HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/2/2015 - STAFF REPORTS - 5.B. QALM SA
C
V N
r C'�<fFORe�P. City Council Staff Report
DATE: September 2, 2015 NEW BUSINESS
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE INITIATION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE MUSEUM
MARKET PLACE SPECIFIC PLAN (CASE NO. 5.1204), AND APPROVAL
OF A PURCHASE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $111 ,410 TO TERRA
NOVA PLANNING & RESEARCH, INC., FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT (CEQA) SERVICES
FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager
BY: Marcus L. Fuller, Assistant City Manager/City Engineer
SUMMARY:
Staff is requesting the City Council to initiate, as the applicant, a formal amendment to
the Museum Market Place Specific Plan, and to concurrently authorize the City
Manager to approve a Purchase Order in the amount of $111 ,410 to the City's "on-call'
environmental assessment (CEQA) services firm, Terra Nova Planning & Research,
Inc., to evaluate potential environmental impacts associated with the Specific Plan
Amendment.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Direct staff to initiate a formal amendment to the Museum Market Place Specific
Plan Approve a Purchase Order in the amount of $111,410 to Terra Nova Planning
& Research, Inc., in accordance with Agreement No. 6559, to provide environmental
assessment (CEQA) services associated with the Downtown Revitalization Plan
("Downtown Palm Springs"); and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
On November 18, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 22625, certifying the
Final Environmental Impact Report (State Clearing House No. 2008061084) (the "Final
EIR") for the Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan (Case No. 5.1204), including
amendments to the 2007 General Plan and Palm Springs Zoning Code, making certain
findings relating to the environmental effects identified in the Final EIR, and adopting a
Statement of Overriding Considerations and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program. The City Council subsequently reaffirmed and re-adopted Resolution No.
ITEM NO. G�)
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015-- Page 2
Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan Amendment
22625 on December 2, 2009.
Also, on December 2, 2009, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1764, adopting the
Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan, Case No. 5.1204, (the "Specific Plan"). The
original land use and development pattern of the Specific Plan area, consisted of Blocks
A through H, K1 and K2, and new public streets comprising a total of 18.5 acres within
downtown Palm Springs, as shown in Figure 1. The Specific Plan envisioned public
uses in the Main Plaza on Block B, including a potential 6,500 square feet restaurant
space.
Figure 1
M
yy _
r BLOCK A "' _�
y _ n ylaF
u
�rld)r tr�M l►�w�t
l BLOCKS E, G. H iM• -
u ,
• z
LOCK B . .. r- ------
rr 10 .
r1d1• ;LOCK K1 rr
.exn
1 ca • ,y4�, BLOCK K2
BLOCKS O & F ` - °
iii BLOCK C Y !
,r
02
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015-- Page 3
Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan Amendment
On September 7, 2011, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 23018, authorizing the
City and Palm Springs Promenade, LLC, (the "Developer') to enter into a Project
Financing Agreement ("PFA" — Agreement No. 6144) applicable to the financing,
development, redevelopment, creation and refurbishment of public and private
improvements within the Specific Plan area. The PFA included, among other things, a
Site Plan and Project Description depicting the proposed improvements, including new
public streets described as Museum Street, Andreas Road, and the Belardo Road
extension.
After the City's approval of the Specific Plan, as the City and the Developer proceeded
to coordinate on development of the Specific Plan, plans for the project area evolved
and certain modifications to the layout of the individual blocks and land uses within the
Specific Plan were proposed, including relocation of the Main Plaza to Museum Drive
immediately adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum. On October 17, 2012, the City
Council adopted Resolution No. 23238, approving an Addendum to the Final EIR for the
Specific Plan, and identifying the implementation of a revised Downtown Revitalization
Plan ("Downtown Palm Springs') as conforming to the Museum Market Plaza Specific
Plan. Included as part of the Downtown Revitalization Plan is development of an
outdoor public event space identified in Block E, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 on the
next pages.
The original Specific Plan proposed a gym/spa, various retail purposes (a potential
movie theater) and mulit-family residential on what was previously designated as Block
G in Figure 1, however, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the "Main Plaza" was relocated to
Block E, (50,530 square feet or 1.16 acres) for use as an outdoor entertainment venue,
or "Event Center'. Under terms of the Downtown Palm Springs revitalization plan, the
Developer proposed that the Event Center be provided for use by both the City and
Developer for 10 years, after which the Developer was fully entitled to develop Block E
as retail commercial, professional office, multi-family residential or other purposes as
authorized by the Specific Plan.
