Community Development Department
–
Planning Division
1600 First Street + P.O. Box 660
Napa, CA 94559
-
0660
(707) 257
-
9530
__________________________________________________________________________ ______
PLANNING COMMISSION
STAFF
REPORT
JANUARY
1 6
, 20
20 AGENDA ITEM
8 .
B
File No.
17 -
0134
–
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
I.
GENERAL INFORMATION
PROJECT
SUMMARY:
Design
Review
Permit
and
Use
Permit
for
a deta
ched 4
7 ,
768
square
foot,
4 story
,
hotel
expansion
on
a
0.53 -
acre
site neighboring the
existing Westin Verasa Hotel
LOCATION OF
1274 Mckinstry Street
PROPERTY:
APN:
044
-
250
-
035
GENERAL PLAN:
Oxbow Commercial (OBC)
ZONING:
Oxbow Commercial (OBC)
;
Flood
Plain
Overlay (FP)
APPLICANT/
VY Riverfront, LLC
Phone: (
415) 722
-
2509
PROPERTY
530 Bush Street, Suite 801
OWNER
:
San Francisco, CA 94108
STAFF
PLANNER:
Michael Allen,
Senior
Planner
Phone: (707)
257
-
9 53
0 LOCATION MAP
N
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
-
0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
2 II.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The
Applicant
request
s
a
Design Review Permit
and
Use Permi
t
approval
to construct
a
detached
4 5
,
265
square foot,
four
(
4 )
story,
32 room
hotel
expansion
on the vacant
parcel
immediately south of
the existing Westin
H
otel
.
The
expansion
is intended to serve as an
a
nnex to the existing hotel complex.
Supporting the hotel use
would be
a
7,
275
square
foot restaurant and bar, a
s
pa
,
and an outdoor spa terrace.
Parking would be provided by
a subterranean garage with
3 0
net
new
valet
parking spaces and underground
connectivity to the neighboring subterranean garage
(total of
26 3
shared spaces)
.
The
first level of the hotel building will include a full
-
service spa with six treatment rooms,
exercise studios, hair and nail salon, lockers rooms and sauna area, as well as, a lounge and juice bar. Three outdoor therapeutic spas are to be located on the
spa terrace and
will be connected to the juice bar/lounge by large folding doors. The spa will be open to both guests and the public.
As detailed by the
A
pplicant, the new Westin Hotel building is to serve as an annex to the existing hotel. All arrivin
g guests will continue to check in at the existing hotel’s front desk.
The lobby at the new building will function as a scaled down version of that located in the primary building and will service guests’ basic needs during their stay. The spa will have it
s own guest check in. Guest
a
ccess between the two buildings will be provided by the existing pedestrian sidewalk, back river trail or via
an internal path between the two
buildings
. Hotel employees conducting back of house functions will utilize the sub
terranean tunnel for activities such as room service, spa linen delivery, housekeeping etc.
The project approvals requested as a part of this application include:
1. A Design Review Permit for the 45,265 square foot
hotel building addition
.
2. Use permit to authorize the
hotel addition which is located on a separate parcel from the existing Westin Hotel.
FIGURE 1
–
PROPOSED WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
3 III.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The project site
, at 1274 McKinstry Street
is a relatively flat,
previously disturbed,
0.53 -
acre
vacant site, on the east side of Mckinstry street. The site is bounded by Mckinstry Street to the west, the Napa River to the east,
the Oxbow Commons
Park to the south
and the existing Westin Verasa hotel complex to the nort h. The site features an
approximately 6
-
foot
-
high decorative wall extending from the existing hotel and separates it from the Napa River
along the Napa River Trail
. Surrounding land uses include the
existing Westin Hotel and other commercial uses
,
includi
ng Umpqua Bank and River
Terrace Inn north of the site, to the east is the Napa River which abuts the site, the Oxbow District lies to the south, and to the west is the Napa Valley Wine Train Station .
I
V
.
BACKGROUND
O
n
April
4 ,
200
6 the City Council
granted
the
existing
Westin Verasa Hotel and Resort
(1314 McKinstry St.)
a Planned Development permit, Design Review Permit
and
Tentative Parcel Map
to authorize the construction of
a 160
-
room
(plus 20 lockout rooms)
hotel with associated
restaurant, café, meeting space, and appurtenant facilities.
