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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 1a: Medical Office DevelopmentDATE: May 7, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director By: Jim Kasama, Community Development Administrator Prepared by: Tim Schwehr, Associate Planner SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF SPECIFIC PLAN NO. SP 13-01, TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP NO. TPM 13-01, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA 13-01, ZONE CHANGE NO. ZC 13-01, AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. ADR 13-04FOR A FOUR-STORY, 70,096 SQUARE FOOT MEDICAL OFFICE DEVELOPMENT AT 289 W. HUNTINGTON DRIVE. Recommendation: Conditional Approval and introduction of Ordinance Nos. 2307 and 2308 and adoption of Resolution Nos. 6865 and 6866 SUMMARY The applicant proposes to build a four-story, 70,096 square foot medical office building with a 366 space surface parking lot at 289 W. Huntington Drive, and a pedestrian bridge over Huntington Drive connecting the proposed building with the Methodist Hospital property at 300 W. Huntington Drive. The project site at 289 W. Huntington Drive consists of 185,177 square feet (4.25 acres) of the 301 acre Santa Anita Park property, and is within the southerly 85 acre development area designated for future commercial development - aerial photos of the site are attached. The proposed project requires approval of the following applications:  A Specific Plan to develop 4.25 acres of the Santa Anita Park property with a medical office development.  A Tentative Parcel Map to subdivide 185,177 square feet (4.25 acres) from two existing parcels totaling 13,143,859 square feet (301 acres).  A General Plan Amendment to revise the General Plan Designation from Santa Anita Commercial (0.3 FAR) to Commercial (0.5 FAR). SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 2 of 16  A Zone Change to revise the zoning from S-1 (Special Uses) to SP-SA1 (Specific Plan – Santa Anita1).  Architectural Design Review approval of the proposed building and pedestrian bridge. This proposal was presented to the Planning Commission at their regular meeting on April 9, 2013, for their consideration and recommendation to the City Council. At this meeting, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 1869 (attached) recommending to the City Council conditional approval of these applications, subject to staff’s recommended conditions of approval, which included a requirement to further enhance the design of the east, west, and south sides of the building to improve the aesthetics of the project and more closely match the front entrance of the building (north elevation). It is recommended that the City Council conditionally approve the project and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration by introducing Ordinance Nos. 2307 and 2308 and adopting Resolution Nos. 6865 and 6866. DISCUSSION The Santa Anita Park property encompasses approximately 301 acres, bounded by Huntington Drive on the south and east, Baldwin Avenue and the Westfield Santa Anita mall on the west, and Colorado Place on the north and east (see attached aerial photos). The major elements of the site consist of the dirt and turf tracks, infield area, Grandstand and clubhouse structures, Paddock Gardens and related buildings to the south of the Grandstand, and other various ancillary uses, including stables, grooms’ quarters, maintenance facilities/yard and surface parking lots with approximately 15,550 parking spaces. The proposed project would be developed on 4.25 acres of the 301 acre site, located in the southeastern parking lot area adjacent to an existing medical office building. Photos of the site and the surrounding properties are attached. Properties to the southeast and east of the site are developed with the Methodist Hospital and associated medical offices, Arcadia City Hall and the Police Station. In August 2006, the Keeper of the National Register determined that portions of Santa Anita Park were eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The proposed project does not impact this determination as it does not impact any of the existing structures on site. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 3 of 16 The zoning of the site is a combination of S-1 (Special Use Zone-Horse Racing) and R-1 (Single-Family Residential). The S-1 & R-1 Zoning of Santa Anita Park have been in place since the 1950’s. The S-1 Zone, where the subject property is located, permits horse racing and related uses and encompasses much of the Santa Anita Park property. The medical office building property directly to the southwest is zoned CO-H6 (Commercial Office with a Height Overlay of 6 stories). This property was subdivided from the Santa Anita Park property in 1985; construction of the medical office development was completed in 1987. A pedestrian bridge across Huntington Drive connects the medical office building with Methodist Hospital. The proposal would develop a 4.25 acre portion of the Santa Anita Park parking lot with a four-story, 70,096 square foot medical office building and a 366 space surface parking lot. A pedestrian bridge across Huntington Drive connecting