Agenda Item #15.1
For Council Meeting of: March 28, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SUZANNE HARTMAN, CITY PLANNER
PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: WEST BARHAM AVENUE AND BARHAM AVENUE REZONE
AGENDA ACTION: ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Planning and Economic Development Department and the Planning Commission that the Council introduce an ordinance to rezone seven (7) parcels located along the north side West Barham Avenue and Barham Avenue (identified as Assessor’s Parcel Nos.125-281-032, 125-281-046,125-281-035, 037-101-042, 037-101-043, 037-101-015, 037-101-020) from Planned Development 96-002 (PD 96-002) Zoning District to the IL (Light Industrial) Zoning District to achieve General Plan consistency.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The application proposes to rezone the properties, located along the north side West Barham Avenue and Barham Avenue, from the Planned Development (PD 96-002) Zoning District to the Light Industrial (IL) Zoning District. The Light Industrial Zoning District is consistent with the subject parcels’ Light Industry General Plan Land Use designation. All but one of the seven subject sites are developed, and all of the existing uses would be allowed within the proposed Light Industrial (IL) Zoning District.
BACKGROUND
On August 8, 2022, the Planning and Economic Development accepted a rezoning application requesting that the property located at 11 W. Barham Avenue be reclassified from the PD 96-002 (Planned Development) zoning district to the IL (Light Industrial) zoning district. The Policy Statement (PD 96-002) that governs allowable uses for this area limits certain commercial and industrial uses, such as restaurants and various types of manufacturing and processing, while allowing uses that would not otherwise be permitted in Light Industrial zoning district. Since the same conditions apply to several other properties adjacent to the site (Parcel No. 125-281-032), Staff is recommending that the rezoning include six (6) additional properties for General Plan consistency. All of the parcels are within the Planned Development zoning district and are within an area designated as Light Industry on the General Plan land use diagram. The following parcels are included in the area proposed for rezoning:
o 125-281-032
o 125-281-046
o 125-281-035
o 037-101-042
o 037-101-043
o 037-101-015
o 037-101-020
Figure 1: Boundary Map of Selected Parcels (Yellow)
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
August 1, 2022
Application Submitted
August 23, 2022
Notice of Application Distributed to Property Owners of Parcels Included in Proposed Rezoning Boundary October 4, 2022
Application Deemed Complete
December 27, 2022
Notice of Public Hearing Distributed
January 12, 2023
Planning Commission Public Hearing
ANALYSIS
General Plan
The General Plan addresses issues related to the physical development and growth of Santa Rosa and guides the City's planning and zoning functions as well as the funding of public improvement projects, including as parks and streets. The parcels that are in the rezoning boundary are designated as Light Industry on the General Plan Land Use Diagram, which accommodates light industrial, warehousing and heavy commercial uses. Uses appropriate to this land use category include auto repair, bulk or warehoused goods, general warehousing, manufacturing/assembly with minor nuisances, home improvement retail, landscape materials retail, freight or bus terminals, research oriented industrial, accessory offices, and employee-serving commercial uses, and services with large space needs, such as health clubs. The most relevant General Plan goals and policies identified with Staff’s analysis are included in the table below.
Land Use and Livability
LUL-I-1: Provide a range of commercial services that are easily accessible and attractive, that satisfies the needs of people who live and work in Santa Rosa and that also attracts a regional clientele.
Consistent. By rezoning to a standard zoning district, the requirement for a Conditional Use Permit otherwise required by the Policy Statement is eliminated. The change in zoning also ensures that only new uses that implement the General Plan are allowed.
LUL-J: Maintain the economic vitality of business parks and offices, and Santa Rosa’s role as a regional employment center.
Consistent. The IL zoning district is intended for manufacturing, cultivation, distribution (which allows the manufacturing, cultivation and distribution of cannabis and cannabis related products) and additional uses that are similar to the existing operational patterns of the selected parcels.
LUL-J-1: Maintain an adequate supply of employment centers in a variety of locations and settings to ensure the city’s continued economic vitality.
Consistent. Staff has determined that the existing uses of the selected parcels are more consistent with the General Plan goals and policies of the Light Industrial land use designation and the existing uses provide viable commercial services, while ensuring compatibility with the surrounding neighborhoods.
Economic Vitality
EV-A-1: Continue to promote Santa Rosa as the North Bay’s premier location for technology, clean/green technologies, and entrepreneurial businesses, which create new products and business models that will attract national and international markets.
Consistent. Rezoning the subject properties from Planned Development to Light Industrial would promote diversified land use types that would otherwise not be permitted within the Planned Development zoning district.
EV-C-2: Establish an inventory of ready-to-go non-residential sites complete with zoning, infrastructure, and environmental clearances.
Consistent. Rezoning the properties from Planned Development to Light Industrial is appropriate due to the industrial development that exists on the subject parcels, and it would be consistent with the Light Industry General Plan land use designation.
