Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: APRIL 4, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: SUNAYANA THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHRIS SCHAEFER, AICP, PLANNING MANAGER
VINCE FREGOSO, AICP, CONTRACT PLANNER
PREPARED BY: SUNAYANA THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT: POINTE COMMON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT 1600 WEST COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
SUMMARY
The Planning Commission held a public hearing On March 15, 2023 regarding the proposed project. The Commission unanimously recommended City Council approve the project. The applicant has revised the project based on Planning Commission feedback.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the following resolutions:
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, INCLUDING ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT, PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES, STANDARD CONDITIONS, MITIGATION MEASURES AND THE MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR THE POINTE COMMON AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED AT 1600 WEST COMMONWEALTH AVENUE RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A MAJOR SITE PLAN FOR A 65-UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON A 2.50-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1600 WEST COMMONWEALTH AVENUE RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN REVISION TO CHANGE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TYPE FROM INDUSTRIAL TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ON A 2.50-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED AT 1600 WEST COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
2. Introduce Ordinance XXXX for first reading by title only and waive further reading of the ordinance.
ORDINANCE NO. XXXX - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A ZONING AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURING GENERAL (M-G) to LIMITED DENSITY MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-3) ON A 2.50-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED AT 1600 WEST COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The proposed project for Pointe Common Affordable Housing Project is proposed with the units being at a more affordable average than originally proposed with an overall average AMI of 50% and 57% of units (37 units) at or below 50% AMI.
The original project had a proposed unit mix and AMI levels proposed at that time were an overall average AMI of 60%, with 22% of units (14 total) at or below 50% AMI.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability.
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant pays all City costs associated with application review, processing, environmental analysis, plan check, permitting and inspections. Additionally, the applicant will pay all associated impact fees related to parks, schools, utilities and others as well as bonds related to off-site improvements or mitigation measures identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration.
DISCUSSION
City Council declared the subject property as surplus and notified the State Housing and Community Development Department and all housing developers of this action in June 2020. City Council released a Request for Proposals (RFP) in March 2021 for development of affordable housing on this parcel. City Council reviewed five proposals for the site and selected Meta Housing Corporation as the developer. City Council directed staff to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Meta, with the City and Meta officially executing the ENA in August 2022. Meta has designed the Pointe Common project to have consistency with the RPF standards and Municipal Code compliance. Staff reviewed the proposed project and found it consistent with the RFP, ENA, Municipal Code and various provisions governing development of affordable housing in the State.
The applicant requests approval of several entitlements for the 65-unit affordable housing project to allow construction of the project. Specifically, the entitlements include the following:
Major Site Plan (ZON-2022-0107) for review of site, architectural and landscape plans.
General Plan Revision (LRP-2022-0010) to change the site’s community development type from Industrial to Medium Density Residential.
Zoning Amendment (LRP-2022-0011) to change the zoning classification from Manufacturing General (M-G) to Limited Density Multiple Family Residential (R-3).
Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS / MND) to evaluate the potential impacts associated with project construction and operation, including a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
Major Site Plan (ZON-2022-00121)
Site Plan
A Major Site Plan ensures project compliance with development standards of the zoning to which the property is located. Since part of the project entitlements include a change of zone to the Limited Density Multiple-Family Residential (R-3) zoning district, this review ensures the project complies with the R-3 development standards as well as meets any design review criteria. Table 1 below identifies the primary zoning standards applicable to the project and demonstrates project compliance with these standards.
Table 1
Code Comparison Matrix
Development
Standard
Required
Proposed
Consistent
Minimum Lot Size
117,700 square feet
108,710 square feet (2.50-acres)
Yes, with concession
Setbacks
7 – 19 feet
Front: 15 feet
Sides: 10 feet
Rear: 7-19 feet, depending on type of window/room
Yes
Height
Unlimited
2 – 3 stories
Yes
Common Open Space
Varies by number of bedrooms – 36,400 square feet
37,057 square feet
Yes
Private Open Space
100 square feet per unit
50 square feet for half of the units
Yes, with concession
Parking
101 parking spaces required (1 space/one-bedroom unit and 2 spaces/two or more bedrooms per unit 108 total parking spaces. 101 spaces for residents and 7 spaces for guests Yes
Architecture
Project architecture incorporates a contemporary architectural concept that will blend with the surrounding community. The form of the building includes rectangular elements and massing consistent with structures found on the south side of Commonwealth Avenue, while also utilizing pitched roofs and building materials found on the single-family residences located north of Commonwealth Avenue. Architectural distinction will use a variety of building materials such as smooth painted stucco, horizontal siding, asphalt shingle roofing and metal mesh guardrails. The first floor will incorporate an aluminum storefront at the amenity space.
Landscaping
The project will provide landscaping throughout. The west end of the lot and the central area of the site will provide the primary common open space areas. The west end open space will consist of a tot lot / children’s play area outfitted with amenities for the children residing on the site. Although not programmed yet, amenities may include climbing equipment, sandboxes and swing / play equipment. The open space at the center of the site will serve as the barbecue / picnic area for the project, with amenities such as barbecues, seating areas and a flex space / lawn area.
