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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7227 RESOLUTION NO. 7227 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA 18-01 TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM RESIDENTIAL DENSITY AND HEIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN MIXED USE ZONE ("DMU") AND IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ("CBD") ZONE, AND AMEND THE COMMERCIAL LAND USE DESIGNATION TO CLEARLY DEFINE THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND ADOPT AN ADDENDUM TO THE 2010 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND 2016 DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia Development Services Department initiated a General Plan Amendment, Zone Change and a Text Amendment, to increase the residential density and building height limit in the Downtown Mixed Use ("DMU") and Central Business District ("CBD") Zones, remove the Downtown Overlay from parcels with a CBD zoning classification, allow an In-lieu Parking Fee as a parking option for new development in the DMU and CBD Zones and within the Downtown area, and approve a new City Center Design Plan, which will provide additional design guidelines for development in the DMU and CBD Zones described in the staff report dated July 17, 2018. The General Plan Amendment ("Amendments") are reflected in Exhibit "A" attached to this Resolution; and WHEREAS, the proposed Amendments would increase the residential density from 30-50 units per acre up to 80 units per acre and increase the maximum building height from 50 feet to 60 feet in the DMU Zone, and the residential density in the CBD zone will be increased from 13 units per acre to 80 units per acre and the maximum building height will be increased from 48 feet to 60 feet in the CBD Zone. The Amendments will also include minor changes to the General Plan Land Use and 1 Community Design Element to clearly define the CBD and provide consistency with the Development Code; and WHEREAS, on June 6, 2018, an Addendum was completed to the 2010 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report and 2016 Development Code Update Mitigated Negative Declaration ("Addendum"). Pursuant to Sections 15162 and 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines, based on analysis presented in the Addendum, no new significant impacts would result from the Amendments. In addition, the Amendments would not result in any substantial increase in the severity of any previously identified significant impacts and no new mitigation measures would be required. Specifically, transportation impacts would be reduced when compared to what was anticipated in the impact assessments of the Certified 2010 PEIR and the Certified 2016 MND, due to a decrease of approximately 209,764 square feet of area available for commercial development as a result of the proposed Amendments. Therefore, the proposed Amendments to the General Plan and Development Code would not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare; and WHEREAS, on July 17, 2018, a duly noticed public hearing was held before the City Council on said Amendments, including the Addendum, at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence; and WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have been fulfilled. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: 2 SECTION 1. The factual data submitted by the Development Services Department in the attached report and Addendum are true and correct. SECTION 2. The City Council finds based upon the entire record, including all written and oral evidence presented, pursuant to the Arcadia Development Code, all of the following findings can be made: General Plan Amendment Findings: 1. That amendment is internally consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. FACT: The proposed Amendments will be consistent with the goals, policies and actions of the General Plan by furthering the Land Use and Community Design Element's goals of activating the downtown area. The proposed Amendments will increase the residential density to 80 units per acre and the maximum building height to 60 feet in the DMU Land Use designation, and will provide further clarification by defining the CBD in the Land Use and Community Design Element and its intent in the General Plan Land Use Element, which will allow a residential density of 80 units per acre and a maximum building height of 60 feet. The Amendments are in compliance with Land Use Goal No. 10 which strives to create a thriving downtown with active commercial areas supported by high-quality transit-oriented development supportive of the Metro Gold Line transit station and will also make the General Plan consistent with the Development Code's residential allowance in the CBD zone. 2. The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City. 3 FACT: The proposed Amendments are in the public interest by furthering the General Plan's goals of creating an active downtown by increasing the residential density and maximum building height to allow residential developments that will support commercial uses in the downtown and the Metro Gold Line transit station. In addition, the Addendum identified no new significant impacts that would result from the Amendments and would not result in any substantial increase in the severity of any previously identified significant impacts and no new mitigation measures would be required. Therefore, the Amendments would not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare. SECTION 3. Pursuant to the provisions of the CEQA, the Development Services Department prepared an Addendum. Pursuant to Sections 15162 and 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines, based on analysis presented in the Addendum, the proposed Project would not result in new significant impacts. In addition, it would not result in any substantial increase in the severity of any previously identified significant impacts and no new mitigation measures would be required; therefore, a Subsequent or Supplemental EIR is not required and the Addendum will satisfy the CEQA requirements for the proposed Amendments. SECTION 4. That for the foregoing reasons the City Council approves General Plan No. GPA 18-01 and the Addendum to the 2010 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report and 2016 Development Code Update Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed Amendments. This approval is a part of the entitlements that were approved under City Council Ordinance No. 2356, approving Zone Change No. ZC 18-01 and Text Amendment No. TA 18-01. 4 SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify as to the adoption of this Resolution. Passed, approved and adopted this 17th day of July, 2018. Mayor of City o Arcadia ATTEST: lerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: ie„ Stephen P. Deitsch City Attorney 5 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. 7227 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 17th day of July, 2018 and that said Resolution was adopted by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Amundson, Beck, Chandler, and Tay NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: Verlato it 7-77-'1"1"-• ity of Arcadia 6 ze,-.7.1_ ,R 1,1k ar,:,,...ti...:-.7.,41f4:.,. .. , ,:._. . ,... . ,, , _,,,,, .,4 _. _, .. , . . ,._ -....-: .:. ..„_,..,......int . A, :1.4....... -- st. .AIL" . 7:46. ..1,...fs-z- _ fliF--- . * , ,,, ,..1 b - _ A.-43!....1„: ____.„-... - -- - . MB _, , ..,_ . .. . .„. Chapter 2 : Land Use and Community Design Element Arcadia General Plan Arcadia's motto, A Community of Homes, clearly identifies the defining characteristic of our community. From large estates to post-World War II subdivisions to attractive condominiums and apartments, Arcadia offers diverse places to live and enjoy the qualities of this City. The City also has attractive parks, successful business districts, abundant shopping and entertainment venues, and a distinguished community aesthetic. This element focuses on identifying, preserving, and enhancing those physical aspects of Arcadia that are highly valued by residents and the business community. The goals and policies set forth the City's vision and fundamental land use philosophy regarding appropriate types, intensity, and location of development, and the means for maintaining the community's environmental, social, physical, and economic health and vitality. While the Land Use Policy Map defines the two-dimensional distribution of uses citywide, equally important is the third dimension of character and form. Quality design of both public places and private properties Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use AND Community Design I 2-1 enhances the visual image that Arcadia conveys to residents and visitors to the City. Also, the form design takes can encourage walking and use of transit. Integrating plazas, paseos, and attractive landscaping into project design creates places that people enjoy. Thoughtful and considerate design in all types of development can enhance property values and encourage maintenance. This element identifies the community design priorities for Arcadia. Key goals relative to land use and community design are: • Creating Identifiable Places The General Plan identifies locations where Arcadia residents can relax, enjoy the outdoors, stroll, and meet neighbors and socialize. These are unique places that create a sense of place, make Arcadia more identifiable, and promote a high quality of life. ■ Enhancing the Public Realm The City has established policies and recommendations on how to improve the public realm. The public realm encompasses public areas and improvements such as road medians and parkways, street trees, public signage, and public art. ■ Improving the Private Realm Policies and recommendations to enhance the private realm complement public realm improvements. The private realm includes areas that developers and private property owners are responsible for improving through design recommendations which help improve Arcadia overall, creating a more aesthetic and visually pleasing community. Aciiivinq Our Visio The City's character and amenities make Arcadia a very desirable place to live. In Arcadia, residents value their safe and well-maintained neighborhoods, quality housing, superior parks and recreation resources, an unparalleled educational system, and strong sense of community. The City is committed to preserving Arcadia as a quiet community of homes while responding to residents' desires for a balance of employment, shopping, entertainment, and recreational opportunities. The Guiding Principles that highlight this vision are: ■ Balanced Growth and Development The General Plan establishes a balance and mix of land uses that promote economic growth and maintain a high quality of life for Arcadia residents. Our development decisions reflect Smart Growth principles and strategies that move us toward enhanced mobility, more efficient use of resources and infrastructure, and healthier lifestyles. • Neighborhood Character 2-2 Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Arcadia's single-family and multifamily residential neighborhoods have given the City its identity as a Community of Homes. The City protects and preserves the character and quality of its neighborhoods by requiring harmonious design, careful planning, and the integration of sustainable principles. ■ Changing Housing Needs The City encourages the retention, rehabilitation, and development of diverse housing that meets people's needs in all stages of their lives. Scope of this Element State planning law requires that the Land Use Element designate "the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land" for a variety of purposes (Government Code Section 65302[a]). Through maps and text, this element defines the distribution and intensity of development of residential neighborhoods, commercial and industrial districts, parks and other open spaces, and public or semi-public uses of property in Arcadia. In particular, the Land Use Plan section contains the Land Use Policy Map, which presents a pictorial representation of land use policy. The Land Use and Community Design Element also identifies study areas throughout the community where specific policies will be implemented to guide the City toward its land use (and related) goals. Development and Environmental Sustainability The Land Use and Community Design Element serves as a tool to plan for the future development of the City of Arcadia, and sets priorities and goals for development types, locations, and character. Inherent in the City's long-range view of development is the concept of sustainability. Planning for tomorrow's Arcadia includes understanding that natural resources are limited and that these natural resources must not be consumed faster than they can be replenished. But sustainability does not preclude development, growth, and advancement. Sustainability can promote positive economic growth and can stimulate technological innovation, advance competitiveness, and improve our quality of life. A sustainable future for Arcadia, under this General Plan, includes strategies to conserve and enhance local resources and safeguard the environment. The concept of sustainability is used throughout this General Plan and is expressed in greater detail in the Resource Sustainability Element. The Land Use and Community Design Element addresses sustainability and environmental conservation through policies and programs that promote site and building design elements in new developments that reduce or better distribute travel demand, development design and amenities that support transit and other alternative forms of transportation, including bicycling and walking, and Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-3 mixed-use developments that encourage location of employment and commercial offerings near residential units. Flood Management In 2007, the State adopted legislation that strengthened the long- existing requirement that a General Plan address flood management by specifically mandating that the Land Use Element identify flood-prone areas mapped by either the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the State Department of Water Resources. To prepare and mitigate hazards from flooding, the City of Arcadia participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood Insurance Rate Maps, which are prepared by FEMA, map potential flood zones. The Safety Element addresses this issue in detail. 2-4 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use Historic Growth Patterns The land use patterns in Arcadia today reflect the City's heritage as a community of homes. The planning and development approaches that date to the City's founding established the arrangement and densities of the single-family residential neighborhoods we see today, as well as the concentration of commercial businesses along key corridors and as part of a large mall. The presence of Santa Anita Park (a world- renowned horse racing facility) and the Los Angeles County Arboretum (formerly the Lucky Baldwin estate)—and later Los Angeles County's Arcadia County Park and Santa Anita Golf Course—identify Arcadia as a place where open spaces and public gathering places are integral to all types of development. This is evidenced in the higher-density housing along Huntington Drive west of Santa Anita Avenue, where generous setbacks create a grand boulevard. As Huntington Drive crosses Santa Anita Avenue to the east, the street and lotting patterns identify the community as one that was also built up along the railroad, with a very traditional dense street grid and small, walkable blocks. 61., Figure lu-1: Block and Street Patterns 1111 1111 QM" Downtown eets blocksgrand strforma id pattern I),". = _ tDowntownhat includes was alleyways. established in the 1920s. — — Some of the early residential neighborhoods include = meandering blocks and smstreets. This neighborhood = = air was built in the early 1940s. Downtown Residential Neighborhood Arcadia's identity as a community of homes can be traced back to the 1930s, when the first residential subdivisions began to appear, replacing what had previously been agricultural lands. The neighborhoods in Arcadia today have developed over time to fill the majority of the available land in the City. The northernmost portion of the Baldwin Ranch, which was owned by Arcadia's first mayor, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin, made way for the first residential subdivisions. The areas nearest the Baldwin Ranch, comprising today's Downtown core, were the first to be settled by those outside the Baldwin family. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-5 From this core, single-family residential subdivisions spread to areas north and west of the ranch throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The southern portion of the City was also developing at this time; its original configuration was a grid of one-acre ranches devoted primarily to chicken raising and light agricultural uses. During the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, hillside residential development was most prevalent, with neighborhoods extending into the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains along the City's northern boundaries. With the construction of these neighborhoods, the bulk of Arcadia's land had been developed, and from the 1980s to the present day, large areas of vacant land for any type of development have not been available. In 2009, residential development continued to represent the predominant land use in Arcadia, covering about 68 percent of the City's land area and providing 20,3401 homes. Commercial uses account for approximately 11 percent, with the regional mall and areas surrounding Santa Anita Park significant contributors to this total. As Figure LU-2 shows, Arcadia is largely built out, with less than one percent of land within the City vacant in 2009. Figure LU-2: Land Use Distribution (2009) hdusbl M ixed U se L5% 0 2% 0 pe Spa Vacant 5% 0 3% 13% 0ffip 15 Moving toward 2035 When Arcadia initiated a comprehensive General Plan update in 2008, a key concern of residents was that land use policy changes would result in substantial population growth. This Plan does provide for land 12009 estimate from State of California Department of Finance(E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities,Counties and the State,2001-2009,with 2000 Benchmark). 2-6 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 use transitions in targeted areas of the City, but accommodates only modest population growth. The anticipated growth will result from Figure lu-3: natural birth and death rates, new people moving into Arcadia to enjoy examples of the benefits it offers, and multigenerational households. Residential Densities The City has taken a strategic approach to doing its part to ease regional housing demand. This includes recognizing the desires of a e/erip sizeable older population to remain in Arcadia, but to do so in smaller ''1 homes with very limited maintenance responsibilities. It also includes responding to a younger population's growing interest in more dense, urban-type development located near transit, restaurants, and111:1h entertainment. Residential Estate With regard to commercial and business uses, Arcadia has long been a 0-2 dwelling units/acre regional hub, with a large mall attracting visitors from throughout the San Gabriel Valley. Santa Anita Park has for many years been the premier horse racing track in California, although changes in the horse &TAPE racing industry in the last 20 years have caused attendance to decline at venues throughout the State, and portions of the property now offer opportunities to further enhance Arcadia's place as a destination shopping and entertainment location. This General Plan establishesVeryw Low Density Pp� 9 0-4 dwelling units/acre policy direction to build upon the commercial base that has allowed Arcadia to thrive, and to balance that with office, medical, and industrial � =� =� 411 uses that provide additional professional and skilled labor jobs. [�It I 410"--401 The subsequent land use discussion in this element provides an =� hhi � overview of the planned land use patterns and distribution to achieve �''=�:J ''4jl' the vision stated above, followed by detailed discussion of modest Low Density changes planned for the focus areas identified in Figure LU-7. 