the proposed development with the Methodist Hospital property is also proposed. The project has a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.38. The new four-story medical office building would have a maximum height of 63’-6”. The architecture is contemporary in style featuring blue-green colored spandrel glass, off- white and tan colored walls, aluminum storefront windows and glass, and slate accent tiles. The proposed materials, colors, and details are characteristic of contemporary commercial office buildings. It was recommended that the design of the east, west, and south elevations of the building be enhanced to have a higher quality appearance consistent with the north elevation. These proposed enhancements are shown on the attached renderings. A detailed discussion of this issue is presented later in this staff report within the Architectural Design section. The pedestrian bridge would extend from the second floor of the office building at the east elevation and cross Huntington Drive with a 15 foot height clearance to a proposed elevator tower on the Methodist Hospital property. The elevator tower is proposed at approximately 28 feet in height and is situated in a landscaped area adjacent to the Methodist Hospital building. It will not connect directly with any of the Medical Center buildings. The use of the pedestrian bridge would be restricted to physicians and authorized personnel. The existing medical office building at 301 W. Huntington Drive has a similar pedestrian bridge across Huntington Drive; however, this bridge connects directly with the second floor of the hospital. The proposed surface parking lot includes 366 parking spaces, with ingress and egress to the parking lot at Huntington Drive, Centennial Way, and an interior roadway of Santa Anita Park. There is a 60 foot long passenger loading area near the northwest corner of the building. A 40’ x 18’ commercial loading area is proposed in the southwest corner of the parking lot. A parking agreement has been reached between the developer and Santa Anita Park that would allow the Racetrack to utilize the medical office parking SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 4 of 16 spaces on all Saturdays and Sundays, public holidays, weekdays after 6:00 p.m., and when a Breeders’ Cup event is held. City approval of the final version of the parking agreement is recommended as a condition of approval. This project requires approval of applications for a Specific Plan, General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, Tentative Parcel Map, and Architectural Design Review Application. Each of these applications is described below. Specific Plan Since 1996, the City’s General Plan has designated 85 acres of the southerly Racetrack parking lot as “Commercial” and described the type of project envisioned for this area. Specifically, the General Plan states that “new development within the portion of the Racetrack designated Commercial is to be implemented through a Specific Plan”. Even though a single medical office building is not the target for such a process, it is important that the Hale Medical Center project is processed as a Specific Plan in accordance with Sections 9296 et seq. of the Arcadia Municipal Code. These sections of the Municipal Code establish the authority for a legislative body to adopt a Specific Plan when it is in the public interest to do so. A Specific Plan is a legislative tool that implements the General Plan by combining zoning requirements and development regulations that are tailored to a specific property or location. Specific Plans are commonly used for unique sites, large sites, or areas that require special attention. The Santa Anita Park property is clearly a unique site within the City of Arcadia; however, the proposed project represents only 4.25 acres of the 85 acres designated for commercial development. Because the Specific Plan process is typically only initiated for parcels far greater in size, the concept of this project was brought to the City Council on October 2, 2012 (see attached study session minutes). The City Council reasoned that a Specific Plan would be the appropriate process in this case, to be consistent with the General Plan and the importance of this overall site. The City Council did initially express concern with the possibility that by “breaking off” this 4.25 acre parcel, the commercially-designated 85 acres of the site would be “piecemealed” and not developed in a consistent fashion. After discussion, it was determined that the project concept could move forward as a Specific Plan because of the location and synergy with the hospital and the existing 301 W. Huntington Office building. However, the City Council clearly articulated that they felt that the remainder of the commercial property on the Santa Anita property should be part of a cohesive master plan for the site, and that additional small-scale use of the parking area would need to be part of a coordinated phasing plan for the development of the site. Based on this, a Specific Plan has been proposed for the project. The Specific Plan will include the site plan for the development, the conditions of approval, the Initial Environmental Study and