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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
ATTENTION: Jeffrey L. Stewart, City Manager
FROM: Elizabeth C. Oba, Director of Planning and Building Services Rowena Genilo-Concepcion, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1425 — An Ordinance approving Zone Change Case No. ZC 23-02 to change the zoning designation from "General Commercial (C -G)" to "Open Space (O -S)" on properties located at 9402 Oak Street (APN 7106-003-001) and 16614 Clark Avenue (7106-003-909 / formerly 9410 Oak Street).
DATE:
August 28, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ordinance No. 1425 was introduced on August 14, 2023. Accordingly, a second reading and adoption is recommended. If adopted, the ordinance will take effect in 30 days.
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Waive further reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1425; or 2) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Teen &Senior Center Project has multiple funding sources including grants under Account Nos. 011-47604-90001 030-47604-9000 and 070-47604-9000 (total allocation of $12.4 million in fiscal year 2023-2024).
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Ordinance No. 1425................................................................................................... 2 B. August 14, 2023, Staff Report (Without Attachments) ............................................... 9 —1—
CITY OF BELLFLOWER
ORDINANCE NO. 1425
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE CHANGE CASE NO. ZC 23-02
TO CHANGE THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM "GENERAL
COMMERCIAL (C -G)" TO "OPEN SPACE (O -S)" ON PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 9402 OAK STREET (APN 7106-003-001)
AND 16614 CLARK AVENUE (7106-003-909 / FORMERLY 9410 OAK
STREET)
THE COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. The City of Bellflower is considering two separate projects proposed near each other at Simms Park located at 16614 Clark Avenue. The projects consist of constructing and operating a stormwater capture and filtration facility within the eastern portion of the park and a new Teen & Senior Center in the northwest portion of the site, as well as ancillary park improvements (collectively, the "Project");
B. The City of Bellflower is requesting a General Plan Amendment (Case No. GPA 23-02) and a Zone Change (Case No. ZC 23-02) for the existing Woman's Club (9402 Oaks Street) site and for the Teen & Senior Center site (16614 Clark Avenue, formerly 9410 Oak Street) to change the land use designation from "Commercial" to "Open Space" and rezone the parcels from "C -G" zone to "O -S" zone;
C. The public necessity, convenience, and general welfare require this Zone Change;
D. It is the purpose of the zoning regulations to encourage the most appropriate use of the land; to conserve and stabilize the value of property; and to promote V peace, health, safety, and general welfare, all in accordance with the General Plan;
E. The General Plan contains policies that the City acquire more open space and recreation areas to meet the needs of the community;
F. The City reviewed this Ordinance pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., "CEQA"), the regulations promulgated thereunder (14 Cal. Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et seq., the "CEQA Guidelines"); CEQA, CEQA Guidelines and Bellflower Guidelines collectively referred to as "CEQA Regulations"). A Mitigated Negative Declaration (No. MND 23-01) was prepared for the Project; G. Notice of Public Hearing before the City Council was duly given and published in the time, form and manner as required by law;
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City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1425
H. A public hearing was held before the City Council on August 14, 2023; I. On August 14, 20237 the City Council held the public hearing to receive public testimony and other evidence regarding the proposed amendment, including information provided by City staff and public testimony; and J. This Ordinance and its findings are made based on the entire administrative record including testimony and evidence presented to the City Council at its August 14, 2023 hearing, including, without limitation, the staff report submitted by the Planning Department.
