HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Link - Project Description - with AttachmentsTHE LINK:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
JULY 2022
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Applicant: Covelop, Inc.
Property Owner: Chevron
Representative: Peck Planning and Development & RRM Design Group
Address: 276 Tank Farm Road
APNs: 076-383-001, 076-381-021, 076-382-005, 076-383-002, 076-352-062, &
076-352-061
INTRODUCTION
Covelop, Inc. (“Covelop”) is proposing an exciting project on the site of the former Chevron Tank
Farm. The project will provide a compact arrangement of multiple uses with flexible land use designa-
tions and special development standards that will provide a high quality development. This project will
significantly advance several of the City of San Luis Obispo’s development goals, including:
Providing a better jobs-housing balance in the community, especially in comparison to the land
uses currently designated for the site;
Completing essential infrastructure to serve the project and the major growth areas of the commu-
nity beyond; and,
Addressing essential transportation connections.
As currently planned, the project will include 705 multifamily attached units, 69,150 square feet
of retail mixed use space to serve the needs of the growing Tank Farm Road neighborhood, 279,700
square feet of professional and medical office uses, 209,000 square feet of industrial and warehouse
space, and 237,200 square feet of mixed service commercial uses. The planned uses are not intended to
compete with the Downtown or other areas committed to development. The proposed office use area
and commercial uses are intended to serve the growing local residential neighborhood, and uses that
cannot be accommodated elsewhere in the community such as larger scale offices for business head-
quarters, medical office clinics, and others. The project also includes 250 acres (three fourths of the pro-
ject) as open space and conservation. This will contribute to biological diversity, airport and aircraft
safety, and the quality of the scenic environment.
The project would also provide a home for the planned fifth (permanent) City fire station, which
would serve southern San Luis Obispo, as well as provide two neighborhood parks. Like other residen-
tial projects in the vicinity, the unit sizes would be compact, and the emphasis would be on rental units.
Units will range in size from 450 square feet to 1,300 square feet. Overall, the average unit size across
the 705 units is expected to be lower than other recent Specific Plan and master planned projects in the
community. The resulting project mix will create housing opportunities for many families that are cur-
rently priced out of the market. The residential and commercial elements of the mixed-use project will
be clustered around common open space areas, and include facilities such as a recreation center or
community building. The figures in Attachment A show the site plan, development concepts and circu-
lation features for the project.
The name “The Link” was intentionally selected for the project given its internal linkages within
development areas, as well as circulation connections to other sites beyond the periphery of the project.
While the 332-acre project site was once a hub for employment and oil storage facilities, it has been un-
derutilized since the 1926 Tank Farm fire. Located between Broad and South Higuera Streets along one
of the San Luis Obispo’s most important thoroughfares, the site has development potential and has un-
dergone decades of remediation work. A plan was developed in 2012 to develop business park uses, but
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that plan was found to be infeasible because of the limited market for office and business park uses, in-
frastructure requirements, and because it was unable to improve the City’s jobs-housing imbalance.
With the uses proposed, the project will have an internal jobs-housing ratio of 2.21, more closely meet-
ing the General Plan’s requirement that new projects not exacerbate the jobs-housing imbalance. By
comparison, the existing site land uses for the site would have a jobs-housing ratio 7.25, which would
significantly worsen the imbalance.
In many respects, the project will link the city’s existing and proposed growth areas, and unlock
the development potential in south San Luis Obispo. Covelop’s neighboring project at 600 Tank Farm
Road is already delivering road improvements along Tank Farm Road and Santa Fe, and will construct
the planned roundabout at that intersection. The Link project will build on those improvements by ex-
tending Santa Fe south of the roundabout, correcting the existing substandard diagonal intersection
east of the project. The project will also extend the Santa Fe roadway and utilities to its north property
line in its early phases. This improvement will assist in the eventual ability of the Garcia Ranch project,
located north of The Link, to develop since it currently has limited sewer and storm drainage capacity
without connecting to the sewer main in Tank Farm Road. In addition, the improvements to Tank Farm
Road for vehicles, bikes and pedestrians will provide important safety and capacity improvements to this
important arterial roadway.
The project also ties together disparate portions of the City’s circulation system, including the
connection of Avila Ranch’s pedestrian and bike trails north to the Damon Garcia Sports Fields, and ulti-
mately further connections to the north all the way to Cal Poly. To the south, Avila Ranch’s completion
of the Buckley Road extension, and the completion of the remainder of the Bob Jones Trail by San Luis
Obispo County will provide a connection of south San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach. Therefore, the pro-
ject’s improvements would complete the bike trail connection from Cal Poly to Avila Beach. The project
will also facilitate the connection of development in the Margarita Specific Plan Area to Tank Farm Road,
and the actual construction of a protected Class I bike path and buffered Class II bike lanes between In-
novation Way and Santa Fe Road.
