ATTACHMENT 1
City of Manteca Planning Commission
AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE June 16, 2022
APPLICATION NUMBER MCA 22-057 & MCA 22-058
RECOMMENDATION Adopt Resolution No. 1597 recommending the City Council approve a proposed amendment to Table 17.26.020-1, Development Standards for Manteca’s Base Zoning Districts, to increase the maximum building height to 45’ within the Commercial Neighborhood (CN), Commercial General (CG) and Commercial Manufacturing (CM) zoning districts (File No. MCA22-057).
PROJECT INFORMATION
APPLICANT City of Manteca
PROPERTY OWNER Various
General Plan Designation MCA 22-057 Neighborhood Commercial (CN) and General Commercial (CG) MCA 22-058 All
Designations.
Zoning: MCA 22-057 Commercial Neighborhood (CN),
Commercial General (CG) and Commercial
Manufacturing (CM); MCA 22-058 All Zones
Existing Use: Various
Proposed Use: N/A
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed Municipal Code Amendment will increase the maximum building height limits to 45’ within all commercial zones. Within the Neighborhood Commercial (CN) zone the allowable height limit would increase from 30’ to 45’ and the from 35’ to 45’ height within the General Commercial (CG) and Commercial Manufacturing (CM) zones. The 45’ allowable height limit is consistent with the recently approved amendment to the BIP and CMU zoning districts to allow a height increase to 45’.
TABLE 17.26.020-1
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR MANTECA’S BASE ZONING DISTRICTS Development
Standard/Zoning
District AG RE R-1
1 R-2 R-3 CMU BIP CN CG CM M-1 M-2 OS A PQP
Building Height (max.)
• Building Height 30 ft 35 ft 45 ft 45 ft7 30
45ft7
35 45ft7 No max. No max.
PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
Below is a map showing the parcels throughout the City that are either zoned CN, CG or CM. These parcels will benefit from the proposed amendment.
Parcels Zoned CN, CG and CM
PROJECT BACKGROUND
In accordance with MMC Section 17.10.190, this amendment was initiated by the City Council at the May 17, 2022 regularly scheduled City Council meeting. During the public hearing for Item D.2 MCA 22-035, a public hearing item that proposed increases to the building heights in the BIP and CMU to 45 feet, the City Council asked staff to evaluate increasing building heights within all commercial zones as well as within the CBD Overlay Zone, Zones 1 and 2.
With height limits of 30’ for the CN zone and 35’ for the CG zone, Manteca’s ability to grow upwards rather that outwards is stifled. Better urban design requires the ability to build up, rather than out, and without the increase in height, Manteca is limiting its ability to get better designed, more efficient buildings in its commercial areas. For these reasons, staff
recommends a height limit increase for the CN, CG, and CM zones to 45 feet, which will make these zones consistent with the recently approved BIP and CMU districts.
This Amendment will make a uniform allowable height limit of 45’ in all commercial zones, while encouraging architectural variety in the Manteca “sky-line.”
ANALYSIS
The proposed MCA is analyzed with respect to conformance with:
1. Manteca General Plan
2. Manteca Municipal Code
3. Manteca Climate Action Plan
4. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE
The proposed Municipal Code Amendment to increase the allowable building height to 45’ within the CN, CG and CM zoning districts is consistent with the following goals and policies of the General Plan:
1. Land Use Element Policy LU-P-24: New commercial development shall be designed to avoid the appearance of strip development.
Analysis: The MCA is intended to encourage more imaginative design options by increasing the allowable heights of buildings, which will help developers avoid the proto-typical appearance of low-slung single-story buildings with flat roofs strip commercial.
2. Land Use Element Goal LU-8: Reinforce strong urban design, quality development and a compact city form.
Analysis: Increasing the allowable height limit is intended to increase the land use intensity of commercially zoned properties, which in turn is intended to create a more compact urban form.
3. Community Design Element Goal CD-9: Establish a durable sustainable community that utilizes resources efficiently.
Analysis: This MCA is intended to encourage new commercial development to buildup, rather than build-out the community, which ultimately encourages the maximum efficiency use of non-renewable resources.
4. Resource Conservation Element Policy RC-P-18: New development shall maximize the potential for open space and visual experiences.
Analysis: Encouraging building-up and encouraging different types of building roof lines while keeping the same FAR, creates the potential for urban open space and creates of a more vibrant urban visual experience for all.
ZONING CODE CONFORMANCE
In order to recommend approval to the City Council of the proposed amendments, the Commission will need to make the findings for Amendments. Zoning code Section
17.10.190.D, Findings for Zoning Amendment (Text or Map), states that Zoning Amendments shall be granted only when the City Council makes the following findings:
1. The proposed Zoning Amendment(s) (text or map) is consistent with the General Plan and any applicable Specific Plan goals, policies, and implementation programs.
Analysis: The proposed Amendment is consistent with the General Plan in that increasing the allowable building height limits in the CN, CG and CM zoning districts makes the zoning districts more compatible and more consistent with the policies of the Land Use, Community Design and Resource Conservation Elements of the General Plan.
2. The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City.
Analysis: The proposed amendment is not detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City in that the increase of the allowable building height to 45’ is less than the 85’ height limit within the Family Entertainment Zone, which has been determined to be an acceptable height near and around residential uses, and within the reach limits of current ladder trucks employed by the Fire Department.
3. The amendment has been reviewed in compliance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Analysis: The Amendment has been determined to be categorically exempt (Class 5, Minor Alterations to Land Use Limitations) from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15305 California Code of Regulations.
4. If a map amendment, the site is physically suitable (including absence of physical constraints, access, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and provisions of utilities) for the requested zoning designations and anticipated land uses/development.
Analysis: This section is not applicable as the proposed Amendment is a text amendment, not a map amendment.
5. If a text amendment, the amendment is internally consistent with other applicable provisions of this Zoning Code.
Analysis: The proposed Amendment is consistent with the other provisions of the Zoning Code in that allowable building heights are only listed in Table 17.26.020-1 of the Zoning Code and increase of such will not create any conflicts with other provisions of the Zoning Code.
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.
Increasing the allowable building height in commercially zoned districts is seen as a Compact Development (CD) Strategy of the Climate Action Plan. Specifically, the MCA is consistent with strategy CD-2 which states that the City shall encourage projects that are at or near the maximum densities allowed by the General Plan and zoning designations. This MCA is consistent with this strategy as the amendment encourage more compact development by encouraging new commercial projects to build-up rather than out to facilitates development at or near the maximum land use intensity of the General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Notice of Exemption has been prepared for the amendment pursuant to Section 15062 of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations. When the City decides that a project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061, and the City approves or determines to carry out the project, the City may, file a notice of exemption. The notice shall be filed, if at all, after approval of the project.
Report prepared by: J.D. Hightower, Deputy Director
Attachments:
1. Attachment 1: Map of Properties zoned CN, CG and CM
2. Attachment 2: Redlined Table 17.26.020-1
3. Attachment 3: Planning Commission Resolution
4. Attachment 4: Draft City Council Ordinance
Reviewed by:
_________________________________________________ _____________ Chris Erias, Development Services Department Director Date