0-6 dwelling units/acre '.4►TII�IIIII`� Land Use Plan ®11PlL 72:7 IIII lel 00In response to the community's desire to maintain Arcadia's long- _ VIII®® established land use patterns and identity as a community of homes, preserve the attractiveness of the City's neighborhoods and districts, Medium Density maintain a sound economic base, and enhance the pedestrian 6-12 dwelling units/acre environment, this Land Use Plan has been crafted to guide the I—• !'ll_ development, maintenance, and improvement of land and properties. t= The Land Use Policy Map, illustrated in Figure LU-4, with the designations described in Table LU-1, will allow the community to preserve those qualities that define Arcadia. Ails WM Understanding Density and IntensityHigh Density 12-30 dwelling units/acre When describing areas of Arcadia, we differentiate one area from another by the principal use, such as homes (residential), shops and restaurants (commercial), manufacturing businesses (business park), a park, or a school. To describe the level of use, that is, how much development is allowed on a property (and presumably, what the associated activity level is), land use planners have developed measures called density and intensity. The term density, illustrated in Figure LU-3, typically applies to residential uses and refers to the population and development capacity of residential land. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-7 �� -=Mir yt r ., Sierra Madre 1 ..„ iit. OarMbwM LIIIIM - i / l� Monrovia / ami 1 IPA - c , Crango Qom Poi )0 Pasadena ' 1.1..-_1, ••••. u. . AI __ 1 I , I _, . Wm--1.-MIMI inn -- a ! to.....-- , ii‘bffi, Mil, i -------is. -....,....,, ,,,..,,.,,, ', ` --1111111 ITw m1111i / ��■ \ i______::•___ \ - , v 1111111 �� i 11_ _ ______, . •1111L el - t•E Ogilimigililli iiill ' aL \. =145mmikla 'II (411111r WMA r rylMC1= ' P1.1211%1/ rti .L / ________. IN 81111 Tem le City = plif! ,_ �� .. MEMOMPIMMIlili Irwindale i 41 .,--1 00 . cO 1111 le , �"�� , �� / 1. \ , \ Mapped by:Hogle-Ireland Inc.,2010. / i- Data Sources:City of Arcadia.2008. _ r EI Monte / CO0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet / �M=CCI ' �; P\ Land Use Designations Residential Estate(up to 2 du/ac) -Commercial/Light Industrial(0.5 FAR) Mixed Use Notes: Very Low Density Residential(2-4 du/ac) _Industrial(0.5 FAR) -Mixed Use FAR is for non-residential uses. Low Density Residential(4-6 du/ac) -Public/Institutional -Mixed Use designations requires the inclusion Medium Density Residential(6-12 du/ac) -Open Space-Outdoor Recreation of a ground-floor,street frontage commercial High Density Residential(12-30 du/ac) -Open Space-Resources Protection component for all projects.Commerial uses Commercial(0.5 FAR) _Rail Right-of-Wayare allowed.Stand alone residential uses are not allowed. ercial(80 du/ac&1.0 FAR) .���'M Downtown Overlay(1.0 FAR) ScWRl►► Regional Commercial(0.5 FAR) sf;:; Santa Anita Commercial(0.3 FAR) Horse Racing City Boundary r �/Mixed Use(22-30 du/ac&1.0 FAR) Sphere of Influence Downtown Mixed Use(30-50 du/ac&1.0 FAR) Figure LU-4: Land Use Policy Map 2-8 l Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Density is described in terms of the dwelling units that can be accommodated on one acre of land (dwelling units per acre or du/ac) and the population associated with that density (population per acre or pop/ac). Development intensity refers to the extent to which a property is or can be developed. While intensity generally describes nonresidential Figure lu-5: development levels, in a broader sense, intensity also can be used to Floor-Area Ratio express overall levels of both residential and nonresidential development types. For land uses in Arcadia, the measure of intensity used is the floor-area ratio. The floor-area ratio, or FAR, describes the relationship between the total square feet of development on a lot and the area of that lot. The FAR is determined by dividing the gross floor 11 ••••• area of all buildings on a lot by the land area of that lot. Figure LU-5 0.5 FAR illustrates different FAR calculations; FAR and factors such as building square footage, building height, and the percent of lot coverage are all interrelated. For example, a 20,000-square-foot building on a 40,000- square-foot lot yields a FAR of 0.50:1. A 0.50:1 FAR allows, for example, a single-story building, which covers half the lot, or a two- _I__ story building with reduced lot coverage. L. 1.0 FAR Land Use Designations �y f The Land Use Policy Map (Figure LU-4) graphically represents the planned distribution and intensity of land use citywide. The colors shown on the map correspond to land use designations that describe • the types of uses established and planned in Arcadia. The descriptions 1.5 FAR on the following pages establish the General Plan designations and Floor Area Ratio(FAR): indicate the permitted nature and intensity of development. Gross Building Area Five residential land use designations allow for a range of housing Lot Area types and densities, largely reflective of long-established development approaches. In addition to the primary permitted residential uses, the City also permits accessory units and non-residential uses such as schools, parks, child day care, and religious and charitable organizations, consistent with State law and as set forth in the Arcadia Municipal Code. The two commercial land use designations, single industrial designation, and hybrid Commercial/Light Industrial designation are designed to support business activity and provide tools to help businesses and districts maximize their economic potential. Two designations accommodate commercial and residential mixed-use development. The mixed-use designations allow combined commercial and residential developments and stand-alone commercial uses; however, exclusively residential uses are not permitted in those areas. The Downtown Mixed Use designation provides for more intense, mixed-used development surrounding the planned Gold Line Station to create a complete, compact, walkable neighborhood that encourages transit use. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-9 RE — Residential Estates The Residential Estates designation accommodates low-density single-family residential neighborhoods. , . - Development is typified by large lot, detached single- . . . -s ; family residences on estate-type lots of 22,000 square i . F-. 4 , feet or larger. Permitted uses include single-family 0-, . _ `i '� residences on a single lot and private tennis courts and i' similar facilities. ;r s_ .,,1 -7-7 re 1 Other uses that may be appropriate, consistent with _ '"t' .1---7:71.119.- I •' zoning regulations, include public and private schools, -; _ public parks, and other open space uses. ___ Unit Density: up to 2 du/ac Typical Population Density: 3-6 persons per acre2 VLDR—Very Low Density Residential The Very Low Density Residential designation accommodates low-density single-family residential neighborhoods. Development is typified by large lot, detached single-family residences on lots ranging from , a`_ 10,000 to 22,000 square feet or larger. Permitted uses include single-family residences on a single lot and ii ` i ] - 1 l private tennis courts and similar facilities. _ Other uses that may be appropriate, consistent with �5} t zoning regulations, include public and private schools, Hinu'iliiiiiiiiiialimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiminiii. t public parks, and other open space uses. Unit Density: up to 4 du/ac Typical Population Density: 6-12 persons per acre LDR— Low Density Residential The Low Density Residential designation accommodates low-density single-family residential '' neighborhoods. Development is typified by detached single-family residences on lots 7,200 to 10,000 square feet in size. Permitted uses are limited to single-family residences on a single lot. Other uses that may be appropriate, consistent with zoning regulations, include public and private schools, -. public parks, and other open space uses. _..o....r,•.4.._------ Unit Density: up to 6 du/ac Typical Population Density: 12-17 persons per acre 2 For land use categories that allow residential development, population density estimates are stated as required by State General Plan law. Population density has been calculated based on the development density range and the average persons per household estimate for Arcadia reported by the California Department of Finance (2.872 persons per household in 2008). 2-10 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 MDR—Medium Density Residential The Medium Density Residential designation accommodates varied housing types and sizes within a suburban neighborhood context. Permitted residential _ uses include detached and attached residences with _ L private and/or shared yards and open space areas. 0 j- Other uses that may be appropriate, consistent with - zoning regulations, include public and private schools, 1�� 'r =�112public parks, and other open space uses. // , / • , Unit Density: 6 to 12 du/ac Typical Population Density: 17-35 persons per acre HDR— High Density Residential The High Density Residential designation accommodates higher-density attached housing types for both renter and owner households within a neighborhood context. Such housing types generally are located near transit stops, along arterials and transit • 3: corridors, and within easy walking distance of shops and services. Appropriate transition to adjacent lower- density neighborhoods is required through the use of yards, other open areas, and building heights. • Other uses that may be appropriate, consistent with ► . ~..0 �� zoning regulations, include public and private schools, ,11 public parks, and other open space uses. ` . ,r '_ Unit Density: 12 to 30 du/ac Typical Population Density: 34-86 persons per acre C — Commercial (0.5 FAR) The Commercial designation with a 0.5 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is intended to permit a wide range of commercial uses which serve both neighborhood and citywide markets. The designation allows a broad array of commercial enterprises, including restaurants, durable goods sales, food stores, lodging, professional offices, specialty shops, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, and entertainment uses. , . • - Adjacent to Downtown, the Commercial designation is intended to encourage small-scale office and ' ' ® ' I neighborhood-serving commercial uses that complement development in the Downtown Mixed Use areas. While the land use designation provides the general parameters within which development must take place, the Zoning Code or other land use regulatory document specifies the type and intensity of uses that will be permitted in a given area. In the Downtown area, for example, where properties are Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-11 designated Commercial, land use regulations might —'•+'' specify that restaurants and cafes are permitted, but secondhand stores are not. The Zoning Code and other regulatory documents also indicate permitted building height limits for specific properties. Maximum FAR — 0.50 1 e �. (0.30 FAR for Santa Anita Park) Higher intensity overlays are applied to portions of It�w _ * A �r r r Downtown along Santa Anita Avenue, Colorado Place, and Huntington Drive (1.0 FAR). Building Height: up to 48 feet in the Downtown area (including Santa Anita Avenue, Colorado Place, and Huntington Drive); up to 40 feet for commercial uses outside of Downtown C— Commercial(80 du/acre and 1.0 FAR) The Commercial designation that allows mixed-use development with a density of 80 du/acre and a 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is within the City's Downtown area. This Commercial designation is intended to encourage a strong pedestrian-oriented environment that provides a variety of retail and service uses, restaurants, and neighborhood-serving commercial uses that complement development in the Downtown Mixed Use areas. In order to provide the residential population that is required to support the uses in the downtown and around the Metro Gold Line transit station, residential uses in a mixed-use development are permitted above ground floor commercial or adjacent to a commercial use. The Development Code and other regulatory documents also indicate permitted building height limits for specific properties. Maximum FAR — 1.0 (only commercial square footage is counted in calculation of FAR) Unit Density: Up to 80 du/ac • Maximum Height: Up to 60 feet RC — Regional Commercial The Regional Commercial designation applies only to the regional shopping center located east of Baldwin Avenue and north of Huntington Drive. The designation provides for regional commercial centers intended to serve a regional market and that offer a depth and variety of retail goods, general merchandise, apparel, entertainment center, and home furnishings businesses. Development within the Regional Commercial I T'. • designation is characterized by large, multi-tenant _ . centers anchored by one or more major retailers as key tenants. 2-12 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Maximum FAR - 0.50 (Based on gross leasable floor area for regional shopping center) HR - Horse Racing The Horse Racing designation provides for the • continued operation of the Santa Anita Park race track '4, for horse racing and related activities and special events. Permitted uses include stabling and training of Alt race and show horses, horse racing, pari-mutuel 1 -z" 400' wagering on horse racing, horse shows and equestrian �1 events, and special events. Permitted ancillary uses include seasonal housing for employees, per Municipal .• (; Code standards. ` 1 I w Maximum FAR- N/A - -IS Mot MU - Mixed Use The Mixed Use designation provides opportunities for commercial and residential mixed-use development that takes advantage of easy access to transit and proximity to employment centers, and that provide complementary mixes of uses that support and encourage pedestrian activity. Mixed-use districts support commercial uses that integrate well with residential activity without creating conflicts. Development approaches encourage shared use of parking areas and public open spaces, pedestrian movement, and interaction of uses within a mixed-use I district. Design approaches should minimize or limit -- +� - ?� curb cuts/driveways at the front of the development j" II 111 fir when rear or side egress options are available. Mixed Use Residential uses in a mixed-use ' development are permitted above ground floor commercial or adjacent to a commercial use. requires the inclusion of a ground floor, street frontage commercial component for all projects. Mixed commercial/office and residential tenancies and stand- alone commercial or office uses are allowed. However, exclusively residential buildings are not. Maximum FAR - 1.0 (only commercial square footage is counted in calculation of FAR) Unit Density: 22-30 du/ac Typical Population Density: 63 86 persons per acre Maximum Height: up to 40 feet Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-13 DMU — Downtown Mixed Use The Downtown Mixed Use designation provides opportunities for complementary service and retail commercial businesses, professional offices, and residential uses to locate within the City's downtown. Downtown Mixed Use encourages reges the i inclusion of a ground-floor, street-frontage commercial component, but is not required for all project&. •_l+ Residential uses in a mixed-use development are - 111111114 permitted above ground floor commercial or - 1 ' t adjacent to a commercial use. Mixed commercial/office and residential tenancies and stand- .` `d 't alone commercial or office uses are allowed. However, .41111, exclusively residential buildings are not allowed. - Development approaches encourage shared use of parking areas and public open spaces, pedestrian travel , ways, and interaction of uses within the district. Particular features that will define Downtown include ' .4 public open space as an integral component of the Gold ' - - Line station, as well as any larger mixed-use or ,,t commercial developments. ' '` • Guided by the policies and vision of the General Plan, a �• ` specific plan or subsequent zoning changes for ..: -- ._ . - Downtown will contain detailed development standards, infrastructure requirements, land use regulations, and implementation measures for coordinated development. Maximum FAR: 1.0 (only commercial square footage is counted in calculation of FAR) Unit Density0-59 Up to 80 du/ac Maximum Height: up to 58 60 feet C/LI — Commercial/Light Industrial The Commercial/Light Industrial designation provides areas for a complementary mix of light manufacturing businesses, limited auto service and repair, and support office and retail uses. The designation recognizes the importance of small-scale industrial and quasi-industrial businesses for the community in terms of business start-ups/entrepreneurship, job provision, residents' access to needed goods and services, and revenue r from point-of-sales operations. Such uses are low scale, with development and operating conditions built Ji1f1 l ' into the development to minimize impact on surrounding uses. Permitted retail uses are limited to those that - support the industrial businesses. Larger-scale `b --- commercial uses will be considered on a case-by-case basis in the Lower Azusa Road Reclamation area. Maximum FAR: 0.50 2-14 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 - Industrial The Industrial designation provides for an array of warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, and assembly uses in appropriate locations. OOOOO Maximum FAR: 0.50 .0111114 , , wy P/I — Public/Institutional The Public/Institutional designation accommodates public, semi-public, and institutional uses, including but not limited to offices and facilities used by federal, state, . and local government; special districts; public schools; �'' : hospitals; colleges and universities; and other public agencies and public utilities. Maximum FAR: as set forth in zoning regulations OS-OR- Open Space-Outdoor Recreation The Open Space-Outdoor Recreation designation encompasses all City, county, state, and federal parks and associated facilities, including private facilities on leased public lands. The designation identifies public lands intended to be used for active and passive recreational activities, such as parks, golf courses, . trails, and the Arboretum. Public lands used as ,ii '� detention basins may also be designated Open Space- - - _ Outdoor Recreation when co-located with active ; ry- r. - recreational uses or when open spaces serve two uses, such as a sports field and a detention basin. Maximum FAR: N/A OS-RP - Open Space-Resource Protection The Open Space-Resource Protection designation applies to areas which require special management or 41111111111111". 