HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes No 2683PLANNING COMMISSIION RESOLUTION NO. 2683
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING TO
THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD
SPECIFIC PLAN LOCATED ON 400 ACRES NORTH OF FRANK SINATRA
DRIVE, SOUTH OF GERALD FORD DRIVE, EAST OF PORTOLA AVENUE
AND WEST OF COOK STREET, PURSUANT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT REPORT PREPARED FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, THE
UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC PLAN, AND THE ONE ELEVEN
DEVELOPMENT CODE
CASE NO: ZOA/CZ 16-262
WHEREAS, as part of the City's General Plan Update, the University Neighborhood
Specific Plan was prepared to provide a vision, framework plan, and implementation
strategies, for 400 acres in proximity to the University of California Riverside and California
State University San Bernardino extension campuses; and
WHEREAS, the University Neighborhood Specific Plan emphasizes pedestrian and
bicycle connectivity throughout the Specific Plan area and to the adjoining university
campuses; and
WHEREAS, the University Neighborhood Specific Plan establishes flexible
subdivision, street, and public frontage standards that emphasize strong building form and
character, and provides a detailed architectural appendix on how to achieve these
standards for properties shown in Attachment "A" of this resolution; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub.
Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA") and the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code
Regs., §§ 15000 et seq.), the City prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
analyzing and disclosing the potentially significant environmental impacts of the City's
General Plan Update, University Neighborhood Specific Plan, and One Eleven
Development Code ("General Plan Update EIR"); the General Plan Update EIR reflects the
independent judgment of the City of Palm Desert; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Palm Desert Municipal Code Chapter 25.60.060
"Public Hearing and Public Notice" and Chapter 25.78.080, "Specific Plans" the Planning
Commission of the City of Palm Desert, California, did on the 19th day of October 2016, hold
a duly noticed public hearing to consider the request by the City of Palm Desert, for
adoption of the University Neighborhood Specific Plan; and
WHEREAS, at said public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony and
arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, the Planning Commission
did make the following findings in support of approving the proposed Specific Plan:
Findings for Approval:
1. The specific plan is consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the
General Plan.
PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2683
The University Neighborhood Specific Plan initiates the Vision and Guiding
Principles (Chapter 1) and the Land Use and Community Character Element
(Chapter 3) of the General Plan. The General Plan provides five Guiding
Principles as they relate to strengthening the City: 1) Human -scale design; 2)
Create lively centers; 3) Streets for all; 4) Accessibility and connectivity; and 5)
Quality open spaces. These Guiding Principles are applied to three specific focus
areas, one of which includes the "University Area." The focus of the University
Area is to ensure that "lands around the universities are developed in a way that
maximizes connectivity and accessibility", and that, in order to achieve this, that
the City "prepare a University Neighborhood Specific Plan" to provide design
guidance for neighborhood development in proximity to the universities. By
preparing and adopting this specific plan that City has achieved a portion of the
General Plan's Vision by creating a plan in proximity to the universities that
emphasizes connectivity, a mix of housing choices, and provides design criteria
and architectural guidance for block length, amenities, and architectural design.
The General Plan Land Use and Community Character Element identifies the
project area as an area for "higher intensity neighborhood development that
features a variety of housing choices, walkable streets, and mixed uses." As
proposed, the specific plan is consistent with the intent of the General Plan in
that a mix of housing densities inclusive of single-family, multi -family, and mixed -
use units are provided within the project area. More specifically, the specific plan
accomplishes Goals 1, 2, and 3 of the Land Use and Community Character
Element in that the specific plan focuses on complete neighborhood design, short
block lengths, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, a diversity of housing types,
enhanced streetscapes, and human -scaled design.
2. The specific plan will not create conditions materially detrimental to the public
health, safety, and general welfare.
The specific plans goals, policies, and development standards for the subdivision
and street designs have been reviewed by the Planning Department, Fire
Department, and Public Works Department for consistency with the General Plan
and emergency services. The lot sizes, street and utility improvements,
circulation patterns, and drainage improvements meet all requirements of the
General Plan. All existing perimeter streets, with the exception of a portion of
Portola Avenue, conform to the General Plan's Circulation Element and minor
striping and roadway dedication is needed to complete existing streets. Access to
and from existing perimeter streets, and access to and from the new project
street, are designed in accordance with the standards for emergency vehicle
access and circulation.
