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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMFADR 26-02_Decison Letter DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT ArcadiaCA.gov | 240 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007 | (626) 574- 5415 March 23, 2026 Via Email & EDGE PDS Studio 711 S. 1st Ave. Arcadia, CA 91006 Subject: Amendment to Multiple-Family Design Review No. MFADR No. 25-03 (SB 330) Multiple-Family Design Review No. MFADR No. 26-02 (SB 330) Project Address: 115 and 117 E Live Oak Ave. Dear Applicant: The public comment period for the Notice of Pending Decision ended on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Staff received no comments during the notification period. After careful consideration, staff has determined that the design of the new multi-family residence complies with all applicable objective design and development standards per the requirements of SB 330. Therefore, the Development Services Department has conditionally approved the multi-family design review project, for a new 25-unit multi-family development comprising of three (3) four-story Spanish- style buildings containing approximately 42,681 square feet of residential living area. The development will provide garage parking for the majority of units, as well as assigned surface parking spaces and one guest ADA parking space. Each unit will include private open space in the form of a balcony or rooftop deck. The project will also include two (2) Very Low Income (VLI) affordable units at 115-117 E. Live Oak Avenue, subject to the following conditions: Planning 1. The project shall be developed and maintained by the applicant/property owner in a manner that is consistent with the plans and materials conditionally approved for Multiple-Family Architectural Design Review No. MFADR 26-02. 2. No utility or fixtures shall be located on the exterior walls of the building that face the street. 3. Any required mechanical equipment, such as backflow devices, visible from the public right - of-way shall be screened from public view. Screening may include landscaping, solid walls or other methods deemed appropriate for the development. The placement and height of said 2 screening shall be subject to review and approval by the Deputy Development Services Director. 4. The project shall comply with the City’s Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (WELO). The application shall be submitted with the plans for plan check in Building Services. Building 5. Shall comply with the latest adopted edition of the following codes as applicable: o California Building Code o California Electrical Code o California Mechanical Code o California Plumbing Code o California Energy Code o California Fire Code o California Green Building Standards Code o California Existing Building Code o Arcadia Municipal Code. 6. Project shall comply with Chapter 35A Multiple Family Construction Standards as amended in the Arcadia Municipal Code Section 8130.20. 7. This project is a covered multifamily dwelling according to CBC 1102A and at least 10% of the units shall comply with 1102A.3 to include: o The primary entry to the dwelling unit shall be on an accessible route. o At least one powder room shall be located on the primary entry level served by an accessible route. o All rooms or spaces located on the primary entry level shall be served by an accessible route. o Common use areas shall be accessible (i.e. trash enclosure, mailboxes, etc.). 8. When assigned parking spaces are provided for a resident or group of residents, at least 2% of the assigned parking spaces serving covered multifamily dwelling units shall be accessible. 9. At least 5 percent of the visitor parking spaces shall be accessible and provide access to grade-level entrances of covered multifamily dwellings and facilities that serve covered multifamily dwellings. Engineering 10. Prior to approval of the Final Tract Map, the Applicant/Property Owner shall construct or post security, to the satisfaction of the City Engineer, for all required public improvements. 3 11. The Applicant/Property Owner shall remove all existing driveway approaches and construct new driveway approaches in accordance with City Standards. 12. The Applicant/Property Owner shall remove and replace all existing sidewalk along the project frontages on Live Oak Avenue and Greenfleld Avenue to provide a compliant path of travel in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), subject to review and approval by the City Engineer. 13. The Applicant/Property Owner shall remove and replace existing curb and gutter with a two- foot (2’) slot cut from property line to property line, in accordance with City Standards. 14. The Applicant/Property Owner shall remove and replace the existing concrete, asphalt, and ribbon gutter located within the alley abutting the project site, to the satisfaction of the City Engineer. 15. The Applicant/Property Owner shall relocate the existing storm drain inlet in accordance with the Standard Plans for Public Works Construction (SPPWC, “Greenbook”). The storm drain lateral connection is maintained by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD); therefore, a valid LACFCD connection/reconnection permit shall be obtained and submitted to the City prior to construction. 