HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 11331 (580-101 Interchange Projects)RESOLUTION NO. 11331
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL GRANTING THE 2002
PRIORITY PROJECT DETERMINATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACTING THE
BELLAM BOULEVARD/I-580/HIGHWAY 101 INTERCHANGE (EAST SAN RAFAEL)
City File Nos. PPP03-002 and PPP03-003
WHEREAS, on October 17, 1988, the San Rafael City Council adopted Resolution No.
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 ensure: a) 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 Road/Highway 101 Interchange, Freitas Parkway/Highway 101 Interchange
and the Bellam Boulevard/I-580/Highway 101 Interchange; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 1998, the City Council accepted a report approving the
implementation of a number of transportation improvements for the East San Rafael area. These
improvements were intended to serve as an interim, equivalent solution to the construction of the
Irene Street Overcrossing, a major, planned transportation improvement for the area. Phase I and
II of these improvements have been implemented, while Phase III of these improvements is
currently being designed; and
WHEREAS, on January 21, 2003, the San Rafael City Council accepted a report from the
City Traffic Engineer recommending against the release of any new trips in the East San Rafael
area. However, since a project that had previously been granted Priority Project determination but
has not yet been vested, the trips granted to this project would be available for competition; and
WHEREAS, on January 21, 2003, the San Rafael City Council adopted Resolution No.
11238, inviting applications for the 2002 Priority Projects Procedure (PPP). A March 5, 2003
application deadline was established; and
WHEREAS, three (3) applications were submitted affecting the Bellam Boulevard/I-
580/11ighway 101 Interchange (East San Rafael). One of the three applications was a request for
a time extension for PPP approval granted in 2000 and 2001. Consistent with the provisions of
Resolution No. 11238, all PPP time extension requests must be processed and considered with
new PPP applications; and
WHEREAS, one (1) application, an eight service bay expansion at 1599 Francisco
Boulevard East (Sonnen BMW), was deemed to be exempt from the requirements of PPP in that
it would generate 9 PM peak hour trips. Consistent with the provisions of Resolution No. 11238,
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any new use which would generate fewer than 10 trips is considered exempt from the
requirements of PPP; and
WHEREAS, on Tuesday, April 29, 2003, the Planning Commission conducted a duly -
noticed public hearing on the remaining two PPP applications affecting the Bellam Boulevard/I-
580/Highway 101 Interchange (East San Rafael), and considered all reports, recommendations,
letters and testimony; and
WHEREAS, as part of the review of the PPP application, the Planning Commission
considered the findings and recommendations of the Priority Projects Review Committee; and
WHEREAS, on a 4-2-1 vote, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution 03-12
recommending to the City Council the approval of the one PPP application; and
WHEREAS, on Monday, June 2, 2003, the City Council conducted a duly -noticed public
hearing on the two PPP applications for the East San Rafael area, accepting public testimony,
reviewing the written report of the Community Development Department and considering the
recommendation of the Planning Commission.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the San Rafael City Council hereby adopts the
following finding for defining and establishing criteria for 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 very low-, low- and moderate -income
households. For projects proposing for-sale/ownership units, the below market rate units
shall be affordable to low-income (50-80% of the median) and moderate -income (80-
100% of the median) households, with at least 8% for low-income households, for at least
40 years. For projects proposing rental units, the below market rate units shall be
affordable to very low-income (below 50% of the median) and low-income (50-80% of
the median) households, with at least 8% for very low-income, for at least 40 years. This
definition is consistent with the definition of an "Affordable Housing Project," per San
Rafael General Plan 2000 Housing Element Policy H-20, as amended by the City in
March 2000.