SECTION 2. Factual Findings and Conclusions. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A. Simms Park is a multipurpose municipal recreation and services facility located at the southeast intersection of Clark Avenue and Oak Street and is maintained by the City. Simms Park is located on an approximately 12.7 -acre City -owned property that features various outdoor and indoor facilities; B. The new Teen &Senior Center, which will be used to house municipal social programs and as a gathering space for the community, and would feature offices for City employees;
C. The Teen &Senior Center will cover the northwestern portion of the Simms Park property, adjacent to the existing Woman's Club, and features an existing City building used for offices and storage, a surface parking lot, and landscaped areas;
D. A portion of the proposed Teen &Senior Center site is a vacant lot that housed the City's former Teen Center, until its demoon a F of the development of the Teen & Senior Center, improvements would also include redevelopment of the parking lot to the east and circulation improvements to the south. The Teen & Senior Center would be an approximately one-story, 12,355-square400t building with a maximum height of 26'-8". The entrance to the building would be on the south side, adjacent to the existing driveway that provides access to the site from Clark Avenue. The building would contain an entrance and reception area, community and youth rooms, private offices, a common space, a kitchen, and an open patio;
E. The proposed Teen &Senior Center will be constructed on the site of a recently demolished one-story building that stood adjacent to the east facade of the Woman's Club, as well as the current site of the one-story, existing Municipal Storage Building, which will be demolished as part of the proposed project. The proposed Teen & Senior Center will have an L-shaped plan that will wrap around the south and east facades of the one-story Woman's Club; -3-
City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1425
F. As part of the development of the Teen & Senior Center, improvements would also include redevelopment of the parking lot to the east and circulation improvements to the south. The existing surface parking lot in the northern portion of the Simms Park complex would be redeveloped to accommodate the Teen & Senior Center while providing parking for Simms Park and the community center facilities. The redeveloped parking lot would have a total of 292 parking spots, which would equal a net gain of 34 parking stalls. To improve circulation, a drop off/pick-up lane would be developed on the south side of the Teen & Senior Center;
G. The purpose of the Teen &Senior Center is to provide social and support services to the community;
H. The Teen &Senior Center is proposed across two lots, that are currently zoned General Commercial (C -G) and Open Space (O -S) and have land use designations of "Commercial" and "Open Space." A General Plan Amendment and a Zone Change are proposed for the Teen & Senior Center site to ensure consistency with land use and zoning designations across both lots with Simms Park;
I. The Woman's Club property located at 9402 Oak Street is currently zoned General Commercial (C -G) and has a land use designation of "Commercial." To avoid spot zoning and to ensure zoning and general plan consistency, a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change are proposed for the Woman's Club property;
J. The stormwater capture project does not necessitate a General Plan Amendment nor a Zone Change, as it is proposed on the portion of Simms Park that already has a land use and zoning designation of "Open Space"; K. The current Woman's Club Building was constructed in 1927 and originally used as a religious facy until the Woman's Club established its headquarters at the property in 1930. The building occupies a corner parcel adjacent to the northwest boundary of Simms Park and is sufficiently distant from construction and operational activities;
L. The City's objectives in implementing the Project are as follows: restore and rehabilitate public facilities at Simms Park, and provide a public facility for community events and social programs; and
M. The Teen &Senior Center is not visible from any prominent public viewpoints and is designed to be visually appealing .and to not conflict with the character of Simms Park. Mature trees on the north side of the parking lot along Oak Street and others within the parking lot would remain in place and would help maintain the visual character of Simms Park.
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City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1425
SECTION 3. Planning Agency. Pursuant to BMC § 2.32.050(F), the City Council is acting as the Bellflower Planning Agency for purposes of the Project.
SECTION 4. Zone Change Findings. Pursuant to BMC § 17.104, the City Council makes the following findings:
A. There are changed conditions since the existing zoning became effective to warrant other or additional zoning, in that the proposed Zone Change from "C -G" to "O -S" will allow a future Teen & Senior Center.
B. The proposed change of zone will not adversely affect adjoining properties as to value or precedent, and will not be detrimental to the area, in that the proposed Zone Change from "C -G" to "O -S" would allow for a future Teen & Senior Center that would create recreational opportunities for the community.
The proposed Zone Change would be consistent with the open space -zoned properties to the south and east.