16. The existing Ficus tree located along Live Oak Avenue shall be removed and replaced in coordination with, and to the satisfaction of, the Public Works Street Superintendent. 17. The proposed development shall include a Low Impact Development (LID) Plan in compliance with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works 2014 LID Standards Manual. The selected LID measures shall be clearly shown on the grading plan. LID features shall not be located within or cross the public alley, and no private structures shall be placed within the public right-of-way. 18. All dry utilities shall be undergrounded. No private conduits or structures shall be installed within the public alley without prior review and approval by the City Engineer. 19. Prior to issuance of a Certiflcate of Occupancy, the Applicant/Property Owner shall repair any damage caused by construction activities to all street and alley frontages from property line to property line, including but not limited to trench cuts and damage from construction traffic, to the satisfaction of the City Engineer. If the affected street is subject to the City’s pavement moratorium, required repairs may extend from curb to curb, as determined by the City Engineer. 4 Fire 20. The Property Owner/Applicant shall provide a knox switch for the vehicular gate. 21. The Property Owner/Applicant shall ensure all structures are flre sprinklered per the City of Arcadia Fire Department Single & Multi-Family Dwelling Sprinkler Standard. Public Works-Trash 22. Property Owner/Applicant shall ensure the trash enclosures have sufficient size to accommodate three bins/carts, one each for trash, recycling and greenwaste/foodwaste. For bins, there should be 1 feet clearance around each bin. Public Works-Water 23. A 16-inch ductile iron water main with approximately 70 psi static pressure is available along the south side of Live Oak Avenue, and a 6-inch cast iron water main is available along Greenfleld Avenue. These mains are available to serve domestic water and/or flre service demands. 24. The Applicant/Property Owner shall provide water demand calculations, prepared by a licensed Civil or Mechanical Engineer, identifying the maximum domestic demand and maximum flre fiow demand to verify the required sizing of all water services, subject to revi ew and approval by the Public Works Services Department. 25. Domestic water service for residential condominium or townhouse developments shall be provided through a common master meter installed within the public right-of-way, subject to review and approval by the Public Works Services Department. 26. The Applicant/Property Owner shall provide separate water services and meters for residential use and landscape irrigation for common areas. All water services shall include approved reduced pressure backfiow prevention devices for meter protection, subject to review and approval by the Public Works Services Department. 27. Fire protection requirements shall be as determined by the Arcadia Fire Department and shall conform to applicable Arcadia Standard Plans. A separate flre service with a Double Check Detector Assembly (DCDA) shall be installed. The DCDA shall be located as close as possible to the public right-of-way and shall not be installed within the building. 28. Prior to issuance of any building permits, the Applicant/Property Owner shall submit a Water Meter Clearance Application to the Public Works Services Department for review and approval. 5 29. All new water services shall be installed by the Applicant/Property Owner in accordance with the speciflcations of the Public Works Services Department, Engineering Division. Any existing water services to be abandoned shall be properly removed or abandoned in place, as required, in accordance with said speciflcations. General 30. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Applicant must defend, indemnify, and hold the City, any departments, agencies, divisions, boards, and/or commissions of the City, and its elected officials, officers, contractors serving as City officials, agents, employees, and attorneys of the City (“Indemnitees”) harmless from liability for damages and/or claims, actions, or proceedings for damages for personal injuries, including death, and claims for property damage, and with respect to all other actions and liabilities for damages caused or alleged to have been caused by reason of the Applicant’s activities in connection with Multiple-Family Architectural Design Review No. MFADR 26-02 (“Project”) on the Project site, and which may arise from the direct or indirect operations of the Applicant or those of the Applicant’s contractors, agents, tenants, employees or any other persons acting on Applicant’s behalf, which relate to the development and/or construction of the Project. This indemnity provision applies to all damages and claims, actions, or proceedings for damages, as described above, regardless of whether the City prepared, supplied, or approved the plans, speciflcations, or other documents for the Project. In the event of any legal action challenging