Council Agenda - City of Burbank

Tuesday, February 8, 2005

Agenda Item - 4

 
DATE: February 8, 2005
TO: Mary J. Alvord, City Manager
FROM:

Susan M. Georgino, Community Development Director

via:  Art Bashmakian, Assistant Community Development Director/City Planner

by:  Joy R. Forbes, Principal Planner
SUBJECT:

PLANNED DEVELOPMENT NO. 2003-1

Property bounded by Alameda Avenue, Lima Street, Olive Avenue and property adjacent to the 134 freeway off-ramp � Applicant:  PW, LLC

PURPOSE:

 

The purpose of this report is for City Council to consider a second reading of an ordinance to approve a mixed use development at the above referenced property.

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Public Hearing of December 7, 2004:

On December 7, 2004, City Council held a public hearing to consider a proposal by PW, LLC to construct a mixed used project in the Media District.  After public testimony, rebuttal from the applicant and Council deliberation, the City Council voted 4-1 to adopt the Water Supply Assessment, certify the Environmental Impact Report, amend the General Plan for this site, conditionally vacate the street and alleys, conditionally approve the vesting tentative tract map and complete a first reading to adopt the ordinance approving the Planned Development with accompanying Development Agreement and conditions (the �PD Ordinance�).

 

The Council made these approvals subject to modifications to the project which include:

  • Reduce the height of the tallest building to 103 feet (from 133 feet).  The other buildings are to remain at 50 feet along Alameda Avenue and 70 feet in the center of the site.

  • Allow the 103 foot building to be slightly �squatter.�  The applicant stated at the hearing that this would add a maximum of 1,800 square foot footprint to the building.

  • Reduce the number of residential units to 250 (from 298).

  • Eliminate the health club.  For clarification, the applicant may choose to keep a type of work out facility as a benefit to the residents on site, but it would not be open to the public.

  • Require a dedication along Lima Street to be determined by staff.  Since the meeting, staff has determined that a 10 foot dedication would be appropriate to accommodate another lane in the future if necessary and to maintain 12 foot parkways and sidewalks for an appropriate pedestrian friendly environment.

  • The square footage proposed for the residential units will remain the same (443,132 square feet).  However, it was understood that by reducing the height, the buildings will likely lose some square footage.  By not requiring reduction of total square footage proportional to the reduction in the total number of units and height, the applicant has the flexibility to make the units larger.

  • The applicant will attempt to complete the project in one phase, but at the most, two phases.

  • The applicant will contribute $500,000 of their $2,500,000 affordable housing fee ($100,000 x 25 units (10% of 250 units)) toward capital costs for a Media District shuttle service.

Public Hearing of January 11, 2005:

At the Council meeting of December 14, 2004, Council Members requested that the second reading of the ordinance be noticed as a public hearing to allow the public to have input on the modifications that were made at the December 7 public hearing after the public testimony period had ended.  A public hearing, therefore, was held on January 11 to consider the changes made to the project.  After public testimony, the Council began deliberations.  While no vote was taken, there was some consensus among the Council Members that the project needed to be further modified.  Specifically, Council Members made the following suggestions:

  • Reduce the height of the tallest building to 93 feet (from 103 feet at the first reading).  The other buildings are to remain at 50 feet along Alameda Avenue and 70 feet in the center of the site.

  • Change how height is defined (currently defined as the height from average grade to the ceiling of the highest room permitted for human occupancy) to require that 93, 70 and 50 feet be the maximum envelopes.  Specifically, mechanical equipment, roof and architectural features would be required to be constructed within the maximum envelope.  This leads to overall shorter buildings because ceilings can be 12 or more feet below the highest portion of the building (such as a stair shaft to the roof).

  • Reduce the number of residential units to 220 (from 250 at the first reading).

The City Council also requested that the applicant come back with a massing model so that the Council could better visualize what the project would look like.  Specifically, Council Members were interested in how the size of the buildings would compare to its surrounding neighborhood such as the multi and single family neighborhood across Alameda Street.  The applicant was present at the meeting when Council made this request and has informed staff they are preparing a model in accordance with this direction.  The applicant�s model will be presented to the Council at the February 8 meeting by the applicant.  The model was not available prior to preparation of this report.

 

ANALYSIS:

 

Project Modifications:

Staff has conducted analysis on the proposed modifications of the project and find that the components of the newly revised project remain consistent with the Media District Specific Plan and Planned Development findings.  Because the applicant has not completed the model, staff has not been able to conduct analysis of it prior to the Council meeting.

 

Updated CEQA:

An Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report that was certified by City Council has been prepared which states that the modifications made to the project at the December 7 and January 11 public hearings have been adequately studied and do not result in new or greater significant impacts than those already identified.  Additionally, should the City Council move a second reading of the ordinance, staff has prepared a resolution modifying the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) findings to more accurately depict the modified project.  Additionally, the Development Agreement and Conditions of Approval have been amended to reflect the suggestions made by Council.

 

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:

 

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution modifying the CEQA findings and move a second reading of the PD ordinance and approve the project as modified by the City Council.

 

LIST OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A          Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report prepared January 25,

                          2005

 

 

 

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