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December 12, 2023
ITEM TITLE
Park Update: Harborside Park – Update on Actions to Date and Analysis of the Potential for the Development of Housing and a Recreation Center on the 5.21-Acre Site Report Number: 23-0329
Locations: Harborside Park – 670 Oxford Street
Department: Development Services
G.C. § 84308: No
Environmental Notice : The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
Recommended Actions
Provide staff with direction regarding next steps for Harborside Park.
SUMMARY
On August 23, 2022, City Council Resolution No. 2022 -203 authorized the temporary closure of Harborside Park in order to allow staff time to address health and safety concerns due to illegal activities being conducted at the park. On May 16, 2023, City staff recommended initial improvements (“Phase 1”) in order to provide a secure reopening of Harborside Park and received feedback and direction from the City Council.
Tonight, City staff is providing an update on the efforts with Harborside Park, including the ability to construct housing on the site. Staff is seeking input from the City Council as to a future potential action on the Park.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with CEQA and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
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BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
In late Spring 2022 the City and Chula Vista Elementary School District began conversations about increased safety concerns at Harborside Park due to increased illegal activities that escalated during the COVID pandemic. The City participated in two forums in June and July of 2022 to address parent and community concerns.
After evaluation, it was determined that a temporary closure of Harborside Park was needed in order to implement necessary safety measures, including the installation of temporary fencing around the perimeter of the park and hiring of security guards. The temporary closure would also provide staff with time to evaluate long-term solutions with the community and make necessary repairs before reopening.
The temporary closure plan was implemented on August 31, 2022 for an initial 90 -day period, with options to extend at the City Manager’s discretion. The closure included a Connect Event to link unsheltered individuals impacted by the closure and willing to accept services, with resources to move them towards the goal of permanent housing.
Prior to the park closure on August 31, 2022, a number of amenities had been removed or damaged due to illegal activity at the park, including:
Gazebo removed;
Playground equipment removed;
Restroom facility closed; and
Irrigation & grass areas damaged and turned off.
In addition to the removed and damaged amenities, significant safety concerns existed due to drug paraphernalia on the park site. While an extensive cleanup was conducted at the time of closure, additional clean up would be needed prior to reopening the site.
Since closure, the park site has remained relatively unchanged.
On May 16, 2023, City staff presented an update on community outreach efforts , including a proposal for a three-phased plan to reopen Harborside Park. Phase 1 consist ed of the following improvements to reopen the entire park facility. Improvements would include: (1) permanent fencing; (2) turf replacement and repair to the irrigation system; (3) basketball court resurfacing; (4) lighting and security camera repairs; (5) restroom facility repairs; (6) general clean -up; (7) removal of the amphitheater and landscape at the southern portion of the site; and (8) purchase and installation of a ranger station that would be manned during future park opening hours. The total projected costs for Phase 1 were approximately $900,000. These improvements are depicted in Exhibit 1 below.
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Exhibit 1: Proposed Phase 1 Improvements
The City Council directed staff to:
Evaluate and provide recommendations to City Council on:
A joint use agreement with the Chula Vista Elementary School District to provide additional use and oversight of Harborside Park and maintain community access; and Options to declare the Harborside Park space surplus land and to require future development s to address community needs, such as including a recreational facility on the site.
The City approached the Chula Vista Elementary School District to inquire about the possibility of exploring a joint-use agreement per City Council’s direction. On July 25, 2023, the City Council was informed by the City Manager of the District’s response of their inability to fulfill the City’s request due to educational needs and prior commitments for use of their recreational fields (Attachment 1).
On November 2, 2023, the City Manager provided an update on staff’s efforts to the Mayor and Council with an historical overview of Harborside Park (Attachment 2) . The memo included information on park challenges, calls for service for the Chula Vista Poli ce Department between January 2017 to July 2022, mitigating efforts undertaken by a variety of City Departments, temporary closure, community outreach, City Council direction provided on May 16, 2023, the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s inability to explore a joint-use agreement with the City, and conversations between the California Department of Housing and Community Development ( “HCD”) and City staff regarding the concept of declaring the park site “surplus land” and conditioning future developments to include a public amenity such as a recreational facility.