the validity, applicability, or interpretation of any provision of this approval, or any other supporting document relating to the Project, the City will promptly notify the Applicant of the claim, action, or proceedings and will fully cooperate in the defense of the matter. Once notifled, the Applicant must indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Indemnitees, and each of them, with respect to all liability, costs and expenses incurred by, and/or awarded against, the City or any of the Indemnitees in relation to such action. Within 15 days’ notice from the City of any such action, the Applicant shall provide to the City a cash deposit to cover legal fees, costs, and expenses incurred by City in connection with defense of any legal action in an initial amount to be reasonably determined by the City Attorney. The City may draw funds from the deposit for such fees, costs, and expenses. Within 5 business days of each and every notice from City that the deposit has fallen below the initial amount, Applicant shall replenish the deposit each and every time in order for City’s legal team to continue working on the matter. The City shall only refund to the Developer any unexpended funds from the deposit within 30 days of: (i) a flnal, non- appealable decision by a court of competent jurisdiction resolving the legal action; or (ii) full and complete settlement of legal action. The City shall have the right to select legal counsel of its choice that the Applicant reasonably approves. The parties hereby agree to cooperate in defending such action. The City will not voluntarily assist in any such third-party challenge(s) or take any position adverse to the Applicant in connection with such third-party challenge(s). In consideration for approval of the Project, this condition shall remain in effect 6 if the entitlement(s) related to this Project is rescinded or revoked, at the request of the Applicant or not. The Property Owner/Applicant shall comply with all City requirements regarding building safety, flre prevention, detection, suppression, emergency access, public right-of-way improvements, parking, water supply and water facilities, sewer facilities, trash reduction and recycling requirements, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) measures to the satisfaction of the Building Official, Fire Marshal, Public Works Services Director, and Deputy Development Services Director, or their respective designees. Compliance with these requirements is to be determined by having fully detailed construction plans submitted for plan check review and approval by the foregoing City and employees. Approval of MFADR 26-02 shall not take effect until the Applicant/Property Owner has executed and flled with the City on or before April 23, 2026, an Acceptance Form available from the Development Services Department, to indicate acceptance of the conditions required by this approval. There is a ten (10) day appeal period for this application. To file an appeal, a completed Appeal Application form must be submitted to the Community Development Division along with a $728.00 appeal fee by 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026. You will be notified if an appeal is filed. This approval shall expire in one year (April 2, 2027) from the effective date unless plans are submitted to Building Services for plan-check, a building permit is issued and the construction is diligently pursued, a certificate of occupancy has been issued, or the approval is renewed. The final plans must be consistent with the approved design concept plans and any conditions of approval. Any inconsistency from the approved design concept plans may preclude the issuance of a building permit. An extension may be granted by the Development Services Director or designee, or the Review Authority that approved the project for a maximum period of one (1) year from the initial expiration date. An extension can only be granted if the required findings can be made. Please note that acceptance of an extension request does not indicate approval of an extension. A building permit must be obtained prior to any construction activity. Please contact Building Services at (626) 574-5416 to determine the type of documentation, plans, and fees for the appropriate permit. This letter of approval must be presented to Building Services to initiate the permitting process. Approval of Multiple-Family Architectural Design Review No. MFADR 26-02 shall not go into effect unless the property owner and applicant have executed and filed the enclosed Acceptance Form to indicate awareness and acceptance of these conditions of approval. 7 The Acceptance form is due now and if it is not received by April 23, 2026, or if the project is appealed, this approval will become null and void. You may visit the City’s website at www.ArcadiaCA.gov/noticesanddecisions to view this notice. If you have any questions, please contact me at (626) 574-5447, or by email at mchipres@ArcadiaCA.gov. Thank you. Sincerely, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT Community Development Division / Planning Services Melissa Chipres Senior Planner CC: Green Field Oak LLC, Philip Chan, Property Owner