When
the City
originally approved
the
Westin Hotel
project
, the hotel property
(
and
adjacent property at 1274 Mckinstry)
featured a General Plan Land use
designation
of
“
Mixed Use
”
and a Zonin
g Designation of
“
Tourist Commercial.
”
Since that time, the City
of Napa has adopted the Downtown
Napa
Specific Plan which amended both the General
Plan Land
Use
Designation and Zoning Designation for the site. At present, the
existing
Westin Hotel site an
d subject property
feature a General Plan Land Use designation of
“
Oxbow Commercial
”
with a zoning of
“
OBC:
Oxbow Commercial
”
and Building Form
Overlay of “Downtown II
.
”
Per the OBC requirements, hotels are now considered a
conditionally allowed use within the District.
V
.
ANALYSIS
A.
GENERAL PLAN
The General Plan
land use
designation
for the site is
Oxbow Commercial
(OBC).
T
his
land use district comprises the
eastern portions of Downtown
,
between Sosc
o
l Avenue,
the Napa River
,
and north to River Terrace. Th
e OBC
designation
provides for
tourist
-
uses such as hotels and their related amenities; recreational facilities; community and visitor serving retail, comme
rcial, entertainment and restaurants; and
similar compatible
uses.
The proposed
Westin Hotel Expansion
containing
32 hotel rooms
, restaurant and
bar, spa and spa terrace
serving both the tourist and local community would
align with
the goals of the
OBC
land use
designation.
In particular,
t
he
proposed expansion would
be
consistent with the
following
goals and policies of the
General Plan
:
G
eneral
P
lan
Goal LU
-
5 encourage
s
attractive, well
-
located commercial development to
serve the needs of Napa residen
ts, workers, and visitors
.
The hotel addition makes
efficient use of the vacant,
underutilized lot adjacent to the existing Westin Hotel . It
proposes
additional lodging facilities
to an existing hotel at
a conveniently accessed site
from
a major arterial (Sosc
o
l Avenue),
and within close
(walkable)
proximity to the
Downtown area
and Oxbow District which offers complementary land uses .
Accordingly
,
the proposal can be found to be consistent with General Pl an Goal LU
-
5. ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
-
0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
4 Land Use Element
Policy LU 5.6
suggests f
ree
-
standing or clustered tourist commercial
uses (e.g., entertainment, commercial recreation, lodging, fuel) sh ould
be located in areas
where traffic patterns are oriented to major arterial streets and highways and/or where
expansion or development will not adversely affect existing residential, office, or neighborhood commercial developments.
T
he
project’s
use of an appropriately situat
ed
infill site located in an area with easy access to a major ar terial and highway, proximate
to the existing hotel, Oxbow District and Downtown ensures traffic is confined to appropriate arterial streets and would limit any impacts to less intensive land uses like residential or office. Likewise, the proximity to comp
limentary land uses and pedestrian
connectivity offer an appealing alternative to driving and further reduce traffic generated by visitors during their stay.
Land Use
Policy LU 5.8
encourage
s
automobile
-
oriented uses to locate parking in areas
less visible from the street (e.g., reverse frontage commercial centers).
To make efficient
use of the site and reduce visibility of parking
,
the Project will place parking in a
subterranean garage. As s
uch, the project can be found to achieve the goal of reducing visibility of parking.
Land Use
Policy LU 6.1
states t
he City shall require retail and commercial uses to orient to the sidewalk or public spaces and to maintain an active street frontage in th e
pedestrian
-
oriented parts of downtown.
The proposed hotel design features four
-
sided
architecture that exhibits an active street frontage along Mckinstry street and which also acknowledges that the hotel will be highly visible to pedestrians utilizing th e Oxbow park
or Riverwalk
, as well as, visitors to the Oxbow market
. Strong building articulation and
generous landscaping ensure that the project is responsive to pedestrian s
and passer
s
by.
B
.
DOWNTOWN
NAPA
SPECIFIC PLAN
The subject property lies within the boundaries of the
“
Downtown
Napa
Specific Plan
”
(D
N
SP)
.
