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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7144 RESOLUTION NO. 7144 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SPECIFIC PLAN NO. SP 15-01, ZONE CHANGE NO. ZC 16-01, AND A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA), FOR THE ARROYO PACIFIC ACADEMY SPECIFIC PLAN AT 325 NORTH SANTA ANITA AVENUE AND 400 ROLYN PLACE WHEREAS, applications were filed by Phillip Clarke, of Arroyo Pacific Academy, for a Specific Plan (SP No. 15-01) and Zone Change (ZC No. 16-01) to facilitate the consolidation of buildings and parcels to create a private high school campus (Arroyo Pacific Academy) at 325 North Santa Anita Avenue and 400 Rolyn Place, hereafter individually and collectively referred to as the "Project"; and WHEREAS, on July 6, 2016, the Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Arroyo Pacific Academy Specific Plan was circulated for public review and comments for 20 days from July 6, 2016 to July 26, 2016; and WHEREAS, the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration concluded that the implementation of the Project will have less-than-significant impacts with mitigation measures for the following areas: Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Noise, Transportation/Traffic, and Utilities and Service Systems; and WHEREAS, when a lead agency approves a project requiring the implementation of measures to mitigate or avoid significant effects on the environment CEQA also requires a lead agency to adopt a mitigation monitoring and reporting program to ensure compliance with the mitigation measures during project implementation, and such a mitigation monitoring and reporting program has been prepared for the Project (the "Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program") for consideration by the decision-maker of the City of Arcadia as lead agency for the Project; and WHEREAS, on July 26, 2016, a duly noticed public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on said applications, including the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence; and WHEREAS, after the public hearing the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 1967 with a 5-0 vote to recommend approval of the Project to the City Council; and WHEREAS, on August 16, 2016, a duly-noticed public hearing was held before the City Council on said applications, including the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration ("IS/MND"), at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. That the factual data submitted by the Development Services Department in the August 16, 2016, staff report and Mitigated Negative Declaration are true and correct. SECTION 2. This Council finds, based upon the entire record: a. That the proposed Specific Plan and Zone Change are consistent with the General Plan and the goals, objectives, polices and action programs of the City's General Plan, and that public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice justify the proposed Specific Plan. 2 FACT: The subject site is identified in the General Plan as an expansion of the Downtown area for future urban development. The Specific Plan provides a General Plan consistency analysis in Section 1 that describes the project's consistency with General Plan goals related to Land Use, Economic Development, Circulation and Infrastructure, Parks, Recreation and Community Resources, and Resource Sustainability. The most important discussion related to General Plan consistency is land use. Given its location on the active Santa Anita corridor, it is important that the building be memorable and be at scale with the street. This portion of Santa Anita Avenue has a disparate group of uses that can be tied together through architecture and relationship to the street. The recently constructed Mercedes Benz dealership has been completed a few blocks south, and a new office building and residential project have been approved on nearby parcels along this stretch of Santa Anita Avenue. All of these projects are modern and contemporary in their architecture and all will make bold statements on this stretch of Santa Anita. The new building proposed for the Arroyo Pacific Academy will provide a presence along the street that will add to the vitality of the area. This area is an excellent example of General Plan Land Use Goal LU-1: "A balance of land uses that preserves Arcadia's status as a Community of Homes and a community of opportunity," and Land Use Goal LU-6, "Attractive and vibrant commercial corridors that provide for the retail, commercial, and office needs of Arcadia with expanded opportunities for mixed use development." The private school offers an active and complementary land use in this area that will promote business activity in 3 neighboring uses and heighten the visibility of the area. The Project is consistent with the General Plan. b. The proposed Specific Plan or Specific Plan amendment will not adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare or result in an illogical land use pattern. FACT: The Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Specific Plan analyzed all the potential impacts, and all the Project impacts are less than significant or can be reduced to less than significant levels with the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures. Therefore, the proposed Project would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare. In addition, the current layout of Arroyo Pacific's buildings is disconnected and results in students going back and forth on a commercially zoned street. The consolidation of this use into a campus provides a more logical land use pattern that will minimize conflicts with surrounding uses and buildings. Further, the proposed building to be placed along Santa Anita Avenue will provide a memorable entry statement for the site and add to the vitality of the area. c. The Specific Plan or proposed Specific Plan amendment is a desirable planning tool to implement the provisions of the City's General Plan. FACT: The Specific Plan is the appropriate process to implement the provisions of the General Plan for this land use. While the use is not a commercial use, it is imperative that the City be flexible and nimble in the treatment of its commercial corridors. Retail is retracting in many ways since the Great Recession and as a result of online shopping and consumer preference. As a result, commercial corridors need to evolve and allow uses in areas where heretofore they may not have been desirable. In this case, Arroyo Pacific Academy has been operating in this area for a number of 4 years. The Specific Plan provides a method of consolidating the existing uses with a new building in a cohesive way. As such, the Specific Plan is a desirable planning tool to further the redevelopment of this area. d. That the findings in this Resolution are based upon the information and evidence set forth in the IS/MND and upon other substantial evidence that has been presented at the hearing and in the Project record. The documents, staff report, technical studies, appendices, plans, and other materials that constitute the Project record on which this Resolution is based are on file for public examination, and each of those documents is incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 3. That for the foregoing reasons the City Council approves Specific Plan No. SP 15-01, Zone Change No. ZC 16-01, and the Mitigated Negative Declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act, subject to the recommended conditions of approval, and the Mitigation Measures, Conditions, and Regulatory Requirements contained in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. SECTION 4. The Secretary shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. [SIGNATURES ON THE NEXT PAGE] 5 Passed, approved and adopted this 16th day of August , 2016 Mayor of the City f Arcadia ATTEST: • _Citq I: APPROVED AS TO FORM: Stephen P. Deitch City Attorney 6 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS: CITY OF ARCADIA ) I, GENE GLASCO, City Clerk of the City of Arcadia, hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution No. 7144 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Arcadia, signed by the Mayor and attested to by the City Clerk at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 16th day of August, 2016 and that said Resolution was adopted by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Chandler, Tay, Verlato, and Amundson NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Beck Hof th City of Arcadia