PREPARED BY: SANDRA CASTANEDA DATE OF MEETING: 6/27/2023
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDERATION OF MAJOR DESIGN REVIEW, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND MINOR ADJUSTMENT FOR FENCE HEIGHT TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND TRAINING FACILITY FOR THE CITY OF SAN PABLO IN THE SP-2 MIXED USE CENTER SOUTH DISTRICT TO BE LOCATED AT 1050 GATEWAY AVENUE, SAN PABLO, APN: 417-310-012.
CEQA: Addenda to adopted EIRs for the General Plan and San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Regulating Code. The proposed development would continue to be consistent with the land use and zoning designations for the site and would not result in an increase in the severity of impacts identified in the prior EIRs or IS/MND or any new impacts not previously considered in the prior EIRs and IS/MND.
Label
Location: 1050 Gateway Ave
APN: 417-310-012
Plan No. PLAN2305-0011
Zoning: SP-2, Mixed Use Center South
Owner: City of San Pablo
Applicant: Darrell Stelling; Architect, DLR Group
Staff Contact: Sandra Castaneda, Associate Planner
Recommendation
Conduct public hearing; adopt Resolution
Body
REQUESTED ACTION
A request for approval of Major Design Review, Conditional Use Permit for a location within 50 feet of a creek, and a Minor Adjustment for fence height under PLAN2305-0011, to allow for the construction of a new 42,000 square foot two-story building on a 2.27-acre site, to serve as the City of San Pablo Police Department Headquarters and Training Facility. The property is in the SP-2, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and regulated under the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code.
According to the San Pablo Zoning Ordinance, Major Design Review by the Planning Commission is required for Public and Quasi-Public development as well as for commercial development in all zoning districts. (San Pablo Municipal Code Section 17.20.030). The applicant has also requested a Use Permit to develop within fifty feet of Wildcat Creek. Use Permit provisions to ensure protections from nearby creeks are identified in Section 17.34.030.B.2
In addition, a Minor Adjustment has been requested to allow a maximum height increase of two feet for a fence that would surround the perimeter of the private parking area for the Police headquarters. The proposed fence would be a total of eight feet. The Minor Adjustment provisions are outlined in Section 17.18.070 of the Zoning Ordinance in the San Pablo Municipal Code.
Although Minor Adjustments are Zoning Administrator decisions, the Planning Commission is the approving authority for Major Design Review, and according to Section 17.16.070(B) Multiple Entitlements, when a proposed project requires more than one permit with more than one approving authority, all project permits shall be processed concurrently and final action shall be taken by the highest-level designated approving authority for all such requested permits. For the purpose of this project, all three requested permits will be considered by the Planning Commission as the highest-level designated approving authority.
The site is currently owned by the City of San Pablo and the City has contracted with DLRgroup Architecture Company, as well as Overaa Construction, to design and construct a new 42,000 square-foot, two-story building to serve as the City’s new Police Headquarters and Training Facility. The 2.27-acre site is currently vacant and future development of the site was anticipated in the San Pablo General Plan 2030 and the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan adopted in 2011, as well as in the Regulating Code for Mixed Use Center South, also adopted in 2011, where it is identified as portion of “Block F”. The area identified in the Regulating Code as “Block F” also includes the New City Hall, which was completed in the year 2020.
The CEQA review for the project was completed in December 2021, when the City completed addenda to EIRs prepared for the General Plan and San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the Regulating Code. Notices of Determination on the environmental review were filed with Contra Costa County on December 21, 2021.
Staff recommendation is for Planning Commission to approve of the Major Design Review, Conditional Use Permit, and Minor Adjustment for fence height, subject to the conditions of approval included in the resolution.
