ATTACHMENT “N”
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FINDINGS
1. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement is consistent with the objectives, policies, general land uses and programs specified in the general plan and any applicable specific plan, in that Providence Saint John’s Health Center is a non-profit healthcare facility located in the Healthcare District Land Use Designation. The vision for this land use designation is to create a cohesive environment that supports the continued vitality of the City’s hospitals, responds to the evolving needs of the health care community, and improves the way health care facilities relate to surrounding residential and commercial areas. The Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment is consistent with Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) Goal D28: Allow for the continued improvement of the Healthcare District and the ongoing responsible expansion of the Saint John’s Health Center (St. John’s) and Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center (SMUCLA). Specifically, the Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement present a comprehensive Master Plan that addresses all development on the north and south campuses for a 17 year period and provides for substantive review of individual buildings closer to the time of construction in order to create the cohesive environment that supports the vitality of the health care district and also protects adjacent residential neighborhoods. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement is also consistent with LUCE Goal LU7: Support the continued vitality of the City’s hospitals to meet the healthcare needs of the City and the larger region, and implement strategies to reduce vehicle trips. Specifically, development standards in the Master Plan and the procedural requirements set forth in the Third Amendment to the Development Agreement ensure that a mix of medical research and hospital health care uses are vested (permitted) for a period of 17 years to allow phased implementation of health care facilities that are responsive to changing health care needs in the community. Moreover, Saint John’s Health Center will be required to continue to implement a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program to reduce vehicle trips in the area and associated parking demand and the Master Plan includes pedestrian and bicycle enhancements to promote alternative modes of travel and better connections to public transit. Accordingly, the Phase Two Master Plan is therefore consistent with LUCE Circulation Policy T19.2 which seeks appropriate TDM requirements for new development. Furthermore, the project is consistent with LUCE’s overall land use policies by providing community benefits for the area, including but not limited to, affordable housing, mobility improvements, visitor accommodations, publicly-accessible open spaces, and programs to address the needs of vulnerable populations in the community.
2. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement is compatible with the uses authorized in the district in which the real property is located in the Healthcare Mixed-Use (HMU) District and with the existing uses on site. The existing Health Center includes hospital, medical research and related medical uses; the Master Plan proposes the same mix of uses and includes visitor accommodations, a new child care center, education and conference center uses, and medical office. These uses are all permitted uses in the HMU District.
3. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement is in conformity with the public necessity, public convenience, general welfare, and good land use practices, in that the Master Plan allows for the redevelopment of certain components of an existing Health Center campus and diversifies medical uses and services that would benefit Santa Monica residents and the broader region. The project is consistent with the Land and Use Circulation Element vision for the area. The proposed Master Plan supports orderly, phased, and integrated development at the health care campus. Key components of the Master Plan include a cohesive circulation and multi-modal mobility strategy for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles; providing sufficient on-site parking; establishing development standards that address the specific needs of a health care campus; and requiring necessary utilities, publicly-accessible open space areas, and infrastructure to improve connections between the Health Center and the surrounding neighborhood. Moreover, the Master Plan and Third Amendment will provide community benefits including affordable housing, publicly-accessible open space on the parcel, and monetary contributions that would support critical behavioral health initiatives and provide services to individuals who are homeless and other vulnerable populations.
4. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement will not be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare, in that the Master Plan would allow for the redevelopment of the Providence Saint John’s Health Center in a manner that is consistent with the LUCE vision for the area (the Healthcare District Land Use Designation). The proposed project will be located in an urbanized area and is consistent with other health care uses, include Saint John’s acute care and in-patient hospital on the north campus and does not have the potential to disrupt the urban environment or cause health or safety problems. The proposed Master Plan provides a minimum of 10 new residential units, with all 10 units being deed restricted affordable units, a new Child and Family Development Center, new medical research facilities, and ambulatory and acute care facilities.
The project will feature critically-needed medical and research uses, and a variety publicly-accessible open spaces on the property. The project will also provide community benefits including the aforementioned deed-restricted affordable housing as well as a requirement to monetary grants and provide in-kind health services to support programs provide homelessness services and services for other vulnerable populations in the community.
5. The proposed Development Agreement will not adversely affect the orderly development of the property, in that the proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement establishes a long-range, orderly, and phased framework to redevelop and expand critically needed medical research and health care facilities to serve the community and as such is consistent with recognized urban design principles that reflect the goals and policies of the City of Santa Monica which were established through a long range planning process and are reflected in the Land Use and Circulation Element of the City’s General Plan.
Further, the project will be subject to a construction mitigation plan that will be reviewed and approved prior issuance of a building permit for the project.
6. The proposed Phase Two Master Plan and Third Amendment to the Development Agreement will have a positive fiscal impact on the City in that the City will benefit from creating an orderly, phased, and comprehensive plan for buildout of the Phase Two development program for Providence Saint John’s Health Center. The Master Plan will support of orderly development of the site, predictable phasing of project construction, and secure negotiated community benefits that will preserve and expand community access to the high quality health care provided by Saint John’s; promote economic investment in Santa Monica through the creation of construction jobs and permanent high quality jobs in the health care industry; and attract investment in medical research and health care through the construction of new state-of-the-art facilities. It is estimated that the proposed Third Amendment to the Development Agreement would also provide significant community benefits through the provision of substantial funding for the City’s behavioral health initiatives and required funding to other non-profit organizations in the community who provide critically needed programs to provide social and health care services to vulnerable populations in the community.