Adopted in
2012
, the D
N
SP
is intended to
serve as a
framework for realizing the
vision of a vibrant, healthy, and balanced pedestrian
-
oriented city center.
The Pla
n Area
comprises 210
acres of land and
is bounded on the east by the Napa River, on the south
by Division and Third streets, and on the west by Jefferson Street. The northern boundary generally
extends
along Polk and Caymus streets west of Soscol Avenue
; the boundaries
then
extend east to include the Oxbow Public Market and
the CIA at Copia. The
D
N
SP
establishes a set of 19 overarching goals; those relevant to this project are listed below, with staff’s
analysis in
italic
typeface
.
SP
LU Policy 6
:
Provide a human
-
scale, pedestrian
-
friendly environment that is inviting
to residents and visitors.
A
s depicted
in project plans,
the proposed design would feature four
-
sided architecture
thereby providing visual interest and interaction with the surroundings on all elevations and from various viewpoints. The building would feature a scale and massing similar to that seen on the exis
ting Westin Hotel, it would feature a variety of design mechanisms to reduce the perceived mass such as stepped upper floor, varied roof forms, gabled and flat roofed dormers, balconies and a variety of building materials to add layers and articulation to
encourage the building to appear
human scaled and responsive to the
passer by.
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
5 SP
LU Policy 11
:
Place priority on high
-
quality design and developing unique
structures that complement their surroundings, orienting buildings and entrances to streets and
public gathering places.
The design of the new building would be complimentary to the existing Westin Hotel and share many of the same design elements. However, it will provide some variety in that it will exhibit a more contemporary interpretation of the
craftsmen influence featured on the
existing Hotel. The new building would share the gabled shingle roofs and painted tongue and groove siding with the existing building, but the new design would depart slightly to include oversized windows, stone veneer
base, and painted metal columns to differentiate
it somewhat and encourage variety in the architecture. The natural and traditionally inspired materials and four
-
sided orientation would ensure the project meets this policy.
SP
LU Policy 19
:
Encourage new
development to incorporate sustainable elements
and practices.
The proposed design of the hotel features areas of green roof, quality and lasting materials, bio
-
retention facilities,
and
drought tolerant and native plantings
that provide
for a sustainabl
y
-
minded
project balanced with environmental considerations
in addition
to compliance with the building energy efficiency standards of Title 24 of the California Building Code.
C
.
ZONING
The subject site
has
a zoning designation of
Oxbow Commercia
l
(
OBC
).
T
he
OBC
zoning
district applies to the eastern portion of Downtown generally between Soscol Avenue and the Napa River and north to River Terrace Drive
.
The
District
allows for
tourist
-
oriented
uses
such as hotels and their related amenities
,
recreational faciliti
es
,
community and
visitor
-
serving retail, commercial, restaurants
,
and similar compatible uses.
Under this
designation, hotels are subject to approval of a
U
se
P
ermit
.
The site is also subject to the D
N
SP Building Form Overlay (BF Overlay)
;
“
Downtown
II
”
.
Regulations established by the BF
O
verlay
D
istrict are
technically
in addition to
regulations of the underlying principal zone district with which it is combined.
However,
the OBC simply defers to the BF Overlay standards and does not prescribe any additional standards.
As such,
the
following table summarizes the project’s consistency with the “
Downtown II
”
development standards:
TABLE 1
–
DOWNTOWN II
DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS
Development Standards
OBC
District
Project Proposed
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
%
4.0 1
.
94 Building Height
60 ft.
Approx. 53
ft.
Front Setback (feet)
15 ft.
Maximum
8.5 ft.
Side Yard (feet)
N/A
0 -
6 ft.
Rear Yard (feet)
N/A
0 -
6 ft.
The proposed hotel building is consistent with the
Downtown II
development standards.
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
-
0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
6 The proposed four (4) story, 45,265 square foot hotel generally follows the triangular shape of the lot. In order to accommodate the spa terrace located in the northern extents
of the property, a Lot Line Adjustment will be necessary which would reconfigure the parcel line more consistent between the existing hotel and the new addition. The project will be conditioned to perform the Lot Line Adjus
tment prior to building permit issuance.
