Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 10542 (North SR Project Priorities)RESOLUTION 10542 RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL GRANTING THE 1999 PRIORITY PROJECT DETERMINATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACTING THE LUCAS VALLEY ROAD/SMITH RANCH ROAD/HIGHWAY 101 AND THE FREITAS PARKWAY/HIGHWAY 101 INTERCHANGES (NORTH SAN RAFAEL) City File Nos. P-99-1, PPP99-2, PPP 99-3, PPP 99-5 and PPP99-9 The City Council of the City of San Rafael finds and determines that: WHEREAS, on October 17, 1988, the San Rafael City Council adopted Resolution 7853 establishing the Priority Projects Procedure (PPP), to implement San Rafael General Plan 2000 Policies C-3 (Timing of Development with Transportation Improvements), C-7 (Projects in Circulation -Impacted Areas) and Program C -b (Project Approval Procedure in Traffic Impacted Areas) to mitigate traffic impacts resulting from new development. The procedure was established to: a) ensure that the timing of new development coincides with the timing and construction of necessary transportation improvements and b) that City adopted level of service standards at effected intersections are maintained (required by General Plan Policy C-2, Level of Service D Mid -Point). The circulation -impacted areas of San Rafael are the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch RoadlHighway 101 Interchange, Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchange and the Bellam Boulevard/I-580/Highway 101 Interchange; and WHEREAS, on August 2, 1999, the San Rafael City Council adopted Resolution 10476, inviting submittals for the Priority Projects Procedure- 1999 (PPP). A September 13, 1999 application deadline date was established; and WHEREAS, five (5) PPP applications were submitted affecting the Lucas Valley road/Smith Ranch Road/Highway 101 and the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchanges (North San Rafael); and WHEREAS, on Tuesday, November 30, 1999, the Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the Priority Projects applications affecting the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch Road/Highway 101 and the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchanges (North San Rafael) and considered all reports, recommendations, letters and testimony. As part of this review, the Planning Commission considered the findings and recommendations of the Priority Projects Review Committee. On a 6-0-1 vote (Whipple absent), the Planning Commission adopted Resolution 99-32, recommending to the City Council: a) the approval of a priority project determination for the Northgate Office Building (5000 Civic Center Drive), the light industrial development alternative for the redevelopment of the former Fairchild Semiconductor site (4300 Redwood Highway) and the McInnis Park II Apartments (500 Deer Valley Road/North Drive) and b) a denial without prejudice action for the Look Out Mountain residential development (280 Channing Way), the office development alternative for the redevelopment of the former Fairchild Semiconductor site (4300 Redwood Highway) and the Northgate Mall Expansion (5800 Northgate Drive) applications; and WHEREAS, on Tuesday, December 7, 1999, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the PPP applications for the North San Rafael area, accepting public testimony, reviewing the written report of the Department of Community Development and considering the recommendations of the Planning Commission. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the San Rafael City Council hereby adopts the following finding for defining and establishing criteria used in evaluating development projects competing for Priority Projects Determination: As defined by General Plan Policy C-7, projects which receive priority citywide shall include projects which provide significant amounts of affordable housing, high tax generating uses or needed neighborhood serving uses as defined hereafter: Affordable Housing Proiect (AH)- Projects providing a minimum of 15% of the total units within the development that are affordable to low and moderate income households. Of this 15%, 8% must be affordable to low income and 7% affordable to moderate income. This definition is consistent with the definition of an "Affordable Housing Project", per San Rafael General Plan 2000 Housing Element Policy H-20. Needed NeiLyhborhood Serving Uses (NNS)- A use that provides a valued service or public benefit to the community such as the direct construction or a substantial financial contribution to the development of a child care center, library, planned public trails and bicycle paths, community facility, etc. The use shall be identified by a neighborhood plan, the North San Rafael Vision, the San Rafael General Plan 2000, or as recommended by the Priority Project Review Committee. Retail uses identified in the San Rafael General Plan 2000 Land Use Element Policy LU -13a (Neighborhood Commercial) are considered good. High Tax Generating Uses (HTG)- A use that generates a significant amount of annual taxes provided directly to the City of San Rafael. The annual tax revenue range that is provided to the City of San Rafael shall be ranked as follows: * $300,000 or greater in annual taxes to the City - EXCELLENT * $100,000 to $300,000- FAIR - GOOD * $100,000 or