The mix of uses in the project would also facilitate the implementation of the City’s capital facili-
ties plans. The proposed mix of land uses would generate approximately $16.3 million in traffic impact
fees, $6.5 million greater than that estimated for the existing planned land uses. Furthermore, the pro-
ject would generate approximately $3.5 million in park fees and create new park areas in a portion of
the community without any neighborhood or community park facilities.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Site and Setting
o Site Location
The project site is located on the north and south sides of Tank Farm Road between South Hi-
guera Street and Broad Street (see Figure 1: Project Location Map). It is centrally located along
the roadway between urban development on the east and west sides. The total site area is 332
acres.
Figure 1. Project Location Map
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o Project Overview
The project will provide for a mix of land uses including residential, commercial, industrial, of-
fice, park, and public facility on 82.4 acres of the total project site. The 250-acre remainder of
the site is undergoing remediation and restoration by the current property owner under permits
issued by the San Luis Obispo County and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. As shown
in Figure A-1 (Attachment A) there are 14 separate development areas on the project site. At-
tachment B shows the development statistics associated with each area, and for each building
in each area. The intervening area between the development areas will remain as open space in
a conservation easement. Details of the planned development areas are described in the follow-
ing section of this project description, and in Attachment B. The project site is currently in the
County and annexation to the City of San Luis Obispo is proposed as part of the project’s entitle-
ments.
Figures A-1 through Figure A-8(Attachment A) show the development plan for the project, in-
cluding the location of the various development sites, proposed land uses, and major circulation
features. The project is anticipated to be constructed in three development phases over a pe-
riod of 5 to 15 years. Figure A-9 shows planned phasing, and Attachment C shows the antici-
pated buildout and market absorption for the different project elements and land uses based on
state and county economic projections for San Luis Obispo County and the City of San Luis
Obispo. Actual development and buildout will depend on market conditions, and actual
buildout may occur faster or slower than shown in Attachment C.
The City of San Luis Obispo has a compact urban form and limited areas to accommodate new
development. Given recent development patterns and changes in City and County land use
plans and development regulations, this area is now viewed as an infill development area. The
site is located within the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP) which was originally adopted on Au-
gust 23, 2005, and amended several times since. The AASP provides a framework and guidance
for further urban development. The proposed uses in the project will complement the commer-
cial, employment, and residential uses now planned in the vicinity of the site. The project is in-
tended to address housing, employment, and service needs in the community through a combi-
nation of design excellence, value-added features, and location.
o Site History/Constraints
The project site is a part of the former Unocal tank farm that suffered from environmental deg-
radation due to a catastrophic fire back in 1926. The Chevron tank farm, which is composed of
fourteen parcels, forms the largest property in the airport area. For decades there has been on-
going remediation work to clean up the soils and groundwater in the area. Most of the areas
currently proposed for development have been remediated, or will be remediated by 2024. The
proposed land uses have been located in accordance with the density and use restrictions of air-
port safety zones.
o Flower Mound
A large hill exists in the northeastern portion of the eastern development area. It is known lo-
cally as the “flower mound”. In the past there were some quarry activities associated with this
rock formation. The Chevron Tank Farm Remediation and Development Project Final Environ-
mental lmpact Report (SCH #2009031001) evaluated the associated impacts with the removal of
this rock outcropping. The FEIR determined that naturally occurring asbestos is not present
within the flower mound area. The applicant intends to separately seek a grading permit with
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the County of San Luis Obispo to move forward with the grading work to remove the outcrop-
ping as a separate action from this proposed project under the existing Chevron Final EIR.
PROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT
Land Use/Zoning Plan
o Current Land Use Map
The two portions of the project site where development is proposed are outlined on a copy of
the existing AASP land use map (see Figure 2: AASP Land Use Map with Project Location). This
figure shows that proposed development is located in areas that are already planned to accom-
modate development. The existing planned land uses in the AASP were so designated primarily
to comply with the 2005 County Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP) which restricted the site to non-
residential development. Consequently, the AASP and City Land Use Element describes the site
as having a mixture of public, manufacturing, and business park uses. The ALUP was amended
in 2021 and now permits additional forms of development in the vicinity of the airport, including
residential uses that were previously prohibited. The applicant is proposing modifications to the
project site’s land use categories to accommodate planned uses needed in the community and
that are consistent with the recently adopted Airport Land Use Plan (ALUP). Figure 3: ALUP
Safety Zones and Project Location and Figure A-10 show the location of the project site and the
ALUP land use compatibility zones.
o Proposed Uses/Zoning Designations
The proposed land uses and zoning categories for the overall project site are shown on Figures
A-6 & A-7: Proposed Land Use Designations (Zoning). The specific land use and zoning catego-
ries are discussed with the descriptions of the different project components in the following sec-
tion.
