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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1532 - RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF GPA,CA, AND DA _KOLL CENTER NEWPORT PCRESOLUTION NO. 1532 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING AMENDMENTS AND A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE IN OFFICE SITE B OF THE KOLL CENTER NEWPORT PLANNED COMMUNITY JGPA 97 -3(B), ZONING AMENDMENT 905, AND DA NO. 161 WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 65300 of the California Government Code, the City of Newport Beach has adopted a comprehensive, long -term General Plan for the physical development of the City; and WHEREAS, Koll Center Newport Number A, 1900 Main Street, Suite 350, Irvine, California, has applied to the City of Newport Beach for a General Plan Amendment and a Planned Community Amendment for "Office Site B" of the Koll Center Newport (KCN) Planned Community in order to allow future additional development on Parcel 1 of PMB 114/22 -24 and Parcels 1, 2, and 7 of PMB 181/13 -19; and WHEREAS, the proposed General Plan Amendment would increase the allowable building floor area of KCN Office Site B by 250,000 gross square feet, to a maximum of 1,310,898 gross square feet; and WHEREAS, the proposed Amendment to the Koll Center Newport Planned Community text would increase the maximum allowable building floor area in KCN Office Site B; and WHEREAS, consistent with state law and the Newport Beach Municipal Code, a draft Development Agreement has been prepared in conjunction with the above - described amendments in order to provide for mitigation of traffic and other impacts of the project and to give the developer assurances that development under the proposed Amendments can proceed; and WHEREAS, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to address the environmental impacts of the subject amendments, which EIR was reviewed by the Planning Commission and, by separate resolution, forwarded to the City Council with a recommendation for certification as complete; and WHEREAS, on August 3, September 7, 2000 and June 7, 2001, the Planning Commission held public hearings, at which time the proposed Amendments and Development Agreement were considered. A notice of time, place and purpose of the public hearing was duly given and testimony was presented to and considered by the Planning Commission at the public hearing; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission of the City of Newport Beach forwards the proposed Amendments and Development Agreement to the City Council with the following findings and recommendations: 1. General Plan Amendment. The Planning Commission finds as follows with regard to GPA 97 -3(B): a. The project consists of the intensification of office development on a project site that is already designated for and substantially developed in Administrative, Professional and Financial Commercial use. Since the project site is located in proximity to residential areas, the additional employment opportunities resulting from construction of a new 250,000 square -foot office tower on the site would contribute to a more desirable jobs- housing balance in the area. Therefore, the project is consistent with Policy A of the General Plan Land Use Element. b. The intent of Policy B of the Land Use Element is to establish limits on land use intensity in order to insure that the City's circulation system operates at an acceptable level of service. Provisions to implement this policy, such as the Traffic Phasing Ordinance and development limits, have been incorporated into the Municipal Code. The proposed project is subject to these provisions and has been reviewed under them in the EIR. The EIR traffic study indicates that the proposed project will generate a significant increase in the number of vehicle trips through major intersections, including MacArthur Boulevard/Jamboree Road and Jamboree Road/Campus Drive, where no feasible mitigation measures have yet been identified. However, the project will provide for both direct intersection improvements and the payment of traffic mitigation fees. Such fees will be available for the mitigation of impacts at the above intersections when feasible improvements are identified. Therefore, the project is consistent with Policy B. C. The site of the new office tower is set back substantially from both MacArthur Boulevard and Jamboree Road in order to mitigate visual impacts from public streets. One of the new parking structures will be located close to the intersection of MacArthur and Jamboree. However, this two- level structure will be depressed partially below grade and the perimeter of the structure will be heavily landscaped in order to soften public views. Additionally, the existing two- level parking structure just north of the existing twin ten - story office towers will be replaced with a new six -level structure located 200 feet further back from Jamboree and 50 feet further back from MacArthur than the existing structure. Per design standards added to the PC text, both new parking structures will be textured and landscaped to soften their visual impacts. Therefore, the project is consistent with Policy D of the Land Use Element. d. The PC District Plan, i.e. the KCN Planned Community text, contains extensive landscaping standards for different building heights. The PC text also contains detailed standards for parking, signs and other development standards. Therefore, the project is consistent with Policy F of the Land Use Element. e. The amendment will retain compatibility between land uses in that it will allow intensification of office development on a site that is already designated for and substantially developed in Administrative, Professional and Financial Commercial use. In light of the preceding findings, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve GPA 97 -3(B), consisting of the increase in gross building square footage allowable in Office Site B as specified in Exhibit "GP -1 ", attached hereto. 2. Zoning Amendment. The Planning Commission finds as follows with regard to Amendment 905: a. The amendment is consistent with the General Plan in that it provides for an increase in square footage commensurate with that allowed by the accompanying General Plan Amendment. b. The internal consistency of the Planned Community text will be retained in that all development square footages and open space acreages have been adjusted to retain appropriate development and open space percentages. In light of the preceding findings, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve Amendment 905, consisting of the amendments to the Koll Center Newport Planned Community Development Standards specified in Exhibit "ZA -1 ", attached hereto, subject to the mitigation measures identified in the Environmental Impact Report and listed in the EIR's Mitigation Monitoring Reporting Program (MMRP) being made conditions of approval of the project, as stipulated in Exhibit "ZA -1 ". 3. Development Agreement. The Planning Commission finds as follows with regard to Development Agreement No. 16: a. The Agreement will provide for payments by the developer to the City to: (1) mitigate traffic impacts of the project, (2) help fund preparation of a comprehensive land use and circulation plan for the Airport Area, and (3) help fund site acquisition and/or construction, equipping, and staffing of a new fire station to serve the project and surrounding areas. b. The adoption of the Development Agreement will not preclude the City from imposing conditions or requirements to mitigate significant impacts of the project, provided that the measures are not inconsistent with the Development Agreement and do not render the project infeasible. C. The Development Agreement will give the developer assurances that development under the proposed Amendments can proceed. d. The Development Agreement is in conformance with the Newport Beach General Plan, as proposed by accompanying General Plan Amendment No. 97 -3(B). In light of the preceding findings, the Planning Commission recommends that the City Council approve Development Agreement No. 16, as set forth in Exhibit "DA -1 ", attached hereto. ADOPTED this 7'" day of June, 2001 by the following vote, to wit: AYES: McDaniel, Kiser, Agaianian, Selich Kranzley and Tucker NOES: None Edward Selich, Chairman BY: Steven Kiser, Secretary ABSENT: Gifford