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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-24-2016 PC Item 01 - Avila Ranch Development Plan Preliminary Review PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: Preliminary review of the Development Plan for the Avila Ranch project; review of Development Plan chapters regarding Introduction/Project Features, Land Use Plan/Framework, and Design Framework PROJECT ADDRESS: 175 Venture Drive BY: John Rickenbach, Contract Planner 173 Buckley Road Phone Number: 805-610-1109 Email: JFRickenbach@aol.com FILE NUMBER: SPEC/ER-1318-2015 FROM: Doug Davidson, Deputy Director Project-PR-0090-2015 RECOMMENDATION: Receive a presentation regarding the Avila Ranch project and provide input and direction to questions posed by the applicant. SITE DATA Applicant Representative Proposed General Plan and Zoning Site Area Environmental Status Avila Ranch, LLC Stephen Peck, AICP Low, Medium, Medium-High, & High Density Residential (R-1, R-2, R-3, & R-4); Neighborhood Commercial (C-N); Public Facility (PF); & Conservation/Open Space (C/OS) 150 acres A Draft EIR is under preparation. SUMMARY Avila Ranch, LLC has submitted a development plan proposal for a new, primarily residential development with up to 720 units on a 150-acre site north of Buckley Road, located within the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP) boundaries. The project also includes 15,000 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail and office uses next to a neighborhood park, as well as the preservation of agricultural uses and open space. The project as proposed is envisioned to implement the policies and development parameters as articulated in the recent Land Use and Circulation Elements (LUCE) update, other elements of the General Plan, the AASP, the City’s Community Development Guidelines, and direction received by the community and City during the LUCE process and the project’s pre-application. The applicant has prepared the Avila Development Plan (“Development Plan”) that contains the specific development proposal for the site, including a land use framework, design guidelines and concepts, circulation plan, and infrastructure plan. If approved, these will be reflected in an Meeting Date: February 24, 2016 Item Number: 1 Avila Ranch Buckley Road PC1 - 1 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 2 updated Airport Area Specific Plan. The purpose of this initial review by the Planning Commission is to consider the land use related aspects of the Development Plan and provide feedback to questions posed by staff and the applicant. 1.0 COMMISSION’S PURVIEW The purpose of this meeting is for the Commission to review and provide input on land use related issues as described in the proposed Development Plan. The chapters are attached to this report (Attachments 1 through 3), and include the following: 1. Introduction and Project Features (pages 1-10 of the Development Plan) 2. Land Use Plan and Framework (pages 20-30) 3. Design Framework (pages 31-60) In the context of this initial review, it is premature to definitively determine the project’s consistency with the General Plan and related policies, but direction provided at this meeting will be used to guide the process and potential revisions to the Development Plan as well as the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP), in which the project site is located. (Note that the draft Development Plan is still undergoing review and refinement through the EIR process, and may change as a result; thus a definitive policy consistency determination is not yet possible.) Issues related to the remainder of the Development Plan (Circulation Framework, and Infrastructure Framework) will be addressed in a subsequent meeting. 1.1 Previous Review The Planning Commission previously reviewed this project as part of an EIR scoping meeting held on August 26, 2015. Although the Commission focused on the EIR scope (and not the merits of the Development Plan) at that time, some of the input received was relevant to the Development Plan content, and is reflected in the staff report analysis to the extent applicable. Additional guidance on related land use issues has been, and will continue to be, provided by other City advisory bodies, including the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC), Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) and Architectural Review Commission (ARC). The project was reviewed before the PRC on September 2 and November 4, 2015; the BAC on September 17 and November 19, 2015; and the ARC on February 1, 2015. To the extent possible, the project analysis in this staff report reflects direction received by those advisory bodies. 2.0 SITE INFORMATION The site is composed of approximately 150 contiguous acres at the northeast corner of Buckley Road and Vachell Lane, and is comprised of three separate parcels: APN: 053-259-006, APN: 053-259-004 and APN: 053-259-005. The site generally slopes from the northeast to southwest, although there are localized undulations. It is diagonally bisected by a drainage channel that is referred to as “Tank Farm Creek” which conveys on and offsite storm water to San Luis Creek and comprises approximately 10 acres of the 150-acre site. Unlike some other properties within the AASP, the site is free of problematic encumbrances such as agricultural PC1 - 2 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 3 processing facilities, hazardous substances, extreme changes in topography, or major public facilities. Table 1 shows land use information for the site. Table 1. Site Information Site Size ~150 acres Present Use & Development Agriculture (zoned Business Park) Topography Slopes from northeast to southwest, with localized undulations. Access Buckley Road, Vachell Lane, Earthwood and Horizon Lane Surrounding Use/Zoning West: M (Manufacturing) Lockheed Martin; C-S (Service Commercial) further west across Vachell Lane North: M (Manufacturing); warehousing & industrial uses East: County jurisdiction; Agriculture zoning South: County jurisdiction; Agriculture zoning 3.0 GENERAL PLAN GUIDANCE The project is intended to be consistent with policy direction included in the General Plan, specifically Land Use Element Policy 8.1.6, which identifies the Avila Ranch area as a Special Focus Area (SP-4), subject to certain broad development parameters and principles. As described in Policy 8.1.6: “This area will be developed as primarily a residential neighborhood development with supporting neighborhood commercial, park, recreation facilities, and open space/resource protection. Within the project, emphasis should be on providing a complete range of housing types and affordabilities.” Policy 8.1.6 then notes that the specific plan for this area should “consider and address” a variety of issues, including the following issues related to land use and design: a. Provision of a variety of housing types and affordability levels. b. Modification of the Airport Area Specific Plan to either exclude this area or designate it as a special planning area within the Airport Area Specific Plan. c. Provision of buffers along Buckley Road and along eastern edge of property from adjacent agricultural uses. d. Provision of open space buffers along northern and western boundaries to separate this development from adjacent service and manufacturing uses. e. Provision of open space buffers and protections for creek and wildlife corridor that runs through property. f. Safety and noise parameters described in this General Plan and the purposes of the State Aeronautics Act; or other applicable regulations relative to the San Luis Obispo Regional Airport. g. Participation in enhancement to Buckley Road and enhancement of connection of Buckley Road to South Higuera Street. h. Appropriate internal and external pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connections to the City’s circulation network. i. Implementation of the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan including connections to the Bob Jones Trail. PC1 - 3 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 4 j. Water and wastewater infrastructure needs as detailed in the City’s Water and Wastewater Master Plans. This may include funding and/or construction of a wastewater lift station. k. Fire protection and impacts to emergency response times. l. Architectural design that relates to the pastoral character of the area and preserves view of agrarian landscapes. m. Provision of a neighborhood park. Table 2 (from Section 8.1.6 of the General Plan Land Use Element) summarizes the proposed project relative to land use designations and development potential: Table 2. Performance Standards for the Avila Ranch Special Focus Site (Policy 8.1.6) Type Designations Allowed % of Site Minimum 1 Maximum Residential LDR MDR MHDR HDR 500 units 700 units Commercial NC 15,000 SF 25,000 SF Open Space/ Agriculture OS AG 50% 2 Public n/a Infrastructure n/a 1 There can be a reduction in the minimum requirement based on specific physical and/or environmental constraints 2 Up to 1/3 of the open space may be provided off-site through in lieu fees consistent with the Airport Area Specific Plan. 4.0 PROJECT DETAILS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Project Description Summary The Avila Ranch Project would include up to 720 dwelling units of varying densities; a centrally located “Town Center” with 15,000 square feet of local-serving retail and office uses; 16 acres of pocket parks, mini-parks and neighborhood parks; and 55 acres of open space including riparian corridors and farmed agricultural land. These features are described in greater detail within Pages 1-10 of the proposed Development Plan. The Development Plan also calls for community gardens, a bicycle and pedestrian pathway along the Tank Farm Creek riparian corridor, and bike connections to the Chevron Project to the north and the Octagon Barn bike facilities to the southwest. Another key feature is the extension of Buckley Road to South Higuera Street. 4.1.1 Airport Area Specific Plan The Avila Ranch planning area is within a portion of the Airport Area Specific Plan. The Development Plan provides guidance for development within that area. If the project is approved, the Specific Plan will be amended to reflect the land uses and circulation pattern included in the Development Plan. Where appropriate, Specific Plan goals and policies will be updated to reflect the development parameters included in the project. PC1 - 4 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 5 4.1.2 Proposed Land Uses The proposed project includes a variety of residential densities (6 to 24 dwellings per acre), with typical lot sizes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 square feet. Figure 1 (below) shows the proposed land use map for the project, while Table 3 (below) summarizes the proposed land uses and residential product types. Figure 1. Proposed Avila Ranch Land Use Map PC1 - 5 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 6 Table 3. Summary of Proposed Development and Residential Product Types Land Use Acres Units Residential Product Type Maximum Density Typical Lot Size Residential  R-1; Low-Density 17.45 105 Detached single-family 6 du/acre 5,000 SF  R-2; Medium Density 35.03 305 4 to 6 pack clusters; small lot detached single-family 12 du/acre 3,575 SF  R-3; Medium-High Density 11.04 185 Stacked flat apartments; townhomes; condos 20 du/acre 1,000 SF  R-4; High Density 4.71 125 Stacked flat apartments 24 du/acre Neighborhood Commercial (15,000 SF) 3.34 Parks  Neighborhood Parks 9.80  Mini Parks 6.00  Pocket Parks 0.20 Major Roadways 7.03 On-site Open Space 55.30 TOTAL 149.90 720 4.2 Development Plan Land Use and Design Framework Overview 4.2.1. Land Use Framework. Pages 20 through 30 of the Development Plan (Attachment 2) describe the Land Use Framework for the project. The site has four major physical features/constraints that guide its overall development scheme and land use layout. These are: 1. Tank Farm Creek Corridor. This corridor is defined as the 25 feet beyond the top of creek bank or the riparian vegetation drip line. Area 1 on Figure 2 (below) shows the general location of the Tank Farm Creek Corridor. Additional information may be found on pages 26-29 of the Development Plan, in Attachment 2. 