To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Lark Ferrell, Acting Community Development Director
Prepared By: Michael Walker, Senior Planner
TITLE:
Title
Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving the Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution were adequately analyzed by a prior CEQA action.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this agenda item is the review and adoption of the Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan. The City Council received a preliminary report at the May 1, 2018 meeting outlining the planning process utilized to draft the plan and provided feedback on the draft. Council comments on the initial draft of the Master Plan are detailed later in this report.
DESCRIPTION
Adopted in 2012, the Downtown Napa Specific Plan recognizes three geographic areas with strategic locations and an existing mix and intensity of land uses that offer varying development opportunities. The specific areas are identified as the Town Center Focus Area, Copia Focus Area, and the Cinedome Focus Area.
The Cinedome Focus Area is comprised of 5.4 acres located east of Main Street, south of Clinton Street, west of Soscol Avenue and north of Oxbow Commons Park. The Focus Area includes the former location of the CineDome movie theater, the former City Parks & Recreation building, City- and privately-owned properties adjacent to Oxbow Commons (currently surface parking lots - Lot X and Lot X-West), and the Napa Sanitation District (NSD) property currently occupied by a now-defunct pump station, playground, and skate park.
The Downtown Napa Specific Plan outlined ten specific objectives for the Cinedome Focus Area to guide future redevelopment of the properties:
• Promote mixed-use, office, and residential uses;
• Improve bicycle and pedestrian connections in relation to Oxbow Commons;
• Encourage development to provide access and visual connections to Oxbow Commons and the Downtown Core;
• Promote mixed-use development and a plaza facing Oxbow Commons;
• Ensure building massing allows passage or circulation to destinations and public spaces;
• Encourage pedestrian and bicycle promenades and seating areas along Oxbow Commons;
• Integrate structured public parking;
• Minimize impact of development on the NSD property on neighboring residential uses;
• Respect adjacent historic buildings; and
• Enhance vitality and activity adjacent to Napa River, Napa Creek, and Oxbow Commons.
The purpose of this Master Plan is to guide new development in a manner that builds upon the goals and objectives of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan. To achieve this, the Master Plan provides a framework of guidelines that:
• Shape the physical form and scale of future development that is compatible with the scale and character of the surrounding context;
• Promote streetscape and open space improvements that enhance and extend the existing network of pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, promenades, and plazas;
• Encourage active ground-floor uses where appropriate and upper level uses that contribute to the vitality of the downtown;
• Provide for structured public parking; and
• Promote preservation of historic or locally significant structures that contribute to the character of the downtown.
The primary goal of the Master Plan is to maintain and enhance Napa’s pedestrian downtown core as a lively and walkable pedestrian district. This goal is consistent with those expressed in the Downtown Napa Specific Plan, which designates the Focus Area as connected to both the downtown and Oxbow Commons. The Master Plan also contains specific goals and objectives related to Land Use, Circulation, and Design and Massing of future development.
There are many reasons to prepare a plan for an underdeveloped or catalyst site in a downtown such as the Cinedome site. Sometimes the City seeks to supplement regulations outlined in the Zoning Ordinance. This is what occurred in 2012 with the adoption of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan, which provides both guidelines and regulations for future development. However, the Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan is not regulatory. Instead, it seeks to clarify and expand on the aspirational qualities contained in the Downtown Napa Specific Plan through the provision of a more precise vision for future development. The recommendations outlined in this Master Plan do not require amendments to the Napa Municipal Code or the Downtown Napa Specific Plan.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The Cinedome Focus Area is comprised of eight parcels, partially or in whole, along with public rights-of-way located generally along Pearl Street west of Soscol Avenue. The Focus Area is divided into two main development areas - the NSD Parcel, bound by Pearl Street to the south, West Street to the west, Clinton Street to the north, and Yajome Street to the east; and the “South of Pearl” site containing several individual parcels and public rights-of-way. As noted in this Report, the property is comprised of multiple properties under multiple owners including the City of Napa, Napa Sanitation District, and SyWest Development.
