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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Resolution _4844- Case 5.0344 PD 164 ARESOLUTION NO.4844 OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE APPROVAL OF A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO MODIFY CIRCULATION ELEMENT POLICY 7.1.5. AND CASE NO 5.0344 - PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT-164(A) AND ASSOCIATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS STATED, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND PARKING FACILITIES LOCATED AT 277 NORTH AVENIDA CABALLEROS ZONE PD164, R-4, R-4-VP AND R-G-A(8), SECTION 14. WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs (the "Applicant"), has filed a General Plan Amendment to modify Circulation Element Policy 7.1.5 to allow discretionary review of requests for reduced street pavement widths based on specified criteria; and WHEREAS, the "Applicant" has filed an application pursuant to Section 94.02.00 for a General Plan Amendment to amend General Plan Circulation Element Policy 7.1.5 to read as follows: General Plan Policy No. 7.1.5: "Cross-section standards may be modified by the Planning Commission and City Council to take into consideration the need for special right-of-way widths, street improvements, or pavement widths where property cannot be feasibly acquired, within the downtown to facilitate traffic calming and public parking facilities, the nature of the terrain through which the street passes to prevent scarring of the landscape, area needed to provide linear parks, bicycle or other alternative transportation facilities, and to achieve an urban design and special street program, or in response to a specific plan or planned development district. In addition, the determination of the Planning Commission and City Council shall conclude that there are no significant impact to the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Palm Springs." WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has determined thatthe proposed General Plan Amendment is consistent with all General Plan objectives and policies; and WHEREAS, the Applicant, has filed a Planned Development application forCase 5.0344-PD164(A) forthe expansion of the Palm Spring Convention Center and associated site improvements located at 277 North Avenida Caballeros, Zone PD164, R-4, R-4-VP, and R-G-A(8); and WHEREAS, said Planned Development application was submitted to appropriate agencies as required by the Planned Development requirements of the Palm Springs Municipal Code, with the request for their review, comments, and requirements; and WHEREAS, notice of the public hearing of the Planning Commission of the City of Palm Springs to consider the General Plan Amendment and Case No. 5.0344 - PD164(A), was given in accordance with applicable law; and WHEREAS, on April 30, 2003, a public hearing on the application for a General Plan Amendment and Case 5.0344-PD164(A) was held by the Planning Commission in accordance with applicable law; and WHEREAS, the proposed project is considered a "project" pursuant to the terms of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), and an Environmental -Assessment has been prepared forthis project and has been distributed for public review and comment in accordance with CEQA; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence presented in connection with the meeting on the Project, including but not limited to the staff report, all environmental data including the environmental assessment prepared for the project and all written and oral testimony presented. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEREBY FINDS AS FOLLOWS: Section 1: Pursuant to CEQA, the Planning Commission finds that the current environmental assessment for the General Plan Amendment and Case No. 5.0344-PD164(A) adequately addresses the general environmental setting of the proposed Project, its significant environmental impacts, and the mitigation measures related to each significant environmental effect for the proposed project. The Planning Commission furtherfinds that with the incorporation of proposed mitigation measures, potentially significant environmental impacts resulting from this project will be reduced to a level of insignificance and therefore recommends adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project. Section 2: This proposed amendment to the General Plan will the road section on Avenida Caballeros directly east of the Convention Center to be constructed with the following modifications: 1) extension of curb and gutter approximately eight (8) feet and removal of parking lane the west side of Avenida Caballeros between Amado Road and Andreas Road; and 2) maintain current number of travel lanes. Section 3: The proposed amendments to the General Plan are necessary and proper at this time, and are not likely to be detrimental to the adjacent property or residents. Section 4: Pursuant to Section 94.03.00 of the Palm Springs Zoning Ordinance, the Planning Commission finds that with the incorporation of those conditions as amended by the response to comments and changes requested for clarification by the City Engineer and Convention Center General Manager as set forth in and attached in Exhibit -A: a. The use applied for at the location set forth in the application is properly one for which a Planned Development District is authorized by the City's Zoning Ordinance. The PD in -lieu of a change of zone may be recommended for