C. The change of zone will be in the interest or furtherance of public health, safety, and general welfare, in that the proposed Zone Change would allow the City to provide recreation and human service programs which meet the needs of Bellflower's diverse population; and avoid spot zoning the Woman's Club site, which would be the only C -G zoned property on the easterly side of Clark Avenue (between Oak Street and Flower Street), if not rezoned to O.S.
D. That the approval of such change of zone will not adversely affect the Comprehensive Zoning Plan in that the Zone Change from "C -G" to "O -S" would help implement General Plan Open Space Element Goal 3, which is to "maintain and expand the City's existing open spaces, parks, and recreational facilities."
E. The Zone Change is consistent with the General Plan.
SECTION 5. General Plan Findings. Pursuant to Government Code § 65860, the changes implemented by ZC 23-02 are consistent with the General Plan. Among other things, ZC 23-02 will help implement General Plan Open Space Element Goal 3, which is to "maintain and expand the City's existing open spaces, parks, and recreational facilities"; and Goal 5, which is to "provide recreation and human service programs which meet the needs of Bellflower's diverse population." The Zone Change is intended to appropriately align the proposed Teen & Senior Center use (16614 Clark Avenue / APN 7106-003-909 — formerly 9410 Oak Street) with the O -S zone instead of the existing C -G zone. In addition, the Zone Change is intended to avoid spot zoning for 9402 Oak Street, which would be the only C -G zoned property on the easterly side of Clark Avenue (between Oak Street and Flower Street), if not rezoned to &S.
SECTION 6. Public Projects Findings. Pursuant to Bellflower Municipal Code ("BMC") § 17.04.120 (Public Projects) and Resolution No. 23-29, the City Council exempts this public project from certain regulations of Title 17 of the BMC. —5—
City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1425
SECTION 7. Environmental Review. This Ordinance was reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., "CEQA") and CEQA regulations (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et seq.; "CEQA Guidelines"). Based upon that review, MND 23-01 was prepared, which means that this Ordinance will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment with implementation of proposed mitigation measures. The 30 -day public review period for the MND began on June 23, 2023 and closed on July 24, 2023.
SECTION 8. Notice of Determination. The City Manager, or designee, is directed to file a Notice of Determination in accordance with CEQA §§ 10575 and any other applicable law.
SECTION 9. Approval. Based on the above findings, the application for this Zone Change is hereby approved and the subject properties are rezoned "Open Space (O -S)" as shown on the attached Locator Map.
SECTION 10. Construction. This Ordinance must be broadly construed in order to achieve the purposes stated in this Ordinance. It is the City Council's intent that the provisions of this Ordinance be interpreted or implemented by the City and others in a manner that facilitates the purposes set forth in this Ordinance.
SECTION 11. Enforceability. Repeal of any provision of the BMC does not affect any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred before, or preclude prosecution and imposition of penalties for any violation occurring before this Ordinance's effective date. Any such repealed part will remain in full force and effect for sustaining action or prosecuting violations occurring before the effective date of this Ordinance.
SECTION 12. Reliance on Record. Each and every finding and determination in this Ordinance is based on the competent and substantial evidence, both oral and written, contained in the entire record relating to the Project. The findings and determinations N
onstitute the independent findings and determinations of the City Council in all respects and are fully and completely supported by substantial evidence in the record as a whole.
SECTION 13. Limitations. The City Council's analysis and evaluation of the Project is based on the best information currently available. It is inevitable that in evaluating a project that absolute and perfect knowledge of all possible aspects of the Project will not exist. One of the major limitations on analysis of the Project is the City Council's lack of knowledge of future events. In all instances, best efforts have been made to form accurate assumptions. Somewhat related to this are limitations on the City's ability to solve what are in effect regional, state, and National problems and issues. The City must work within the political framework within which it exists and with the limitations inherent in that framework.
