COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MEMORANDUM
TO: FROM: Santa Barbara County Planning Commission John Zorovich, Planner III Development Review Division
HEARING DATE: July 15, 2009 RE: General Plan Amendment Initiation Request for the Orcutt School District 09GPA-00000-00004 APNs 105-134-002; -004; -005, 105-330-005; -006; -007; -016 Key Site 17 in the Orcutt Community Plan, Fourth Supervisorial District
1.0
REQUEST
Request by the Orcutt Union School District, property owner, for initiation of a General Plan Amendment (09GPA-00000-00004) [application filed April 15, 2009] to change the Comprehensive Land Use Designation from Residential 8.0 units/ acre to Residential 20.0 units /acre. The project site includes seven legal parcels totaling approximately 13.13 acres known as APNs: 105-134-002; -004; -005, 105-330-005; -006; -007; -016; which are commonly known as Key Site 17 in the Orcutt area, Fourth Supervisorial District.
2.0
RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Commission should approve the subject General Plan Amendment initiation request based on its consistency with the broader goals and purposes of the County’s Comprehensive Plan and Orcutt Community Plan and potential to offer benefits to the community that cannot be realized under the existing designation.
3.0
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project consists of: 1) 2) An amendment of the Orcutt Community Plan (OCP) Land Use Element to change the land use designation from Residential 8.0 to Residential 20.0. Text amendments to the Orcutt Community Plan Key Site 17 Policies and Development Standards to provide flexibility in design standards for construction of a 100% senior housing project. The proposed text amendment to the OCP is included as Attachment A.
While no development proposals were submitted along with the General Plan Amendment request, prior meetings with the applicant through the Pre-Application and Conceptual Review processes have revealed that they envision development of a 100% senior housing project
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consisting of a minimum of 262 residential units. (See section 4.0 of this staff report for a more detailed discussion regarding the Orcutt Scholl District’s initial proposal.) Access to the project site is proposed via a single access point on Rice Ranch Road. Water for the proposed residential development would likely be provided by the Golden State Water Company through a water agreement with the City of Santa Maria. Sewage disposal would be provided by an existing Laguna County Sanitation District sewer line located west of the site.
Vicinity Map
4.0 BACKGROUND
4.1 Relationship to Orcutt Community Plan
The OCP envisioned that the entire Key Site 17 site would be developed with residential structures at some point in the future and identified Key Site 17 as an appropriate location for high density housing. The Board of Supervisors adopted the following Planning Findings for the site as part of the Community Plan adoption: Planning Findings: Designated/zoned Residential 8.0/SLP, with provision that County shall re-designate central part of site at density of Residential 20.0/DR-14 if a 100% senior housing project is proposed; located amid existing residential neighborhood and community facilities, is largest undeveloped area in “Old Town Orcutt”; potential development would be compatible, and adopted Development Standards would help ensure site design harmony with surroundings.
