Agenda Report
TO:
March 14, 2022
Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Planning & Community Development Department
SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DIAGRAM AMENDMENT FOR LINCOLN
AVENUE SPECIFIC PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the project is consistent with the analysis in the Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan Update Addendum to the 2015 Pasadena General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR), along with the EIR, and find that the Addendum properly discloses only minor technical changes or additions to the EIR, and none of the conditions triggering a subsequent or supplemental EIR are present, as set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 ; and
2. Make the Findings for Approval for the General Plan Map Amendment of the Land Use Diagram; and
3. Adopt a resolution approving the General Plan Map Amendment.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
On February 23, 2022, staff presented the proposed General Plan Map Amendment of the Land Use Diagram to the Planning Commission for review and consideration. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the proposed General Plan Map Amendment as presented by staff.
BACKGROUND:
When the General Plan was adopted in 2015 it included a land use diagram with a density range of 0-87 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) for areas designated within the Medium Mixed-Use land use category. The intent was to include a range until the zoning district was established with the adoption of each specific plan. With the adoption of each specific plan the General Plan Land Use Diagram would then be adjusted to align the land use category with the new zoning district's specied densities.
MEETING OF 03/14/2022 AGENDA ITEM NO. - ~16 _____ _
General Plan Amendment - Land Use Diagram Amendment for Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan March 14, 2022
While not required to match as the General Plan Land Use Diagram provides a broader blueprint for land use planning and the zoning district provides the actual development standards, staff believes that best pratices would result in the General Plan Land Use Diagram and zoning districts being in alignment.
On November 15, 2021, staff presented the first of the eight specific plan updates with the Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan (Recommended LASP) for the City Council's consideration. The Council adopted the Recommended LASP. The action included a General Plan Map Amendment to align the Land Use Diagram 's Medium Mixed-Use land use category with the recommended zoning district for the new "LA-MU-N" zone in the LASP. In this plan it resulted in specifying a new range 0-32 du/ac and an FAR 0-1.0 for the "Medium Mixed-Use" land use category instead of the 0- 87 du/acre range and non residential FAR of 0-2.25.
On January 12, 2022, the City received a letter of inquiry from HCD outlining City actions associated with the LASP update and posing questions for a City response , including a question regarding the change to the General Plan Land Use Diagram.
HCD acknowledged that through the LASP update process , parcels in the LA-MU-N zoning district would see an increase in allowable density, from 16 du/ac to 32 du/ac, but asked the City to clarify how the corresponding General Plan Map Amendment to the Land Use Diagram to align with the new zoning district was not a violation of the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (SB 330 or the Act).
CITY RESPONSE
The City has responded to HCD outlining how it has not violated the Act and specifically asking HCD to opine as to whether or not changing the General Plan Land Use Diagram to match the zoning district is a violation of the Act. Staff is proposing to leave the General Plan Land Use Diagram unchanged and move forward with the specific plan update process while we await HCD's formal answer . The General Plan Land Use Diagram is provided as Attachment Band the recommended action does NOT result in any changes to the allowed development standards located in the LASP that have previously been approved by the Commission and the Council.
It is estimated that it could take several months for the City to receive a response from HCD on this matter. Given the important work of continuing with the specific plan adoption process, staff is recommending that the City Council reinstate the range that was in place for the LASP prior to November 15, 2021 plan adoption and for plans moving forward this will be the approa ch. If the City receives confirmation that we can in fact align the General Plan density to the zoning density staff will return at a later date with a clean up to all of the affected plans.
General Plan Amendment - Land Use Diagram Amendment for Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan March 14, 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
An Initial Study and EIR was prepared for the Pasadena General Plan in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and certified by the City Council on August 17, 2015 . An addendum to the IS/EIR has been prepared analyzing the LASP Update in compliance with Section 15164 (Addendum to an EIR or Negative Declaration) of the CEQA guidelines (Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 11). The addendum found that the project revisions will not result in any potentially significant impacts that were not already analyzed in the IS/EIR. Further, none of the conditions triggering a subsequent or supplemental EIR are present, as set forth in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15164.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
The proposed change would revert the General Plan Land Use Designation in the LASP from Medium Mixed-Use (0.0 - 1.0 FAR, 0 - 32 du/ac) to the original Medium Mixed Use floor area ratio and density ranges (0.0 - 2.25 FAR, 0 - 87 du/ac) established in the General Plan Land Use Diagram. This action would not result in any changes to the allowed development standards previously reviewed and adopted by the City Council on November , 15, 2021 for the Recommended LASP.
SUMMARY: MEDIUM MIXED-USE LAND USE DESIGNATION:
Adopted LASP (November 15, 2021) Proposed Amendment
General Plan: 0-32 du/ac; 1.0 FAR General Plan: 0-87 du/acre; FAR 0.0-2.25 Zoning: LA-MU-N (32 du/acre) Zoning : LA-MU-N (32 du/acre)
M O N T A N A
Proposed Area of
Change Medium Mixed
Use
WY O Mf N G
JO HN MUIR
HIGH.SCHOOL
General Plan Amendment - Land Use Diagram Amendment for Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan March 14, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact to the City by adopting the proposed General Plan Map Amendment of the Land Use Diagram.
Prepared by:
Planner
Approved by:
Attachments: (4)
Attachment A - Required Findings
Attachment B - General Plan Land Use Diagram
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID M. REYES
Director of Planning & Community
Development Department
Concurred by:
Anita Cerna
Principal Planner
Attachment C -Addendum to the General Plan Environmental Impact Report Attachment D - 2015 General Plan Environmental Impact Report