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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1785 - APPROVE MD _500-540 SUPERIOR AVERESOLUTION NO. 1785 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH REVERSING THE DECISION OF THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND APPROVING MODIFICATION NO. MD2009 -004 FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 500 -540 SUPERIOR AVENUE (PA 2009 -017) WHEREAS, an application was filed by the applicant, Newport Healthcare Center, LLC, with respect to property located at 500 -540 Superior Avenue, and legally described as Lot 1, Block 593, requesting approval of Modification No. MD2009 -004 to allow multi - tenant directory, directional, and kiosk signs to exceed the maximum sign height and area set forth in the existing comprehensive sign program (CS2008 -010); and WHEREAS, at a noticed public hearing held on March 12, 2009, the Zoning Administrator considered the application, plans, and written and oral evidence presented at this meeting, and denied Modification Permit No. MD2009 -004; and WHEREAS, on March 25, 2009, an appeal of the Zoning Administrator's decision to deny Modification Permit No. MD2009 -004 was filed with the Planning Department; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on May 21, 2009, in the City Council Chambers, 3300 Newport Boulevard, Newport Beach, California. A notice of time, place, and purpose of the meeting was given in accordance with the Municipal Code. Evidence, both written and oral, was presented to, and considered by, the Planning Commission at this meeting; and WHEREAS, the General Plan land use designation for this site is Medical Commercial Office (CO -M) which provides primarily for medical - related offices, other professional offices, retail, short-term convalescent, long -term care facilities, research labs, and similar uses. The medical /commercial center is consistent with this land use category. The signs are accessory to the primary use; and WHEREAS, the site is located in the Controlled Manufacturing (M -1 -A) District. The M -1 -A District provides areas for a wide range of moderate to low intensity industrial uses and limited accessory and ancillary commercial and office uses. An existing use permit allows the medical /commercial center at the subject site. The signs are accessory to the primary use; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission finds as follows: Finding: The granting of this application is necessary due to practical difficulties associated with the property and that the strict application of the Zoning Code results in physical hardships that are inconsistent with the purpose and intent of the Zoning Code. Planning Commission Resolution No. Paae 2 of 7 Facts in support of finding: • Only 1 building has street frontage (on Superior) but it has no building entrances on the elevation. The other 2 buildings have no street visibility and have to rely on signs to convey to the site visitor which building is which. • The long narrow site with small drive aisles and downhill slope limit a driver's drive time exposure to signs. Taller signs with larger text allows for quicker reads needed for the site and its clientele. • Building entrances are not visible from the parking structures because they are perpendicular to the line of site. • Building 520 entrances and one of the 510 entrances are below grade and thus are not visible. • Property is zoned for medical use, which place different practical difficulties on the site as compared to a retail use. Users are looking for services within a building that they may only come to once and never again. Users are also sometimes looking for tenants that are within tenants (a doctor that is part of a practice and thus has no sign). Finding: The requested modification will be compatible with existing development in the neighborhood. Facts in support of finding: • The neighbor on one side is the City Corporation yard and the property site lower than the Hoag property so the signs cannot be seen. Also, the signs cannot be seen because there are 2 parking structures between the Corp. yard and where the sign are located. • The neighbors on one side of the parcel are 70 feet from the signs and fencing blocks their view of the site. • The neighbors across Newport Blvd. are mostly commercial businesses and are approximately 500 hundred feet away. None of the proposed modified signs will be visible to them. • Neighbors across Superior are a mobile home park and only the proposed signs on the main drive would be visible and only by looking directly down the road. Planning Commission Resolution No. Page 3 of 7 Finding: The granting of this Modification Permit will not adversely affect the health or safety of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the property and not be detrimental to the general welfare or injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood. Facts in support of finding: • The proposed modification to the signs will not be seen from a public street. • All signs in the modification permit application are within the property and the closest sign to a public street is in excess of 100 feet. • Current approved sign is the minimum recommended text height for viewing distances on the site. A high percentage of visitors to the site will be elderly and will need maximum text size for readability. WHEREAS, the project qualifies for a Categorical Exemption pursuant to 15311 (Accessory Structures) of the Implementing Guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: Section 1. Based upon the aforementioned facts, the Planning Commission of the City of Newport Beach hereby reverses the decision of the Zoning Administrator, and approves Modification No. MD2009 -004, subject to the Conditions set forth in Exhibit "A" and the Signf Fable Matrix set forth in Exhibit "B ". Section 2. This action shall become final and effective fourteen days after the adoption of this Resolution unless within such time an appeal is filed with the City Clerk or this is called for review by the City Council in accordance with the provisions of Title 20 Planning and Zoning, of the Newport Beach Municipal Code. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 21st DAY OF MAY. M AM nM r�Nffj- 1 AYES: Eaton, Unsworth, Hawkins, Peotter, McDaniel, and Torge NOS: None Planning Commission Resolution No. Page 4 of 7 EXHIBIT "A" CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 1. The development shall be in substantial conformance with the approved plot plan and sign details, except as noted in the following conditions. 2. The area of the identification wall signs shall be measured by two perpendicular sets of parallel lines that surround the proposed sign copy area. 3. All signs are limited to the designated building facades and /or monument/ground sign locations and shall comply with the limitations specified in the Sign Table /Matrix attached as EXHIBIT "B" and the provisions of Chapter 20.67 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code (including Sections 20.67.060, 20.67.070, and 20.67.080). 4. All signage shall comply with the City's Line of Sight Standards STD - 110 -L. Signage within the'Limited Use Area' shall be limited to 36" in height maximum. 5. Each illuminated sign shall be subject to a 30 -day review period, during which time the Planning Director may determine that a reduction in illumination is necessary due to negative impacts on surrounding property or the community in general. In addition, all illuminated signs shall comply with the limitations specified in the Sign Table /Matrix included in this approval. B. Temporary signs consistent with size, location, and area specified by the Sign Table /Matrix are allowed for a duration of one year from building permit approval or until the permanent signs are fabricated, whichever occurs first. 7. No permanent structures shall be constructed over existing public easements. 8. Anything not specifically approved by the Modification is prohibited. Revisions to the program may be approved by the Planning Director if the intent of the original approval is not affected. Revisions that substantially deviate from the original approval must be addressed in a separate and subsequent amendment to this Modification. 9. Any future revisions or changes to the signs due to a change in the use or tenants of the building shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Department, so long as the sign size, copy configuration and number of signs authorized by this approval does not substantially change or increase. The mandatory reduction or elimination of noncompliant wall signs shall be exercised as necessary, unless otherwise approved by an amendment to this approval or the approval of a modification permit. Planning Commission Resolution No. Pape 5 of 7 10.This approval was based on the particulars of the individual case and does not, in and of itself or in combination with other approvals in the vicinity or Citywide, constitute a precedent for future approvals or decisions. 11. Illumination of signs shall be limited to business hours only. Planning Commission Resolution No. 6 of 7 EXHIBIT "B" SIGN TABLE/MATRIX (PA2009 -017 for MD2009 -004) Comprehensive Sign Program Hoag Health Care Center 500 — 540 Superior Avenue 500-540 Superior ..- Secondary Frontage applicable Size limitations where applicable 500 Building Wall Sign Wall Sign Location: Superior Blvd/West Location: East Elevation Elevation Maximum Sign Area: 37.5 sq.ft. Maximum Sig Area: 75 sq. ft. 510 Building Wall Sign Wall Sign Location: West Elevation Location: East Elevation Maximum Sign Area: 75 sq. ft. Maximum Sign Area: 37.5 sq.ft. Wall Sign Wall Sign 520 Building Location: Newport Blvd. /East Location: West Elevation Elevation Maximum Sign Area: 48.75 sq.ft. Maximum Sign Area: 97.5 sq. ft. Note: Wall signs shall be vertically equidistant from the top and bottom of the architectural feature it's laced u on Sign type Number and Location Siz A Number: One Maximum Height: 24 ft. Large Freestanding Sign Location: 540 Superior Blvd (SW Maximum Width: 11 ft. (L Shaped Structure) Corner of Parking Structure) Maximum Area: 97.5 sq. ft. (for each face B Various locations throughout the Maximum Height: 4 ft. 8 in. Site Directional Sign project site Maximum Area: 3.9 sq. ft. 1 -111, 2 -104, 2 -105, 2 -106, 2 -111, 2- Maximum Height: 6 ft. 112, 2 -115, 2 -116, 2 -118, 2 -122, 2- Maximum Area: 4.7 sq. ft. 123,2-125 1 -105, 1 -107, 1 -109, 1 -112, Maximum Height: 7 ft. Maximum Area: 6.5 sq. ft. 1 -103 Maximum Height: 9 ft. 4 in. Maximum Area: 9.3 sq. ft. C Number: One Maximum Height: 24 in. Monument Sign -Address Location: 500 Superior Avenue Maximum Length: 8 ft. Various locations throughout the Minimum Letter Height: 12 in. D Maximum Height: 9ft. 4 in. Monument - Tenant project site not visible from adjacent Maximum Sign Area: 16 sq. ft. Directory properties Planning Commission Resolution No. Paqe 7 of 7 E Number: One on each parking Minimum Clearance. 8 ft. * Projecting Sign - Parking structure Maximum Vertical Height: 10 ft. Structure Identification Maximum Horizontal Projection: 5 ft. F Various locations throughout the Maximum Height: 18 in Building Main Entrance project site Minimum Clearance: 8 ft. Add ress /I d entification May be wall mounted, mounted on architectural projections, or other mounting approved by the Planning Department. G Various locations throughout the Maximum Height: 24 in. Building Address Numbers proiect site H Various locations throughout the Maximum Height: 7 ft. 4 in. Informational Kiosk project site not visible from adjacent Maximum Area 15.8 sq. ft. properties Other I Various locations throughout the project site Regulatory Signs Subject to approval by the Planning, Public Works, and Building Departments Temporary Signs Various locations throughout the project site Shall comply with the limitations set for permanent signs, except temporary signs shall not be illuminated Allowed for a duration of one year from building permit approval or until the permanent signs are fabricated, whichever occurs first* *Unless otherwise approved by the Planning and Building Departments. NOTE: Minor changes in sign type, location, and sizes specified in this matrix may be approved by the Planning Director.