HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/01/1988, C-5 - HIGUERA STREET SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS Previous report from 9/20/f and 9/27/88. �P'
MEETING DATE:
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ITEM N
Meia COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
FROM: Michael Multari, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Higuera Street Subcommittee Recommendations
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
1) Adopt the attached resolution directing staff to initiate consideration of
rezoning the subject study area with an "-S" overlay; action, however, will not
take place until other recent "-S" rezoning for Monterey Street is complete.
2) Direct staff to return with additional recommended planning items after the
general plan update is complete.
3) Direct staff to assess the street plan line and creek set backs after the
detention basin study is reviewed and approved by Council.
Background/Situation
Last November, after resolving an appeal regarding access for a project on Higuera
Street, the City Council directed the ARC and Planning Commission to form a joint
subcommittee to make recommendations for future access standards along Higuera Street
between Madonna and Marsh (see Exhibit "A"). While the focus of the subcommittee's work
was access and circulation, they also covered related issues such as setbacks and
aesthetic concerns.
Beginning in January, the subcommittee met five times through the spring. Members
included Fred Baur (later replaced by Brian Starr) and Paul Jones of the ARC; Janet
Kourakis and Chuck Crotser of the PC; Dave Romero and Wayne Peterson from Public Works;
and, Ken Bruce and Mike Multari from Community Development.
The subcommittee formulated first made certain "observations" or findings about the
corridor, and then formulated draft policies related to driveway design, priorities for
access locations and setbacks. Their recommendations are presented in Exhibit "B". The
subcommittee presented its recommendations to the full ARC and PC; both endorsed the
recommendations unanimously.
These policies can be most easily implemented by rezoning the corridor with an "-S"
overlay which would require use permits for new projects. The ordinance adopting the
"-S" overlay would call out the policies and standards to be considered with each use
permit application.
The rezoning process would also allow all property-owners to be notified and provide a
forum for their participation before these standards are formally adopted. In the mean
time, the recommendations would simply be guidelines for the ARC, PC and staff to
consider in their review of any projects submitted prior to formal adoption of the "-S"
zoning.
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Page 2
Staff would like to begin the rezoning as quickly as possible, but, realistically,
considering department work loads from the general plan (circulation, land use and open
space elements), the airport specific plan, and all the other pending major projects
including a recent directive to add the "-S" overlay to properties on Monterey Street, we
need to postpone this action for now. When the rezoning on Monterey is complete, we can
turn those staff resources toward this rezoning.
The subcommittee also recommended that further planning would be appropriate for the
oddly configured intersections between High and Pacific (see (see Exhibit "C"). This
additional planning should be postponed until after the general plan update (or at least
until current work loads are reduced). Neither the staff nor the PC can really afford to
embark on another significant special project at this time.
They also suggested that the area south of Marsh and between Higuera and the freeway (See
Exhibit "C") should be studied further, including reevaluation of the plan lines on the
portion of the west side of Higuera closest to Marsh and consideration of establishing
setback lines along the creek. The subcommittee was unsure whether or not creek widening
would be necessary or which side of the creek such widening would occur if it were deemed
necessary. Those decisions could affect approaches for acquiring property for widening
Higuera in this area. Thus, the evaluation of these plan lines should be postponed at
least until the analysis of upstream detention basins is complete as that is highly
relevant to questions about creek widening.
Significant Impacts
No significant adverse impacts are expected from the action; approaches to access and
driveways should be more consistent in the future, reducing the possibility of conflicts
between the ARC and PC on projects.
Conseauences of Not Taking the Recommended Action
There would be no significant change from present practices. Projects may continue to be
evaluated in terms of access and circulation in an uncoordinated way, possibly leading to
inconsistent actions by the ARC and PC.
Recommendation
1. Adopt the attached resolution directing staff to initiate the "-S" overlay rezoning.
However, action on this will be delayed until work loads can handle it, probably when
the Monterey Street rezoning is complete.
2. By minute motion direct staff to work on more detailed planning for the intersections
between High and Pacific after the general plan update is complete.
3. By minute motion direct staff to work on more detailed planning for the area between
Higuera and the creek near Marsh, including possible plan lines for the street and
setbacks for the creek, after information about upstream detention basins has been
reviewed and approved by the Council.