Development Potential (units/sf/parking)
As noted, the project includes a wide variety of land uses with different development configurations tai-
lored for the particular use and portion of the site on which they are located. The following section de-
scribes these various project components in more detail. Figure A-1 shows the location of each of the
development areas and buildings referenced herein, And Figure A-2 and Attachment B show the
planned amount and type of development in each area.
o Purpose
The proposed plan utilizes existing city land use and zoning designations as a base to guide de-
velopment but also is proposing to adjust the list of allowable uses and development standards
in certain areas to provide for a compatible mix of land uses. A special, combined base zone will
be created that includes the uses in the City’s “O”, “BP” and “CS” zones. Special sub-areas will be
designated that emphasize subsets of this base zone, but not exclude other uses that are con-
tained in the base zone. Combined with special development standards and regulations for
compatibility, the goal is to establish a broader range of uses for the site than currently con-
tained in any one City zone, and to establish more “Allowed” uses without the need for Minor
Use Permits, special findings, Conditional Use Permits, or other discretionary reviews. This flexi-
bility, combined with the special design standards that will be established for the site will ensure
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that the city’s high development standards and expectations are met while creating more cer-
tainty in the execution and completion of the project. In a sense, some of the proposed zoning
categories are hybrid blends of different land uses. The ultimate goal is to provide for zoning
flexibility and a compatible mix of land uses in a walkable environment. By defining the desired
character and unique features of different areas, the desired outcome is to accommodate a vari-
ety of land uses that are allowed by right through the plan and minimize the need for future
conditional use permits.
o Residential & Mixed-Use Areas
There are four areas of the site which contain multi-family residential uses. These areas are ei-
ther zoned R-4 , High Density Residential, or C-C-MU, Community Commercial Mixed-Use which
allows for a mixed-use project, with commercial uses fronting public streets (commercial-resi-
dential).
Area 8: Multi-family Area 1 (R-4 Zoning)
This area is adjacent on its east side to the planned residential units in the 600 Tank
Farm project and would include 350 dwelling units. As provided in the San Luis Obispo
Zoning Ordinance, R-4 zoning allows for dwellings at a density of 24 density units per net
acre. Such zoning is to be used to provide for attached dwellings with common outdoor
areas and compact private outdoor spaces, and to accommodate various types of higher
density housing to allow for dense housing close to concentrations of employment,
along transit corridors and nodes, and in areas largely committed to high-density resi-
dential development. Density is shown as 23.9 density units per acre.
Area 10: Multi-family Area 2 (R-4 Zoning)
This area would be zoned R-4 and is planned to contain approximately 50 dwelling units
in four residential floors. It is proposed in the southeast corner of Santa Fe and Tank
Farm Road adjacent to Acacia Creek. Density is estimated to be 21.6 density units per
net acre.
Area 1: Mixed-Use Area East (C-C-MU Zoning)
Area 1 is a mixed use site at the northwest corner of Santa Fe and Tank Farm Road. It is
planned to contain 100 dwelling units within three upper residential floors with com-
mercial uses on the ground floor. The project site will contain 32,750 square feet of
commercial on the ground floor of the two mixed use buildings, plus approximately
10,000 square feet of free-standing retail commercial buildings. As provided in the C-C
zone, allowed density would be 36 density units per net acre; planned density is 19.4
density units per net acre.
Area 11: Mixed-Use Area West (C-C-MU Zoning)
Area 11 is a mixed use site at the northeast corner of Tank Farm Road and Innovation
Way. It is planned to contain 225 dwelling units in three buildings. The buildings facing
Tank Farm Road will have ground floor commercial uses and two upper residential
floors. The third building would contain four floors of residential uses. As provided in
the C-C zone, allowed density would be 36 density units per net acre; planned density is
28 density units per net acre. This area is surrounded by jobs and a wealth of commer-
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cial services that are typically sought out by residents. It is proposed for residential de-
velopment to help balance jobs and housing, reduce vehicle miles travelled, comply with
local GHG and Climate Action Plan regulations.
o Business and Commercial Service Areas
These areas contain a variety of hybrid uses combining retail and some fabrication.
Area 2: “The Hangars” – Retail/Manufacturing (C-S Zoning)
Spaces within these two buildings will be flexible, but envision front of house retail (in-
cluding food and beverage) combined with some micro-manufacturing that are service
oriented. Attachment D shows architectural concepts and imagery. Uses could range
from a food hall to light manufacturing service commercial uses with retail outlets.
Area 4: “The District” - R&D/Retail (C-S Zoning)
This area will contain four buildings that are intended to house service commercial re-
tail and office uses. They are arranged in a pedestrian oriented format with onstreet
diagonal parking to facilitate pedestrian connections and orientation.