2. Airport Land Use Safety Zones. The project is impacted by ALUP safety zones S-1c (Runway 11-29 sideline zone) and S-1b (Runway 7-25 approach zone). The S-1c and S-1b zones permit one unit per five acres, so that allowed development in the S-1c zone is less than two units, and seven units in the S-1b zone. No development is proposed in the S-1c zone and the seven units that are permitted in the S-1b safety zone are clustered in the R-3 portion of the project. . Area 2 on Figure 2 (below) shows the location of the ALUP safety zones that affect the project site. Additional information may be found on pages 18-19 of the Development Plan, in Attachment 2 3. Agricultural Buffers. Agricultural buffers are included in the project to separate development from offsite agricultural uses to the south and east of the site. The easterly agricultural buffer is proposed to be partially used for the community gardens portion of the Neighborhood Park, while the Buckley Road buffer area will be used for riparian open space, Class I trails per the Bicycle Master Plan, airport safety PC1 - 6 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 7 reservation area, and low intensity agriculture. These buffer areas are also the limits of the City’s Urban Reserve Line (URL). Area 3 on Figure 2 (below) shows the location of these buffer/URL areas. Additional information may be found on pages 16, 18 and 22 of the Development Plan, in Attachment 2. Figure 2 shows how these site features have influenced the layout and arrangement of proposed land uses. Figure 2. Land Use Map with Major Constraints Much of the area affected by the above referenced constraints is part of the site’s 55 acres of open space. Parks are generally located adjacent to open space areas to preserve scenic vistas and create a more open ambience, but are not included in the calculation of required open space. Conceptually, residential neighborhoods are laid out with open space and parks on their perimeters. The commercial area is centrally located relative to housing and is also located adjacent to park opportunities, so that parking may potentially be shared. The R-3 area in the northeast section of the site is intended to be outside airport safety zones that would limit allowed density. The highest density housing (R-4) is intended to be closest to potential job opportunities to the north, to maximize potential use of transit and minimize automobile trips to the extent possible. 4.2.2. Implementation of Key Design Principles. The Development Plan is intended to implement the goals and policies included in the General Plan Land Use Element, particularly Policy 8.1.6 in Section 3.0 of this staff report. Figure 3 below (also found on page 27 of the Development Plan, included in Attachment 2) summarizes the key design concepts that underlie the four overall principles guiding the project: PC1 - 7 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 8  Sustainable Energy Features  Sustainable Open Space and Agriculture  A Complete “Linked” Community  A Diverse Range of Housing Opportunities Figure 3. Development Plan Highlighting Key Design Features 4.2.3. Circulation Issues that Affect Land Use. The proposed Development Plan is the result of ALUC consultation, early consultations with the BAC and PRC, and relative to the Buckley Road extension, consultation with Caltrans and the County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department. In this context, key features of the Development Plan include the following: Note: For the most part, the Planning Commission will focus on circulation and infrastructure related features at a subsequent meeting. However, since some of these inform the land use plan, they are included in this staff report to provide context for the land use discussion. 1. A stub connection to Horizon Lane, allowing the eventual connection of Horizon to Jesperson in accordance with LUCE direction. 2. Extension of Earthwood to Suburban to establish the connections to the Higuera Plaza shopping center directed by the LUCE Task Force recommendation. PC1 - 8 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 9 3. Co-location of the Neighborhood Park and Town Center. Expansion of the Neighborhood Park. 4. Elimination of residential uses easterly of Jesperson/Horizon and southerly of the Venture Road extension to comply with ALUP density restrictions. 5. Location of R-3 residential uses in the easterly most portion of the ALUP S-2 Safety Zone, consistent with preliminary direction from the ALUC. 6. Reduction in the amount of R-1 land uses, and addition of area for R-4, R-3 and R-2 uses. Total unit count is 720 units, as shown in Table 2. 7. Usage of a drainage swale needed for Suburban Road drainage areas to buffer the project from Suburban Road uses. R-4 parking areas and carports are to be used as a project buffer to northwest. 8. Revision to the north-south and east-west circulation system to address onsite connectivity. 4.2.4. Neighborhoods and Architectural Styles. The Avila Ranch project area is located at the transition between urban and rural land uses at the southern edge of the City, flanked by industrial and other urban development to the north, and rural development to the south within the County. The project is organized into seven neighborhoods (Figure 4, below), and five architectural styles that can be applied in different proportions within these neighborhoods, as shown within Table 4 (below): Figure 4. Proposed Avila Ranch Neighborhoods (numbers correspond to table 4 below) PC1 - 9 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 10 Table 4. Architectural Styles and Neighborhoods Neighborhood Land Use Architectural Styles * Primary (60% of the homes) Secondary (40% of the homes) 1 R-2 (Medium Density Residential) Agrarian Each of the 4 non-primary styles in a given neighborhood will be applied to 10% of the homes 2 R-2 (Medium Density Residential) Bungalow; Craftsman 3 R-2 (Medium Density Residential) Mid-Century Modern 4 R-4 (High Density Residential) Developed uniformly in one of the 5 styles 5 R-1 (Low Density Residential) Proportional mix of three of the 5 styles 6 Neighborhood Commercial Agrarian or Contemporary Agrarian none 7 R-3 (Medium-High Density Residential) Developed uniformly in one of the 5 styles * The five styles are Agrarian; California Bungalow; Craftsman; Mid-Century Modern/Contemporary; and Mission The goal with this strategy is to foster variety, but also to include design connectivity between the neighborhoods despite the variety in architectural styles. Please refer to pages 31-60 of the Development Plan (Attachment 3) for additional details on each style, and where such styles would be applied within the planning area. This portion of the Development Plan also includes details on other aspects related to project design, including: Additional information may be found in Attachment 3 related to the following design issues:  Massing Characteristics (pages 48-49)  Building Heights (pages 49-50)  Landscape Palette (pages 51-56)  Sign and Lighting (pages 57-58)  Fencing (pages 59-60) Note that the ARC provided preliminary input on this aspect of the Development Plan on February 1, 2016. In general, they expressed general concurrence with the overall design concept, but believed it was premature to focus on architectural details until further along in the process. 4.3 Entitlements Needed In order to pursue development consistent with the mix of land uses shown in the project application, the following entitlements will need to be processed in order to implement development on the site: 1. Specific Plan Amendment – The LUCE identifies the Avila Ranch property as a Special Focus Area (SP-4) that requires the adoption of a Specific Plan prior to any development. The City will amend the AASP to reflect the proposed development plan and to assure that it is consistent with programs, policies, and guidelines contained in Section 8.1.6 of the LUCE previously discussed in this report. PC1 - 10 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 11 2. General Plan Amendment and Rezone – To accommodate the updated AASP and Development Plan, the General Plan map would need to be amended to reflect the detailed land use and circulation pattern proposed. The site’s existing Business Park zoning would need to be modified to be consistent with what is envisioned in the General Plan, AASP, and Development Plan. 3. Vesting Tentative Tract Map (VTM) - A VTM has been submitted to establish the proposed lot lines to allow individual ownership of properties and to layout the required infrastructure and utilities. 4. Architectural Review – The ARC will review housing, commercial uses, and other site facilities as appropriate prior to consideration of project approval. 5. Development Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding - These documents will outline a framework for process, fees, and a methodology for determining fair share and timing for improvements. In addition, the project will need to be formally reviewed by the Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) for consistency with the Airport Land Use Plan. 5.0 KEY QUESTIONS The applicant and staff have proposed the following questions for Commission discussion and direction: 1. Please provide general feedback regarding the extent to which you believe the Development Plan is responsive to General Plan requirements, particularly Land Use Element Policy 8.1.6. 2. Are there any significant concerns regarding the proposed land use mixture or pattern? 3. Do the product types and densities appear consistent with what is envisioned under the LUCE, particularly Land Use Element Policy 8.1.6? 4. Has the applicant adequately addressed the need for innovative design features in the project? 5. Has the project’s land use plan adequately responded to the site’s constraints and the City’s desired design opportunities? 6. Do you think the Development Plan has adequately addressed the interface between residential and agricultural uses? 7. Do you think the Development Plan has adequately addressed the interface between residential and commercial uses? PC1 - 11 Avila Ranch Project (SPEC/ER 1318-2015; 175 Venture Drive-173 Buckley Road) Planning Commission Report February 24, 2016 Page 12 6.0 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Commission receive a presentation regarding the Avila Ranch project and provide input and direction relating to relevant sections of the proposed Development Plan as well as the questions posed in Section 5.0 (above). 7.0 ATTACHMENTS 1. Introduction and Project Features (pages 1-10 of the Development Plan) 2. Land Use Plan and Framework (pages 20-30) 3. Design Framework (pages 31-60) PC1 - 12 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 20 Revised: December 18, 2015 Land Use Plan and Framework Land Use The proposed Project includes a land use plan which designates 68.2 acres of residential land uses, 71.3 acres of open space and parks, and 3.34 acres of neighborhood commercial development (see Table 1 and Figure 6). This would allow for the development of approximately 720 residential units and 15,000 square feet (sf) of commercial buildings. Low, medium, medium-high, and high density residen- tial developments would be constructed along proposed collector and residential roadways. One neigh- borhood park, five mini-parks and one pocket park would be established as part of the 16.01 acres of park space planned for the Project site. The Land Plan for the project is shown in Figure 6. Low Density Residential (R-1) designation for the Avila Ranch area is for new single family resi- dential development. It is expected that there will be 100-110 Low Density Residential dwelling units on 17.5 acres including a range of lot sizes from 5,000 SF to 10,000 SF units with front garages and drive approaches. Maximum density would be up to seven units per net acre. The Medium Density Residential (R-2) designation in the Avila Ranch area will be primarily 4- pack, 6-pack and cluster units that will create small lot detached single family units. Total R-2 develop- ment in the Avila Ranch area is projected to be approximately 300 to 310 dwelling units on 35 acres, with maximum potential development of 12 units per net acre. The R-2 units may be in several different configurations, and development shall comply with the design standards in the Avila Ranch Develop- ment Plan. The R-2 portions