Attachments: Area Map, Recommendations, Map of Future Study Areas, Draft Re oluti n
EXH[BIT A STUDY AREA
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Observations and Policies
Higuera Corridor: Marsh to Madonna
Key observations about the corridor:
1. Madonna/Higuera is a ,key entry to the downtown and to the development on South
Higuera which will continue to expand and intensify in the future.
2. The stretch of Higuera between Madonna and Marsh is a critical transportation link
between the two principal commercial activity centers in the city (the downtown and
newer shopping center/mall); it also links in a sense the older city and the newer...
city.
3. In any plan affecting access and circulation in this area, attention must be given to
traffic impacts on residential areas; the function of Higuera in the overall
circulation patterns of the city; the relation between land uses and circulation and
traffic impacts; and the creek corridor (because the creek corridor could function as
part of a pedestrian circulation system and because creek widening and setback policy
could affect the feasibility of street widening and street setback programs on the
west side of Higuera).
Policies:
1. Minimize driveways in this corridor; encourage consolidation of driveways wherever
possible.
2. For properties on the east side of Higuera, the first priority for automobile access
will be to encourage ingress and egress from Parker; second priority will to
encourage ingress only from Higuera with egress directed to Parker; third priority,
where alternatives are not practical either because of the site or use, ingress from
and egress to Higuera may be accommodated.
3. For properties on the west side of Higuera, automobile access will be provided from
Higuera when there are no feasible alternatives.
4. The minimum width for one-way driveways should be 20-feet. The minimum width for
two-way driveways should be 30 feet. For major traffic generators (as a rule of
thumb, uses estimated to generate 500 ADT or more), a modified street-type entrance
should be constructed. Driveway transitions may be extended beyond the perpendicular
extensions of property lines, subject to the approval of the City Engineer.
5. The properties should all be designated with an "S-" overlay zone to require
case-by-case review of new uses. The project review should highlight consideration
of traffic generation potential of the use and the number, location and design of
driveways.
6. The corridor should be a visual link as well as a transportation link between the
downtown and areas to the south and west. Street trees should help create this
visual connection.
7. New buildings on th, rridor should be oriented toward 1 era: buildings should be
placed near the Higuera frontage (as opposed to emphasizing parking lots between the
street and the buildings); however, a minimum setback of 10 feet is required for
landscaping and to create a feeling and view of openness along this important route.
8. The creek corridor should include adequate setbacks for necessary widening and flood
control projects, possible pedestrian routes, visual amenity and creek protection. A
plan line should be adopted for this purpose (see below).
9. New projects should be required to dedicate unimproved portions of their lots
necessary for right-of-way widening.
Further Studies:
1. Further planning needs to be done for the two odd intersections/ streets (between
High and Pacific) and for the land west of Higuera just south of Marsh (possibly
acquire for open space and floodwater relief channel).
2. The plan line for the street right-of-way from the presently.approved widening
project to Marsh Street should be reviewed to ensure its adequacy.
3. The creek area should be evaluated and a plan line (setback line) should be adopted
which is adequate to accommodate flood control projects, public access and habitat
protection.
EXH031T C FUTURE ADDITIONAL STUDY. AREAS
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RESOLUTION NO. (1988 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
INITIATING A REZONING OF PROPERTY ON HIGUERA BETWEEN MARSH AND
MADONNA TO INCLUDE AN "-S" (SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS) OVERLAY
WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission and Architectural Review Commission have
recommended that the areas shown on Exhibit "A" should be considered a special
considerations zone to address access, setback and related issues; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is concerned with the implementation of various
recommendations from those commissions regarding access, setbacks and other related
issues.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as
follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby initiates the rezoning of property on both sides
of Higuera between Marsh and Madonna to include an '-S" (special considerations) overlay
as shown on Exhibit "A".
SECTION 2. The Community Development Department is directed to include within the
proposed zoning.ordinance, the recommendations suggested by the Planning and
Architectural Review Commissions regarding access, setbacks and related issues.
On motion of seconded by . and on the
following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing resolution was adopted this 20th day of September, 1988.
Mayor
ATTEST
City Clerk
Resolution No. . (1988 Series)
Page '2
APPROVED:
City. mihisittrative Officer
City Att ney ,
Community Development Director