DATE:
November 14, 2023
CATEGORY:
Public Hearing
DEPT.:
Community Development
TITLE: 500 and 550 Ellis Street Hotel and Office
Project
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt the Initial Study of Environmental Significance for the 500 and 550 Ellis Street Hotel and Office Project and determine that the project is consistent with the East Whisman Precise Plan Final Environmental Impact Report and Mountain View 2030 General Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program Final Environmental Imp act Report, pursuant to Sections 15162 and 15183 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines (Attachment 1 to the Council report).
2. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Approving a Planned Community Permit and D evelopment Review Permit to Construct a New Six -Story, 168,647 Square Foot, 201-Room Hotel with a Four-Level Parking Garage, and a Two-Story, 37,611 Square Foot Office Building, Replacing Two Commercial Office Buildings; a Provisional Use Permit for a Park ing Reduction to Allow 192 Spaces in Lieu of 209 Spaces Required for the Hotel; and a Heritage Tree Removal Permit to Remove Eight Heritage Trees, All on a 2.16 -Acre Site Located at 500 and 550 Ellis Street, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 2 to the Council report).
BACKGROUND
• Project Location: 500 and 550 Ellis Street, at the corner of Ellis Street and National Avenue.
• Project Site Size: Approximately 2.16 acres.
• General Plan Designation: High-Intensity Office.
• Zoning Designation: P(41)–East Whisman Precise Plan in the Employment Character Area (North).
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• Surrounding Land Uses: North and west —office uses; south—office uses (across National Avenue); east —office uses (across Ellis Street ); and northeast —commercial (Specialty’s restaurant).
• Current Site Conditions: One office building on each of the two lots—totaling 32,734 square feet.
• Applicant/Owner: Loren Brown for Portola Land Company.
Figure 1: Location Map
Project Overview
The project proposes a new six-story, 201 guest-room hotel (approximately 168,600 square feet) with a four-level, fully automated parking garage on the southern half of the property and a new two-story office building (approximately 37,600 square feet) on the northern half. The proposed parking garage would be wrapped on three sides by the hotel and completely screened from the public right -of-way. Acce ss to the garage would be from National Avenue, and the driveway continues along the western and northern sides of the property that exits onto Ellis Street. In addition, the project includes the removal of eight Heritage trees and nine non -Heritage trees.
The project will retain 20 Heritage trees , nine of which are mature redwood trees along Ellis Street and National Avenue. Along with overall site and landscaping improvements, the project includes a publicly accessible paseo located between the two new buildings to connect to the Project
Site
600 Ellis
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multi-use path proposed on the adjacent property to the west (465 Fairchild Drive/600 Ellis Street Project—see Figure 1 above).
The project also includes a request to utilize nonresidential Bonus Floor Area Ratio (FAR) allowances under the East Whisman Precise Plan (EWPP) to exceed the Base 1.00 FAR for the hotel, which is discussed in greater detail later in this report.
Figure 2: Site Plan
Prior Meetings and Hearings
Neighborhood Meeting
On October 27, 2022, the applicant hosted a virtual neighborhood meeting. Approximately seven people attended the meeting, including a mix of nearby residents and other stakeholders.
Attendees generally supported the project, specifically public use and access of the paseo, and the hotel restaurant, bar, and meeting room. After a presentation from the applicant, the applicant team responded to attendees’ questions about tenancy of the hotel, office, and hotel restaurant; adaptability of proposed landscaping and tree replacements to drier weather; anticipated views from hotel rooms; design of the proposed art mural on the side of the parking garage; and estimated project approval and construction timeline. No specific project concerns were identified.
Design Review
The project design was reviewed at Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings in November 2022 and June 2023. No members of the public spoke at the first DRC meeting; however, prior to the second DRC meeting, one letter was received regarding the importance of
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tree preservation policies throughout the City, and at the meeting, one person asked about accessibility and the design of the ramp leading up to the paseo from Ellis Street.
The applicant has worked cooperatively with staff to address many design rec ommendations, such as frontage tree preservation; enhanced paseo amenities; improved hotel massing, window detailing, and pedestrian-oriented entries; and refined office entry design and materiality. Based on DRC review, staff is recommending design condi tions of approval to address the following remaining design refinements:
1. Refine the hotel design to enhance ground-level building and site design features at the key corner (at Ellis Street/National Avenue).