Surrounding Zoning and Land Uses:
This parcel is located in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan area and covered by the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code. The Mixed Use Center South or Plaza San Pablo area is designed to create a local and regional mixed-use destination as part of the overall vision for revitalization of the San Pablo Avenue Corridor. Surrounding zoning and land uses from the site are as follows:
North: SP2-San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan - Mixed Use Center South (Plaza San Pablo); Block E (future Chattleton Lane Town Houses) San Pablo Public Library, Block C (future Mixed Use development)
South: SP2-San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan - Mixed Use Center South (Plaza San Pablo); new San Pablo City Hall, West County Health Clinics; WIC
East: SP2-San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan - Mixed Use Center South (Plaza San Pablo); Walgreens
West: SP2-San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan - Mixed Use Center South (Plaza San Pablo); Wildcat Creek, Creekside Healthcare Center
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Notices regarding this public hearing were mailed to owners of properties within a 300-foot radius of the site on June 21, 2023. In addition, a Public Hearing Notice was published in the West County Times newspaper (West Contra Costa edition of the East Bay Times) on Saturday, June 24, 2023.
SITE LOCATION AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The 2.27-acre project site (designated as part of “Block F” in the Regulating Code) is located in the central portion of the Mixed Use Center South or Plaza San Pablo area of central San Pablo, which consists of a number of redevelopment tracts on the west side of San Pablo Avenue to the south of Church Lane. This area is identified as the “Circle S” Focus Area/Opportunity Site in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and is further addressed in the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code. New developments in the area include the San Pablo Public Library, San Pablo City Hall, West County Behavioral Health Center, Contra Costa County San Pablo WIC (Women, Infants & Children), a County-owned parking structure, and Walgreens Pharmacy. In addition to the proposed project, future development includes the “Block E” Chattleton Lane Row Houses (townhomes) and the “Block C” mixed use development to the north of the site. (See Attachment B, site location and Attachment C Regulating Code “block” illustration).
Along with the application form, the applicant has submitted a Project Description; legal description; and a detailed plan set including project data and code analysis, site plan, floor plans, conceptual perspectives, exterior elevations, building sections, color/material board, contextual photographs, grading and drainage plan, utility plan, stormwater control plan, boundary/topographic survey, landscape plan, irrigation plan and a photometric plan (see Attachments D through E).
The Project involves design and construction of a new two-story building of approximately 42,000 square feet to serve as the City’s new Police Headquarters and Training Facility. The new facility would accommodate approximately 88 full-time Police Department employees and the Training Facility would include potential uses including, but not limited to, classroom settings with sufficient capacity for seating and/or mat room for formal instruction and training as well as a 20-lane shooting range. The components of the training facility are intended to serve police departments within the immediate region.
The building’s frontage and main public-facing entrance would be located directly across from the main entrance of the existing City Hall building, and both entrances would be accessed via the shared driveway off of Chattleton Lane. Public as well as ADA-compliant parking and pedestrian access would be provided via this shared driveway. The police operations and emergency response entryway would be located on Chattleton Lane sharing a curb cut and drive lane across from Luna Avenue with the adjacent residential property (Block E). As shown in the proposed plan set (Attachment E), there are two levels to the proposed building. The first level floorplan includes a public lobby; two public restrooms; administrative staff work stations; support service; patrol, sergeant and watch commander offices; interview rooms and holding cells; a conference room; two classrooms; conference rooms and classrooms; storage; sally court/vehicle search space, and dog kennels. The first level would also hold the Training Facility, which would include a 20-lane shooting range, a virtual reality simulator room, a “ready room”, restrooms, a cleaning room, storage, armory and a janitorial room. The second level floorplan would contain mostly office spaces and workstations for staff and conference rooms, as well as a breakroom, fitness center and locker rooms for staff. The roof plan also shows a tower level which would contain a 441 square foot area for drone work. The tower level area would be accessible to staff only.
The City of San Pablo is the owner of the 2.27-acre piece of property adjacent to the new City Hall at the corner of Gateway Avenue and Chattleton Lane in San Pablo, CA, within the Mixed Use Regulating Code area, also known as Plaza San Pablo. The Police Headquarters and the Training Facility are to be located opposite (to the north of) the existing City Hall and will form a Civic Center with shared entry plaza across the shared entry drive. The design of the Project will conform to the San Pablo General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code, with a request for a Minor Adjustment for fence height. A Conditional Use Permit is also required per Section 17.32.30B of the Zoning Ordinance as the development is within fifty feet of the Wildcat Creek. Lastly, a Major Design Review is being considered for the new development as required per Section 17.20.030 of the Zoning Ordinance. The Project will include site preparation, grading, construction of the Police Headquarters and Training Facility, asphalt and hardscape paving, landscaping, and utilities.