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Alternative designations considered but rejected: Residential 12.3/DR-12.3 & 10-R-1 (former designation/zoning), rejected because zoning does not promote desired development and take advantage of opportunity for more efficient use of this infill site; Residential 6.0/DR-6 & Residential 14.0/DR-14, rejected because DR zoning allows but does not promote the small-lot detached housing development as does adopted SLP zoning; Residential 8.0/DR-8 & Residential 20.0/DR-20, rejected for same reasons and due to incompatibility of substantially higher densities with surrounding uses, and greater adverse impacts disproportional to community benefits of such development on site. In 2001 the School District obtained the five easternmost parcels of Key Site #17. Originally, the District intended to develop a school and soccer field on the vacant parcels. However, the District has decided that because of decreasing school enrollment in the Orcutt area and the availability of a new school site and recreational opportunities on Key Site 12 (Rice Ranch project site), a new school is no longer needed on Key Site 17. Thus, the District is exploring other development scenarios for their surplus property. 4.2 Stonegate Project
In September 2003, the Planning Commission approved the Stonegate residential subdivision project consisting of 44 detached single family homes on the western portion of Key Site 17. The Stonegate project includes a 19,569 s.f. park in the location identified by the OCP for a public park. In addition, the project is required to construct a soccer field immediately adjacent to the public neighborhood park on the District’s property for community use. This requirement was made in order to show a good faith effort to adhere to the OCP as closely as possible as well as to provide recreational opportunities for the community.1 Subsequent to the approval of the Stonegate project in 2003, the District has indicated to P&D and the Stonegate developer that the District no longer wants a soccer field constructed on their property. As a result, the Stonegate developer has submitted a recorded map modification to P&D requesting (in part) that the requirement for the soccer field be removed from this Stonegate project. 4.3 Pre-Application
A Pre-Application (08PRE-00000-00003) was filed by the Orcutt Union School District on February 28, 2008 requesting confirmation of the existing language in the Orcutt Community Plan- Key Site 17 to allow for a 100% senior housing project. The District identified two potential development scenarios for the site. Both alternative scenarios have allowed approximately 262 residential units for seniors. Staff reviewed the development scenarios and found several ways in which they seemed in conflict with the Orcutt Community Plan policies. The most significant issues were: 1) building heights and the reduction or elimination of public views of the Solomon Hills from Old Town Orcutt; and 2) the requirement to dedicate and construct a ¾ acre public neighborhood park which must front Soares Avenue. To resolve these inconsistencies, the Orcutt Union School District is also proposing text amendments to the Key Site 17 development standards to allow for flexibility in the implementation of these requirements (Attachment A). Staff’s analysis of the
Key Site 17 Development Standard KS 17-3 requires each property owner to construct a ¾ acre park fronting Soares Avenue. The specific wording of the Development Standard is stated below in 5.0 of this staff report.
1
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Orcutt Community Plan issues associated with the Pre-Application is provided in the Conceptual Review Memo (dated January 28, 2009) included as Attachment B. 4.4 Conceptual Review by the Planning Commission
The aforementioned Pre-Application proposal was presented to the County’s Planning Commission for conceptual review on January 28, 2009. The Commission was presented with a conceptual outline of the project and staff’s analysis of potential OCP conflicts. Individual Commissioners offered a range of comments regarding the proposed project, but all five of the Planning Commissioners favored further consideration of the project. In addition, public testimony provided during the hearing also suggested overwhelming support for the District’s proposal to provide much needed senior housing to Orcutt. For greater detail regarding prior Commissioner comments see the Action Letter (dated January 30, 2009) included as Attachment C. 4.5 Key Site 17 Text Amendments
As noted above in section 4.3 of this staff report, the District’s request for a General Plan Amendment is not limited to changes to the land use designation but also includes specific revisions to the OCP Key Site 17 policies and development standards (Attachment A). Staff believes that a detailed analysis of the proposed amendments is not applicable at this time. However, if your Commission decides to support the District’s request for initiation of a General Plan Amendment, staff will evaluate the suggested revisions through the Amendment process and will provide recommendations on whether the revisions have merit at a future hearing. The criteria for recommending support of the revisions will be based on whether they are consistent with the goals and intent of the OCP and are in the best interest of the community.
5.0
PROJECT ANALYSIS
When applications for General Plan Amendments are submitted to the County, they must be initiated prior to acceptance and formal processing. Staff must be able to recommend initiation of the GPA to the decision-maker based on the ability to make certain findings. Specifically, staff must be able to make the finding that the amendment to the General Plan is “in the public interest” based on a comparison of the potential development under the current designation (in this case, Residential 8.0 to Residential 20). The OCP is the General Plan for Orcutt and so for the purposes of this discussion the term ‘General Plan’ and ‘OCP’ are synonymous. General guidelines to consider in determining whether an amendment should be processed are as follows: a. Is the request in the public interest per Government Code 65358(a)?
