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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC RES 09-41RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AMENDMENT #1 TO A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PRECISE PLAN OF DESIGN TO REVISE THE NEW EL PASEO VILLAGE CENTER, ADOPTING AN ADDENDUM TO THE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, AMENDING THE EL PASEO VILLAGE PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT AGREEMENT AND RELATED PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN. SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 73-425 EL PASEO (APN: 627-252-004,005) CASE NOS.: PP 07-10 WHEREAS, upon the recommendation of the Architectural Review Commission and the Planning Commission and after duly noticed public hearings, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, adopted Resolution 08-42 on May 22, 2008. This Resolution approved three items: 1. Precise Plan of Design PP 07-10 for (a) an expansion of the existing Saks 5th Avenue at the existing Gardens on El Paseo center (73-545 El Paseo; APN: 627-261-006) and (b) replacement of the existing El Paseo Village shopping center with a new retail, restaurant and office complex plus a one-story parking structure; and 2. Conditional Use Permit 07-18 permitting restaurants within the new El Paseo Village center; and 3. A Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the CEQA Guidelines and the City's procedures for implementing CEQA. WHEREAS, after a duly noticed public hearing, the City Council of the City of Palm Desert adopted Ordinance No. 1156 on June 12, 2008 approving Development Agreement DA 07-03 between the City and El Paseo Land Company, LLC providing vested rights to the new El Paseo Village Shopping Center and Development Agreement DA 07-04 between the City and Gardens SPE II, LLC providing vested rights to the Saks 5th Avenue expansion project; and WHEREAS, after a duly noticed public hearing, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Palm Desert passed Resolution No. 550 on June 26, 2008 approving a Second Addendum to Parking Easement Agreement by which the Agency approved the Saks 5th Avenue expansion project and the project parking site plan. WHEREAS, on September 8, 2008, the City Council executed the El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement and Parking Management Plan to provide limited public parking at the new El Paseo Village Shopping Center. These documents satisfied certain conditions of the Development Agreements. Reso.Revised.EPV Page 1 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 WHEREAS, a reduced -size El Paseo Village Shopping Center has been proposed through an amendment to Precise Plan No. PP 07-10 together with a First Amendment to El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement (as shown on Exhibit "A") and a First Amendment to Parking Management Plan for the El Paseo Village Shopping Center Public Parking Easement (as shown on Exhibit "B"). In addition, amendments to Development Agreements 07-03 and 07- 04 have been proposed. The major features of the revised project are a one-story development to accommodate the restaurants and retail uses with a surface parking lot. WHEREAS, an Addendum to the previously adopted MND has been prepared, as shown on Exhibit "C", which the Director of Community Development has determined complies with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act including the "City of Palm Desert Procedure for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act", Resolution No. 06- 78; and WHEREAS, the Architectural Review Commission recommended approval of the revised project at its May12, 2009 meeting and the Planning Commission recommended approval of the project, including the Addendum to the Mitigated Negative Declaration, at its May 19, 2009 meeting by passing Resolution No. 2501; and WHEREAS, a First Amendment to Development Agreement 07-03 for the El Paseo Village Shopping Center and a First Amendment to Development Agreement 07-04 for the Saks Expansion at the Gardens on El Paseo have been prepared and are subject to separate approval through City Council Ordinance No. 1186 ; and WHEREAS, at the City Council's public hearing, upon hearing and considering all testimony and arguments, if any, of all interested persons desiring to be heard, the City Council did find the following facts and reasons to exist to justify approving the entitlements sought for the revised project: First Amendment to Precise Plan No. 07-10: 1. The proposed location of the project is in accordance with the objectives of the Zoning Ordinance and the purpose of the district in which the site is located. The proposed project is located in a C-1, General Commercial zone, with a Scenic Preservation overlay and is covered by the Palm Desert Commercial Core Area Specific Plan, which encourages the retail/restaurant enhancement of the El Paseo Corridor. The proposed retail and restaurants are in accordance with the district in which it is located and the superior architecture and design meets the intent of the Scenic Preservation overlay district. The project as proposed helps fulfill objective 25.02.020B1 of the Zoning Ordinance by producing sales tax and property revenue to the City over time. 2. The proposed location of the project and the conditions under which it will be operated and maintained will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or general welfare, or be materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity. Reso.Revised.EPV Page 2 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 The revised project will improve the aesthetics and overall quality of the area and will be constructed in accordance with the California Building Code and all relevant safety standards and regulations so as to not be materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity or be detrimental to public health, safety or general welfare of the City. The revised project blends with and enhances the neighboring Gardens on El Paseo center. 