MEETING DATE November 18, 2021
APPLICATION NUMBER SPC-21-74
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution No. 1577 approving a Site Plan and Design Review Application (File No. SPC-21-74) for a 238 square foot office building with attached 3,200 square foot storage warehouse.
Project InFORMATION
APPLICANT
Wilson Architecture, Norman Wilson
PROPERTY OWNER
Raymus LLC, Ann Sugar
General Plan Designation
Commercial Mixed Use (CMU)
Zoning:
Commercial Mixed Use (CMU)
Existing Use:
Vacant
Proposed Use:
Commercial Development (office/storage warehouse)
Parcel Size
0.16 acres
Adjacent Uses:
North: Single Family homes
South: Commercial (restaurant)
East: Single Family homes
West: Vacant
Project Description
This Site Plan and Design Review Application is for a project that involves the development of a vacant commercial parcel with a small office and storage warehouse. The office space will be 238 square feet and the attached storage warehouse will be 3,200 square feet. The storage area will include two roll-up doors, one facing south toward the parking area and the other facing north toward the rear of the building and the alley.
PROJECT LOCATION AND SITE DESCRIPTION
The project is located on the north side of East Yosemite Avenue at 617 E. Yosemite Ave., between North Fremont Street and North Washington Avenue, APN No. 223-230-23 (see Figure 1). The site is currently vacant, but was previously developed with a single family home and out buildings. The home was demolished in 2019 and has remained vacant since.
Figure 1: Project Site Location
The proposed development includes a single structure consisting of a 238 square foot office with an attached 3,200 square foot storage space (see Figure 2). The architecture of the proposed building is modern/industrial, with a “skillion” style roof on the office and brick veneer wrapping around the lower pedestrian-level portion of the building. There is an Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) finish on the top of the structure. Four large windows are located near the top of the office façade. A metal awning will be located above the pedestrian entrance to the office.
Figure 2: Southern elevation
The site plan provides three parking spaces, screened by landscaping as required in the Manteca Municipal Code. The loading area and rollup door are located on the western side of the property, away from the adjacent residential use to the east. A photometric plan was provided as part of the submittal package. Proposed exterior lighting for the site will be LED, and all will be shielded and downward cast to prevent glare or light trespass onto adjacent properties. A CMU wall will also be provided along the eastern property line to mitigate sound and light and preserve privacy for the adjacent residential use (see Figure 3). Anticipated hours of operation are typical office hours: approximately 7am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend hours as needed.
Figure 3: Site Plan
PROJECT Background
An application for a Preliminary Staff Review (PST-21-01) was received by the City on January 5, 2021. The intent of the project was to provide an office space and storage space for the property management function of Raymus Properties LLC. A formal submittal package from the same development team was received on June 30, 2021. The applicant has made site plan changes in response to all of the comments received through each round of review, including reversing the site plan to provide greater separation between the rollup door and the adjacent residential use to the east.
ANALYSIS
The proposed Site Plan and Design Review Application is analyzed with respect to conformance with:
Manteca General Plan
Manteca Municipal Code
Manteca Climate Action Plan
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
General Plan Conformance
As shown on the below General Plan Land Use Map (Figure 4), the project site has a General Plan Land Use designation of Commercial Mixed Use (CMU). This land use designation accommodates a variety of uses including high-density residential, employment centers, retail commercial, and professional offices.
Figure 4: General Plan Land Use Designation
The proposed use is an office with adjacent/attached storage area. The total structure square footage of the structure is 3,428 square feet. The project conforms to both the density and use requirements of this land use designation.
In addition to conforming to the CMU land use designation density and use, the Site Plan conforms to the following General Plan goals and policies:
LU-P-2: Growth must contribute to a strong, diversified economic base and an effective balance between employment and housing opportunities for all income levels.
Analysis: This office and storage space will provide a convenient central location for the property management team to access their numerous sites around the city. The need for this type of office/storage space is due to the increase in housing growth in the Manteca community. This housing growth is ultimately contributing to a diversified economic base by creating needs for new businesses and spaces like the proposed use.
LU-P-24: New commercial development shall be designed to avoid the appearance of strip development.
Analysis: The proposed development includes distinctive modern architecture, with a variety of finishes and materials to provide visual interest. The office portion of the structure will include a “skillion” style single-panel roof, and four large fixed windows to allow ample natural light into the structure and an architectural break in the breadth of the façade. A metal awning is located over the pedestrian entrance, and metal roofing panels accentuate the roofline along the sides of the larger storage structure. Overall, the proposed structure is unique and visually interesting, and does not have the appearance of strip development.
Goal CD-2: Maintain a memorable City identity characterized by distinctive, high quality buildings and streetscapes.
Analysis: The proposed development includes distinctive modern architecture, with a variety of finishes and materials to provide visual interest. As noted above, the distinct modern-industrial feel creates a distinctive style for the building and provides an interesting and memorable building on a parcel that is currently vacant and lacks any character-defining features.
Goal CD-8: Upgrade and enhance the visual quality of Manteca’s arterial and collector streets.
