HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/00/1990, 2 - COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES/HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING Mr-TING AGENDA
DA r E 12ZL22 ITEM #
COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
_ bepamment of GEnERat sepvices
F COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER •SAN LUIS OBISPO,CALIFORNIA 93408 (805)549.5200
PUANE P.LEIB. DIRECTOR
TO: THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
THE .SAN WJIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DUA LEIB, GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
DATE: APRIL 30, 1990
SUBJECT: COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES/HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING
SUMMARY
The County and City have agreed to a review of the Social Services Building Project
status at a Joint Study Session scheduled for April 30, 1990. Review will include
an overview of the the project to date, presentation by the County's Architect of
the schematic design and provide the County Board of Supervisors, San Luis Obispo's
City Council , City Planning Commisgion and City ARC an opportunity to comment on
the project and related issues.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The County of San Luis Obispo currently leases approximately 34,000 square feet of
space for the Department of Social Services at three different locations in the
City of San Luis Obispo, 28,500 SF at 3220 S. Higuera St. (Walter Brothers
Building), 2,200 SF at 605 Santa Rosa. St. and 3,300 SF at 197 Santa Rosa St. It is
the County's goal to .consolidate the Department of Social Services space needs, in
the City of San Luis Obispo, into one facility at one location owned and operated
by the County.
The County proposes to construct a 3-story 58,000 square foot building with parking
for staff and patrons for the Department of Social Services on a 3.99 acre site
located in the "tri-polar" facility area designated for Social Services/Human
Services. The site is comprised of three parcels purchased by the County and a
portion of an abandon road right-of-way located near the southeast corner of South
Higuera Street and Prado Road. The proposed site master plan includes a second
phase expansion of approximately 42,000 square feet for an ultimate build out of
approximately 100,000 square feet of gross office space.
County Board of Supervisors
April 30, 1990
Page two
PROJECT HISTORY
In Fiscal Year 84-85 the County initially appropriated funds to find a permanent
solution to the housing needs of the Department of Social Services . The existing
Walter Brothers Center site was first considered due to the past designation of
this site for such functions (Social Services). However, the County's analysis
demonstrated that the Walter Brothers Center site was not in the best interest of
the County's long range plans. Financial reasons, parking and long term flexibility
were all factors utilized in this analysis.
Adjacent sites to the Walter -Brothers Center were also examined in an effort to
maintain the desirable functional relationships with other Human Services
operations and to preserve the County's tri-polar facility locations within the
City. A preferred site was chosen diagonally across the street from the Walter
Brothers Center, which allows the functional relationships to remain, as well as
the tri-polar location.
In September 1985, County staff was given specific direction and approval by the
County Board of Supervisors to proceed with the Social Services Project. Staff was
authorized to negotiate the purchase of a site for Social Services and submit to
the City of San Luis Obispo a request for a zone change, General Plan Amendment and
other planning issues for the selected property. In November 1985, the Board
approved a purchase agreement for the original 2.5 acre property for the Social
Services Building site. The initial proposal included the construction of a 25,000
square foot facility with future expansion to 50,000 square feet. The property was
purchased in June of 1986 for approximately $540,000.
At the same time the firm of Sandy Merriam was retained to represent the County for
the purposes of providing services for the Rezoning and General Plan amendment
before the City of San Luis Obispo. A traffic study of the area provided in May
1986, through W. P. Heath Jr. RCE, concluded that the relocation of the San Luis
Obispo County Department of Social Services would not change the expected impacts
at the Higuera St./Margarita Ave. intersection but would slightly degrade the
expected level of service at the intersection of Higuera St./Prado Road.
Signalization was considered to be necessary in the near future due to the soon to
be opened new DMV building. Another report prepared by Jay Farbstein & Associates
addressed pedestrian access and stated that the expected needs of pedestrians
should be satisfied by the WALK time allocated in the pedestrian phase of a traffic
signal .
Environmental review was issued administratively by the City of' San Luis Obispo in
January 1986, and was filed as a mitigated negative declaration. Mitigation
measures to address included a contribution to signalization of the South Higuera
and Prado Road intersection, review by the San Luis Obispo Airport Land Use
Commission and a noise analysis which shows to what extent noise levels will
increase and appropriate mitigation needed, if any.
County Board of Supervisors
April 30, 1990
Page three
Subsequent review by the Airport Land Use Commission in February 1986, found, with
recommended conditions, that the proposed building was compatible with the San Luis
Obispo County Airport Land Use Plan.
The San Luis Obispo Planning Commission took action in April 1986, to recommend the
City Council amend the general plan zoning map and specific plan for Higuera
Commerce Park to allow PF zoning at this location. The Commission also recommended
rezoning an adjacent triangular portion of land on the northwesterly corner of the
site.
The City Council considered the rezoning at two hearings in May and June of 1986.
The hearing was ultimately continued at the request of the County until the results
were obtained from a contracted consultant study assessing the space needs for the
Courts and a Long Range Facility Plan for other County Government space needs.
In June of 1987, at the request of the County, the City of San Luis Obispo Planning
Commission determined that the previously acquired 2.5 acre property was consistent
with General Plan policies. The Commission also determined that the triangular
portion of land on the northwesterly corner of the site would be in conformance.
The Long Range Facility Plan, which was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in
February 1988, set forth a phased plan that addressed County space needs. Phase II
of the plan included the space needs in the. City for the. Department of Social
Services. In March of 1989, the Board of Supervisors approved and adopted the
financing of a new Social Services Building through the County Supervisors
Association of California (CSAC) Pooled Lease Financing Program. The size of the
building was approved for an initial phase of 58,000 square feet.
In April 1989, at the request of the County, the City of San Luis Obispo Planning
Commission determined that the purchase of two adjacent properties south of the
existing 2.5 acre parcel would be consistent with General Plan policies. The
following month, May 1989, the Board of Supervisors authorized the purchase of the
adjacent properties for the approximate cost of $785,000
The County of San Luis Obispo selected the firm of Jay Farbstei n & Associates to
perform the pre-architectural programming services for the subject facility in
April of 1986. Farbstein was retained in May 1989, upon completion of the space
needs study and the approval of the revised project scope by the Board. Programming
for the first phase on the project was completed in November 1989.
With the approval of the Board of Supervisors the County in December 1989, retained
the architectural firm of IDG Architects for design, construction document
preparation, and construction administration services for the Social Services
Facility. As of the date of this report the project is proceeding through the
schematic design phase. (See attached reduced plans)
County Board of Supervisors
April 30, 1990
Page four
In March of this year the County requested the County Environmental Coordinators
Office to initiate an Environmental Review of the Social Services Building Project
and to make a determination on the project's potential impact on the surrounding
environment. The Environmental Coordinators Office has sent a referral to the City
of San Luis Obispo for their comments on potential issues that should be included
in the review.
COUNTY PROJECTS WITHIN CITY BOUNDARIES
Under California State Government Code cities and counties are mutually exempt from
each other's building and zoning ordinances. The legislative intent of these
sections is that cities and counties should be left free to work out their
problems, without giving either the power of veto over activities of the other.
In January of this year, an initial meeting was held with City and County
representatives to discuss an appropriate review process, to present the status of
the project and develop what subsequent procedures might be followed. At a meeting
in March, City and County representatives agreed to conduct a Joint Study Session
of the County Board of Supervisors and the San Luis Obispo City Council for the
purpose of receiving comments and .input on the County's Social Services Building
project. In a cooperative effort the County will receive input with serious intent
to implement all reasonable conditions that are considered important to development
and environmental concerns in this area of the city.
ATTACHMENTS
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