HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/18/1997, 4 - CONCEPTUAL INTERIM ZONING STRATEGY FOR THE AIRPORT AREA council
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CITY O F SAN LUIS OBISPO
FROM:' Arnold B. Jonas, Community Development Director (�V
Prepared By: Glen Matteson,Associate Planner J
SUBJECT: Conceptual interim zoning strategy for the Airport Area
CAO RECOMN ENDATION
Endorse the recommended conceptual interim zoning strategy for the Airport Area as a criterion
for individual .annexations that may be processed before the Airport Area Specific Plan is
adopted.
DISCUSSION
Situation
The General Plan says the City should prepare and adopt a specific plan for the Airport Area,and
then annex it. The City has initiated the annexation and started work on the specific plan, which
will resolve the best approach to regulating land use and providing necessary services in the area.
Until the specific plan is completed, properties may be annexed only if they meet certain criteria
in the Land Use Element that are intended mainly to assure that services are or will be adequate
to serve the annexed property (attached). Over the last year or so, several of these "interim"
annexations have been approved or requested.
When the City approves an annexation, it must establish land use zoning for the area being
annexed.In processing interim annexations,the question of what zoning is most appropriate for a
given property has been raised. The Land Use Element of the General Plan guides zoning, but
does not prescribe individual zone categories or exact boundaries for all areas. Since some land
use designations may be implemented by more than one zone, a basis for preferred zoning is
needed. As an example, the potential for several zones caused difficulty for the Spice Hunter
annexation, where the land use designation allowed either C-S or M zoning. The specific plan
will be much closer to a zoning package, but it is not scheduled for adoption until Fall 1998.
Council endorsement of a conceptual interim zoning strategy for the Airport Area, in anticipation
of the specific plan, will establish another useful criterion for interim annexations and help
reduce uncertainty as to appropriate zoning. The conceptual interim zoning strategy will only
provide a guideline. Adoption of zones will require Planning Commission recommendations and
Council approvals at separate public hearings.
Vision
The General Plan contains some overall objectives for the area, such as attractive entries to the
community and protection of creeks and wetlands. Also, it outlines a vision for the proposed
business parks in the Airport Area(and the one in the Margarita Area). The General Plan further
Council Agenda Report-Airport Area conceptual interim zoning strategy
Page 2
describes where certain kinds of uses, such as auto sales, specialty and general merchandise
stores, and offices should be concentrated —outside the Airport Area. However, it does not rule
out a wide range of uses in the Airport Area. In addition to the direction of the adopted General
Plan, there exists an evolving vision of what the Airport Area should become, in the minds of
property owners and occupants, City officials and advisors, and City staff. This vision will be
defined in the specific plan. At this time, key components of this vision include, in no particular
order:
• Visually attractive buildings and grounds
• Developments which can accommodate businesses that provide head-of-household jobs
• A mix of compatible uses that will minimize the need for vehicle trips for work-day errands
• Protection of on-site natural resources
• Correction or containment of past contamination
• Development sufficiently intensive to financially support urban services, without being
subsidized by the rest of the city
• In relation to aircraft over-flights, acceptable risks for those on the ground and in the air
(consistency with County Airport Land Use Plan)
Issues
The specific plan for the Airport Area will be able to define future uses and the character of
development in the Airport Area. It can do so by listing or describing allowable uses and
specific development standards designed to address development impacts particular to the area.
Until the specific plan is adopted, allowable uses and development impacts will need to be
addressed by existing zoning districts and development standards. In some cases, existing
zoning or development standards will need to be applied with S or PD designations to
supplement the base zones. As an interim measure, this can help insure that desired long-term
goals are not compromised. By attempting to address issues in the Airport Area using existing
zones and standards, particular issues best addressed comprehensively may need to be addressed
incrementally on a case-by-case basis in the context of an interim annexation. This underscores
the need for the specific plan and its timely completion.
The attached maps show the recommended application of existing zoning and development
standards to the Airport Area, focused on the Broad Street and South Higuera Street corridors.