Mitigation Measures, and the associated SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 5 of 16 technical studies that were prepared for the project. If approved, the Specific Plan will be incorporated into the Arcadia Municipal Code, and will be shown as such on the official Zoning Map of the City as SP-SA1 (Specific Plan, Santa Anita 1). The Specific Plan includes development standards tailored to this site. Standards include building height, setbacks from Huntington Drive, lighting, parking, loading, and signage. The project has been developed mostly in accordance with the Commercial Office zoning, including a Height Overlay of six stories (CO-H6). This is the zoning of the adjacent property (301 West Huntington Drive) and is the most logical and consistent zoning for this site and location to use as a model. A Specific Plan may alter Zoning standards to fit the unique characteristics of the area within the Plan. In this case, the proposed Specific Plan development standards match the development standards of the CO-H6 zoning/height overlay, with the following minor variations:  Parking lot landscaping as proposed in lieu of 10% of the total parking lot area and one tree for every five parking spaces. The project provides approximately 10% overall landscaping throughout, but does not provide 10% for the total parking lot area or one tree for every five parking spaces. This is due to the fact that this is an existing parking lot and the landscaping and trees have been added mostly to the perimeter of the site, along Huntington Drive and the entrance from Centennial Way, where they add more value. This is a preferable option to removing existing parking area to insert landscaping islands and planters to meet the letter of the Code on this issue.  Passenger and commercial loading as proposed in lieu of seven 25’ x 10’ striped loading spaces for a 70,096 square-foot commercial building. The Municipal Code requires one loading area per 10,000 sq. ft. of building without consideration to land use. Medical office uses do not require this level of loading for large vehicles and equipment at the rear of the building; rather, there is a heightened demand for pickup/drop off spaces near the entrance. In reaction to this, the applicant has provided a large commercial loading space as well as a drop-off area in front of the building, which is much more suitable for the medical office use. The surface parking lot includes 366 total spaces, with ingress and egress to the parking lot at Huntington Drive, Centennial Way, and an internal roadway of Santa Anita Park at the west perimeter of the site. The parking requirement for this project is subject to the development standards of the Specific Plan, which in accordance with CO-H6 zoning requires 350 parking spaces. With 366 spaces provided, the project has a parking surplus of 16 spaces. A 60 foot long loading area is proposed near the northeast corner of the building. A 40’ x 18’ commercial loading/delivery area is provided in the southwest corner of the parking lot. A parking agreement between SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 6 of 16 Santa Anita Park and the developer has been reached and would allow the Racetrack to utilize the medical office parking spaces on all Saturdays and Sundays, public holidays, weekdays after 6:00 p.m., and when a Breeder’s Cup Event is held. City approval of the final version of the parking agreement is recommended as a condition of approval. The site plan and Initial Environmental Study provide information on transportation and circulation, existing and proposed water facilities, existing and proposed sewer/wastewater facilities, solid waste facilities, stormwater/drainage facilities, utilities, and information on police and fire protection. With the mitigation measures and conditions outlined in this staff report, the project will comply with all City and State requirements. A Traffic Impact Analysis was prepared by Linscott Law & Greenspan (LLG) to forecast peak hour vehicle trip generation, anticipate distribution of project vehicle trips, and analyze existing intersection/corridor operations. The following intersections were studied: 1. Baldwin Avenue/Huntington Drive 2. Gate 3-Holly Avenue/Huntington Drive 3. Colorado Place/Huntington Drive 4. Santa Clara Street/Huntington Drive 5. Santa Anita Avenue/Huntington Drive 6. Centennial Way/West Huntington Drive 7. Centennial Way/East Huntington Drive Based on the analysis, the proposed project is expected to generate 172 additional vehicle trips during the AM peak hour, 257 trips during the PM peak hour, and 2,602 total trips on a typical weekday. It was concluded that the proposed project will not create significant traffic impacts at any of the study intersections, and the levels-of- service (LOS) will remain the same. The conclusions of the Traffic Impact Analysis are included as an attachment to this staff report. The proposed project will be tied-in to the existing sewer main on Huntington Drive, which is considered to be deficient according to the City’s Public Works Department because of a small “pinch-point” portion of the pipe near Holly Avenue. Based on the Los Angeles County Average Daily Sewage Design Standard, estimated tributary flow to the sewer system from the new project will be substantially more than the previous loading from the property. Based on the load calculations provided by the applicant, Arcadia’s Public Works Department determined that in all cases, the flow would be considered greater than the design capacity of a portion of the existing pipe. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 7 of 16 A project to address the current sewer main deficiency is under consideration in the City’s Capital Improvement Program to design the necessary improvements in Fiscal Year 2014-15 and to construct the improvements in Fiscal Year 2015-16. The developer has submitted an area sewer study to determine the impact of the project on the sewer system. Prior to the issuance of a building permit for the project, the developer must pay a fair share of the construction cost of this sewer project. Based on the area sewer study, this fair share contribution will not exceed 5% of the total project cost. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, if the necessary improvements have not been constructed, the developer shall be required to construct the necessary improvements and a reimbursement agreement will be developed to reimburse the developer for the cost of the project with the exception of the fair share contribution. The above requirement is included in the recommended conditions of approval for this project. Implementation of the Specific Plan will require coordination between the developer and the property owner of the Racetrack. This partnership will pay for all on-site improvements and will pay for all off-site improvements needed to mitigate specific impacts of the development identified in the Initial Environmental Study. The mitigations and Project requirements, both on and off site, are listed in the attached Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). Part of the review of a Specific Plan document is to determine whether there is a need for a market study or market feasibility analysis. In this case, although the proposed project is a single-use project, it was concluded that there was a need to have a greater understanding of the demand for medical office uses in the City of Arcadia. This was primarily due to the fact that, recently, a project proposing 40,000 square feet of medical office space was approved by the City Council. In addition, the subject project is 70,000 square feet in size and there is a third medical office building project under consideration in the immediate area. The Development Services Department retained the services of Keyser Marston Associates to evaluate the medical office market conditions in this area. The attached “Arcadia Office Market Study” reviewed socio-economic characteristics, employment and business information, an office overview, broker interviews, and a number of additional details to evaluate demand for medical office space. Among the conclusions of the report, Keyser Marston states that over the next five years there is approximately 80,000 square feet of market support (including the filling of vacant space and areas outside the City) for medical space. Brokers indicate that there is near term demand of between 30,000-60,000 square feet of medical office demand in the area. Finally, the Study concludes that there is approximately 280,000 square feet of medical related office space potential within the three-mile market area in the next 15 years. A copy of the market study is included as an attachment to this staff report. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 8 of 16 If the subject property AND the previously approved project at 161 Colorado Place are both constructed, this would provide 110,000 square feet of medical office space in close proximity to Methodist Hospital. While this exceeds the Study’s projections of local near-term demand for medical office space, it also presents an opportunity to contain the majority of the expected future demand within the three-mile area to the City of Arcadia. The applicant indicates that lease commitments to fill 60% of the proposed square footage are already in place. General Plan Amendment In September 1996, the City Council adopted a General Plan update. As a result of the many public hearings relating to that update and, in particular, Santa Anita Park, 85 acres of the southerly Racetrack parking lot previously designated for “Horse Racing” was changed to “Commercial” with a 0.3 Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Further, in the Community Development Section of the General Plan, it identified “Land Use Transitions”, noting that the “Arcadia General Plan projects land use patterns well into the future and it plans for an increase in the intensity of development. Key to this approach are four areas which are currently undergoing transition or possess opportunity for transition in the future.” One of the areas identified was the Santa Anita Racetrack. The General Plan incorporates specific language regarding these four areas. In the “Santa Anita Racetrack” portion, the text notes in part: The Santa Anita Racetrack is a key community feature, and an important component of Arcadia’s character. The retention