3. The proposed project will comply with each of the applicable provisions of this title. The project complies with all standards of the C-1, General Commercial zone. The project as conditioned complies with all provisions of the Zoning Ordinance including the precise plan, except to the extent that those standards are superseded by standards provided in the development agreements. 4. The proposed project complies with the goals, objectives, and policies of the city's adopted General Plan. The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan designation of Community Commercial and also the goals outlined in the Palm Desert Commercial Core Area Specific Plan of keeping the El Paseo area as a unique, pedestrian -oriented high -end retail shopping area. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct and constitute the findings of the City Council in this case. 2. That the City Council does hereby approve the Addendum to the Mitigated Negative Declaration utilizing its independent judgment. A Notice of Determination shall be filed with the County Clerk. 3. That the City Council does hereby approve the First Amendment to El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement. 4. That the City Council does hereby approve the First Amendment to Parking Management Plan ("PMP") for the El Paseo Village Shopping Center Public Parking Easement. 5. That the City Council does hereby approve the First Amendment to Precise Plan PP 07- 10 generally shown on the Preliminary Site Plan dated May 14, 2009, as may be further refined, applying the conditions of approval set forth in Resolution No. 08-42 with the following changes: • Condition No. 11 is no longer applicable due to the June 26, 2008 Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency Resolution No. 550 approving a Second Addendum to Parking Easement Agreement for the Gardens on El Paseo. Reso.Revised.EPV Page 3 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 • Condition No. 12 is amended to read as follows: "The applicants shall enter into amendments to the two existing development agreements for the approval of the above noted project, one amendment relating to the Saks Fifth Avenue expansion project and the other amendment for the El Paseo Village project. These projects are independent of each other; for example their construction schedules and openings may differ. The development agreements, as amended, shall address items including but not limited to: full reciprocity of parking between the existing Gardens on El Paseo and the El Paseo Village remodel, and parking for hybrid vehicles at the El Paseo Village surface parking lot." • Condition No. 14 is amended to read as follows: "The applicant shall provide a First Amendment to El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement for the new surface parking lot." 6. That the City Council's earlier approvals of Precise Plan 07-10 and CUP 07-18 through Resolution 08-42 remain in force and applicable to the Gardens on El Paseo Shopping Center Saks 5th Avenue expansion project and to allow restaurants at the El Paseo Village proj ect. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Palm Desert City Council, held on this 11" day of June 2009, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTEST: BENSON, FERGUSON, FINERTY, KELLY, and SPIEGEL NONE NONE NONE 4‘40(9 4� ROBERT A. SPIEGEI/, Mayr RA HELLE D. KLASSEN, C TY CLERK CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA Reso.Revised.EPV Page 4 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 EXHIBIT A Recording requested by, and when recorded, mail to: City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260 Attn: City Clerk [This instrument is exempt from Documentary Transfer Tax pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Section 11922 and is exempt from Recorder's Fees pursuant to Government Code Sections 6103 and 27383] FIRST AMENDMENT TO EL PASEO VILLAGE PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT AGREEMENT by and between the CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA and EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C. of June 11 ,2009 Page 5 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 FIRST AMENDMENT TO EL PASEO VILLAGE PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT AGREEMENT THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO EL PASEO VILLAGE PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 11 thday of June , 2009, by and between the CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, a municipal corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California (the "City"), and EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the "Developer"). All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement. RECITALS 1. The City and the Developer did enter into that certain El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement dated September 8, 2008 and recorded on October 2, 2008 as Doc #2008- 0537024, in Riverside County, California (the "Agreement"). 