2. Enhance the ground -level experience of the Ellis Street entrance to the midblock paseo (e.g., adjusted visitor bike parking and additional landscaping), the Ellis Street -facing hotel patio (e.g., vine trellis), and the pedestrian pathway along the west (back) side of the hotel (e.g., planters, building materials, lighting, seating, etc.).
3. Improve the second -floor hotel balcony trellis design (north elevation) and refine the material/color on the two-story hotel building volume (along the paseo) to create a warmer and more integrated feature.
4. Improve the office building, particularly at the southeast (main entry) corner, by providing more material detailing and visual interest, such as by employing shaped metal/“C” channel columns and window trim treatments.
5. Provide high -quality mater ial specifications and construction details (e.g., wood trim dimensions, paving materials, etc.).
6. Finalize the design of the hotel mural.
Environmental Planning Commission Review and Recommendation
On October 4, 2023, the EPC reviewed the project at a public hearing (see Attachment 6 —EPC Staff Report Dated October 4, 2023 ). Prior to the meeting, staff received two letters from the public regarding the preservation of additional redwood trees; and during the meeting, two members of the public (one who also submitted a letter) requested additional tree preservation and expressed support for the project’s bird -safe design, Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures, public space, and bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly design.
Overall, the EPC found the project to be a positive addition in the EWPP area as it consist s of a mix of uses, provides a public paseo, the buildings will be LEED Platinum®, and includes payment of community benefit funds. The EPC was supportive of the exceptions to the streetscape design 500 and 550 Ellis Street Hotel and Office Project
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on National Avenue and Ellis Street and the hotel’s loading space requirement (discussed in more detail below) and asked questions, but were then supportive, on the logistics and queuing of the automatic parking garage. The EPC expressed particular concern about the proposed Heritage tree removals, including the following comments from multiple commissioners:
• Concern over the loss of several mature redwood trees along Ellis Street and in the public paseo;
• Concerns over the viability of the remaining redwood trees if other trees within a grove are removed; and
• Support for a deviation in the street wall requirement to preserve additional healthy, mature Heritage trees.
The EPC recommended (4-0-1; Yin dissenting, Nunez and Gutierrez absent) the City Council adopt the staff recommendation to approve the project , with one addition to the staff recommendation: that the applicant work with staff to explore additional opportunities to preserve more of the existing Heritage trees, even if it would deviate from the street wall setback requirement, without substantially modifying the project.
Following the EPC meeting and conversations with staff , the applicant modified their plans to preserve seven additional Heritage trees , all of which are mature redwood trees . The modifications to the site plan require some deviation from the front setbacks in the EWPP which are discussed in more detail later in the report.
ANALYSIS
General Plan
The proposed project complies with the General Plan Land Use Designation of High -Intensity Office, which allows for office uses and supporting service uses. The High -Intensity Office designation allows for building height of up to eight stories and a maximum office FAR of up to 0.35; however, office FAR up to 1.0 is allowed for highly sustainable developments that comply with EWPP standards. The additional FAR proposed by the project is considered compliant, pursuant to the EWPP, which allows developments to exceed the Base FAR through the Bon us FAR process discussed later in this report. Furthermore, the project supports the following General Plan policies:
• LUD 3.2: Mix of land uses . The project proposes a mixed -use (office and hotel) development that can benefit from efficiencies in par king demand and shared use of common open areas. It also includes a restaurant and a shop in the hotel and a publicly 500 and 550 Ellis Street Hotel and Office Project
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accessible paseo, which support a range of activities that can serve surrounding residents and employees.
• LUD 3.9: Parcel assembly. The project site is currently two separate parcels; however, the project proposes a lot line adjustment to merge the two parcels into one.
• LUD 8.3: Enhanced, publicly accessible bicycle and pedestrian connections . The project proposes a public paseo adjacent to the common open area for the hotel and office. The paseo provides access and activation for the office lobby and the hotel’s meeting rooms, breaks up the block’s massing, and enhances publicly accessible bicycle and pedestrian access by connecting to the proposed multi-use path to the west of the property (600 Ellis Street).
• LUD 10.1: Sustainable design and materials; and LUD 19.2: (East Whisman) Highly sustainable development. The project proposes LEED Platinum® building construction and design.
• LUD 19.1: (East Whisman) Land use and transportation . The project includes greater land use intensity within one-half mile of the Bayshore/NASA Light Rail Station.
• LUD 19.3: (East Whisman) Connectivity improvements . The project includes a paseo that contributes to a new pedestrian connection through the block.