approval by the Planning Commission where a zone change appears valid for specific uses, and only those uses, proposed by an applicant and where the applicant agrees to comply with all conditions imposed on the project. In this case, the City is proposing the use of land which is currently designated as the Planned Development District Number 164 for the expansion of existing Convention Center. The proposed amendment would include the expansion of the existing Convention Center as well as, the inclusion of additional parking on the north and future parking on the southwest boundaries. The PD in -lieu of a change of zone is an appropriate mechanism for consideration of the project because it encompasses flexibility in property development standards while also allowing a specific use in a zone where it would otherwise not be permitted. b. The use is necessary or desirable forthe development of the community, is in harmony with the various elements or objectives of the General Plan, and is not detrimental to existing uses or to future uses specifically permitted in the zone in which the proposed use is to be located. Included with the project is a proposed revision to General Plan Policy 7.1.5 to allow the Planning Commission and City Council to consider special street sections throughout the City in response to urban design programs, specific plans, or planned development districts. The policy revision would allow the expansion of the curb and gutter towards the street by eight feet, essentially removing the parking lane on the west side of Avenida Caballeros while keeping the same number of travel lanes. The policy revision will allow the Planning Commission and City Council greater flexibility in considering special streets, alternative transportation facilities, linear parks, and other public amenities. The special street section will facilitate traffic calming and enhance the Avenida Caballeros streetscape by providing additional landscaped area, which is necessary because the exhibit hall is being expanded up to the property line on Avenida Caballeros. Additional landscaping will soften the appearance of the building while the pull out lane, created as a result of the extended curb and gutter, will function as a passenger drop-off area. The delineated drop-off area will allow for the smooth flow of traffic on existing travel lanes. The proposed special street section is a reasonable request and will not have a significant impact on the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Palm Springs. In addition, the expansion to the Convention Center is necessary in order to remain competitive and to retain existing events. The expansion has been analyzed to take into consideration surrounding land uses. The site area is limited but the expansion is appropriate due to existing hotels and other resort uses in the area. The Convention Center expansion project is in harmony with the General Plan and will be compatible with the surrounding resort community. The site is adequate in size and shape to accommodate said use, including yards, setbacks, walls or fences, landscaping, and other features required in order to adjust said use to those existing or permitted future uses of land in the neighborhood. The Convention Center currently totals approximately 159,000 square feet. The proposed expansion will add up to approximately 105,000 square feet of public spaces (exhibit space, meeting rooms and pre -function areas) and up to 25,000 square feet of administrative and service areas (including administrative offices, food service, service areas and restrooms) for a total of up to 289,000 square feet at build out. Ancillary construction will include a landscaped wall treatment on the northern project boundary, to screen loading areas from public view and reduce noise to surrounding residences. A vehicular service entrance will be located approximately 150 feet south of the intersection of Amado Road and Avenida Caballeros. A vehicular "drop off" area is proposed along the building facade on Calle Alvarado. Extensive landscaping is planned along the Calle Alvarado, Avenida Caballeros and Amado Road frontages. These landscaped treatments will include meandering walkways and public furniture, such as benches, shade structures and trash receptacles. The walkways will provide pedestrian connections to the downtown Palm Springs area. Modifications to the property development standards have been requested as part of the Planned Development District including: setbacks, open space, building height, and off- street parking. The building setbacks are being reduced to allow the expansion to take maximum advantage of the property and to also allow the expansion to the exhibit hall. In order to accommodate the reduced setback, a landscape program and pedestrian arcades and walkways have been made a fundamental part of the project. Setback reductions are necessary to accommodate the project on the existing site. With regards to the open space requirements, lot coverage is approximately 52% leaving 48% hadscape/landscape space. Actual landscaped areas make up 29% of the site area. The portion of the building which will require the most significant reduction in setbacks is the new entry on Calle Alvarado. The highest section of the entry canopy is up to 45 feet with a proposed setback which ranges from 0' to 60'. Refer to Attachment 6. Also illustrated on Attachment 6 is the minimum setback on Avenida Caballeros which is 2 feet where the curved