111°P......"."1111M regulation because of unusual environmental conditions •- such as earthquake fault zones, steep slopes, flood zones, high-risk fire areas, and areas required for the t protection of water quality. While alternative uses of -J such constrained areas may be allowed, the unique - ` character or constraints of the area must be adequately - 6p.• addressed. This land use designation may also include sensitive habitat areas, groundwater recharge basins, . •.. hillside areas, and viewshed management areas. h - • Maximum FAR: N/A Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-15 Community Design Why do some places feel special and distinct while others are nondescript and uninspiring? Why do we want to spend hours walking around some neighborhoods, while others do not captivate us? Historically, great places have come about by following tradition— people doing things the way that they have always done them. Over time, people discovered and incorporated into their traditions the principles of great place-making. The field of community design studies the places that attract us and extrapolates core principles that can be used to create new places that appeal to us in the same way. This section describes how Arcadia incorporates community design into development decisions for both private properties and the public realm. Citywide Design Principles The following community design principles apply to all of Arcadia: • Creating Identifiable Places • Improving the Public Realm • Improving the Private Realm Creating Identifiable Places Community character is defined by the built and natural environments. Specific attention to urban design can enhance places where people gather, and create memorable and attractive streetscapes. Components of citywide urban design include: Activity Nodes and Areas Activity Nodes are places of pedestrian activity and excitement. These are places where people congregate, socialize, and shop. They are also places where residents can leisurely stroll, participate in a recreational activity, or relax and experience the outdoors. Examples of activity nodes, identified in Figure LU-6, include: • Santa Anita Park • Downtown Arcadia • Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden • Arcadia County Park • Regional Shopping Mall 2-16 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 I _, , LANNAN PASADENA DEBRIS BASIL, ' GLEN I 0. S. ..NA id,, ( , I, K I .. I R.a r of ;.,ii�,,,, `abol.• m II .I,it)i•,i..it ( ..� IXo ;VW.l: i5: 11a Ani'. ..` •ti , lit IV - / ` . 'r.n1f F-I1.1 IRegion. •• 1 _— --- - -- irir_ enter_ :c,,nel i411 A " I j ."I\ :j: � , , i i ...._.4 9 ' 1 O .r• ' Art IINI City1; L I ;/'�'./.. �• .\, ' TelI o:.r,51 .../. .. \.-\ /i L• `\. / .17.1 Mapped by Hogie-Ireland Inc '�%, Source Arcadia GIS 2008 . P lilt Major Corridors Focal Intersections —••— City Boundary 11) Activity Nodes ,% Primary Gateways Sphere of Influence Major Road Activity Areas Secondary Gateways Freeway 0 Parks City Entry Signs Railroad FIGURE LU-6:OVERALL URBAN C...) Civic Uses Water Feature DESIGN FRAMEWORK Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-17 This page intentionally left blank. 2-18 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Major Corridors Major Corridors are boulevards and streets that provide important multi- modal transportation routes. They are scenic and picturesque, with large, mature street trees on both sides of the street, with accent plantings and landscaping. Continuous sidewalks provide pedestrian connections along the corridor to link activity nodes, neighborhoods, and transit stops. Some streets include medians, where landscaping and street trees create a grand thoroughfare, such as Huntington Drive. Many of the City's primary and secondary gateways are located on Major Corridors. - , �t :�0!�:.� fir. • / . • Focal Intersections Huntington Drive is a Focal Intersections occur at junctions of Major Corridors. They are Major Corridor with large, mature trees in important focal points of the community; they provide visual anchors, landscaped medians. points of interest, and enhanced pedestrian connections. The following standards should be applied at all focal intersections: Photo credit: google.com • Buildings at Focal Intersections should be of the highest architectural quality to make them memorable and recognizable. • Buildings should be oriented toward public streets and spaces to make the public space vibrant and pedestrian friendly. • Activities that attract or generate pedestrian traffic such as cafés, retail functions, and public art are highly desirable at Focal Intersections. • Define prominent intersections by locating new buildings or other structures closer to the street and defining the intersection space. • Main building entrances of corner buildings should be close to the corner. • Intersections should include raised crosswalks with textured materials to help improve pedestrian visibility and reduce pedestrian/vehicle conflicts. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-19 ill !iii- 1 - o'•:A. *.' -It. .., ..44b9A-14 ii., . -4 il ;or /~ rPf .4 I. ,� .. r sir „, , , • .1, *N gra iq . �' 11444, . . 14341.. A .44 . "2.- _ J. _ „i AP" .iiikal. _ ,dahlars-4111 . ....., 1 , . ,. !1 _ y t L"!^ "•4 .......41.1-1A�.. fir. : milk wimega., Huntington Drive and Enhancing the Public Realm Santa Anita Avenue is a Focal Intersection. The public realm consists of public property along street rights-of-way and within medians, as well as public signage and public art. These enhancements make Arcadia more recognizable to visitors and distinguish the City from surrounding San Gabriel Valley communities. Gateways Gateways announce arrival into a community or district through . such design treatments as public signage, special landscape }.,t`°- ..-, treatment, and unified architecture. Streets in Arcadia continue , r v�`� directly into adjacent communities, and oftentimes travelers do _ .• • ` ` -- I, lfk- 'i'' not know whether they are in Arcadia or Temple City or , Monrovia. To identify Arcadia entrances, gateway treatments Qt :_'• I n f • 4 can be utilized where major streets cross municipal boundaries 4 I .-.> e4 and at freeway ramps. District gateways should be considered _ : , .',r, for especially recognizable districts, most notably Downtown %\{, . - ' .. Arcadia. Figure LU-6 indicates potential locations for gateway ,. 4,4,41:1Tti statements. A major gateway exists at the corner of Huntington Drive at Fifth Avenue. A hierarchy of gateway treatments will be developed that . - respond to the significance of the entry point. There are two types of gateways: This iconic gateway on ■ Primary Gateways. These gateways are the main entryways Huntington Drive into the City. These gateways can be found on major welcomesvisitorto Arcadia's Downtoo wn. corridors. 2-20 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 • Secondary Gateways. The gateway treatments for each of these entries will differ in response to their context, but will generally be smaller in scale and lower in profile than the primary gateways. A particularly strong statement of arrival includes vertical design elements. Where the City owns right-of-way to provide such components, it can. However, private development can also contribute to community gateway statements with strong corner massing, tower elements, or other architectural features that create a distinct profile. Additional approaches include using a combination of special paving, lighting, and/or landscape treatment to augment the appearance and visual impact at gateways. Street Trees Arcadia's trees are a significant aesthetic and ecological resource. They are one of the City's real treasures and a key part of what The Parks, distinguishes Arcadia. There remain, however, many areas of the City Recreation, and with minimal or nonexistent street tree coverage. The City has Community recognized the importance of a major species of tree with the adoption ResourcessElement discusses street of the Oak Tree Preservation Ordinance, as well as tree maintenance trees and tree with the Comprehensive Tree Management Program. The preservation in implementation of the Urban Forest Master Plan will complement the positive effects of this ordinance by starting to fill in the areas of the City that could still benefit from street trees. Street trees should be shade 11® t•t 4.4 M .. .. o It ,, • — - • • R4i Trees can make commercial areas much more inviting to pedestrians. Contrast the two photos. trees wherever possible. Public Signage A coordinated program of public signage helps identify and make a place distinct. Public signage should emphasize local history and identity, and be placed with regard to its surroundings. Distinctive signage should be used to identify unique districts, neighborhoods, and locations in the City. Public signs should also be organized, have a uniform appearance, and enhance the visual environment. Public Art Public art can range from the unobtrusive to the monumental. When well executed and appropriately sited, public art distinguishes a Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-21 community and can celebrate different cultures. Large pieces can mark a focal point of a neighborhood or serve as a landmark for navigation. Small, out-of-the-way pieces can impart a sense of wonder and discovery. Public art can also lead to economic benefits, as it can be an attractor to a business area. !ii ,,.,:;••- - '. till•iii. 7 ' 3 i '.sir\c,! f j. 4 7 -1ONI ; r.' • 1111 t,• `w tom1 i I _ i 1' } r,, 4 1 li F '4A- ''S 11 lirC 1 v' ' "-;,- ', ".'1.‘ )1 k 44, Public art can be decorative and whimsical, and can celebrate culture and heritage. Improving the Private Realm The private realm consists of privately owned areas that are generally visible to the public and that contribute to streetscape conditions. While properties are privately owned, the City can define its expectations through zoning regulations and design guidelines. Enhancing these areas with design treatments works to coordinate private improvements with public realm investment, thereby creating more aesthetic and attractive commercial districts and neighborhoods. Compatibility No development exists in isolation. Every act of construction affects and is affected by its surroundings. Every development, therefore, should be evaluated for its compatibility in terms of use, scale, and aesthetics with the neighborhood or district in which it is located. For small projects, this area of influence may be considered to be as small as to only include the buildings directly next door. For large projects, one must consider entire blocks or corridors. Where land use or other 2-22 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 incompatibilities exist today, the City can take action to encourage the transition over time to a more cohesive urban form. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-23 Commercial Signage Commercial signs have a significant influence on the overall aesthetic impact of a given street. If signs have enough uniformity and are well proportioned and appropriate to their context, they can collectively function much the same way as public art in providing a sense of place and unique identity. If, on the other hand, signs are ill proportioned, cheap looking, and an odd mix of styles (monument versus pylon versus wall signs), they create visual "noise" and clutter that make it difficult to see the positive qualities of the street and to locate businesses. Signage within the City's commercial corridors, with Baldwin Avenue being a particular example, has tended toward the latter rather than the former. To address sign clutter, the City developed sign guidelines which are integrated into the architectural guidelines for commercial and industrial properties. These guidelines lay out recommendations for everything from typefaces to materials to sign placement. If followed citywide, these guidelines will dramatically improve the character of Arcadia's commercial corridors over time. Illustrations from 'I OU Tree r f.z a f Arcadia's Architectural Design Guidelines for commercial and industrial signage .0 1412 S+vns uuw not be pho10Ced / ' on lop of awning j SiN` 'y-- \-fella,11(.01sig,,,on � volonC.only �� [[ t 11[1 2-24 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Citywide Goals and Policies Goal LU-1 : A balance of land uses that preserves Arcadia's status as a Community of Homes and a community of opportunity Policy LU-1.1: Promote new infill and redevelopment projects that are consistent with the City's land use and compatible with surrounding existing uses. Policy LU-1.2: Promote new uses of land that provide diverse economic, social, and cultural opportunities, and that reinforce the characteristics that make Arcadia a desirable place to live. Policy LU-1.3: Encourage community involvement in the development review process. Policy LU-1.4: Encourage the gradual redevelopment of incompatible, ineffective, and/or undesirable land uses. Policy LU-1.5: Require that effective buffer areas be created between land uses that are of significantly different character or that have operating characteristics which could create nuisances along a common boundary. Policy LU-1.6: Establish consistency between the Land Use Plan and the Zoning Code. Policy LU-1.7: Encourage developments to be placed in areas that reduce or better distribute travel demand. Policy LU-1.8: Encourage development types that support transit and other alternative forms of transportation, including bicycling and walking. Policy LU-1.9: Establish incentives and development standards to encourage development of land uses that provide public amenities and/or desirable facilities or features, as well as private open space and recreation areas. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-25 Policy LU-1.10: Require that new development projects provide their full fair share of the improvements necessary to mitigate project generated impacts on the circulation and infrastructure systems. Policy LU-1.11: Encourage the development of a range of childcare facilities, including infant care, preschool care, and after-school care, to serve the needs of Arcadia families and workers. Encourage the development of childcare facilities near transit-oriented development. In accordance with the strategic plan adopted by the Los Angeles Child Care Planning Committee, reduce barriers to childcare services due to zoning regulations and expensive permit requirements. Goal LU-2: A City with a distinctive and attractive public realm, with pedestrian-friendly amenities in commercial and mixed-use districts and single-family neighborhoods that continue to maintain Arcadia's standard of architectural and aesthetic quality Policy LU-2.1: Ensure that trees planed in the public right-of- way continue to be well maintained where they exist, are planted in areas where they are currently lacking, and encourage replacement of undesirable tree species in public right-of-ways. Policy LU-2.2: Emphasize the use of public spaces and design that are oriented toward the pedestrian and use of transit throughout the community. Policy LU-2.3: Develop a public art program that encourages and guides the creation, promotion, implementation, and maintenance of public art throughout the City. Emphasize art that draws upon the local history and is placed at locations accessible to the public. Policy LU-2.4: Establish administrative support and community participation systems for the implementation of a public art program. Develop a dedicated funding source for 2-26 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 public art to be paid for as a part of large private and public development projects. Policy LU-2.5: Develop a hierarchy of gateways to mark entrances into the City, as illustrated by Figure LU-6. Policy LU-2.6: Ensure the aesthetic quality and pedestrian orientation of the City's commercial corridors by implementing the recommendations of this Community Design section, as well as the Architectural Design Guidelines for commercial and industrial properties. Policy LU-2.7: Through a combination of incentives to business owners and enforcement measures, attain compliance with signage standards and guidelines throughout the City, with a priority placed on high-traffic commercial corridors and gateway areas. Single-Family Residential Development Arcadia's long-established, single-family residential neighborhoods are at the core of the City's identity. These stable neighborhoods, many of which boast block after block of mature trees planted in the public right- of-way, are what the City means when it refers to itself as a "Community of Homes." Protection of these most prized assets of the City is a primary objective of this General Plan. In 2006, largely as a response to community concerns over "mansionization" and tree destruction on single-family properties, the City adopted Single-Family Residential Design Guidelines. The core issues that these guidelines address are: Mass and scale: Building mass and scale are required to relate to established homes in the neighborhood and natural site features. Design approaches, particularly for two- and three- story structures, should consist of articulated building planes, roof and façade offsets, and other techniques that break up building masses. Front entry: Building entries and entry features should not dominate the front facade. Architectural enhancements must blend with the overall home style and not use monumental or large vertical components. Garages: As street-facing garages tend to be uninviting and have the potential to dominate the front elevation of a house, the guidelines encourage garages to be set back from the front facade or tucked in the back yard. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-27 Architectural style and design: As many new homes built during the 1980s and 1990s lacked a coherent architectural style, attempted to combine too many different styles, or had a style clearly incompatible with surrounding homes, the guidelines establish preferred styles and stress the importance of maintaining a consistent style in a single structure or group of structures. Additions and accessory buildings: Additions, as opposed to new homes, have their own set of design challenges. The City requires additions to blend with the original structure as outlined in the guidelines. Colors and materials: Regulating color is tricky, but the City recognizes that the use of bright or strong paint colors and/or unnatural building materials can result in a house that looks out of place in a more traditional neighborhood setting. Landform and tree preservation: Careless removal of mature trees and severe grading of hillside properties show little regard for a site's natural attributes. The guidelines emphasize working with environmental conditions on a site rather than against them. In addition to application of the City's guidelines, five homeowners associations in Arcadia enforce private, neighborhood-specific design standards through adopted covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs). These associations have played an important role in preserving the character of the residential neighborhoods in the northern portion of the City. Arcadia's five homeowners associations are (as of 2010): • Highland Homeowners Association • Rancho Santa Anita Property Owner's Association • Santa Anita Oaks Association • Rancho Santa Anita Residents Association • Santa Anita Village Association Goal LU-3: Preservation and enhancement of Arcadia's single-family neighborhoods, which are an essential part of the City's core identity Policy LU-3.1: Protect the character of single-family residential neighborhoods through the preservation and improvement of their character-defining features. Such features include but are not limited to tree-lined streets, building orientation, sidewalks, and architectural scale and quality. 