Area 7: Commercial Building - Retail/Restaurant/Drinking (C-S Zoning)
This small commercial building is located in Area 7 adjacent to a park and ponding ba-
sin. It is intended to be coupled with a dog park and serve residents and visitors in the
area and provide a pleasant environment and backdrop to enjoy a meal or drink.
o Areas 3 and 9: Office Areas
There are two distinct office areas in the project both zoned Business Park-Service-Commercial
BP-C-S). General offices are proposed on the north side of Tank Farm Road and medical offices
are proposed on the south side of the street. The idea with the hybrid zone would be to mainly
accommodate office uses, but also provide flexibility to allow certain typical C-S uses that are of
a character and integrity to be compatible with office development. In contrast to the office use
provisions of the C-S and B-P zones, the location of office uses in these areas would be the pre-
ferred predominant use. These areas may also be used for C-S uses if the market is soft for of-
fice uses.
Area 3: General Core Offices (north-BP-C-S Zoning)
Five separate buildings are proposed here for general office uses with good visibility and
identification from Tank Farm Road. Office buildings would be clustered around a com-
mon open space to provide a campus environment, with supportive parking located on
the periphery.
Area 9: Medical Offices (south-BP-C-S Zoning)
Four separate buildings are proposed here to provide medical uses in a campus layout.
o Areas 5 and 6: Industrial Areas
Two different industrial areas are proposed within the project. Area 5 is a research and develop-
ment/light manufacturing area that is proposed on the north and west sides of The District com-
mercial area. Area 6 is a more traditional industrial area that is proposed further to the north-
west. Total floor area of industrial uses in the project is 209,000 square feet.
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Area 5: Light Manufacturing/R&D (C-S Zoning)
A total of five buildings are proposed in this area. They are intended to accommodate a
variety of light industrial uses and research and development enterprises.
Area 6: Industrial (C-S Zoning)
Two buildings are proposed in this area. They are larger volume spaces generally with
one floor level and the option for some mezzanine space to accommodate more tradi-
tional manufacturing and warehouse type uses.
o Areas 12 and 13: Public Facilities (PF Zoning)
The public parks and the fire station are identified for Public Facilities (PF) zoning. Actual zoning
for the fire station site (Area 13) will depend on actual city development plans; if the fire station
is deemed to not be necessary by the city, or is to be located on another property, this property
would be zoned C-S like the adjacent parcels.
Development Phasing
The project will be developed in three phases as illustrated on the Phasing plan on Figure A-9 in Attach-
ment A. Phase 1 circulation improvements will include: the completion of the northeastern two-thirds
of Santa Fe Road, from its current planned terminus at the entrance to 600 Tank Farm to the northern
property line and the completion of the Tank Farm Road frontage improvements west of the Santa Fe
roundabout along the Phase 1 frontage. Phase 1 will also include: the neighborhood park and the devel-
opment portions of the project site east and north of Santa Fe on the north side of Tank Farm Road; a
portion of the office uses at the southwest corner of Tank Farm and Santa Fe; the R-4 development at
the southeast corner of Tank Farm and Santa Fe; and the mixed-use portion of the project in the west
development area. Phase 2 includes the balance of the medical office uses and the balance of the pro-
fessional office uses, the "District" uses, and a R&D building. Phase 2 circulation improvements would
include the necessary widening and safety median for Tank Farm Road between the project and Innova-
tion Way, and the remainder of the Tank Farm Road frontage. Phase 3 will include completion of the
public streets, the balance of the R&D uses, and the Manufacturing uses. Table 1 below shows a prelimi-
nary summary of the project's phasing. Ultimate development of the project will depend on future mar-
ket conditions and absorption. Phasing will be subject to changes based on actual demand at the time of
development.
Table 1: Summary of Land Use by Phase
Residential: Units, Commercial: Square Feet)
Land Use 1 2 3 Total
Multifamily Residential 725 - - 725
Retail/Office Mixed-Residential
Medical Offices 79,531 57,638 - 137,169
Professional Offices 41,000 101,500 - 142,500
Retail/Office Mixed-Commercial 64,250 4,900 - 69,150
R&D/Retail (District)- 96,375 - 96,375
R&D/Light Manufacturing - 23,438 75,375 98,813
Light Manufacturing/Retail (Hangar)41,953 - - 41,953
Manufacturing - - 209,000 209,000
Total Residential 725 - - 725
Total Non-Residential 226,734 283,851 284,375 794,960
Phase
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Projected commercial buildout under the existing land use plan (803,000 commercial square feet) was
compared to the currently proposed plan (794,960 commercial square feet). The proposed plan would
result in 4,540 less square feet of commercial area, while accommodating 725 multifamily dwelling
units. As was noted in the introduction of this project description, the proposed project, with its land
use mix that includes residential units, will have a jobs-housing ratio of 2.04, better meeting the General
Plan’s requirements that new projects not exacerbate the jobs-housing imbalance. This is a marked im-
provement to the existing site land use plan which would have a jobs-housing ratio of 7.25 that would
significantly worsen the imbalance.