2. The City and the Developer are not in default of their respective obligations under the Agreement principally because the Easement is not yet in effect. 3. The City and the Developer desire to amend the Agreement to reflect certain approved changes to the Project, including, inter alia, that the Project will not have a parking deck, but will have only a surface parking area and that the total number of parking spaces will be 182 and not the 295 spaces originally contemplated. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows: 1. The Parking Site Plan attached to the Agreement as Exhibit "B" is deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the First Amended Parking Site Plan attached to this First Amendment as Exhibit "A". 2. Section 1 of the Agreement is deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the following: "Public Parking Easement. Developer hereby grants to City a non-exclusive easement solely for the purpose of providing passenger vehicle parking to one hundred fifty (150) public parking spaces within the surface parking lot of the El Paseo Village Shopping Center. This Easement inures to the benefit of the general public, the Developer and developer's tenants, occupants, employees, customers, invitees and licensees. Developer, on behalf of itself and all future owners of the Property, expressly reserves all of its rights which are not inconsistent with the use and enjoyment of the Easement herein granted, including without limitation, the right to operate a private commercial development. There shall be no residential Page 6 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 parking nor parking provided for employees of other businesses within the El Paseo Village Business District." 3. Section 2 of the El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: "Effective Date and Term of Easement. The term of the Easement and this Agreement shall commence upon the date which the City issues a certificate of occupancy for the project inclusive of the surface parking lot and the City delivers to Developer the amount specified as consideration for this Easement in Development Agreement 07-03, as may be amended (the "Effective Date"). Should the aforementioned conditions not occur, the Easement and this Agreement shall be void ab initio and of no legal force and effect. Should the aforementioned conditions occur, the term of the Easement and this Agreement shall expire and be of no further force and effect on January 1, 2050, unless prior to the expiration date, the parties (or their successors and assigns) in writing terminate this Easement and Agreement." 4. Wherever the term "Parking Deck" appears in the Agreement and Easement, the term shall be replaced with "surface parking lot." 5. Except as expressly set forth in this First Amendment, the terms, provisions and covenants of the Agreement remain unmodified and in full force and effect. 6. This First Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and shall constitute one and the same instrument. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and the Developer have caused this First Amendment to the El Paseo Village Public Parking Easement Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives and the City has caused its seal to be affixed thereto, and attested as to the date first above written. "CITY": CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA By: Attest: (SEAL) City Clerk Mayor STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) ) SS. COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) On this day of , 2009, before me appeared , to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn, did say that he Page 7 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 is the Mayor of the CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, an incorporated political subdivision of the State of California, and that the seal affixed to the foregoing instrument is the seal of said City, and said instrument was signed and sealed in behalf of said City by authority of its City's Board of Councilmen, and said Mayor acknowledged said instrument to be the free act and deed of said City. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal in the County and State aforesaid, the day and year first above written. Notary Public (SEAL) My Commission Expires: Page 8 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 "DEVELOPER": Attest: (SEAL) , Secretary STATE OF ILLINOIS ) ) SS. COUNTY OF ) EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C. a Delaware limited liability company By: Robert Perlmutter, Manager On this day of , 2009, before me appeared to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn, did say that he is the Manager of El Paseo Land Company, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and that he is authorized to sign the instrument on behalf of said company, and acknowledged to me that he executed the within instrument as said company's free act and deed. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal in the County and State aforesaid, the day and year first above written. Notary Public (SEAL) My Commission Expires: Page 9 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 EXHIBIT B FIRST AMENDMENT TO PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN ("PMP") FOR THE EL PASEO VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT by and between the CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA and EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C. of June 11 2009 Page 10 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 FIRST AMENDMENT TO PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN ("PMP") FOR THE EL PASEO VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN ("PMP") FOR THE EL PASEO VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER PUBLIC PARKING EASEMENT is made and entered into as of this 11 thday of June , 2009, by and between the CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA, a municipal corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California (the "City"), and EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the "Developer"). All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the PMP. RECITALS 1. The City and the Developer did enter into that certain Parking Management Plan ("PMP") For The El Paseo Village Shopping Center Public Parking Easement dated September 8, 2008 (the "Agreement"). 2. The City and the Developer are not in default in the performance of their respective obligations under the PMP primarily because the underlying Easement is not yet in effect. 3. The City and the Developer desire to amend the Agreement to reflect certain City approved changes to the El Paseo Village Shopping Center, as allowed by Article 6 of the PMP. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows: 1. Wherever the term "Parking Structure" appears in the PMP, the term shall be replaced with "Parking Lot." 2. Section 1.3 of the Agreement is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: "The Parking Site Plan defines all parking improvements, areas and spaces within the Parking Lot at the El Paseo Village Shopping Center, inclusive of those Improvements for public parking, as may be amended. The current Parking Site Plan is the First Amended Parking Site Plan attached as Exhibit A to the First Amendment to Parking Management Plan ("PMP")." Page 11 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 3. The Parking Site Plan attached to the PMP as Exhibit A is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the First Amended Parking Site Plan attached to the First Amendment to the PMP as Exhibit "A". 4. Except as expressly set forth in this First Amendment, the terms, provisions, covenants and agreements of the PMP remain unmodified and in full force and effect. 5. This First Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and shall constitute on and the same document. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City and the Developer have caused this First Amendment to the Parking Management Plan ("PMP") For The El Paseo Village Shopping Center Public Parking Easement to be executed in their respective names and the City has caused its seal to be affixed thereto, and attested as to the date first above written. "CITY": CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA Attest: Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk "DEVELOPER": By: Robert A. Spiegel, Mayor EL PASEO LAND COMPANY, L.L.C. a Delaware limited liability company By: Robert Perlmutter, Manager Page 12 of 16 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 = I II I I L _ _J 0.1 ) re CNI E • 0 •H a) 4-1 0 a) ra 0 4.4 a) 4.4 4.4 .0° 4-) 4, 4) -H c.) 4,4 0 •H .44 4.4 rtl Any valet parking operation shall first use Page 13 of 16 FIRST AMENDED PARKING SITE PLAN 15 JUNE 2009 DESERT, CA RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 EXHIBIT C ADDENDUM TO INITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND FINDINGS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT ("CEQA") FOR THE REVISED EL PASEO VILLAGE PROJECT PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA BACKGROUND The GARDENS EXPANSION/NEW EL PASEO VILLAGE Project (the "Project") was approved by the City of Palm Desert, California through a series of approvals on or about January 8, 2008 (Architectural Review Commission), February 5, 2008 (Planning Commission), February 28, 2008, May 22, 2008 and June 12, 2008 (City Council). This Project provided for the (i) limited expansion of the existing Saks Fifth Avenue building at the existing Gardens on El Paseo shopping center; and (ii) the redevelopment of the El Paseo Village shopping center. An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration ("MND") was prepared for the Project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines. The MND was circulated for public comment and approved by the Palm Desert City Council through Resolution No. 08-42 adopted on May 22, 2008. In accordance with all Project approvals, the existing El Paseo Village shopping center has been razed. In response to the current downturn in the economy, a reduced redevelopment design has been proposed for the new El Paseo Village portion of the project (the "Reduced Project"). The Reduced Project envisions a one-half reduction in the gross square feet of the original El Paseo Village center, from approximately 70,000 s.f. to about 40,800 s.f. The Reduced Project consists of 3 one-story