2-28 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Policy LU-3.2: Implement design guidelines to keep new homes and home additions consistent in scale, massing, and architectural quality with prevailing conditions in a neighborhood. Policy LU-3.3: Encourage a variety of architectural styles for new and renovated structures that reflect local architectural characteristics. Policy LU-3.4: Strengthen neighborhood identity with new development that is compatible with surrounding structures through scale, massing, and preferred architectural style. Policy LU-3.5: Require that new construction, additions, renovations, and infill developments be sensitive to neighborhood context, building forms, scale, and colors. Policy LU-3.6: Encourage preservation of the natural topography of a site and existing mature trees. Policy LU-3.7: Ensure that the design and scale of new and remodeled single-family residential buildings are appropriate to their context. Multifamily Residential Development The City has a goal of improving the quality of the community's multifamily developments. Multifamily residential developments should Policies specific to exhibit quality in architectural design, the use of quality building and housing issuescan be H found in the Housing landscape materials, and balance the relationship of buildings to their Element. environmental setting and their neighborhood. Multifamily residential developments need to respect the scale and character of adjacent residential neighborhoods through attention to views, building scale and orientation, proximity to adjacent uses, location of driveways, noise and lighting mitigation, and landscape buffering. Goal LU-4: High-quality and attractive multifamily residential neighborhoods that provide ownership and rental opportunities for people in all stages of life Policy LU-4.1: Require that new multifamily residential development be visually and functionally integrated and consistent in scale, mass, and Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-29 character with structures in the surrounding neighborhood. Policy LU-4.2: Encourage residential development that enhances the visual character, quality, and uniqueness of the City's neighborhoods and districts. Policy LU-4.3: Require the provision of adequate private and common open space for residential units. Require sufficient on-site recreational facilities to meet the daily needs of residents, if possible, commensurate with the size of the development. Policy LU-4.4: Strictly enforce City codes, including building and safety, zoning and land use regulations, and property maintenance codes, to maintain safe, high-quality residential neighborhoods. Policy LU-4.5: Provide amenities that make a multifamily development a fully functional residential community. Policy LU-4.6: Encourage multifamily projects built with quality materials that will physically endure and provide a positive long-term living environment for residents. Policy LU-4.7: Arrange multifamily buildings on a site to meet the following criteria: • Provide interest to the "street scene" within the development and give as open a feel as possible to the site. • Create a sense of place by relating buildings to each other and to adjacent open space. • Provide a variety of open spaces of different sizes and shapes that perform different functions on the site, including contiguous areas large enough to be used for both active and passive recreation. • Separate balconies and patios on adjacent buildings from one another to increase the privacy of these spaces. Hillside Development 2-30 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Hillside areas in Arcadia offer reduced densities, a more rural character, significant views of valleys and hills, proximity to large natural open space areas, and privacy. However, if hillside development is improperly planned, the very amenities that people seek as precious attributes of foothill living can be destroyed. In addition, the cumulative effect of improper hillside development can result in significant destruction of sensitive biological habitats and habitat linkages, erosion and degradation of water quality, increased downstream runoff and flooding problems, slope failure, fire hazards, high utility costs, and inadequate access for emergency vehicles. Arcadia's approach to hillside management is to require preservation of the natural character of hillside areas, and to require full mitigation against hazards from wildland fires, landslides, earthquake faults, and other environmental conditions. Goal LU-5: Hillside management approaches that balance desires for unique neighborhoods and home sites with the need to protect residents from environmental hazards and to respect wildlife habitat and viewsheds Policy LU-5.1: Maintain the visual character of hillsides, recognizing both the importance of the exposure of hillside development from off-site public views and the importance of providing panoramic public views from and of hillsides. Policy LU-5.2: Minimize the alteration of existing landforms and maintain the natural topographic characteristics of hillside areas, allowing only minimal disruption. Policy LU-5.3: Protect the natural character of hillside areas by means of contour grading to blend graded slopes and terraces with the natural topography. Policy LU-5.4: Avoid mass graded pads within hillside areas. Smaller steps or grade changes should be used over single, large, slope banks to the greatest extent feasible. Policy LU-5.5: Ensure that any change in hillside land use is accompanied by appropriate safety measures and that the environmental constraints are adequately addressed especially with respect to runoff and erosion Policy LU-5.6: Require hillside development to incorporate architecture, scale, massing, building form, building color, roof materials, and Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-31 landscaping to reflect the natural hillside setting. Commercial Corridors and Districts With the exception of the regional mall, most commercial development in Arcadia occurs along the major streets and corridors. These corridors represent the "face" of the City to the many visitors who come to shop, work, or do business. The corridors support businesses that provide local jobs and services to Arcadia residents, and are a significant source of tax revenue. Revenues from commercial businesses support the maintenance of infrastructure, fire and police services, community services, and public facilities. Given the uncertainty surrounding future revenue from Santa Anita Park, Arcadia's long-term fiscal stability is closely tied to the continued stable financial performance of its commercial areas. Two corridors—Live Oak Avenue and First Avenue—offer opportunities for the incorporation of residential uses with commercial activity. Such mixed-use development will allow the City to diversify its housing base while enhancing the aesthetic quality of these corridors. Mixed use will also help enliven the commercial market in these areas by providing a ready customer base within walking distance. New mixed-use developments will require a commercial component to ensure that new retail or office space is provided to the area. Goal LU-6: Attractive and vibrant commercial corridors that provide for the retail, commercial, and office needs of Arcadia Policies specific to with expanded opportunities for mixed- economic use development development within the commercial districts are in the Economic Policy LU-6.1: Encourage all new commercial development, Development Element. through the use of entitlement incentives and/or requirements, to provide public gathering spaces and pedestrian facilities and connections. Policy LU-6.2: Use code enforcement to address maintenance issues and to improve the overall appearance of the City's commercial corridors. Policy LU-6.3: Establish parking districts in key commercial areas to make use of shared parking, public parking lots, and other creative approaches to parking. The aim of such an approach should be twofold: to reduce problems associated with parking and to create incentives for development. 2-32 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Policy LU-6.4: Encourage design approaches that create a cohesive, vibrant look and that minimize the appearance of expansive parking lots on major commercial corridors for new or redeveloped uses. Policy LU-6.5: Where mixed use is permitted, promote commercial uses that are complementary to adjacent residential uses. Policy LU-6.6: Develop landscaping that is compatible with the City's water efficient landscape ordinance and façade standards for commercial properties, and require all new development to adhere to them. Encourage the improvement of rundown buildings by offering entitlement incentives. Policy LU-6.7: Encourage a balanced distribution of commercial development throughout the City, ensuring that neighborhoods and districts have adequate access to local-serving commercial uses. Policy LU-6.8: Encourage the intensification of commercial uses on underutilized commercial properties and the transitioning of non-commercial uses on commercial properties in accordance with the Land Use Policy Map and all applicable regulations. Policy LU-6.9: Pursue public/private partnerships aimed at creating an investment strategy for the City's commercial corridors. Policy LU-6.10: Identify and provide appropriate monumentation and signage for major City gateways where commercial corridors enter Arcadia from neighboring cities. Policy LU-6.11: Provide mature street trees, continuous landscaping (that includes drought-tolerant plants), and pedestrian amenities along corridors and within districts to create a more visually pleasing and cohesive streetscape. Policy LU-6.12: Create pedestrian connections along corridors and districts that link surrounding neighborhoods and provide a more pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-33 Policy LU-6.13: Redesign focal intersections and public areas to create outdoor amenities and improve the pedestrian experience. Industrial Districts Industrial businesses play an important part in job creation and revenue generation. Arcadia has no heavy industrial uses and only a few areas where light industrial uses, such as manufacturing and warehousing, occur: north of the Downtown, along portions of Live Oak Avenue, and in the southeastern limits of the City around Goldring Road, Clark Street, and Lower Azusa Road. Arcadia has done well attracting light manufacturing businesses to its industrial areas. In fact, while this City is known for its homes and regional mall, one of its largest revenue producers is a manufacturer of fire safety equipment. The City can become even more attractive to such businesses, as well as those in the technology incubator sector of the market, through a focus on infrastructure improvements. Particularly in regards to the development of the Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area, roadway and other infrastructure improvements will help ensure that Arcadia remains able to take best advantage of its location in the San Gabriel Valley, a significant regional center for manufacturing with more than a proportional share of Los Angeles County manufacturing businesses. According to a report3 from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the San Gabriel Valley claims 17.9 percent of Los Angeles County manufacturing establishments although it only has 10.4 percent of all County establishments. Goal LU-7: Industrial areas that encourage local, well- paying employment while providing for the other industrial service needs of the Arcadia community Policy LU-7.1: Require the use of buffers and transition in industrial developments to minimize impacts on surrounding residential neighborhoods. Policy LU-7.2: Encourage industrial uses that provide employment and revenue benefits to the City. Policy LU-7.3: Require quality industrial development that includes visually appealing architectural design, site design, scale and massing, and landscaping design features consistent with the City's ordinance 3 San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership:Economic Outlook, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. November 2008. 2-34 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Policy LU-7.4: Require aggregate mining facilities to adequately buffer operations and facilities with appropriate landscaping and grading techniques. Public/Institutional Uses Public and institutional uses include those dedicated to government purposes, such as the Civic Center and public schools. Quasi-public and private uses that provide an essential community function similar to government, such as private utilities and hospitals, are also included in this category. In response to changing demographics over time, the City will re- evaluate the public services and facilities it provides to best serve the community. For example, an increase in senior-aged residents will necessitate community facilities that can serve the health, education, and cultural enrichment needs of older residents. The City's foremost Public/Institutional area is the Civic Center campus on Huntington Drive, which includes City Hall, the Council Chambers, and Arcadia's police department headquarters building. The current site is the fourth location of City Hall in Arcadia's history. When the City incorporated in 1903, Arcadia's population was approximately 400 people. City Hall moved from the Hotel Oakwood on the southeast corner of First Avenue and Santa Clara Street to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and La Porte Street, which housed a general store at the street level and offices on a second floor, the first new City Hall building was constructed on the corner of First Avenue and Huntington Drive in 1918. City Hall moved to its current location in 1949. The City plans to rebuild City Hall at its existing location. In addition to the Police Department building, which was completed in 2003, the City constructed a Fire Department headquarters station in 2008 and extensively remodeled the main library in 1996. Founded in 1903 in Los Angeles and moved to Arcadia in 1957, the Methodist Hospital, located on Huntington Drive just south of City Hall, is a long-time Arcadia institution that serves as a not-for-profit hospital. This important regional facility provides a full complement of medical services, and is a major provider of quality jobs in the community. With the growth of the healthcare industry, the City looks to accommodate medical office spaces and facilities that supplement the services that Methodist Hospital provides. The Downtown Overlay applied to properties designated Commercial offers an FAR of 1.0 as an incentive to development of such complementary uses near the hospital. Goal LU-8: Public and institutional uses that provide community-wide benefits and meet the needs of Arcadia residents and businesses Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-35 Policy LU-8.1: Protect and maintain properties for public and institutional services which benefit the City as a whole. Policy LU-8.2: Accommodate the provision of public and institutional uses that meet the needs of a changing demographic, such as those aimed at senior populations and day-care facilities to meet the needs of Arcadia families and workers. Policy LU-8.3: Pursue the policies in the Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element regarding park lands and public school facilities. Policy LU-8.4: Permit the orderly expansion and establishment of medical facilities to meet the growing demand for hospital and medical services. Policy LU-8.5: Coordinate with the Arcadia Unified School District for the use of school facilities during off hours for City-sanctioned recreational and civic activities. Policy LU-8.6: Continue to pursue the funding necessary to complete the planned construction of a new City Hall. Policy LU-8.7: Incorporate outdoor public spaces designed for public use into civic and public institutions. Policy LU-8.8: Minimize the visual impacts of parking, and locate primary entrances of public buildings to face the street, not a parking lot. Policy LU-8.9: Incorporate design strategies to achieve compatibility between public and institutional uses and residential neighborhoods. Open Space Open Space uses such as public parks are located in many neighborhoods, providing places for recreation, relaxing with friends For more policies and family, and enjoying nature. The largest open space areas are addressing open located in the center of the City (Arcadia County Park and Santa Anita space, see the Parks Golf Course) and on the north and south ends of the City (Arcadia and Recreation, and Wilderness Park and Peck Road Conservation Park). Community Resources Element. 2-36 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Goal LU-9: Preservation of the City's existing natural and recreation-oriented open space areas Policy LU-9.1: Ensure that new development does not infringe upon open space areas. Policy LU-9.2: Maintain open spaces consistent with the Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element and the Resource Sustainability Element. Policy LU-9.3: Consider creative open space uses such as native landscaping, community gardens, or creation of wildlife habitat along right-of-ways or other public spaces. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-37 Land Use Focus Areas As embodied by the City's motto, one of Arcadia's most treasured resources is its single-family residential neighborhoods. As such, a primary goal of this General Plan is to provide the necessary opportunities for the City to grow and thrive economically while preserving the quality and character of the single-family residential neighborhoods. Recognizing the stability of the City, this Plan focuses on very specific areas where change is desired to diversify housing and businesses, and to take advantage of benefits the Gold Line station at Santa Clara Street and First Avenue will bring. Figure LU-7 identifies the following focus areas: • Downtown Arcadia • First Avenue and Duarte Road • Live Oak Avenue • Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area • Baldwin Avenue and Duarte Road • Santa Anita Park Identification of these focus areas arose from extensive analysis and discussion conducted with the General Plan Advisory Committee during the summer of 2008, and subsequently later confirmed by the City Council and Planning Commission. For the focus areas, the General Plan Advisory Committee, City leaders, City staff, and the community developed strategies to: • Achieve more efficient or productive use of land resources. • Encourage uses that would benefit the City through increased revenue, employment, and/or housing opportunities. • Incentivize innovative mixed-use projects. • Enhance select commercial corridors. • Establish a vision for future land uses on properties that will experience significant transition, such as reclamation area. 2-38 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 • r__...