1 RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MARIA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING DOWNTOWN PERMIT (DT2022-
0022) FOR ALVIN NEWTON APARTMENTS AT THE SOUTHEAST
CORNER OF MAIN STREET AND BROADWAY
The City Council of the City of Santa Maria finds as follows:
WHEREAS, the applicant, The Vernon Group, LLC, has applied for a Downtown Permit to construct a six-story, 75,340-square-foot mixed-use building with 5,760 square- feet of ground floor commercial, 82 apartment units, a rooftop deck, outdoor plazas, parking, and a firefighters' memorial on a 0.60 -acre site in the Gateway District of the Downtown Specific Plan; and
Planning Commission Actions
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a duly noticed public hearing on August 16, 2023 for the purpose of formulating and forwarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding said Downtown Permit; and WHEREAS, on August 1 6, 2023, with a 5-0-0 vote, the Planning Commission continued the item to September 6, 2023 , to allow staff time to respond to a letter challenging the environmental review received on August 15, 2023; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Santa Maria held a duly noticed public hearing on September 6 , 2023 , for the purpose of formul ating and forwarding a recommendation to the City Council regarding said Downtown Permit; and WHEREAS, on a 5-0-0 vote, the Planning Commission made its recommendation by motion that the City Council approve a Downtown Permit for the Alvin Newton Apartments on the southeast corner of Main Street and Broadway; and City Council Actions
WHEREAS, a duly noticed public hearing was held on th e Alvin Newton Apartments Downtown Permit by the Santa Maria City Council on October 3, 2023; and WHEREAS, the City Council considered all written and oral testimony; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the project qualifies as a Class 32 (In -Fill Development Projects) Categorical Exemption under Section 15332 of the State California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines. The project is consistent with the Specific Plan land use designation and the Gateway zone district and is consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan. As discussed in Attachment G of the Planning Commission staff report dated September 6, 2023, incorporated herein by reference, the project will not result in any significant environmental impacts, including cumulative impacts, and the project is not subject to the exceptions to the exemptions under CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2. The 0.60-acre site is developed , substantially surrounded by urban uses, has no value as habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species , and has the necessary public and private services and utilities in place to serve the project. Therefore, approval of the project would not result in significant effects relating to water quality, air quality, traffic, or noise. No further environmental review is required. 2 WHEREAS, the City Council makes the following Standard Downtown Permit findings:
1. The project meets the vision and intent of the Downtown Plan and the Gateway District in which it is located by providing:
a. A new pedestrian -oriented mixed -use building with a ground -floor commercial podium and apartments above. The building has clearly defined entrances that are easily accessible from public transit stops. b. A multi -storied building design that incorporates 360 -degree architecture with articulation and detailing on all building facades including massing, roof forms, wall planes, and friendly, human scale features such as balconies, street front dining patios, and a plaza open to the public that will soften the building exterior and provide an attractive street frontage.
c. A varie ty of landscaping throughout the building exterior, interior courtyard, and rooftop deck in the form of planted landscape areas, planter boxes, foundation planting, and canopy trees. The roof deck provides seating and interactive features for the residents such as patio tables, benches, and portable fire pits. The Firefighter Memorial Courtyard will provide a wind -protected public space for quiet reflection among shade trees, lush landscaping, and a central memorial focal point.
2. The site for the proposed project is adequate in size to accommodate the project. The 0.60-acre site is an infill site that is surrounded on all sides by urban development or roadways. The project is designed to comply with the Downtown Specific Plan and utili zes the adjacent City -owned parking garage for the majority of the project’s parking requirement for the residential component. There is an adequate remaining area for the building footprint, entry drive with four onsite parking spaces, driveway access to the adjacent parking garage, and site landscape, plaza, and outdoor dining areas; and
3. The project will not have adverse effects on abutting properties. The project conforms with the intent, purpose, and standards of the Downtown Specific Plan, and has been designed to be compatible with adjacent surrounding development. The commercial and residential uses will add to the mix of downtown land uses envisioned by the Downtown Specific Plan, and help support the other office, retail, and restaurant uses in the area. There are a total of 1,080 parking spaces within the adjacent parking structure, the project includes and is conditioned to provide secure bicycle parking facilities on site, and a condition of approval requires the applicant to provide improvements to the transit stop on Broadway. As discussed in Attachment G of the Planning Commission staff report, dated September 6, 2023, incorporated herein by reference, the project will not result in any significant environmental impacts, including cumulative impacts. Conditions of approval including but not limited to building architecture, noise reduction measures, colors and materials, stormwater requirements, site maintenance, landscaping , and construction requirements will further ensure that the project will have no adverse effects on abutting properties ; 3 and
4. The project will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or public welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity of the project, injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity of the project, or its orderly development. As discussed in Attachment G of the Planning Commission staff report, dated September 6, 2023, incorporated herein by reference, the project will not result in any significant environmental impacts, including cumulative impacts. The project includes residential and commercial uses that are consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan and the Gateway District, and the project is not of a scale or intensity that will cause significant impacts.
