ATTACHMENT NO. 1
FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 21-003
FINDINGS FOR APPROVAL – ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 21-003:
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) No. 21-003 to amend the HBZSO by amending the Bella Terra Specific Plan to distinguish the existing Residences at Bella Terra mixed use project from the proposed residential component of the proposed project, and the establishment of development standards that reflect the scope of the proposed development is consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan as identified below.
Land Use Element
Goal LU-1 - New commercial, industrial, and residential development is coordinated to ensure that the land use pattern is consistent with the overall goals and needs of the community.
Policy LU-1C - Support infill development, consolidation of parcels, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Policy LU-1D - Ensure that new development projects are of compatible proportion, scale and character to complement adjoining uses.
Policy LU-2E - Intensify the use and strengthen the role of public art, architecture, landscaping, site design, and development patterns to enhance the visual image of Huntington Beach.
Goal LU-4 - A range of housing types is available to meet the diverse economic, physical, and social needs of future and existing residents, while neighborhood character and residences are well maintained and protected.
Goal LU-7 - Neighborhoods, corridors, and community subareas are well designed, and buildings, enhanced streets, and public spaces contribute to a strong sense of place.
The project includes a Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) to implement the land use designations proposed as part of General Plan Amendment No. 21-001, to facilitate the demolition of approximately 182,300 total sq. ft. of existing retail space and construction of a new mixed use project including 300 residential dwelling units, ground floor retail and restaurant space, and an above-ground podium residential parking garage that would support the City’s General Plan goals and policies that promote infill residential and commercial development. The project will update the Specific Plan’s architectural vision and provide modern Mediterranean and Spanish architectural style motifs within the coastal vernacular that exemplifies the City’s built environment lifestyle. The project exhibits a modern coastal architectural style that are consistent with the proportion, scale, and character of the Bella Terra Specific Plan area and will add to the range of housing types available in the community. Approval of the ZTA will ensure that the project is consistent with the development standards applicable to the existing commercial and residential communities within the Bella Terra Specific Plan. The project will also provide an improved pedestrian vehicular and circulation that connects the project site with the surrounding commercial and residential areas that will meet the needs of future and existing residents and commercial visitors.
Housing Element
Goal 2 - Provide adequate housing sites through appropriate land use, zoning and specific plan designations to accommodate Huntington Beach’s share of regional housing needs.
Policy 2.1 - Provide site opportunities for development of housing that responds to diverse community needs in terms of housing types, cost and location, emphasizing locations near services and transit that promote walkability.
Policy 2.2 - Facilitate the efficient use of land by allowing and encouraging commercial and residential uses on the same property in both horizontal and vertical mixed-use configurations.
Goal 3 - Enhance housing affordability so that modest income households can remain an integral part of the Huntington Beach community.
Policy 3.1 - Encourage the production of housing that meets all economic segments of the community, including lower, moderate, and upper income households, to maintain a balanced community.
Policy 4.2 Provide flexibility in development standards to accommodate new models and approaches to providing housing, such as transit-oriented development, mixed use and live/work housing.
The proposed project would redevelop an underutilized portion of the Bella Terra Specific Plan area through an infill development located in the center of an existing mixed use site that incorporates a blend of commercial and residential uses in a vertical configuration. The subject site is located near a high concentration of commercial and semi-public land uses and a regional transportation hub that promote walkability within and without the City. The project provides efficient pedestrian access through and around the project site and greater Bella Terra Specific Plan area that meets the needs of the existing and future residential community as well as commercial visitors. The project will also comply with the Specific Plan’s affordable housing requirement to provide 15 percent of the proposed dwelling units as affordable units because the applicant is providing 27 units for families or households of moderate income and 18 units for families or households of very-low income. Therefore, approval of the project will accommodate additional housing, including affordable housing, and add to the City’s overall housing stock.
The amended Bella Terra Specific Plan will enhance potential for superior urban design in comparison with development under the base district provision that would apply if the Plan were not approved, in that in addition to the typical development standards for the overall building design, the Specific Plan also includes general goals and policies designed to implement the General Plan vision for Areas A and B, specifically a highly articulated architecture, pedestrian oriented shopping experiences, and compatibility between the residential and commercial uses. Further, the proposed ZTA will be consistent with the overall residential development capacity that was envisioned for the Specific Plan area.
Modifications from the base district provisions that would otherwise apply are justified by compensating benefits of the Specific Plan. Overall, the Specific Plan design guidelines and development standards facilitate development of a high-quality mixed use project with sufficient open space, air, light, ventilation, pedestrian connections, varied architecture, and improved circulation and landscaping for an enjoyable environment in which to live, work, shop, and recreate. Specifically, implementation of a mixed use project in conformance with the amended Specific Plan will promote the enhancement of the Bella Terra shopping center and ensure its continued vitality as a significant regional commercial and lifestyle center. A community need is demonstrated for the changes proposed because they will allow an underdeveloped site to be developed with new residential and commercial uses that are consistent with the character of the area and will add to the City’s housing stock.
Adoption of the ZTA will be in conformity with public convenience, general welfare and good zoning practices because a mixed use residential and commercial project is a more appropriate land use for the site than the existing underutilized commercial space. The project site is adjacent to an existing mixed use project (Residences at Bella Terra) as well as existing commercial retail and restaurant uses on all sides, and development of an infill mixed use project on the subject site would result in reduced traffic impacts to existing residential and commercial uses in comparison with the existing commercial space. Furthermore, additional residential units and commercial space will support the long-term economic vitality of the Bella Terra shopping center and generate sales tax revenues. Therefore, adoption of the ZTA will implement the land use designation proposed with General Plan Amendment No. 21-001 and the overarching goals and policies in the Specific Plan, and would result in a land use on the property that is more compatible with the surrounding region.
Attachment 1.2
Attachment 3.0