of the project will be oriented to provide small-lot “work force” housing with housing sizes and corresponding initial sales prices aimed at those families with incomes equal to 120 percent to 160 percent of City Median Family income, as described in Policy 4.2.12 of the AASP. Medium High Density Residential (R-3) the Medium-High Density Residential land use designa- tion is for a combination of stacked flats apartments, townhomes and condominiums arranged around a central amenity or open space. The Avila Ranch R-3 area is located in airport safety zone S-2, with a small “sliver” in airport safety zone S-1B. Up to seven of the R-3 dwelling units may be provided in the S- 1B Safety Zone (with clustering in the R-3 development). To address potential noise or safety issues or associated with the proximity of these units to airport noise, the sleeping and living portions of the dwelling units are to be oriented away from the S-1B and S-1C airport safety areas. The R-3 portion of the Avila Ranch project is expected to yield 180-190 dwelling units on eleven acres, but may include up to 20 density units per acre in accordance with Chapters 17.16.010 and 17.28 of the City’s Zoning regula- tions. A portion of the R-3 development will be used for the required onsite inclusionary housing re- quirement for 70 moderate income housing units. Attachment 2 PC1 - 13 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 21 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 6 Avila Ranch Land Use Plan Attachment 2 PC1 - 14 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 22 Revised: December 18, 2015 High Density Residential (R-4) residential land uses will include stacked flat apartments, ar- ranged around or associated with a central amenity or open space. The Avila Ranch R-4 land use area is in the northwest corner of the project, adjacent to existing and future Business Park and Service Com- mercial developments. While dwelling units in the R-4 land use area are not considered to be subject to excessive stationary noise impacts (based on the noise study prepared for the project), the sleeping and living portions of the dwelling units are to be oriented away from the eastern and northern project boundaries and carports, garages, and drives are to be located along these boundaries to act as buffers to adjacent non-residential land uses. The R-4 portion of the Avila Ranch project is expected to yield between 120-130 dwelling units on the 4.7 acres, but may include up to 24 density units per acre in ac- cordance with Chapters 17.16.010 and 17.30 of the City’s Zoning regulations. The Conservation/Open Space designation is intended to preserve undeveloped or minimally developed land for preservation of natural resources, production agriculture and public safety. The LUCE provides that fifty percent of the site area shall be provided in open space, with up to one-third of that provided offsite. For this project site of 150 acres, there would be a minimum of requirement of 50 acres of onsite open space be provided on the Project site. The total amount of proposed onsite open space (not including recreational park areas), is 55.3 acres. The balance of the required open space, 39.3 acres, will be provided offsite through open space or agricultural conservation easements, or through a fee as established in the AASP. The Avila Ranch Development Plan designates the follow- ing specific areas for open space: A. Planning area creeks: to protect and enhance habitat and recreational values; B. Agricultural buffer areas outside of the URL along the Buckley Road frontage and the easterly project boundary. Within the agricultural buffer area along Buckley Road and outside of the URL, furrows and planted rows should run parallel to the extended Runway 7-25 cen- terline, where feasible to enhance aircraft safety. C. The ACOS Reservation Space in conformance with the ALUP. D. The Tank Farm Creek corridor as a linear park, bikeway and passive recreation areas. The Neighborhood Commercial area will serve as a focal point and activity center for the project, and will provide shared use parking for nearby open space and parks uses, bicycle parking and storage facilities, public plazas for gatherings and special events, and transit connections. Because of the nearby retail shopping center on South Higuera, this neighborhood center will focus on small-scale convenience items, and possibly provide some office space. Devel- opment will be for 15,000 SF or building area. Attachment 2 PC1 - 15 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 23 Revised: December 18, 2015 Table 1 Land Plan Statistics Parks and Recreation “Annexation Areas” are required to provide park and recreation facilities at a high rate per 1,000 residents. The Park and Recreation Element requires that a total of 10 acres per 1,000 residents be pro- vided in a mix of neighborhood parks, mini-parks, and pocket parks and community gardens. Neighbor- hood parks are to be provided at a rate of 5.0 acres per 1,000 residents as a base and are to be located within one-half to one mile of the serviced population. Other facilities make up the balance of the re- quirement, with the allowance for cash contributions or improvement to community- wide facilities. According to Table 2, the projected residential population on the project site is 1,649 persons. This will create a park requirement of 16.5 acres. The neighborhood, mini-park and pocket park facilities on the project site will total 16 acres (not including pedestrian trails and passive open space. A contribution to community-wide facilities of 1.5 acres in equivalent improvements will also be made. A 9.8-acre neighborhood park will serve the project. It is centrally located next to the Town Center so that most resi- dents will be within one-quarter mile to it. This neighborhood park will be linked to surrounding neighborhoods, the Tank Farm Creek riparian corridor and to the regional bikeway sys- tem by separated Class I bike paths and Class II bike lanes. Typ- ical facilities in these neighborhood parks will include group Land Use N e Acres Units PPH Population Comment Residential R-1 Single Family 17.45 105 2.29 240 R-2 Single Family 35.03 305 2.29 698 R-3 Single Family Attached 11.04 185 2.29 424 R-4 Multifamily 4.71 125 2.29 286 Neigbhood Commercial 3.34 Parks Neighborhood Parks 9.80 Includes 1.3 acre Community Garden Mini Parks 6.00 Pocket Parks 0.20 Major Roadways 7.03 Onsite Open Space (Not Including Parks)55.30 Total 149.90 720 2.29 1,649 Offsite Open Space/Ag Mitigation Ag mitigation (Res, Com, Parks, Roadway) 39.30 Mitigation in Excess of Onsite Ag Other Offite Open Space - Total Offiste Open Space/Ag 39.30 Attachment 2 PC1 - 16 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 24 Revised: December 18, 2015 BBQs, basketball courts, tot lots, baseball diamonds, creekside passive play areas and volleyball courts. Seven mini-parks and a pocket park will also serve the neighborhoods. Each will be one-half to one acre in size and provide expanded pocket park facilities such as community gardens, tot lots, passive play areas, BBQ and picnic areas and landscaping. These will serve residents within a one-eighth- mile radius and fill the few “gaps” in the coverage for the neighborhood park facilities. The mini-parks will be phased with adjacent residential development to provide park facili- ties for future residents in close proximity to their homes. Figure 7 shows the location of parks in the project. Residential Uses and Affordability There is an intentional mix of residential densities in the Avila Ranch project that includes a range of R-1 lot sizes, R-2 “four-packs”, “six-packs” and cluster units, and R-3 and R-4 multifamily dwell- ings, with an emphasis on smaller lot, higher density units. R-2 units comprise approximately forty per- cent of the residential units. These R-2 units can provide a substantial contribution towards the need for “workforce” housing and housing for moderate income (80-160 percent of local median family in- come) families. The R-2 single family units are located where there are streetscape benefits (functionally and aesthetically) from few driveway cuts and orientation to open space. For example, houses will have front doors fac- ing Venture Road, an important Residential Collector, but access points will be limited to intersecting public streets, or through rear or side common driveways. This will achieve some of the density objectives while still presenting a single family detached streetscape and appearance. R-2 units will also be used along portions of the Tank Farm Creek open- space corridor. Single-family units in the project comprise about 15 percent of the residential units. Lot sizes for the R-1 single-family units are planned to range from a low of 4,000 SF to a high of 8,500 square feet. These units are intended to address the upper end of the workforce housing and other above- moder- ate housing needs. Finally, the project includes 185 R-3 multifamily units on 11 acres and 125 R-4 units. One-third (70 units) of the R-3 units are programmed to meet moderate income affordable housing requirements, and thirty percent (35 units) of the R-4 units are intended to meet the moderate and lower-income af- fordable housing requirements. Attachment 2 PC1 - 17 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 25 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 4 Parks Locations Attachment 2 PC1 - 18 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 26 Revised: December 18, 2015 The Avila Ranch project will encourage long term housing affordability by including design and development strategies that serve to provide lower cost housing. The cost of housing over time is most closely related to the size of the dwelling unit, the size of the lot, and costs of maintenance. Within each of the residential zones there will be a broad range of dwelling unit sizes R-2 units will range in size from approximately 1,350 square feet to 2,000 square feet, with an average size of approximately 1,675 square feet. R-3 units will range in size from 1,100 square feet to 1,750 square feet with an average of approximately 1,500 square feet, and R-4 units will range in size from 650-square foot studios to 1,150 square foot two-bedroom , two-bathroom units. Maintenance expenses, to the extent feasible, will also be included in a Community Facilities District to reduce the necessity for Homeowners Associations, and the additional costs associated with that maintenance and governance structure. Landscaping will also be designed to be low-maintenance and water efficient to reduce monthly water expense and land- scape maintenance. Passive and active solar energy strategies will also be included to reduce monthly energy costs. Revitalizing Tank Farm Creek One of the key project components is the revitalization of Tank Farm Creek, which is used as the principal organizing element for the overall project design. The original course of the creek’s channel will be re-established to its historic route and connected to the Chevron property. Aesthetically and topographically, the site feature defines the neighborhoods, creates a unifying open-space element, provides the principal connecting feature through and to the project and provides the potential to pro- vide pedestrian and bicycle access to the project’s parks and open space. The north-south utilitarian drainage channel extension of Tank Farm Creek will be eliminated and the storm runoff flows that rely on that portion of the channel will be collected at the north property line and conveyed underground to a controlled discharge point. Figure 8 shows how the various land uses will relate to and interact with the Tank Farm Creek Corridor open space. Figure 9 shows the sections of Tank Farm Creek and its in- tended usage to accommodate peak flows, and an area for a multi-use Class I bike path through the site. Project Phasing Figure 10 shows the phasing of the land uses. This phasing is primarily determined by the re- quired location of sewer and circulation facilities, existing road improvements, and site topography. Phase descriptions are as follows: Phase 1 includes up to 185 R-2 units, completion of the Buckley Road frontage improvements along the phase boundary, completion of the sewer pump station and force main, extension of Venture Road along the phase frontage, extension of the potable and recycled water facilities, and extension of dry utilities to the phase, and extension of Earthwood to Suburban. This phase would also include the Attachment 2 PC1 - 19 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 27 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 8 Land Plan and Tank Farm Creek Attachment 2 PC1 - 20 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 28 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 9 Tank Farm Creek Sections Attachment 2 PC1 - 21 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 29 Revised: December 18, 2015 Class I Bike Path from Class II Diversion to Vachell, as described in the Circulation section, a pedestri- an/bike bridge Tank Farm Creek Bridge for Class I Bike Path, a Class II Bike Lane Bridge on South Side of Buckley and the Buckley/Tank Farm Creek Bridge, the extension of the Earthwood Collector (w/Class II) to Suburban, and a transit stop along the Venture Extension. This phase, if possible, will also include a permanent or interim Class I bike path from Vachell to the Octagon Barn parking lot, subject to right of way availability and governmental approvals. This phase will be designed as two principal neighborhood clusters, with each having its own architectural and design identity. Phase 2 will include the development of 29 R-2 units and the extension of the wet and dry utili- ties along the phase frontage. This phase will also include the extension of Buckley Road from Vachell to Higuera, including Class II bike lanes and a Class I bike path. Phase 3 includes 91 R-2 units, and 125 R-4 units, as well as the completion of intracts, and the completion of the connection to Horizon Lane (but not the offsite connection itself). This phase would also include the development of the mini-parks in that phase. The R-4 portion of the project would in- clude the development of 35 inclusionary housing units for lower income households. Phase 4 includes the development of 185 R-3 units, and development of the neighborhood park. This phase would include the construction of the vehicle and pedestrian bridge from Venture to Jesper- son, and the completion of Jesperson to the Buckley. Seventy of these units are intended to fulfill the inclusionary housing requirement for moderate income households. This phase also includes the devel- opment of the neighborhood park. Phase 5 includes 105 R-1 units. This also includes the development of the west mini park/community gardens and the portion of the open space/buffer area within the phase. Phase 6 includes the development of the Town Center neighborhood commercial sites and re- maining project frontages. Attachment 2 PC1 - 22 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 30 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 10 Phasing Plan P ha s e 4 Attachment 2 PC1 - 23 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 1 Revised: December 18, 2015 Development Plan Format and Content The Avila Ranch Development Plan contains an environmental setting section, a brief project de- scription, and background information, Land Use, Design, Circulation and Infrastructure regulations and strategies. The 2014 Land Use and Circulation Element Update (LUCE) prescribes the format and con- tent of regulatory elements of Specific Plans for Special Focus Areas in LUCE Policies 8.1.1 and 8.1.2, as well as the development objectives for the site. The Avila Development Plan provides the program for development of the site in conformance with the General Plan’s objectives, policies and standards. The actual enabling framework for implementation of this development program is contained in the Airport Area Specific Plan Amendment policy document associated with the Avila Ranch project. According to the Land Use Element a Specific Plan is to contain a Land-Use Framework that in- cludes the proposed land-use pattern, actual development densities in each subarea on the project site and development phasing. Also incorporated into the Land-Use Framework is a classification system that clearly identifies uses allowed in each subarea, and “performance standards” for each site and sub- area. Another key element of the Land-Use Framework are general site planning and development standards that specify the requirements for all development and land uses regardless of the applicable land-use designation, including sensitive resources, site access requirements, energy efficiency, fences, walls, hedges, buffers, and other screening, noise regulations, outdoor lighting standards, related per- formance standards (e.g., air quality, glare, vibration, etc.) and undergrounding of utilities. The Land Use Framework also includes the proposed housing mix within the area that is in keeping with the LUCE’s focus on housing for this site. The Specific Plan also includes a Design Framework that provides detailed design guidelines to be used as the Specific Plan is implemented /developed. The purpose of these guidelines is to establish the expected level of design quality within the area while still maintaining project flexibility and innova- tion. The objective of this framework is not to dictate a specific design but to establish design expecta- tions that can be implemented as various project components are proposed for implementation. The Design Framework is intended to provide guidance on the integration of the site-specific features such as building architecture, with area-wide elements such as streetscape, recreation and open spaces, re- sources and architecture into the overall project design. The Design Framework also has standards that define the overall character of the streetscape. The design regulations contained herein are not con- sidered to be final. As individual projects are brought forward for implementation, they will be reviewed by the City staff and Architectural Review Commission (ARC) in accordance with City regulations. The Circulation Framework of the Specific Plan includes the proposed circulation system ele- ments, design standards, and circulation system phasing. This Framework also addresses parking and loading standards, if different than standard City requirements, transit needs, and non-vehicular modes of circulation such as pedestrians and bicycles. Attachment 1 PC1 - 24 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 2 Revised: December 18, 2015 Finally, the Specific Plan will include an Infrastructure/Public Facilities Framework that covers those requirements (water, sewer, storm drainage, electricity, natural gas, and communications) as well as parkland, schools and other public facilities. For infrastructure, the framework addresses the pro- posed trunk infrastructure system improvements and system phasing necessary to support implementa- tion of the land-use plan and financing mechanisms to implement planned facilities. The LUCE and other General Plan Elements set out special planning and development objectives for the Avila Ranch site to be addressed in the Avila Ranch subarea of the AASP. This Development Plan includes features responsive to these requirements. The LUCE objectives are intended to ensure that the site is developed primarily as a residential neighborhood with supporting commercial, and recrea- tion facilities, and provisions for onsite and offsite open space/resource protection. LUCE Policy 8.1.6 indicates the specific plan for this area should consider and address the following land use and design issues: 1. Provision of a variety of housing types and affordability levels, with a minimum of 500 dwell- ing units, and maximum of 700 dwelling units. 2. Modification of the Airport Area Specific Plan to either exclude this area or designate it as a special planning area within the Airport Area Specific Plan. 3. Provision of ag buffers along Buckley Road and along eastern edge of the property. 4. Provision of open space buffers along northern and western boundaries to separate this de- velopment from adjacent service and manufacturing uses. Open space/agriculture equiva- lent to 50 percent of the site area to be provided. Up to one-third of this requirement may be provided off-site or through in-lieu fees consistent with the Airport Area Specific Plan. 5. Provision of open space buffers and protections for Tank Farm Creek to enhance wildlife corridor that runs through the property. 6. Conformance to safety and noise parameters described in this General Plan and the purpos- es of the State Aeronautics Act, and other applicable regulations such as the San Luis Obispo County Airport Land Use Plan. 7. Participation and enhancement to Buckley Road and enhancement of the connection of Buckley Road to South Higuera Street. 8. Appropriate internal and external pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connections to the City’s circulation network, and implementation of the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan including connections to the Bob Jones Trail. Attachment 1 PC1 - 25 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 3 Revised: December 18, 2015 9. Provision of water and wastewater infrastructure needs as detailed in the City’s Water and Wastewater Master Plans. This may include funding and/or construction of a wastewater lift station. 10. Fire protection and impacts to emergency response times. 11. An architectural design that relates to the pastoral character of the area and preserves view of agrarian landscapes. 12. Provision of a neighborhood park, and park space consistent with the Parks and Recreation Element of the General Plan. There are a number of supporting documents associated with the Avila Ranch Development Plan. Those include the following: 1. Airport Area Specific Plan Amendment (AASP). This document includes the necessary policy, text and graphics modifications to the AASP to accommodate the implementation of the Avila Ranch Development Plan. This document includes Goals, policies, objectives, stand- ards and guidelines for conservation and open space, design, circulation, infrastructure, and financing associated with implementation of the Avila Ranch project, as well as develop- ment policies associated with the continuing development of the overall 1,500-acre Airport Specific Plan Area. Amendments are proposed that provide for the development program contained in the Avila Ranch Development Plan. 2. General Plan Conformity Analysis. The document evaluates the conformity of the Avila Ranch Development Plan with the various applicable polices and regulations in the adopted elements of the San Luis Obispo General Plan. The Conformity Analysis contains a detailed response to each applicable General Plan Policy, and demonstrates how the project can be found to be in substantial compliance with those policies. 3. Storm Water Control Plan. This document is included in the submittal for the Avila Ranch Vesting Tentative Map and demonstrates compliance of the Development Plan with the Re- gional Water Quality Control Board’s (“Water Board”) Low Impact Development (LID) regu- lations. 4. Drainage Report. A drainage report was submitted with the Vesting Tentative Map that analyzed the hydrology for the project site, including pre-development runoff and flooding, post-development runoff and flooding, and compliance with various City, State and Federal drainage regulations. 5. Water Supply Assessment. An SB610 Water Supply Assessment was prepared for the pro- ject to demonstrate the adequacy of water supplies for the project. 6. Airport Land Use Plan Pre-Application Conformity Analysis. This analysis included a quanti- tative analysis of conformance with the density limitations in the Airport Land Use Plan, and Attachment 1 PC1 - 26 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 4 Revised: December 18, 2015 a policy conformity analysis. This document was reviewed by the Airport Land Use Commis- sion in May, 2015. 7. Environmental Technical Studies. Various environmental technical studies (in addition to those above) have been prepared that have informed the Development Plan development of the plan. These documents have included: a. Traffic Impact Analysis and Report b. Biological Reconnaissance Study c. Wetlands Study and Delineation d. Cultural Resources Evaluation and Inventory e. Noise Impact Evaluation f. Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments g. Soils Report and Infiltration Report Attachment 1 PC1 - 27 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 5 Revised: December 18, 2015 Avila Ranch Buckley Road Project Overview Introduction and Project Features The Avila Ranch site is composed of approximately 150 contiguous acres at the northeast corner of Buckley Road and Vachell Street, and is comprised of three separate par- cels: APN: 053-259-006, APN: 053-259-04 and APN: 053-259-005 (See Figures 1 through 3). The site slopes from the northeast to south- west, although there are localized undulations. It is diagonally bisected by a drainage that is colloquially referred to as “Tank Farm Creek” which conveys on- and off-site storm drainage indirectly to San Luis Creek and comprises ap- proximately 10 acres of the 150-acre site. The site was annexed to the City in 2008 after the adoption of the original Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP). At that time, it was given a holding land-use designation of Business Park, the same desig- nation the County of San Luis Obispo applied to it prior to its annexation to the City. This land-use des- ignation is in significant supply in the city and surrounding areas. The City’s Sphere of Influence is adja- cent with the southern boundary of the site, which also includes properties to the east and west of the project. See Figure 3. As currently planned, Avila Ranch would include approximately 720 dwelling units with a diverse range of housing needs, a centrally located “Town Center” with 15,000 square feet of local-serving re- tail and office uses, 16 acres of pocket parks, mini-parks and neighborhood parks, and 55 acres of ripari- an open and farmed agricultural land. There will be riparian recreation, open space, community gar- dens and bike connections to the Chevron and Octagon Barn bike facilities, among other amenities. Figure 1 Project Location Attachment 1 PC1 - 28 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 6 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 2 Vicinity Attachment 1 PC1 - 29 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 7 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 3 Vicinity and Site Attachment 1 PC1 - 30 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 8 Revised: December 18, 2015 Sustainable Energy Features The Avila Ranch project will be a model for sustainable development practices. It is intended to be compliant with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environ- mental Design for Neighborhood Development (“LEED-ND”) “Sil- ver” certification and San Luis Obispo County’s Green Build “Em- erald” certification rating. Just a few of the features include: 1. Compliance with SLO Green Build passive solar guidelines for building orientation, south glazing and thermal mass. 2. Pervious alternatives to hardscape. 3. Compliance with GreenPoint- single family, GreenPoint-multifamily and CalGreen. 4. High-efficiency Energy Star fixtures, appliances and features. 5. Buildings that are at least 25 percent more energy efficient than state or local regulations require. 6. Alternative energy systems (photovoltaic solar, wind, etc.) capable of delivering 50 percent of the energy demand for the dwelling units in the project. The current City guideline (GP Conservation Policy 4.6.17) is for at least 30 percent of the units to be supplied with basic photovoltaic (PV) systems. The project will exceed that by including at least half the units with PV systems that provide at least 50 percent of the unit’s electrical energy demand or equivalent energy saving improvements. 7. Compliance with the City’s Climate Action Plan. 8. Project features and measures to reduce average daily potable water usage by at least 30 percent below community’s current residential water demand per unit. Sustainable Open Space and Agriculture The project will include improvement of the existing riparian corridors for habitat, drainage and pedestrian and bicycle paths. Onsite open space will total over 55 acres in accordance with LUCE Policy 8.1.6, including 27 acres for sustainable agriculture, 1.3 acres for community gardens and 18 acres for riparian open space. The sustainable agriculture will be dedicated to the production of local produce through practices that are environmentally responsible and compatible with the surrounding environ- ment. Attachment 1 PC1 - 31 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 9 Revised: December 18, 2015 Progressive storm-water treatment and management improvements will also be used to further the community’s Low Impact Development goals through bio-retention swales, runoff treatment and filtration, permeable paving and pavement systems, water retention gardens and other integrated treatment detention/retention systems. These facilities will also have the added benefit of providing open-space and aesthetic value. These improvements will also solve storm-water issues associated with upstream and adjacent properties. A Complete “Linked” Community The surrounding neighborhood provides a wealth of services, facilities and resources. Day care, drug stores, restaurants, schools, an upscale convenience store, a bank, several places of worship, a fitness center, medical and/or dental services, personal-care services, and a full service supermarket are currently located within biking or walking distance of the Avila Ranch. In addition, there are currently over 3,000 jobs within a half mile of biking or walking. An integrated web of pedestrian and bicycle pathways will be developed along the public street system, dedicated pedestrian pathways, and riparian bike paths. A video showing these project and regional linkages is provided in Appendix A. To augment these existing services and facilities, the community will offer a 9.8-acre neighborhood park that is generally within a quarter mile of any residential unit, eight mini-parks within one-eighth mile of residential units, a pocket park, the Tank Farm Creek Riparian Corri- dor and a “Town Center” with a community center, con- venience goods and services. The Town Center will func- tion as more than just a commercial destination. It will have plaza areas for public gatherings, parking to be shared with the adjacent neighborhood park and the Tank Farm Creek riparian corridor, and areas for a trailhead that is connected by local, community and re- gional roadways, bike trails, pedestrian linkages and transit. More than just an area for daily shopping and convenience goods, the Town Center will serve as a community gathering place, a transit hub and a location for occasional community events and gatherings. The homes and businesses in Avila Ranch will be interconnected to the rest of the city through a dense street pattern, shaded sidewalks, local and re- gional riparian bikeways and nearby transit. A fully improved transit, trolley and van pool stop will also be included as part of the community’s Town Center. Attachment 1 PC1 - 32 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 10 Revised: December 18, 2015 A Diverse Range of Housing Opportunities The project will reflect a wide range of housing across the economic and socio-economic spectrum. It will also be characterized by styles that have the detailing and architectural authenticity for which San Luis Obispo has become known, with a wide enough range in styles to cre- ate neighborhood identities and avoid monotony and rep- etition. There will be areas for traditional single family units of varying designs, smaller lot R-2 single family units, attached single family cluster units and medium- and high-density multifamily units. In particular, the project will provide housing that will appeal to the community’s “workforce” housing needs with unit sizes, pricing and amenities for small families, professionals, retirees and larger families. Under current market conditions, it is expected that the project will provide over 450 units (64 percent) that are affordable to families with moderate and “workforce” incomes (80-160 percent of City median family income). The project’s architectural styles will be respectful of local traditions and culture, while meeting present-day life- style needs. Anticipated architectural styles are expected to include highly detailed Agrarian/Ranch, Bungalow, Mission, Craftsman Bungalows, and Contemporary/Mid-Century Mod- ern. Neighborhoods will be organized around the project’s open-space features with a neighborhood park, pocket park or open-space amenity within walking distance. Public build- ings, park structures and structures in civic meeting places will use an agricultural theme, such as modern or contemporary barn architecture. Major City Development Objectives The project site has been identified in the adopted LUCE Update as one of the principal potential growth sites in the community over the next 10-20 years. In addition to the General Plan objectives noted above, and the conformance with General Plan policies noted in the General Plan Conformity Analysis, it will promote several community objectives that are furthered or achieved by the project, as follows: 1. Completion of the Buckley Road Extension. The City and County development plans consid- er the extension of Buckley Road to Higuera an essential element of the community’s circu- lation network. The extension of Buckley Road from Vachell Lane to South Higuera is one of the key features of the project. The SLOCOG RTP/Sustainable Communities Plan considers this improvement a high priority. This will have significant community and region-wide ben- efits as it will provide for direct vehicle connections between SR 227 and SR 101, and route Attachment 1 PC1 - 33 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 11 Revised: December 18, 2015 regional traffic around the edges of the community rather than through impacted intersec- tions. This connection will also provide a direct connection between the City’s bikeway sys- tem east of Vachell to Higuera, thereby connecting the City’s bicycle network to the Octagon Barn trailhead for the Bob Jones Trail. 2. Completion of Missing Bikeway Links. There are currently bike facilities at Santa Fe and Tank Farm Road, portions of the Bob Jones City to Sea Trail at Los Osos Valley Road and Highway 101 and at Ontario and Highway 101. The County of San Luis Obispo is currently processing an extension of the Bob Jones Trail to connect it to the Octagon Barn to serve as a trailhead and hub. The extension of Buckley Road, the onsite riparian bikeway along Tank Farm Creek and the bikeway improvements along the Buckley will complete this trail net- work. All in all, the project will result in the addition of almost three miles of bicycle paths and lanes, pedestrian trails, and completion of critical missing important links in the overall bicycle network, critical transportation priority in the community. 3. Correction of Hydrology and Flooding. Over the years, the Tank Farm Creek corridor has been neglected and suffers from overgrown, choked channels, to barren drainage chan- nels. This corridor will be rehabilitated and adjacent green spaces developed which will in- clude Class I bike paths, pocket parks and pedestrian/ bikeway overpasses. Tank Farm Creek will be realigned to its historic connection to the Chevron property to the north where connections will be made to existing bikeways, planned new bikeways and to new storm- water detention facilities. There are also drainage issues along Suburban Road, Vachell Road and Buckley Road, many resulting from incremental, site-specific drainage problems over the years. There are also drainage issues associated with “Dioptics” site at Venture and Vachell Lane that will be addressed. 4. Oversizing of Infrastructure. The City plans to serve all areas within the AASP with sewer and water services, once they are annexed to the City. The project will be bring in and ex- tend domestic water, recycled water and sewer service through the project site and make it available for extension to the east. Sewer and water mains will also be installed, to the ex- tent feasible, along Suburban Road to serve the properties along Suburban that were an- nexed to the City in 2008, but developed in the County. Environmental Setting and Background Information The environmental impacts of development on the property were evaluated in the Airport Area Specific Plan EIR, certified by the City Council in August, 2005. Recently, the AASP was amended to ad- dress changes in the Chevron site and the LUCE was amended. In addition, there have been a number of site-specific technical studies that have informed the development of the project. A summary of those issues and findings as they pertain to the project site, are summarized below. Attachment 1 PC1 - 34 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 31 Revised: December 18, 2015 Design Framework This section includes design standards and guidelines for the Avila Ranch project. They are in- tended to be specific to the Avila Ranch project, and are to work in conjunction with the adopted goals, policies, standards, and guidelines found in the Airport Area Specific Plan (AASP), the City of San Luis Obispo Community Design Guidelines (CDG), the City Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 17 of the City of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code), and other related documents. They are intended to create a customized design character reflective of the overall vision for Avila Ranch while at the same time avoiding unneces- sary replication of existing City development code documents. Owners, builders, architects, and design- ers should refer to this Appendix, in addition to the AASP, CDG, and City Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 17), as a guide when considering the design or construction of property within Avila Ranch. Where specific design standards and guidelines are set forth within this Appendix and the AASP, they shall be used; where there are design requirements and regulations in the CDG and Zoning Ordinance that are not in this document or the AASP, the CDG and Zoning Ordinance provisions shall apply. As outlined within Chapter 5 of the AASP, Standards define actions or requirements that must be fulfilled by new development. Alternatively, Guidelines refer to methods or approaches that may be used to achieve a stated goal but to provide some flexibility and allow for interpretation depending up- on specific conditions as to how they are satisfied. Collectively, the standards and guidelines incorpo- rated herein are meant to guide implementation of the vision intended for the project. SITE PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION 1.0 Building Orientation and Setbacks Pedestrian interaction for Avila Ranch is encouraged through the thoughtful placement and ori- entation of residential and commercial structures. Porches will be incorporated on street-facing residen- tial units to provide opportunities for everyday neighborhood interaction while neighborhood commer- cial uses include local services and outdoor dining opportunities looking onto the adjacent Neighbor- hood Park. Residential units fronting onto Residential streets such as Venture Drive, Earthwood Lane, and Jespersen Drive will have limited or no vehicle access points in order to preserve the residential streetscape without having the interruption of driveways and vehicle maneuvering. (See Figure 21.) These features of the Residential Collector streets will enhance the safety and convenience of these streets as principal bikeways. Standards 1.1 Goals 5.1 and 5.2 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Building Orientation and Setbacks section. 1.2 Residential building setbacks shall conform to the development standards set forth in Figures 11 through 18. Attachment 3 PC1 - 35 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 32 Revised: December 18, 2015 1.3 Buildings located within the Neighborhood Commercial zone shall have street yard set- backs of zero feet. 1.4 Neighborhood Commercial buildings shall be sited to address adjacent streets with the main building facades oriented towards Jespersen Drive, according to the proportions shown in Figure 14. 1.5 Neighborhood Commercial buildings facing streets shall incorporate horizontal and ver- tical wall articulation through the use of wall plane offsets and other features which ar- ticulate walls such as recessed windows and entries, second floor setbacks, and awnings and canopies. See Figure 14. 1.6 Residential buildings along Venture Drive, Jespersen Drive/Horizon Lane and Earthwood Lane shall be oriented to the residential street with front doors and porches fronting on the street. Dwellings along Jespersen Drive/Horizon Lane and Venture Drive shall only have access from the side or rear and there shall be no direct individual driveway access to these roadways. Individual driveways are not permitted along Earthwood Lane, with the exception of common driveways, intersecting public streets, and access points for common parking lots for multifamily units. 1.7 Residential buildings on lots adjacent to greenbelt areas, e.g. Tank Farm Creek, Open Space, neighborhood parks, and linear parks, shall be ori- ented with front doors and porches, or secondary patios and yards front- ing on the greenbelt area. Such units shall have vehicular access from the side or rear and there shall be no di- rect individual driveway access to and from the open space. 1.8 Within R-3 and R-4 residential zones, parking shall be utilized as a buffer between open space, and other de- velopments as set forth in Figures 13 and 17. 1.9 Buildings adjacent to Tank Farm Creek shall have a minimum of 20 feet setback, as defined by the ripari- an setback in Zoning Regulation 17.16.026 c. 1.10 Buildings adjacent to wetlands shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from the wet- lands. Figure 11 R-1 Setbacks Attachment 3 PC1 - 36 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 33 Revised: December 18, 2015 Guidelines A. In order to improve the visual quality of the streetscape in the R-1 and R-2 zones, every third house should include a variation to the front yard setback. B. Front yard setback variations for houses in the R-1 and R-2 zones should not be less than two to five feet, with a minimum street yard of ten [10]. C. Residential buildings should be sited and roof- lines designed to take advantage of solar ac- cess for each unit to the greatest extent pos- sible. D. Residential units should be oriented to front or side onto parks and open spaces to provide safety and maximize visibility of the park, where appropriate. Fencing types and land- scaping palettes shall be used to reinforce the connectivity of the dwelling units to the open space and park areas. E. Attached residential units should be designed and detailed to correlate to neighboring single - family detached and/or at- tached homes. The architec- ture should incorporate the best features of the neigh- boring units. F. Pedestrian linkages to near- by neighborhoods and other commercial projects should be provided within all zones. G. Designs for all residential zone units should be orient- ed to incorporate a relation- ship between indoor and outdoor spaces. Figure 12 R-2 Setbacks Figure 13 R-3 Setbacks Attachment 3 PC1 - 37 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 34 Revised: December 18, 2015 H. Buildings should be oriented within R-3 and R-4 zones to take advantage of natural amenities such as views, mature trees, creeks, riparian corridors, and similar features unique to Avila Ranch. I. Within the R-4 zone, buildings should be the predominant view from adjacent streets. Parking should be concentrated in areas behind buildings and away from the street. 2.0 Pedestrian Activity Areas Neighborhood parks, open space trails, plazas, and amenities in the Town Center comprise the primary pedestrian activity areas within Avila Ranch. These areas are envisioned to encourage healthy, active lifestyles within individual neighborhoods while also providing a medium for ongoing neighbor- hood social events. Standards 2.1 Goal 5.3 (and associated standards and guidelines) out- lined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Pe- destrian Activity Areas section. 2.2 The northwestern and south- western corners of Jespersen Drive/Horizon Lane at the R-1 Residential Road intersection (Town Center) shall include plazas of a minimum 1,200 square feet that are oriented towards the Neighborhood Park and Town Center Plaza as illustrated on Figure B-13. Neighborhood Commercial uses should have windows and entries that open up onto these plazas to ensure that there is interaction between these public spaces, retail, and services uses. These plaza areas shall also have a transit stop integrated into the final design in conjunction with input from SLO Transit or other transit provider. 2.3 Mini Parks and Pocket Parks shall be provided within or adjacent to each individual neighborhood of Avila Ranch as delineated in Figure 19. These parks shall be provided at a rate such that the total amount of Mini- Parks and Pocket Parks shall not be less than 5 acres per thousand population. Total Park areas, e.g. including the Neighborhood park, shall not be less than 10 acres per thousand population. Figure 14 Town Center Attachment 3 PC1 - 38 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 35 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 15 R-1 Design Standards Attachment 3 PC1 - 39 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 36 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 16 R-2 Design Standards Attachment 3 PC1 - 40 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 37 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 17 R-3/R-4 Design Standards Attachment 3 PC1 - 41 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 38 Revised: December 18, 2015 2.4 A plaza shall be located within the Neighborhood Park directly across from the Town Center along Jespersen Drive/Horizon Lane of a minimum 2,500 square feet. This plaza is intended to be used for community gathering functions such as farmer’s markets and shall include a transit stop. Guidelines A. Each neighborhood area should provide convenient access to the Tank Farm Creek pedestrian trail through the incorporation of multiple pathway entry points. See Figure 8. B. The character of Jespersen Drive/Horizon Lane and the R-1 Residential Road abutting the Town Center should provide a pedestrian-friendly environment with accessible sidewalks, bulbouts, parkway landscaping, street trees, limited driveway access points, and reduced front building setbacks. C. Roundabout, bulbouts, and decorative paving should be incorporated at primary intersections locations such as Venture Drive/Earthwood Lane or Jespersen Drive/R-1 Residential Road, where appropriate. Roundabouts shall provide decorative landscaping, including trees that provide for monumentation and reference points within the project. The Town Center roundabout shall also include agricultural implements such as water towers and windmills to accentuate the agricul- tural design character of the Town Center. D. The Neighborhood Park should be designed to provide neighborhood recreation needs including a mix of passive and active areas that foster social interaction and healthy lifestyles. E. Neighborhood Park facilities may include informal turf areas, bocce ball courts, children’s play areas, group barbeque areas, group picnic facilities and shade structures, clubhouse, pool, pe- destrian and bicycle trails, and community gardens. F. Programming of the Neighborhood Park may include shared facilities or related uses with on- site agricultural production such as outdoor learning areas, picnic, farming and cooking demon- strations, and a farm stand. G. The plaza located within the Neighborhood Park directly across from the Town Center should incorporate ample seating, trash receptacles, bicycle racks, a central organizing feature, unique landscaping, and pervious hardscape Attachment 3 PC1 - 42 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 39 Revised: December 18, 2015 3.0 Parking Parking is an essential component of all proposed land uses within the Avila Ranch project. En- suring adequate buffering between abutting land uses, public streets, and commercial parking areas will ensure the promotion of the high-quality environment envisioned for the development. Parking re- quirements for specific land uses within Avila Ranch are found within Chapter 17.16.060 of the City of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code. Parking for the R-2 zone shall be provided with two covered spaces per unit, on street parking, and at least two on-site guest parking spaces per 6-pack or 4-pack cluster. Park- ing stalls to be designed per Engineering Standards 2220. Standards 3.1 Goal 5.4 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Parking section. 