BACKGROUND
The Plaza San Pablo site was acquired by the former Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Pablo to eliminate blighting conditions. The community vision for this area includes comprehensive redevelopment to create a local and regional mixed-use destination as part of the overall vision for revitalization of the San Pablo Avenue Corridor, as set forth in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and in the Mixed Use Center South Community Vision + Regulating Code + Implementation document (i.e., the Regulating Code). On a broader scale, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is also focusing on San Pablo Avenue as one of three regional corridors to focus implementation of their Plan Bay Area Sustainable Communities Strategy.
An area-wide master plan was developed for the Plaza San Pablo as part of the 2012 planning effort and the City has since implemented this vision with several recent projects constructed in the area. These projects include the new City Hall, Walgreens, Library, the WIC Building, and other County health facilities. The City has also completed the Wildcat Creek Greenway Trail project which extends along the western edge of the Plaza San Pablo area and has issued entitlements for the developments of Block C (mixed-use apartment and commercial building) and Block E (townhome development), both of which are completing their Plan Check process. The subject site is identified as a portion of “Block F” in the Regulating Code and is part of the same “Block” where the New City Hall is located. (See Attachment C)
GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE
The General Plan designation for the site is Mixed Use Center. This designation allows for a variety of commercial, residential, and public institutional uses, as identified in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and the Plaza San Pablo (Mixed Use Center South) Regulating Code. The following General Plan Guiding (G) and Implementing (I) policies apply to this request:
Urban Form:
LU-G-2
Ensure planned land uses are compatible with existing uses and provide for appropriate transitions or buffers for new uses, as needed.
Community Design:
LU-G-3
Preserve and strengthen the City’s overall image and create a safe, walkable and attractive urban environment for the current and future generations of residents.
LU-I-9: Encourage new residential, commercial and related forms of development in a manner which fosters both day and appropriate night time activity; visual presence on the street level; appropriate lighting; and minimally obstructed view areas.
Special Planning Subareas:
LU-I-39: Use the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan to guide future development in the Circle S (Plaza San Pablo) site focus area.
Parks, Schools, Community Facilities & Utilities
PSCU-G-2: Facilitate the provision of a broad range of community-serving facilities to meet local needs, including, but not limited to, schools, community centers, and libraries.
PSCU-I-18: Promote sustainable practices in the design, construction, and renovation of both public and private community-serving facilities.
Open Space & Conservation:
OSC-G-4: Ensure both access and ecological functionality of the creek system in San Pablo
The proposed project would be responsive to these policies by developing a new Civic/Institutional Building in the form of a Police Headquarters and Training Facility, on a site that would be well-integrated into its surroundings, and in close proximity to amenities, such as transit, the San Pablo City Hall, the San Pablo Library, the Wildcat Creek Trail, health services, Senior Center, and a variety of commercial uses. The project would also offer on-site landscaped bio-retention facilities and public parking. The design of the project would be compatible with the contemporary and Spanish style found in the nearby City Hall, County Health Clinics, and future townhome development to the north. The new Police Headquarters would create a Civic Center design by aligning the main public entrance to the building with the City Hall entrance with a shared entry plaza across the shared entry drive. The project would also add to the mix of uses envisioned by the General Plan for the Plaza San Pablo (“Circle S”) area.
For the reasons mentioned above, Planning Staff finds that the proposed use is consistent with the San Pablo General Plan land use Parks, Schools, Community Facilities & Utilities, and Open Space & Conservation policies.
SAN PABLO AVENUE SPECIFIC PLAN CONFORMANCE
The subject site is within an opportunity site and focus area identified as the “Circle S” area in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan. The land use (and zoning) designation for the site is shown as Mixed Use Center South.
The Specific Plan describes the Circle-S opportunity site as follows:
This 18-acre site, owned by the San Pablo Redevelopment Agency, is a major opportunity for the City of San Pablo. Located adjacent to Wildcat Creek and along the busiest stretch of San Pablo Avenue, this site presents an opportunity to capitalize on the proximity of City Hall, the San Pablo Lytton Casino, and nearby medical offices to establish a major mixed-use residential and commercial node in the heart of the corridor. It also presents an opportunity to integrate a large park or community open space into the development and along the corridor.
