FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 2024
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Acting City Manager Chuen Wu
BY: Interim Community Development Director Dana Eady
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolutions and Introduction of an Ordinance for S anta Maria Public Airport District General Plan Land Use Map Amendment and Zone Change at 1494 Fairway Drive
Description:
The City Council will consider approving a General Plan Land Use Map Amendment and Zone Change (GPZ2023 -0001) for RRM Design Group on behalf of the Santa Maria Public Airport District to change the land use designation on a 6.95 -acre site from A-AS (Airport-Airport Service) and the zone district of OS (Open Space) to LI (Light Industrial) land use designation and PD/M -1 (Planned Development/Light Manufacturing) zone district.
Environmental Notice: Environmental Review for this project was completed through the preparation of an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (SCH #2024070374) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Adopt a Resolution to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Program prepared for the General Plan Land Use Policy Map Amendment and Zone Change for the Santa Maria Public Airport District project, located at 1494 Fairway Drive; and
2. Adopt a Resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Policy Map for the Santa Maria Public Airport District (GPZ2023-0001) on 6.95-acres located at 1494 Fairway Drive from A-AS (Airport-Airport Service) to LI (Light Industrial); and
3. Introduce for first reading, and continue to a future meeting, an Ordinance amending the official Zoning Map for the Santa Maria Public Airport District (GPZ2023-0001) on a 6.95-acre site located at 1494 Fairway Drive FROM OS (Open Space ) to PD/ M-1 (Planned Development/ Light Manufacturing ) zone district.
2 BACKGROUND:
The project site is located at 1494 Fairway Drive and is currently undeveloped except for a City water well and fenced yard. The site is bordered to the north, south and west by a flood control channel regulated by Santa Barbara County (Attachment A – Vicinity Map).
Beyond the flood control to the north is a business park used by VTC Enterprises, to the west and south are open space areas and to the east of the site is business park area.
The zoning immediately to the north, south, and west of the site is OS (Open Space), with PD/M-1 designations across A Street and along Fairway Drive. (Attachment B - Land Use and Zoning Map).
Planning Commission:
The Planning Commission received a presentation on this project at the Study Session held on September 19, 2024. The Planning Commissioners were generally supportive of the project and no concerns were raised. The project was reviewed by the Planning Commission at the November 6, 2024, public hearing and was recommended for approval to the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant, RRM Design Group on behalf of the Santa Maria Public Airport District, is requesting a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change to allow for future industrial development of the project site. No site development is proposed currently. Any future development of the site would be subject to Planning Commission approval of a Planned Development Permit application.
In order to analyze the proposed Land Use and Zone change, the project applicant has provided an estimate of the development likely to occur under the proposed industrial designations, which includes up to 100,000 square feet of industrial or manufacturing floor area.
General Plan Amendment and Rezone
The proposed project includes a General Plan Land Use Map Amendment and Zone change that would change the land use and zoning designations on the site from A-AS (Airport -Airport Services) to LI (Light Industrial) and from OS (Open Space ) to PD/M-1 (Planned Development/Light Manufacturing).
The purpose of the LI designation, as described on page LU-19 of the City’s General Plan Land Use Element, is “To accommodate industrial uses which contain the process primarily within the building, do not generate negative environmental impacts, and which are most compatible with adjacent nonindustrial uses.” Changing the land use designation and zoning on the project site from A-AS to LI and from OS to PD/M-1 would enable the future industrial and/or manufacturing use of the site not permitted under the current Open Space designation. The proposed LI land use designation and PD/M -1 zoning would match that of the adjacent properties east of the project site, across A Street and along Fairway Drive. There are no adjacent sensitive land uses, such as residential developments, that could create potential conflicts between uses . All of these factors make this site an appropriate location for future industrial or manufacturing development. 3 Santa Maria Public Airport District
The project site is owned by the Santa Mari a Public Airport District. The General Plan Land Use Map Amendment and Zone change has been reviewed for consistency with the Airport District’s Master Plan which guides the internal operations and development for the airport. The project was also reviewed in conformance with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments’ (SBCAG) Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) which is the governing document used by the Airport Land Use Commission to ensure that all airports countywide are developed safely. A detailed discussion of how the project complies with the ALUCP is included below. The City’s Airport Business Park Specific Plan only encompasses areas on the southern side of the airport and therefore does not apply to this project site.
Santa Maria ALUCP
The Santa Maria ALUCP was adopted by SBCAG in January of 2023. The purpose of the ALUCP is to promote airport land use compatibility. Specifically, the plan provides for the orderly growth of the Airport and the areas surrounding the Airport and sa feguards the general welfare of the inhabitants within the vicinity of the Airport and the public in general.
The ALUCP requires General Plan Amendments to be reviewed by the Airport Land Use Commission for determination of compatibility with the ALUCP. On September 19, 2024, the Airport Land Use Commission and SBCAG determined that the proposed project, and the industrial Land Use and Zone designations proposed, is consistent with the noise, safety, and airspace policies listed in the ALUCP.
Alternative(s)
The City Council, through written findings, may determine that the proposed General Plan Land Use Map Amendment and Zone change are not consistent with the goals, objectives, policies, and programs of the General Plan, and deny the project, leaving the existing land use and zoning designations in place.
Environmental Review
The conceptual plan for 100,000 square feet of future industrial or manufacturing uses was used to analyze the potential environmental effects of the proposed project, as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) . An Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was prepared by the City as Lead Agenc y. This document identifies potential project impacts in the topic areas of air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials, noise, and tribal cultural resources. Mitigations are incorporated in the draft MND to reduce any of the potential impacts identified to less than significant levels.
The draft MND was circulated for public review from July 11, 2024, to August 9, 2024.
Two comment letters were received during the public review period. One letter was submitted from the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) and another from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD). The CalGEM letter clarified that no known oil wells are located on the property, but also recommended procedural steps to take if a previously unknown oil well is discovered o n the property during construction. The comments 4 provided by SBCAPCD were primarily technical clarifications related to emissions quantifications and regulatory thresholds. Staff addressed each of these comments as appropriate, with changes depicted in strike-out/underline text in the MND attached to this staff report (Attachment C) as well as the Mitigation Monitoring Program (Attachment D).
For reference, the public comment letters are attached to the MND.
Fiscal Considerations
The proposed project will contribute to economic growth by providing additional developable area for an industrial project in the City of Santa Maria.
Impact to the Community
The proposed project will have a positive impact on the community through the development of a future industrial project that will contribute to employment opportunities for residents. Future development and uses on the site would be subject to the mitigation measures in the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the project. Compliance with these measu res would reduce any potential impacts to the community to less than significant levels.
ATTACHMENTS
A – Vicinity Map
B – Existing and Proposed Land Use and Zoning Map
C – CEQA Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration with Public Comment Letters D – Mitigation Monitoring Program