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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 9561 (Vision of Downtown San Rafael)RESOLUTION NO. 9561 RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL CERTIFYING THE NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND ADDENDUM FOR GENERAL PLAN (GPA95-3) AND ZONING ORDINANCE (ZC95-5) AMENDMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS RELATED CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT OUR VISION OF DOWNTOWN SAN RAFAEL WHEREAS, in June, 1993, the City of San Rafael celebrated the culmination of two years of community effort to create a Vision for Downtown with the presentation of Oicr Vision of Downtown San Rafael to the San Rafael City Council; and WHEREAS, in August, 1993, the City Council, in order to further the implementation of the Vision, created the Downtown Advisor Group and charged it with translating Oicr Vision into City policies and Zoning Ordinance regulations and guidelines; and WHEREAS, on July, 1994 the City Council adopted General Plan DT -8 (Our Vision) stating that General Plan policies for Downtown and corresponding zoning provisions are being revised consistent with Oitr Vision ; and WHEREAS, the Downtown Advisor group met 23 times over 18 months to draft, debate, map and agree on recommended changes to San Rafael's General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance, and design guidelines; and WHEREAS, in May, 1995, the Downtown Advisor Group presented to the City Council recommendations which will allow in Downtown the type of changes and activity promoted in Our Vision; and the Council referred the proposed changes to the Planning Commission for its recommendation; and WHEREAS, an Initial Study and Negative Declaration were prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on November 20, 1995; and WHEREAS, the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration was processed and reviewed in accordance with CEQA, and the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration was reviewed at a duly noticed public hearing by the Planning Commission on January 9, 1996 at which time the Planning Commission accepted oral testimony and written comments on the proposed project; and WHEREAS, on February 13, 1996 the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 96-2 recommending the City Council adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration with Addendum; and WHEREAS, on March 4, 1996 the San Rafael City Council held a duly -noticed Public Hearing on the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration with Addendum at which time the City Council accepted oral testimony and written comments. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the San Rafael City Council, after having reviewed and considered all evidence and testimony in the record, has exercised its independent judgement in evaluating the Mitigated Negative Declaration with Addendum. R I U^ I iN- A BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the San Rafael City Council adopts the following findings pertaining to the environmental review for the Downtown General Plan, zoning and subdivision amendments: 1. Land Use. Any potential impacts of the project on land use will be less than significant because, while there will be a change in emphasis in types of land uses from that in the current General Plan from retail development to office, residential and entertainment uses, Downtown will continue to be a mixed use urban center. To minimize impacts on nonconforming uses in the Hetherton and the eastern end of Second/Third Districts, where office redevelopment is encouraged over the current mix of retail, residential, office and auto -service uses, the nonconforming regulations have been modified to make it easier for such uses to continue until redevelopment occurs. 2. Population and Housing., Any potential impacts on housing are less than significant because General Plan city-wide housing projections do not increase due to this amendment because a number of anticipated projects have not been built to the planned - for maximum in other areas of town. Projected growth within Downtown will have beneficial impacts resulting in an increase in the vitality of Downtown. There will be a less than significant impact with the modification to the Housing Conservation Ordinance to exempt approximately 16 single-family homes in the mixed-use districts. These homes are either surrounded by nonresidential uses or front on heavily travelled arterials. The possible loss of these homes is offset by proposed housing incentives. 3. Geologic Problems, Water, Air Ouality. Any potential impacts are less than significant because of existing General Plan policies and geotechnical review. 4. Transportation/Circulation. Any potential impacts on circulation are less than significant because: a. Traffic Downtown is a system, and smooth operations depend on factors outside of San Rafael's control, such as through traffic from other towns and accidents or congestion on Highway 101. b. Only three intersections are projected to operate at LOS E during the peak hour if all development projected under the Vision were to occur. These intersections are at the periphery of Downtown in the vicinity of the freeway interchange. Two intersections are already currently operating at LOS E. c. The proposed LOS E standard is not significantly different from the current mid -LOS D standard because the time delay variation between the two standards ranges from only eight to 28 seconds per intersection. d. It is difficult to make modest intersection circulation improvements to gain a slight improvement at intersections in a Downtown system. Typically, improvements in capacity, such as lane additions or intersection widenings, require major expenditures and provide substantial additional traffic capacity -- and changes in character of the area such as taking out buildings and building wider roads. As the affected intersections are along routes parallel to 101, and 101 is congested, such improvements would be likely to attract additional through traffic using up the additional capacity. e. The change in the LOS standard is in keeping with the community's desire that Downtown be a vital urban center. -2- f. The Vision Amendment proposes the same 600,000 square feet of development for the Plan's time frame as is proposed in the current General Plan. To construct more than 600,000 square feet will require a General Plan amendment and subsequent environmental review, per program DT -o. g. Traffic from all new development would contribute only a five percent increase over baseline traffic. Most traffic Downtown would continue to be from existing development and through traffic. h. Through traffic traveling on Second and Third with no Downtown origin or destination is expected to increase another five percent in the future, regardless of what happens Downtown. i. The forecast increases in Downtown and through traffic, coupled with proposed circulation improvements, create