The following guiding (G) and implementing (I) policies of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan are relevant to the proposed project:
Land Use Policies:
2-G-3: Promote pedestrian- and transit-friendly development that enhances the public realm.
2-I-5 Ensure that ample community gathering spaces, open spaces, and recreational facilities are part of any mixed-use development or master planned area.
Access, Circulation, and Parking Policies:
3-G-4: Provide continuous pedestrian sidewalks and safe bike travel routes throughout the Planning Area and within development projects.
3-G-6: Ensure that private development integrates pedestrian and bicycle connections to transit, open space, and key destinations.
3-G-11: Avoid excessive supplies of parking that would discourage transit ridership and pedestrian or bicycle trips.
Urban Design Policies:
4-G-1: Develop the Circle-S site with a vital mix of synergistic retail, eating/drinking establishments, office, institutional, and residential uses, and as a citywide and regional destination.
4-G-2: Ensure that streets and open spaces form the framework for development, with the public realm designed to be accessible from the surroundings, and designed to enhance pedestrian movement.
4-G-14: Design building façades at a pedestrian scale to heighten pedestrian comfort and access, and to create an active and inviting public realm.
4-I-8: Maintain buildings of generally three to four stories, with lower heights in certain portions of the site, and reaching five or six stories in selected locations, stepped away from the project’s edges.
Utilities and Public Services Policies:
5-G-2: Maintain a safe and livable environment in the Planning Area by ensuring that building design and site planning adequately address public safety considerations.
5-I-9: Coordinate with the San Pablo Police Department on project site design to increase public safety.
The proposed project would be consistent with the guiding goals and implementing policies of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan. The development would be well integrated into the established pedestrian-oriented context by providing central connectivity to the newly built City Hall and Wildcat Creek Trail. The new building would be located opposite the existing City Hall, forming a Civic Center, with a shared driveway leading through a shared entry plaza. The development would also provide safe and direct pedestrian connections to the closest AC Transit stops on San Pablo Avenue just south of Church Lane and in front of the Walgreens Pharmacy. In conformance with the policies, the project would incorporate parking that would be hidden from the public streets while still providing sufficient parking for staff, police vehicle fleet, and residents. The project would maintain an appropriate density, scale and building façade that is in harmony with the surrounding structures. The project has also been designed in conjunction with the San Pablo Police Department to ensure adequate safety and support for their mission.
ZONING CODE CONFORMANCE
The property is in the SP-2 Mixed Use Center South district (San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan) and the General Plan land use designation is Mixed Use Center. The Mixed Use Center South area is described as follows:
Mixed Use Center South. The Mixed Use Center South designation is limited to the former Circle-S site. Similar to Mixed Use Center North, this designation describes a new high-intensity mixed-use destination in an area with high growth potential. The Mixed Use Center South designation aims to establish a major new activity center and new citywide and regional destination for the City of San Pablo. Uses may include commercial, office (including medical offices), residential, institutional, and hotel. Typical heights are expected to reach three to five stories, with a maximum height of 60 feet. The maximum FAR is 2.5 and the maximum residential density allowed is 60 units per gross acre (included within the FAR limit).
Development standards in the Mixed Use Center South area are set forth in Tables 2-3 and 4-1 of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan. In some cases, these requirements are supplemented or superseded by the requirements for Block F contained in the Regulating Code. A breakdown of the relevant standards is provided in the table below:
|
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SP-2 MIXED USE CTR SOUTH DISTRICT |
|
Standards |
SP/Zoning Code Requires |
Proposed |
Complies? |
|
Minimum parcel area (sf) |
-- |
2.27-acre |
Yes |
|
Lot Width |
-- |
530 ft. |
NA |
|
Block Length |
400 ft max |
±200 ft |
Yes |
|
Maximum building height (feet) |
60 ft |
46 ft |
Yes |
|
Max Stories |
4-6 |
2 |
Yes |
|
Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) |
2.5 |
0.43 (est.) |
Yes |
|
Maximum Lot Coverage |
90% |
42.5% |
Yes |
|
Front yard setback (feet) |
0-5 ft |
±23 ft. |
Yes |
|
Rear yard setback (feet) |
0 ft. |
±65 ft. |
Yes |
|
Side yard setbacks (feet) |
0 ft |
12.2 ft. and ±147 ft. |
Yes |
|
Setback adjacent to Creek |
30 ft from top of bank |
141.3 ft. top of bank to building |
Yes |
As identified above, the proposed project would be in conformance with the development standards for the SP2 - Mixed Use Center South district.