Analysis: The property in question is located on a very busy portion of East Yosemite Avenue. The site is highly visible, approximately 160 feet east of a signalized intersection on the busiest east-west arterial street in the City. The site is currently vacant, bare soil, with some weeds. Providing a new commercial structure at this location will revitalize and beautify this site.
Zoning Code Conformance
Zoning Ordinance Conformance
The project site is currently zoned Commercial Mixed Use (CMU). The purpose of a Commercial Mixed Use zoning district is to accommodate a variety of uses including high-density residential, employment centers, retail commercial, and professional offices. The primary use for this development is an office space, with an attached storage area for equipment used to fulfil the work orders generated through the office. The office will maintain typical office hours of 7am to 5pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend hours as needed. As such, the proposed Amendment is still consistent with the CMU zoning district.
Site Plan and Design Review Findings
In order to approve a Site Plan and Design Review application, Section 17.10.060 of the Zoning Ordinance requires that the Planning Commission must make the following findings:
The proposed project is consistent with the objectives of the General Plan, complies with applicable zoning regulations, Planned Development, Master Plan or Specific Plan provisions, Improvement Standards, and other applicable standards and regulations adopted by the City.
Analysis: The proposed project is consistent with several General Plan policies as listed above. Further, the project conforms to the CMU zoning district as it relates to use and setback requirements. The project will be conditioned to comply with all other applicable improvement standards and City regulations.
The proposed project will not create conflicts with vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian transportation modes of circulation.
Analysis: The proposed project has been reviewed for appropriate ingress and egress for both vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian access to ensure that there are no conflict between movements of these three users. Moreover, the site design has been reviewed for appropriate internal circulation so as to avoid any conflicts on site between users as well.
The site layout (orientation and placement of buildings and parking areas), as well as the landscaping, lighting, and other development features, is compatible with and complements the existing surrounding environment and ultimate character of the area under the General Plan.
Analysis: The proposed project was reviewed to ensure compatibility with the character, scale, and quality of the existing development in this district area of the City. The site design complies with all lighting and landscaping requirements and it ultimately enhances the safety and aesthetic feel around the project area.
The proposed architecture, including the character, scale, and quality of the design, relationship with the site and other buildings, building materials, colors, screening of exterior appurtenances, exterior lighting and signing, and similar elements, establishes a clear design concept and is compatible with the character of buildings on adjoining and nearby properties.
Analysis: The project architect has worked closely with staff to develop a building design and massing scheme that addresses staff’s design requirements for the building. As a result, the proposed modern/industrial feel to the building provides a distinct architectural character and street presence. The large building windows break up the façade of the building and provide necessary building articulation.
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CONFORMANCE
On October 15, 2013, the Manteca City Council approved and adopted the Air Quality Element Update and Climate Action Plan in response to the passing of Assembly Bill AB32. The intent of this plan is to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in both private and public sector development. The proposed Commercial Site Plan conforms to the following Climate Action Plan strategies:
CAP Strategies Solar Generation SG-1: The City shall encourage development projects to provide solar power as part of their strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Analysis: In an email dated August 25, 2021, City staff informed the applicant of the increased desire of the City to see solar on commercial projects. The applicant responded, indicating that they did not originally intend to include solar, but that they will incorporate it into their design if required to do so.
CAP Strategies Water Conservation WC-1: The City shall continue to implement water conservation measures to comply with the Model Water Efficiency Landscape requirements that implement the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 1881, Laird).
Analysis: A required part of the formal submittal package is a completed Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) Compliance Form. This document is to accompany their landscaping planting plan. Compliance with this checklist and water efficiency requirements will be determined during construction document review.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is determined categorically exempt from the requirements of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Article 19, 15332, Class 32, “In-Fill Development Projects” because this project is:
Consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan policies as well as with applicable zoning designations and regulations.
Analysis: As noted in the above sections, the proposed project is consistent with the City of Manteca General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Climate Action Plan.
The proposed project occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres.
Analysis: The proposed project is within the City Limits and the project site is 7,000 square feet in total.
The project site has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
Analysis: The project site has only been vacant for two years, and was previously occupied by a single family home and several outbuildings. It has since been the site of several Code Enforcement citations for weed abatement and abandoned vehicles.
Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality.
Analysis: The proposed development is small in scale and only has parking capacity for three vehicles, making the traffic impact minimal. This type of business will generate some noise as equipment is transported in or out of property; however, it is not anticipated that the noise will be above Noise Standards as outlined in MMC 17.58.050. The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
Report prepared by: Toben Barnum, Associate Planner
Attachments:
Planning Commission Resolution No. 1577
1a. Exhibit A Project Plans
1b. Exhibit B Conditions Of Approval
Reviewed by:
_________________________________________________ _____________ Lea C. Simvoulakis, Senior Planner Date _________________________________________________ _____________ Chris Erias, Development Services Department Director Date
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1ATTACHMENT 1City of Manteca Planning Commission ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1
AGENDA REPORT