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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1535 . . . RESOLUTION NO, 1535 A RESOLUTION OF TIlE PLANNING COMMISSION OF TIlE' CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNlA,RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE WITH THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED CHANGES AS SET FORTH IN THIS RESOLUTION, WHEREAS, updating the City's General Plan has been a long-range goal of the Development Services Department. The last General Plan Update was completed in 1990 and the last major technical studies were done in the 1970's and do not adequately .reflect current land uses, noise issues and circulation patterns. In addition, since 1990 there have been changes in State law relating to required information which have been incorporated in the new General Plan Update. The City Council in March, 1995, authorized the Development Services Department to proceed with a General Plan Update and enter into a professional services agreement with LSA Associates, Inc. for the preparation of the General Plan and related Environmental Impact Report (EIR); and WHEREAS, on May 17, 1995, a General Plan Community Workshop was held at the Arcadia Community Center. The purpose of the meeting was to assist the community in the identification and refinement of the City's vision of its future and choices; that are made in achieving that future; and WHEREAS, an Initial Study was prepared to identify the potential environmental effects of the proposed revisions to the General Plan. A Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was distributed on December 26, 1995, indicating that an EIR was required and inviting comments on the proposed General Plan Update project from Responsible Agencies, other public and state agencies and other interested parties. A revised NOP was distributed on January 8, 1996 documenting revisions to the project description, Comments that were received during the NOP period have been addressed as part of the Draft EIR; and WHEREAS, on July 19, 1995, a joint public meeting with the ('lanDing Comn:iission and City Council was held to discuss the formulation of alternatives to be addressed in the .EIR for the General Plali Update, At'this meeting, potential General -1- 1535 . . . Plan alternatives were presented to the Planning Commission and City Council, whose comments were considered in formulating the recommended General Plan Land Use Map and the alternatives. that are presented in the DEIR; and WHEREAS, the Notice of Completion for the Draft General Plan Update EIR and General Plan Update was distributed to all adjacent cities, agencies and interested persons on February 21, 1996, The public review period for the EIR was February 2,1, 1996 through April I 0; and WHEREAS, notification of the Planning Commission's April 29, 1996 meeting was mailed to approXimately 14,000 property owners, and another 1,500 notices were mailed to interested persons and agencies. Notification of the hearing was also published in "The Stat" newspaper, the Hometown section, a newspaper of general circulation; and WHEREAS, public hearings were held on April 29, April 30, May 14, May 16, May 30 and June'25, 1996; before the Planning Commission at which time all interested persons were given full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence; and WHEREAS, as part of the record of these hearings, tlie Planning Commission reviewed and considered: a. All staff reports and related attachments and exhibits submitted by the Development Services Department staff to the Planning Commission; and b. All oral and written testimony submitted by the public and other interested parties; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission is to make recommendations to the City Council on the proposed General Plan; and WHEREAS, the purpose of this Resolution is to reflect the determinations of the Planning Commission based on Planning Commission deliberations and actions and to transmit to the City Council the Commission's advice and recommendations. NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section I, The Planning Commission after reviewing the Draft EIR and the Draft General Plan Update recommends adoption with the following revisions: -2- 1535 . . . a, For that area identified as Transition Area One - Santa Anita Race Track/Santa Anita Fashion Park: The entire Santa Anita Park racetrack property and the Santa Anita Fashion Park mall were proposed in the Draft General Plan Update to be designated as Commercial Entertainment. The Planning Commission in its consideration recognized that the Santa Anita Race Track property is significantly underutilized and the owners have the right to utilize the land, The Planning Commission felt, however, that because of the property's significant size, strategic location and its varied potential uses beyond horse racing, a change in the General Plan land use designation without a comprehensive project specific EIR to support such a change would be inappropriate. Therefore, the Planning Commission recommends that the current general plan designation of "Horse Racing" be maintained on the race track property and that the Santa Anita Fashion Park property maintain the designation of commercial with an appropriate maximum floor area ratio(F AR) compatible with the existing development of the Fashion Park Mall. The Planning Commission in its consideration of Transition Area One recommended the following Vision Statement for the future of the Santa Anita Race Track: "The Santa Anita Race Track is a key community feature, and an important component of Arcadia's character, The retention of horse racing at this facility and the ongoing economic vitality of the race track are also critical to Arcadia's future fiscal health. Over the past ten (10) years, there has been a reduction in attendance at the Santa Anita Race Trac~, largely due to the advent of off.track wagering facilities and a long- termdowntum in the racing industry. The portion of the race track's large open parking areas that needs to be reserved exclusively for race track event parking has thus been reduced. As a result, there has been much community discussion regarding the positives and negatives of permitting additional uses within the race track's parking areas. It is Arcadia's long-term vision to retain horse racing and to preserve the existing grandstand structure. Although the Planning Commission supports carefully conceived development of the underutilized areas of the race track property;, such development has the potential for impacting the community. Thus, any future proposal for non-horse racing development within the race track property needs to..address the following needs: -3- 1535 . . . . Achieve land use compatibility with, and a logical physical relationship to, the adjacept Santa Anita Fashion Park mall and residential uses. . Retain the ability of area roadways to maintain Level of Service D, as outlined in the Municipal Services and Facilities Chapter of the General Plan. . Provide sufficient on-site parking so as not to exacerbate existing problems of race track patrons parking off site within nearby residential neighborhoods, . Maintain