The proposed project provides a total of 112 parking spaces, including 21 public parking spaces. In terms of off-street parking requirements, Parking Section 2.4.3 of the Mixed-Use Center North Regulating Code requires a minimum of zero (0) and a maximum of six (6) parking spaces per one-thousand (1000 sq. ft.) for Civic/Cultural Use. Table 17.54-A of the Zoning Code, Non-Residential Parking Requirements, shows that Public Services should provide one space for every 400 square feet. The provision for 105 spaces exactly meets this requirement.
REGULATING CODE CONFORMANCE
The Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code provides additional guidance for development of the site, which is identified as the northern portion of “Block F” in the document (Section 2.2.F). This Regulating Plan supplements and in some cases replaces the requirements of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan. When the content of the Regulating Plan conflicts with the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, the Regulating Plan shall govern. The Regulating Code provides this overview for Block F:
Encompassing approximately 4 acres, Block F extends between the western edge of Chattleton Square and Wildcat Creek. Multistory buildings fronting along Chattleton Square West create opportunities for a range of complementary land uses where they have excellent views of the public open spaces. Residential and workplace uses are permitted in buildings located along new Neighborhood Streets, recommended as part of new development. Applicants are required to provide a Neighborhood Street connection to the southern project boundary in anticipation of a future connection to Vale Road. (See Section 3.1.2)
Land use categories allowed in Block F include Main Street Retail, General Commercial, Destination Retail, Workplace, Residential, Lodging, and Civic/Cultural. The project would fit within the Civic/Cultural category. According to the Regulating Code, the intent and permitted uses of the Civic & Cultural Use Category are as follows:
Civic and Cultural uses permit a range of public and quasi-public uses intended to attract a variety of residents and visitors.
Permitted Types
• Civic and Cultural uses including and similar to government center or office, library, police substation, museum etc.
• Quasi-public uses including and similar to conference centers, teen and senior centers etc.
• Non-profit services, fraternal organizations, clubs, union halls, and similar organizations.
• Public parks and open spaces.
• Public parking facilities.
The proposed Police Department Headquarters and Training Facility fits in with the intent of Block F and it is identified as a permitted use within the Regulating Code.
In terms of site development standards for Block F (Section 2.2.F), the Regulating Code reflects the requirements of the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan as addressed above. However, there is one additional building setback identified in the Code, which is a 30-foot setback from the Wildcat Creekside Trail. Due to placement of the Trail, this setback requirement extends further into the site than does the Specific Plan’s 30-foot setback from the top of bank. The 30-foot setback from the Creek Trail extends into the parking lot of the new development but is 141.3 feet away from the proposed main building and 18.9 feet away from the trash enclosure. This is illustrated in Sheet C2.01 (page 4) of the submitted plans included in Attachment E. Because there are no built structures proposed in this area, this setback is considered to be met.
MAJOR DESIGN REVIEW
The proposed project involves the construction of a new 42,000 square foot two-story Police Department Headquarters and Training Facility on an existing 2.27-acre City-owned vacant site. In addition to the offices of the Police Headquarters, the Training Facility component includes uses such as classroom settings for formal instruction and a 20-lane shooting range.
The interior of the proposed two-story building is designed to support all designated police operations, administrative services, and training programs. The exterior design of the building is a contemporary design that incorporates elements such as large arches and plaster finishes that respond to the adjacent City Hall, the West County Health Facilities, and the new proposed townhomes in Block E. The massing of the building is low-slung and horizontally oriented along the entry driveway, with alternating colored bands breaking up the structure vertically. Warm earth tones of beige and terracotta are dominant, with accents in light olive and matte black window frames. The proposed shared entry plaza with City Hall is designed to provide a clear approach to the building and foster public interaction. A prominent design element is the tower at the southwest corner of the structure. The tower is visible from all elevations and it would be finished with large windows with matte black frames and dark spandrel glazing, bringing a recognizable contemporary design to the building. In addition, the arches included in the south and east elevations would incorporate a similar design as the City Hall across the shared driveway. Because the uses within the building require some elevations to be less visually appealing; the building design pushes these facades away from the public view, with the exception of the eastern elevation along Chattleton Lane. This elevation of the proposed facility, where the shooting range is to be located, implements a metal mesh “green wall” to soften and screen the windowless portions of the facade (see elevations in Attachment E). This green wall would allow for vining plants to grow and climb the walls, offering a natural design element to the building façade. The façade is further screened by three Upright European Hornbeam trees, with Holly Oaks providing additional visual relief near the corners of the building.