The proposed building will feature a front setback of 8.5 feet and zero to 6 foot lot line setbacks along all other property lines. The entrance to the site will feature a new crescent driveway which will require on
e new curb cut. Access to the subterranean garage would be provided via a subterranean connection to the exiting hotel’s garage.
D. FLOODWAY
/FLOODPLAIN
OVERLAY
The site is located within the previously mapped floodway overlay.
However,
per a Letter
of Map
Revision (LOMR)
issued by FEMA, the project site is no longer located within the Napa River floodway and therefore the Floodway Overlay and requirements specified therein do not apply to this project.
The project site is also located
within the (FP),
Floodplain Management Overlay District. Therefore, the site is subject to the Floodplain (FP) Management Regulations, which requires Floodplain Administrator review of all on -
site improvements. After review of the proposed plans and the hy draulic analysis of the
project, the Public Works Department has determined that the improvements ( new
building, driveway
, drainage system and storm drains) are consistent with both existing City policy and standards and with Federal floodplain criteria.
E
.
USE PERMIT
Pursuant to
Table 4.1 of the Downtown Napa Specific Plan (D
T
SP)
,
hotels are a
conditionally permitted land use subject to final approval of a Use Permit by the City Council.
Use Permits are required for land uses that may be
suitable only in specific
locations or require special consideration in their design, operation, or layout to ensure compatibility with surrounding uses.
The existing
Westin
H
otel
was granted a Planned
Development Overlay which permitted the 160 room (plus
20 lockout rooms) condominium
hotel with shared parking, including valet parking operations .
As conditioned, the proposed
expansion
/new
hotel
annex
would be a suitable use
on the adjacent parcel
to the Westin
Hotel
.
F. HOTEL POLICIES
The following are the Applicant’s responses to
how the project complies with
the
City’s
Hotel Policies adopted in 2008.
1. A priority should be placed on the development of full -
service and resort hotels
downtown because of the ancillary and complementary b
enefits to other downtown
uses and activities. This does not preclude the full range of additional lodging products in appropriate locations throughout the city.
The Westin Verasa Hotel and Resort is a full
-
service hotel. It was completed in 2008 and
ha
s consistently shown strong commitment to the downtown core. Each year Westin serves as the headquarter hotel for several festivals throughout the community including Napa Valley Film Festival, Bottle Rock, a
nd Jazz Getaway.
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
7 2.
Limited service hotels with m
eeting room space and close proximity to surrounding
support services would be considered desirable. Bed and breakfasts and small inns as in
-
fill projects would be encouraged as indicated in the General Plan.
This policy is not directly applicable, as th
e Westin is a full service resort. The addition of
the spa will only enhance the guest a
menities
3. New hotel projects should provide a minimum of 15
-
100 square feet of contiguous
meeting room space per guest room depending on the type of hotel and location
to
facilitate and expand the group meeting demand.
The Westin facility includes approximately 12,568 square feet of combined indoor/outdoor conference space. After completion of the expansion, the resort will include 212 rooms.
This equates to approxim
ately 59.28 square feet per room of combined space.
4. Hotel applicants/developers should demonstrate how they will pursue mass transport activities that reduce traffic congestion such as shuttle services, linkages with other hotels, use of the trolley or li
ke public transit options, for guest and
employees, particularly for group
-
oriented hotels.
Guests to the resort will use personal vehicles and valet parked upon arrival. Although not precluded from using their vehicles, the resort will offer guests a va riety of transportation
options to off
-
site locations and activities. The hotel will actively encourage guests to consider alternative transportation options. Groups often arrive at the hotel and use charter buses throughout their visit. The Westin has i
mplemented a bike subsidy for associates of
the hotel. In addition, our location to the downtown core encourages pedestrian activity for guest and associates alike.
5. Hotel applicants/developers should demonstrate how they will link with the Napa Valley
College Hospitality Institute and Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, and/or provide in
-
house hospitality and employment training programs
that will provide a career ladder and stable employment sector.