„_. --L`,- .., - �N % Siena Madre vI 1: 'r er Monrovia ta...rras aw , \- ------ lir-') . \Pasadena r' Z Rola god Rollin Sod PoomLLOWvy 2 I I _.=.=..---_,------- I e 1 I H.vard Cr a� i _-- 1 a III, ,tea i j: O r �� \ ' roominwr \ 7 j1111,111111111111111111 Cr I t -- / 1 , I. o"� �' ...tea IlllLos Angeles {� �"D� ounty 11 1 A fir k V t--- i Tem.le City 3t u..r"' \ L II / Irwindale-' ' SI /Or II. t � . ,, ... a. �+...i, le �' Mapped by.Hogle-Ireland Inc.,2010. I ,„ . .\ / / Data Sources:City of Arcadia,2008. . :J //z-'>;� BKAMA , ® 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet I • Focus Areas Downtown Arcadia -- City Boundary First Avenue and Duarte Road Sphere of Influence Live Oak Avenue Freeway Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area Major Road Baldwin Avenue and Duarte Road • . , . Railroad Santa Anita Park - Water Feature Figure LU-7: Land Use Focus Areas Arcadia General Plan-November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-39 Downtown Arcadia The traditional core of Downtown has long been centered at Huntington Drive and First Avenue, before City Hall was established at its current location between East and West Huntington Drive. This core extends along Huntington Drive for one block in either direction and three blocks south along First Avenue. These blocks have buildings of a scale and street orientation that create a wonderful walking environment, and the City has made extensive efforts to create a pleasant pedestrian experience and attractive business fronts. However, the area has struggled commercially and has never really found the right mix of businesses to allow the corridor to thrive. The proximity of the regional mall, with its many national retailers and restaurants, creates competition for smaller, independent businesses. Just behind the Huntington Drive frontage, several properties are underutilized or have uses, such as inventory warehousing, that do not foster a thriving pedestrian commercial neighborhood. Parking is not convenient despite the presence of City-owned lots. v � 1=-1-1-u-� V vaL� yea BA - p =111 11111 111N \( I Ili Figure lu-8: �. limn.. , l I I I Downtown arcadia - -- -- Hump -- - �� �� •11 mow mim mow o - 1 WNW 4111=11 — ms me— .. LE r Es = ., iiii7II 1 M,=ME MOM=ME MOM =— mism ¶i3 __ _ 9,/ A: . N • i, ® ■., • i■ , • i „ I . 171 I lH /117 I-1 it 4 0, g - - ---- f i 1:'- 1 I , I HgODegnoW 05FM)RryidonIZJO Eiv.cl 110wo�l I iI �,I [irl Canm (0.6 FM) //�Ds.Ilea.ntown/ U..rydoC 0 IOFNt) I I1 1 , �Downtown/Mod Ow(30-50 JYwc 8 1.0 FAR) Publicirystllulawl BIM Rail ROI-of-Wry 1 ////hDwmbwn Overlay(1 0 FAR) _ / ) n r 1=l !I! E The most important and anticipated development in Downtown is the Metro Gold Line extension and Arcadia station. The Metro Gold Line light rail system runs from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena, with the extension planned to add more than 24 miles to the system, with a terminus in Montclair and possibly beyond to the Ontario Airport via either bus or rail. The Arcadia station platform at the northwest corner of First Avenue and East Santa Clara Avenue will access a planned parking structure adjacent to a public transit plaza. The City envisions the Downtown Arcadia station as a destination for visitors and a catalyst for transit-oriented development in the surrounding district. For visitors, clearly marked travel ways will direct 2-40 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 them to shops and attractions in Downtown, as well as to Santa Anita Park and the regional mall. To revitalize Downtown and move forward with this vision, broad-based ,, y 0# wier irijilli land use changes are required, l:: - together with a comprehensive parking strategy and coordinated public signage improvements, as •-,4 •. well as possibly economic .. ! - development incentives (see the - `' Economic Development section of 111 ' ■ 4 _ , _ , 'i` l ' riin' this Element). The Downtown Mixed ' "'� r` N e imian Use land use designation allows -- - "� �'� ► .1'. retail and service commercial, office, ,cif ox - Milt entertainment, and residential uses =,-.• - . at development intensities and , �,� t densities—up to a 1.0 FAR and 59 PI]$ , • • 80 units per acre—that are higher 1 aj 3 ��� . orf • II than previously permitted. Along the Huntington Drive frontage, which is designated Commercial, land use policy allows a higher FAR than in other commercial areas. The land use plan for Downtown revolves around the Gold Line station vi \Y \ t / �R e. PLOAIIR min --- 46, .U t,t*Oc STAflON - AMIE —11111\ RMCROI.U.l�1 TRANSIT PLAZA 0 ..... TWO-LEVEL PARKING STRUCTURE O .Pc~ / cf ste Figure LU-9: Gold Line station Planned Configuration and the tremendous opportunity it presents for Downtown enhancement. Supported by appropriate land uses, the station will attract both commuters to shop or dine and residents who want to live within walking distance of commercial amenities and be able to ride the train to work. The first step to realizing the full potential of transit-oriented development in Downtown is to create capacity for more people in the area on a 24-hour basis. The Downtown Mixed Use land use Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-41 designation focuses the most intense mixed-use development potential around the station. The 1.0 FAR accommodates sufficient development intensity for projects with ground-floor commercial and up to three additional stories of residential use. Alternatively, individual projects may consist of combined retail/office or stand-alone office. In Downtown Mixed Use areas, residential uses are permitted above ground floor commercial or adjacent to a commercial use; however, - e- -e -- , - == - - - = -e - - == - -- •- .. =e me developments to lend a lively street scene. Sstand-alone residential uses are not permitted. Properties along First Avenue (south of Huntington Drive to Diamond Street) are designated Mixed Use, which allows mixed uses (residential and commercial) and stand-alone commercial uses. Developments consisting solely of residential uses are not allowed, as the intent is to create pedestrian activity between the ground-floor, street-fronting commercial uses. Shared parking lots are encouraged to allow new development to take maximum advantage of the shallow lots. North of La Porte Street, between Saint Joseph and Santa Clara Streets, properties are designated Commercial. The mix of light industrial and residential uses historically comprising this sub-area are envisioned to transition to small-scale office and neighborhood-serving commercial uses that support the surrounding established neighborhoods and new residential development in Downtown. The long-established uses will be permitted to remain consistent with zoning regulations. The extension of the Downtown focus area north and west along Santa Anita Avenue, Huntington Drive and Colorado Place are designated Commercial with an FAR overlay of 1.0 to allow a modest increase in development intensity. The increase in intensity should encourage owners of older buildings to pursue private redevelopment efforts that will provide additional hospitality uses and office space—and medical office space in particular on Santa Anita Avenue—to enhance the function and appearance of these corridors. Downtown Community Design As described in the Land Use Focus Areas discussion above, the single-most important factor necessary for the creation of a thriving commercial district is people, and people walking is even better. The Gold Line station represents the key opportunity to generate pedestrian activity Downtown, combined with creation of a distinct, fun, safe, and multi-functional outdoor public gathering place. The station and land use policy that allows for higher-density residential development in Downtown will generate the critical mass of people that small-scale retail businesses, cafes, and restaurants require. Good community design alone will not revitalize Downtown, but it can complement the transit accessibility and mix of uses that will make Arcadia a destination stop on the Gold Line, rather than merely a pass- through or place where commuters from surrounding cities park their 2-42 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 cars to travel into Los Angeles. Good community design will make it more likely that the new residents of Downtown will spend their leisure hours walking around (and spending money in) their neighborhood, rather than going somewhere else with more appeal. The following are the key elements of a successful community design for Downtown. Public Spaces Public spaces include publicly accessible plazas, courtyards, and similar outdoor spaces that form a vital component of a community's public life. Such spaces attract people. As well-defined outdoor rooms, they may accommodate public gatherings and celebrations, or serve as retreats from urban activity. Shade trees and other means of escaping the sun should be integral to all public spaces. Fountains and water follies, especially ones which children can play in, can be a major draw for families on hot days. t ,4 Quality public -alit, -' ' 4 ;,i 4....' spaces attract ^ .`1'� `�'� 4"''e '" ,` - people. = r ;� I tttttttt... �.. # r i :mac A I, t'+ `' ' '- k A plh . z-1. It 1',. Signage In addition to the primary use of providing direction, a program of public signage helps to mark and make a location distinct. Key locations in Downtown, in particular the Gold Line Station and the Huntington Drive and First Avenue shopping districts, should be well marked. Signs used should be attractive and coordinated with the overall aesthetic of the area. Pedestrian Connectivity T Civic Center Successful places include safe and convenient Community = _ / connections from parking areas to shops and ., -11 Center restaurants, and among the shops and ++ ' `` Historical ; � restaurants themselves. Generally, people's . - MuseumF. 1111111 walking tolerance to their destination is about ' 4g- t it), ,,,, one-quarter mile, but they can be encouraged to - •continue walking if the paths are clear and they ,,.. '-r :414the can find excitement along the way. Public w e plazas, courtyards, and pocket parks in i a. Downtown need to be connected via sidewalks ' -? ` i' and paseos to create a network of pedestrian Kt - spaces. Particular attention will be paid to the Or Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Via. �" P connections between •arkin• lots and commercial areas. I�� ( U Paseos work - ..)4360.2e-s, especially well to 1 connect parking lots with • 1 r a commercial s . -it areas. - , _ t 2 14-. ,,, `'' . Parking The goal for Downtown is to have visitors park once and be able to walk to any destination in the district, such as people do at a shopping mall. One method for achieving this is shared parking, whereby a business's parking requirement could be fulfilled offsite at a common lot shared with the other businesses in the neighborhood. In addition to ensuring that customers do not have to drive and re-park to patronize more than one establishment, shared parking also makes it possible for businesses to use commercial space that they would not be able to if they had to provide parking onsite. This helps to remove a major obstacle to commercial vitality while continuing to ensure that sufficient parking is available to serve the district as a whole. Where parking structures are used, they should be fronted by active uses, such as storefronts along pedestrian walkways so as not to disrupt the pedestrian experience. t . .`�S. '111111)1 - f ' \ ...-- Alt' ! iii �. �;, u G A.. Ii i ^ r• •I li lilt i 4� 10 t!4 ti. a ,, ,,. •, +iii �� itti;�.. . t7 . - -.4 r myi- --..,.4 ff q .-1••_ R- • Parking structures should be fronted by active uses such as ctrmmfrnntc For mixed-use buildings, subterranean or interior parking courts should be used to minimize the visual impact of parking. The location and design of parking should not prohibit the desired street-oriented development pattern nor inhibit the provision of comfortable and functional outdoor spaces. 2-44 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Building Orientation Buildings should be oriented to the pedestrian and the street. Buildings act to define the boundaries of the public "room" of the street. They should therefore be designed to function as a part of that room, enhancing the public space. They should not turn their backs to the street, but should offer the pedestrian something to interact with. Rather than having an uninterrupted blank wall, the windows or landscaping of projects should face the street. Architecture Rather than have rigid architectural guidelines or standards for Downtown that would create almost a theme park appearance, the City will allow for individual expression. Constants will be: • The use of quality, lasting building materials • Building scale that relates to the almost intimate nature of Downtown and the generally narrower street widths • Avoidance of "kitsch" or other design elements that will not easily stand the test of time • Unified themes within a development, including ensuring that window treatments and detailing comport with the overall building style Downtown Conceptual Community Design Study Figures LU-10, LU-11, and LU-12 present a conceptual plan for Downtown Arcadia. This is not a prescriptive plan for the area; it is meant to illustrate the types of design elements desired. The plan emphasizes pedestrian access and open space and integrating the Gold Line Station with high-density residential, mixed-use, and commercial areas via a system of pedestrian alleyways and plazas. These diagrams identify models to guide development decisions for the area; the City may adopt a more definitive specific plan document, or associated zoning standards, for Downtown. Figure LU-10 is an overall conceptual plan depicting the central Downtown area between East Colorado Boulevard and Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue. The focal point is the Gold Line station, which the study envisions as being surrounded by large plazas on both sides of the tracks. The central features are pedestrian alleys and breezeways that radiate from the station plazas to the south, connecting the plazas to mixed-use and commercial areas south of the station and along Huntington Drive. Figure LU-11 illustrates the types and scale of land uses envisioned for each area of Downtown. A well-designed Gold Line station surrounded by areas of public open space is a crucial component of the plan. Photographs of potential examples for this kind of station are presented in the lower right hand corner of the figure. Just above this on the right- hand side are examples of features that could enhance the pedestrian alleys, including fountains, benches, trees, and other landscaping. Figure LU-12 is a study of edge conditions—or the interfaces between land uses—between the street and the buildings facing it, for example. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-45 Section A illustrates the proposed pedestrian alley walk, which should be a minimum of 20 feet wide. Key features of the alley walk include street furniture and planters attached to the face of the future parking structure; this adds aesthetic value for pedestrians. Another feature is the use of trees and groundcover to provide shade and visual variety. Section B depicts a cross-section of a pedestrian breezeway. This feature allows for pedestrian access/connection from parking lots or alley walks in the rear of retail stores to the street. Street furniture and landscaping are used to "soften" the experience of walking between buildings. Section C shows the relationship of building to street, with awnings and street trees providing shelter for pedestrians. The trees and street parking also form a physical buffer between automobile traffic and people on the sidewalk. Adjacent to the building, an amenity zone provides room for street furniture such as planters and benches. Section D depicts the interface between a parking lot and the street. The key feature is a bioswale that catches surface runoff from the parking lot, preventing polluted water from running directly into the storm drain system and eventually, into the ocean. 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C 1 ,'►gar Section B: Pedestrian Section A: Pedestrian Alley Walk The Pedestnan Cut-Through is to alto The alley walk takes advantage of the existing alley way running from Santa Anita Avenue to Second Avenue 1\2 block north of Huntington in the rear of retail to the street They The goal is to provide internal pedestnan access across the Downtownwith little or no vehicular interference Walk itkV.4- • tt. vwJ _ • r � 1► fob a N' JF + *' Rif 4. " 7 ,.,)2)4ii. ,,,, k!ibof —le v + � ,, „if,/ _____„, -4 ir 9 ,... • . . . ; 9 a � '1 .� �.r.�. r L . _ 1 (Ivorri `•'1' .40 It - . ,,, i Iii L 111.1111.11 ,; 4. '-....-rolt *4.11111.1111:1" , , v•iisr„3.„ it If f en.; 111.1111.11 f I 4- --4 $-'aM ‹...._______fr*Ir reet#5- 1•46 ,i, tet.6cawk-- '. 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Goal LU-1 0: A thriving Downtown, with healthy commercial areas supported by high- quality, residential uses and supportive of the Metro Gold Line transit station Policy LU-10.1: Provide diverse housing, employment, and cultural opportunities in Downtown, with an emphasis on compact, mixed-use, transit- and pedestrian-oriented development patterns that are appropriate to the core of the City. Policy LU-10.2: Promote the Metro Gold Line Extension and establishment of a transit station in Downtown Arcadia, and take full advantage of the opportunities the Gold Line station will bring to Downtown and the City as a whole. Policy LU-10.3: Work toward the establishment of public gathering areas in Downtown to bring public activities and civic events into Downtown. Policy LU-10.4: Establish commercial uses that complement the vision of the Downtown core with opportunities for more intense, quality development at key intersections that are unique from the regional offerings at the regional mall. Policy LU-10.5: Encourage the transformation of Santa Anita Avenue into a premier office corridor by offering incentives for development while at the same time requiring the high-quality amenities that will attract the kinds of businesses the City would like to see. Policy LU-10.6: Encourage high standards for property maintenance, renovation and redevelopment. Policy LU-10.7: Provide accessible plazas and public spaces throughout Downtown that provide both intimate, outdoor rooms and larger spaces that could accommodate public gatherings and celebrations. Policy LU-10.8: Establish an attractive and coordinated wayfinding sign program in Downtown with an overall consistent design theme. 