-five-foot-tall wing containing a new changing exhibit gallery and a large media-based immersive theater. The project also involves construction of a new front entrance, lobby space, a ticket booth, and an expanded retail gift shop (Exhibit A - Plans). Plans and construction will be targeted to meet the US Green Building Council's LEED "Gold" certification level, with plans to bring the project to LEED "Platinum" status if funding is available.
The project includes a large architectural art feature on the façade of the addition, consisting of a digital ink display. This display will be used to show images of marine animals and environments, along with other images related only to the Aquarium, and to display the Aquarium logo. This display is intended to serve as an art piece, to draw attention to the Aquarium's environmental programs.
The Downtown Shoreline Planned Development District (PD-6), which serves as the zoning document for this area, prescribes an arbitrary size limit of 150,000 square feet for an aquarium in this area. This project would exceed the 150,000-square-foot size limit, and since a larger overall project already was analyzed by preceding environmental reports for the Queensway Bay Master Plan, PD-6 can safely be amended to remove this limit and allow the Aquarium to expand to meet its needs. The California Coastal Commission also must approve any amendment to PD-6 following City action.
On June 17, 2010, the Planning Commission approved the required entitlements for the addition and architecture, and for the digital ink display feature. Conditions of approval implemented by the Planning Commission, with the applicant's agreement, will prohibit any advertising on the digital ink sign. The Commission also certified Negative Declaration ND 01-10, and recommended that the City Council adopt the necessary changes to PD-6 and forward these changes to the California Coastal Commission for approval (Exhibit B - Findings and Conditions, Exhibit C - Negative Declaration ND 01-10).
Staff recommends approval of the amendment to PD-6 and the resolution authorizing the Department of Development Services to forward this amendment to the California Coastal Commission for review and approval.
This letter was reviewed by Assistant City Attorney Michael Mais on July 13, 2010 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on July 13, 2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
The Municipal Code requires Council action within 60 days of positive action by the Planning Commission, which took place on June 17, 2010.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal or job impact associated with the requested action.
BODY
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AMENDING AND RESTATING THE DOWNTOWN SHORELINE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PD-6).
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
REGINALD I. HARRISON
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER