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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-05-2017 Item 7, CodronCouncil Memorandum Date: September 5, 2017 TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Michael Codron and Rebecca Gershow VIA: Katie Lichtig, City Manager SUBJECT: Downtown Concept Plan Questions COUNCIL MEETING; C�`1 C] L ITEM NO.: S :P 0 5 2017 L0 CITY 1:LL1..F- K S Council Members asked several questions regarding the Downtown Concept Plan, which is on the agenda for this evening's Council meeting. The summarized questions are below with staff's response shown in italics: 1. On the top of page 1.10 of the Downtown Concept Plan supplement, there is a statement about the Baby Boom generation being the "largest in our nation's history. " Is that true? Answer: No, Millennials passed the Baby Boom generation in terms of population size in 2016. Staff will correct this statement of fact. 2. Was there any discussion of the impact of increasing cultural diversity on long-range planning for public spaces? Answer: Questions about cultural diversity related to our public spaces were not included in our public engagement activities. However, as the Parks and Recreation Element is updated, cultural diversity needs related to programming our public spaces will be a component of that planning process. 3. On page 2.4 in the Downtown Concept Plan Supplement, Goal 7.1 reads in part "... Generally, new buildings should not exceed 50 feet in height.... " Please provide more info on the "generally" word. Where would there be height exceptions encouraged or desired? Answer: The intention of the Downtown Concept Plan is to be consistent with the City's General Plan; this language was taken directly from the General Plan Land Use Element Policy 4.20.4 "Building Height," which reads in part "Generally, new buildings should not exceed 50 feet in height ..." Goal 7.2 of the Downtown Concept Plan describes types of locations where buildings between 50 and 75 feet in height (referred to as "taller buildings") could be allowed, "such as toward the center of blocks, in low areas, and generally outside of the Downtown Historic District." In addition, the City's Zoning Regulations includes provisions for taller Downtown Concept Plan Page 2 buildings. It is important for the Council and community to understand that taller buildings are allowed downtown and that while taller buildings are subject to additional requirements (e.g. upper floor setbacks, solar access, public amenities), the approval of a taller building is not an "exception." The Zoning Regulations for downtown were updated in 2008 with a detailed program to allow taller buildings. Throughout the process, staff heard from members of the public and CVT conflicting input that the Plan should 'be more specific' and 'be less specific' with respect to how height should be described and where taller buildings should be located. In the end, the vision is more focused on density, vibrancy, good design, and a truly mixed-use downtown where people live, work and visit. This reflects the input consistently provided from the public and CVT. The sketches on the plan Illustration and in the plan Supplement try to capture this vision by generally showing 3-4 stories of commercial mixed use, with surface parking lots infilled, new public spaces, and housing on upper stories in appropriate locations. 4. Why do some of the block descriptions (Table 3.1) reference a "two-story minimum? " Is this economically and practically the best encapsulation of what is envisioned, given the actual cost of land downtown and the highly ambitious mixed-use vision for this area? Answer: A majority of the CVT felt more comfortable with setting minimums than maximums when discussing height downtown. In addition, the General Plan already dictates maximums. There was clear direction that less than two stories is not appropriate for new development downtown. However, much of the downtown planning area is still single -story, and there may be areas where two stories are appropriate for neighborhood compatibility. In several blocks the plan simply discusses "multi -story," knowing that the General Plan and Zoning Regulations will determine heights, ultimately. While the CVT ultimately felt more comfortable discussing minimums than maximums, that does not mean the Plan is encouraging only two stories, and there is no intention to prohibit additional stories if that is economically feasible and it fits into the appropriate regulatory framework. 5. Is there a commitment to a Cultural District in the Downtown Concept Plan? How does this effect the design of the Mission Plaza Concept Plan? Answer: The Cultural District concept has been carried over from the original Downtown Concept Plan, and Mission Plaza is a key component of it. Keith Gurnee is a member of the Creative Vision Team and will be helping with the Council presentation this evening; he will be talking about the Cultural District, as well as two conceptual designs for new public areas in the Cultural District proposed in the Downtown Concept Plan. There is a discussion of the vision for the Cultural District on pages 3.23 & 3.24 of the plan Supplement, as well as in Table 3. 1, Block 19 (page 3.7), and in Chapter 5, Implementation, Actions 18-20. Downtown Concept Plan Page 3 Additionally, the plan connects this area in Central Downtown together physically with a "shared street" concept (Street Type D, on page 4.2 and 4.8 with a sketch on p. 3.25) that creates a plaza -like feel, while not fully closing down streets, on Monterey from Nipomo to Santa Rosa, and Broad from Palm to Higuera. Both concepts (Cultural District and Shared Street) have received much vetting and strong support from the public and City Advisory Bodies. The specifics of the Mission Plaza Concept Plan, while very important, would not change the concept for the Cultural District. The Downtown Concept Plan's Creative Vision Team met several times with the Mission Plaza Concept Plan team and provided input on that plan, which is an important element of the Downtown Concept Plan.