RECREATION AND AMENITIES
Public/Common Open Space
o Area 12: Neighborhood Park
As this area of the city continues to build out, the need for park facilities to serve residents be-
comes more important. With the approval and eventual development of the two mixed-use,
but primarily residential, projects at 600 and 650 Tank Farm Road to the immediate east, there
will be more demand for community parks beyond the recreation amenities in each of these
projects.
The Damon-Garcia sports fields are located near this site, but this facility serves sports teams
and does not provide the needed neighborhood and community park facilities called for by the
City's Parks and Recreation Element to serve residents. While there will be a series of parks de-
veloped to the southwest in the Avila Ranch development, these are outside of the neighbor-
hood park service radius established in the Parks and Recreation Element. ln addition, much of
the western portion of the Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP) area has been developed, but
without the public parks planned to support it which are located in the eastern portion of the
MASP. Consequently, there is a need to develop neighborhood park facilities to serve the pro-
ject's residents.
To help address area needs, the proposed project includes a 2.1-acre park that would be dedi-
cated to the City of San Luis Obispo and ultimately include different amenities. This park area is
located to the southwest of the larger proposed R-4 residential area in the northeastern portion
of the site. A second park site is identified adjacent to the stormwater basin just north of Tank
Farm Road. As noted in describing the features of different areas of the project, this park site is
adjacent to a commercial area designated for restaurant retail uses, and would include a small
dog park area is proposed north of the City park near the northern property line.
o Area 7: Stormwater Pond/Park
The project includes a stormwater basin in the in the western corner of the eastern portion of
the development area just north of Tank Farm Road. The total area of the basin and adjacent
park is 5.45 acres.
o Area 10: Riparian Area
Multi-family Area 2 is located in the southeast corner of the Santa Fe roundabout and borders
Acacia Creek on its southeast side. The proposed development is adjacent to the Acacia Creek
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corridor will need to comply with the required riparian setback. There is 0.46 acres of riparian
area that will be designated for Open Space/Conservation.
TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION
Tank Farm Road
o The AASP and Circulation Element describe Tank Farm Road as a 120-foot-wide Parkway Arterial
with bike paths, bike lanes, landscaped center median, and two through lanes in each direction.
The development plan includes special sections for different segments of Tank Farm Road, in-
cluding a full 120-foot right of way along the frontages of the eastern development sites. Given
environmental constraints associated with the conservation easement areas further to the west,
different right of way configurations will likely be developed for the area between the east de-
velopment sites and Innovation Way. In accordance with recent traffic studies and the update of
the City’s traffic model and buildout projections, there will be one through lane in each direction
along these areas with reduced rights of way. Based on preliminary studies, it is anticipated that
this reduced area will have a 90-foot right of way, with a through lane in each direction, a Class I
bike path on the north and on the south, Class II bike lanes, a five-foot swale/shoulder for drain-
age, and an 8’-12’ safety median. Figures A-3 through A-5 (Attachment A) show the various
features of Tank Farm Road. The precise location of Tank Farm Road, and the width of the vari-
ous sections in the project will be determined based on traffic and civil engineering studies to be
conducted during the entitlement, design and environmental review phases.
Santa Fe Road Improvements
o The Santa Fe/Tank Farm roundabout will be constructed as part of the conditions of approval for
the 600 Tank Farm project, including the eastern approach to the roundabout and the transi-
tion/tapers to the west. Santa Fe will be designed in accordance with the new standard that
was recently established in the AASP. Figures A-3 through A-4 (Attachment A) show the various
features of Santa Fe Road.
Transit
o There are two proposed transit stops with shelters along the east-west portion of Santa Fe in
the interior of the eastern development area. These stops will connect the project to San Luis
Obispo’s transit network via the proposed Prado Road connection to the north and Tank Farm
Road directly to the south. See Figure A-4, the “Circulation Features: East” exhibit.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation
o The eastern project development area will implement sidewalks and Class IV bike paths along
Santa Fe Road through the project’s interior consistent with the AASP standard for Commercial
Collectors. Additional pedestrian walkways and bike facilities will be provided in the interior of
the project as seen in Figure A-4 the “Circulation Features: East” exhibit. Tank Farm Road will
include Class II bike lanes between Innovation Way and 500 feet west of Santa Fe Road (where
these facilities merge with off-street Class IV or Class I paths). Tank Farm Road will also include
a Class I multiuse trail (two-way bikes and ped path) on the north side. These facilities will also
provide connectivity to other Class I bike paths shown in the Active Transportation Plan. Figures
A-3 through A-5 (Attachment A) show the various features of Tank Farm Road.