The proposed rezone is consistent with the applicable goals and policies of the General Plan listed above and will provide for a more efficient implementation of the area’s Light Industrial designation. Changing the zoning designation from Planned Development to Light Industrial would continue to allow appropriate uses and remain compatible with existing businesses in the area.
Zoning
The Zoning Code implements the goals and policies of the General Plan by classifying and regulating the use of land and structure development within the City.
The property at 11 W. Barham Avenue, as well as Assessor Parcel Nos.125-281-046,125-281-035, 037-101-042, 037-101-043, 037-101-015 and 037-101-020, are currently located in the PD 96-002 zoning district. The Policy Statement for this Planned Development area limits commercial and industrial land uses, as shown in Attachment 6 to this Staff Report. Specifically, the Planned Development prohibits a number of manufacturing, processing, and restaurant land uses, including cannabis, that are otherwise allowed in the IL zoning district. The IL Zoning District implements the Light Industry General Plan Land Use Classification.
Surrounding Land Uses
North: Medium Residential and Light Industrial
South: Light Industrial, Low Residential and Planned Development East: Planned Development
West: Planned Development
The subject properties are surrounded by various residential developments along West Barham Avenue and Barham Avenue. There are also various warehouse and wholesaling developments to the north and vehicle repair services to the south.
Planning staff and the Planning Commission are recommending that the Council include six additional properties, all within the Planned Development (PD 96-002) area, in its consideration of the proposed rezoning. As previously mentioned, the current PD zoning limits commercial and industrial uses and allows uses that are not consistent with the Light Industrial land use designation. Staff analyzed the required findings and included recommended language in the attached Resolution (PC-2023-001), approved by the Planning Commission on January 12, 2023.
Public Comments
No public comments have been received.
On January 12, 2023, the Planning Commission, pursuant to City Code Section 20-64.050, made the following Findings:
The proposed amendment is consistent with the goals and policies of all elements of the General Plan in that the seven subject properties are designated as Light Industry on the General Plan Land Use Diagram and the IL (Light Industrial) zoning district implements that land use.
The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience or welfare of the City in that no new development is being proposed and the proposed rezone is consistent with the General Plan.
The proposed project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The project has been found in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183(i), the proposed rezoning of Assessor’s Parcel Nos.125-281-032, 125-281-046, 125-281-035, 037-101-042, 037-101-043, 037-101-015 and 037-101-020 qualifies for a streamlining measure because the proposed rezoning is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Light Industry, for which an Environment Impact Report (EIR) was certified by Council in 2009. Therefore, no additional environmental review is required.
The site is physically suitable (including absence of physical constraints, access, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and provision of utilities) for the requested zoning designation in that it is consistent with the General Plan Land use designation of Light Industry, which is intended to accommodate light industrial, warehousing and heavy commercial uses and any proposed development would be reviewed based on its own merits.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the Project will not have an effect on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The project has been found in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183(i), the proposed rezoning of Assessor’s Parcel Nos.125-281-032, 125-281-046, 125-281-035, 037-101-042, 037-101-043, 037-101-015 and 037-101-020 qualifies for a streamlining measure because the proposed rezoning is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Light Industry, for which an Environment Impact Report (EIR) was certified by Council in 2009. Therefore, no additional environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
On January 12, 2023, the Planning Commission, by resolution, recommended that the City Council adopt an ordinance to rezone seven (7) properties located along the north side of West Barham Avenue and Barham Avenue (identified as Assessor’s Parcel Nos.125-281-032, 125-281-046,125-281-035, 037-101-042, 037-101-043, 037-101-015, 037-101-020) from the PD 96-002 (Planned Development) Zoning District to the IL (Light Industrial) Zoning District.
NOTIFICATION
The Project was noticed as a public hearing per the requirements of Chapter 20-66 of the City Code. Notification of this public hearing was provided by posting an on-site sign, publishing notice in a newspaper of general circulation, mailed notice to surrounding property owners, electronic notice to parties that had expressed interest in projects taking place in this geographic area of Santa Rosa, and bulletin board postings at City Hall and on the City website. Pursuant to Government Code Section 65091, where necessary, the City has incorporated notice procedures to the blind, aged, and disabled communities. These procedures include audio amplifier/assistive listening device support at public meetings, closed captioning, and optical character recognition conversion of electronic notices.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Disclosure Form
Attachment 2 – Location Map
Attachment 3 – Title Report
Attachment 4 – Boundary Map
Attachment 5 – Policy Statement 96-002
Attachment 6 – Comparison Table of Permitted Land Uses in IL zoning district and PD 96-002 Attachment 7 – Resolution No. PC-2023-001
Ordinance – Rezone to Light Industrial (IL) Zoning District
PRESENTER
Suzanne Hartman, Project Planner, [email protected]
WEST BARHAM AVENUE AND BARHAM AVENUE REZONE
PAGE 3 OF 3