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Tonight’s discussion focuses on the second item from City Council direction on May 16, 2023 to research options to declare the Harborside Park s ite as surplus land and to require future dev elopments to address community needs, such as including a recreational facility on site. The City has received concurrence from HCD on the concept of requiring a recreational facility to be constructed on the 5.21-acre site along with housing units, should the City declare the site as “surplus land”.
Staff analyzed the existing zoning and land use regulations of the park site to determine how many housing units could be constructed if strictly redeveloped with housing . The site is zoned CO – Administrative and Professional Office [Chula Vista Municipal Code (“CVMC”) Chapter 19.30]. R-3 (multi-family) residential uses are allowed in this zone with a Conditional Use Permit per CVMC Chapter 19.28. Given the need for housing for families throughout Chula Vista, for this analysis, a standard unit size of 1,350 square feet was utilized to calculate the number of units that could potenti ally be constructed. This equates to a base density of 168 units for the park site. Should state density bonus law be utilized for a future housing project, 84 additional units could be built, for a total of 252 units. A density bonus project would require additional deed restricted housing units within the project to achieve the total units of 252.
The size of the proposed units multiplied by the base density (168 units) results in a residential housing project totaling 226,800 square feet of habitable spa ce. Additionally, non-habitable spaces within a typical multi-family project were added, which is typically 35 percent of the habitable space, you reach a total residential building size of 306,180 square feet. The calculation provided here is to show a ho using project within the base density allowed by the R-3 zone, with an assumption of the size of housing unit and only one size of housing unit within the project. Attachment 3 of this report provides the zoning regulations for the R- 3 Zone that any future housing development project would be required to achieve.
Through the community outreach process in 2022, community survey responses identified the need for a recreational facility on site to allow for indoor recreation uses as the highest priority use for the site. Based on this information, staff determined that a 24,000 square foot recreation center would be most appropriate.
In order to assist the City Council with what a proposed redevelopment of the site would look like with these two uses , staff has prepared two massing exhibits. Each illustrates the potential assemblage of a 24,000 square foot recreation center and 168 housing units (base zoning only, no density bonus assumed) on the
5.21-acre site. Attachment 4 of this report reflects a two-building option – one as the recreation center and the other as a multi-family residential building. Attachment 5 of this report reflects a one -building option that contains the recreation center on the ground floor and housing uni ts above. This configuration would be taller than the first configuration but would allow for more opportunities within the 5.21-acre site for other amenities to support the uses within the building.
Staff has reanalyzed the costs for the Phase 1 improveme nts to reopen Harborside Park since the May 16, 2023 Council meeting. The costs have increased slightly, but staff has confirmed that there are sufficient funds within Measure P to cover the current costs should the Council decide to reopen the park. The overall timeline to construct the Phase 1 improvements is approximately eight months. Should Council direct staff to return with a reopening plan, implementation of such plan will include an analysis of staffing needs and request for funding as appropriate.
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Staff is seeking direction from the City Council to either (1) return with an action to reopen the Park or (2) return with an action to declare the site “surplus land” and issuing a notice of availability consistent with the state’s Surplus Land Act requirements in order to potentially redevelop the site for housing and a recreation facility. Should the City Council decide to move forward declaring the site “surplus land”, the overall timing of the project is estimated at approximately 4 years. This assumes 6 to 12 months to advertise availability of the land, select a developer and negotiate terms ; 12 to 18 months to develop construction documents and secure permits; and 24 months for construction.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council members and has found no property holdings within 1,000 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. Consequently, this item does not present a disqualifying real property -related financial conflict of interest under California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(7) or (8), for purposes of the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov’t Code §87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter.
CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
There are no current year fiscal impacts to the General Fund or Development Services Fund as a result of this action.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
There are no ongoing fiscal impacts to the General Fund or Development Services Fund as a result of this action. Should Council direct staff to return with a reopening plan, implementation of such plan will include an analysis of staffing needs and request for funding as appropriate.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Chula Vista Elementary School District Letter dated July 18, 2023
2. Harborside Park Historical Overview Memo dated November 2, 2023
3. Zoning regulations for R-3
4. Recreation center and residential units in two separate buildings
5. Recreation center and residential units in one building
Staff Contact: Laura C. Black, AICP, Director of Development Services Tiffany Allen, Assistant City Manager