To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Rick Tooker, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Michael Walker, Senior Planner
TITLE:
Title
General Plan Amendment and Rezoning of property located at 750 Third Street, north of Third Street and east of Soscol Avenue.
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendationle
1. Adopt a resolution adopting a Negative Declaration for the Third Street General Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment;
2. Adopt a resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Designation for the property at 750 Third Street from “Traditional Residential Infill” (TRI-190) to “Mixed Use” (MU-532); and
3. Approve the first reading and introduction of an ordinance amending the Zoning Map established under Napa Municipal Code Section 17.04.050 pertaining to the rezoning of property located at 750 Third Street from RT-5, Traditional Residential District, to MU-G, Gateway Mixed Use District.
Body
DISCUSSION:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
City staff recommends approval of a General Plan and Zoning Amendment to re-designate the land use for three parcels at 750 Third Street from Traditional Residential Infill (TRI-190) to Mixed Use (MU-532) and to rezone the parcels from Traditional Residential (RT-5) to Gateway Mixed Use (MU-G) to facilitate the construction of a paved parking lot.
The subject property is comprised of three parcels (1.6 acres) that have been covered with gravel and used in recent years for construction staging, special event parking and parking by nearby uses such as tenants located across the railroad tracks to the west. The lot is mostly flat and with no vegetation. The subject property is bordered by the Napa River on the north, residential uses on adjacent properties to the south and east, and railroad tracks to the west.
Most of the property is anticipated to be remapped out of the floodway by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the letter of map revision (LOMR) process. However, a portion of the property will remain in the floodplain and subject to some minor flooding in the event of a significant storm; thereby, affecting its developability until a floodwall is constructed in the future as part of a more comprehensive flood protection plan In the interim, City staff proposed to construct a paved parking lot which will improve the current interim parking condition, reduce nuisance issues such as trash accumulation, and serve nearby businesses and the general public.
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT
The proposed amendment to the General Plan land use map would re-designate the parcels identified as 750 Third Street from Traditional Residential Infill (TRI-190) to Mixed Use (MU-532). The property is undeveloped and most recently used as construction staging and special event parking. The amendment would be consistent with General Plan Goal LU-5, which seeks to encourage attractive, well located commercial development to serve the needs of Napa residents. While no new development is proposed with this amendment, applying a Mixed Use land use designation and zoning will facilitate future development which can serve as a transition between commercial and residential uses. With the property’s proximity to the transit center, the amendment would allow for denser residential development in conjunction with commercial or retail uses.
Reduction of Residential Density
Pursuant to Section 65683 of the California Government Code, the City shall permit the reduction of residential density only upon written findings supported by substantial evidence of both of the following:
1. The reduction is consistent with the adopted general plan, including the housing element.
2. The remaining sites identified in the housing element are adequate to accommodate the jurisdictions’ share of the regional housing need pursuant to Section 65584.
The parcels designated as Traditional Residential Infill (TRI-190) are 1.6 acres in size and allow a density of 3-7 units per acre. Therefore, the maximum number of units that could be developed on this property is 11 units. The property is currently covered with gravel and being used for non-residential purposes and is adjacent to the Napa River to the north, single-family residences to the east and south, and adjacent to the railroad tracks to the west. The property has been encumbered by public infrastructure, including a 30-foot wide NSD easement on the east side and the railroad tracks on the west side. These encumbrances, along with the property’s location in the floodplain, make it unlikely that this property would be redeveloped with residential uses in the near- to mid-term (next 10 or more years).
Additionally, the parcels are not identified in the City’s General Plan Housing Element as a site available to accommodate the City’s fair share of the regional housing need. Therefore, their re-designation for commercial uses will not impair the supply of land needed for accommodating this need.
ZONING AMENDMENT
Consistent with the General Plan analysis above, a Zoning Amendment is proposed to the parcels zoned Traditional Residential (RT-5) to Gateway Mixed Use (MU-G). In accordance with the specific purposes of the Gateway Mixed Use zoning district, rezoning would implement the goal of “an integrated development pattern and mix of commercial and residential uses with strong transportation connections within the area, to the river and to the rest of the city.”
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SUMMARY
On March 2, 2017, the Planning Commission considered the proposed project. There were no speakers on the project. After deliberation, the Planning Commission voted 5-0 to forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve the project.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No direct financial impacts to the City have been identified with this application.
CEQA:
City staff recommends that the City Council determine that there is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the City Council, that the Recommended Action, as analyzed in the Initial Study and Negative Declaration prepared for Third Street General Plan Amendment and Rezone dated February 9, 2017, will have significant effect on the environment; and that the City Council adopt a Negative Declaration pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15074.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1: Draft resolution adopting a Negative Declaration for Third Street General Plan Amendment and Rezone
Attachment 2: Draft resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Designation (with Exs “A1” and “A2”)
Attachment 3: Draft ordinance amending the Zoning Map (with Exs “A1” and “A2”)
Attachment 4: Planning Commission staff report dated March 2, 2017
Attachment 5: Initial study and negative declaration
NOTIFICATION:
Mailing by US Postal Service was provided to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of the subject property; legal notices of public hearing were published in the Napa Valley Register at least 10 days prior to the hearing date.