of live horse racing at this facility, and the ongoing economic vitality of the Racetrack are also critical to Arcadia’s future fiscal health. Over the past ten years, there has been a reduction in attendance at the Santa Anita Racetrack, largely due to the advent of off-track wagering facilities and a long-term downturn in the racing industry. As a result, it is no longer necessary to reserve both of the Racetrack’s large open parking areas exclusively for Racetrack event parking. The combination of dwindling attendance and the potential availability of a portion of the Racetrack’s parking areas for other uses has given rise to much community discussion regarding the positives and negatives of permitting additional uses within the Racetrack’s parking areas. It is Arcadia’s long-term vision to retain live horse racing at the Santa Anita Racetrack and to preserve the existing Grandstand structure. There also exists the opportunity to create a development of urban intensity in the Racetrack’s southerly [emphasis added] parking lot which recognizes the unique attributes of the Racetrack to the north and the Santa Anita Fashion Park mall to the west and to cultivate this unique combination of regional attractions in a cohesive center… SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 9 of 16 In 2010, the City completed a substantial General Plan Update. The Update included substantial review of the language included for this property. The determination was made that the vision for the area was the same as it had been in 1996. The only new language added to the General Plan was relative to any project that might occur in the event that horse racing no longer occurs on site. The detailed language included in the General Plan is intended for a large, integrated commercial/retail project. Therefore, the vast majority of the General Plan language is not applicable to the current project. Nevertheless, it is important to evaluate this project in accordance with the General Plan to ensure that the development of this portion of Santa Anita Park would not inhibit the future development envisioned in the General Plan. The Hale Medical Center Specific Plan is consistent with the General Plan language. As has been stated, the General Plan is focused on a large commercial development in the southern parking lot. This project represents only 5% of the commercially-designated property on the Racetrack property and 1.4% of the entire site. The General Plan states, on Page 2-66 that “Office uses should at most be a minor portion of new development and be supportive of the overall commercial character of the site”. In addition, Page 2- 69 of the General Plan states that, “It is likely that new development will occur in a number of increments. Individual increments need to yield a cohesive, viable mix of uses, and should not be predicated on the construction of a subsequent increment. Development needs to appear complete.” This is the first “increment” to be developed, but as such it meets the intent of the General Plan and does not conflict with any General Plan goals. The only actual General Plan Amendment that is required concerns Floor Area Ratio. The entire 85 acres of the southerly racetrack property includes a FAR Overlay of 0.3. This was put in place in 1996 as a way to ensure that development of all 85 acres did not overwhelm the Grandstand and other surrounding uses. However, this is the lowest FAR found anywhere in the City. The vast majority of commercial property in the City, including the adjacent 301 W. Huntington Drive property, has an FAR of 0.5. Because this Specific Plan will only apply to the 4.25 acre property included in the proposal, the applicant is requesting a General Plan Amendment to change the FAR to 0.5 to be consistent with the adjacent property and the rest of the commercial property in Arcadia. In actuality, the FAR proposed is less than 0.5, as the 70,096 square foot medical office building represents an FAR of 0.38 on this site. This amendment reflects the unique nature of this site. The General Plan has a number of applicable strategies and overall goals for the subject property, including a goal to preserve views of the Racetrack from Huntington Drive to the south. The proposed development would not obstruct views of the Grandstand from Huntington Drive at the southern portion of the site. The project is oriented in the best possible location on the site to preserve views. The building is oriented with its narrow axis towards Huntington SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 10 of 16 Drive. Views of the Grandstand will remain intact along this stretch of Huntington Drive until an individual is directly adjacent to the new building. In fact, the existing 301 W. Huntington Drive building is situated in a similar manner to the proposed structure. As such, no General Plan Amendment is needed related to view preservation of the Grandstand and no additional Amendments to the General Plan are sought. The proposed building is compliant with any commercial development zone in the City that has an H6 or greater Height Overlay, does not include a parking structure, and does not convey an overly massive appearance in this area. For