2-54 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Policy LU-10.9: Connect various activity areas and plazas via sidewalks, paseos, and pedestrian alleys to create a comprehensive pedestrian network. Policy LU-10.10: Establish a "park once" system in Downtown with a collection of shared surface and parking structures. Policy LU-10.11: Buildings should be oriented to the pedestrian and the street. Policy LU-10.12: Encourage architecture that uses quality, lasting building materials; provides building scale that relates to intimate nature of Downtown; and applies a unified theme. Policy LU-10.13: Recognize that well-designed public open spaces are vital to the success of Downtown. Work with private developers and landowners to facilitate the construction of such spaces. Policy LU-10.14: Create a high-quality pedestrian experience in Downtown through the use of street trees, public art, street furniture, and public gathering spaces. Using signage, art, and unique uses, entice and encourage people to walk and explore the commercial core of Downtown. First Avenue and Duarte Road The First Avenue and Duarte Road corridors provide local commercial services and retail uses that support the surrounding residential neighborhoods. First Avenue is envisioned as a mixed-use street that complements the surrounding residential properties. Duarte Road is envisioned as a neighborhood-serving commercial node with uses that require additional traffic presence. First Avenue between Huntington Drive and Duarte Road represents the proving ground for mixed-use development in Arcadia, with the first projects constructed in the early 2000s. Residential development is required to have a ground-floor commercial component. The streetscape improvements north of California Street, completed also in the early 2000s, have created a very pleasant pedestrian environment, with shops, cafes, and services within easy walking distance from neighborhoods on either side of First Avenue. However, visitors who drive to the district have trouble with the angled parking. The concern is that exiting from such spaces into traffic can be daunting. The City will examine options to mitigate this problem, as well as public or shared lots. In addition, the City will look into extending the streetscape improvements south to Duarte Road. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-55 - = L Figure lu-13: iI — CALIFORNIA ST First Avenue And Duarte Road DIAMOND ST 1 I SI II _ lill II II , 1 [ 1 I 1 LDLOST' ELDORADO ST r . [I II N II II I II .GENOA ST ALICE ST _ I "■1"1,_ ;31 - LUCILLE ST r iiill - - wisil -minim Ear ELLEN VIV MEIN - G PL I I I I I I I I I I I I Il IllkLELAND Mi Il CHRISTINA ST J alEMI I I fl CH-+. ST -MAGNK l Commeraal(0.5 FAR) ` J Milli _ J --mai Mixed Use(22-30 du/ac&1.0 FAR) - - I I I — Ml.DNA VISTA - lilm ( / I I I ) i I I - Goal LU-1 : An economically vibrant neighborhood with a mix of residential and commercial uses along First Avenue Policy LU-11.1: Work to improve the pedestrian experience along First Avenue between California Street and Duarte Road by looking for funding to extend the streetscape improvements already in place north of California Street. Policy LU —11.2: Examine alternative parking options such as public/shared parking lots along First Avenue to help improve safety and traffic flow. 2-56 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan–November 2010 Live Oak Avenue Live Oak Avenue has supported a mix of low-intensity businesses for many years, although a new retail center at Santa Anita Avenue and Live Oak has established site design and architectural cues that should inspire new development along the corridor. Along the approximately one-mile stretch that Live Oak Avenue runs along the southern edge of the City, one can find everything from light-industrial manufacturing and auto repair to medical offices and apartments. Live Oak Avenue is also a major commuter thoroughfare that provides direct access to the 1-605 freeway. Anim �ll vision �� MEN-- ap =G ■.— ,--- NE + ''! im■■■■■► \■■u,\■w Ems Em■ ■ -- s�� �1ipor �� mar s ■ . 111 ���� nn ��■ .M j INN= "Mr IX lily �► ■ �� -- Mal —� �� gra �P111\\■DI �� t ►! ii ■ j . ��■��1r■\ NE� MI■ ■� �� MEM = I/ \IIID:7i1 ■uil arni 1� aL11( -� -i ■1 —m m� —hr I■11� 11■�■�■�■■■111114111 LII 111111111,11111.11 �� ��■iremi - —.• mai D �■■r►�� �■ ■■ �� 1, �■ I111iu■ ■ ■ 11 % t'It 11/C►IIIIIIi r � I 11111111 �■ n `� :� - � 11111111111111 �� i♦High Density Residential(12-30du/ac). ,-1 �. A 1111111111 _= = Commercial(0.5FAR)-1'♦ `��� 1111'," 1111111111 - W I',Mixed Use(22-30 du/ac&1.0 FAR) 'I • ft 111 ' 111111111 11111►, = = Commercial/Light Industdal(0.5 FAR).= �= � �0�_ _ Open Space-Resources Protection IO► -.■,� �- 1111111 2. �■ D� Figure lu-14: Live Oak Avenue The City has completed landscaping, median, and other streetscape improvements to enhance the public realm, but the pedestrian experience is less than optimal due to a narrow sidewalk, an absence of shade trees, and a lack of interesting places to walk to. The area serves residents of neighborhoods north and south of Live Oak Avenue (with neighborhoods to the south in Los Angeles County but also in Arcadia's sphere of influence). In particular, the avenue's two supermarkets are major local shopping destinations. There remains, however, a significant opportunity to improve the other shopping and service options for the people who live nearby. In 2002, the City attempted to establish a redevelopment area along the Live Oak corridor as a means of financing improvements there. This move, however, was blocked by the County of Los Angeles. The vision for a reinvented Live Oak Avenue corridor provides for a livelier, more diverse mix of retail and service commercial uses that better serve local residents, together with new residential uses in select locations along the corridor in mixed-use developments. Enhancements to accommodate and promote pedestrian activity will be balanced with recognition of the roadway as a major east-west connector. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-57 The Mixed Use designation applies only to those properties that have sufficient depth to accommodate a combination of uses; stand-alone residential is not permitted but can be integrated either vertically or horizontally into a comprehensive development scheme, with relationships to the adjoining lower-scale development clearly recognized and respected for any new development. The Land Use Plan acknowledges and retains compatible business park uses between Santa Anita and El Monte Avenues, as well as established multifamily housing and low-scale office buildings along the north side of Live Oak Avenue. Where the Commercial designation applies, the City supports and encourages the private redevelopment of commercial centers. Complementary policy direction is included in the Commercial Corridors section. Applicable policies and programs include: • Use code enforcement activities to address maintenance issues. • Pursue public/private partnerships aimed at creating an investment strategy for the corridor. • Transition non-commercial uses on commercial properties. • Encourage the improvement or replacement of older buildings by offering entitlement incentives. • Encourage landscaping and facade improvements. • Require appropriate and coordinated landscape and design standards. Live Oak Avenue is the boundary between the Arcadia Unified School District and El Monte K-8 and high school districts. Arcadia residents have expressed their desire to have City boundaries and school district boundaries coincide. While the City of Arcadia has no jurisdiction to effectuate such an adjustment, the City recognizes the value that the Arcadia Unified School District brings. Live Oak Avenue is major cross-town thoroughfare, yet the mix of uses that has evolved along the corridor suggests that sections can be more pedestrian focused and neighborhood serving, as discussed above. Also, a unifying streetscape the length of Live Oak Avenue, and along Las Tunas Drive from El Monte Avenue east to Santa Anita Avenue, would enhance the driving and pedestrian experiences, and would create a better visual image of this section of Arcadia. This will include coordinated landscaping within parkways and medians, quality street lighting and street furniture, and well-marked pedestrian crossings. Pedestrian District Between Santa Anita Avenue and Fifth Avenue, the plans for mixed- use development will emphasize more of a pedestrian environment, with buildings fronting the street. As with Downtown and Baldwin Avenue, pedestrian connectivity, especially between established and new residential uses and commercial uses along the corridor, should be the main focus of community design efforts. The provision of awnings should be encouraged, which in combination with a street tree plan for the avenue, will provide areas where pedestrians can shelter from the 2-58 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 sun. Benches and other places where people can rest will also work to encourage walking. For those sections along the corridor where development is more oriented toward auto traffic, all development should have visually interesting street frontage as well (for example, windows, variation of design, artistic elements), with no blank walls. All development shall feature quality building materials and attractive, well-designed landscapes. Goal LU-12: An attractive and economically thriving Live Oak Avenue Policy LU-12.1: Encourage mixed-use development on lots that have the size to support a higher intensity of development. Encourage lot consolidation to facilitate such development. Policy LU-12.2: Encourage and support the private redevelopment of commercial properties in areas not designated appropriate for mixed- use. Policy LU-12.3: Encourage the improvement of the pedestrian environment between Santa Anita Avenue and Fifth Avenue by requiring new developments to be designed with an emphasis on pedestrian connectivity with neighboring uses. Policy LU-12.4: Develop a streetscape improvement plan for Live Oak Avenue. Such a plan should address street trees, street furniture such as benches and planters, and pedestrian- friendly amenities such as awnings. Policy LU-12.5: Encourage the creation of public driveways to shared parking behind businesses between Santa Anita and El Capitan Avenue on the south-side of Live Oak Avenue. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-59 Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area The southern portion of this former quarry, the 10 acres south of Lower Azusa Road has already been developed with light industrial uses. The approximate 80-acre northern portion will continue to be filled in with inert materials (concrete, asphalt and dirt) as wot 4,se .4711, t part of a reclamation plan that will create a ��i./�%��j��. �._ sizable development site. t•�/i,♦ ec:�,�� "sty 1.4 itritta /4141. With immediate visibility and access from 1-605, *�� �,�*�f the site offers the opportunity for several uses. ! �* ,iw* Any new uses in this location, however, will have *,* •,4 �� to ensure adequate bufferingfor the surrounding ��residential neighborhoods of the City of EI ��fit ',/������:' Monte. �,��,, � • g•• Though this site was historicallydesignated for ���il ttii 111° 9 e ,;_,�' industrial and extractive uses, the �,,'/, Commercial/Light Industrial designation expands the potential for light industrial business activity Mg sf while allowing supportive and regional-serving rim �, commercial uses. The designation recognizes .. , the importance that small-scale industrial and �`'�'' quasi-industrial businesses have in the ,t10*.. community in terms of jobs provision, access to 10 britt i_ ^aj05FAfli needed goods and services, and revenue from dr, .■�.=►ti• point-of-sales operations. Industrial uses are Figure lu-15: expected to be in high demand due to the increasing conversion of Lower Azusa industrial lands throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The designation also Road Reclamation allows for large-scale, regional-serving retail at this location, providing Area options for reuse that will further the City's economic development objectives. Complementary policy direction is established in the goals and policies for Industrial Districts below. Key considerations for reuse of the site include: • Buffering and providing appropriate transition from any new industrial use to minimize impacts on surrounding residential neighborhoods • Encouraging uses that provide employment and revenue benefits to the City • Improvement of roadway access to the site, in particular upgrading the connection to the freeway • Requiring high-quality site and architectural design, combined with substantial landscaping, to create showpiece development 2-60 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Goal LU-1 3: A developed Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area that maximizes revenue to the City while minimizing negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods Policy LU-13.1: Require that developers of properties within the Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area provide infrastructure at the time of development that meets requirements specific to the uses planned, including road pavement that may be needed to support truck traffic for industrial uses. Policy LU-13.2: Improve access to the Lower Azusa Road Reclamation Area through the upgrade of the roadway connection to the 1-605 Freeway. Baldwin Avenue/Duarte Road Baldwin Avenue between Huntington Drive and Camino Real Avenue is a very economically successful commercial district. This stretch functions as a restaurant row, with numerous examples of thriving establishments. The restaurants may primarily serve Arcadia's booming Asian population, but they also draw many patrons from all over the San Gabriel Valley. Immediately behind the commercial corridors are well-established multifamily neighborhoods. Townhomes and two- and three-story apartment buildings, many dating from the 1960s and 1970s, are built on most of the properties. A large percentage of these older properties were built at densities at or near 30 dwelling units per acre. In recognition of this condition and to give property owners the opportunity to recycle some of the most dilapidated of these structures, the maximum density for the High Density Residential category has been increased from 24 to 30 dwelling units per acre. Even with this improved incentive to rebuild, it is unlikely to result in much redevelopment of apartment buildings, except for in the most extreme cases. If over the life of this General Plan the City faces a problem in this or other neighborhoods with apartment buildings that have become run down, but for which there is not adequate incentive to spur wholesale redevelopment, the City may look at other options, such as the allowance of smaller unit sizes. As always, guiding this process will be the desire to balance the aesthetic and economic benefits of new development with the potential negative consequences of increased densities. This section of Baldwin Avenue has evolved into a vigorous, busy commercial corridor, driven to a large degree by the influx of Chinese and other immigrant-owned businesses, and by a volume of ethnic restaurants that attract people from throughout the San Gabriel Valley. From the perspective of community design, however, Baldwin Avenue leaves much to be desired. Development is primarily auto-centered, Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-61 with many buildings oriented away from the street. Adjacent buildings do not relate to each other. Several developments have occurred as mini-malls that are internally focused, turning their backs on neighbors and sometimes presenting long, blank street walls. Few pedestrian or auto connections exist between developments. Once a customer has arrived, he or she is actively discouraged by the built environment to walk to adjacent stores. It is easier to drive back onto Baldwin Avenue and drive to the next destination, even if it is a short distance away. " 1iiillIninnum..•---- Figure l u-16: Baldwin Avenue/ 1 Duarte road II. 111 1 III ill — NM ,' D Al , ol'111 0 II . 1111U11_■■ � Ii �t� ____41 iiil 1111 I/ i ill, - 1111111111iror ../.111 !I. f> lilt ' rsae IIIII 001 ■ X11 ■isp..... -0-Avissostett 1.1 I N. mg ...... ss,___, , Arun Sas so Pi bow it lei �4 � r .�`. ��.Lammilli ► :■ _ �� l�Medium Density Residential(&12 dWec)�' WOO , II Hgh Density Residential(12-30 dWac) 'I .■::.! ,,,■■',a -_- Commercial(0.5 FAR) ills ►► • gli• �'"_� „►►,,���1 1111 In Open Space-Outdoor Recreation II•u•• I.•u•UUulUI♦IIIIUUI Along the commercial corridors, the Commercial designation supports continued economic vitality of the diverse businesses. Increased focus is needed, however, on orienting new developments toward Baldwin Avenue and Duarte Road, enhancing the streetscape for pedestrians, and creating better physical relationships and ties among developments, including reciprocal access between adjacent parking lots and even establishing shared or public parking lots. Reciprocal and shared parking approaches will help reduce circulating auto traffic as people look for parking spaces. The improvement of pedestrian connections between the residential neighborhoods and the commercial businesses along Baldwin Avenue 2-62 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 is another important community design goal for this area. The strengthening of pedestrian connectivity through directional signage, street trees, benches, distinctively marked intersections, and other streetscape improvements, will have positive effects in terms of economic development and traffic mitigation, as local people are encouraged to walk to nearby restaurants and businesses. Clearly, improvements to the urban design quality of Baldwin Avenue will be incremental over a period of many years. Nevertheless, the following development approaches, when applied to new projects and the rehabilitation of existing development, will make gradual improvements. Shared Parking As with Downtown, Baldwin Avenue businesses could benefit from shared parking. A single parking structure or lot that could serve the businesses on an entire block would allow an escape from the mini- mall-surrounding-a-parking-lot paradigm that dominates. Pedestrian Connectivity Pedestrian connections between developments should be encouraged. Buildings should be oriented toward the sidewalk, and businesses should not be permitted to impede or eliminate sidewalk ingress and egress. Walls or other barriers that disrupt pedestrian connectivity should not segregate parking lots from one another. Goal LU-1 4: Maintaining the economic success of Baldwin Avenue while enhancing design Policy LU-14.1: Encourage new developments to incorporate public gathering spaces as part of their design. Policy LU-14.2: Use code enforcement to address maintenance issues. Policy LU-14.3: Facilitate landscaping and facade improvements through a combination of incentives and code enforcement. Policy LU-14.4: Require traffic mitigation and landscape and design standards. Encourage design approaches that minimize expansive parking lots fronting Baldwin Avenue. Policy LU-14.5: Require new developments on Baldwin to place entries on Baldwin Avenue to encourage increased pedestrian use of Baldwin Avenue. Policy LU-14.6: Establish a marketing and branding strategy to unify Baldwin Avenue as a key shopping and dining destination Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-63 Santa Anita Park The Santa Anita race track 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 race track are part of Arcadia's plan for a strong economic base. Since the advent of off-track wagering facilities and a long-term downturn in the racing industry, attendance at the Santa Anita race track has declined. As a result, it is no longer necessary to reserve both of the race track's large open parking areas exclusively for race track event parking. The combination of lower attendance and the potential availability of a portion of the race track's parking areas for other uses have given rise to much community discussion regarding the positives and negatives of permitting new uses within the race track's parking areas. ' 11111111 oriV � ►• rr� 111111111„1,0 ,`���iffinumm � MOW g p �� C� ra ,'1,'/ -fes ESESEar I Ense 3 .1 -- viv lr*Ali II ♦`II Wet / MO • Commercial(0.5 FAR) • %i;',?%Santa Anita Commercial(0.3 FAR) Figure lu-17: Santa Anita Park Arcadia's long-term vision is to retain live horse racing at the Santa Anita race track, and to preserve the existing grandstand structure. The opportunity also exists to create a development of urban intensity on the race track's southerly parking lot which responds to the unique attributes of the race track to the north and the shopping mall to the west, and to cultivate this unique combination of regional attractions into a cohesive center. The City's goal is to ensure that new commercial development within the southerly race track parking area is respectful of Arcadia's existing community character, one of well- 2-64 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 preserved, peaceful, and safe residential neighborhoods. Because future development within the southerly race track parking lot has the potential for impacting the community, future development must address the following needs: • Achieving land use compatibility with, and a logical physical relationship to the adjacent mall and residential uses ▪ Retaining the ability of area roadways to maintain Level of Service D (Level of Service C on local residential streets), as outlined in the Circulation and Infrastructure Element • Providing sufficient on-site parking so as not to exacerbate existing problems of race track patrons parking offsite • Maintaining architectural compatibility with the existing race track grandstands • Preserving important community views of the existing race track grandstands such that the race track grandstands remain recognizable from locations along Huntington Drive • Providing sufficient on-site security so as not to impact the services of the Arcadia Police Department The purpose of designating the area south of the race track grandstands Commercial is to assist in facilitating free market forces to introduce new, compatible uses with complementary market segments to the existing mall, Downtown, and other commercial areas within the City. Overall, the Commercial designation of the southerly race track parking lot is intended to assist in achieving the City's mission and the related economic development and public infrastructure goals that are included in the Mission Statement. By reinforcing the need to establish linkages between new uses and existing ones, and between the race track and mall, the General Plan also seeks to create a synergistic economic relationship between the mall, race track, and new commercial uses in the race track's southerly parking area. New development within the portion of the race track designated Commercial is to be implemented through a specific plan pursuant to the California Government Code or an equivalent master planning process adopted by the City, and is to be consistent with the following provisions. Community Context Santa Anita Park is a vital component of the community's identity, its cultural heritage, and its economic well-being. Further, it is a bonafide regional destination, drawing visitors from throughout Southern California. The race track is one of three major live horse racing venues in Southern California, and possesses a distinct cultural heritage and recreational identity. It consists of the grandstands, track, paddock area, stables, other ancillary buildings, and two large surface parking areas, one to the north and one to the south of the track itself. The southerly surface parking area provides a unique physical opportunity for master planned infill development which builds upon the site's regional identity and central location. Development within the site's southerly parking area needs to be carefully planned so as to avoid or Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-65 minimize adverse impacts to existing and established neighborhoods and commercial areas within Arcadia. Located immediately southwest of the race track, the regional shopping mall is Arcadia's primary retail sales tax generator; it consists of approximately 1.4 million square feet with three major anchors. It serves Arcadia residents, as well as residents from surrounding communities. Although the race track and mall are contiguous to each other, each has a large common boundary, and shares a common set of access roadways, there are no common activities or functional linkages between these two uses. A chain link fence topped with barbed wire currently separates the southerly parking lot of the race track from the easterly mall parking area. Large arterial roadways separate the race track/mall complex from adjacent uses. These roadways, Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive, are wide with landscaped medians, and represent the public/private edge for the race track and mall. Both the race track and mall are set far back from Huntington Drive and Baldwin Avenue, minimizing visual impacts. The location of the race track parking areas to the north and south of the race track and grandstands has increased the visibility of these features. The unique architecture of the southerly grandstand facade has become an important community landmark. Views of this facade are an important attribute of the site that needs to be protected in planning for development of the southerly parking area, such that the grandstands remain a recognizable community feature. The architectural design of commercial buildings that are introduced to the southerly race track parking area needs to be compatible with existing race track architectural design, and functionally build upon the race track's attributes. The mall has a significant setback with a fairly dense landscaped buffer at the roadways' edge, limiting visibility of the mall, particularly from Baldwin Avenue. Of utmost concern to the City is the continued success of the mall and race track. Proposed Commercial Uses The approximate 85-acre development area within the southerly portion of the Santa Anita race track is strategically located between an established commercial use (race track) and commercial retail use (mall). The mix of uses within this development area should add to and enhance the range of existing retail in the City, and provide uses which can draw from and contribute to existing patronage at the mall and race track. The mix of uses and the design of new commercial development should work together to create a place where people can and will want to come for shopping and enjoyment. A wide range of compatible land uses is desired that will increase the area's retail sales potential by bringing more activity and buyers to the area. Thus, the retail component of new development within the southerly portion of the race track should provide a unique shopping experience, emphasizing a mix of general retailing and specialty goods. Attracting a wide variety of sit-down restaurants and other types of eating establishments is important to the success of establishing a 2-66 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 functional link between the mall's commercial uses and the race track's entertainment identity. A variety of entertainment experiences are desired to support the dominant commercial use of the site, and to increase patronage of the area's retail sector without creating a "theme park" or "amusement park." Desirable entertainment uses include both ticketed and non-ticketed venues. Office uses should, at most, be a minor portion of new development, and be supportive of the overall commercial character of the site. It is understood that, although market forces will bring an array of new and unique uses to the area, other uses will invariably compete with existing commercial areas in the City. Emphasis should be placed upon new uses and uses either having complementary market segments or a different scale and character than those currently existing within the City of Arcadia. Community Design There are several strong existing attributes that influence the potential new Commercial area's design. At this time, the mall and race track are two separate entities with no physical or commercial linkage. Development of new commercial uses in the southerly portion of the race track property represents a potential third major entity in the center of Arcadia. In order to benefit from the locale of the two existing regional attractions, and to maximize potential economic benefits, new commercial uses should be designed to establish linkages with the two existing major attractions (mall and race track), rather than simply create a third entity in the same area. The intent of such linkages is to facilitate each attraction's ability to draw patronage from, as well as contribute patronage to the other attractions, thereby increasing the success of the mall, race track, and new commercial development. New commercial buildings and structures in the southerly portion of the race track property need to respect the architectural and cultural heritage represented by existing race track buildings. Because any proposed development would be located closer to Huntington Drive than the existing race track structures, potential visual impacts of new development must be carefully analyzed. An appropriate building setback buffer and/or public edge landscape treatment needs to be provided to minimize potential visual impacts along Huntington Drive, and new development needs to protect public views of the race track grandstands. While it is not possible for new development south of the grandstands to preserve unobstructed views of the entire grandstand structure, it is important that the grandstands remain recognizable from key locations along the perimeter of the race track. Key views which merit preservation include the first views travelers get of the grandstands from Huntington Drive/Colorado Place, directly east of the track (Gate 5) and views of the unique architecture of the southerly grandstand facade, particularly those of architectural details toward the center and easterly portion of the grandstands. Views of these key architectural details from locations along Huntington Drive should be preserved. Exposed elevations of new commercial buildings to Huntington Drive, the race track, and the mall should avoid long, uninterrupted planes, using articulated components such as staggered setbacks for different Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-67 building levels, recessed windows, projecting balconies, arcades, etc. The design of the rear of buildings and loading or service areas should be cognizant and respectful of adjacent uses, and the need for establishing viable linkages with the mall and race track. The size and design of exterior building and project signage exposed to public roadways for new development within the southerly portion of the race track needs to be compatible with the immediately adjacent architecture. Thus, while signage is important to assist visitors to the site, signs should not be the dominant visual feature of the built environment. Landscaping for new commercial development should establish a project identity along the public edge and at the entries, and identify the vehicular roadways, pedestrian walkways, building entries, and plazas. Development of this site should also provide the opportunity to construct an integrated and consistent landscape treatment along Huntington Drive. The General Plan acknowledges that new commercial development south of the race track grandstands will introduce a new and potentially substantial source of nighttime lighting. Lighting needs to be integrated into project design, and not appear to be tacked on as an "afterthought." Lighting structures need to be in scale with the surrounding buildings. Also, while on-site lighting needs to be bright enough to promote the general safety of new uses, great care must be taken to prevent "spillage" of lighting and glare into nearby residential neighborhoods. Circulation and Parking Given the potential intensity of new development south of the race track grandstands, new commercial uses could generate a substantial amount of traffic. Because of the key location of the commercial development area, and its proximity to two major traffic generators (race track and mall), if not properly managed, traffic from new commercial development could result in traffic congestion. 2-68 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 O Arboretum Santa Anita Race Track alu/ 74, ic CIVIC ?Ca .,fes CENTER Q \/ ENTRY Potential 01 3 Santa Anita /� Development G Fashion ark( 100000 Arra / �t' / m Legend z! %O l/ L(1000u � Pocationsotential Linkage © Race Track Gate Numbers Figure lu-18: Santa Anita Park Linkages Traffic resulting from new commercial development needs to be analyzed and mitigated from both a roadway capacity perspective (both average daily traffic and peak-hour traffic), and from a land use compatibility perspective. Thus, new commercial development must not exceed the roadway performance capacity thresholds identified in the Circulation and Infrastructure Element. In addition emergency response vehicle access, and to the maximum possible extent, commercial traffic needs to be accommodated on existing roadways serving commercial uses. Existing residential neighborhoods and the hospital should not be adversely affected by new commercial traffic. These neighborhoods and their established character need to be protected from adverse traffic impacts generated by potential commercial development. Because access points are well established and appropriately spaced, the internal circulation system for new development south of the race track grandstands should be connected to existing points of ingress/egress. Because commercial uses are often characterized by significant pedestrian traffic, the internal circulation system of any new commercial project (or increment thereof) needs to assign a high priority to pedestrian movement in terms of ease, safety, and legibility. As the result of new development, on-site merging of race track related traffic with traffic from new commercial uses and the mall will occur. It is the intent of the General Plan that patrons of the race track, mall, and new commercial development be able to walk between these uses, and that automobile traffic between these uses not be forced to use the Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-69 external public roadway system as the only means of access between them. The General Plan recognizes that, by encouraging development within an 85-acre area south of the race track grandstands, a substantial amount of race track parking will be diverted from the track's southerly parking area to its northerly parking area on a daily basis. Because of the proximity of residential neighborhoods north of the race track, race track-related traffic increases onto Colorado Place need to be limited. Thus, access to the race track parking area needs to continue to be provided from Huntington Drive and Baldwin Avenue. At the same time, it is important that the internal circulation system south of the race track efficiently move traffic from parking entries along Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive through or around new commercial development into race track parking areas, and that traffic queuing up to enter race track parking areas not block entries into the commercial area parking or uses. It is also important that an efficient system of pedestrian access routes connecting mall and commercial parking and uses be provided, and that safe crossings of vehicular access routes are provided. All requisite parking for new commercial uses must be accommodated on site. The net effect of the physical arrangement of commercial, race track, and mall parking must not exacerbate the problem of race track patrons parking off site. A number of race track patrons use public transit. This mode of transportation needs to be preserved and enhanced through the provision of safe and adequate staging areas for buses as determined by the Foothill Transit District and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and through the provision of safe and convenient pedestrian access from these staging areas to the race track and commercial uses. Public Safety An important objective and benefit of new commercial development is municipal revenue generation. However, there are often significant public safety demands and costs associated with these types of projects. Large commercial venues have the potential to generate large numbers of people within a relatively small area. While this may be an objective of the new commercial development, the maintenance of a high level of public safety within the commercial area and surrounding lands is imperative. New commercial development south of the race track grandstands will be required to maintain an adequate level of security and fire protection as determined by the City of Arcadia Police and Fire departments. Phasing and Intensity The commercially designated portion of the race track's southerly parking lot is large (85 acres) and potentially able to accommodate significant new development. It is thus likely that new development will occur in a number of increments. Individual development increments need to yield a cohesive, viable mix of uses, and should not be predicated upon the construction of a subsequent increment. Thus, with 2-70 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 the completion of any individual development increment, the whole of the commercial area needs to appear to be "complete." Simultaneously, each development increment needs to represent a rational step that provides linkages to previous commercial development within the race track, as well as to subsequent development increments, the mall, and to the race track itself. In addition, this guideline will minimize visual impacts on the public roadways. In order to ensure that new commercial development is respectful of Arcadia's existing community character, and is compatible with the community's well preserved, peaceful, and safe residential neighborhoods, new commercial uses south of the race track grandstands are to be concentrated away from existing residential uses along Huntington Drive, although small freestanding pads may be located along the Huntington Drive frontage. As development approaches exterior portions of the site nearest to existing residential uses, the intensity of new commercial uses needs to be significantly reduced. Future of the Race Track Arcadia remains firmly committed to the continuation of a thriving horse-racing enterprise at Santa Anita Race Track. Given the long-term trends in the sport, which has seen many venerable courses closed in recent decades, it is prudent to address the possibility that horse racing will cease to be viable at Santa Anita at some point over the life of this plan. The site offers tremendous potential due to its size, access, and central location in the San Gabriel Valley; because of this, any use in the Horse Racing designated portion of the property must meet the following performance criteria: • The appropriate uses will be determined through an extensive process of citywide community engagement. • The uses will be a major and continual revenue source for the City, comparable to the race track in its heyday. • The uses will be world class in scope and appeal, with a regional draw, appropriate to the scale and unique nature of the site • The uses will be compatible with the character of the Arcadia community, which is made up of safe and attractive residential neighborhoods. • The uses will complement existing major activity centers throughout the City. • The existing grandstand will be preserved to the maximum extent feasible. • Design will put a priority on creating public gathering spaces, especially ones that are designed to be used by Arcadia residents. • Planning will incorporate educational and civic uses (e.g. museums and school facilities). • The uses will not place an additional burden on the City's water supply. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-71 • Development will preserve views of the mountains and views of the grandstand from surrounding streets and from within the site. • Site design and uses will accommodate alternative modes of transportation, and will be linked with transit and the Gold Line station. Goal LU-1 5: Maintenance of the many benefits— cultural, fiscal—that live horse racing at Santa Anita Park brings to Arcadia Policy LU-15.1: Promote continued economic viability of the Santa Anita Park race track by providing opportunities for compatible commercial uses. Policy LU-15.2: Recognize that Santa Anita Park and live horse racing are historically and commercially important to the community, and that the race track facility—and the grandstand in particular—is a significant community feature worthy of preservation. Policy LU-15.3: In the event that horse racing is no longer a viable option at Santa Anita Park, any future alternative use of the site will meet the performance criteria set forth above in this Element for reuse of the site. Regional Coordination and Cooperation The City's policies regarding land use, mobility, and resource use and preservation recognize that Arcadia is part of a large metropolitan region, and that by working with its neighbors and regional agencies, the City can effectively address issues that affect all. Of particular significance to the City is the increasing role of State mandates (or potential mandates) to address housing availability and global warming. The most important of these State-legislature directed efforts are the following: Regional Housing Needs Allocation The Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA, developed through a process directed by the Southern California Association of Refer to the Housing Governments (SCAG), represents the number of housing units— Element for discussion divided into various household income categories—that have been of Arcadia's Regional calculated to represent every jurisdiction's "fair share" of the regional Housing Needs Allocation. housing need during a Housing Element planning period. By law, the City is required to show in the Housing Element that adequate sites are 2-72 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia Gf available in Arcadia to accommodate the construction of new housing units consistent with the RHNA. Recognizing that development is often constrained by the market and environmental and other factors, the law makes no mandate that these units actually be built. Rather, housing law merely requires that the City do its part to facilitate housing construction by designating and zoning land for residential use at appropriate densities, and by eliminating impediments to housing development. The RHNA is based on population and housing needs projections made by the State and assigned to the regional Councils of Government (COGs) throughout California. The regional COGs, in turn, allocate housing absorption to its member jurisdictions. SCAG fulfills this role for the six-county region that includes Arcadia. AB 32 Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act (passed in 2006), sets the target of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases statewide to 1990 levels by 2020. The bill assigned the task of coming up with a scoping plan for this reduction to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This plan, which CARB's board approved in December 2008, has a range of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction actions which include direct regulations, alternative compliance mechanisms, monetary and non-monetary incentives, voluntary actions, market- based mechanisms such as a cap-and-trade system, and an AB 32 cost of implementation fee regulation to fund the program. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-73 SB 375 Senate Bill 375 (2008) takes aim at reducing the single largest source of greenhouse gases in California—emissions from passenger vehicles—by working to reduce vehicle miles traveled. The law prompts California regions to work together to lower these emissions, and requires the integration of planning processes for transportation, land use, and housing. SB 375 requires CARB to develop regional reduction targets for automobiles and light trucks GHG emissions. The regions, in turn, are tasked with creating "sustainable communities strategies," which combine transportation and land use elements to achieve the emissions reduction target, if feasible. Arcadia is cooperating with these efforts. Goal LU-16: Regional coordination and cooperation that represent Arcadia's interests at regional and statewide levels Policy LU-16.1: Work with lawmakers to provide the City the opportunity to contribute to legislation affecting the City. Policy LU-16.2: Work with Los Angeles County, Caltrans, Metro, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and other public agencies to ensure that actions taken by these agencies do not adversely affect Arcadia's quality of life or are inconsistent with policies contained in the General Plan. Policy LU-16.3: Identify opportunities for joint programs to further common interests in a cost-efficient manner. Policy LU-16.4: Assist agencies providing services within the City of Arcadia, as well as agencies involved in land use, transportation, and the provision of public services and facilities within the City, to understand the importance of the physical components of Arcadia's character, as well as the potential impacts of their actions on Arcadia. Policy LU-16.5: Foster systems of inter-jurisdictional communications and development review, and provide that such review respects the values of adjacent municipalities and equitably distributes both the benefits and impacts associated with a given project. 2-74 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Implications of Land Use Policy Over time, as properties transition from one use to another or property owners choose to rebuild, land uses and intensities will gradually shift to align with the intent of this element. Given the built-out character of Arcadia, significant development activities may not occur over the life of this General Plan and certainly, not all properties will be developed to the maximum permitted intensities and densities. Table LU-1 summarizes the land use distribution, expected level of development anticipated within each designation, and the resulting residential and nonresidential outcomes that can be expected through approximately 2035. Implementation of the General Plan Land Use Plan, with the assumptions described below, is projected to potentially result in 3,624 additional dwelling units, 9,916 new residents, and 3.5 million additional square feet of non-residential development in the City of Arcadia, relative to 2008 conditions. Over a 25-year period, this averages about 145 units and 140,000 square feet of non-residential development per year. Although most new development will be channeled toward the focus areas, scattered private redevelopment actions will create new units and new business opportunities citywide. Projected Future Conditions To define a realistic build-out scenario, assumptions about density and intensity levels were made. Factors used to establish potential future conditions include policies in this element, established land use patterns, and past development trends. Within single-family residential neighborhoods, the expected density largely reflects established conditions, as most single-family neighborhoods in Arcadia have lotting patterns and sizes that do not lend themselves to new land divisions. For the multiple family residential neighborhoods, expected density assumes 80 percent of maximum allowable density for all multifamily land use designations. While some private redevelopment activity may occur, particularly in areas that allow up to 30 units per acre, physical conditions and zoning requirements for on-site improvements will limit the ability of some properties to achieve the maximum densities. With regard to the non-residential designations, an assumption of 80 percent of maximum allowed intensities has been made, recognizing the well-developed character of several business districts and the fact that land use policy does not change long-applied FAR limits. Table LU-1 indicates the projected future number of residential units, people, and square footage on non-residential uses based on the Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-75 assumptions described above. Projected dwelling units have been calculated by multiplying the acres of residential land by the expected density for each designation. For the mixed-use designations, the assumed ratio of residential to non-residential development was 40 to 60 percent. This assumption reflects the requirement for a commercial component for all mixed-use developments and the fact that stand- alone residential development is not permitted. For non-residential uses (commercial, industrial, and institutional uses), the projection represents a factor of the land use, in acres, for each designation and the expected FAR. The projected population figure takes into account the average number of persons per household (2.872 in 2008) and the occupancy rate (95.9% in 2008). The number of persons per household and the occupancy rate will change year to year, but for projection purposes, the City has used estimates available from the California Department of Finance, Demographic Unit at the time of General Plan adoption. Table LU-2 compares buildout for the 2010 General Plan with that of the 1996 General Plan. 2-76 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Table LU-1: Buildout by Land Use Designation Non-Residential Building Square Acres Dwelling Units Population' Feet3 Land Use Designations City S012 Total City SOI Total City SOI Total City SOI Total Residential Residential Estates 545.21 -- 545.21 709 -- 709 1,950 -- 1,950 -- -- -- • 1038.1 Very Low Density 3 -- 1038.13 2,907 -- 2,907 7,997 -- 7,997 -- -- -- Low Density 1927.6 550.37 2477.97 7,132 2,036 9,168 19,621 5,602 25,223 -- -- -- Medium Density 63.32 -- 63.32 608 -- 608 1,672 -- 1,672 -- -- -- High Density 431.86 -- 431.86 10,365 -- 10,365 28,514 -- 28,514 -- -- -- Commercial Commercial 396.41 49.3 445.71 -- -- -- -- -- -- 7,233,186 859,003 8,092,189 Regional Commercial 79.11 -- 79.11 -- -- -- -- -- -- 1,378,238 0 1,378,238 Mixed-Use Mixed-Use 45.08 -- 45.08 433 -- 433 1,191 -- 1,191 859,400 -- 859,400 Downtown Mixed Use 23.85 -- 23.85 382 -- 382 1,050 -- 1,050 478,655 -- 478,655 Industrial Commercial/Light Industrial 97.02 -- 97.02 -- -- -- -- -- -- 1,690,476 -- 1,690,476 Industrial 104.44 -- 104.44 -- -- -- -- -- -- 1,819,763 -- 1,819,763 Public/Institutional Public/Institutional 185.82 -- 185.82 -- -- -- -- -- -- - -- - Open Space Open Space-Outdoor Recreation 511.4 -- 511.4 -- -- -- - -- -- -- - Open Space-Resources Protection 160.79 3.63 164.42 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Other Horse Racing 219 -- 219 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Rights-of-way,wash, etc. 24.25 1.87 26.12 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Notes: 1. Based on 2.869 persons per household and an occupancy rate of 0.9589(California Department of Finance,2008) 2. The General Plan addresses issues within a"Planning Area"that includes areas outside the official City limits known as the Sphere of Influence.The City's sphere of influence includes an area to the west bounded by Foothill Boulevard, Rosemead Boulevard, Michillinda Avenue,and Duarte Road, and an area located on the southeastern end of the City, around Live Oak Avenue and divided by a small strip of land in Arcadia that connects the majority of the City with the industrial/quarry areas in the south. Figure LU-4 shows the sphere of influence area on the Land Use Map. For purposes of the General Plan Housing Element,only land within City limits applies. 3. The figures presented in the table are derived from the 80%buildout factor that has been applied to all commercial development. These figures do not take into account precise entitled square footage for individual development projects. Such projects-such as the regional shopping mall-are permitted to develop consistent Arcadia General Plan-November 2010 Land Use and Community Design 1 2-77 with entitlements granted. Table LU-2: Current and Prior Buildout Projections 1996 General Plan 2010 General Plan Increase/Decrease Non-Res. Non-Res. Dwelling Square Populatio Dwellin Square Populatio Dwelling Non-Res. Area Units Feet n g Units Feet' n Units Square Feet Population 1 Santa Anita Park2 888,624 888,624 2 Downtown Arcadia 206 1,672,732 567 525 3,044,800 1,445 319 1,372,068 878 3 Duarte Rd./First Ave. 125 280,645 343 93 356,739 256 (31) 76,094 (87) 4 Baldwin Ave./Duarte Rd. 2,039 1,338,163 5,615 2,816 1,311,853 7,748 778 (26,310) 2,133 5 Live Oak Ave. 80, 971,994 222 461 1,071,924 1,269 381 99,930 1,047 Lower Azusa Rd. Reclamation 6 Area 1,449,137 1,610,152 161,015 7 City(outside focus areas)2 17,531 4,685,707 48,279 18,639 5,175,625 51,277 1,108 489,918 2,997 8 Sphere of Influence 2,147 859,003 5,914 2,036, 859,003 5,602 (111) (312) City Limits Total 19,981 11,287,002 55,026 22,535 13,459,717 61,994 2,554 2,172,715 6,968 Sphere of Influence Total3 2,147 859,003 5,914 2,036 859,003 5,602 (111) (312) ' Planning Area Total 22,128 12,146,005 60,940 24,571 14,318,720 67,597 2,443 2,172,715 6,656 Notes: SCAG Population Projection 1. The figures presented in the table are derived from the 80%buildout factor that has been applied to all commercial SCAG 2035 64,845 development. The figures do not take into account precise entitled square footage for individual development projects. Such projects-such as the regional shopping mall-are permitted to develop consistent with entitlements granted. SCAG Household Projection 2. Development assumptions for the Santa Anita Park Area SCAG 2035 22,566 No land use changes are proposed for this area. 0.3 FAR allowed for the Commercial portion of Santa Anita Park. FAR not applicable for the Horse Racing portion of Santa Anita Park and existing structures related to Santa Anita Park have not been included in the square-footage calculation . Regional Shopping Mall not included in this focus area. 2012 RTP Forecasts 3. Within the Sphere of Influence,the projected decrease in dwelling units and population reflects a difference in methodologies used to make the projections and to report the number of actual number of units within the Sphere. The City does not anticipate any actions to remove units. 2-78 I Land Use AND Community Design Arnarlia General Plan-November 2010 General Plan and Zoning Consistency The zoning regulations within the Arcadia Municipal Code serve as the primary implementation tool for the General Plan. Whereas the General Plan is a policy document and sets forth direction for development decisions, the Arcadia Municipal Code is a regulatory document that establishes specific standards for the use and development of all properties in the City. The Code regulates development intensity using a variety of methods, such as setting limits on building setbacks, yard landscaping standards, and building heights. The Code also indicates which land uses are permitted in the various zones. The City of Arcadia is a charter city and is governed on the basis of a charter that establishes its powers and authorities, as contrasted with a general law city, which enjoys only those powers specifically granted to it by the State. While general law cities are required by Section 65860 of the California Government Code to have zoning ordinances that are consistent with a city's general plan, zoning ordinances in charter cities like Arcadia are not required to be consistent with the General Plan. Nonetheless, the City of Arcadia strives to have a zoning ordinance that is compatible with the goals and policies in the General Plan, as the Municipal Code provides the primary means for implementing land use goals. The City will work to ensure General Plan and zoning consistency by prohibiting zoning of properties in a manner which is inconsistent or incompatible with surrounding zoning or land uses, and reviewing development proposals for consistency with all applicable land use regulations. Table LU-3 identifies the correlation between Arcadia's zoning districts and the General Plan land use designations. Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-79 Table LU-3: General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Consistency General Plan Land Use Designations Corresponding Zone Districts R-M Residential Mountainous Single Family RE Residential Estates R-O. 30,000 First One Family 30,000 R-O. 22,000 First One Family 22,000 R-O. 22,000 First One Family 22,000 R-O. 15,000 First One Family 15,000 R-O. 12,500 First One Family 12,500 VLDR Very Low Density Residential R-1. 15,000 Second One Family 15,000 R-1. 12,500 Second One Family 12,500 R-1. 10,000 Second One Family 10,000 R-1. 7,500 Second One Family 7,500 R-O. 12,500 First One Family 12,500 R-O. 15,000 Second One Family 15,000 LDR Low Density Residential R-1. 12,500 Second One Family 12,500 R-1. 10,000 Second One Family 10,000 R-1. 7,500 Second One Family 7,500 MDR Medium Density Residential R-2 Medium Density Multiple Family HDR High Density Residential R-3 Multiple Family CPD-1 Commercial Planned Development— 1 C Commercial C-O Professional Office C-1 Limited Commercial C-2 General Commercial Commercial (Santa Anita Av, C-M Commercial Manufacturing C Huntington Dr. Colorado PI. 1.0 C-2 General Commercial FAR) CBD Central Business District New Overlay Zone Required RC Regional Commercial C-2 General Commercial Special Height S-1 Special Use Zone HR Horse Racing H Special Height Zone SP Specific Plan MU Mixed Use MU Mixed Use DMU Downtown Mixed Use DMU Downtown Mixed Use C/LI Commercial/Light Industrial C-M Commercial Manufacturing I Industrial M-1 Planned Industrial District P/I Public/Institutional S-2 Public Purpose Zone OS-OR Open Space-Outdoor OS Open Space Recreation OS-RP Open Space- Resources OS Open Space Protection 2-80 I Land Use AND Community Design Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Introduction 2-1 Achieving Our Vision 2-2 Scope of this Element 2-3 Land Use 2-5 Community Design 2-16 Citywide Goals and Policies 2-25 Land Use Focus Areas 2-39 Implications of Land Use Policy 2-75 General Plan and Zoning Consistency 2-79 Table LU-1: Buildout by Land Use Designation 2-77 Table LU-2: Current and Prior Buildout Projections 2-78 Table LU-3: General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Consistency 2-80 Arcadia General Plan—November 2010 Land Use and Community Design I 2-81