Needed Neighborhood 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 Generatina 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 - $300,000 GOOD
$25,000 - $100,000 FAIR
• $0 - $25,000 POOR
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that for the East San Rafael area, the City Council
hereby: a) approves a time extension for Priority Project determination for the Hilton Gardens
Hotel (1775 Francisco Boulevard East) development; and b) denies without preiudice the Priority
Project determination for the Oakmont at Shoreline Center (End of Shoreline Parkway)
retirement community, based on the following findings:
PPP03-002; Hilton Gardens Hotel Development
(1775 Francisco Boulevard East)
Traffic
A total of 53 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, individually, would: a) not result in short-term traffic impacts to
the Bellam Boulevard/Eastbound I-580 interchange; and b) not result in a change in the level of
service conditions at this interchange. Furthermore, given that PPP approval was granted for this
project in 2000 and 2001, the traffic from this project has already been factored into the
"baseline" traffic conditions utilized in analyzing this year's PPP applications.
Oualifier
The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that it would generate a substantial amount of
annual, transient occupancy tax revenue to the City of San Rafael. The annual tax revenue is
estimated at $372,000 and, therefore, this proposal receives a Good rating as a "high tax -
generating use." In addition, the project sponsor proposes to offer $350.00 per hotel room to be
placed in an escrow account to be used for a "needed neighborhood -serving use" in the East San
Rafael area.
Findings
The Priority Projects Review Committee has given the proposed project an overall rating of
Good and it is recommended that a time extension to the 2000 and 2001 PPP approvals be
granted. The 85 -room hotel project would: a) meet the qualifications as a "high priority" project;
and b) would be consistent with the policies and programs of the San Rafael General Plan 2000.
In addition, all discretionary land use entitlements and environmental clearance have been
granted and remain valid and a building permit could be issued within one-year. However, this
should be the last extension granted to this project given that it would be the third consecutive
Priority Project determination granted for the same project.
Conditions of Approval
The priority project determination shall be valid for a period of one (1) calendar year
commencing on the date of City Council approval, June 2, 2003, and shall be specifically
conditioned upon all of the following having occurred during said one year period: a) issuance of
a building permit, b) execution of a franchise agreement or management contract to operate the
proposed hotel, and c) initiation of project construction. Construction of the project shall
thereafter be diligently pursued toward completion in reliance upon said approvals and building
permit. If the foregoing requirements have not been accomplished during the one-year period
described herein, this priority project determination shall terminate and become null and void.
PPP03-003; Oakmont at Shoreline Center Retirement Residential Development
(End of Shoreline Parkway)
Traffic
The proposed 289 -unit retirement and healthcare community would generate 48 PM peak hour
trips, which is consistent with the General Plan trip allocation for the subject property. Although
the number of trips generated by this project would be within the number available for release in
this year's PPP, the City Traffic Engineer has determined that more trips would be distributed to
the Bellam Boularvd/Eastbound I-580 intersection and, thereby, the project would exceed the
available number of trips at this critical intersection.
Oualifier
The project qualifies as a "high priority" project in that, it would provide 15 % of the total senior
residential units as affordable to very low- and low-income households for 40 years. This
proposal received a Good/Fair rating as an "affordable housing use" since the percentage of
affordable units is consistent with Priority Project criteria; however, the affordability of services
associated with the care component of project has not been addressed.
Findings
With regard to the 289 -unit retirement and healthcare community project, the Priority Projects
Review Committee has given the project an overall rating of Poor, recommending that the
application be denied without vreiudice. The provision of affordable housing in this project
would qualify as a "high priority" project. However, the distribution of trips generated would
exceed those available at the Bellam Boulevard/Eastbound I-580 intersection. While a senior
retirement community may provide a needed and beneficial use to the community, this project
would not be consistent with policies in the San Rafael General Plan 2000, including LU -13.g
and ESR -45 (Light Industrial/Office land use designation) and LU -38 (Conflicting Uses) in that
residential uses are not permitted under the current land use designation for the site and the
proposal would introduce a potentially conflicting use in the light industrial area. Any such
proposal would require amendments to the General Plan and Zoning District and an extensive
planning and environmental review process, which would likely take well over the one-year
approval period of PPP. Therefore, until the project is further along in this development review
process, it is premature to grant Priority Project determination.
I, JEANNE M. LEONCI I, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the
foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the
City Council of said City held on Monday, the 2"a day of June, 2003 by the following vote, to
wit:
AYES:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro
NOES:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
Miller
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS:
None
JE M. LEONC I, City Clerk