SECTION 14. Severability. If any part of this Ordinance or its application is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City Council intends that such invalidity will not affect the effectiveness of the remaining provisions or applications and, to this end, the provisions of this Ordinance are severable. -6-
City of Bellflower
Ordinance No. 1425
SECTION 15. Conflicts. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Ordinance and the provisions the BMC, any other ordinance, or any resolution, the provisions of this Ordinance govern. The Director is authorized to resolve any ambiguities in the manner set forth in the BMC. Any such determination must be forwarded to the City Council as an informational item when practicable.
SECTION 16. Electronic Signatures. This Ordinance may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code § 16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 17. Summaries of Information. All summaries of information in the findings, which precede this section, are based on the substantial evidence in the record.
The absence of any particular fact from any such summary is not an indication that a particular finding is not based in part on that face.
SECTION 18. Recordation. The City Clerk, or her duly appointed deputy, is directed to certify the passage and adoption of this Ordinance; cause it to be entered into the City of Bellflower's book of original ordinances; make a note of the passage and adoption in the records of this meeting; and, within 15 days after the passage and adoption of this Ordinance, and cause it to be published or posted in accordance with California law.
SECTION 19. Effective Date. This Ordinance will become effective 30 days after second reading and adoption.
ORDINANCE NO. 1425 HAD ITS FIRST READING ON AUGUST 14, 2023, ITS SECOND READING ON AUGUST 28, 2023, AND WAS DULY PASSED, APPROVED,
AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AT ITS REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023.
Sonny R. Santa Ines, Mayor
ATTEST:
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
ATTACHMENT:
Exhibit A —Locator Map
—7—
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Exhibit A - Locator Map
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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of Lite City Council
ATTENTION: Jeffrey L. Stewart, City Manager
FROM: Elizabeth C. Oba, Director of Planning and Building Services Rowena Genilo-Concepcion, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to conduct a public hearing to consider a Mitigated Negative Declaration, a General Plan Amendment, an exemption from certain zoning regulations for public projects, and a Zone Change;
DATE:
Adopt Resolution No. 23-29 — A Resolution (1) adopting Mitigated Negative Declaration No. MND 23-01 prepared for the Stormwater Capture and Teen & Senior Center projects, a General Plan Amendment, and a Zone Change; (2) approving General Plan Amendment Case No. GPA 23-02 to change the land use
designation from "Commercial" to "Open Space" on properties located at 9402 Oak Street (APN 7106-003-001) and 16614 Clark Avenue (7106-003-909 / formerly 9410 Oak Street); and (3) finding that the Stormwater Capture and Teen & Senior Center projects are public projects that are exempt from certain zoning regulations pursuant to Bellflower Municipal Code ("BMC") §17.04.120; and Read by title only, waive further reading, and introduce Ordinance No. 1425 — An Ordinance approving Zone Change Case No. ZC 23-02 to change the zoning designation from "General Commercial (C -G)" to "Open Space (O -S)" on properties located at 9402 Oak Street (APN 7106-003-001) and 16614 Clark Avenue (7106-003-909 / formerly 9410 Oak Street). Applicant: City of Bellflower.
August 14, 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Bellflower is undertaking a project that consists of two major components: a Stormwater Capture Infrastructure Development and a new Teen &Senior Center at Simms Park. A General Plan Amendment ("GPA") and Zone Change ("ZC") are proposed for the Teen & Senior Center site (16614 Clark Avenue) and the existing Woman's Club site (9402 Oak Street) to change the land use designation from Commercial to Open Space and rezone the parcels from General Commercial (C -G) zone to Open Space (O -S) zone. In addition, a Mitigated Negative Declaration ("MND") was prepared for the project and it was noted that the project would not result in any significant effects on the environment with mitigation. Adopting Resolution No. 23-29 will result in adopting MND 23-01 and approval of GPA 23-02; causing the City Council to act as the City's Planning Agency in accordance with Bellflower Municipal Code ("BMC") § 2.32.050(F); and exempting the project from certain zoning regulations pursuant to BMC § 17.04.120.
Adopting Ordinance No. 1425 will result in approval of ZC 23-02.