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Airport Facilities
o The project site is north of San Luis Obispo County Airport. Because of its proximity to the air-
port, there are additional documents that regulate and provide guidance to development in this
area. As was noted in the Project Introduction, the site is part of the Airport Area Specific Plan
AASP). The AASP is a City land use document that was originally adopted in 2005 and has been
updated several times since then. It provides guidance on land use, circulation, development
standards, design guidelines, and infrastructure.
Another regulatory document that affects site development is the County Airport Land Use Plan
ALUP). The ALUP focuses on topics that relate to airport operations such as safety, noise, build-
ing heights, and compliance with FAA regulations. An updated version of this document was
adopted in 2021. The changes to the document were significant and have an impact on the
types of uses that can be established at the project site. The current ALUP includes safety zones
consistent with the California Airport Land Use Planning Handbook that are used in most areas
in the state near airports. All of the residential uses will be located in Zone 6. Figures 3 and A-10
show the ALUP safety zones’ relationship to the project site and the land plan for the project.
The project consistency analysis will provide more insights and details about the project’s com-
pliance and consistency with the ALUP.
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SPECIAL PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES
1. Building energy efficiency standards that will enable the project to comply with the “net
zero” energy requirements and compliance with the City’s Reach Code. Electricity shall be
the only energy source for the entirety of project operations including but not limited to
space conditioning, water heating, illumination, cooking appliances, and plug loads (exemp-
tions to this requirement shall be limited to appliances in commercial kitchens, emergency
backup generators, and medical end-uses that have no viable electric alternative).
2. Enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, including ped and bike connectivity to exist-
ing and proposed development at both east and west ends of Tank Farm Road. The project
will implement the City’s new raised “Class IV” bike lanes. A parking requirement reduc-
tion/exception totaling 8 percent of the total statistical parking demand per Section
17.72.050 will be part of the requested entitlements, and is justified based on shared park-
ing between the residential and commercial development (with peak residential parking in
the evening and peak commercial parking in mid-day), car sharing, pedestrian and bike con-
nections to and through properties to the east and west, proximity to convenience goods
centers, onsite mixed use, and the renter preference program described below.
3. Special at-grade “speed table” pedestrian street crossings have also been included. These
provide for traffic calming and a continuous walking experience.
4. Residential portions of the project will include an onsite manager or contact who will be the
first point of contact for any noise complaints. Residents will also be required to certify that
they have completed an online training on airport operations, airport hazards and impacts,
and acknowledgement that they will contact onsite management for noise concerns.
5. An avigation easement will be placed on the property per County and ALUP regulations.
6. The project’s buildings will be arranged to diffuse sound, and to locate the most sensitive
portions of the project toward the rear in the northeast corner of the site. This will include
orienting any outdoor activity and patio areas so that they are the least impacted by airport
and traffic noise.
7. Per AASP Policy 4.5.3, all residential units shall be designed to limit the aircraft-related 24-
hour, 10-second interval interior peak noise (Lmax) impacts to no more than 45 decibels,
five decibels less than in Table 4 or the current ALUP.
8. The project will implement a preference program for local workers. This strategy will cap-
ture, and house, those working east of Higuera, south of South/Santa Barbara, west of the
railroad, and north of Crestmont Road. This will provide preference to those working at
MindBody, the San Luis Obispo Regional Airport, Morabito Business Park, AeroVista Business
Park, Sacramento Drive, and other south city Business Park areas. Like the Avila Ranch and
San Luis Ranch projects, this will ensure that existing commuting employees are given first
preference for housing, and that their commute trip length will be reduced and that many
home-work trip modes will be shifted from personal vehicles to biking or pedestrian modes.
This preference program, however, will be focused on the south and southeast portions of
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the community to ensure the greatest reduction in vehicle miles traveled and to maximize
the potential for ped and bike trips from the project to work destinations.
9. As discussed in the preceding narrative about proposed parks, the two park areas and the
dog park will address a noted lack of facilities in this part of town and serve new residents in
the area. These facilities will serve as an important community benefit.
10. The project includes a highly integrated system of Class I, Class II, Class III and Class IV bike
facilities that provide obvious priority for this mode of transportation. Connections from
these facilities can be made to the offsite connections to the Serra Meadows bike path, the
Avila Ranch bike path, and the connection to Damon-Garcia Sports Park through 600 Tank
Farm Road. The applicant is also exploring additional recreational paths through the open
space areas to augment the commuter facilities.