At that time, the City Council also approved a Second Amendment to the PFA,
incorporating modifications to the project area to include construction of a Kimpton
brand hotel of approximately 170 rooms, representing a "first class' hotel located at the
southwest comer of Belardo Road and Tahquitz Canyon Way within Block C1.
On September 17, 2014, the City Council approved the acquisition of the Event Center
identified on Block E from the Developer as permanent public open space, to be owned
and operated by the City as an active and vibrant area now identified as the "Downtown
Palm Springs Park" for staging community and public events such as concerts, movies,
farmers markets, public gatherings, or community events.
03
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015-- Page 4
Approval of PO to Terra Nova Planning& Research
Figure 2
H2 H1
I
i
p C� (E G
I i -
I
_ = A
r�� --- -
_ - i ' B
swakw
_. . ._ .
{ FIGURE2
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015-- Page 5
Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan Amendment
Figure 3
uses
N X&OWH 4pPlGSWN
.L r4l al{VWAAMVi WiC[NA.W. N.VI.M.IrMMYYr[.Dr11C[.[[KYIW RIYI.K[iF40W nOItI AIrY/NMrE
♦ ptry[11YY[Ytp(D116.YlIlb.(0 MO M1 oe.(y yyGµtQ•<p fill lY!%[MOprMi.Wt[µgy0
- MeV WYMe[th.W LR.T"[RaM JNMM[MMMDYYVWW1Iw[1 hV.ri VIRPYWfMpMAEW aMIKr[1Arx
• � YMaMpFary GOVC;pC 221I1 Y[4i[C n1.•Yuntlpt[D[r CIFcwCI V[ry1C p[µywp[pFfrr'rGdYcl,
MDGSF O[[K[.M4111tNKMr[ YOC.[ YM[I
t./ [fliMJ11M1rb Mr(ap,(.1p[E LWIi LEMRl1I.MOMtt Di,(gtyp[ RM.10r14.9I[IC[1ESOFMML
NAWIO VFlNMM1,D.l.D YA[W 410IlO VMi11M1MIbKp WYIW [[[1YwMt[YIpIN1 ol11G1,G[[
• •• [V[gf[hAT/.[Y[4R1ChYlMYOM9lr WY[1 R.V.Y[LfIL glNµgpjp[V W�(YRD VIOMMIIoaIO[M[W
. - Urt GOVGLOEc3l0 VhGM1I.iR<I FM Sr/{/VA Wi�C P{.MyegpJ[pF
c*[cDwaotc i a
s[p[sa
R[WIIMa.N14a Dr[,[f sE[tw.w[Yr[
wm.wprr[r pnn urwrwen
jA- uae.pe awsmsD raeW[[oral
Gv/IAPOWI N.VAIr[6KlLNleelYQipfV[!h
r,ra[[iwa � cwcluc a>• ��
eEQi® ib rm u[[a[mne[
� � r.rc.•r4rx»u,r,n.K! raa[u
f 6 nf.rr�wa 111..1 OM[V M[OFOIMAIr
- � 0.La,�D 'Y4 PFilh/W119FIK lgirl arl®V
_ _ NJi[t 11DOMI TG14pDw.aEpl[511 rb•[Cl0
• � T
aCsar d 'M aaw ws uoaW[[r srv[[:
r _
n
.•r
$ r � a.uv[pwrcaetc+nY[
�� ♦♦♦ r lrrf4[Kaw•pJ
__�. _'* w _ ... ./" 1� • v .. ._� J � + E. �,n ..* t •worn atauiaww lnaa*
O
CA
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015-- Page 6
Approval of PO to Terra Nova Planning & Research
On June 17, 2015, the City Council considered a conceptual plan for the Downtown
Palm Springs Park. This larger public space to be used as an attraction for community
events requires evaluation of potential environmental impacts not originally considered
under the previously adopted and certified Final EIR.
Recently, the Developer has requested that the City consider development opportunities
on Block B1, and may propose development of a first-class (4-5 star) hotel use of up to
150 hotel rooms and 110,000 total square feet, with a maximum height of up to 75 feet
(plus additional for mechanical equipment screening). The proposed 150 hotel rooms
are within the currently allowed maximum hotel rooms permitted in the Specific Plan,
and not an increase to the maximum permitted in the Specific Plan.