Landscape plans for the project (Attachment E, Sheet L1.0 and L2.0) show generous landscaping throughout the site and particularly along the perimeter of the Creekside, the shared driveway with City Hall, and along Chattleton Lane, which is a public facing elevation. A total of 43 ornamental trees are proposed to be planted, including, Holly Oak, Cork Oak, African Fern Pine, and Brisbane Box. In addition, numerous shrubs, grasses, perennials, and groundcover species would be planted.
Section 17.20.030(C) of the San Pablo Zoning Ordinance states that the Planning Commission shall ensure that the proposed development meet the following requirements:
1. Design Guidelines. The proposal is consistent with applicable design guidelines.
2. Community Plans. The proposal is consistent with any community design plan or specific plan.
3. General Plan. The proposal is consistent with the land use, physical design, and economic development element and the open space element of the general plan.
4. Location and Design. The location and design of proposed development gives particular consideration to privacy, views, and sunlight on adjoining properties and fosters the orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the public health and welfare of the city and its neighborhoods.
5. Design and Colors. The architectural design of structures and their colors and materials are visually harmonious with surrounding development, landforms, and vegetation.
The project’s overall compliance to the San Pablo General Plan, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, and Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code are addressed above. Several of the policies within these plans are aimed at fostering the orderly and harmonious development and preservation of the public health and welfare of the city and its neighborhoods. The project would fit well within the highly planned Plaza San Pablo area by offering a new Civic building that incorporates the look and feel of a Civic Center to this area. The architectural design of the structures and their colors and materials would be visually harmonious with the surrounding contemporary and Spanish-style development patterns and with the natural areas along the Wildcat Creek corridor.
The San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan contains design guidelines in Chapter 4 which are intended to serve as recommendations to guide development projects in the design review process. Below is a discussion of the guidelines that are most pertinent to this development:
Building Height, Massing, and Articulation:
DG-4 Provide vertical and horizontal articulation in building mass through stepbacks at upper levels, recessions and projections, changes in materials and transparency, and variations in height.
DG-6 Require adjacent buildings and buildings within master planned developments to exhibit variation in roof heights and forms.
As shown in the building elevations and sections, the design of the project would include a recess in the shooting range wall providing an outdoor plaza and would incorporate a tower and a freestanding arch in the front elevation. The project would also use of a variety of materials and colors. As shown in the color and material board included in the elevations, there are five different shades in the color palette that would be incorporated throughout the building. In addition, the roof heights and forms would vary among the unit types.
Building Orientation, Entries, and Façades:
DG-15 Reduce the impact of blank walls by providing special landscape treatment, murals or other public art, or unique building design elements
As shown in the building elevations, portions of the East and South elevations incorporate a green wall with metal mesh that proposes climbing plants as a design element to relieve these elevations of stark, blank walls.
Open Space:
DG-16 Design open spaces as integral elements to the development, not as left
over space.
DG-25 Encourage sustainable landscape design with the use of hardy, native, low-water consumption, drought-tolerant planting, as well as stormwater management systems. Utilize bioswales and rain gardens in street medians or landscape buffers. Employ moisture-sensitive irrigation systems.
DG-27 Locate publicly accessible open space near the center of activity nodes or buildings and along pedestrian connections to encourage a variety of spillover activities and facilitate pedestrian access.
In addition to perimeter and roadside landscaping, several landscaped bioretention areas throughout the parking lot and a small outdoor plaza are proposed in the front of the building. The landscaping materials would consist of appropriate drought-resistant plantings meeting Water Efficiency standards. The alignment of the front public entrance along the driveway shared with City Hall would allow for easily accessible pedestrian access between both facilities, as well as connectivity to Gateway Avenue, Chattleton Lane, San Pablo Avenue and Church Lane.