The Westin participates with Hospitality Industry Partners in efforts to bridge the gap between community members and work opportunities within hospitality We have also worked with NVUSD to create teacher externship programs at the property. We are in the process of participating in a program through NVUSD called “Resorting to Opportunity.” We hope to help high schoolers find stable careers within hospitality. Lastly, our property is producing a leadership program to develop and groom team members for fut ure
leadership roles.
6. Hotel projects should demonstrate how they will meet sustainability (green) practices as determined by LEED standards or future green ordinances or initiatives that may be adopted by the City.
The Owner and design team for the
project are dedicated to pursuing sustainability on
many levels. The project will exceed code required sustainable measures such as CALGreen and Title 24 and any additional local sustainability codes. The project is located in a walkable area in downtown
Napa and is next to the wine train station. It will utilize best ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
-
0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
8 practice measures for storm water management, low
-
flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting,
high
-
efficiency mechanical systems, dark sky lighting measures and utilize materials that promote a he
althy interior environment. Additionally, the team will consider possible inclusion o
f elements such as solar/PV systems, graywater reuse and green roof elements.
7. Hotel applications should demonstrate as part of the application process a commitment to ad
vancing cultural arts by providing a public art component visible and accessible to the public, particularly for hotels located downtown. Hotel projects in the pipeline may be subject to a future "art in public places'' ordinance, pending adoption by City
Council in 2008.
We are committed to providing a public art component visible and accessible to the public.
8. Hotel applicants should provide a report or study that provides a comprehensive overview regarding hotel employment. The report or study should be
prepared by
an independent consultant and include,
at a minimum, the following information: the
number of employees the hotel would employ, full
-
time vs. part
-
time, position titles,
wage rates by position, and types of benefits; the anticipated breakdown of
employees residing inside or outside the County of Napa, and the rationale for breakdown; and any programs or policies the applicant or operator will implement in the area of employee housing and congestion management.
The City Council has
requested thi
s employment information to measure any economic, housing and transportation impacts the hotel would create.
A few new team members will be brought on board after completion of the expansion.
However, since this is an existing hotel property, many of the existing team will service the new
facilities and there are several redundancies and efficiencies with existi ng staff
members. The
expansion allows for career and responsibility growth for our team members and some part
-
time team members will have the opportunity to transition to full -
time
positions.
All Westin associates working 30 hours
-
a
-
week, or more are prov
ided full benefits
including medical, dental, life insurance, and vision plans. Associates are also given seven days of paid holiday and accrued vacation based on years of service. After one year ,
associates are entitled to participate in our matching 401k
program. All new employees will
be provided the same level of wages and benefits. In our 10+ years of operations, we have developed a loyal staff and
80 % of all associates live within
Napa County
.
The new
positions will be consistent with the wage and ben
efit rates of our current staff. The
chart
below lists the anticipated additional job positions to service the hotel expansion.
Position
Additional
Employees
Type of Benefits
Room Attendant
3 Full
-
Time, Full Benefits
House Person
1 Full
-
Time, Full Benefits
Valet Attendant
1 Full
-
Time, Full Benefits
Front Desk Agent
1 Full
-
Time, Full Benefits
Engineering Tech.
1 Full
-
Time, Full Benefits
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
9 The addition of an estimated seven employees servicing the expansion can be accommodated
through our existing facility including utilization of the associate lounge, associate restrooms,
and parking.
F
. PARKING
Napa Municipal Code (
NMC
)
Section 17.54.040
, defers to the Chapter 6 of the D
N
SP to
regulate parking for
properties located within the DTSP boundaries.
The D
N
SP specifies
the following parking ratio for hotel uses:
1 space per sleeping room plus 1 space for the
manager and 1 space for every 2 employ
ees (full or part time)
, plus if the hotel has
convention, ba
nquet, restaurant or meeting facilities, parking shall be provided in addition to the hotel requirement, as determined by Planning Commissio n. As detailed in the parking
study
(
Attachment
4 )
,
the traffic engineer employed the parking standard specified for “all other uses” to capture parking demand generated by the restaurants on site —
one on the
first floor
(existing)
which is subject to 3.2
spaces per
1000 s
quare
f
oot
ratio and one on the
f
ourth floor (proposed) which is subject to 2.4
spaces per
1000 s
quare
f
eet
.