However, Table III-2 of the Specific Plan currently restricts hotel use on the originally
designated "Main Plaza" public open space proposed on Block B, and limits building
height to 16 feet. These development standards are intended to regulate the public
open space element of the Specific Plan which has now been relocated to Block E, and
appropriate amendments to the Specific Plan are recommended to facilitate the re-
designation of various Blocks as identified in the "Downtown Palm Springs" project, and
to facilitate the potential hotel development on the currently designated Block B, and the
Downtown Palm Springs Park on the currently designated Block E.
More importantly, as the Developer has refined the development opportunities within the
Specific Plan, the overall maximum land use entitlements may not be necessary. As
part of the Specific Plan Amendment to be evaluated, the Developer has suggested a
reduction to the maximum number of residential units permitted in the Specific Plan, by
reducing the maximum units from 900 to 650 (a reduction of 27%). This reduction of
land use within the Specific Plan will be evaluated as part of the proposed additional
hotel use on Block B, as well as the permanent open space uses proposed as part of
the Downtown Palm Springs Park on Block E.
Accordingly, staff requested a proposal from Terra Nova Planning & Research, Inc., and
recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve a Purchase
Order in the amount of $111,410 pursuant to Agreement No. 6559 for environmental
assessment (CEQA) services that may be required to evaluate the potential
environmental impacts associated with the Specific Plan Amendment.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
This action will facilitate the required environmental analysis pursuant to California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) necessary to consider changes to the Specific Plan;
adequate environmental review will be completed following CEQA Guidelines to support
the City Council's future consideration of the Specific Plan Amendment.
06
City Council Staff Report
September 2, 2015 -- Page 7
Museum Market Plaza Specific Plan Amendment
FISCAL IMPACT:
Sufficient funds are available in the Measure J Downtown Palm Springs Park, Account
No. 260-4500-59464.
SUBMITTED
Prepared by: Approved by:
Marcus L. Fuller, MP , P.E., P.L.S. David H. Ready, Esq.
Assistant City Manager/City Engineer City Manager
07
PALM SPRINGS
°I PRESERVATION
FOUNDATION
September 2,2015
Mayor Steven Pougnet
City of Palm Springs
3200 E.Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Subject: Item 5.13. AUTHORIZE INITIATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MUSEUM MARKET PLACE
SPECIFIC PLAN AND APPROVAL OF A PURCHASE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF$111,410
TO TERRA NOVA PLANNING&RESEARCH,INC.,FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
(CEQA)SERVICES(CASE NO.5.1204)
Dear Mayor Pougnet,
On August 7,2015 the California State Historical Resources Commission in Sacramento determined the Town
&Country Center(T&CC)(1948,Paul R.Williams and A. Quincy Jones)eligible for listing on the state and
national registers. This determination was based on a wealth of scholarly information and was made by experts
appointed by the state of California. In short,the determination was made on its objective merits and the city of
Palm Springs and its residents should be proud that this architecturally significant structure has been so
prominently recognized. Needless to say, it was unfortunate that our local government repeatedly failed to
acknowledge the importance of the T&CC and that we were required to bring this matter before an impartial
body like the California State Historical Resources Commission.
The item before you plans to modify the specific plan with an aim to further increase the height of our
downtown development. It represents yet another major concession to this developer by the city of Palm
Springs. It is our view that the developer,who owns the historic T&CC,has already been accommodated to
excess and at the expense of significant public funds. To correct this gross imbalance,we submit that the recent
honor bestowed on the T&CC demands a reprioritizing of the Palm Springs city councils actions with regard to
modifying the specific plan.
The city's previous adoption of a Statement of Overriding Consideration was clearly biased in favor of
the developer and failed to adequately account for the historic importance of the T&CC. Accordingly,
we entreat you to direct Terra Nova Planning&Research,Inc.,to recognize the new legal status of the
T&CC under the California Environmental Quality Act and bring before you a recommendation to
modify the specific plan to include the preservation and rehabilitation of the T&CC.
There is a clear consensus outside of Palm Springs that the revitalization of the T&CC would benefit cultural
tourism,be consistent with the city's sustainability goals and,with its internal courtyard,provide much needed
green space downtown. If you have any questions,please contact the foundation at(760) 837-7117.
Sincerely,
Erik Rosenow
President
1775 East Palm Canyon Drive,Suite 110-195,Palm Springs,CA 92264
760-837-7117 • info@pspreservationfoundation.org • www.pspreservationfoundation.org