The proposed project appears to be responsive to the recommended design guidelines and incorporates a number of the contextual elements of the surrounding neighborhood. The architectural design, colors and materials would be visually harmonious with surrounding development.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT
Use Permit provisions to ensure protections from nearby creeks are identified in Section 17.34.030.B.2, Uses Allowed:
2. Streams. In the absence of any other permit requirement, any development, including land disturbance, that is within fifty feet of any stream shall require an administrative use permit to ensure that the development adequately avoids impacts to wetland features or woodlands, reduces impacts to the creek, and prevents degradation of riparian and wetland features from potential urban pollutants, pursuant to the relevant policies and actions related to creeks within the General Plan.
Because the project is within 50 feet of Wildcat Creek, the Zoning Administrator has determined that the project is subject to this provision. In addition, because the project has other concurrent discretionary approvals being considered by the Planning Commission, the Zoning Administrator has referred the required Use Permit to the Planning Commission for consideration.
The Use Permit process is set forth in Section 17.18.080 and 17.20.040 of the Zoning Code. Section 17.20.040.B identifies the following necessary finding for granting of a Conditional Use Permit by the Planning Commission:
Findings. In order to grant any use permit, the findings of the planning commission shall be that the establishment, maintenance, or operation of the use of the building applied for will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, peace, morals, comfort, and general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of such proposed use or be detrimental or injurious to property and improvements in the neighborhood or to the general welfare of the city.
Based upon the planning and zoning conformance analysis contained in this staff report, the project appears to meet the required findings to support a Conditional Use Permit. Findings to support the granting of a Conditional Use Permit in this case include the following:
1. The proposed Civic/Cultural use is allowed in the Mixed Use Center South district of the SP-2 San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan.
2. The project complies with the development regulations of the Zoning Code, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, and the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code. The applicant has requested a minor adjustment for a 2-foot fence increase.
3. The site is physically suited for the type, density, and intensity of the proposed use, with adequate roadway and utility access and the absence of any physical constraints to development.
4. The project site is buffered from the Wildcat Creek corridor by the recently constructed Wildcat Creek Greenway Trail which extends along the entire length of its western frontage. Therefore, the project would not physically impact the creek corridor or trail.
5. The applicant has submitted topography and grading plans stating that the subject site is suitable for the proposed project. Conditions of approval will be incorporated to ensure that all structural measures are adhered to during construction of the project.
6. Granting the permit would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare, or materially injurious to persons, property, or improvements in the vicinity in which the project is located. The site has long been planned for redevelopment with a variety of urban scale uses, including civic buildings.
7. Granting of the requested Conditional Use Permit will not materially adversely affect the health or safety of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the property and will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood. The site fits well into the context of its surrounding and would not create a visual or safety impediment to any surrounding uses.
MINOR ADJUSTMENT
The Zoning Administrator has authority to make limited land use decisions. According to Chapter 17.18.070, Minor Adjustment, of the San Pablo Zoning Ordinance, the Zoning Administrator can approve Minor Adjustments for an increase in the height of a fence by up to two (2) feet (Table 17.18-A). The applicant for the project is requesting a fence increase of two (2) feet in order to incorporate an eight (8) foot tall security fence surrounding the parking area for the Police Headquarters and Training Facility. Because the project has other concurrent discretionary approvals being considered by the Planning Commission, the Zoning Administrator has referred the required Minor Adjustment to the Planning Commission for consideration.
According to Table 17.45-B, fences placed in nonresidential areas are limited to no more than six (6) feet in height. With a minor adjustment, this fence may be increased to a maximum fence height of eight (8) feet. The project is seeking for an eight (8) foot tall security fence to provide security to the private parking lot area that would house the Police vehicle fleet as well as employee parking. The security fence would not extend to the frontage of the building where 21 publicly accessible parking spaces are proposed. Furthermore, the fence would extend to the west side of the parcel abutting the creek, which is an area of concern for security. The proposed security fence design and height would be consistent with the existing fence that surrounds the City vehicle parking area on the City Hall site. Sheet C2.02 of the plans included in Attachment E includes cross sections that depict the proposed fence height in relation to the creek bank, retaining wall, and exiting curb and gutter. Images of the proposed fence and retaining wall are also included in Sheet C2.02. Cross-section depicting the existing creek path, proposed retaining wall and fence is shown below:
In accordance with Section 17.80.070, the Zoning Administrator (Planning Commission in this instance) shall make the following additional findings:
1. The proposed development is of sufficient size and is designed so as to provide a desirable environment within its own boundaries.