less- POOR BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that for the North San Rafael area, the City Council hereby: a) grants the approval of a Prioritv Proiect Determination for three (3) projects: the 5000 Civic Center Drive office building, the McInnis Park H Apartments (500 Deer Vallev Drive/North Drive residential development and the 4300 Redwood HiRhwav Light Industrial Development Alternative and b) denies without preiudice, the priority project applications for the Look Out Mountain residential development, Northgate Mall Expansion and the 4300 Redwood Highwav Office Development Alternative, based on the following findings: 2 PPP 99-2; Northgate Office Building (5000 Civic Center Drive) Traffic A total of seven (7) PM peak hour trips would be generated by this project, which is consistent with the General Plan trip allocation for the subject property. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Iiighway 101 Interchange or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Qualifier The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that it would provide a substantial cash contribution ($22,000) to the fund that has been established for the Freitas Parkway center median landscape and improvement program. This program is one of the many "priority actions" cited in the North San Rafael Vision and, is therefore considered to be a "needed neighborhood - serving" use and improvement. Findings The Priority Project Review Committee has given this project an overall rating of Excellent and it is recommended that it be granted priority project status. In addition to meeting the qualifications as a "high priority" project, the project would result in a minimal contribution of traffic to the effected intersections, would be consistent with all pertinent policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000 and would be consistent with the pertinent goals and priority actions of the Vision North San Rafael. Furthermore, the required land use and design approvals for this project can be secured within one year of priority project approval. PPP 99-1; Look Out Mountain Residential Development (280 Channing Way) Traffic A total of 13 PM peak hour trips would be generated by this project, which is consistent with the General Plan trip allocation for the subject property. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchange or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Qualifier The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that, it would provide the construction of two (2) on-site residential units that would be priced, for sale, to low and moderate income households (BMR). This proposal represents 15.3% of the total project density, which defines the development as an "affordable housing project". Findings While the proposed development would qualify as a high priority project and would not cause significant traffic impacts at affected intersections, the Priority Project Review Committee has given this project an overall rating of Poor and the application is recommended for denial without prejudice. The project would be consistent with most, but not all of the pertinent policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000. Furthermore, the project has the potential to be subject to a lengthy environmental review process and it is not likely that the project will be under construction within one year (priority project status valid for one year). Therefore, it is premature to grant a priority project status at this time. PPP 99-3; Office and Light Industrial Development Alternatives for former Fairchild Site (4300 Redwood Highway) Traffic A total of 286 PM peak hour trips would be generated by the Office Development Alternative, which would exceed the trip allocation assigned to the subject property under the General Plan (exceed by approximately 100 PM peak hour trips). The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will result in traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchange, causing the Freitas Parkway/Redwood Highway -Civic Center Drive intersection to fall below LOS D. A total of 182 PM peak hour trips would be generated by Light Industrial Development Alternative, which is consistent with the General Plan trip allocation for the subject property. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 or the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch Road/Highway 101 Interchanges or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Qualifier Both project alternatives qualify as a "high priority" project in that they would: a) provide a substantial cash contribution ($120,000) to the fund that has been established for the Freitas Parkway center median landscape and improvement program, b) provide, for 10 years, a $10,000 per year contribution to the fund an expanded or second North San Rafael shuttle service and c) landscaping and buffer enhancement improvements to the creek/wetland setback along the north fork of the Gallinas Creek. The proposed public benefits are listed as "priority actions" in the North San Rafael Vision and, are therefore considered to be "needed neighborhood -serving" uses and improvements. Finally, the required land use and design approvals for this development alternative can be secured within one year of priority project approval. Findinizs The Priority Project Review Committee has given the Office Development Alternative an overall rating of Poor and the application is recommended for denial without prejudice. This rating is recommended because: a) this development alternative will cause the Freitas Parkway/Redwood Highway -Civic Center Drive intersection to fall below LOS D and b) the estimated PM peak hour trips generated from this development alternative would far exceed the trips assigned to the subject property under the General Plan. The Priority Project Review Committee has given the Light Industrial Development Alternative an overall rating of Good and it is recommended that it be granted priority project status. This development alternative meets the qualifications as a "high priority" project. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 or the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch Road Interchanges or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Furthermore, the light industrial development alternative would be consistent with the pertinent policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000 and the pertinent goals and priority actions of the Vision North San Rafael. PPP 99-5; McInnis Park II Apartments (500 Deer Valley Drive/North Drive) Traffic A total of 36 PM peak hour trips would be generated by this project, which would require the securing of 18 PM peak hour trips from the General Plan reserve. As the project is proposed as an "affordable housing project", assignment of additional reserve trips would be consistent with the General Plan. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch Road/Highway 101 Interchange or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Qualifier The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that, it would provide the construction of eight (8) on-site residential units that would be rented households qualifying in the low and moderate income households (BMR) for 40 years. This proposal represents 19% of the total project density, which defines the development as an "affordable housing project." Findings The Priority Project Review Committee has given this project an overall rating of Good and it is recommended that it be granted priority project status. This affordable housing project meets the qualifications as a "high priority" project. The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will not: a) result in short-term traffic impacts to the Lucas Valley Road/Smith Ranch Road Interchanges or b) result in unacceptable level of service conditions. Furthermore, the project would be consistent with the pertinent policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000 and the pertinent goals and priority actions of the Vision North San Rafael. Finally, the required land use and design approvals for this project can be secured within one year of priority project approval. PPP 99-12; Northgate Mall Expansion (5800 Northgate Drive) Traffic A total of 778 PM peak hour trips would be generated by the Office Development Alternative, which would exceed the trip allocation assigned to the subject property under the General Plan (exceed by over 700 PM peak hour trips). The traffic analysis prepared for this project concludes that the development will result in traffic impacts to the Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchange, causing the Freitas Parkway/Redwood Highway -Civic Center Drive, Merrydale/Civic Center Drive and the Merrydale Drive/Las Gallinas Avenue intersections to fall below LOS D. Qualifier The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that it would be a "high tax -generating use" and would provide a "needed neighborhood -serving use." The project would result in annual sales tax revenue to the City in excess of $300,000. In addition, the project would implement a portion of the Promenade "Hike and Bike" trail along Las Gallinas Drive. This trail improvement is one of the many "priority actions" cited in the North San Rafael Vision and, is therefore considered to be a "needed neighborhood -serving" use and improvement. Findings The Priority Project Review Committee has given this project an overall rating of Poor and the application is recommended for denial without prejudice. This rating is recommended because: a) this development alternative will cause several of the intersections to fall below LOS D and b) the estimated PM peak hour trips generated from this development alternative would far exceed the trips assigned to the subject property under the General Plan. Furthermore, this rating is recommended because the project would not be consistent with a number of policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000 that are pertinent to the subject property. Therefore, the project will require major amendments to the General Plan (for exceeded floor area ratio and building height) and will be subject to a lengthy environmental review process. Therefore, it is too premature to grant a priority determination for this project at this time. I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a special meeting of the City Council held on Tuesday, December 7, 1999, by the following vote to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: CC-resoldoc Cohen, Heller, Miller, Phillips and Mayor Boro None None P Gl wee i �'!ANNE LEO IlNI, City Clerk