Zoning
The project site is zoned P(41) East Whisman Precise Plan (EWPP) and is located within the High- Intensity Employment Character Area (North), where office and hotel uses are permitted. This Character Area allows a nonresidential (office) Base FAR of 0.4 and a hotel Base FAR of 1.0 with Bonus FAR allowed up to 2.00 on a discretionary basis for projects proposing community benefits and achieving LEED P latinum® green building standards. Additionally, the EWPP allows hotels that are part of a mixed-use development a combined maximum of 2.5 FAR (where the individual uses do not exceed their maximum FARs inclusive of Bonus FAR). See Table 1 for a summary of key development standards.
Table 1: Project Details
Standard Requirement Proposed
Maximum Office FAR (Base) 0.4 0.4
Maximum Hotel FAR (with Bonus) 2.0 1.79
Maximum Combined FAR (with Bonus) 2.5 2.19
Maximum Height 100’ 88’ (hotel)
50’ (office)
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The project advances the following EWPP guiding principles:
• Guiding Principle 2: Create a Complete Neighborhood . The project will contribute to the development of a complete neighborhood by limiting office growth to within the Base FAR while constructing the first hotel in the East Whisman neighborhood, providing a new hotel restaurant and shop, and contributing an enhanced paseo to promote connectivity and accessibility throughout the area.
• Guiding Principle 8: Minimize Vehicle Trips. The project will reduce vehicle trips to the site through implementation of a TDM program, which will include participation in the Mountain View Transportation Management Association (TMA), provision of an on -site bike repair station and showers within the bicycle storage room, a commuter concierge, and other services like transit subsidies, commuter allowances, and guaranteed ride home program.
Bonus FAR Program
To qualify for Bonus FAR for the hotel use, the project must meet an enhanced green building standard and provide a community benefits contribution. The project complies with the requirements by proposing buildings that are LEED Platinum® and providing a community benefits contribution adopted by the City Council for the EWPP area that is proportional to the
0.79 Bonus FAR requested for the hotel and estimated at $464,000. Hotels are exempt from the Jobs-Housing Linkage program requirement.
The project is not requesting Bonus FAR for the office use. This means they do not need to provide community benefits or a Jobs-Housing Linkage program for the office.
Requested Exceptions to the EWPP Standards
The development substantially complies with the development standards and guidelines of the EWPP. The applicant is requesting the followin g exceptions due to the site’s unique condition and the proposed use, which is allowed by the EWPP and through the Planned Community Permit process.
1. Streetscape Design Requirements for National Avenue and Ellis Street. The EWPP identifies specific streetscape design standards that consist of a detached sidewalk where a landscape buffer separates the public sidewalk from the roadway. To preserve existing redwood trees located in front of the existing and proposed build ings, the new sidewalk will meander around the existing redwoods , and portions of the existing sidewalk will remain monolithic (e.g., sidewalk adjacent to the roadway without landscape buffer).
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The modified sidewalk design was reviewed by the Public Works Department and the Forestry Division of the Community Services Department and was determined to be feasible. As designed, the sidewalks will vary from 6’ to 8’ to achieve wider sidewalks for enhanced pedestrian experience while preserving existing mature trees. However, if determined necessary during later stages of the project, the sidewalk width may be further reduced in order to prioritize tree protection and avoid any significant root damage.
2. Loading Spaces. The Zoning Code requires nonresidenti al projects to provide on -site loading spaces at a rate of one space for the first 30,000 square feet of floor area and one space per 20,000 square feet of additional floor area. Therefore, the hotel is required to have six loading spaces, and the office is required to have two loading spaces. While the applicant meets the requirement for the office, the applicant has requested an exception to the hotel requirement based on the use and operational needs of the hotel. The proposed hotel is a limited -service hotel that does not have large conference rooms or a banquet space which may necessitate more loading spaces. Additionally, the allowance in the reduction of loading spaces is also consistent with the entitlements approved for two other hotels with sim ilar services. Additionally, a Multi -Modal Transportation Analysis (MTA) was done for the project which did not identify any issues with the reduced loading spaces. Finally, the hotel will be allowed to utilize the two loading spaces adjacent to the office building, if needed and available, for a total of four loading spaces on the site.
Project Design
Overall, the material and color mix of the buildings are intended to relate to, but not duplicate, each other. The color palette for both buildings is primarily white, gray, and sand with warmer wood-like siding employed within key accent locations, such as the Ellis Street hotel patio and within the projecting second -floor feature on the office building. Large windows and, to the extent feasible, publi cly accessible and active frontage uses are located at the ground floor on both buildings to provide transparency, visual connection, and engagement between public frontages and interior building spaces.
