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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/17/2019 Item 13, CodronCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum Council Agenda Correspondence DATE: September 17, 2019 TO: City Council FROM: Michael Codron, Community Development Director VIA: Derek Johnson, City Manager DJ SUBJECT: Item #13 – 1144 Chorro Project Initiation Staff has received questions regarding this item from Council Members and via agenda correspondence and is providing this memo as background information for tonight’s meeting. Building Height Ordinance The City’s Building Height Ordinance has been part of the Zoning Regulations since 2007 (Council Ordinance #1509, 2007 Series). The ordinance was approved following a major outreach effort by City staff to reconcile policies in the General Plan that enabled taller, infill buildings downtown. This policy was often referred to as the Landmark Building policy and provided for a limited number of 75-foot tall buildings would be appropriate for the downtown core, but it conflicted with the Zoning Regulations height limits of 50 feet. The Building Height project concurrently updated General Plan policies and Zoning Regulations standards to ensure consistency of application and clarity of process. Although the City has received several applications for taller buildings downtown, including the original SLO Hotel and Hotel Cerro projects, only one project has received an entitlement to be taller than 50 feet so far (San Luis Square at the corner of Marsh and Nipomo was approved with a maximum height of 60 feet). Residential Density The Planned Development (PD) Overlay is a Zoning Designation that allows for density to be transferred within lots covered by the overlay zone. The total land area covered by the proposed PD Overlay zone is 1.84 acres. This would allow for a total of 66.24 density (a two-bedroom unit is equivalent to 1 density unit, and studio and one-bedroom units under 600 square-feet are equivalent to .5 density units). The proposed project, when factored across the entire site, includes 26.5 density units so there is additional potential for residential development within the PD Overlay in the future should any portion or all of the existing buildings be redeveloped. It is important to note that the effective density of the 1144 Chorro site is 69.73 density units, which meets the Zoning Regulations policy objective of a minimum of 36 units per acre (17.32.030.E.5.a.3. - Packet Page 229). Therefore, it is staff’s belief that the project has the potential for a positive outcome with respect to the provision of an important increment of new housing downtown. If the Council is interested in seeing more residential density under the PD Overlay, then direction should be provided to staff to work with the applicant on this concept. Item #13 – 1144 Chorro Project Initiation (September 17, 2019) Page 2 Moderate Income Affordability Criteria The project includes 33 studios, 14 one-bedroom units, and 3 two-bedroom units. Maximum rents for low and moderate-income units are highlighted in the following table. Status of Downtown Center Paseo and PD Overlay Mandatory Features The existing paseo at the Downtown Center is identified in the project application as a PD Mandatory Feature and a Pedestrian Amenity under the Community Benefits requirement of the downtown height ordinance. Staff has researched the original approval of the paseo and found that the paseo is private property controlled by the property owner, and that access could be revoked at any time. A future redevelopment of the property could result in a different configuration of the property and loss of pedestrian access through the block, which is certainly an important pedestrian amenity. The Council should provide direction to staff if it believes that the paseo is not sufficient for inclusion as a pedestrian amenity. This would require an additional Community Benefits Policy Objective to be selected and provided as part of the project (see list on Packet Pages 229-230). Staff is supportive of the paseo being identified as a PD Overlay Mandatory feature even though it currently exists because the PD Overlay will provide certainty that public access through the site will be maintained in perpetuity and provide a key mid-block pedestrian connection between Marsh and Higuera Streets. Item #13 – 1144 Chorro Project Initiation (September 17, 2019) Page 3 Response to ARC and CHC Conceptual Reviews Attachments B and C in the September 17, 2019 packet provide the meeting minutes from the conceptual reviews by the CHC and ARC. The following directional items were provided. CHC Direction 1. The project shall include a height analysis of buildings in the vicinity and within the Historic District, including the Masonic Temple. 2. The shading study shall be revised to identify the specific shadow of the proposed structure, to distinguish between shading of existing structures. 3. The Historic Preservation Report shall be revised to address the existing structure's potential historic eligibility within the district, in consideration of the evaluation criteria for historic resource listing. 4. The proposed scale and mass of the structure above fourth story, referred to as the "stucco portion", is considered incompatible with the Historic District. 5. The architectural style is considered too "institutional", alternative styles should be considered giving the projects prominent location and opportunity to contribute to the Historic District's prevailing significance and distinctive architecture. 6. The proposed design should be modified to include more architectural details and features consistent with the character of the Historic District. 7. The proposed fenestration is considered monotonous and should provide greater variety and articulation. 8. The project design should provide more articulation and variety along the storefront elevations. ARC Direction 1. The project should respond to the Cultural Heritage Committee directional items with emphasis on providing a higher degree of articulation to relieve building mass and provide a greater variety of fenestration, the project should consider a variety in relief of roof lines. 2. The project should consider and respond to the planning principles and goals identified in the Downtown Concept Plan. 3. The architectural style should be distinctive as a gateway feature to downtown through design excellence justifying the requested height above 50 feet, given the project prominence along the intersection, the design should be of its own time while compatible with adjacent historic structures. 4. The project should provide greater step backs on the upper levels and/or consider a height reduction with sensitivity to adjacent historic resources, the design and mass should reinforce the horizontal lines of adjacent facades. 5. The design should focus on pedestrian scale, consider opportunity to revitalize the comer of Marsh and Chorro as a design feature combined with greater sidewalk widths and additional relief of storefronts to provide for patio dining. Consider tying into the pedestrian experience of the Downtown Center. 6. Materials should be high quality and selected carefully to be compatible with the historic buildings, without replicating design features, the second story windows should be reduced in height to reflect traditional transom window designs. Item #13 – 1144 Chorro Project Initiation (September 17, 2019) Page 4 Generally, the revised plans have responded to directional items to varying degrees. The analysis of how well these items have been integrated into the revised plans, and any further changes that may be recommended by staff, will be undertaken as part of the discretionary review process. Staff has not completed a thorough analysis of the revised submittal as this review will occur as part of the full project review and additional changes to the design may still be recommended by the CHC, ARC and Planning Commission, and required by the City Council during the final review of the project.