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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNewport Lexus (PA2004-153)CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Study Session# 1 December 9, 2004 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Planning Commission FROM: Patricia Temple, Planning Director 949 - 644 -3228, ptemple@city.newport- beach.ca.us SUBJECT: Planning Commission Study Session Preliminary Plan Review for Newport Lexus Automobile Dealership (PA 2004 -153) 3901, 3931, 3961 MacArthur Boulevard 848, 888 Dove Street APPLICANT: Wilson Automotive Group ISSUE: Preliminary review of conceptual building plans for Newport Lexus automobile dealership. RECOMMENDATION: Review the conceptual building plans for the proposed Newport Lexus automobile dealership, receive public comments, and provide direction on issues to be addressed for the public hearing tentatively scheduled for April 2005. DISCUSSION: Background: Wilson Automotive Group has submitted an application for a General Plan Amendment, a Planned Community Development Plan Amendment, and a Use Permit for construction of the Newport Lexus automobile dealership on the westerly side of MacArthur Boulevard at Jamboree Road. A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been prepared for the project and was circulated for public review on November 29, 2004. A Planning Commission public hearing on the project applications and the Final Environmental Impact Report is tentatively scheduled for April 7, 2005. The Study Session will allow the Planning Commission to become familiar with the project and identify issues that may need to be resolved before plans for Newport Lexus are presented for formal review at the public hearing on April 7th. \A Vicinity Map .",FRrt- M Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 2 of 8 Conceptual building plans for Newport Lexus included with this report reflect a smaller facility than indicated in the initial application and analyzed as "the project" in the DEIR. The DEIR indicated potential impacts from the project as initially submitted including traffic impacts at the MacArthur Blvd. /Jamboree Road intersection. The "Reduced Project Alternative," evaluated in the DEIR as required by CEQA, was shown to generate fewer peak hour vehicle trips and result in a less than significant impact at this intersection. Conceptual plans for the Study Session reflect the applicant's decision to reduce the building area from 130,000 square feet to 117,000 square feet consistent with the Reduced Project Alternative. Future Planning Commission Actions At the public hearing tentatively scheduled for April 7, 2005, the Planning Commission will review, receive public comment, and make recommendations to the City Council on a Final Environmental Impact Report, a General Plan Amendment, a Planned Community Development Plan Amendment, and a Use Permit required for development of the Newport Lexus automobile dealership. General Plan Amendment The eight (8) acre project site falls into two different land use designations in the General Plan: the northerly five (5) acres are "Administrative, Professional and Financial Commercial" and the southerly three (3) acres are "Retail and Service Commercial." Development of the Newport Lexus automobile dealership will require a General Plan Amendment to change the land use designation of the five (5) acre part of the site from "Administrative, Professional and Financial Commercial" to "Retail and Service Commercial," consistent with the current designation for the southerly three (3) acres. Based on data for Statistical Area L4 (Airport Area) of the Land Use Element of the General Plan, total potential building area entitlement for the entire eight (8) acre site is approximately 139,000 square feet. Consistent with Section 423 of the City Charter of Newport Beach, Council Policy A -18 requires that proposed General Plan amendments be reviewed to determine if voter approval is required. Voter approval is required for a General Plan Amendment if more than 100 peak hour trips will be generated, an additional 40,000 square feet of building area is proposed, or more than 100 dwelling units will be built. The proposed General Plan Amendment for the Newport Lexus project does not allow additional building area entitlement or include any dwelling units and voter approval is not required based on the respective Charter criteria; however, an analysis of peak hour trips will be required. Staffs initial traffic analysis concludes that the change in General Plan land use designation will not result in an increase of more than 100 peak hour trips, and a full analysis will be provided for the Planning Commission's public hearing. Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 3 of 8 Planned Community Development Plan Amendment The entire project site is zoned "Planned Community" (PC). Development and use regulations for this PC area are established in the document entitled "Planned Community Development Standards Newport Place" (PC text). This document was first adopted in 1970 and has been amended numerous times since then. The PC text designates the southerly three (3) acres for auto center uses and the northerly five (5) acres for professional and business office uses. Amendment of the Newport Place Planned Community text would change the PC text designation for the entire project site to "General Commercial" to accommodate a broad range of retail sales and service uses including the proposed Lexus dealership. As in commercial zones elsewhere in Newport Beach, the revised PC text will require a Use Permit for automobile sales and service uses. Use Permit Because of the size and unique functional requirements of an automobile dealership, the revised "Planned Community Development Standards Newport Place" will include automobile sales and service as a use subject to approval of a Use Permit. The Planning Commission will review and make a recommendation to City Council on the Use Permit application for the Newport Lexus dealership. This process will provide an opportunity to review final plans to assure that the facility is designed and operated in a manner that will not be detrimental to uses on other properties in the area. Final Environmental Impact Report A Draft Environmental Impact Report was prepared and circulated on November 29, 2004. The 45 -day public review period will end on January 12, 2005. Responses to comments on the DEIR received during public review will be prepared and included with the DEIR and presented to the Planning Commission as the Final EIR for review prior to the April 7, 2005 public hearing on the Newport Lexus application. The Planning Commission will recommend to the City Council as to whether or not the Final EIR should be certified. The DEIR identified impacts relative to Aesthetics /Land Use, Hydrology/Water Quality, and Traffic. Mitigation measures defined in the DEIR are shown to reduce these impacts to less than significant levels for both the "project" and for the Reduced Project Alternative. The Reduced Project Alternative, however, reduces the traffic impact at the MacArthur /Jamboree intersection to a less than significant level without mitigation and is deemed to be the environmentally superior alternative. As noted above, the applicant has already reduced the scale of the project consistent with this alternative. Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 4 of 8 Project Description Automobile Showroom and Parts and Service Structures The 8.05 -acre project site is proposed to be developed with a showroom structure encompassing approximately 41,000 square feet and a service and parts department facility of approximately 75,000 square feet. The service and parts department would occupy the first level of a 4 -story structure providing new vehicle and loaner car storage and employee parking on the upper 3 stories and the roof. A total of up to 117,000 square feet of occupied building area, exclusive of in- structure vehicle parking and storage, is proposed. The 41,000 square -foot automobile showroom facility includes sales and business offices, a mezzanine, a service customer lounge and coffee bar adjoining the main showroom, and an automobile service reception and work write -up area located in the southerly portion of the showroom building. Showroom building height as measured to the peak of the steeply- pitched showroom roof is approximately 48 feet. The maximum permissible height pursuant to "Highrise Height Limitation Zone" regulations of the Zoning Code is 375 feet. The showroom and service structures are separated from the MacArthur and Jamboree frontages by landscaped setbacks and new car display areas. The landscaped setback along MacArthur is 30 feet in width, consistent with the minimum requirement in the current Planned Community Development Standards Newport Place (PC text). The curvilinear landscaped setback adjoining MacArthur Blvd. opposite the service structure is twenty feet at the narrowest point. The minimum building setback from the property line at Dove Street is indicated as 30 feet in the current PC text. The setback from the corner of the showroom building nearest Dove Street is 18 feet and widens to nearly 40 feet as the street curves to the north away from the building. Permitted uses set forth in the PC text for Newport Place will be revised to accommodate automobile sales. Minimum development standards in the PC text may also be revised to establish appropriate setback standards for the proposed automobile dealership. As an alternative to changes in minimum development standards, a Modification Permit could be required for reductions to building setback and /or landscaped setback dimensions. A service customer driveway from Dove Street and customer vehicle queuing lanes separate the showroom building from the main automobile service facility and parking structure on the southerly portion of the site. A car wash for new and used car preparation and for vehicles being serviced at the dealership adjoins the south wall of the auto service facility. Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 5 of 8 Approximately 80 service stalls and the parts counter are located on the first level of the service facility /parking structure. Upper levels include spaces for storing approximately 1,000 new cars and loaner vehicles and approximately 200 employee spaces. The height of the service facility/parking structure is approximately 57 feet. Architectural elements of the service facility include the 84 -foot high "logo" tower at the southeast corner of the building, a 74 -foot tall elevator /stairwell tower at the northeast comer of the building, and a multi -level auto display tower on the east wall with a maximum height of approximately 69 feet. On -Site Circulation and Parking A vehicle entrance to the new car display lot and the showroom facility is proposed from MacArthur Boulevard approximately 320 feet south of Bowsprit Drive. A traffic island in MacArthur limits this access to "right -in, right -out" only. A drive aisle extends from the MacArthur entrance through the new and pre -owned vehicle displays to the customer parking area (approximately 35 spaces) flanking the front doors to the showroom. The parts and service building, and the service write -up area at the back of the showroom, may also be reached from this entrance. Vehicle access is also provided at three locations from Dove Street on the westerly edge of the site: an automobile service customer entrance opposite Quail Street (service drive); an entrance to the new car display lot and showroom north of Quail Street; and, a gated access at the southern end of the side used primarily for service department test drives and employee parking on the rooftop. The service drive from Quail Street includes three inbound and two outbound lanes. The three inbound lanes provide stacking for approximately 30 vehicles. These will accommodate incoming service customers and loaner vehicle returns. Stacking for approximately 20 vehicles is provided in two outbound lanes, primarily for customer vehicle and loaner vehicle pick -up. The location and configuration of the service drive were largely determined by the location of an easement for a storm drain and a water main beneath the driveway. The proposed configuration would allow the service department to continue functioning in the event that future repair or replacement of the storm drains requires excavation of portions of the service drive. Architectural Features The conceptual architectural elevations for the Newport Lexus dealership balance strong, horizontal building planes with key vertical elements including towers of varying heights at the corners of the service department/parking structure. A curved, linear colonnade is set in front of and repeats the strong horizontal plane of the showroom fagade. Prominent building materials include large plate glass surfaces, stucco and stone walls, and metal roofing compatible with the overall contemporary design theme. Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 6 of 8 The conceptual landscape master plan includes king and queen palm trees in setbacks along street frontages. Setbacks will incorporate turf, ornamental shrubs, and seasonal plants for accent color. Retaining walls in the landscaped setbacks along MacArthur Boulevard and Jamboree Road provide a grade transition from the building site down to the public sidewalks. A fountain is proposed near the Jamboree Road frontage at the east end of the service drive. Areas of enhanced paving are included throughout the display lots. Signs A typical sign program for Lexus dealerships is reflected on the "signage layout" included with this report. Illuminated channel letters indicating "Newport Lexus" and flanked by the Lexus logo are proposed near the top of each service facility /parking structure fagade. An illuminated Lexus logo is proposed on each of the four sides of the tower at the southeast corner of the service facility. Three monument signs are indicated in landscaped setbacks: one at the MacArthur Boulevard frontage south of the main vehicle entrance; one at the MacArthur /Jamboree intersection; and one at the Dove Street entrance to the new car display lot. Directional signs are shown in the landscaped setback at the service drive entrance and at the new car display lot entrance from Dove Street. Sign regulations will be included in the revised PC text to reflect the Planning Commission's Study Session response to the "sign layout" program included with this report. Lighting An exterior display and security lighting plan is included. Consistent with mitigation measures in the DEIR, exterior lighting standards are equipped with "sharp cut -off' fixtures to minimize outward and upward light spread. Project lighting will also reflect .DEIR mitigation measures. These include submittal of a photometric plan indicating fixture selection ;and illumination levels that minimize light and glare impacts on the surrounding area. Post - installation inspection by the City is also required to ensure that the site is not excessively illuminated and that lighting sources are properly shielded. Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 7 of 8 CONCLUSION: The Study Session will allow members of the Planning Commission and the public to better understand the proposed project. The Planning Commission will provide direction on issues to be addressed for the public hearing tentatively scheduled for April 7, 2005. Prepared by: ' "r" <1.4 P epo Hogle - Ireland, Inc. Submitted by: Daniel Trimble Acting Planning Director Exhibits: 1. Draft Environmental Impact Report 2. Plans and Elevations Newport Lexus — Study Session December 9, 2004 Page 8 of 8 Exhibit No. 1 Draft EIR — Separate Bound volume l . lop ) ../ . 0 .\ : ~ Of CO V y Z) w -j o� § F- ) k CL \< � �o + � � ] ) q �§ §! )/ . k . \ \ � {� ( � . + . . I \ o � ° � j , \ � \ � , \ ® 2 2'.25- | j : w { T§ 9 TIM of 0 0 IL Lij EE T7 P it LU II V, Lul a H E ■ ■ `^ X ■ J m F- 0 °O oa w z q g T 4 � O O J LL 2' C W � d £ Mc 1 !J-�UA 4 N ; -w, Y k . . 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