The Link Project Description
Page 14 of 15
CITY PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS
Needed Entitlements
o General Plan Amendment/Prezoning - To accommodate the planned changes to the City’s land
use and zoning maps, applications will be submitted to amend the proposed zoning and land use
maps to be consistent with the project development plan.
o Circulation Element and AASP Circulation Amendments - These amendments will be needed to
modify the Parkway Arterial Standard for Tank Farm Road to include several different cross sec-
tions, layouts and right of way standards, which are dependent on the development context and
environmental constraints at different locations.
o AASP Amendments - Certain amendments will need to be processed to comply with the pro-
posed Development Plan.
o Active Transportation Plan Amendments - Certain amendments will need to be processed to
comply with the Development Plan.
o Affordable Housing Plan - An affordable housing plan will be prepared to demonstrate how the
project will comply with the requirements of the City’s inclusionary housing requirements and
outline any desired density bonuses.
o Development Agreement - The applicant plans to have a development agreement approved by
the City Council along with other entitlements. The development agreement will cover a wide
variety of project components and topics including, but not limited to, infrastructure financing,
affordable housing, and development plan regulations.
o Annexation - The project site is currently under county jurisdiction and will require annexation
into the City of San Luis Obispo. This process will require authorization by the City Council and
also include coordination and hearings with LAFCO.
o CEQA Compliance - It is anticipated that compliance with CEQA will be met by the preparation
of a Supplemental EIR to the Chevron Tank Farm Remediation and Development project Final
Environmental Impact Report (SCH #2009031001).
The Link Project Description
Page 15 of 15
Figures and Attachments
Figure 1: Location Map
Figure 2: AASP Land Use Map (existing)
Figure 3: ALUP Safety Zones and Project Location
Attachment A
Figure A-1: Development Areas and Building Key Map)
Figure A-2: Development Areas and Development Potential
Figure A-3: Circulation: Overall)
Figure A-4: Circulation Features: East
Figure A-5 Circulation Features: West
Figure A-6: Proposed Land Use Designations (Zoning): Overall
Figure A-7: Proposed Land Use Designations (Zoning): East
Figure A-8: Proposed Land Use Designations (Zoning): West
Figure A-9: Phasing
Figure A-10: Land Plan and ALUP Safety Zones
Attachment B
Plan Data by Area and Building
Attachment C
Phasing and Buildout
Attachment D
Project Imagery and Background
LAND USE | 4-5
Attachment A
Development Plan and Circulation
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-1PeckPlanningandDevelopmentDevelopmentAreasandBuildingsKeyMap
Figure
1
9
4
3
2
8
7
6
5
1211
10
14
13
1615
17 18 19
20
22
21
26252423
27 28
29
Area 11: Mixed Use (C-C/MU)
Area 1: Mixed Use (C-C/MU)
Area 2: Hangar Commercial (CS)
Area 3: Professional Offices (BP-C-S)
Area 4: District Flex Space (CS)
Area 5: Research and Development (CS)
Area 6: Industrial (CS)
Area 7: Park/Pond (CS)
Area 8: Multifamily 1 (R-4)
Area 9: Medical
Offices (BP-C-S)
Area 10: Multifamily 2 (R-4)
Area 12: Neighborhood Park
Area 13: Fire Station
Area 14: Overflow Parking (CS)
See Figure A-2 and Attachment B for a
statistical summary of building areas,
parking and other site data for each
subarea and each building. See Figure A-
10 for ALUP Safety Zones.
RRM Design Group
Tank Farm Road Tank Farm Road
Santa Fe
RoadSantaFe
Road"
B"
Street
A"
Street"
C"
Street
30
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-2
Commercial Mixed Use
21,375 SF Office/Services
21,375 SF Retail
100 Residential Units (75 DU)
Parking Provided: 240
Parking Required: 242
Hangar Commercial
41,950 SF Retail (10%)/Man (90%)
Parking Provided: 135
Parking Required: 129
Multifamily 1
350 Units (245 du)
DU/Net Acre: 23.9
Parking Provided: 557
Parking Required: 555
Multifamily 2
50 Units (37.5 DU)
DU/Net Acre: 21.6
Parking Provided: 50
Parking Required: 60
Offices (Medical)
137,200 SF
Parking Provided: 597
Parking Required: 610
Office Core
142,500 SF
Parking Provided: 424
Parking Required: 438
Retail/Eating/Drinking
4,900 SF
Parking Provided: 10
Parking Required: 16
Research and Development/Light Manufacturing
98,800 SF
Parking Provided: 257
Parking Required: 198