buildings for retail and restaurant uses with a surface parking lot covering generally the same footprint as the original El Paseo Village center. The original El Paseo Village center consisted of 3 two- story buildings for retail, restaurant and office uses with a one-story parking structure. There are no physical changes proposed for the Saks Fifth Avenue building expansion portion of the Project. The Reduced Project entails certain technical amendments to the approvals issued for the Project in 2008 and also requires a new Precise Plan. These amendments and Precise Plan are materially consistent with the original Project approvals and all CEQA Findings & Addendum for the Reduced El Paseo Village Project (5-12-09) Page 14 of 16 Page 1 of 3 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 applicable development regulations of the City of Palm Desert, including without limitation the City's General Plan, Commercial Core Area Specific Plan, and Zoning Ordinance, inclusive of the C-1 zone standards and scenic preservation overlay standards. CEOA ANALYSIS Review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has already occurred for the Project through the adopted MND. CEQA limits re -review to conditions or circumstances that arise under Public Resources Code Section 21166 and CEQA Guidelines Section 15162. These CEQA laws state no subsequent environmental document such as an EIR or negative declaration shall be prepared for a project unless the lead agency determines, on the basis of substantial evidence in light of the whole record, one or more of the following: (1) substantial changes are proposed in the project which will require major revisions of the previous MND due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; (2) Substantial changes occur with respect to the circumstances under which the project is undertaken which will require major revisions of the previous MND due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; (3) New information of substantial importance, which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time the previous MND was approved as complete shows any of the following: a. The project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the previous MND; b. Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the previous MND; c. Mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible would in fact be feasible but the project proponents decline to adopt such measures or alternative; d. Considerably different mitigation measures or alternatives would substantially reduce one or more significant effects, but the project proponents decline to adopt such measures or alternative Where none of the conditions set forth above occur, with substantial evidence, then the lead agency may determine to prepare an Addendum to the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration. CEQA Guidelines 15162(b) and 15164(b). Reliance upon the earlier MND is cause for the filing of a new Notice of Determination once the Reduced Project is approved accompanied by an Addendum. CEQA Guidelines 15094. CEQA Findings & Addendum for the Reduced El Paseo Village Project (5-12-09) Page 15 of 16 Page2of3 RESOLUTION NO. 09-41 The Reduced Project has been evaluated to determine if there is any substantial evidence of the circumstances or conditions which would warrant a subsequent environmental document. The existing environmental assessments, studies and reports were evaluated and compared with the Reduced Project. All 17 potential environmental impacts studied in the MND were determined to be Less Than Significant, with only Aesthetics, Geology & Soils, Noise and Transportation/Traffic requiring select mitigation measures in order to reach that determination. Due to the fact that this Reduced Project presents a substantial reduction in the size of the original project, its potential physical impacts on the environment are fewer and less intense than the original Project. Its height, massing and scale are significantly reduced, and the parking structure is replaced with an adequate surface parking lot. In addition, this Reduced Project is materially consistent with the existing approvals and land use regulations of the City of Palm Desert. Therefore, there is no substantial evidence that any of the conditions or circumstances which would require a new environmental document are present. This smaller project does not present new or heightened significant effects nor introduce the possibility of new, feasible mitigation measures or alternatives. In conclusion, the lead agency, the City of Palm Desert, in the exercise of its independent judgment, determines that this Addendum is complete and has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of CEQA. The previously adopted MND is incorporated herein by this reference. The City determines that all mitigation measures in the MND remain applicable to the Reduced Project except all those which relate to the parking structure (sometimes referred to as the New El Paseo Village Parking Deck) since the Reduce Project does not contain a parking structure. A notice of determination shall be filed with the County Clerk upon the approval of the Reduced Project. June 11, 2009 Signature — Lauri Aylaian, Community Development Date Director, City of Palm Desert Page i6g o3fo6 CEQA Findings & Addendum for the Reduced El Paseo Village Project (5-12-09)