these reasons, the increase in FAR for this property is appropriate. Zone Change Currently, the 85 southern acres of the Santa Anita Park site are Zoned S-1 and R-1. The addition of the Specific Plan will create a new zone of “SP-SA1” over the 4.25 acre project site. There will be no change to the zoning of the remainder of the site. A Zoning Map showing the proposed revision is attached to this staff report. The proposed breakdown of the zoning is shown in the table below: Zoning Acres Proposed Development SP-SA1 4.25 Hale Medical Center – Medical Office Use S-1 & R-1 80.75 Horse Racing & Parking Lot – Same as current All development within the SP-SA1 Zone will be consistent with the provisions of the Specific Plan. To facilitate the zone change, a new zoning designation will be added by amending Section 9231.21.1 within the Establishment of Zones Division in the Arcadia Municipal Code to read as follows: 9231.21.1 SP-SA1- SPECIFIC PLAN – SANTA ANITA 1 And, the following will replace the existing language in Section 9297: 9297 PURPOSE AND INTENT Specific Plan Santa Anita 1 is a planning tool to guide development and design of the Hale Medical Center building and includes the zoning designation of SP-SA1. Regulations and design elements for the SP-SA1 zone, with related implementing actions, are set forth in Ordinance No. 2307 adopting Specific Plan – Santa Anita 1 for the Hale Medical Center. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 11 of 16 Tentative Parcel Map The proposed Tentative Parcel Map (attached) would subdivide 4.25 acres from two existing parcels totaling 301.74 acres. Subdividing the development site from the rest of the property will facilitate the sale or leasing of the site. Unlike the medical office development at 301 W. Huntington Drive, this site would remain connected to the Santa Anita Park property by three vehicular driveways at the west and north ends of the parking lot. A parking agreement has been reached between the developer and the owners of Santa Anita Park (see discussion in the Specific Plan section of this staff report). The new parcel complies with all of the City’s subdivision requirements. To ensure that vehicular access remains open between the two properties, a vehicular access easement is recommended to be added to the Parcel Map as a condition of approval. Architectural Design Santa Anita Park is a world class site and any new project should read as an excellent addition to this site. The Development Services Department’s response to the original design proposal was that the elevations, while complementary to Methodist Hospital, were rather generic in appearance for this particular site. The recommendation to the developer was to consider additional design features, architectural treatments, building articulation, site amenities, decorative pavers, landscaping, or other unique features to make the project an excellent addition to the site; particularly at the east elevation. In response to this comment, slate tile treatments were added to the east elevation at the junction of the pedestrian bridge. The remainder of the design was as originally proposed. At the April 9, 2013, Planning Commission Meeting, the architecture of the project was reviewed by the Planning Commission. Staff’s recommendation at this meeting was that further revisions be made to the east, west, and south sides of the building to improve the aesthetics of the project and more closely match the front entrance of the building (north elevation). One specific suggestion was to incorporate glass curtain projections into these elevations to correspond with the large glass curtain design element at the front entrance to the building (north elevation). Minor revisions were also recommended for the pedestrian bridge and Methodist Hospital elevator tower. The Planning Commission agreed with this assessment, and the recommended revisions to the architecture were included as Condition Nos. 2 and 3 of the Planning Commission’s recommendation to the City Council for this project (Resolution No. 1869). Since the Planning Commission meeting, the developer has presented staff with revised renderings to meet staff’s original recommendation. These are positive changes which will add to the overall aesthetic of the design. The east, west, and south elevations have been modified by adding accents and architectural features to the tower elements to make them more prominent. In addition, the rear (south) elevation has been modified by SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 12 of 16 adding a horizontal “cap” feature to the roofline and additional articulation and vertical elements to recall the glass element on the front (north) elevation. The attached renderings depict the modified elevations. At the April 9, 2013, Planning Commission meeting, minor adjustments were recommended to the location of the elevator tower and pedestrian bridge support column to comply with the City’s setback and driveway visibility requirements (Condition No. 3 of Resolution No. 1869). Since the Planning Commission meeting, the developer has revised the bridge support column to comply with the sidewalk setback requirement. On further investigation, it was found that the