Table 2, below,
illustrates the proposed project’s consistency with the applicable parking standards (existing and proposed additions combined)
.
TABLE 2
–
R
EQUIRED PARKING VS.
PROVIDED
PARKING
Parking Requirements
Parking Provided
1 space per sleeping room
212 spaces
1 space for manager
2 spaces
1 space for every 2 employees (
19 / 2)
10 spaces
6290
sf
(1
st
flr)
restaurant @
3.2/1000
sf
20 spaces
4557
sf
4 th
flr)
restaurant @ 2.4/ 1000
sf
11 spaces
TOTAL REQUIRED (
per
parking study)
255
TOTAL PROVIDED
26 3
As noted in the Parking Study, the D
N
SP does not set forth a specific parking ratio for
convention o
r
meeting space. As such, to estimate
parking
demand
for
a
220
-
person
event
(presumed to be the
Hotel’s
largest event), the traffic engineer employed a parking ratio of
2.5 person for vehicle
—
this rate is the typical rate applied to events held at wineries in the
Napa
Valley. It was further assumed that one
-
half of the guests would be guests at the
hotel
thereby resulting in an event parking demand of 44 additional spaces. This occasional demand could be accommodated by the
55 off
-
site parking spaces at Umpqua
Bank
and
made available under a
n existing
shared parking agreement
that was approved with the
ex
isting hotel
. As detailed above, the parking supply proposed under the project would be sufficient to accommodate both regular guests, as well as, guests attending the occasional special event.
Vehicular access to the site will be provided via a secondary
crescent driveway located off
Mckinstry Street which will facilitate access to the subterranean garage. The project includes the introduction of a new subterranean garage and tunnel linking it to the adjacent subterranean garage under the existing Westin
Hotel. As detailed in the traffic/parking
memo prepared by W
-
Trans on January 19, 2018 (Attachment
4 ), the project will introduce
a net total of 32 parking spaces to support the hotel use, 30 percent of which will be compact spaces. Note that the subterran
ean tunnel would result in the elimination of four (4) existing spaces, this; however, would be compensated for by the addition of five spaces in the ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
10 existing garage and 3
0 in the new garage, thereby resulting in a total of 26 3 shared spaces
between the t
wo buildings. Under a previously executed shared parking agreement, an additional 55 overflow spaces will remain available in the Umpqua bank parking lot to accommodate additional parking needs during special events (max of 31 8 spaces available
during spec
ial events).
Valet service will be offered at both buildings. Guests staying at the new building will have the option of being dropped off at the new building via golf cart or shuttle or may walk.
G
.
DESIGN REVIEW
NMC Sections 17.10.050 and
17.62.050 require a Design Review Permit for new non
-
residential structures. Consistent with this requirement, the Applicant has submitted architectural plans for the development.
In addition to required Design Review findings,
the application is also subj
ect to the Downtown Specific Plan
Design Guidelines. The
Guidelines are listed, below
, followed by staff’s analysis in
italic typeface.
1. Site Layout/Design
The
site layout is responsive to the uniquely shaped lot which fronts both Mckinstry street and the
Napa River. The west façade, fronting McKinstry, is clearly emphasized through the presence of a three
-
story projecting gable with large plate
glass windows and generous landscaping. Still, the three remaining sides ( including that adjacent to the river
)
, acknowledge the highly visible location and are
responsive to passer
s
by and pedestrians by including strong building articulation on all sides, generous landscaping, and lighting.
2. Mass/Scale
As shown on
project plans, t
he massing and scale of the
proposed building will be
similar to that of the existing Westin Hotel. To reduce perceived scale and massing, the design employs a stepped back fourth floor, will utilize a combination of roof forms, and dormers, include setback terraces, balconies and ar ticulation to break
up the mass of the building and provide visual interest while still providing a cohesive, unified design.
3. Building Height/
Step backs
The building height is similar to the height of the neighboring building and would be de
-
emphasized b
y stepping back the fourth floor which reduces the perceived height
and scale of the building.
4. Building Setbacks
The building setbacks are largely consistent with the neighboring building and would allow for an activated frontage, a generous
landscape buffer, and transition to the
street which is scaled to the pedestrian.