3.2 Parking for the Neighborhood Park shall be provided through both on-site parking and shared parking with the Town Center commercial area. Any on-site parking associated with the Neighborhood Park shall be located within a parking lot or other parking space configurations on the north side of the park. These parking lots shall provide for bicycle storage, staging areas, and special event parking. 3.3 Driveway access points for the Neighborhood Commercial Town Center shall be located along the R-1 Residential Road ad- jacent to the R-1 Residential zone as shown in Figure 18. 3.4 Parking shall be designed and sited to minimize and buffer commercial noise from adjacent residential land uses. 3.5 A ten foot minimum landscape buffer shall be provided on the Neighborhood Commercial proper- ties adjacent to the R-1 Residential zone and the Neighborhood Com- mercial Town Center. In addition there shall be a minimum forty-five (45) foot rear yard for any R-1 units that back onto the Neighborhood Commercial properties due to ALUP Safety Area requirements. 3.6 Parking for the R-4 units shall be carports for added noise mitigation and visual screening. Figure 18 Town Center Parking, Screening and Access Attachment 3 PC1 - 43 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 40 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 19 Park Locations Attachment 3 PC1 - 44 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 41 Revised: December 18, 2015 4.0 Outdoor Use Areas While outdoor use areas, as defined by the AASP, are unlikely to occur within the project area, any outdoor use areas proposed in conjunction with Avila Ranch land uses will meet the standards and guidelines outlined within the AASP. Standard 4.1 Goal 5.5 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Outdoor Use Areas section. 5.0 Screening Service, storage areas, trash and recycling collection areas, and utilities associated with pro- posed Avila Ranch land uses will be properly screened to minimize visual impact and promote the natu- ral, unobstructed open space views. Standard 5.1 Goal 5.6 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Screening section. Guideline A. Equipment related to on-site agricultural production should be properly stored and screened from public view. 6.0 Preservation of Views and Scenic Resources 6.1 Views from the Road The City of San Luis Obispo General Plan identifies Buckley Road as a scenic corridor that should be maintained in order to protect views of surrounding open space resources. A minimum 300-foot wide buffer has been incorporated into the Avila Ranch Development Plan along Buckley Road to maintain the scenic nature and the rural/agricultural character of this corridor. Uses within this buffer provide a wide range of amenities for the area including accessible multi-use trails, naturalized open spaces, and agriculture production. Views of structures visible from Buckley Road are minimized through the incor- poration of landscaping and natural screening techniques. Standards 6.1.1 Goal 5.7 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Views from the Road section. Attachment 3 PC1 - 45 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 42 Revised: December 18, 2015 6.1.2 Views along Buckley Road towards the Irish Hills to the west and towards the Santa Lu- cia range and foothills to the east shall be maintained through the incorporation of an open space and park buffer of a minimum 300 feet wide along Buckley Road as shown in Figure 20. 6.1.3 Views along Jespersen Drive at the crossing of Tank Farm Creek shall be maintained to maximize views of surrounding open spaces. Guidelines A. Visible building facades from Buckley Road should be minimized to maintain the scenic nature of the corridor through landscaping and/or other natural screening techniques. B. Cul-de-sacs should be open ended and/or dead-end onto open space or park areas. 6.2 Gateways The AASP does not identify areas within the Avila Ranch development as possible locations of a gateway for the City of San Luis Obispo. If a gateway is identified and proposed on the Avila Ranch site within the future, goals, standards, and guidelines found within the AASP will take precedent. Standard 6.2.1 Goal 5.8 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Gateways section. 6.2.2 An entry that shall be development on Buckley Road that is complimentary to the pro- ject. Figure 20 Buckley Road Buffering and Screening Attachment 3 PC1 - 46 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 43 Revised: December 18, 2015 7.0 Architecture 7.1 Architectural Character The architectural character of Avila Ranch is to be representative of the agricultural heritage as- sociated with southern San Luis Obispo as well as architectural styles typically found within the city. A contextual appropriate selection of architectural styles aides in defining the context of the site from the rural character along the southern property line to the industrial character found along the northern property edge. A list of permitted architectural styles appropriate for each land use within Avila Ranch has been provided to ensure consistency with the overall project vision. Standards 7.1.1 Goal 5.9 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be re- ferred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Architectural Character section. 7.1.2 The architectural styles for residential land uses within Avila Ranch shall be Agrarian, California Bungalow, Contemporary, Craftsman, or Mission as illustrated in Figures B-19 through B-23. Figure 21 Residential Street Scene Attachment 3 PC1 - 47 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 44 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 22 Agrarian Architectural Style Figure 23 Bungalow Architectural Style Figure 24 Contemporary/Mid Century Modern Architectural Style Attachment 3 PC1 - 48 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 45 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 25 Craftsmen Architectural Style Figure 26 Mission Architectural Style Attachment 3 PC1 - 49 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 46 Revised: December 18, 2015 7.1.3 In order to create some individualism to each neighborhood or enclave, there shall be a dominant style for each neighborhood (see Figure 27), with supporting architectural styles to avoid monotony. The percentage proportions of architectural styles within the R-2 zones of Avila Ranch shall be integrated as follows in order to create the desired res- idential character and transitioning of the site from south to north: • Neighborhood Area 1: 60% of units shall be designed with Agrarian style archi- tecture. The remaining 40% of units shall be divided into 10% increments between the other allowed residential architectural styles. Any fraction of a number over a half shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number with any remaining balance placed in an archi- tecture style of choice. • Neighborhood Area 2: 60% of all units shall be designed with California Bunga- low/Craftsman style architecture. The remaining 40% of units shall be divided into 10% in- crements between the other allowed residential architectural styles. Any fraction of a number over a half shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number with any remaining balance placed in an architecture style of choice. • Neighborhood Area 3: 60% of all units shall be designed with Contemporary style architecture. The remaining 40% of units shall be divided into 10% increments be- tween the other allowed residential architectural styles. Any fraction of a number over a half shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number with any remaining balance placed in an architecture style of choice. 7.1.4 R-4 zone shall be designed uniformly with one of the allowed residential architectural styles. (Neighborhood Area 4). 7.1.5 R-1 zone shall be designed with a proportional yet mixed use of at least three of the al- lowed residential architectural styles. (Neighborhood Area 5). 7.1.6 The Neighborhood Commercial Town Center buildings and any buildings located within the Conservation/ Open Space zoned areas shall be designed uniformly with an Agrarian or Contemporary style architecture. (Neighborhood Area 6). 7.1.7 R-3 zone shall be designed uniformly with one of the allowed residential architectural styles. (Neighborhood Area 7). 7.1.8 Porches shall have a minimum depth of six (6) feet. 7.1.9 Residences shall have entries that front onto the street with the exception of residences configured in a parking court within R-2 zones. Where possible, these interior R-2 units shall have frontage treatments onto adjacent parks or open spaces. Units that are adja- cent to the parkway commons in Neighborhood Area 2 shall have frontage treatments along that parkway and the interior motor court/common driveway. Attachment 3 PC1 - 50 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 47 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 27 Avila Ranch Neighborhoods Attachment 3 PC1 - 51 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 48 Revised: December 18, 2015 7.1.10 Buildings within R-3 and R-4 zones shall have covered porches, entries, or walkways that front onto the street. Guidelines A. Residential elevations within the R-1 and R-2 zones should not be repeated more frequently than every fourth house. This variation may be achieved by not repeating both a color scheme and an elevation style. B. The Neighborhood Commercial Town Center architectural character should reflect Agrarian style architecture that may be represented through modern barn, rustic barn, or other contemporary barn elements. C. The Architectural Review Commission, Planning Commission, and any other approving body may allow an exception to the height requirements for the Neighborhood Commercial Town Center focal point provided that architectural features meet the desired Agrarian architectural charac- ter. D. Residences within the R-1 zone should incorporate a covered front porch. E. Residences within the R-2 zone that front collector or local residential roads should include a porch. 7.2 Scale and Massing The pedestrian and agricultural character of Avila Ranch will be reflected through appropriately scaled buildings and landscaping. It is anticipated that building forms will be modest in size with individ- ual components of buildings expressively articulated through playful use of massing. Standards 7.2.1 Goal 5.10 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Scale and Massing section. 7.2.2 To avoid garage dominated streets, a portion of the house or porch within the R-1 Resi- dential Zone shall be at least five (5) feet in front of the garage. Guidelines A. Variation in front yard setbacks, lot widths, and one and two story homes should be used to create a diversity of architectural massing. B. Massing design should include variation in the wall plane (projection and recess), variation in wall height, and rooflines at different levels. Attachment 3 PC1 - 52 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 49 Revised: December 18, 2015 C. Portions of the upper story of a two-story home should be stepped back in order to reduce the scale of the façade that faces the street and to break up the overall massing. This could be achieved with a porch covering a min of 60% of the front facade. D. Architectural elements that add visual interest, scale, and character to the neighborhood, such as recessed or projecting balconies, verandas, or porches should be included within building de- signs. E. A variety of roof planes and pitches, porches, overhangs, and accent details should be incorpo- rated into residential designs to increase the visual quality and character of a building, while re- ducing the bulk and size of the structure. F. Garages should be recessed behind the home’s main façade to minimize the visual impact of the garage door and parking apron from the street. G. Garages located in parking court configurations should be recessed in order to increase the prominence of the main entry. 