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Staff Report —MND 23-01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23-02
August 14, 2023
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Open the public hearing, take testimonial and documentary evidence and, after considering the evidence, adopt Resolution No. 23-29;
2) Read by title only, waive further reading and introduce Ordinance No. 1425; or 3) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Stormwater Capture Infrastructure Project is funded by two grant/special sources under Account Nos. 32047013-9000 and 03047013-9000 (total allocation of $14.4 million in fiscal years 2023-2025). The Teen & Senior Center Project has multiple funding sources including grants under Account Nos. 01147604-9000, 03047604-9000, and 07047604-9000 (total allocation of $12.4 million in fiscal year 2023-2024).
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notices of Public Hearing were published in the Herald American (Bellflower Edition) newspaper on June 23, 2023 and July 7, 2023. Public hearing notices were sent on June 21, 2023 and July 6, 2023 to 123 property owners within a 300' radius of the project area and posted at City Hall, Bellflower Substation, Brakensiek Library, Thompson Park, Simms Park, Caruthers Park, and the City's website. Public hearing notices were also posted at the subject site on August 2, 2023. As of the writing of this staff report, the City has received eight inquiries on the project.
CEQA STATUS
This project was reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et seq., "CEQA") and CEQA regulations (14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000, et seq.; "CEQA Guidelines"). An Initial Study ("IS") and MND 23-01 were prepared. These found that the proposed Ordinance will not have a significant adverse effect on the environment with implementation of proposed mitigation measures. The 30 -day public review period for the MND began on June 23, 2023 and closed on July 24, 2023.
BACKGROUND
➢ Description of Simms Park Projects
Simms Park is located at the southeast intersection of Clark Avenue and Oak Street on an approximately 12.7 -acre City -owned property that features various outdoor and indoor facilities. The project within Simms Park that consists of two major components: a Stormwater Capture Infrastructure Development in the eastern portion of Simms Park and a new Teen & Senior Center in the northwestern portion of Simms Park adjacent to the existing Woman's Club. The two physical improvements are briefly described below:
Staff Report —MND 23-01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23=02
August 14, 2023
• Stormwater Capture Infrastructure Development: The first component of the project is a stormwater capture infrastructure. The Los Cerritos Channel (LCC) Watershed Group (LCC Watershed Group) identified a list of water quality control measures, including structural control measures, to address the water quality objectives within the LCC watershed. The LCC Watershed Group prepared the LCC Watershed Management Program (WMP) in 2015 to plan projects implementing the requirements of MS4 permits on a watershed scale. Potential sites for structural control measures were identified in the WMP and recommended by the LCC Watershed Group for further evaluation and potential implementation.
Based on the park's proximity to an existing storm drain that is operated by Los Angeles County Flood Control District, the WMP identified Simms Park on the list of "Potential Public Parks and Golf Courses BMP Sites" that would be suitable for capturing and treating stormwater to meet the program goals of the WMP. Hence, the City is now considering approval of such a project at Simms Park.
The stormwater capture system will be located primarily underground in the eastern portion of Simms Park, which contains the existing baseball/softball fields, a picnic area, and landscaping. This project entails construction of diversion structure, diversion pipeline, stormwater pretreatment device, storage reservoir, discharge system and treatment, and some park improvements. The stormwater capture infrastructure portion of the project would divert stormwater runoff into a subterranean concrete storage basin proposed beneath Simms Park's multi -use turf field, where water would be stored prior to treatment through a filter and returned to the municipal storm drain system. Prior to flow into the subsurface storage container, runoff would be directed through a pre-treatment device that would remove trash, sediments, and solids present in the runoff. Stormwater is passed through an outflow pipe and pump to a media filter, allowing physical filtration prior to discharging the treated water back into the existing storm drain system within the park.
In addition to the proposed stormwater capture and filtration facility, the City also intends to implement other park improvements as part of this portion of the project..
