HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUP_2015-11-19_AgendaPacket C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
6500 PALMA AVE ▪ ATASCADERO, CA 93422 ▪ (805) 461 -5035 ▪ FAX 461-7612
Administrative Use Permit Hearing
A G E N D A
The City of Atascadero’s Zoning Hearing Officer will hold a public hearing
at 3:00 p.m. or later on Thursday, November 19, 2015 in Room 106, at
City Hall, 6500 Palma Ave., Atascadero, to consider the following:
1. 7301, 7305, 7355 MORRO ROAD. PLN 2015-1572; Request to allow a
shared on-site parking adjustment to reduce the parking requirement
for Moresco Plaza by 20%.
PLEASE NOTE: Any court challenge to the actions taken at the public
hearing items may be limited to considering only those issues raised at the
public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence to the
City of Atascadero at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Any decision of the Hearing Officer is final unless appealed to the Planning
Commission within 14 days of the action. Any person aggrieved by the
decision may file an appeal. Appeal forms are available in the Community
Development Department or on the City’s website (www.atascadero.org).
The fee for filing an appeal is $704 and must accompany the appeal
documentation.
t:\~ administrative use permit\agendas\2015\november 19, 2015.doc
C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPEMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 1
FROM: Katie Banister, Contract Planner MEETING DATE: 11/19/2015
FILE NUMBER: PLN 2015-1572 / AUP 2015-0075
PROJECT ADDRESS: 7301, 7305, 7355 Morro Road
SITUATION: The applicant requests a shared on-site parking adjustment to reduce the
parking requirement for Moresco Plaza by 20%, pursuant to AMC 9-4.115.
RECOMMENDATION:
The hearing officer approve Administrative Use Permit 2015 -A allowing a shared on-site
parking adjustment, based on findings and subject to conditions.
BACKGROUND: The Master Plan of Development for the five buildings of Moresco
Plaza was approved with Conditional Use Permit 2004-0124. To date, four of the
buildings have been constructed. The main complex of three buildings was built in
2007, and the North building was completed in September of this year ; it is not yet fully
occupied. The South Building is planned, but not constructed; the City’s Design Review
Committee recently approved a reduction in its size from two-story to a one-story
structure.
The original approval for Moresco Plaza included a condition that limits uses in the
center to “general office”. In order to add “medical office” uses, a parking plan must be
approved by the City. Currently, shared parking for the plaza is provided by the 81
spaces located behind the buildings. Several recent site visits by City staff indicate the
parking lot is heavily used, and parking may be in short supply when full occupation is
realized.
A new tenant proposes to locate a pathology clinic in a portion of the North Building.
The applicant has prepared a parking plan to reflect the requirements for the existing
uses, the proposed medical office use and future uses in the unconstructed South
Building, which require a total of 100 parking spaces in conformance with Atascadero
Municipal Code (AMC) 9-4.114 (see attachment 2).
EVALUATION: AMC 9-4.118 gives the parking space requirements for uses in the
City. Professional offices, including those for accountant, architects, government, and
insurance and real estate agents, must provide 1 parking space per 400 square feet of
floor area, but not less than 2 parking spaces per office space. Other offices require 1
parking space per 500 square feet of floor area. Health care services must have 1
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parking space per 200 square feet of floor area, but not less than 2 per office space and
examination room. The original parking requirement was calculated in 2004 based on
the gross square footage of all buildings (including a two-story South Building) at the
square footage rate. The current parking plan accounts for actual uses, and is based
on the per office space or examination room minimum requirements.
There are currently 18 different tenant spaces in the four buildings of Moresco Plaza.
The South Building, will add an additional two units. This is a reduction from the original
plan of development as the South building was approved with more floor area on a
second floor. AMC 9-4.114 allows commercial uses on a single site to reduce their
parking requirement by 5% for each separate use, up to 20%. The parking
requirements cannot be reduced below the largest parking requirement on the site. In
this case, the largest parking demand is from a 5,138 square-foot office requiring 15
spaces. The second largest demand is for the medical office, which requires 10 parking
spaces. If the same space was partitioned similarly to provide 5 office spaces instead
of examination rooms, the parking requirement would be the same 10 spaces.
A 20% parking requirement reduction will result in a total off-street requirement of 80
spaces, which can be fulfilled with existing on-site parking.
RECOMMENDATION:
The hearing officer approve Administrative Use Permit 2015 -A allowing a Shared On-
Site Parking Adjustment of 20 percent, based on findings and subject to conditions.
Findings
AMC 9-1.112 requires the hearing officer to make the following 5 findings:
(1) Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that i s inconsistent
with the General Plan;
Staff comment: Several policies and programs of the General Plan Land Use,
Open Space and Conservation (LOC) Element address parking requirements.
Policy 1.5 requires adequate off-street parking in commercial areas. This is
supported by four programs, three of which are relevant. Program 1.5.1 requires
development to provide sufficient parking that does not conflict with street traffic.
Program 1.5.2 encourages shared parking whenever possible. Program 1.5.4
directs the parking ordinance to be updated to reflect current parking trends and
uses. In addition, LOC Program 2.2.2 requires new development to provide
bicycle parking. The parking plan indicates the shared parking area for Moresco
Plaza can supply adequate parking spaces for all uses. The conditions of
approval for this Administrative Use Permit will include a requirement to add an
on-site bicycle parking rack.
(2) Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that is inconsistent
with the character of the immediate neighborhood or contrary to its orderly
development;
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Staff comment: The immediate neighborhood is generally professional offices
and health care services with some miscellaneous service and multi-family
residential uses. The character of Moresco Plaza and the immediate
neighborhood will not be altered by this adjustment, which will allow the addition
of one health care services use.
(3) Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that is not in
compliance with any pertinent City policy or criteria adopted by ordinance or
resolution of the City Council; and
Staff comment: The zoning ordinance allows for an adjustment to parking
requirements at a rate of 5% for each separate use on a site, up to a 20%
reduction. The total number of spaces must not be less than the requirement for
the use needing the largest number of spaces. The use needing the largest
number of spaces is in Office C1-10, which requires 15 spaces. The adjusted
parking requirement conforms to this stipulation.
(4) Modification of the applicable standard will not result in the authorization of a use
not otherwise allowed; and
Staff comment: Health care services are an allowed use in the Commercial
Professional zoning district. The use is limited on this property due to parking
constraints. As conditioned, no additional medical uses will be permitted.
(5) Any other findings deemed necessary.
Staff comment: No other findings are deemed necessary.
Environmental Determination
Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Section 15301) exempts
the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing licensing, or minor alteration of
existing public or private structures and facilities, involving negligible or no expansion of
use.
Conditions
1. Additional medical office or health care service uses shall be subject to
Community Development Department staff approval of a revised parking plan
and current parking lot performance to be reviewed at the time of applic ation for
business license.
2. A bicycle storage rack with capacity for at least 4 bicycles shall be provided in a
convenient and secure location on the properties.
Code Requirements
1. AMC 9-4.118 Required number of parking spaces
2. AMC 9-4.115 Off-street parking required
3. AMC 9-3.212 Allowable uses in the Commercial Professional zoning district
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Action:
Approve
Approve as modified
Deny
Continue to : _______________ to allow _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continue indefinitely to allow: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
Hearing Officer Date
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ATTACHMENT 1: Aerial Photograph
PLN 2015-1572 / AUP 2015-0075
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ATTACHMENT 2: Parking Plan
PLN 2015-1572 / AUP 2015-0075
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ATTACHMENT 3: Floor Plan for Proposed Medical Office in North Building
PLN 2015-1572 / AUP 2015-0075