Hotel
The six-story hotel has a simple, modern design with a mix of smooth and textured materials, including a stucco -like material called EIFS, Trespa® panels, metal panels, and wood -look paneling. The building is designed with three primary volumes: a key corner tower, a horizontal street wall comprised of the lower four stories (located closer to Ellis Street), and two upper floors that are stepped back. The hotel follow s the EWPP’s street wall standards to maintain facade consistency on the site frontage along Ellis Street. The hotel frontage on Ellis Street also features additional entries to interior amenity spaces (e.g., bar/restaurant) and an outdoor patio area to provide additional pedestrian-engaging features.
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The hotel building wraps around a share d garage structure comprised entirely of automated parking lifts, accessed from an on-site driveway along the westerly edge of the hotel and with a mural planned on what would otherwise be a long, blank garage wall. Along National Avenue, the hotel facade is generally taller, complemented by large street trees to be preserved and with additional porte-cochere and hotel shop entries. The midblock paseo -facing facade steps down to two-stories at its interface with the two-story office building.
Office
The two-story office building is located to the north of the hotel. The distinct building entry is oriented toward and helps activate the paseo. Along Ellis Street, the building includes high - quality and finely textured materials along the first floor, such as stone-look porcelain tile and a projecting second-story element that adds interest to the glass facade. The north facade uses warmer tones to individualize a separate entrance to the building.
The EWPP requires that building facades shall be located within 20’ of the planned inside edge of the public sidewalk along Ellis Street. The office was originally designed to follow these street wall standards. Howev er, in response to the recommendation by the EPC for the applicant to work with staff on saving additional trees in front of the office, the applicant has revised the site plan. The revised plan places the front facade of the building at 30’ from the edge of the public sidewalk along Ellis Street instead of 19’ but now saves the five redwood trees along the Ellis Street frontage. Additionally, in order to maintain the same square footage as the originally proposed building, the applicant has made revisions to the building wall lengths and window locations. Staff is recommending approval of this revised plan because the Precise Plan allows for flexibility from strict adherence to standards if the design provides other benefits, such as the preservation of significant Heritage trees. Staff is addi tionally recommending conditions of approval to require additional design review of the modified building elevations and site plan during the building permit phase. This will ensure that the changes to the building and site plan maintain a high standard of quality in both the building and paseo design.
Figure 3: View of the Hotel from Intersection
Figure 4: View of the Paseo from Driveway
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Paseo
As required in the EWPP, the proposed paseo includes a
public walkway with a width of 10 ’ and is provided between buildings to increase pedestrian access and connectivity. The paseo is accentuated by the hotel and office’s common open spaces, all of which are publicly accessible, and provides amenities like movable tables and chairs, an outdoor
fireplace, built -in seating in planters, direct access into the buildings, and an enhanced overall pedestrian experience (see Figure 4). The applicant has responded to the EPC’s recommendation by revising the paseo area to preserve the row of existing mature redwood trees. The revised design will ensure tree preservation through larger planter boxes to house the existing trees and replacing the concrete hardscape with spaced decking to reduce impacts to the root areas of the trees and provide for better water filtration. The larger planter boxes will now occupy most of the paseo area, which will limit usability of the space . In addition, the wood decking will not be conducive to bike riding but will continue to maintain the required pedestrian acces s. Additionally, to continue to signal the public nature of the paseo and connection, there are conditions to require signage to be installed in key locations to inform the public about regarding the bicycle facilities and the publicly available paseo area.
In November 202 0, Council approved an office development project on an adjacent parcel (600 Ellis Street, shown in dashed yellow in Figure 5 ) that proposed a multi -use path that ran along the southern property line of the property. With the paseo proposed for this project, the two paths will be connected and provide direct public access from Ellis Street, two thirds of the way through the block (shown in orange in Figure 5).
Trees and Canopy
An arborist report was prepared for the project, analyzing a total of 47 trees within and adjacent to the project area, of which 30 are designated Heritage trees. As discussed earlier, the applicant has revised the site plan to save seven additional Heritage trees, including three redwood trees along Ellis Street and four redwood trees in the paseo area. In total, the revised project proposes preservation of 20 Heritage trees and the removal of eight Heritage trees and nine non-Heritage trees. The remaining tree removals are necessary due to conflicts with the vehicular path of travel, building envelope , risks from demolition, and low suitability for preservation due to construction impacts.