7.3 Building Heights Building heights for residential structures are expected to range from one to three stories in or- der to accommodate both single- family and multi-family developments. Commercial structures located within the Town Center are two stories in height but buildings adjacent to corner plazas across from the park may be up to three stories. Standards 7.3.1 Goal 5.11 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Building Heights section. 7.3.2 Residential building heights shall abide by the development standards set forth in the Airport Area Specific Plan Amendment. 7.3.3 Buildings located within the Neighborhood Commercial zone shall abide by the building height requirements set forth within Chapter 17.38 of the City’s development code. 7.3.4 A minimum of 25% of R-1 zone units shall be single story. Single story units shall be con- centrated along the landscaped berm, parallel to Buckley, unless it can be demonstrated that a two-story R-1 can conform to the city noise regulations. Guidelines A. Town Center buildings abutting the two plazas at the corner of Jespersen Drive and the R-1 Residential Road should be two stories of at least 20 feet in height, but may be up to three sto- ries. 7.4 Architectural Façade and Treatment Attachment 3 PC1 - 53 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 50 Revised: December 18, 2015 Facades and architectural treatments of buildings within Avila Ranch are designed as a collection of high quality, individual neighborhoods comprised of individually articulated and highly detailed struc- tures. To meet this high standard of quality, full articulation of building facades and use of architectural- ly compatible treatments will be utilized consistently throughout the development. Standard 7.4.1 Goal 5.12 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Architectural Façade and Treat- ment section. Guidelines A. Entries should be enhanced to reflect the architectural style and details of the building. B. Windows should be articulated with accent trim, sills, shutters, window flower boxes, awnings, or trellises authentic to the architectural style of the building. C. Windows, garage windows, and doors should complement the architectural style of the building. D. Garage doors should incorporate architectural detailing that is consistent with the overall archi- tectural style of the building. 7.5 Materials and Colors Materials considered appropriate for Avila Ranch are those that have generally stood the test of time such as stone, brick, wood, glass, plaster, and metal. Each development may choose to express its unique identity through material and color selection, as long as they are compatible with the overall character of the area. Standard 7.5.1 Goal 5.13 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Materials and Colors section. Guidelines A. Roof tiles and colors consistent with the architectural style of the house should be incorporated. Roofing colors should be soft earth tones. B. Roof penetrations for vents should be consolidated and located on the rear side of roof ridges. Vents should be painted to match the roof color. C. As part of the last development phase, the building materials, colors, entries, and windows of the Neighborhood Commercial Town Center should reflect adjacent residential Attachment 3 PC1 - 54 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 51 Revised: December 18, 2015 8.0 Landscape 8.1 Planting Concept Landscaping for the Avila Ranch development is envisioned to reflect both the natural and agri- cultural landscapes of San Luis Obispo. Natural landscape patterns have been integrated within the Tank Farm Creek riparian corridor (Figure B-25) and within Conservation/Open Space areas. Agricultural land- scape patterns have been incorporated along Jespersen Drive and adjacent to the on-site agriculturally related facilities. Standards 8.1.1 Goal 5.14 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Planting Concept section. 8.1.2 Trees planted within Avila Ranch outside of residential zones shall be chosen from the City’s approved Street Tree Master List and shall be in conformance with the master plan in Figures 29 and 30. 8.1.3 Shrubs, perennials, and ground cover planted outside of residential zones within Avila Ranch shall be in conformance with the master plan in Figures 29. 8.1.4 Trees, shrubs, perennials, and ground cover planted within the residential portions of Avila Ranch shall be located as shown in Figure 31 32, shall be chosen from the City’s approved Street Tree Master List, and shall be in conformance with the Residential Plant Palette listed in Figure 30. 8.1.5 Street trees shall be provided in tree wells along streets abutting the Neighborhood Commercial Town Center with the intent of developing a continuous canopy over the sidewalk. 8.1.6 Trees, shrubs, and plants chosen to be planted along the Tank Farm Creek riparian cor- ridor shall utilize native, locally procured varietals. 8.1.7 Plants and shrubs planted on properties adjacent to Tank Farm Creek shall be properly situated and maintained in order to avoid spreading into the adjacent riparian corridor. 8.1.8 Plants and shrubs shall be low water using. 8.1.9 Turf shall not be located within front yards of residential zones. Guidelines A. Street trees unique to each neighborhood should be utilized to provide a layer of consistency and individuality for that neighborhood. Attachment 3 PC1 - 55 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 52 Revised: December 18, 2015 B. Native trees, plants, and other low water using plant varieties are encouraged within Avila Ranch and should be integrated into the project to the greatest extent possible. C. Community gardens that are easily accessible to residents should be incorporated within Avila Ranch in mini parks, pocket parks, and the Neighborhood Park. D. Open space areas adjacent to Buckley Road should incorporate productive and viable agricultur- al areas. E. A windrow should be provided along Jespersen Drive from Buckley Road to the Neighborhood Commercial Town Center. F. Agriculture production related facilities should integrate a grove or farm compound styled tree plantings to unify and add visual interest to the site. Figure 28 Tank Farm Creek Bike Path Attachment 3 PC1 - 56 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 53 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 29 Overall Landscape Plan Attachment 3 PC1 - 57 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 54 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 30 Landscape Palette and Key Attachment 3 PC1 - 58 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 55 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 31 R-1 Landscaping Plan Attachment 3 PC1 - 59 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 56 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 32 R-2 Landscaping Plan Attachment 3 PC1 - 60 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 57 Revised: December 18, 2015 9.0 Buildings, Signs and Lighting 9.1 Buildings Buildings placed throughout Avila Ranch will be rooted in the surrounding landscape and natural open spaces through the incorporation of contextual landscaping. Landscaping will soften building edges at the ground plane and provide attractive plantings to support the planned environment of the project. Standard 9.1.1 Goal 5.15 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Buildings section. 9.1.2 Public art shall be incorporated within Avila Ranch in conformance with the City’s Public Art for Private Development ordinance. 9.1.3 Public art shall reflect the agrarian history and context of the site. Guideline A. The location of Public Art is encouraged to be within the Town Center plazas or Neighborhood Park as these are prominent, public locations within Avila Ranch. 9.2 Signs Standards 9.2.1 Goal 5.17 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Signs section. 9.2.2 All signage within Avila Ranch shall comply with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Sign Regu- lations for applicable Residential, Neighborhood Commercial, and Conservation/Open Space land uses. Guideline A. Landscaping should be incorporated within parking courts to minimize paving and views of garages. 9.3 Lighting Lighting for residential, commercial, and open space uses within Avila Ranch is envisioned to provide adequate illumination levels to aide in the transitioning of urban to rural uses while also providing an appropriate illumination level to address public safety concerns. Proposed lighting is intended to main- tain the current low lighting levels that distinctly differentiate between existing urban and rural land us- es within the area. Attachment 3 PC1 - 61 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 58 Revised: December 18, 2015 Standards 9.3.1 Goal 5.18 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Lighting section. 9.3.2 Exterior lighting within the Specific Plan Area shall comply with the City of San Luis Obispo’s Community Design Standards, Airport Area Specific Plan, and Night- Sky Preservation site requirements. 9.3.3 All exterior lighting within Avila Ranch shall be compatible with and complement the ar- chitectural styles and landscape designs proposed. 9.3.4 Exterior lighting fixtures shall be properly shielded to minimize light overflow and glare onto adjacent properties. 9.3.5 Trail and walking pathway lighting shall be appropriately scaled to the pedestrian. Addi- tional overhead park lighting may be utilized in areas where pedestrian safety is a con- cern. 9.3.6 Lighting fixtures shall be energy efficient in accordance with the latest industry and/or technology standards. 10.0 Public Art In order to weave and integrate Avila Ranch with the existing cultural and aesthetic fabric of San Luis Obispo, public art is intended to be incorporated as a central organizing element within or adjacent to the Town Center plazas or Neighborhood Park. Installations will reflect the agrarian history and con- text of the area and that of the project site, and may include antique agricultural implements, Aeromo- tor windmills, and other features. Signage designs for land uses within Avila Ranch comply with applica- ble City Sign Regulations while playfully integrating and playing off of the dominant architectural charac- ter of the area. Individual residential neighborhoods are imagined as having unique identification sign- age to inform and direct residents and visitors. Commercial uses display functional yet simple signage designs that effectively alerts potential patrons to their location within the Avila Ranch development. Standards 10.1 Goal 5.16 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Public Art section. 11.0 Drainage Drainage requirements related to Avila Ranch are intended to meet the Regional Water Control Board’s Post Construction Requirements. The performance of designed detention basins and permeable surfaces integrated throughout the project ensure on-site retention of the project’s share of stormwater runoff while ensuring the safety of adjacent property. Attachment 3 PC1 - 62 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 59 Revised: December 18, 2015 Special Fence Treat- ment Locations (Typ) Standard 11.1 Goal 5.19 (and associated standards and guidelines) outlined within the AASP shall be referred to and incorporated as part of this Avila Ranch Drainage section. 11.2 A landscaped drainage swale shall be included along northern property line of Avila Ranch within the R-2 and R-4 Residential Zones as shown in Figures B-31 and B-32, to fa- cilitate drainage from adjacent property, and to provide screening to the light industrial properties to the north. 12.0 Fencing Fencing proposed for Avila Ranch will add to visual quality and character of the overall devel- opment. In addition to the existing City fencing requirements, the following standards and guidelines apply to all residential lots within Avila Ranch in order to maintain and emphasis views of Tank Farm Creek. Standard 12.1 Residential lots adjacent to Tank Farm Creek, parks, open spaces, or walking pathways shall use open fencing types, as shown in Figure 33. Guideline A. Fencing adjacent to Tank Farm Creek, parks, open spaces, or walking pathways should use wrought iron or split rail fencing types (See Figure 34 for exam- ples). Figure 33 Special Fence Treatment Locations Attachment 3 PC1 - 63 Avila Ranch Development Plan Page 60 Revised: December 18, 2015 Figure 34 Open Space Fencing Solid four-foot fence with open lattice above. Attachment 3 PC1 - 64