2. The proposed development is compatible with existing and proposed land uses in the surrounding area.
3. Any exceptions to or deviations from the density, requirements, or design standards result in the creation of project amenities that would not be available through strict adherence to code provisions (e.g., additional open space, protection of natural resources, improved pedestrian connectivity, public plazas). All minor adjustments shall be consistent with density bonus provisions outlined in Section 17.60.020 <https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SanPablo/>, Density bonus and other incentives.
4. Granting the minor adjustment will not adversely affect the interests of the public or the interests of residents and property owners in the vicinity of the premises in question.
5. The minor adjustment is consistent with the general plan or any applicable specific plan or development agreement.
6. The exception is the minimum required in that it allows the specified improvement or development to occur but does not provide additional development rights.
The proposed adjustment meets these findings in that it involves a project of sufficient size that it provides a desirable environment within its boundaries, it is compatible with existing and proposed land uses, would otherwise be consistent with development regulations, would be consistent with the general plan, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, and Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code, and the amendment would be the minimum amount necessary to meet the security goals and would not adversely affect the interests of the public or the interests of residents and property owners in the vicinity of the premises in question.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Future development of the site was anticipated in the San Pablo General Plan 2030 and the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan adopted in 2011, as well as in the Regulating Code for Mixed Use Center South where it is identified as portion of “Block F”, also adopted in 2011. The City of San Pablo adopted EIRs for the General Plan and San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Regulating Code. These documents are available for viewing at these links:
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/463/SPGP_EIR-PR-draft?bidId=>
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/565/San-Pablo-GP-FEIR--021011?bidId=>
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1077/SPAve-Draft-EIR-Complete-0311_reduced?bidId=>
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1064/FEIR---San-Pablo-Ave-SP_FINAL_reduced?bidId=>
<https://www.sanpabloca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7991/Mitigated-Neg-Dec-adopted-with-Reso-2011-115?bidId=>
These documents anticipated that the site would be developed with a mix of uses, potentially including commercial, office, residential, institutional, and/or hotel uses. The proposed use would be consistent with the anticipated public/institutional use. Based on review of the anticipated project and of the previous analysis, the City of San Pablo has determined that the potential environmental impacts associated with developing a Police Headquarters and Public Safety Training Facility on the Block “F” site have been fully analyzed and addressed in the previously prepared EIRs and IS/MND and will not result in conditions outlined in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 that would require preparation of a subsequent EIR. Existing General Plan and Specific Plan policies and implementation measures identified in the General Plan EIR, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan, and IS/MND for the Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code will continue to reduce the potential effects of development of the Block “F” site to less-than-significant levels. In accordance with this analysis, with the assistance of MBA, the City prepared Addenda to the two EIRs and the IS/MND consistent with the requirements of CEQA Guidelines Section 15164, which were approved by City Council on December 20, 2021. The resolution for the approved addenda is included in Attachment F.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve the Major Design Review, Conditional Use Permit, and minor adjustment for fence height, with the conditions of approval identified in the attached proposed Resolution (Attachment A). Any changes to the project or proposed changes to the approvals must first be submitted to the City of San Pablo for review.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution PC23-07
B. Site Location
C. Mixed Use Center South Regulating Code “Blocks” Illustrations
D. Project Application and Legal Description
E. Architectural/Engineering Submittal: Site Plan, Floor Plans, Perspectives, Elevations, Sections, Color/Material board, photographs, tentative map, grading and drainage plan, utility plan, stormwater control plan, boundary/topographic survey, landscape plan, irrigation plan
F. CEQA Documents: Addenda to General Plan EIR, San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan EIR, and Regulating Plan for “The Avenue” Mitigated Negative Declaration
G. Proof of Publication from West County Times