HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-2016 Item 14, Codron 2r
tjr, � Council Memorandum
January 14, 2016
TO: City Council
FROM: Michael Codron, Community Development Director
PREPARED: Kyle Bell, Assistant Planner
VIA: Katie Lichtig, City Manager
SUBJECT: City Council agenda item 14
Attachments
1. URL Staff Recommendation
2. URL Letters of Opposition
3. URL City Council Determination
4. Proposed project (ER 16-89)
5. Mitigation Measures (ER 16-89)
6. LLA 90-115 Staff Report
7. Final Parcel Map
8. Resolution No. 9676 (2005 Series)
RECEIVED
JAN I11111
SLO CITY
COUNCIL MIS
ITEM NO.: E INO;g0) b
The following memorandum has been prepared to answer questions raised about the feasibility
of access from Loomis Street.
Address
The property known as 48 Buena Vista Avenue/2390 Loomis Street has been re -addressed as 40
Buena Vista Avenue.
Urban Reserve Line (URL)
In 1983 City staff prepared the Hillside Planning Program Phase 2. The subject property is
located in Area #1 Cal Poly-Cuesta Park, when the program was first presented the URL was
proposed to exclude the subject property, as well as two others, outside the URL (Attachment 1,
URL Staff Recommendation). After considering public testimony which included letters from
certain property owners discussing their right to develop these properties (Attachment 2, URL
Letters of Opposition), both the Planning Commission and the City Council determined to
include the subject properties within the Urban Reserve Line. The Urban Reserve Line has been
established along the north property line of the subject property, rendering the properties south of
this line appropriate for residential development (Attachment 3, URL City Council
Determination).
San Juan Drive
In 1989 a proposal for three residences along Buena Vista Avenue was reviewed by the City
(Attachment 4, Proposed Project (ER 16-89)). The project was evaluated and triggered an initial
study with 10 mitigation measures (Attachment 5, Mitigation Measures (ER 16-89)). One of the
CC Memo14 -1
Item 14 – Memorandum Page 2
mitigation measures was to combine the three lots into two lots. In 1990 the lots were adjusted
into two lots with access from Buena Vista (Attachment 6, LLA 90-115 Staff Report). The
previous design of the three lots provided two of the lots with access from a “paper street” called
San Juan Drive and one lot with access from Buena Vista Avenue (Attachment 7, Final Parcel
Map). Due to erosion along Loomis Street of the hillside, San Juan Drive could no longer
provide access to the properties. The Lot Line Adjustment merged the three properties into two
and reconfigured them to have access from Buena Vista Avenue. The original configuration of
the lots was never intended to have access from Loomis Street, but rather San Juan Drive. San
Juan Drive was officially abandoned in 2005 as unnecessary for present or prospective Public
Street purposes (Attachment 8, Resolution No. 9676 (2005 Series)).
Loomis Street Driveway Access
The subject property has approximately 75 feet of lot frontage along Loomis Street. The distance
from Loomis street to the property line is approximately 55 feet. Within the distance of the 55
feet, the public right-of-way contains a grade change of approximately 60% to a total height of
40-45 feet above the pavement on Loomis. The Land Use Element includes polices for Hillside
Development requiring grading on individual lots to be as minimal as possible, and to minimize
the grading of visible driveways (LUE 6.4.3). This policy is implemented through the
Community Design Guidelines, which limit the slope of a driveway to no greater than 15%. To
design a driveway that conforms to these standards at this location would require a distance of
approximately 300 feet. The Architectural Review Commission could allow an exception to the
maximum driveway slope; however, even with an exception for this property substantial grading
would still be required that would also result in visual impacts because the driveway would also
be visible from Highway 101.
Access off of Loomis Street to create a driveway would require mass grading and retaining walls
if even possible. However, because of the slope, the City’s Grading Ordinance does not allow
grading outside of the building footprint. In the past, City staff has interpreted the building
footprint as being those areas required for the building pad, access, emergency egress, and any
grading prescribed by the soils engineer/engineering geologist to support the structure or
improvements. Therefore, while it might be possible to comply with the Grading Ordinance the
amount of grading on the hillside to accommodate Loomis access would be much more visually
and environmentally significant than what is currently proposed for the Buena Vista access
design. Access from Buena Vista Avenue can be achieved with minimal grading to the site in
full compliance with the Grading Ordinance.