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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0134
–
Westin
Hotel Expansion
11 5.
Façade Articulation
To articulate the façade and provide visual interest, the design will take inspiration from the existing Westin in terms of the gabled shingle roofs a nd painted tongue
and groove siding, but the new design would depart slightly to include oversized windows, stone veneer base, and painted metal columns to differentiate it and encourage variety in the architecture. The façade i
s
further articulated throug
h the
presence of a stepped back fourth floor, will utilize a combination of roof forms, and dormers, include setback terraces, balconies and articulation to break up the mass of the building and provide visual interest while still providing a cohesive, un ified
design.
In addition, the river
-
facing elevation would carry through many of the design elements seen on the primary façade ensuring that a comparable amount of attention is given to the less visible, but still important elevation.
6. Materials
The pr
oposed exterior materials are textured and articulated to provide visual interest at a pedestrian scale.
The new building would feature a combination of
painted tongue and groove siding exterior punctuated with oversized windows, a stone veneer base, and painted metal columns to differentiate it and encourage variety in the architecture. The palate is not e
xcessive in the number of materials
and the materials are arranged in a complementary manner.
7. Lighting
A condition has been included requiring all proposed lighting to be downcast and/or shielded. A final lighting plan will be subject to review and app roval by the Planning
Manager prior to issuance of building permit.
8. Signage
Any signage will be reviewed under
a
separate permit.
9. Awnings
No awnings are proposed.
Building Elevations:
The new building would be
four
(
4 ) stories in height and
approximately 53’ feet tall as
measured from finished grade. The architectural design of the new building will be similar to the existing Westin Hotel and share many of the same design elements. However, it will provide some variety in that it will exhibi
t a more contemporary interpretation of the
craftsmen influence featured on the existing Westin Hotel. The new building would share the gabled shingle roofs and painted tongue and groove siding with the existing building, but the new design would depart sl
ightly to include oversized windows, stone veneer
base, and painted metal columns to differentiate it and encourage variety in the architecture. Likewise, the massing and scale of the proposed building will be similar to that of the existing Westin Hotel.
To reduce perceived scale and massing, the design
employs a stepped back fourth floor, will utilize a combination of roof forms, and dormers, ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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Westin
Hotel Expansion
12 include setback terraces, balconies and articulation to break up the mass of the building and provide visual inter
est while still providing a cohesive, unified design.
In recognition of the highly visible location, the building will feature four -
sided architecture
with the main entrance point off of Mckinstry street. Generous l
andscaping will provide a
buffer between
the street and proposed hotel to provide visual interest and soften the building’s presence on the street. Likewise, landscaping will be added around other elevations to enhance the border with the Riverwalk and provide some level of screening.
FIGURE
2 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
(WEST ELEVATION) WITH LANDSCAPING
FIGURE
3 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
(WEST ELEVATION)
WITHOUT LANDSCAPING
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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Hotel Expansion
13 FIGURE
4 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
(EAST ELEVATION)
WITH LANDSCAPING
FIGURE
5 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION (EAST ELEVATION) WITH
OUT
LANDSCAPING
FIGURE
6 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
(SOUTH ELEVATION) WITH LANDSCAPING
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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Hotel Expansion
14 FIGURE
7 –
WESTIN HOTEL EXPANSION
(SOUTH ELEVATION) WITH
OUT
LANDSCAPING
H.
L
ANDSCAPE PLAN
The
proposed landscape plan consists of two levels of landscaping located at grade and at the second level. The landscape will feature a variety of trees, shrubs and vines, groundcovers and grasses. Hardscape areas to feature decomposed granite paving, and con
crete paving. The landscaping will be integrated with a series of bioretention features including a raingarden.
I.
P
UBLIC ART
The applicant has communicated interest in installing a public art feature, but it has not yet been identified at this stage
.
A c
onditio
n
reiterates the NMC requirement that the applicant
must have an approved public art feature prior to issuance of building permit or will be required to pay
the
in
-
lieu fee.
VI
I
.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In January 201
2 , the
City Council
certi
fied an
E
nvironmental Impact Report (
EIR
)
for the
Downtown Napa Specific Plan (DNSP Final Environmental Impact Report; State Clearing House No. 2010042043)
.