driveway adjacent to the proposed elevator tower is an entrance only driveway, with “no exit” signs displayed prohibiting/discouraging use of the driveway as an exit. As such, the visibility area requirement is not applicable to this driveway, and no revision is needed to the location of the elevator tower. At the April 9, 2013, Planning Commission meeting, the landscaping of the project was reviewed by the Planning Commission. Staff’s recommendation at this meeting was to revise the landscaping to provide a five foot landscaped buffer between the parking lot and the east property line, and enhance the landscaping between the medical office building and Huntington Drive. The Planning Commission agreed with this assessment, and the recommended revisions to the landscaping were included as Condition No. 4 of the Planning Commission’s recommendation to the City Council for this project. Since the Planning Commission meeting, the developer has revised the landscaping to incorporate these recommendations into the design. As such, no further revisions are recommended to the landscaping, and the landscaping recommendation has been eliminated from the recommended Conditions of Approval. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Development Services Department prepared the attached Initial Study and a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed project. With the mitigation measures, the project was determined to have less than significant impacts. A detailed review is included in the Initial Study. The City has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). The Initial Study/Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration was circulated for public review, for a period of 20 days (April 15, 2013, to May 7, 2013). CEQA also requires the lead agency (City of Arcadia) to specify the location and custodian of the documents and other materials which constitute the record of proceedings upon which the lead agency’s environmental determination is based. These documents were made available at Arcadia City Hall and at the Arcadia Public Library. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 13 of 16 PUBLIC NOTICE/COMMENTS Public hearing notices for this item were mailed on April 16, 2013, to the property owners and tenants of those properties that are located within 1,000 feet of the subject property – see the attached radius map. Pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the public hearing notice was published in the Arcadia Weekly on April 15, 2013, including the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration, which was filed with the L.A. County Recorder’s Office for the required 20-day posting on April 16, 2013. As of Tuesday, April 30, 2013, staff had not received any comments in response to the notices. FISCAL IMPACT There is no expected fiscal impact to the City as a result of this project. The developer will pay a fair share amount for the necessary upgrade to the sewer system, and will pay all other necessary utility and development costs. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council conditionally approve the project and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration by introducing the attached Ordinance Nos. 2307 and 2308 and Resolution Nos. 6865 and 6866, subject to the following conditions: 1. The final map for the Tentative Parcel Map shall include a vehicular access easement at the north and west sides of the new 4.25 acre parcel with the remaining Santa Anita Park property. Prior to final approval of the medical office building, the final map for the Tentative Parcel Map shall be approved and recorded at the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office. 2. The elevator tower at the Methodist Hospital site and pedestrian bridge across Huntington Drive shall be revised as follows:  The design of the elevator tower shall be revised to limit the use of slate tile to a secondary accent material. The remainder of the tower shall feature materials, colors, and details consistent with the adjacent Methodist Hospital building. The revised design shall be subject to the approval of the Development Services Director.  The design of the pedestrian bridge support column shall be revised to limit the use of slate tile to a secondary accent material. The remainder of the façade shall feature materials, colors, and details consistent with the medical office building. The revised design shall be subject to the approval of the Development Services Director. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 14 of 16 3. A project to address the current sewer main deficiency is under consideration in the City’s Capital Improvement Program to design the necessary improvements in Fiscal Year 2014-15 and to construct the improvements in Fiscal Year 2015-16. The developer has submitted an area sewer study to determine the impact of the project on the sewer system. Prior to the issuance of a building permit for the project, the developer must pay a fair share of the construction cost of this sewer project. Based on the area sewer study, this fair share contribution will not exceed 5% of the total project cost. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, if the necessary improvements have not been constructed, the developer shall be required to construct the necessary improvements and a reimbursement agreement will be developed to reimburse the developer for the cost of the project with the exception of the fair share contribution. 4. A parking agreement shall be required to allow Santa Anita Park to utilize the parking lot of the medical office development on all Saturdays and Sundays, public holidays, weekdays after 6:00 p.m., and when a Breeders’ Cup Event is held. The City shall review and approve the final version of the parking agreement prior to the issuance of any building permits. Any changes or alterations to the approved parking agreement shall be subject to the City’s review and approval. 5. A license agreement with the City shall be obtained for construction of the pedestrian bridge across Huntington Drive. 6. The project shall comply with all of the conditions and mitigation measures listed in the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) prepared for this project. 7. All City requirements regarding disabled access and facilities, occupancy limits, building safety, health code compliance, emergency equipment, environmental regulation compliance, and parking and site design shall be complied with to the satisfaction of the Building Official, City Engineer, Development Services Director, Fire Marshal, and Public Works Services Director. Any changes to the facilities or structures may be subject to the issuance of permits after having fully detailed plans submitted to the City for plan check review and approval. 8. The uses approved by these applications shall be operated and maintained in a manner that is consistent with the proposal and plans submitted and approved; and shall be subject to periodic inspections, after which the provisions of this approval may be adjusted after due notice to address any adverse impacts to the adjacent streets, rights-of-way, and/or the neighboring businesses, residents, or properties. SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 15 of 16 9. Noncompliance with the plans, provisions and conditions of approval shall be grounds for immediate suspension or revocation of any approvals, which could result in the closing of the on-site businesses. 10. The applicant shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Arcadia and its officers, employees, and agents from and against any claim, action, or proceeding against the City of Arcadia, its officers, employees or agents to attack, set aside, void, or annul any approval or condition of approval of the City of Arcadia concerning this project and/or land use decision, including but not limited to any approval or condition of approval of the City Council, Planning Commission, or City Staff, which action is brought within the time period provided for in Government Code Section 66499.37 or other provision of law applicable to this project or decision. The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding concerning the project and/or land use decision and the City shall cooperate fully in the defense of the matter. The City reserves the right, at its own option, to choose its own attorney to represent the City, its officers, employees, and agents in the defense of the matter. 11. Approval of these applications shall not become effective until the property owner(s) and applicant(s) have executed and filed with the Development Services Department an Acceptance Form to indicate awareness and acceptance of these conditions of approval. RECOMMENDED ACTION It is recommended that the City Council conditionally approve the project and adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration by introducing Ordinance Nos. 2307 and 2308 and adopting Resolution Nos. 6865 and 6866: Introduce Ordinance No. 2307 adopting Specific Plan – Santa Anita 1 and the Specific Land Use Regulations contained therein for The Hale Medical Center on the property located at 289 West Huntington Drive. Introduce Ordinance No. 2308 making certain amendments to the text of the Arcadia Zoning Code; and amending the zoning designation of certain property within the City from “S-1” to “SP-SA1” with respect to The Hale Medical Center Specific Plan. Adopt Resolution No. 6865 Approving General Plan Amendment No. GPA 13-01 to change the General Plan Land Use Designation of the property at 289 W. Huntington Drive from “Santa Anita Park Commercial (0.3 FAR)” to “Commercial (0.5 FAR).” SP 13-01, TPM 13-01, GPA 13-01, ZC 13-01, & ADR 13-04 289 W. Huntington Drive May 7, 2013 Page 16 of 16 Adopt Resolution No. 6866 approving Architectural Design Review No. ADR 13-04 for a four-story, 70,096 square foot medical office development at 289 West Huntington Drive. Attachments: Aerial Photos of Site Planning Commission Resolution No. 1869 Photos of the Subject Site and Surrounding Properties Architectural Plans & Renderings City Council Study Session Minutes from October 2, 2012 Traffic Impact Analysis Conclusions Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Arcadia Office Market Study by Keyser Marston Associates Proposed Revision to Zoning Map Tentative Parcel Map No. 72193 Radius Map Ordinance Nos. 2307 and 2308 Resolution Nos. 6865 and 6866