Mixed-use Development at 636 Locust Avenue and Downtown Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Addendum Appeal
City Council Public Hearing – January 18, 2022
1 Planning Commission Public Hearing
September 16, 2021
• The Planning Commission accepted and
approved the EIR Addendum and
conditionally approved (5-0) the Site Plan
Review request for a mixed use project at
636 Locust Avenue
• Supporters Alliance for Environmental
Responsibility spoke in opposition to the
environmental review process
Background
2 Third-Party Appeal Filed
September 26, 2021
• Supporters Alliance for Environmental
Responsibility filed an appeal
Proposed Project
3 Project Description
• 7-Story Building
• Building Ht. 98-Feet (240-feet allowed)
• 108 Dwelling Units
• Unit Mix:
o 77 one-bedroom
o 11 one-bedroom with den
o 17 two-bedroom
o 3 three-bedroom
• 5,330 SF Outdoor Open Space
• 135 On-site Parking Spaces
Project Location
4 7th Street
6th Street
Long Beach Boulevard
Pine Avenue
Location – 636 Locust Avenue
Zoning – Downtown Plan Development
District (PD-30); Height Incentive Area
Site Area – 22,000-square-feet
Current Development – Former Auto
Care Facility
General Plan – Downtown (DT)
PlaceType
Project Site
Existing Conditions
Former Firestone Auto Care
Facility
5 Building Currently Vacant
Adjacent Uses
6 site
Project Compliance
7 General Plan
• Downtown (DT) PlaceType
Downtown Plan Standards (PD-30)
• 0-Foot Setback with Ground Floor
Activation
• Unit Size and Mix
• Height 98-Feet
• Parking Requirements (Vehicle, Bicycle)
• Private and Common Open Space
• High Quality Design and Amenity
Features
Project Entitlement
• Site Plan Review
Downtown Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
8 PROGRAM EIR
Land Use Buildout Assumed
2035
Residential
Units 5,000
Commercial
SF 480,000
Office SF 1,500,000
Hotel Rooms 800
SF = Square Feet
DOWNTOWN PLAN (PD-30)
DOWNTOWN PLAN
9 Land Use Buildout Assumed
2035
Development Entitled
and/or Constructed
% Built Out
Residential Units 5,000 5,252 105%
Commercial SF 480,000 203,710 42%
Office SF 1,500,000 490,000 32%
Hotel Rooms 800 223 27%
SF = Square Feet
10 LAND USE
EXCHANGE RATE PER RESOURCE AREA EVALUATED
Traffic/Noise Air Quality GHG
Commercial 0.082 0.060 0.022 KSF per DU
Office 0.315 0.170 0.059 KSF per DU
Hotel 0.629 0.311 0.078 Rooms per DU
KSF = thousand square feet; DU = dwelling unit
Equivalency Program for the Downtown Plan
11 LAND USE
EXCHANGE RATE EXAMPLE
Traffic/Noise
100 Residential Units Proposed = 31,500 SF of
Office
Commercial 0.082 KSF per DU
Office 0.315 KSF per DU
Hotel 0.629 Room Per DU
SF = Square Feet; KSF = thousand square feet; DU = dwelling unit Equivalency Program for the Downtown Plan
12 Land Use Capacity
Remaining
Equivalency
Program
Reduction
Adjusted
Capacity
Commercial SF 276,290 -140,970 135,320
Office SF 1,010,000 -417,060 592,940
Hotel Rooms 577 -177 400
SF = Square Feet KSF = thousand square feet; DU = dwelling unit 3,260
Residential
Units
Equivalency Program for the Downtown Plan
Appeal Points – Environmental Review
13 The project is not within scope of what was analyzed in the previously certified Downtown Program EIR, and thus the Addendum is not the appropriate environmental clearance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Issue Response
The EIR never contemplated such an
increase in residential density
A project is “within the scope” of the EIR if there is no change to the type of allowable land use, overall
planned density and building intensity, geographic area analyzed for environmental impacts (CEQA 15168(c))
The EIR considered and rejected a
increased residential density alternative
The alternative included increased residential but also increased development intensities for other uses as well Need to adopt new statement of overriding
considerations when conceding impacts of
the project
The project has the same significant and unavoidable
impacts; no new impacts were identified; the PEIR’s
mitigation measures continue to apply to development
projects
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – Environmental Review 14 • An Addendum (Downtown Plan Program EIR Land Use Equivalency Program and 7th and Locust Development Downtown Plan EIR Addendum) (EIRA 06-20) has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines and warrants no further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162
• A Land Use Equivalency Program (Equivalency Program) was prepared as part of the Addendum to provide development flexibility so that theDowntown Plan could respond to market conditions over the build-out duration of the plan o Increases in permitted land uses can be reallocated for corresponding decreases of other permitted land uses under the proposed Equivalency Program Recommendation
• Receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the public hearing; consider a third- party appeal by Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (APL 21-006); • Adopt a Resolution approving and adopting an Addendum (EIRA 06-20) to the Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for the City of Long Beach Downtown Plan (PEIR- SCH2009071006) relating to the 636 Locust Development (Project) in the Downtown Plan (PD-30) Area and the Downtown Plan Program EIR Land Use Equivalency Program (Equivalency Program), in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines and making certain CEQA Findings and Determinations relative thereto, including a finding that the adopted Downtown Plan Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program mitigates, to the extent feasible, impacts associated with Equivalency Programs projects, in accordance with those measures set forth in the Downtown Plan; and that no new or different mitigation measures are required; and,
• Deny the appeal and approve a Site Plan Review (SPR 20-011) for a new seven-story mixed-use building containing 108 dwelling units and 1,188 square feet of ground floor commercial uses at 636 Locust Avenue in the Downtown Plan (PD-30) Zoning District. (District 1) Thank you
16 Patricia Diefenderfer
Planning Bureau Manager, Development Services
Department
[email protected]