The DNSP EIR contemplated developments such as hotels
within the DNSP boundaries.
The Westin Hotel Expansion project is within the boundaries of the Downtown Specific Plan
.
Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21083.3 and
CEQA Guidelines Section 15183
,
where a parcel has been zoned to accommodate a
particular density and an EIR was certified for the zoning action, the project is exempt from further environmental review except as might be necessary to determine whether the project may have “effects upo
n the environment which are peculiar to the parcel or to the project and which were not addressed as significant effects in the prior environmental impact report, or which substantial new information shows will be more significant than described in the pri
or environmental impact report
.
”
Because t
he DNSP establishes
zoning throughout the planning area, including the project site, and the City Council
ATTACHMENT 5
PL17
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Westin
Hotel Expansion
15 certified the DNSP EIR,
the
project
falls within the scope of Public Resources Code
Section 21083.3 and CEQ
A Guidelines Section 15183.
Pursuant to
Public Resources Code Section 21083.3 and
CEQA Guidelines Section
151
83 , the City prepared an
Environmental Checklist
to determine whether
the project
would have
project
-
specific significant effects which are p
eculiar to the
project or its site.
The Environmental Checklist concluded that the project would not have any project
-
specific significant effects which are peculiar to the
project or its site
, and therefore, no
further environmental review is required for
the project
.
The
Environmental Checklist may also be used to support a conclusion that the proposed project
does not require further environmental review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15168 (Program EIR)
which provides that subsequent
activities within the scope of a
Program EIR do not require
additional environmental documents if none of the conditions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162
triggering the need for a subsequent EIR are satisfied.
The proposed project falls within the scope of
the DNSP EIR, which is a Program EIR,
and none of the conditions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15162
trigger the need for further
environmental review
.
The City’s
Environmental Checklist
is attached as Attachment
2 to
this report.
V
I
II.
REQUIRED FINDINGS
The Planning Commission’s approval of
this project is subject to the required findings in
NMC Section 17.60.070 relating to Use Permits and NMC Section 17.62.080 relating to Design Review Permits
.
These findings are provided in the draft resolution attached to the Staff Report.
These findings
articulate the proposed project’s
consistency with the
General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and Guidelines. Staff has determined that the proposed project
meets
the
required
findings and the attached Resolution (see Attachment 1) contains the basis for this recommendation.
VIII
I
.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice that this application was received was provided by the City on September 21, 2017
and
notice of the scheduled public hearing was provided on
January
3 ,
2020
by US Postal
Service to all property owners within a 500
-
foot radius of the subject property. Notice of
the public hearing was also published in the Napa Valley Register on January 4,
2020
and provided to people previously requesting notice on the matter at the same time notice was provided to the newspaper for publication. The Applicant was also provided a copy of this Report and the associated attachments in advance of the public hear ing on the
project.
IX.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission forward a recommendation to the City Council to:
(1)
d
etermine that the potential environmental effects of the Project were adequately analyzed and addressed by a
prior CEQA action
; and (2) approve the Use
Permit
and
Design Review Permit based on a determination that the application, as conditioned, is consistent with the City’s General Plan, Downtown Napa Specific Plan
and
other applicable City requirements and pol
icies.
ATTACHMENT 5
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Westin
Hotel Expansion
16 X.
ALTERNATIVE TO RECOMMENDATION
1. Continue the application with direction for modifications and allow the Applicant an opportunity to prepare a revised proposal.
2. Recommend that the application be denied by the City Council.
XI.
REQUIRED
ACTIONS
F
orward a recommendation to the City Council to:
1. D
etermine that the potential environmental effects of the Project were adequately analyzed and addressed by a prior CEQA action as documented in the Environmental Checklist
prepared for the Project
.
2. Adopt a resolution approving a Use Permit
and
Design Review Permit for the
Westin Hotel Expansion
at
1274 Mckinstry Street.
XII.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED
1. Draft
City Council
Resolution
2. Project Plans
and Project
Description
3. Westin Addition
Environmental Checklist
4. Traffic and Parking Analysis
ATTACHMENT 5