minor changes in travel time along Downtown arterials and at individual Downtown intersections from the Baseline to the Vision conditions. The average travel time along arterial streets will range from an improvement of 27 seconds to an increased delay of ten seconds. Of 49 intersections, most will experience five or fewer seconds of additional average delay. Only seven intersections will operate with an additional delay of 11 to 25 seconds. Four intersections will operate with less delay, with improvement ranging from seven to 24 seconds. j. The Marin Congestion Management Program's LOS D standard for the Second and Third Street corridors are proposed for incorporation into the General Plan, and this standard is maintained on Second and Third streets. k. The proposed "grandfathering" of the Mission/Irwin intersection reflects long-standing operating conditions. The average delay at this intersection would change very little from baseline to future conditions. Changes to improve the LOS at this intersection would be expensive, change the character in the nearby neighborhood, and could be expected to cause 101 traffic to divert to Irwin and use up the additional capacity. 5. Parking. Any potential impacts on parking Downtown are less than significant because: a. The changes in the parking standards for offices and banks better recognize the multi -trip nature, shared parking, transit and mixed-use character of Downtown. b. The proposed standards fall within the range of acceptable office and bank standards used nationwide, and which were used prior to 1992 in Downtown San Rafael. c. The reduced parking space dimension recognizes that space is at a premium Downtown, and will assist in accommodating required parking on Downtown's typically smaller and constrained lots. d. The reduced parking standard for residential units recognizes Downtown's different residential markets (i.e., smaller affordable units), availability of services, proximity to transit. The proposed standards were prepared based on surveys of local residential projects, is consistent with parking standards in other cities and well within the range of parking demand surveyed by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. e. The proposed exemption from parking standards for up to three residential units constructed as an infill addition to an existing nonresidential structure will have a limited affect because few units are expected to result from this change and there is a likelihood that up to half of these units would generate no parking demand. -3- f. A proposed General Plan implementing program for a 'comprehensive parking strategy' will monitor the supply of parking spaces and plan for adding spaces as needed. g. The elimination of the onsite residential guest parking requirement in Downtown is acceptable in Downtown where guest parking is typically accommodated on public streets and public parking lots. The impact of this proposed change on adjacent neighborhoods such as the West End Village where on - street parking is difficult to find is mitigated by requiring guest parking in development within 200 feet of a residential district. 6. Biologic Resources. Energy and Mineral Resources. Any potential impacts on biologic, energy and mineral resources are less than significant as Downtown is a largely developed area with little natural vegetation, no likely endangered, threatened or rare species habitat, and no known mineral resource sites. General Plan policies protect wetland habitat along Mahon Creek. 7. Hazards and Noise. Any potential impacts on hazards and noise are less than significant because of General Plan policies promoting disaster preparedness, and establishing noise standards and noise assessments as part of project design. 8. Public Services and Utilities. Any potential impacts on public services and utilities are less than significant because the Fire Department is adequately prepared for the somewhat higher building heights in parts of Downtown; new housing Downtown is expected to be occupied primarily by adults; overall planned housing is not increasing throughout the School District over prior General Plan amounts; and school mitigation fees will provide additional classroom space as needed; and, Downtown is a developed area with infrastructure in place. 9. Aesthetics. Any potential impacts of higher building heights and new development on views of Downtown and views of the hillsides and Mt. Tam are less than significant because of: a. New development at the proposed height limits will be similar in height to existing buildings, and not result in an overall pattern of development different from that existing. b. The extent of new development will be limited because Downtown is already developed; major investments in upgrades due to seismic retrofit have recently been made; and land ownership patterns are not generally conducive to large-scale project development. c. Project review on a case-by-case basis allows time to assess design impacts. Visual analysis during project review, and review by the Design Review Board considers site planning and building size in relation to surrounding buildings and public views. d. The maximum height is not always reached in new development. For example, San Rafael's 50 foot height limit from 1952 to 1988 resulted in few buildings of that height. e. Proposed design policies and Downtown Design Guidelines provide guidance to designers about development Downtown. f. Existing General Plan policies protect views from public streets of hillsides, Mt. Tamalpais and across Downtown. g. To ensure that development considers views of the St. Raphael's Church, mitigation has been incorporated to provide for a view analysis for projects within a defined area. !L■11 10. Cultural Resources and Recreation., Any potential impacts on cultural resources and recreation are less than significant because there are no changes to existing General Plan policies protecting cultural resources and encouraging adequate recreation opportunities. In addition, Downtown policies propose a new recreational opportunity along Mahon Creek in the Lindaro District. 11. Overall Findings. Based upon the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the record, the amendments will not cumulatively have a potential significant adverse impact on the environment or on the people who live, work and travel through Downtown San Rafael. These changes are anticipated to have a beneficial impact on the social and economic future of Downtown. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the San Rafael City Council finds that the Mitigated Negative Declaration with Addendum has been completed in compliance with CEQA, and hereby certifies these documents. 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 regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on Monday the fourth day of March, 1996, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Zappetini DISQUALIFIED: COUNCILMEMBERS: Zappetini (due to conflict of interest) . eanne M. Leoncini, City Clerk -5-