The planting schedule will include various types of trees, shrubs and groundcover. The different trees will include Canary Island Pine, London Plane, Coast Live Oak and Brisbane Box. All landscaped areas will have irrigation with an automatically controlled irrigation system. Additionally, the project proposes low water, drought tolerant plants, vines and groundcovers to provide a low maintenance, water efficient landscape pursuant to the City’s Landscape Ordinance No. 3226 (FMC Chapter 15.50).
The project, as proposed and conditioned, complies with the relevant development standards and design criteria applicable to a multi-family apartment project as detailed in the findings contained in the resolution for the project (Attachment 2).
General Plan Revision (LRP-2022-0010)
The project includes a General Plan Revision to change the General Plan land use designation (community development type) from Industrial to Medium Density Residential. The Medium Density Residential community development type acts “to establish and protect opportunities for households that desire urban living within a compact and walkable neighborhood, and to provide opportunities for neighborhood support uses and amenities.” Potential land uses within this designation include attached dwellings which remain consistent with the proposed project.
Development
Standard
Required
Proposed
Meets Requirement
Density
Minimum 15.1 DU/acre
Maximum 28 DU/acre
26 DU/acre
Yes
The proposed residential project is consistent with the proposed Medium Density Residential community development type as detailed in the findings contained in the resolution for the project (Attachment 3), Zoning Amendment (LRP-2022-0011)
The applicant proposes a change in the zoning classification to change the existing classification from Manufacturing General (M-G) to Limited Density Multiple Family Residential (R-3), in addition to the General Plan revision. Staff finds the R-3 designation appropriate for this site as the R-3 zoning is designed for use where apartment and condominium development can be physically separated from single-family type residences by a street or terrain feature, such as the subject site. Furthermore, this zoning is appropriate given proximity to other residential uses, location on a primary arterial street and access to mass transportation options such as commuter trains and bus lines.
Lastly, the zoning is consistent with the General Plan purpose “to establish and protect opportunities for households that desire urban living within a compact and walkable neighborhood.” The project design complies with development standards for the R-3 zoning classification subject to the waivers for private open space, common open space and no covered parking as allowed by the City’s Density Bonus provisions.
The proposed residential project designed complies with the development standards of the R-3 zone and other standards applicable to a multiple family project as detailed in the findings contained in the resolution for the project (Attachment 4).
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on March 1, 2023 regarding the proposed project. The Commission had extensive discussion on the design of the project and the conditions of approval and continued the item for two weeks. The Planning Commission held another hearing on the project on March 15, 2023. The Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of the project subject to the modification of three conditions:
Planning Condition No. 7, which requires trees to be a minimum of 24-inch box trees and larger where appropriate and as identified in the required Landscape Documentation Package Planning Condition No. 9, which requires the Parking Management Plan to make residents aware of parking restrictions in the City Public Works Condition No. 3, which requires the applicant to coordinate with the Orange County Flood Control District (OCFCD) for any identified impacts.
Environmental Review
The City, as Lead Agency, hired the Michael Baker International environmental consulting firm to assist with preparation and adoption of a Draft Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration to identify potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and implementation of the project in conformance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines.
The analysis found no potentially significant impacts associated with project construction. Further, it found that there less than significant impacts or no impacts for all of the environmental factors except Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Transportation and Tribal Cultural Resources (Attachment 5).
Staff has identified mitigation measures which reduce the impacts of these issue areas to less than significant with mitigation incorporated.
Biological Resources mitigation consists of surveying the site to ensure no disturbance of bird nesting activities Cultural Resources requires archaeological monitoring upon discovery of any remains or other cultural resources during earth moving activities Geology / Soils mitigation measures require compliance with the recommendations from the Geotechnical Report and establishes protocols in the unlikely discovery of any paleontological resources Hazards and Hazardous Materials mitigation requires a soils management plan to address any storage tanks or soil contamination encountered during grading Transportation mitigation requires a Traffic Management Plan to address impacts occurring during project construction Tribal Cultural Resources consists of coordination with affected tribes to have a tribal monitor present during ground disturbing activities should the project discover human remains and/or ground goods on site.
The IS / MND provides justification for the City to determine the appropriate CEQA document for the proposed Project, based on the environmental analysis provided in the IS / MND and consistency analysis. After a thorough analysis of the environmental issues, the Mitigated Negative Declaration sufficiently analyzed the project impacts (Attachment 6).
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – Resolution No. 2023-XXX – Major Site Plan Attachment 3 – Resolution No. 2023-XXX – General Plan Revision Attachment 4 – Resolution No. 2023-XXX – Mitigated Negative Declaration Attachment 5 – Ordinance No. XXXX
Attachment 6 – Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (with MMRP) Attachment 7 – EMFAC Off-Model Adjustment Factors
Attachment 8 – Cultural and Paleontological Memo
Attachment 9 – Preliminary Geotechnical Engineering Investigation Attachment 10 – Haz Mat Documentation
Attachment 11 – Hydrology Report and WQMP
Attachment 12 – Noise Data
Attachment 13 – Transportation Assessment
Attachment 14 – Project Plans
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Pointe Common Affordable Housing Project
April 4, 2023 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2