architectural compatibility with the existing race track grandstands, . Preserve important community views of the existing race track grandstands. . Provide sufficient on-site security so as not to impact the Arcadia Police Department" b, For that area identified as Transition Area Two- Mixed Use along SaJ'!ta Clara Street and Huntington Drive: lbis area fucludes 'a number of underutilized or vacant industrial parcels designated in the existing General Plan as "Planned Development" and "Industrial". The proposed General Plan Update designated parcels located north of Santa Clara Street and east of Second Avenue as Mixed Use Commercia1/Multiple Family Residential (C/MFR) with the remainder of the transition area designated Commercial, The Planning Commission recommends that properties on the north side of Huntington Drive from the Metro Railroad eastto Fifth Avenue (including the properties fronting on Huntington Drive) be mixed use commercial/residential with a maximum of 30 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) for senior citizen housing developed on minimum half- acre parcels and the remainder of Transition Area Two be "Commercial". c. For that area identified as Transition Area Three - Downtown Residential District: lbis transition area contains a mix of residential densities in a state of transition from single family and low intensity multiple-family dwellings to higher density apartment and condominium projects. The Draft General Plan Update recommended Multiple-Family ;Residential with a maximum of 30 du/ac for the area between Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue and Multiple-Family Residential with a maximum density of 24 du/ac between Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue. The Commission recommends that the existing R-3 zoned properties be designated as Multiple-Family Residential with a maximum of 24 du/ac and that senior citizen housing within this area -4- 1535 . . . be permitted on minimum half-acre parcels at a maximum allowable density of 30 du/ac; that the existing R-2 zoned properties be designated as Multiple-Family Residential with a maximum of 12 du/ac and that senior citizen housing within this area be permitted on minimum half-acre parcels at a maximum allowable density of 18 du/ac; and that the properties fronting on the east and west side of First Avenue between California Street and Duarte Road be designated as "Mixed Use - Commercia1/Multiple Famiiy" at a maximum allowable density of24 du/ac on minimum half-acre lots. d. For that area identified as Transition Area Four - the Industrial area along Lower Azusa Road: This Transition Area is in the southernmost portion of the <;::ity and is currently designated for Industrial, Within this transition area future development is anticipated to occur on two properties, consistent with the existing General Plan designation ofIndustrial and the historical land use pattern. The Planning Commission in its consideration noted that the proposed "Industrial" designation is consistent with the adjoining industrial uses within the City of Arcadia to the northwest and the sand and gravel extraction activities at the Livingston-Graham Quarry within the City of Irwindale to the north, the San Gabriel River to the northeast and the Southern California Edison power lines and the 605 Freeway to the east, In addition, the proposed landfill operation approved by the City of Arcadia for the 85 acre parcel on the north side of Lower Azusa Road is compatible with the proposed "Industrial" designation. It was the consensus of the Planning Commission that the properties on the north and south side of Lower Azusa Road should remain "Industrial" as set forth in the existing General Plan and recommended in the proposed General Plan Update. Section 2, That the General Plan Update as recommended by the Planning Commission will meet the City's Housing fair share goals of 552 units through the year 2003. Section 3, The Planning Commission further recommends that the following goals/polices be incorporated in the General Plan Update: I. The major commercial centers that currently exist in the City include: Downtown Duarte Road (Santa Anita to Second Avenue) Fashion Park -5- 1535 . . . Foothill Boulevard (Santa Anita to easterly City limits) Hughes Market Center (Hlintington Drive) Live OaklLas Tunas (EI Monte Avenue to easterly City limits) West Arcadia The City shall adopt policies and procedures that will promote the economic viability of these existing commercial centers and encourage complementary uses and development to attract new business, particularly on City-owned property and on key vacant properties such as the Foulger Ford, Arcadia Lumber and Baker's Square sites. 2. Both Santa Anita Race Track and live horse racing are culturally, historically and commercial important to the City. The City shall adopt policies and procedures that will promote and encourage continued live horse racing and the economic viability of Santa Anita Race Track. The City shall also adopt policies and procedures that will promote and encqurage the preservation of the significant architecture and viewscapes of Santa Anita Race Track. 3. The City will benefit greatly from the construction of an auditorium and Metrorail train station, The City shall adopt policies and procedures that will encourage the construction of these two facilities. 4. The City's excellent public school system is one of its most important assets, The City shall adopt policies and procedures that will promote the continued excellence of that school system, These policies and procedures shall include land use designations and decisions that will discourage (a) over"crowding of existing or planned school facilities; (b) incompatible structures or uses in the immediate vicinity of existing or planned school fucilities, and/or (c) unsafe traffic volumes and conditions at or near existing or planned school facilities. 5. The City shall adopt policies and procedures that will maintain the City's reputation as a "Community of Homes" including, but not limited to, land use designations and decisions that promote and encourage structures and uses that are complementary to and compatible with existing residential areas. 6. The City shall promote a city-wide threshold of acceptability for roadway levels of service nottoexceed LOS D (LOS C on local.residential streets). -6- 1535 . . . Section 4, That the Planning Commission, before making the above recommendations to the City Council, reviewed the entire Draft EIR (DEIR), including but not limited to impacts, mitigation measures, alternatives as well as the development scenarios and cumulative impacts, Section 5. The Secretary shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and shall cause a copy to be forwarded to the City Council of the City of Arcadia I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission held on the 25th day of June, by the following vote: Commissioners Bell, Huang, Kalemkiarian, Kovacic, Murphy, Sleeter, Daggett . None None AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ATTEST: "a~ Secretary, Planning Commission City of Arcadia Approved as to form: Michael H. Miller City Attorney -7- 1535