Traffic
At the time of approval of the 1990 Lot Line Adjustment the lots were reoriented towards Buena
Vista for the proposed access to remove the lower lot that had sole access from San Juan Drive.
Trying to provide a driveway down to Loomis is problematic from a visual impact standpoint as
well as also how a driveway would be designed to access Loomis with an acute angle both in
grade as well as centerline intersection. Turning movements out of the driveway (as well as in)
would require significant turning arc (maneuvering) to exit the driveway that could be unsafe if
vehicles have to cross the Loomis Street centerline potentially coming into conflict with
approaching traffic.
CC Memo14 - 2
Item 14 – Memorandum Page 3
Utilities
The current plans show the applicant connecting to the sewer line on Buena Vista with a small
private “injector” pump serving the property. If a lower building site is chosen, the applicant
would still have that option to pump, however, a significant sized pump would be required to
pump sewage for the elevation difference of approximately 80 feet. There is no sewer line in
Loomis Street. If required it would be possible to design and build a sewer line to the subject
location along Loomis Street that is sized appropriately to accommodate future development on
Miossi Ranch. The property owner can do this work with the potential for reimbursement
depending on the timing of Miossi development, or can wait until the sewer becomes available.
Alternatively, the property owner could pump up to Buena Vista temporarily until the Loomis
sewer line is constructed.
Conclusion
Buena Vista Avenue is a local residential street that has been planned to have this access to it
from this site. City staff has reviewed the potential for access from Loomis Street, and while it
may be possible, Loomis access would create a host of additional complications for the proposed
project with no added benefit in the form of reduced viewshed, grading, or traffic safety impacts.
G:\CD-PLAN\KBELL\City Council\USE-1520-2015 (2390 Loomis) PC appeal\Council Memorandum.docx
CC Memo14 - 3
Attachment 1
CC Memo14 - 4
A
t
t
a
c
h
m
e
n
t
2
C
C
M
e
m
o
1
4
-
5
A
t
t
a
c
h
m
e
n
t
2
C
C
M
e
m
o
1
4
-
6
A
t
t
a
c
h
m
e
n
t
2
C
C
M
e
m
o
1
4
-
7
Attachment 2
CC Memo14 - 8
Attachment 2
CC Memo14 - 9
Attachment 2
CC Memo14 - 10
Attachment 3
CC Memo14 - 11
Attachment 4
CC Memo14 - 12
Attachment 5
CC Memo14 - 13
Attachment 6
CC Memo14 - 14
Attachment 6
CC Memo14 - 15
Attachment 6
CC Memo14 - 16
Attachment 6
CC Memo14 - 17
Attachment 7
Attachment 7
CC Memo14 - 18
Attachment 7
Attachment 7
CC Memo14 - 19
RESOLUTION NO .9846 (2006 Series )
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O
APPROVING A ONE YEAR TIME EXTENSION TO COMPLETE THE CONDITION S
OF RESOLUTION 9676 (2005 SERIES) RELATING TO THE ABANDONMENT OF
SAN JUAN DRIVE AND MODIFYING THE CONDITIONS OF ABANDONMEN T
WHEREAS,following a public hearing duly held on May 3, 2005, this Counci l
approved the abandonment of San Juan Drive pursuant to Section 8300 et seq . of the Californi a
Streets and Highways Code and adopted Resolution 9676 (2005 Series), marked "Exhibit A",
attached hereto and incorporated herein ; and
WHEREAS,by that Resolution this Council determined that the San Juan Drive right o f
way is not necessary for present or future public street purposes ; and
WHEREAS,Item 4 of Section 2 of Resolution No. 9676 (2005 Series), provides tha t
items 1 through 4 must be met within one year or that abandonment will be null and void ; and
WHEREAS,the applicant that sought the abandonment has requested an extension o f
time in which to fulfill the conditions of abandonment .