The site and project layout have been designed to meet safety requirements including visibility at intersections and Emergency access, and the development of the project is subject to Building, Fire, and other applicable Codes. The project will not create a noise impact as any construct ion- related noise would be temporary, the rooftop deck will be reserved for residents of the building only and subject to the City’s Noise Ordinance Santa Maria Municipal Code Chapter 5 -5, and the commercial tenants would be subject to the Noise Ordinance, and commercial/Industrial performance standards (SMMC Chapter 12-33) as well; and
5. The intensity of the project and/or the intensity of the structure(s) is not detrimental to the public welfare, adjoining properties, and the orderly development of the area because the size, scale , and aesthetics of the building are consistent with the intensity of development anticipated by the Downtown Specific Plan and the Gateway District. The building ceiling height conforms to the maximum 70 -foot height for the distric t, with decorative roof and tower elements exceeding that height, up to 85 feet.
The Downtown Specific Plan allows extra height to be considered for architectural elements or features on a case -by-case basis through the Downtown Permit process if superior design is achieved. According to Design Guideline G for Building Design and Character “Buildings on corner lots shall incorporate prominent architectural elements such as a clock tower, prominent roof lines, fountains, or public art and should have angled corners or corner walkthroughs to provide drivers visibility when turning right at intersection.” The project incorporates all of these elements, including prominent architectural tower elements and prominent roof lines, consistent with the guidelines. The se features help define the “superior design” required for extra height for architectural elements. As discussed in Attachment G of the Planning Commission staff report, dated September 6, 2023, incorporated herein by reference, the project will not result in any significant environmental impacts, including cumulative impacts; and WHEREAS, the City Council makes the following Special Downtown Permit findings:
1. The project will have large, operable storefront windows, an inviting, pedestrian-friendly entrance from the street, and separate Commercial and Residential pedestrian entries.
4 2. The project is required to have clear, well-designed signage in keeping with the style of the building. Signage will be limited to main building entries and will reflect the vernacular of the overall architectural theme.
3. The project will have abundant landscaping in the form of raised planter boxes, street trees, and in -ground landscape with irrigation. The project design provides over 4,240 square-feet of irrigated landscape ar ea, equating to approximately 15.8 percent of the site area, thereby exceeding the minimum 15 percent required landscape area. Raised planter boxes are included on the rooftop deck and throughout the building exterior wherever in-ground planting is infeasible.
4. The project consists of a new building with a cohesive architectural style and exterior colors and materials consistent with the Specific Plan.
5. The project will have amenities for residents including laundry in each unit, an elevator, outdoor private patios/balconies, bicycle racks/storage, common area seating , and amenities for pedestrians visiting the commercial use, including bicycle racks, enhanced walkways, outdoor dining areas (should a food use occupy the ground floor commercial area).
6. The project adheres to the Design Guidelines and Development Standards of the Downtown Plan to the maximum extent possible. The building utilizes changes in massing, setbacks, and niches in the wall planes, and incorporates tower features to provide roof -line variations. At the ground floor, human scale has been created through the use of awnings, building base projections, and decorative tile features.
7. The project has incorporated two or more architectural features in keeping with the architectural style of the building, including: stone faced entry and base elements with upper levels consisting of stucco exterior, cornices, and other decorative trim at multiple levels, clay tile roofing, recessed Juliet and full balconies, recessed entryways, tower feature s with decorative finials, wrought-iron look balcony railings, styled exterior lighting fixtures, canvas awnings, and a special memorial plaza area that pays tribute to Mr. Alvin Newton who perished in the Bradley Hotel fire on the site.
WHEREAS, the proje ct qualifies for the following incentives established by the Downtown Specific Plan:
1. Reduced Building Permit fees (50 percent), but not including costs for third- party Building Permit plan check review; and
2. Authorization for future Downtown Permits onsite to be administrative when otherwise a hearing would be required at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator; and
3. Allow this Downtown project to pay growth mitigation fees over a period of time on a case -by-case basis based on Section 8 -15.06 of the Muni cipal Code except Downtown projects may be paid over a 10-year period without interest payments; and
4. Contractual use of City-owned parking facilities for the benefit of the project; and
5 5. Reduced or waived growth mitigation fees for City Hall, Consolidated Corporation Yard, Police, Fire, Traffic, and Library. (Water Connection, Wastewater connection, State Water Reimbursement, Recreation and Parks and, School fees not waived.)
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, California, as follows:
1. The above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.
2. Approve Alvin Newton Apartments Downtown Permit DT2022-0022, incorporated by reference; and
2. The Assistant City Clerk is hereby authorized to make minor changes herein to address clerical errors, so long as substantial conformance of the intent of this document is maintained. In doing so, the Assistant City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any changes deemed necessary.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Santa Maria, held this 3rd day of October 2023.
ATTEST:
Assistant City Clerk
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
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Department Director
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Interim City Manager