Part of the neighboring Edna-Islay Specific Plan's secondary planning area is shown too, because
Council also has initiated annexation of that area. Circled numbers on the maps key to notes on a
following page, which explain some of the zoning recommendations. Basic zoning
considerations can be outlined as follows.
C-S or M? The General Plan Land Use Element designates much of the Airport Area as Services
and Manufacturing. This designation can be implemented by either the Service Commercial (C-
S) zone or the Manufacturing (M) zone. These zones are very similar in terms of development
standards and allowed uses. Up to now, the C-S zone typically has been applied to property with
frontage on arterial streets, since the retail and service businesses emphasized by the C-S zone
benefit from public visibility. The M zone usually has been applied to property that does not
Council Agenda Report-Airport Area conceptual interim zoning strategy
Page 3
have frontage on arterial streets, because its primary uses of manufacturing, storage, and
distribution do not require public visibility.
In the Airport Area,the following seven types of uses in particular raise issue of consistency with
General Plan policies and the emerging vision.
- Contractor's yards are allowed by right in both C-S and M zones.
- Trailer and equipment rental are allowed by right in both C-S and M zones.
- Scrapping and recycling, including auto wrecking, are not allowed in the C-S zone, but they
are allowed by right in the M zone.
Effective visual screening of these uses along South Higuera Street and Broad Street would
tend to block attractive views of the surrounding hills, which provide a sense of place. Even
with effective screening, it is doubtful that all these uses would fit the vision if they would
displace manufacturing uses. Since these uses typically have a lot of space devoted to
equipment and material, and relatively low concentrations of on-site employees or customers,
it would make sense to emphasize them in locations that are less visible from the entry roads
and more restricted by aircraft noise and safety considerations.
-Convenience stores can be approved by administrative use permit in both the C-S and M zones.
They usually have a lot of pavement and traffic in relation to building area. Even if standard
corporate building plans are avoided, they can be difficult to integrate into the entryway
character envisioned for Broad Street and South Higuera Street. On the other hand, they might
help keep employee trips within the Airport Area if developed in central locations, near the
.business parks.
- Warehouse stores can be approved by administrative use permit or Planning Commission use
permit, depending on size, in the C-S zone; they are not allowed in the M zone. The General
Plan says stores with regional draw (which would include warehouse stores) should be near
Highway 101 and Madonna Road, and Highway 101 and Los Osos Valley Road. The Land
Use Element map designates as General Retail about 40 acres next to the existing Madonna
Road shopping centers (Dalidio)and about 50 acres west of Los Osos Valley Road (Froom).
These designated areas could accommodate several warehouse stores, which individually
desire sites of about 10 acres. Warehouse stores could help "anchor" existing retail areas.
Warehouse store chains typically want sites with freeway visibility, or at least easy access
from a freeway. So far, this has ruled out serious interest in the Broad Street corridor. With
development of the T-K annexation and Higuera Commerce Park, there are no large sites left
along South Higuera Street.
-Auto repair is allowed by right in both the C-S zone and the M zone.Auto sales are allowed by
right in the C-S zone, and can be approved by Planning Commission use permit in the M
zone. The Land Use Element says auto sales are to be concentrated at Auto Park Way. Auto
repair can be incompatible with some light industrial uses. Auto repair and sales are
questionable uses for entry corridors.
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Council Agenda Report-Airport Area conceptual interim zoning strategy
Page 4
- Sales of building & home improvement supplies are allowed by right in both C-S and M
zones. Indoor sales and plant nurseries would more readily fit the entry character than lumber
yards or yards for larger-scale steel and concrete items.
Until the specific plan is adopted, these issues may need to be addressed individually, depending
on the issues that arise for a particular interim annexation. One of the Community Development
Department's current work items is to examine the City's commercial zoning districts
comprehensively. However, many of the Airport Area zoning issues may not be resolved before
they arise in an interim annexation.
