Exhibit A: Recommended Findings of Fact Page 1 of 4
PLN21-0005 2824 Halcyon Drive
EXHIBIT A
RECOMMENDED FINDINGS OF FACT AND DETERMINATIONS
PLN21-0005
2824 Halcyon Drive, APN 77C-1240-5
Chris Zaballos, D.R. Horton (Applicant)
Douglas Storm, Douglas Storm Trust UDT (Property Owner) The City Council hereby approves a Zoning Map Amendment (PLN21-0005), subject to the following findings:
Zoning Map Amendment
1. The proposed zoning map amendment is consistent with the policies of the General Plan.
The proposed zoning map amendment from IP Industrial Park/ RS Residential SingleFamily to RS(PD) Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay District is appropriate and necessary for consistency with the General Plan because the General Plan designation is RLM Low-Medium Density Residential which permits attached and detached single family houses on small lots. Lots smaller than 5,000 square feet are permitted. Gross densities generally range from 7 to 11 units per acre, including streets and easements. Maximum allowable net density in this category is 12.4 units per net acre. With the zoning map amendment, the Project retains the basic amenities and qualities of a single family neighborhood, including front and rear yards, driveways, and garages.
The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan designation of RLM LowMedium Density Residential because the project consists of 18 single-family dwelling units on smaller lots that are less than 5,000 square feet. The project has a density of
7.4 units per acre which falls within 7 to 11 units per acre and is less than the maximum density of 12.4 units per acre. For these reasons, the zoning map amendment with Planned Development (PD) zoning overlay will be consistent with the underlying General Plan designation.
The Zoning Map Amendment to change the zoning from IP Industrial Park/ RS Residential Single-Family to RS(PD) Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay District will align the General Plan designation of Low-Medium Density Residential because the corresponding zoning designation for the Low-Medium Density Residential land use category is RS(PD) Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay District (General Plan page 3-33). The following General Plan policies are applicable to the proposed project (note: LU-Land Use):
Policy LU-1.5 Front Yards. Encourage the attractive treatment of front yards and other areas in residential neighborhoods that are visible from the street.
Landscaping of front yards should be consistent with the City's water conservation and Bay-friendly landscaping goals.
Exhibit A: Recommended Findings of Fact Page 2 of 4
PLN21-0005: 2824 Halcyon Drive
Policy LU-1.8 Fences. Require that any fencing in residential neighborhoods meets high aesthetic and safety standards. Residential fencing should not obstruct vehicle sight lines, be compatible with the architectural design of nearby structures and make a positive contribution to the character of the neighborhood.
Policy LU-2.1 Complete Neighborhoods. Complete Neighborhoods. Strive for “complete neighborhoods” that provide an array of housing choices; easy access to retail stores, commercial services, and medical care; quality public schools; great parks and open spaces; affordable transportation options; and civic amenities.
Policy LU-2.6 Preservation of Low Density Character. Preservation of Low Density Character. Preserve the low-density character of San Leandro’s predominantly single family neighborhoods.
Policy LU-2.8 Alterations, Additions, and Infill. Ensure that alterations, additions and infill development are compatible with existing homes and maintain aesthetically pleasing neighborhoods.
Policy LU-2.12 Off-Street Parking. Off-Street Parking. Ensure that a sufficient number of off-street parking spaces are provided in new residential development to minimize parking "overflow" into neighborhoods. The visual prominence of parking should be minimized in new development areas.
Policy LU-2.13 Gated Communities. Gated Communities. Unless overriding public safety considerations exist, discourage the development of “gated” communities or the gating of already developed neighborhoods or subdivisions Policy LU-2.14 Emergency Access. Emergency Access. Ensure that all new development is designed for adequate access by emergency vehicles.
Policy LU-2.15 Usable Open Space Provisions. Usable Open Space Provisions. Require useable open spaces for community use in large new residential developments. Wherever feasible, such spaces should contain play equipment, children’s activity areas, and other amenities that draw people outdoors, create street life, and instill a sense of community. In higher density and mixed use areas, such spaces may provide for activities such as outdoor performances, farmers markets, outdoor dining, and community gatherings.