Based on the current parcel configurations, multiple property owners, and physical constraints on the property, the Master Plan has assembled parcels into four separate “Opportunity Sites” as follows:
1. Opportunity Site #1: 1.23-acre site owned by the Napa Sanitation District (NSD Parcel)
Townhome development opportunity. A mix of two- and three-story townhomes is envisioned for this area. Three-story townhomes would be located to the southern portion of the block facing Pearl Street. The northern portion of the block would contain two-stories in height, respectful of the existing residential neighborhood north of Clinton Street. In response to a request from NSD (see Attachment 5), it is noted that this area may also be wrapped on the south and west sides (Pearl and Clinton Streets) with mixed retail/service uses along the ground floor to provide variety to the streetscape. The additional building height requested along West Street across from the three-story tall Main Street West building may be considered at the corner, provided that the recommended two-story height is maintained along Clinton Street as an appropriate transition to the single-family neighborhood to the north.
2. Opportunity Site #2: 1.2-acre site owned by the City of Napa bounded by Pearl Street to the north, the historic Kyser-Lui Block to the west, Napa Creek to the south, and encompassing the West Street right-of-way on the east.
Parking structure development with a traditional “park-on” ramp style public parking garage or a mechanized parking structure is proposed on this site. Retail uses may line the ground floor of the parking structure along the Pearl Street and Plaza frontages to activate the pedestrian experience.
3. Opportunity Site #3: A 0.7-acre site owned by SyWest Development bounded by Pearl Street to the north, the West Street right-of-way (on a portion of Opportunity Site #2) to the west, City-owned property (Opportunity Site #4) to the south, and the Yajome Street right-of-way to the east.
The Master Plan recommends vertical Mixed-Use Development on this site. Residential uses, as envisioned in the Downtown Napa Specific Plan, are encouraged with the potential for some office uses. The underlying zoning provides for a variety of additional uses which may be allowed. The Master Plan does not preclude other uses, but identifies preferred uses such as residential, and recommends subterranean parking since the spaces in the future parking garage is largely constrained by existing development and permitted but not yet built projects.
4. Opportunity Site #4: The balance of the land south of Pearl Street and north of Oxbow Commons. This site is 2.03 acres consisting of five City-owned parcels and including rights-of-way for West Street and Yajome Street.
The Master Plan envisions three distinct development types for this site, focused on the pedestrian experience of a promenade overlooking Oxbow Commons.
Site 4.1 - Encompasses the Plaza area overlooking Oxbow Commons. A small café/restaurant use within the Plaza at the apex of the Oxbow Commons and Napa Creek, limited to one-story in height is recommended. The building will provide a significant architectural presence and be designed to provide an indoor-outdoor flow between the building and the plaza.
Site 4.2 - Recommended for a mixed-use development with limited ground-floor retail along the pedestrian promenade and residential uses above.
Site 4.3 - Development opportunity would include a one-story commercial service use adjacent to Soscol Avenue or this site may also serve as an open space gateway, connecting bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the Soscol Avenue portion of the Vine Trail into the Master Plan area. SyWest has been working on a potential conceptual plan for its Site 3 which would provide an additional development alternative to those included in the Master Plan, including possibly locating the future parking garage on Site 4.3 at the terminus of Yajome Street where floodwater flows into the Oxbow Commons. At this time, no plans have been submitted and the proposal would need to be reviewed by both the Flood District and the City’s Floodplain Manager to determine feasibility of plans to span the overland flow easement. However, the range of development opportunity in the Master Plan and additional ideas, including SyWest’s own additional suggested approach, reflect the dynamic nature of the area that will be changeable over time as market conditions and flood conditions change, providing that the underlying intent of the plan is achieved.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Prior to the formal master planning process, staff began meeting with property owners within the Study Area in 2016. Meetings between the City, SyWest Development, and NSD included a conceptual planning process envisioning the Scope of Work and schedule for the project. Given the importance of the site, the fact that the City owns a significant portion of the property in the Focus Area, and because NSD and SyWest were not prepared to directly participate in preparation and cost-sharing of the plan at that time, the Council directed that the City proceed with the master planning effort to ensure thoughtful communitywide planning that is responsive to the Downtown Napa Specific Plan goals and provides stakeholder and community outreach. Through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process, staff solicited early feedback, including input from SyWest Development, to evaluate seven proposals from qualified architecture and planning firms. FME Architecture + Design was selected in the fall of 2016 as the consultant to lead the Master Plan process along with City staff; FME Architecture + Design rebranded as FORGE (the “Consultant”) during the master planning process.
