City Council – November 7th, 2024ID 24-1395
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
• 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 • Entertainment Overlay will be presented to the City Council for initiation at a future date
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 • 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. P24-02871, initiating the Tower District Specific Plan Objective Design Standards