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FINDINGS
1. The proposed repeal of the 1988 Hospital Area Specific Plan (HASP) and associated amendment General Plan to modify references to the outdated HASP is consistent in principle with the goals, objectives, policies, land uses, and programs specified in the adopted Land Use and Circulation. The current HASP is based on 1984 General Plan policies and 1988 Zoning Ordinance designations and development standards for the entire Hospital Area Specific Plan study area, including UCLA-owned properties, commercial-zoned parcels, and residential-zoned parcels. The proposal to repeal the 1988 HASP and modify references to the HASP contained in the 2010 Land Use and Circulation Element would not change the current regulations that apply to the HASP area. More specifically, the 2015 Zoning Ordinance use regulations and development standards would continue to apply to parcels in the current HASP area and, if approved, the Phase Two Master Plan would govern the Saint John’s Health Center parcels until the end of the 17-year vesting period established by the amended Development Agreement. The proposed General Plan Amendment would only strike or modify references to a Hospital Area Specific Plan; the 2010 LUCE’s goals, objectives, and policies would continue to apply for the LUCE Healthcare District, applicable Boulevards (Wilshire, Santa Monica, and Broadway), and the Healthcare Mixed Use Land Use Designation.
2. The public health, safety, and general welfare require the adoption of the proposed amendments to the Land Use and Circulation Element and repeal of the 1988 Hospital Area Specific Plan in that the general welfare of the City is enhanced when such amendments and a repeal of an outdated land use plan accompany the adoption of a proposed Phase Two Master Plan that supports orderly, phased, and integrated development of an expansion a long-standing health care facility in the community. Key components the Master Plan include a cohesive circulation and multi-modal mobility strategy for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles; providing sufficient on-site parking; establishing development standards that address the specific needs of a health care campus; and requiring necessary utilities, publiclyaccessible open space areas, and infrastructure to improve connections between the Health Center and the surrounding neighborhood. Moreover, the proposed Master Plan and Third Amendment will provide community benefits including affordable housing, publicly-accessible open space on the parcel, and monetary contributions that would support critical behavioral health initiatives and provide services to individuals who are homeless and other vulnerable populations. The proposed Master Plan supports the general welfare of the community by allowing a medical research and health care center in the community expand in a responsible manner to more effectively provide needed services and programs to the community.
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP FINDINGS
1. The proposed map is consistent with applicable general and specific plans as specified in Government Code Section 65451 in that the Hospital Area Specific Plan (HASP) is being repealed and replaced with certain amendment to the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE). The new configuration of lot lines under the proposed subdivision will have no direct effect on the site’s existing buildings and improvements except to cure some of the existing irregularly sized lots resulting from long-since abandoned alleys on Saint John’s north campus. In short, the tentative tract map is not expanding any use of the existing facilities and will not result in any changes in the land use or density on the Saint John’s Campus.
2. The design or improvement of the proposed subdivision is consistent with applicable general and specific plans, as required and confirmed by the Development Agreement. The new configuration of lot lines under the proposed subdivision will have no direct effect on the site’s existing buildings and improvements. The new parcel lines will cure some of the existing irregularly sized lots resulting from longsince abandoned alleys on Saint John’s north campus. As noted and shown on the tentative tract map, existing utilities will not be affected by the proposed subdivision, and there is no change in the parking required or provided for the existing uses on the subject site.
3. The site is physically suitable for the type of development, as the lot line reconfiguration will have no impact on the site’s existing buildings and improvements. Specifically, the subject site is currently used as a healthcare campus and located within an urbanized area well served by public transit and multimodal forms of transit. The lot line reconfiguration effectuated under the proposed subdivision will better align lot lines with the existing buildings and the resulting new parcels will be in compliance with Saint John’s Development Agreement as well as the minimum parcel size, width and depth set forth in the Zoning Ordinance.
4. The site is physically suitable for the proposed density of development, as the density of allowable development is not being changed under the lot reconfiguration.
Specifically, the subject property is located within an urbanized area well served by public transit and multi-modal forms of transit. Moreover, any future development would be required consistent with policies set forth in the City’s General Plan (including the 2010 LUCE, as amended) and other improvements in the general vicinity.
5. The design of the subdivision or the proposed improvements are not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially and avoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat. As confirmed by the project’s EIR, the subject site is located in an urbanized area that does not contain wildlife habitat and the subdivision, which solely consists of a reconfiguration of parcel lines, does not propose development that would otherwise injure fish or wildlife.
6. The design of the subdivision or the type of improvement is not likely to cause serious public health problems. The proposed subdivision is for a property located in an urbanized area and is consistent with other improvements in the area. The subdivision solely consists of a reconfiguration of irregular parcel lines. Accordingly, the subdivision of the parcel does not have the potential to disrupt the urban environment or otherwise cause serious public health problems.
7. The design of the subdivision or the type of improvements will not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access through, or use of, property within the proposed subdivision. The subdivision solely consists of a reconfiguration of parcel lines. As noted and shown on the subject map, the subdivision does not affect any public easements that burden the subject site.
8. The proposed subdivision is consistent with ordinances and laws of the City of Santa Monica. Specifically, the project, reconfiguration of parcel lines, has demonstrated compliance with the minimum parcel size, width and depth set forth in the Zoning Ordinance. Moreover, any future development would be required to be consistent with policies set forth in the City’s General Plan (including the 2010 LUCE, as amended).