Policy LU-2.17 Constrained Sites. Focus new housing development on underutilized or infill sites on the city’s flatter lands, rather than on previously undeveloped sites in the hills. Development on sites with significant geologic, hydrologic, or land stability constraints should be strongly discouraged.
Policy LU-3.1 Mix of Unit Types. Encourage a mix of residential development types in the city, including single family homes on a variety of lot sizes, as well as townhomes, row houses, live-work units, planned unit development, garden apartments, and medium to high density multi-family housing.
Exhibit A: Recommended Findings of Fact Page 3 of 4
PLN21-0005: 2824 Halcyon Drive
Policy LU-3.2 Mix of Price Ranges. Mix of Price Ranges. Encourage a mix of price ranges to provide housing choices for San Leandro residents of all incomes and ages. Opportunities to include affordable units and market rate units within the same development projects should be pursued.
Policy LU-3.3 Affordable Housing Design. Design new affordable housing to blend in with the existing fabric of the community. Affordable housing should be located in a variety of neighborhoods rather than concentrated in one particular part of the city.
Policy LU-3.4 Promotion of Infill. Encourage infill development on vacant or underused sites within residential and commercial areas.
Policy LU-3.10 Market-Rate Housing. Encourage the provision of a significant amount of market-rate ownership and rental housing as part of an effort to maintain and diversify the city’s economic base.
2. The proposed zoning map amendment is consistent with the purposes of this Code.
The proposed zoning map amendment from IP Industrial Park/ RS Residential SingleFamily to RS(PD) Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay District is appropriate, consistent and in agreement with the purposes of the Code because the underlying Residential Single-Family zoning district permits single-family residential dwelling units at a maximum density of one dwelling unit per parcel. The project is consistent as the density is also one dwelling unit per parcel. In addition, the zoning map amendment will be subjected to any development proposal on the property to the City’s discretionary review process, ensuring that the new development will be compatible with the existing area.
The Planned Development is compatible with the existing and proposed uses in the surrounding neighborhood because single-family residential is a permitted land use in the RS Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay zoning designation and the project’s single-family residential land use is compatible and consistent with other land uses found in the surrounding the predominantly single-family neighborhood, with the exception the parcel adjacent to the project at the northeast corner is zoned IG(AU) Industrial General Assembly. The rest of the surrounding parcels and neighborhoods consists of single-family residential properties. The project site is located in the middle of a block that contains single family homes. West of the project is a RS(PD Residential Single-Family with a Planned Development Overlay zoning district. East of the project is a RS Residential Single-Family zoning district. Across the street from the project is also a RS Residential Single-Family zoning district. A singlefamily residential Planned Development at the subject property appropriate and compatible with the surrounding land uses in the general neighborhood. As a result, the project will be consistent and compatible with existing uses in the neighborhood.
Exhibit A: Recommended Findings of Fact Page 4 of 4
PLN21-0005: 2824 Halcyon Drive
As part of the project’s plan to rezone and redevelop the subject property, the property will be improved with adequate public infrastructure such as utilities and other public facilities to properly serve it without overloading and without detriment to the immediate area. The Planned Development is fully accessible to all required utilities. The Planned Development will replace a single parcel that is developed with two existing buildings and two associated accessory structures with existing trees and ruderal grassland vegetation with a 18-single-family residential development that has been found to have less than significant impact with mitigation on traffic. Per the Infill Checklist, the estimated increased trip generation rates for the project would be below thresholds of significance and project-specific impacts relative to traffic hazards, emergency access, pedestrian and bicycle circulation, and transit capacity would not exceed or differ from those identified in the General Plan EIR. In addition, the project would not result in new specific effects that were not addressed in the General Plan EIR, and no new mitigation measures would be required. Utility providers have sufficient capacity to accommodate the project and the project will contribute development impact fees in order to compensate for the cost of schools and parkland. The design of the project will remove two dead-end streets and improve access for emergency vehicles for both the project and adjacent neighborhoods. Per the Infill Checklist, the project would have a less than significant impact on public services, the same as the impacts identified in the General Plan EIR, would not result in new specific effects that were not addressed in the General Plan EIR, and would not require new mitigation measures.