These improvements include redesigning the existing sports fields and replacing the grass surface with artificial turf, building a perimeter fence around the sports fields, installing native landscaping and a bioretention area adjacent to the sports fields, and other ancillary improvements. Most of the existing trees within Simms Park would be unaffected by the proposed project. However, approximately 48 existing trees would be removed to accommodate construction activity. As part of the project's park improvements, the City will plant approximately 50 new trees within Simms Park. Additional shrubs and turf ground cover would be installed throughout the park. Additional information on park improvements is provided in Section 2.2, Project Characteristics of the MND (Attachment A). The City is implementing the stormwater capture project in its capacity as an MS4 permittee and member of the LCC Watershed Group and would be responsible for operating and maintaining the project facilities. The City has initiated the design process and intends to solicit bids for a construction contract for project implementation subject to approval by the City Council, which would be considered a discretionary action of the City subject to CEQA review.
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Staff Report — MND 23=01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23=02
August 14, 2023
• Teen UH UI Center: The second component of the project is a new Teen at Senior Center, which will be used to house municipal social programs and as a gathering space for the community, and would feature offices for City employees.
The Teen & Senior Center will cover the northwestern portion of the Simms Park property. The existing cement pads that currently occupy the vacant lot would be removed, as would the building housing the City's volunteer center operations, currently located south of the Woman's Club. The Teen & Senior Center is a proposed 12,355-square400t, single -story (26'-8"), public building on City property at the corner of Clark Avenue and Oak Street, east of the privately owned Woman's Club building.
A portion of the proposed building site is a vacant lot that housed the City's Teen Center until its demolition in 2019. The proposed Teen &Senior Center will have an L-shaped plan that will wrap around the south and east facades of the one-story Woman's Club. The exterior of the building would be finished with brick and stucco.
The entrance to the building would be on the south side, adjacent to the existing driveway that provides access to the site from Clark Avenue. The Teen & Senior Center building would contain an entrance and reception area, community and youth rooms, private offices, a common space, a kitchen, and an open patio.
Where the existing storage building is located would be the site of the proposed monument signage and accessible parking stalls.
As part of the development of the Teen &Senior Center, improvements would also include redevelopment of the parking lot to the east and circulation improvements to the south. The existing surface parking lot in the northern portion of the Simms Park complex would be redeveloped to accommodate the Teen & Senior Center while providing parking for Simms Park and the community center facilities. Of the existing 258 stalls, 35 stalls would be removed for construction of the Teen & Senior Center and for the reconfiguration of circulation of the site. The proposed parking lot would gain 4 parallel parking stalls and 3 accessible stalls on the west side near the proposed Teen & Senior Center. This parking and access reconfiguration would require demolition of the storage and volunteer center building located south of the Woman's Club building. The landscaped area to the east of the parking lot would be redeveloped to provide 62 additional stalls. The redeveloped parking lot would have a total of 292 parking spots, which would equal a net gain of 34 parking stalls. The majority of the parking lot layout would remain the same, except for the removal of one of the existing driveways providing entrance to the parking lot from the south side of Oak Street (the more western of the two driveways would be removed to accommodate the building, and the easternmost driveway would remain). To improve circulation, a drop off/pick-up lane would be developed on the south side of the Teen & Senior Center. This project would be subject to City Council approval of a separate construction contract from thi stormwater capture project, as well as approval of a General Plan Amendment to the Land Use Designation Map, a zone change, and a lot line adjustment.
Staff Report — MND 23=01, GPA 23=02 and ZC 23=02
August 14, 2023
➢ Construction of Projects
The City intends to commence construction of the stormwater capture project in late 2023.