The District
48,200 SF Retail
48,200 SF R&D
Parking Provided: 272
Parking Required: 148
Industrial w/Office
209,000 SF
Parking Provided: 270
Parking Required: 279
Office/Retail Mixed
10,750 SF Office (Street Front)
10,750 SF Retail (Street Front)
225 Units (163 DU)
DU/Net Acre: 28.03
Parking Provided: 367
Parking Required: 381
City Park
FS
Development Areas
Overflow/Surplus Parking
Spaces: 88
Peck Planning and Development
Multifamly Residential
R&D/Light Manufacturing
R&D/Retail (District)
Retail/Office Mixed
Professional Offices
Medical Offices
Light Manufacturing/Retail (Hangar)
Manufacturing
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Tank Farm Road Tank Farm Road
Santa Fe
RoadSantaFe
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-3
City Park
FS
Parkway Arterial: A
Parkway Arterial: B
EB Left Turn (In Only)
Right In/Right Out
Truck Access (Private)
Local Street (Public)
w/Class II Bike Lanes
Local Street (Public) w/Class III
Bike Lanes
Santa Fe per (Revised) AASP Standard
Class I to Class II Ramps
Connection to Avila
Ranch Class I
Class I Bike Paths
Class II Bike Lanes
Class I Bike Paths
Ped Crossing w/Enhanced Crosswalk
Transit Stops w/Shelter
and Rider Amenities
Connection to
Hoover Class I
Santa Fe per (Revised) AASP Standard
Continuation of
Center Turn Lane
Right In/Right Out
Dedicated Right Turn
Two Lanes
Circulation: Overall
422'423'
Ped, Bike and Emergency Access Only
Class IV Bike Path
507'619'
1127'
2911'
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
Multifamly Residential
R&D/Light Manufacturing
R&D/Retail (District)
Retail/Office Mixed
Professional Offices
Medical Offices
Light Manufacturing/Retail (Hangar)
Manufacturing
Road Cross Sections and
Locations Preliminary Only
Subject to Change per Further Studies
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Tank Farm Road Tank Farm Road
Santa Fe
RoadSantaFe
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-4
Class IV BikePathsClassIIBikeLanes
On Interior Public
Street
Center Turn Lane
Class III Bike Lane (Shared)
Class IV Connection
To Hoover Rd Class I
Circulation Features: East
Transit Stops with Shelters and
RiderAmenitiesClassIIIBikeLane
Connection to 2-Way
CLass I to 650 Tank Farm and
Damon Garcia Sports Park
Dedicated RT Lane
EB Left Turn In
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-5
Class I Bike Paths
Class II Bike Lanes
Circulation Features: West
Continuous Center Left Turn
Lanes
Connection to Avila Ranch
Bike Path
Dedicated RT Lane
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-6ProposedLandUseDesigations (Zoning): Overall
Open Space/Conservation
C/OS)
Open Space/Conservation
C/OS)
Commercial-MU
C-C/MU)
Commercial
Mixed Use
C-C/MU)
Multifamily
R-4)
Office-Medical
BP-C-S)
Retail/
Manu
C-S)
Professional Office
BP-C-S)
Park
PF)
Multiufamily
R-4)
Public
PF)
Industrial
C-S)
R&D/Light Manu.
C-S)
R&D/Retail
CS)
Parking
C-S)
Ponding
C-S)
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
Multifamly Residential
R&D/Light Manufacturing
R&D/Retail (District)
Retail/Office Mixed
Professional Offices
Medical Offices
Light Manufacturing/Retail (Hangar)
Manufacturing
C-S)
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Tank Farm Road Tank Farm Road
Santa Fe
RoadSantaFe
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-7ProposedLandUseDesigations (Zoning): East
Office (Medical)
BP-C-S)
R&D/Light Manufacturing
C-S)
Professional Offices
BP-C-S)
Hangar
Retail/Manu.
C-S)
The District
R&D/Retail
CS)
Commercial Mixed Use
C-C/MU)
Manufacturing
C-S)
Fire Station
PF)
Multifamily
R-4)
Park
PF)
Commercial
C-S)
Park
C-S)
Parking
C-S)
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
Multifamily
R-4)
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-8ProposedLandUseDesigations/Zoning: West
Commercial Mixed Use
C-C/MU)
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
FigureRRMDesignGroup
Covelop: TheLinkJuly11, 2022 Covelop: The Link A-9
Open Space/Conservation
Open Space/Conservation
Com-MU Com-MU
R-4Office-Medical
Retail/
ManuOffice
Park
R-4
PublicIndustrial
R&D/Light Manu.
R&D/Retail
Parking
Phasing
1
1
1
3
2
2
2
Peck Planning and Development
0 250 500 ft
Figure
1
1
RRM Design Group
See Attachment C for buildout and
absorption by Phase.
1
Tank Farm Road Tank Farm Road
July 8, 2022 Peck Planning and Development
Safety Zone
3
Safety Zone
2
RPZ
Safety Zone
6
Safety Zone
6
Covelop: TheLinkLandPlanandALUPSafetyZonesFigureRRMDesignGroup A-10
Attachment B
Plan Data by Area and Building
Attachment C
Phasing Data