Further, the General Plan Update EIR considered potential impacts relating to
noise, geological conditions, air quality, traffic and circulation, hazards and
hazardous materials, inter alia, and identified no impacts or circumstances that
would result in conditions materially detrimental to public health and safety.
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PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2683
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3. The specific plan is compatible with zoning on adjacent properties, and ensures
development of desirable character that will be harmonious with surrounding
properties.
Existing detached single-family home development is present to the north and
west of the Specific Plan boundaries and existing commercial, apartments, and
University campuses are located to the east. The City's Desert Willow golf course
is located to the south of the project boundaries. As proposed in the Specific
Plan, the site layout, sub -planning areas, land use intensities and distribution of
land uses are consistent with surrounding development. The Specific Plan
proposes a mix of residential densities and land uses that are consistent with the
multi -family and single-family development in the area. These development
standards allow for increased building height and reduced setbacks to attract
greater land use density with the planning areas. The proposed single-family
home densities are similar to and compatible with surrounding single-family
developments to the north and west. In addition, the location of the lower density
single-family development along the project perimeters provides a buffer and
transition to denser single-family and multi -family housing, and commercial uses
in the middle of the project area. Open space is provided throughout the project
area and along the project boundaries to the southwest to a much greater extent
than that to the west. The location of the higher density residential uses is well
suited as they are in close proximity to existing and future employment
opportunities and recreational open space. The infrastructure, soils, and terrain
serving the development will adequately support these densities, as further
detailed in the General Plan EIR.
4. The specific plan is suitable and appropriate for the location, access, and
topography for the development of the subject property.
The 400 acres subjected to the University Neighborhood Specific Plan are
suitable for the proposed development. No environmental issues were identified
in the preparation and drafting of the General Plan EIR that would indicate that
development in this area would be unsuitable. In addition, existing commercial
and residential developments have successfully constructed similar types of
development in the immediate vicinity. No obstacles to development of
surrounding subdivisions were experienced and, due to the proximity and
similarity of the proposed development, it's reasonable to conclude that the site is
physically suitable for it. The property is suitable for the proposed development
and mitigation measures identified in the General Plan EIR ensure that impacts
to the surrounding areas are minimized.
5. The specific plan or amendment has been reviewed in compliance with the
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act.
The University Neighborhood Specific Plan was prepared in conjunction with the
City's General Plan Update, and an EIR was prepared to consider, analyze,
identify, and disclose all potential impacts arising from the General Plan Update,
the University Neighborhood Specific Plan, and the One Eleven Development
Code. The General Plan EIR was prepared consistent with the mandates of CEQA
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PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2683
and the State CEQA Guidelines, and circulated for a 45-day public review and
comment period. Comments from agencies, organizations, and individuals
received during the public review and comment period were considered by the City
and, consistent with CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines, responses to those
comments have been prepared. The General Plan EIR concludes that significant
and unavoidable impacts relating to greenhouse gas emissions, and Caltrans
performance standards for freeway segments will occur, even after the
incorporation of all feasible mitigation measures. The General Plan EIR also
concludes that all other potential environmental impacts will be less than
significant, either without or after the incorporation of, mitigation measures. In the
future, as individual projects come forward for development within the University
Neighborhood Specific Plan, additional environmental studies will need to be
conducted to identify any endangered or sensitive species. In addition, the project
will pay into the Coachella Valley Multi -Species Habitat Conservation fund for the
development of raw land.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the findings of the
Planning Commission in this case.
2. That the Planning Commission does hereby approve Planning Commission
Resolution 2683 recommending approval of ZOA/CZ 16-262.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the Planning Commission of the City of
Palm Desert, California, at its regular meeting held on the 19th day of October 2016, by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: DE LUNA, GREENWOOD, GREGORY, KELLY, and PRADETTO
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ATTEST:
OHN REEN
RYAN STENDELL, SECRETARY
PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION
---QD, CHAIRP
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PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2683
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City of Palm Desert
/RANK-SINATRA-OR
Case No. CZ16-262
CHANGE OF ZONE
EXHIBIT A
C-,
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Proposed
Zoning
Change
P.C.D., P.R.-5, P.C.D.,
P.C.D., FCOZ ORD837,
P.R.-5, P.R.-22
To
P.C. D./UNSP
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. 2683
Date:
October 19, 2016
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