The Teen & Senior Center project would commence after that, and the City anticipates construction of the two projects would partially overlap, with the total duration for the two projects being a total of approximately 20 months. Construction staging, including equipment storage, material laydown, and worker parking is anticipated to occur in the parking lot and throughout the construction area as needed. Depending on the construction phase, affected portions of Simms Park would be temporarily closed to the public for the duration. The construction area would be fenced off for safety and security purposes and made unavailable for public use during project construction. Construction would also require temporary encroachment into the two easternmost lanes of Clark Avenue for construction of the diversion structure. During construction, approximately 6 acres of the project site would require grading, with approximately 17,000 cubic yards (CY) of soil exported over the construction duration. Existing pavement and concrete would be demolished, generating approximately 1,500 CY of material that would be hauled off site. The existing Municipal Storage Building would also be demolished, requiring export of debris. Construction is proposed to occur Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to comply with Chapter 15.04 of the Bellflower Municipal Code (BMC)
➢ Operation of Projects
• stormwater Capture Infrastructure Development: Once construction is complete, project operation is anticipated to entail routine maintenance activities performed by the City at the stormwater capture facility. Activities would include removal of debris and pollutant constituents from the treatment devices, pump testing and calibration, and cleaning the storage reservoir. Operations of the sports fields would recommence following completion of the stormwater capture project and installation of the new turf fields. Youth baseball, softball and soccer leagues would operate out of the ballfields. The City does not anticipate an overall increase in daily use or capacity of the park, but the park would likely see an extension of existing activity levels into other times of the year when soccer leagues are in season.
• Teen &Senior Center: Operations of the Teen &Senior Center would include daily use by Parks and Recreation Department staff, nonprofit organizations, and the general public. Approximately four full-time Parks and Recreation staff would operate out of offices located in the Teen & Senior Center. A service offered by a non-profit partnership that provides daily meals to seniors would move from the community center to the new Teen & Senior Center. Programming at the Teen & Senior Center would include recreational activities for youth and senior citizens provided and led by both City staff and contracted special interest instructors, partnerships, or other non-profit organizations. Other activities at the Teen & Senior Center would include after school and weekend use of the facility, as well as occasional events. Anticipated hours of operation would be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. The center may be used on Sundays for specific occasions or events.
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Staff Report —MND 23-01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23-02
August 14, 2023
➢ General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, and Public Projects Exemptions The proposed project involves a General Plan Amendment (Case No. GPA 23-02) and a Zone Change (Case No. ZC 23-02) for two parcels, the Teen & Senior Center site (16614 Clark Avenue, formerly 9410 Oak Street) and the existing Woman's Club (9402 Oak Street) site located within Simms Park. The proposal is to change the land use designation from "Commercial" to "Open Space" and rezone the parcels from "C -G" zone to "O -S" zone. The land use and zoning changes for 16614 Clark Avenue (7106-003-909 / formerly 9410 Oak Street) would allow for the development of the Teen & Senior Center.
The proposed location of the Teen & Senior Center spans across two lots currently with different land use and zoning designations. The proposed ZC and GPA will result in the same land use and zoning designations across both lots and be consistent with Simms Park, which has a land use designation of Open Space and zoning of O.S.
The land use and zoning changes for 9402 Oak Street would avoid "spot zoning" the Woman's Club property. If the land use and zoning designations for the Woman's Club property are not changed, that parcel would constitute the only commercial property on the easterly side of Clark Avenue (between Oak Street and Flower Street). Consequently, the Woman's Club property is included with the proposed ZC and GPA. The current general plan land use and zoning maps area included in Attachment E.
It is requested that the physical improvements proposed for Simms Park be exempt from the Conditional use Permit and Development Review processes pursuant to Bellflower Municipal Code §17.04.120, as this constitutes a public project. ➢ Mitigated Negative Declaration
The stormwater capture project and the Teen &Senior Center project are separate projects with separate discretionary actions that require City Council's consideration and approval. The City prepared an IS and MND 23-01 in accordance with CEQA to evaluate potential environmental impacts resulting from the Stormwater Capture and Teen/Senior Center Projects within Simms Park, as well as the General Plan Amendment, and Zone Change. The MND addresses both projects together because of their proximity within the City's public property at John S. Simms Park (Simms Park) and because of their potential for concurrent or consecutive construction phases.
