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HomeMy WebLinkAbout95-140 - GPA 95-1C & Local Coast Plan 43RESOLUTION NO. 95-140 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADDING A POLICY TO PROMOTE REVITALIZATION OF THE CITY'S COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL • DISTRICTS. (GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 95 -1(C) AND LOCAL COASTAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 43) WHEREAS, as part of the development and implementation of the Newport Beach General Plan the Land Use Element has been prepared; and WHEREAS, the Land Use Element sets forth objectives, supporting policies and limitations for development in the City of Newport Beach; and WHEREAS, for many years various studies and groups have recommended revitalization of the City's Community Commercial Areas to compliment the character and quality of the City's residential areas; and WHEREAS, GPA 95 -1(C) and Local Coastal Program Amendment No. 43 were initiated by the Planning Commission on February 9, 1995 and by the City Council on February 21, 1995; and WHEREAS, GPA 95 -1(C) and Local Coastal Program Amendment No. 43 were reviewed by the City's many Community Associations and Merchants Associations as well as the Economic Development Committee and the Environmental Quality Affairs Committee; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 707 of the Charter of the City of Newport Beach, the Planning Commission held a Public Hearing to consider this Amendment to the Land Use Element of the Newport Beach General Plan and Local Coastal Program and; WHEREAS. The Planning Commission approved Resolution 95 -1413 recommending approval of GPA 95 -1 (C) and Local Coastal Program Amendment No. 43. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Newport Beach that GPA 95 -1C and Local Coastal Program Amendment No. 43 (attached hereto and made a part thereof) are approved. ADOPTED this 11th day of Dec. 1995 . ATTEST: e Wanda Raggio City Clerk Uneftarin+da&khy W5121 Bw�xgn-atedw John Hedges Mayor \ \; GPA 95 -1(C) General Description of the Land Use Plan OVERALL CrrY FORM The City of Newport Beach has developed as a grouping of small communities or "villages," primarily • due to the natural geographic form of the bay, which provides both physical division and unity, in the sense of a common, shared resource. Many of the newer developments, located inland from the bay, have been based on a "Planned Community" concept, resulting in a furtherance of the village form even where no major geographic division exists. The various villages provide for a wide variety of type and style of development, both residential and commercial. The City includes lower density single family residential areas, as well as more intensively developed residential beach areas. Commercial areas range from master - planned employment centers to marine industrial and visitor commercial areas. This wide range of development types provides both visual interest and community diversity. The Land Use Element proposes that the City build on this existing "grouping of villages" form and character, and, where possible, strengthen both the physical identity and functional efficiency of this form through such means as: 1. Use of open space corridors and buffers; 2. Assuring harmonious groupings of land uses in each village area; 3. Encouraging the development of an individual character for each village area, rather than attempting a city-wide, monotonous conformity, 4. Provision of high auali1y and proVerous nei r commercial centers to serve the village areas; visitors and the City at large; 5. Provision for public and semi -public facilities (schools, parks, churches, etc.) to serve each village area; 6. Comm ljng Manaigine residential development (as discussed herein and in the Housing Element); 7. COW011 g Managing the intensity of commercial development. S. Guiding the character of commercial districts. The City shall encourage the formation of independent homeowners and merchant groups and associations within each of the villages that make up the City, and the City will cooperate with such groups and their representatives for the improvement of the environment, economy and physical facilities within its villages. [, Community Commercial Districts Policy The City shall encourage its community commercial districts to reflect and complement the high quality of its residential areas. The City shall promote the prosperity of its several community commercial districts through the adoption and application of its planning, zoning, building and public works codes, regulations, policies and activities. These efforts should consider the impacts on residential areas in terms of noise, traffic, parking and other residential concerns In furtherance of the goal to promote character and quality in the city's commercial sectors, two- story strip malls shall not be encouraged DISCUSSION: Importan ce. In addition to necessary goods and services, community commercial districts provide identity to the City's villages, foster a sense of community, and offer a center for socializing and public events. Community commercial districts provide employment and income opportunities as well as municipal revenue to support essential services. Revitalization. Considering their importance, the City's community commercial districts should receive to the greatest extent practicable the same support and advantages provided in privately managed malls and government redevelopment areas to keep pace with customer preferences and changes in retail marketing. This includes a variety of programs typically included within municipally sponsored revitalization efforts such as upgraded design, landscaping, pedestrian facilities, vehicle access, parking management programs, flexibility in building use, marketing research, joint advertising, and proactive and selective tenant recruitment to achieve optimum tenant mix. The goal of