BE IT RESOLVED,by the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows :
SECTION 1 .This Council hereby approves a one year time extension of the date set
forth in item 5 of section 2 of Resolution No . 9676 (2005 Series), and modifies item 5 to read :
All abandonment conditions shall be met by October 3, 2007, or upon expiration of th e
current specific project or tentative subdivision approval which incorporates the
respective abandonment .
SECTION 2 .Items 2 and 3 of Section 2 of Resolution No . 9676 (2005 Series), ar e
hereby eliminated .
SECTION 3.All other provisions of Resolution No . 9676 (2005 Series), shall remain in
full force and effect .
On motion of Council Member Mulholland, seconded by Vice Mayor Settle, and on th e
following roll call vote ,
AYES :
Council Members Brown, Ewan, and Mulholland, Vice Mayor Settle and
Mayor Romer o
NOES :
None
ABSENT :
None
The foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this 3rd day of October 2006 .
R 9846
Attachment 8
CC Memo14 - 20
Resolution No . 9846 (2006 Series )
Page 2
4:44trg",1 044MV-.404'eL--Mayor David F . Romero
ATTEST :
APPROVED AS TO FORM :
JonaP .Lowell
City Attorney
Attachment 8
CC Memo14 - 21
169T "A "
Recording requested by
and when recorded mail to :
City Cler k
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
RESOLUTION NO . 9676 (2005 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O
FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT SAN JUAN AVENUE IS UNNECESSARY FOR
PRESENT OR PROSPECTIVE PUBLIC STREET PURPOSES AND ORDERING IT S
ABANDONMENT, SUBJECT TO RESERVATION OF SPECIFIC EASEMENTS .
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council ofthe City of San Luis Obispo as follows :
SECTION I . In accordance with a public meeting duly held on March 15, 2005 ,
pursuant to Section 8300 et seq. of the California Streets and Highways Code and a finding of
General Plan consistency, that this Council finds and determines that San Juan Drive, describe d
as
"All of San Juan Drive,being a 30 foot wide drive as shown on Page 3 at Page 6 6
of Maps filed in the office of the San Luis Obispo County Recorder on September
23, 1925, located in the City of San Luis Obispo, County of San Luis Obispo,
State of California "
is not necessary for present or future public street purposes .
SECTION 2. This Council hereby orders the abandonment of said right-of-way subjec t
to the following condition s
Reservation of aneasement over the abandoned right of way forpublic utilities and
public sewer,an d
"Reserving to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the right from time to time to install ,
maintain, repair, operate, replace, remove and renew underground wires and other
structures, equipment and fixtures for the operation of said facilities within said
easement."
Recordation of the final Lot Line Adjustment document for the property located at 231 8
Loomis Street.
EX Attachment 8
CC Memo14 - 22
Resolution No . 9676 (2005 Series)
Page 2
3.Preparation of a Record of Survey in accordance with California Business and Profession s
Code Section 8700 et seq . and to be recorded concurrently with this abandonment showin g
the Lot Line Adjustment in condition 2 and this Abandonment.
4.Construction of a ten foot wide "all weather" access road to all sewer manholes or clean -
outs in the area of abandonmen t
5.Items 1 through 4 must be met within one (1) year of this date . Otherwise, this resolution
will expire and be null and void .
SECTION 3 . Upon notification from the Director of Public Works to the City Clerk that
the conditions prescribed in SECTION 2 have been met, the City Clerk shall cause a certifie d
copy of this Resolution of Abandonment,duly attested under the seal of the City, to be recorded
in the Office of the San Luis Obispo County Recorder .
On motion of Council Member Mulholland, seconded by Council Member Settle, and on
the following roll call vote ,
AYES :Council Members Brown,Mulholland and Settle and Vice Mayor Ewa n
NOES:Mayor Romer o
ABSENT ; None
The foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 3rd day of May 2005 .
ATTEST:
Audrey Hoop
City Cler k
J'•'P. Lowel l
City ttorney
Attachment 8
CC Memo14 - 23
Attachment 8
CC Memo14 - 24