The 30 -day public review period for the MND began on June 23, 2023 and closed on July 24, 2023. A total of seven comment letters were received, and a "Response to Comments" was prepared to address the comments that were received. -14-
Staff Report — MND 23-01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23-02
August 14, 2023
DISCUSSION
➢ Simms Park Projects
The purpose of the stormwater capture facility is to decrease the amount of pollutants in stormwater and dry -weather runoff entering the LCC. The LCC Watershed Group identified a need for watershed control measures and structural best management practices (BMPs) to address water quality objectives within the watershed. The purpose of the Teen & Senior Center is to provide social and support services to the community.
The City's objectives in implementing the project are as follows:
• Improve the water quality within the LCC;
• Restore and rehabilitate public facilities at Simms Park; Educate the public on the local stormwater quality; and • Provide a public facility for community events and social programs. ➢ General Plan Amendment
Pursuant to Government Code § 65860, the project is consistent with the goals and policies of the Land Use Element and Open Space Element of the Bellflower General Plan, as outlined in Section 5 of Resolution No. 23-29 (Attachment A). The goals and policies include, without limitation: Open Space Element Goal 3, which is to "maintain and expand the City's existing open spaces, parks, and recreational facilities"; and Land Use Element Goal 1 - Policy 1.1, which is to "provide land use designations which match actual viable uses."
➢ Zone Change
The project meets the findings contained in BMC § 17.104.030, as outlined in Section 4 oI Ordinance No. 1425 (Attachment In One %J the required findings is that the proposed zone change will be in the interest or furtherance of public health, safety, and general welfare. The proposed Zone Change would allow the City to provide recreation and human service programs which meet the needs of Bellflower's diverse population. In addition, the proposed Zone Change would be consistent with the open space -zoned properties to the south and east.
➢ Public Projects Exemption
The project meets the findings contained in BMC § 17.04.120, as outlined in Section 6 of Resolution No. 23-29 (Attachment A), one of which is that the granting of the exemption will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, and general welfare or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity. Following an initial study, a Mitigated Negative Declaration was drafted which includes mitigation measures to address any possible adverse environmental impacts. Before the City issues building permits, the project's construction drawings will be reviewed by the Building and Safety Division to ensure that the project complies with applicable law including, without limitation, the California Building Codes as adopted by the BMC. -15-
Staff Report — MND 23-01, GPA 23-02 and ZC 23-02
August 14, 2023
➢ Mitigated Negative Declaration
As noted in Section 8 of Resolution No. 23-29, it is recommended that the City Council adopt MND 23-01 because impacts would be less than significant with incorporation of mitigation measures. The proposed projects would incorporate mitigation measures to reduce impacts, as applicable, particularly during construction. Upon completion of construction, the proposed projects would have no potential to contribute to a cumulative impact.
CONCLUSION
The Stormwater Capture project would result in the continued use of the site as a park and would not substantially differ from its current use nor would it change the overall character of Simms Park. The Teen & Senior Center project is not visible from any prominent public viewpoints and is designed to be visually appealing and to not conflict with the character of Simms Park. Mature trees on the north side of the parking lot along Oak Street and others within the parking lot would remain in place and would help maintain the visual character of Simms Park. The projects comply with the General Plan's goals and policies. In addition, the proposed physical improvements create recreational opportunities for the community and addresses water quality. Thus, the project is beneficial to community members and the environment.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Resolution No. 23-29....................................................................................... ....
B. Ordinance No. 1425....................................................................... .................. 162 C. Responses to Comments.......... 0 0 S a 0 D 5 a a 0 x m a m m P 0 m a m a m m ................................... 169 D. Mitigation Monitoring Program ................... 194 E. Aerial Photo / General Plan Lan ap / Zoning Map ..................................... 202 F. Assessor's Map............................................................................................... 205 G. 300' Rad'.................................................................................................... 206 -16-