Add the S zone? The Special Considerations (S) zone is one way to have more discretion over
the types of land uses that can locate in a given area. Therefor it could address several of the
concerns noted in the discussion above. Unless stipulated otherwise at the time of adoption,the S
zone simply requires an administrative use permit for any substantial new development or
change in use. Whenever the S zone is used, the adopting ordinance must identify the special
concerns to be addressed. Without a statement of objectives that is readily available to the public
and staff, the S zone can establish a procedure without a clear purpose. However, the ordinance
adopting the S zone can be a useful tool for narrowing the normally allowed range of uses in
response to specific concerns. In several places within the city, the S zone has been added to the
base zone to enable greater control over the types of uses that can be established For example,
when the City sold its property at what is now Zaca Lane, the S zone was added to the C-S base
zone to address compatibility with the neighboring mobile home park and traffic generation
through the new intersection. There, an initial, overall use permit under the S zone allows some
C-S uses to be established by right,while others are prohibited, and some that would normally be
allowed by right need separate use-permit approval. The S zone could be used this way in the
Airport Area,to address issues that the base zones and development standards alone can not Any
interim use of the S zone would be superseded by adoption of the specific plan.
The S zone does not add to the list of allowed or conditionally allowed uses in a base zone. In
applying the S zone, it is important to avoid giving the impression that "you can apply for
anything, and we'll figure out as we go along what is acceptable."
Tank Farm Recreation The Land Use Element designates much of the Unocal property as
Recreation. When the Land Use Element update was adopted, a golf course or sports fields were
seen as appropriate uses for the site. According to Resolution No. 8332 adopting the 1994 Land
Use Element update, the Recreation designation can be implemented by the following zones:
Conservation/Open Space (C/OS); Public Facility (PF); either C-S or M, if combined with a
Special Considerations (S), Planned Development (PD), or Specific Plan (SP) overlay. The
overlays would assure that uses are consistent with the Recreation land use designation, since not
all uses in the C-S or M zones would be consistent with the description of the Recreation
designation in the Land Use Element The Unocal property is unlikely to be considered for an
interim annexation because it meets few of the criteria (attached). If part of the Unocal property
is annexed ahead of the specific plan, C/OS, PF, or M-S would be consistent zones, depending
on ownership at the time of annexation. The PF zone has been limited to land owned by
Council Agenda Report-Airport Area conceptual interim zoning strategy
Page 5
government agencies. Adoption of the PD overlay typically coincides with adoption of an
applicant-initiated development plan, while the SP overlay usually goes with adoption of a
specific plan.
Business Parks The Land Use Element designates several areas as Business Park. The specific
plan will result in preparation of business park standards. According to Resolution No. 8332
adopting the 1994 Land Use Element update, this designation can be implemented by C-S, M, or
Office (0) zones, but only if combined with PD or SP. For the attached maps, lacking any more
specific proposals, M-PD is suggested as the zoning for interim annexation of areas designated
Business Park The M zone would accommodate the desired range of uses, while the
development plan required under PD zoning would screen out undesired uses and provide
development standards.
FISCAL VAPACT
Long-term, area-wide fiscal impacts will be addressed by the "public facilities financing plan"
that is a component of the Airport Area work. Fiscal impacts of proposed individual annexations
will be evaluated as they are presented to Council. The recommended interim zoning itself is not
expected to have any negative fiscal impacts.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council may endorse conceptual interim zoning designations different from those shown in
the attached maps (such as switching C-S and M zones, or using different overlays). However,
since actual zoning actions must be consistent with the General Plan, basic differences such as
residential vs. commercial would most appropriately be addressed through consideration of Land
Use Element amendments,which would require separate hearings.
There is the no-action alternative: zoning designations for individual interim annexations would
continue to be decided as they are now. Continuing the individual-application approach is
probably less efficient and offers less opportunity for a comprehensive view.
Council may continue discussion.
Attached: Map(2 pages)with notes
Land Use Element excerpt: interim Airport Area annexation criteria
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AIRPORT AREA CONCEPTUAL INTERIM ZONING STRATEGY
Numbered Map References
These maps show recommended zones that would take affect with incremental interim
annexations, which are subject to change when the Airport Area Specific Plan is adopted.
