FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 7, 2022
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
Prepared by: Director of Community Development
SUBJECT: CONCEPTUAL REVIEW OF A PROPOSED STARBUCKS DRIVE - THROUGH COFFEE SHOP AT 408 EAST MAIN STREET IN THE
GATEWAY DISTRICT OF THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council provide comments to address the applicant's request and provide further direction to City staff regarding proposed text amendments to the Downtown Specific Plan.
BACKGROUND:
In March 2022, Michael Singelyn, on behalf of Starbucks, submitted a pre -application with a conceptual site plan to redevelop a 0.7 -acre site with an existing 3,600 -square -foot bank building and drive -through teller window in the Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan. The building, located at the southeast corner of Main Street and Miller Street, has been vacant since the Pacific Western Bank closed this location in approximately 2015.
The project would include demolishing the existing vacant bank building and constructing a new 1,340 -square -foot coffee shop with a drive -through and outdoor patio area. The Downtown Specific Plan was adopted in 2008 and was updated most recently in 2015.
Drive-throughs are currently prohibited in the Downtown Specific Plan with the exception of existing legal non -conforming drive -through facilities that are currently operating or have been in operation within the last six months. If formal applications are submitted to the City for this project, an amendment to the Downtown Specific Plan would be required to permit a drive -through at this location.
DISCUSSION:
The project includes the construction of a new 1,340 -square -foot Starbucks coffee shop with a drive -through and outdoor patio area. The coffee shop would be located along the Main Street frontage allowing for pedestrian access to the main building and adjacent outdoor patio area from Main Street and Miller Street. Eleven parking spaces are also provided onsite along the eastern edge of the site. Access to the site would be from Main Street and Miller Street. To provide ample queuing space for vehicles, the drive -through has been designed with two lanes to accommodate 17 vehicles. Landscaping would be provided throughout the site, including new trees along the frontage adjacent to the drive - through.
The Downtown Specific Plan is a planning document that guides development in the City's Downtown area. The plan includes revitalization principles to achieve a future vision of the Downtown that is pedestrian -oriented with an integrated mix of land uses (retail, office, residential, entertainment and civic/cultural) with well -designed streetscapes in a
safe and clean environment. The goal is for Santa Maria's Downtown area to be a place where new businesses are eager to locate and are attracted by the improvements and the encouragement the City gives to investors, downtown merchants, and property owners. The project site is located within the Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan, which consists of properties located along Main Street and Broadway. The layout of the project is designed to comply with the Gateway District provision which states that new construction projects should locate buildings and structures along the street frontage with parking areas placed in the rear of the site.
Drive-throughs are currently prohibited in the Downtown Specific Plan area with the exception of existing legal non -conforming drive -through facilities (established prior to January 1, 2016) that are currently operating or have been in operation within the last six months. Currently, there are approximately six properties with existing drive -through facilities in the Downtown area. This includes the subject property, which was formerly used as a bank with a drive -up teller window until approximately 2015 when the bank closed. The property has been vacant and for sale since that time. There has been some interest in redeveloping the property in the past, but no projects have ultimately moved forward for various reasons.
To permit the proposed request for redeveloping the site, a text amendment to the Downtown Specific Plan will be required to permit the drive -through. Staff recognizes the importance of furthering the Downtown Specific Plan's vision to promote pedestrian - oriented land uses. Allowing new drive -through facilities on any property in the plan area may not be viewed as a positive addition in most parts of the Downtown. However, allowing for the reconstruction of a site that has historically contained a drive -through (existing or vacant) may be viewed as a welcome improvement, especially if the property has been sitting vacant and underutilized for several years. This approach would also support the Downtown Specific Plan's goal of attracting new businesses in the area that could otherwise not be located within the Downtown due to the existing provisions. If the City Council is supportive of this direction, the Land Use section of the Downtown Specific Plan could be revised as follows:
"Subject to the approval of a Downtown Permit, a site with existing drive-in or drive - through infrastructure (such as drive -through canopies, lanes, and windows) may continue to operate a drive -through use, change ownership, rebuild, and expand, so long as the use or structures do not grow beyond the property where the drive - through infrastructure was legally established."
This amendment would only apply to the approximately six properties that are currently developed with existing drive -through facilities in the Downtown area and would not allow for the development of any new locations for drive -through facilities. Approval of any redevelopment projects on these sites would require the approval of a Downtown Permit by the Planning Commission or City Council, depending on the location of the property. 2 Fiscal Considerations:
This amendment is not expected to result in any noticeable fiscal impact to the City.
Future redevelopment of this parcel would provide expanded opportunity for future sales tax -generating businesses.
Impact to the Community:
A future amendment would allow existing drive -through facilities to continue or reconstruct. Reconstruction of older, existing facilities could be viewed by the surrounding neighborhood as a positive change, bringing tenants to reuse underutilized sites that have historically been used as drive-throughs before. Any drive -through redevelopment project would require a Downtown Permit that will include neighborhood notification and a public hearing. This will allow the City to approve or deny individual proposals based on a case - by -case basis depending on neighborhood impacts.
CAROL ZIESENHENNE
Senior Planner
CHUEN NG
Director of Community Development
Attachments A: Vicinity Map
B: Project Plans
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