revitalization is to increase resident support of community commercial areas and to increase the number and spending power of visitors and tourists needed to support the City's large amount of commercial building space. Revitalization will attract specialty stores away from malls and outlets and provide the City's many restaurants with amenities in addition to the ocean and bay. Revitalization will help the City's businesses compete with inland shopping areas by providing the broad range of goods and services needed to attract high spending shoppers. Revitalization will increase commercial occupancy, raise the level of building maintenance, decrease City service costs while increasing revenues and add value to surrounding residential areas. Promise and Potential. Throughout the nation, revitalized historic commercial districts with charm and character create both pride and profits. These aspects of Newport Beach community commercial districts, coupled with their proximity to the ocean and bay, provide unique benefits unavailable to other cities. With these advantages and proper management, Newport Beach commercial districts can compete effectively with those in other cities to better serve the City's residents. 5 IMPLEMENTATION Guidelines. 1. The City desires to promote quality community commercial areas which reflect the City's attractive, enjoyable and valuable residential areas. Attractive in the sense of architecturally and aesthetically stylish with enduring designs, materials and landscaping. Enjoyable in the sense of both pride of ownership and compatibility with neighbors and community goals. Valuable in the sense of both market price and municipal revenue. 2. The City recognizes that its regulations and requirements have a significant effect on the success and the viability of commercial districts and individual businesses. 3. The City recognizes that its community commercial districts are village -like and thus pedestrian and outdoor oriented and that enhancement of these attributes is necessary for successful revitalization. 4. The City recognizes that the older and historic buildings within it s community commercial districts often require special consideration and concessions. 5. The City recognizes that "Looking Good is Good Business" and that well designed and maintained business districts are the most successful. 6. The City recognizes that to be successful its business districts must appeal to residents, visitors and tourists. 7. The City recognizes that the success of community districts may require a condensing of commercial space into reduced central cores. Organization and Financing 1. The City shall promote and support the formation of Business Improvement Districts, Merchant Associations and similar organizations within community commercial districts to provide financial, marketing and management assistance. 2. The City shall encourage and support the formation of assessment and parking districts and shall pursue grants, public/private partnerships, low interest loans and other mechanisms to finance public and private improvements. Planning and Building 1. The City shall encourage and support design projects to create architectural themes for individual business districts. The City shall adopt or amend Specific Area Plans, sign codes and other ordinances to implement approved designs. 2. The City shall encourage the refurbishment, remodeling and modest expansion of older, nonconforming buildings within community commercial districts by grandfathering such nonconforming uses when feasible and practicable. 3. The City shall continually seek to streamline its permitting processes to minimize paperwork and shorten time frames including the requirements for obtaining Use Permits. 4. The City shall review its onsite vehicle parking requirements within community commercial districts and consider district -wide parking solutions. Every effort will be made not to burden nearby residential areas. 5. The City shall, in the application of its codes and regulations, give special consideration to the needs of restaurants in recognition of the high level of benefits they provide to the local economy. This does not imply an abandonment of environmental or development standards or a relaxation of noise or parking controls. 6. The City shall utilize the less stringent historical building codes whenever feasible and practicable to promote the restoration of older commercial buildings. 7. The City shall consider density bonuses or other incentives to encourage conversion of commercial structures which are peripheral to the central core. Such conversions may include bed and breakfast inns, churches, schools, boating facilities, multifamily residential and similar establishments which are compatible with commercial uses and which provide a reasonable economic return to land owners. 8. The City shall review uses permitted within commercial areas adjacent to residential areas to provide more resident serving and resident compatible uses. 9. The City shall consider variance and exemption procedures for the Planning Commission and City Council to provide for unique or unforeseen circumstances which may unduly penalize quality projects. Public Works 1. The City shall approve designs for streets, sidewalks, and other public improvements to complement the pedestrian orientation of its community commercial districts. 2. The City shall review its capital improvement programs for their impacts on the pedestrian orientation and other important aspects of community commercial districts. 3. The City shall approve encroachments or rental agreements in the public right of way when practicable and feasible to foster commercial building restoration, outdoor dining and other techniques to support revitalization of community commercial districts, but this does not mean encroachment onto beaches, parks and other recreational areas enjoyed by the general public. FMwo varinwaiaktycoo1951211%cw %gp95•lcodoe