1. The RV storage lot, designated Services and Manufacturing and with primary frontage
on Vachell Lane, should be shown as M, reflecting its current use, with the S zone to
assure compatibility with entry character along South Higuera Street.
2. Areas that the General Plan shows as Services and Manufacturing, which are not on or
close to South Higuera Street or Broad Street, would be shown as M.
3. Areas that the General Plan shows as Services and Manufacturing, which have
frontage on South Higuera Street or Broad Street, or the parts of Tank Farm Road that
are close to these streets and that are largely developed with "C-S" uses, would be
shown as C-S.
4. Areas that the General Plan shows as Business Park would be shown as M-PD.
5. Parts of the Unocal property that the General Plan shows as Recreation would be
shown as Conservation/Open Space (C/OS).
6. Areas owned by the County mainly for "clear zones" near the ends of the airport
runways would be shown as C/OS.
7. This parcel opposite Industrial Way straddles the border between the Margarita Area
and the Airport Area. An optional alignment for the Prado Road extension goes through
this parcel. The C-S-S zone would require use permit approval for any development
proposed before the specific plan is adopted.
8. Except for the mostly developed Fiero Lane and "Creekside" projects on Broad Street,
the C-S and M sites along Broad Street would have the S zone to assure desired entry
character. Staff suggests that the following uses, normally allowed by right in one or
both of these base zones, not be allowed: retail sales - vehicles; scrapping and
recycling, including auto wrecking. The S zone would not require use permits for all
new uses, but would require administrative use permits for the following: contractor's
yards; trailer and equipment rental; auto repair; outdoor sales of building materials.
(The Bradley annexation was continued from the October 21 Council meeting; the
Planning Commission recommended C-S without the added S zone.)
9. The area fronting Broad Street, occupied by the confluence of two substantial creeks,
would be shown as C/OS, consistent with General Plan policies (even though the Land
Use Element map extends the Service and Manufacturing designation over this area).
10. The Airport Area Specific Plan may show part of these large parcels fronting Broad
Street as C-S, but their depth and proximity to the airport suggest that most or all of
the area should be occupied by uses more in line with the emphasis of the M zone.
11. County-owned parcels occupied by the airport, airport-dependent businesses, and
other County functions would be shown as Public Facility (PF).
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Land Use Element SLO General Plan
C. Above elevations reliably served by gravity-flow in the City water system;
D. Below elevations reliably served by gravity-flow or pumps in the City sewer
system.
1.13.2 Annexation Purpose and Timing Annexation should be used as a growth
management tool, both to enable appropriate urban development and to protect
open space. Areas within the urban reserve line which are to be developed with
urban uses should be annexed before urban development occurs. The City may
annex an area long before such development is to occur, and the City may annex
areas which are to remain permanently as open space. An area may be annexed
in phases, consistent with the city-approved specific plan or development plan for
the area. Phasing of annexation and development will reflect topography, needed
capital facilities and funding, open space objectives, and existing and proposed
land uses and roads. (See also Section 7.0, Airport Area.)
1.13'.3 Required Plans Land in any of the following annexation areas may be
developed only after the City has adopted a plan for land uses, roads, utilities, the
overall pattern of subdivision, and financing of public facilities for the area. The
plan shall provide for open space protection consistent with policy 1.13.5.
A. For the Airport area, a specific plan shall be adopted for the whole area.
Until a specific plan is adopted, properties may only be annexed if they meet
the following criteria:
1. The property is contiguous to the existing city limits; and
2. The property is within the existing urban reserve line; and
3. The property is located near to existing infrastructure; and
4. Existing infrastructure capacity is available to serve the proposed
development; and
5. A development plan .for the property belonging to the applicant(s)
accompanies the application for annexation; and
6. The applicant(s) agree to contribute to the cost of preparing the specific
plan and constructing area-wide infrastructure improvements according
to a cost-sharing plan maintained by the City.
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