building wall is closest to the property line. According to the high rise ordinance, the canopy is required to have a height to setback ratio of 1.5:1, equivalent to a setback of 68 feet. As proposed, the canopy has a height to horizontal setback ratio of 0.8:1. For comparison purposes, the canopy is approximately 90 feet from the property line of the adjacent western multi -family residential development for a ratio of 2:1. Since the multi -family development will be most impacted by the canopy feature, the modification to the high rise requirements is reasonable because of the 2:1 height to setback ratio. The Planning Commission recommends that the design team be encouraged to re-evaluate the height and scale of the entry canopy on Calle Alvarado and the placement of columns and pedestrian flow at the southeast corner of Amado Road and Calle Alvarado. d. That the site for the proposed use relates to streets and highways properly designed and improved to carry the type and quantity of traffic to be generated by the proposed use. Access to parking lots proposed in conjunction with the Palm Springs Convention Center expansion are adequate. Traffic associated with the proposed expansion will travel to the parking lots proposed forthe project including future lot on Andreas Road. Three driveways would serve the north parking lot and two the west parking lot. Project traffic would be distributed among these driveways. The traffic signal analysis conducted for this project indicates that none of the key intersections in the project study area meet peak hour signal warrants with year 2020 peak hour traffic volumes. As previously discussed, a proposed one-way extension of Calle Alvarado between Tahquitz Canyon Way and Andreas Road is being considered to facilitate circulation for the largest events in the future. This extension would not be a public street, but a controlled - access driveway for use in conjunction with a traffic management plan to facilitate, as warranted, west lot ingress or egress. Use of this route may serve to reduce potential congestion on adjacent roadways. There is currently a median break on Tahquitz Canyon Way at Calle Alvarado. The use of this median break for left turns either in or out of the driveway would significantly impact traffic movements on Tahquitz Canyon Way. A mitigation measure has been included which would restrict project access to northbound right turns from Tahquitz Canyon Way onto this route and westbound right turns off of this drive onto Tahquitz Canyon Way. Potential may exist for the intersections of Calle El Segundo and Amado Road, and Calle El Segundo and Andreas Road, to require ultimate signalization. However, no other substantial capacity or operational impacts were identified relative to the proposed Palm Springs Convention Center expansion project. The proposed project will not adversely impact site access or circulation within or around the Palm Springs Convention Center. Therefore, other than improvements proposed in conjunction with the project, no other improvements are required to achieve the City performance standard of LOS D operation during peak hours in the peak season at the six key intersections evaluated. e. That the conditions to be imposed and shown on the approved site plan are deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare and may include minor modifications of the zone's property development standards. All proposed conditions of approval are necessary to ensure public health and safety including, but not limited to, the application of the Uniform Building Code Seismic Safety Standards, Palm Springs Municipal Code, and the City of Palm Springs Fugitive Dust Control Ordinance. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, based upon the foregoing, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council order Offing of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and approve the General Plan Amendment, as shown in Exhibits B and C, and Case 5.0344-PD164(A), subject to those conditions in the attached Exhibit A, which are to be satisfied prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy unless otherwise specified, or modified by the City Council. ADOPTED this 30' day of April, 2003. AYES: Conrad, Marantz, Matthews NOES: ABSENT: Klatchko, Caffery, Shoenberger ABSTAIN: Grence ATTEST: CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA Planning Commission Chairman Plahn i n- g-itommission Secretary EXHIBIT B PROPOSED GENERAL PLAN POLICY AMENDMENT 7.1.5. Cross-section standards may be modified by the Planning Commission and City Council to take into consideration the need for special right-of-way widths, street improvements, or pavement widths where property cannot be feasibly acquired, within the downtown to facilitate traffic calming and public parking facilities, the nature of the terrain through which the street passes to prevent scarring of the landscape, area needed to provide linear parks, bicycle or other alternative transportation facilities, and to achieve an urban design and special street program, or in response to a specific plan or planned development district. In addition, the determination of the Planning Commission and City Council shall conclude that there are no significant impacts to health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Palm Springs. EXHIBIT C PROPOSED SPEC04L STREET SECTION FOR AVENIDA CABALLEROS AND CALI_E ALVARADO d,uzE. 4AVA eAP0 VAW, ]F Zf "Th 41d4m9wr~ y eWr. ®`•-60� VA0WOs �r�rra4