A major goal of the Oructt Community Plan (adopted 1993) was to balance needed residential, commercial and industrial growth with the need for environmental protection. To help fulfill this goal, buildout levels of commercial, industrial and residential development were adjusted. In recognition of this fact, the Orcutt Community Plan directs the County to continue to investigate additional opportunities to provide senior housing in Orcutt through the following action: Policy -LUR-O-3: The County shall encourage development of senior housing and shall work to preserve the existing senior housing stock.
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Action KS17-6: If an application is filed for a 100% senior housing project, as defined by the California Civil Code Section 51 et seq, on Assessors Parcels 105-134-04, -05; 105-330-05, -06, or -08, the County should consider redesignating and rezoning affected parcels to Res. 20 and DR 14. However, to ensure neighborhood compatibility, the homes fronting Soares Ave. and the homes adjacent to the park should be single family on lots at least 6,000 s.f. in size. In addition, buildings on APNs 105-330-05, -06 and -08 may be two stories in height but should be of low profile and screened to the greatest degree feasible. Staff believes that the request to amend the OCP would further policy objectives of the Orcutt Community Plan by providing severely needed senior housing in the Orcutt area. Initiation of the General Plan amendment could result in a development scenario that could allow a minimum of 262 senior residential units to be constructed. Further, staff is supportive of the request because of the site’s close proximity to the Old Town Orcutt commercial district and Rice Ranch Road, which would be serviced by the Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT). Additionally, the design standards for the Key Site 17 public neighborhood park is somewhat unclear in the OCP as it does not specify what type of amenities (i.e. picnic grounds, play areas, parking spaces, restrooms, etc.) should be included in the neighborhood park. Staff believes that there may be a potential benefit to proceeding with the suggested revisions to the KS 17-3 Development Standard because it could provide clarity on the design and amenities that should be provided in the District’s portion of the neighborhood park. b. Would the amendment be inconsistent with any Comprehensive Plan Element or Community Plan policy (other than that requested)?
As described above, re-designating residential parcels on a portion of Key Site 17 8.0 units per acre to 20 units per acre would not conflict with the Comprehensive Plan Element or the Orcutt Community Plan policies. Further, it would provide another opportunity to link the multiple parcels that comprise Key Site 17 and eliminate some of the ambiguities that have been discovered in existing development standards. c. Has the property recently been reviewed in a Community Plan update?
The subject properties were reviewed by the Planning Commission on a site specific basis during the preparation of the 1997 Orcutt Community Plan. As noted above, the proposal to amend the community plan to Residential 20 is consistent with the provisions of OCP Action KS17-6. Therefore, the redesignation of this site does not reverse recent Commission action. d. Would the amendment result in any significant adverse unavoidable impacts?
No significant adverse impacts have been identified at this time. However, full review of the project impacts would be performed subsequent to initiation. e. Would the request set a negative precedent?
It is unlikely that this project would set a negative precedent since:
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This project is consistent with goals, purposes and most policies contained in the Orcutt Community Plan. The project provides a basic need and further addresses the senior housing shortage. Action KS 17-6 contained in the Orcutt Community Plan contemplates re-designating the site to Residential 20 if an application for a 100% senior housing project is filed. The PreApplication submitted by the Orcutt Union School District mentioned above included two development scenarios for a 100% senior housing project. f. Is this request inconsistent with recent Board of Supervisors action on similar cases?
No. Earlier this year, the Board of Supervisors approved two amendments to the Orcutt Community Plan which allows residential development at a density of 20 units per acre on portions of Key Site 30 located in the central portion of Orcutt and on Key Site 3 located in the southeastern potion of Orcutt. Furthermore, Action KS17-6 of the Orcutt Community Plan directs the County to consider redesignating these specific parcels to Residential 20, which seems superior to the other key sites in many ways. ATTACHMENTS A. B. C. Proposed Text Amendments to OCP Key Site 17 Policy and Development Standards P&D Memorandum Dated January 28, 2009 Planning Commission Action Letter dated January 30, 2009
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