Preparation of the Master Plan began with an identification of the community’s objectives for the Study Area and opportunities and challenges facing the area. The Consultant prepared alternative development scenarios as well as urban design recommendations which were reviewed by SyWest Development and NSD (Tier 1 Stakeholders) and adjacent property owners (Tier 2 Stakeholders). Community outreach included a public workshop and charrette in July 2017. Staff refined the development concepts in response to comments from Stakeholders and the public. The Master Plan provides illustrations of potential development scenarios as well as an implementation strategy to meet the goals and objectives of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan. Although the eastern portion of Site 4 is not contained in the Master Plan, SyWest is currently assessing the possibility of it serving as a potential location for the structured parking, provided the overland flow conditions can be mitigated when floodwaters cross the site and drain into the Oxbow Commons bypass. As stated, the Master Plan seeks to solicit development opportunities to further the objectives of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan and is not a regulatory document. Therefore, SyWest’s plans are among others that could be considered without being specifically called out within the Master Plan document.
GENERAL PLAN, DOWNTOWN NAPA SPECIFIC PLAN, AND ZONING
The property is located within the DMU, Downtown Mixed Use General Plan Designation, Downtown Napa Specific Plan (DNSP) Land Use District, and Zoning District, which applies to the northeastern portions of Downtown generally east of the Main Street Corridor, north of Oxbow Commons, south of Clinton Street and west of Soscol Avenue. The DMU Designation and District allows for retail uses; administrative and other offices; institutional, recreational, entertainment, arts and cultural uses; hotels and conference facilities; transportation facilities; and public and quasi-public uses that strengthen the Downtown’s role as the community’s center. The DMU District also encourages residential uses primarily as part of a mixed-use development to provide eyes on the street, a 24-hour active downtown, and local support for businesses within the Downtown. Stand-alone residential development may be permitted in order to provide continuous linkages in and around downtown. The Downtown Napa Specific Plan identified the potential of approximately 600 new residential units within the Downtown. To date, only 51 units have been permitted, 19 of which are under construction. As a result, staff and the Planning Commission are strongly encouraging residential uses within the Cinedome Focus Area.
The property is also located within the BF, Building Form Overlay District, specifically the Downtown II (DT-II) Building Form Zone, which encompasses blocks between the center and edges of Downtown, and which establishes the physical development standards for the project site. The DT-II Form Zone requires compliance with Section 4.7.2 of the DNSP. DT-II establishes the maximum and minimum property development standards, such as development intensity, height, setbacks, and step backs, that may be approved by the City for a development project in the DT-II Form Zone through the Use Permit and Design Review Permit processes when considering the project within the larger context of the surrounding area, existing General Plan policy, the vision provided in the DNSP, and applicable regulations and guidelines.
PRELIMINARY REVIEW
At the April 19, 2018 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission was presented with four considerations that shaped the draft Master Plan and was asked to provide direction on the approach used to address these considerations:
1. Floodway Encumbrances. Portions of Opportunity Sites #1, #3, and #4 are encumbered by a Flood Control floodway easement and cannot be impeded with development until upriver flood improvements are constructed.
2. Parking Garage. Two options for the public parking garage are provided within the Master Plan - a traditional “park-on” ramp configuration and a mechanized parking system. The two options address specific site constraints such as a preferred setback from the adjacent historic Kyser-Lui Block, maintaining view corridors, and recognizing established property lines and existing utility infrastructure.
3. Land Assembly. Due to the uncertainty and timing of property aggregation, the Master Plan has envisioned two paths - one as a largely single comprehensive development and the other with independent parts that warrant additional access considerations for each parcel.
4. Preferred Land Uses. The Master Plan does not change the underlying zoning or permitted uses. However, the Master Plan does recommend preferred land uses based on the goals of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan as well as the Downtown Napa Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR). As presented, there are no substantial changes proposed by the Master Plan that require major revisions of the EIR. If the Master Plan area was to develop to the full potential outlined in the plan, the area could see the addition of up to:
• 22,000 square feet of new retail and restaurant space;
• 45 new housing units;
• 65,000 square feet of new office space (or an additional 60 housing units); and
• 500 new off-street parking spaces.