Figure 5: EWPP Mobility
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The Heritage trees are typically required to be replaced at a 2:1 ratio (equal to 16 Heritage tree replacements), and the non -Heritage trees are typically required to be replaced at a 1:1 ratio (equal to nine replacement trees), for a total replacement requirement of 25 trees. However, space is limited on the site for replacement trees due to a number of factors, including preservation of existing mature trees and the circulation needs of the site. Therefore, the project is only able to accommodate 20 of the 25 replacement trees on-site and will pay an in -lieu fee for the remaining required replacements. The project also provides for nine new street trees that have not been included in the calculation of replacement trees.
Figure 6: Heritage Tree Removal and Protection Map
Table 2: Tree Canopy Coverage
Coverage Canopy Site Coverage
Existing 30.1%
New After Five to 10 Years 35%
New After 15 Years (~Full Growth) 39.6%
The project proposes modifications from the EWPP standards to the sidewalk design for Ellis Street and National Avenue and the Ellis Street street wall location requirements in order to protect nine mature redwood trees that were selected to be most viable for protection during construction. Additional redwood and privet trees are also protected along the western and northern property lines and within the proposed paseo. The proposed plant palette p rovides varied, robust landscaping and features 75% native plants. Based on the new tree plantings, the on-site tree canopy coverage is expected to be 3 9.6% at full growth, an increase to the existing condition, as shown in Table 2 above.
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Parking
The project includes a total of 192 total spaces (173 within the parking garage, 14 surface parking spaces behind the office, and five short -term parking stalls in the hotel’s porte -cochere area).
The project proposes on-site parking that is provided in a parking lift system in an enclosed garage attached to the hotel and some surface parking to the rear of the office. The parking will be shared by both the hotel workers, hotel guests, and office users.
The office component of the project adheres to the maxi mum parking standards outlined in the EWPP. The proposal allocates 70 parking spaces in the garage for office use, which falls below the 109-space maximum (2.9 spaces per 1,000 square feet). These maximum parking standards are designed to promote multi -modal transportation, reduce the incentive for car usage, and minimize development costs associated with parking facilities.
The EWPP does not specify parking requirements for hotel uses but defers to the Zoning Ordinance, which sets a minimum parking requirement for hotels, resulting in a requirement for 209 spaces when applied.
Assembly Bill (AB) 2097, effective since January 1, 2023, prohibits cities from enforcing minimum parking requirements on development within one-half mile of a major transit stop. However, AB 2097 expressly does not apply to hotels. Therefore, the City may still apply the minimum parking requirement of 209 spaces to the project site for the hotel portion.
Shared parking is recommended for mixed -use d evelopments in the EWPP, subject to substantiation through a parking study. The Multi-Modal Transportation Analysis for the project (refer to Attachment 5) included an examination of the proposed parking supply concluding that it would adequately accommodate the hotel and office based on comparable projects and their intended operations. Consequently, the applicant is seeking, and staff recommends, approval of a Provisional Use Permit to reduce the required parking for the project to 192 spaces.
The proj ect resolution includes a condition of approval that mandates the development of a parking management plan, which will restrict office parking to the maximum requirement while reserving the remaining spaces for the hotel. Furthermore, a Transportation Dem and Management Plan will be required, as detailed below.
The project also exceeds the requirements for bicycle parking by providing a total of 24 secure long-term bike parking spaces where 17 spaces are required and 32 short -term bicycle racks where 28 spaces are required. The long -term parking spaces are provided in an enclosed room located on the north side of the office building. The short -term parking spaces are located at various convenient locations throughout the site, such as the corner courtyard, the porte - cochere, the paseo, and in front of the office use closest to the NASA/Bayshore Light Rail Station.
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Transportation Demand Management
The E WPP identifies specific transportation demand site design features and operational measures required for all new office projects, including a TDM plan that provides details on the implementation and reporting of the TDM measures. The project has provided a plan that meets the EWPP requirements and includes, but is not limited to:
• Compliance with the EWPP Trip Cap of 0.95 a.m. and 0.88 p.m. peak -hour trip per 1,000 square feet of office.
• Implementation and annual monitoring of a TDM plan, including the following measures:
joining the Mountain View TMA; provision of bike storage, repair facilities, and showers; subsidized transit passes; and guaranteed ride home program and ride-matching resources.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an Initial Study of Environmental Significance was prepared for the project (see Attachment 1). The Initial Study determined that, with implementation of City standard conditions of approval and certain mitigation measures identified in the EWPP Final Environmental Impact Report (EWPP FEIR) and 2030 General Plan and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program Final Environmental Impact R eport (General Plan FEIR), the proposed project would not result in any new or substantially more significant environmental impacts beyond those previously evaluated and disclosed in these Environmental Impact Reports.
Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman Superfund Study Area
The project is located within the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman (MEW) Superfund Study Area, which was identified as a Superfund Area in the late 1980s due to semiconductor, electronic, and other manufacturing companies operating in the area that contaminated the soil and groundwater with volatile organize compounds (VOC) in the 1960s and 1970s. As part of the project review, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was completed and peer -reviewed for the project development. The report concluded that there is potential for VOC-contaminated soil vapor and groundwater due to the project’s location within the MEW.
All projects within the MEW Superfund Study Area are required to prepare and sub mit monitoring plans and vapor barrier design solutions and comply with other reporting requirements for the vapor control measures and receive approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project applicant has contacted the EPA and w ill continue work with that agency prior to issuance of building permits. Additionally, the applicant will be required to complete reports of installation of the vapor intrusion control measures approved by the EPA prior to building occupancy.
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Based on the above, the project is in compliance with existing regulations for the area with the implementation of mitigation measures identified in the EWPP FEIR (MM HAZ-3.1), including the submission of a Phase 1, and impacts associated with hazardous materials wo uld be less than significant and consistent with the findings of the EWPP FEIR.
Vehicle Miles Traveled
The EWPP FEIR identified a significant impact to project-generated Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), largely due to the amount of new office and the existi ng conditions of relatively high VMT - generating office uses. However, the City Council adopted its VMT Policy in June 2020 as the metric for determining significant transportation impacts consistent with State regulations, including Senate Bill (SB) 743.
The City’s VMT Policy includes screening criteria for projects which are presumed to have a less- than-significant VMT impact and would not require further project -specific VMT analysis if the project meets certain criteria. This project complies with th e screening criteria because the site is located within one-half mile of the Bayshore/NASA and Middlefield Light Rail Stations, has a FAR greater than 0.75, and provides reduced parking supply (less than the City’s maximum parking allowance); therefore, th e project is determined to be consistent with the City’s VMT Policy and have a less-than-significant VMT impact.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s current share of the County of Santa Clara property taxes from the project site is approximately $4,300 per year. If the site were redeveloped to include the new hotel and office building and improvements, based on the estimated construction value information provided by the applicant, the City would receive approximately $ 129,500 property tax revenue per year , resulting in an annual increase of approximately $125,200 . In addition, the City will receive Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenues that will vary depending on room rates and occupancy rates in any given year and tend to be cyclical.
The project is subject t o the City’s Housing Impact Fee based on the net new hotel and office floor area, estimated at $503,300, and the EWPP Development Impact Fee based on the net new hotel and office floor area of the project, which is estimated at $ 1,572,000. Additionally, the project will provide a community benefit contribution based on the Bonus FAR requested for the hotel, estimated at $464,000. These fees are collected prior to building permit issuance.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the proposed project as it furthers General Plan policies and EWPP Guiding Principles related to active transportation and sustainable 500 and 550 Ellis Street Hotel and Office Project
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development, is compatible with existing and anticipated future development that surround the site, substantially complies with applicable development standards of the EWPP, and will provide publicly accessible private open spaces and active transportation amenities envisioned in the EWPP Complete Streets Network. In addition, staff notes that the app licant has worked with staff to preserve additional Heritage trees based on the recommendation of the EPC. Staff also recommends the City Council adopt the I nitial Study of Environmental Significance, which determined that the proposed project would not result in any new or substantially more significant environmental impacts beyond those previously evaluated and disclosed in these Environmental Impact Reports.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the project with modified conditions of approval.
2. Deny the project.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The City Council’s agenda is advertised on Channel 26, and the agenda and this report appear on the City’s internet website. All property owners within a 750’ radius and other interested stakeholders were notified of this meeting.
Prepared by:
Ellen Yau
Senior Planner
Amber Blizinski
Assistant Community Development Director
Approved by:
Aarti Shrivastava
Assistant City Manager/
Community Development Director
Kimbra McCarthy
City Manager
EY-AB/6/CAM/810-11-14-23CR
202670
Attachments: 1. Initial Study of Environmental Significance (CEQA)
2. Resolution Approving the Project
3. Project Plans
4. Arborist Report
5. Multi-Modal Transportation Analysis
6. EPC Staff Report Dated October 4, 2023
7. Public Comments