City Council – October 10th, 2024ID 24-1306
TOWER DISTRICT SPECIFIC
PLAN UPDATE
City Council Initiation
• Initiates environmental review of the following:
• Draft Specific Plan update objectives and policies
• Proposed Land Use Map
• Tower Entertainment District Overlay
• Objective Design Standards
• Allows environmental review process to begin to analyze potential impacts • Once environmental analysis is complete, the Plan update will be presented to the City Council for final recommendation
1991 Tower District Specific Plan
• Plan adopted on March 26, 1991 (Bill No. B-26)
• Plan Concepts:
• Historic Preservation
• Land Use
• Open Space
• Circulation
• Infrastructure
• Key purpose:
• Provide the City and the residents of the district
with a comprehensive structure for managing
historic resources and neighborhoods in the face of
future change and development
Tower District Specific Plan Boundary
Specific Plan Update
• Community feedback
• Update 1991 Plan objectives and policies to encourage consistent and compatible development
• Resolution No. 2021-147
• Approved by City Council on May 27, 2021
• Established Tower District Specific Plan Implementation Committee • Budget: $570,590
• Consultant team
• Wallace, Roberts & Todd (WRT)
• LSA Associates (LSA)
• Zack Urban Solutions
Plan Update Process
• Implementation Committee meetings: commenced January 2022 • Evaluation of policies in 1991 Plan and associated analysis of current conditions:
• Existing and planned land uses
• Street and block patterns
• Urban fabric in existing neighborhoods
• Locations of residential, commercial and industrial uses • Existing, planned and future park sites
• Historic resources and districts
• Circulation patterns
• Subcommittee formation: Land Use, Circulation, Historic Preservation, Parks and Open Space
• Keep, remove revise strategy
• Follow up review at subsequent Implementation Committee meetings Planned and Proposed Land Use Maps
General Plan Land Use Map TDSP Proposed Land Use Map
Tower Entertainment District Overlay
• Establishes regulations for
late-night entertainment
uses adjacent to
residential zoning
• Applies to establishments
with restaurant, bar and
night-club related uses
that include rear or side
outdoor patios with a
Conditional Use Permit
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Smoke/
Hookah/
Cigar Lounges
No outdoor patio
permitted
No limitations No limitations
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Outdoor patios
without noise
attenuation measures
7:00am – 10:00pm 7:00am – 2:00am No limitations
Use 100 ft. or closer to
Residential*
100 ft. to 250 ft.
from Residential
250 ft. or further
from Residential
Outdoor patios with
noise attenuation
measures
7:00am – 2:00am 7:00am – 2:00am No limitations
*No amplified sound permitted after 10:00pm on outdoor patios that are 100 ft. or closer to Residential.
Tower Entertainment District Overlay
Boundary
Objective Design Standards
• Tower District Design Guidelines: established June 2005 • California Government Code Section 65913.4: establishes requirements for objective design standards
• Standards that involve no personal or subjective judgement • Requires update of existing Design Guidelines to comply with State law • Objective Design standards to accompany Tower District Specific Plan update
Committee independent review:
• Individual review of 96 policies
Committee Recommendations:
• May 14th, 2024 Meeting
• August 20th, 2024 Meeting
• September 3rd, 2024 Meeting
• September 9th, 2024 Meeting
• September 17th, 2024 Meeting
Implementation Committee
Recommendations
Draft Plan Update – Anticipated Revisions
• Broaden Health and Equity analysis throughout entire plan • Add history of racial covenants and redlining that occurred in the Tower District
• Identify specific locations for future parks
• Mapping revisions
• Expand Utilities Chapter
• Include Implementation Chapter
• Policy and narrative revisions per Committee recommendations • Policy and narrative revisions per public comments received Timeline and Next Steps
• Environmental analysis: Summer 2024 – Fall 2025 (assuming an Environmental Impact Report)
• Preparation of Objective Design Standards: Summer 2024 – Fall 2025 • Preparation of Tower Entertainment District Overlay: Summer 2024 – Fall 2025
• Planning Commission / City Council for final recommendation: December 2025
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. ADOPT RESOLUTION, Application No. P24-02869, initiating the Tower District Specific Plan Draft Land Use Map and Draft Specific Plan update, with changes as noted in Exhibit H – Committee Comment Matrix and Exhibit I – Public Comment Matrix
2. ADOPT RESOLUTION, Application No. P24-02420, initiating the Tower Entertainment District Overlay
3. ADOPT RESOLUTION, Application No. P24-02871, initiating the Tower District Specific Plan Objective Design Standards
4. APPROVE the second amended contract extending the Consultant Services Agreement with Wallace, Roberts and Todd (WRT) to June 30, 2025.