The Commission received feedback from nine speakers during the public hearing. Most speakers generally supported the Master Plan with some expressing additional support for maximizing housing over other potential uses. Additional comments included concern about the interim conditions during development of the properties (access to existing businesses and availability of parking), affordability of housing, maintaining access to the river, concern regarding views to the Kyser-Lui block, and concern over additional downtown hotel uses.
The Commission supported the approach taken in the draft of the Master Plan with respect to the four considerations outlined above. Specifically, the Commission supported the options for the parking garage; building massing, stepbacks, and setbacks; and the preferred land uses outlined in the Master Plan.
The City Council also reviewed the draft of the Master Plan at its May 1, 2018 meeting and was presented with the same considerations. The City Council received feedback from nine speakers during the public hearing, addressing many of the same topics presented to the Planning Commission. The Council supported the approach taken in the draft Master Plan and provided additional support for the mechanized garage option identified in the Master Plan.
The final Master Plan has been refined to reflect the preferred land use options identified by the Planning Commission and City Council where appropriate. However, as this document is not a regulatory or zoning document, land uses in the Cinedome Focus Area are permitted or conditionally permitted as outlined in the DMU District.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this item at its September 6, 2018 meeting. Prior to the meeting, SyWest Development submitted a potential alternative development plan to staff, but the plan was not submitted in time to be included in the Commission’s packet. In presenting the Master Plan preferred option, staff also highlighted that, due to the non-regulatory nature of the Master Plan, other plans could be considered in conjunction with appropriate development and environmental review, such as occurred with the SyWest alternative plan. Due to the timing of the submittal of the SyWest alternative plan, the development option was not included in the Downtown Napa Specific Plan EIR Addendum prepared as part of the Master Plan project.
The Commission was presented with options for the Master Plan, including continuing the project with direction to consider the additional options presented by SyWest and returning it to the Commission. Ultimately, the Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation to City Council to approve the Master Plan’s preferred option as presented, with a few minor changes including providing a Foreword to the document and amending the Public Art guidelines to correspond with those in the City’s Public Art Master Plan.
Since the Planning Commission hearing, City staff continued to work with SyWest on further developing the details of the alternative plan. SyWest Development contracted with the City’s consultants, at its own expense, to prepare an updated Master Plan document which shows both the preferred option as well as a potential Alternative Plan (referenced in the Master Plan as the Opportunity Sites 2-4 Alternative). The Downtown Napa Specific Plan EIR Addendum was also updated to include the Alternative Plan as a viable development option.
All changes to the Master Plan document since the Planning Commission hearing are highlighted in yellow (see Attachment 4).
OPPORTUNITY SITES 2-4 ALTERNATIVE
The development alternative for the aggregated properties south of Pearl Street (Opportunity Sites 2, 3, and 4) proposes the placement of the public parking structure on the eastern portion of the site, adjacent to Soscol Avenue. This alternative would allow for a mixed-use development between the Kyser-Williams block to the west and the public parking garage to the east. As described in the Master Plan document, the eastern portion of the Focus Area is encumbered by a flowage easement and is within the floodway of the Napa River. Prospective development proposals for this area would be required to provide design engineering studies to substantiate their viability in this area prior to the completion of planned upstream improvements by the Flood District.
As presented, the Master Plan document maintains the City’s preferred option as recommended by the Planning Commission, but also demonstrates an alternative option that has been found to fall within the scope of the amended Addendum to the Downtown Napa Specific Plan EIR (see Attachment 2).
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Funds for the Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan were budgeted through the normal process, and this action would simply utilize already appropriated funds and would have no impact on budget or fund balance.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council consider the Initial Study/Addendum to the Downtown Napa Specific Plan EIR for the CineDome Master Plan dated October 17, 2018 and prepared pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 and determine that the potential environmental effects of the Recommended Action described in this staff report fall within the scope of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 2010042043) certified by the City Council by Resolution No. R2012-54 pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Draft Resolution approving the Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan and determining that the actions authorized by this resolution were adequately analyzed by a prior CEQA action.
ATCH 2 - Environmental Impact Report Addendum
ATCH 3 - Downtown Napa Specific Plan EIR
ATCH 4 - Cinedome Focus Area Master Plan
ATCH 5 - Letter from Napa Sanitation District
NOTIFICATION:
Legal notices of the public hearing were published in the Napa Valley Register at least 10 days prior to the hearing date.