SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 98-2

ZONE CHANGE 98-3

LOCATION: 731 4TH STREET

APPLICANT: THOMAS J. ENGELBACH

550 ROSECRANS AVENUE

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266

REQUEST: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT FROM COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND ZONE CHANGE FROM S.P.A. 7 (COMMERCIAL) TO R-2 (TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL)

Planning Commission Recommendation

To approve the requested General Plan Amendment and Zone Change by introduction of the attached Ordinance.

Background

At their meeting of October 20, 1998, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the request. The subject lot is located on the south side of Fourth Street and is the first lot west of the commercial development that fronts on P.C.H.(currently a Hardware store). The lot is located at a depth of 140 to 180 feet from Pacific Coast Highway. The property is designated Medium Density Residential on the General Plan Map, and S.P.A. 7 (Specific Plan Area) on the official City Zoning Map as a result of the Multi-Use Corridor study in 1989. The S.P.A. 7 zoning for the site allows commercial expansion of P.C.H. fronting commercial property but does not permit a free-standing commercial use with frontage on 4th Street. It also allows continuation of the existing single-family residential use (including expansion or reconstruction into a much larger dwelling). Prior to the redesignation and rezoning in 1989, the property was designated Multi-Use Corridor on the General Plan map and was zoned R-3 (commercial potential.)

The subject lot is currently developed with a single family residence, constructed prior to the 1920's (no original building permit on record). Directly to the north and south the subject lot, the properties are also developed with residential uses, and are designated Medium Density Residential and zoned R-2. (See the attached existing land use map). The depth of the commercial uses and zoning are 130 feet on the north and 150 feet across 4th Street to the south.

Analysis

The applicant's request to redesignate and rezone the property to MD Residential and R-2 would potentially add one unit on the lot and increase the value and development potential of the property. A two-unit development would result in a density that is less than adjacent residential development to the north (a 12-unit apartment) and to the west (an 8-unit condominium) which were built under R-3 zoning in 1979 and 1986 respectively. Granting the request would preclude assembly of this lot with adjacent P.C.H. fronting commercial property.

Based upon recent direction of the City Council with respect to the Learned Lumber property, the change is not consistent with maintaining commercial lot depth along the P.C.H. corridor. The proposed Zone Change and General Plan Amendment would effectively reduce the commercial lot depth from 180 to 140 feet. The Council indicated previously that greater land assembly and lot depth could encourage higher quality commercial development or add commercial parking to benefit existing commercial uses.

In considering the request, the Planning Commission found that a commercial use would conflict with the surrounding land uses given that substantial residential developments border all sides of the property except to the east. The Commission indicated that the best use of this lot would be medium density residential (R-2) given the surrounding land uses and the prospect of this lot being merged with the other commercial lots to the east. The property cannot be used for a stand alone commercial purposes since the provisions of the Specific Plan Area 7 prohibit commercial use that fronts on the residential side streets.

The Commission also noted that the subject proposal differs from the Learned Lumber proposal since the residential use at 731 4th Street can be maintained and expanded, the change would not involve the reduction of any land currently used for commercial purposes and the scale of the proposed change is much smaller as it involves a 5,000 square foot lot and the loss of 40-feet in commercial depth, rather than 30,000 square feet and a loss of 120 feet in depth.

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ORDINANCE 98-

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, TO AMEND THE GENERAL PLAN MAP FROM COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR (CC) TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP FROM SPECIFIC PLAN AREA 7 (S.P.A. 7) TO TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-2) AND ADOPTION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL NEGATIVE DECLARATION, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 731 4TH STREET AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOT 5, W.F. THORNES HILLSIDE TRACT #2

The City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach does hereby resolve and order as follows:

Section 1. An application was filed by Thomas J. Engelbach owner of property at 731 4th Street seeking to amend the General Plan Map and the Zoning Map for the subject property.

Section 2. The Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed de novo public hearing to consider the application for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change on October 20, 1998, at which testimony and evidence, both written and oral, was presented to and considered by the Planning Commission.

Section 3. The City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing to consider the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve the requested General Plan Amendment and Zone Change, at which testimony and evidence, both written and oral, was presented to and considered by the Council.

Section 4. Based on evidence received at the public hearing, the City Council makes the following factual findings:

1. The property is designated Commercial Corridor on the General Plan Map, and S.P.A. 7 (Commercial Specific Plan Area) on the official City Zoning Map as a result of the Multi-Use Corridor study in 1989. The S.P.A. 7 zoning for the site allows commercial expansion of P.C.H. fronting commercial property but does not permit a free-standing commercial use with frontage on 4th Street. It also allows continuation of the existing single-family residential use (including expansion or reconstruction into a much larger dwelling).

2. The requested change will reduce the depth of the commercial designated property, as measured from P.C.H. westward, from 180 feet to 140 feet, and replace the commercial designations on the subject property to allow residential development for up to two units consistent with the Medium Density Residential classification of the General Plan and the R-2 Zoning district in the Zoning Ordinance.

3. The property at 731 4th Street has been in continuing use as a single-family residential use since the 1920's. It was changed from a designation of Multi-Use Corridor of the General Plan, and R-3 multi-family residential with a commercial potential overlay to Commercial Corridor and S.P.A. 7 in 1989.

4. The adjacent property to the north is designated on the General Plan and Zoning Maps for commercial purposes to a depth of 130 feet, and to the south to a depth of 150 feet.

5. Surrounding property to the north, south and west is designated Medium Density Residential on the General Plan and Zoned R-2, which allows residential development up to a density of 24 units per acre, and is currently developed with a mix of single and multi-family uses in which the current density ranges from 15 - 33 units per acre.

Section 5. Based on the foregoing factual findings, the Planning Commission makes the following findings pertaining to the General Plan Amendment and Zone Change:

1. The General Plan Amendment and Zone Change will recognize the current land use of the subject property and current market conditions which have not supported or created an interest in expanding commercial development to include this location, and will allow the development of a appropriate residential land use consistent with surrounding properties.

2. The subject property to be redesignated is appropriate for residential use as it is abutted by residential uses to the north and across 4th Street to the south, and located in an area which is predominantly residential in character. A residential use of the subject properties will be more compatible to surrounding residential uses than a potentially more intensive commercial use. The redesignation to Medium Density Residential on the General Plan Map and R-2 on the Zoning Map will be consistent with designations to the west of the subject property, and will allow two units on the subject property consistent with surrounding residential development.

3. The City Council concurs with the Planning Commission and Staff Environmental Review Committee's recommendation, based on their Environmental Assessment/Initial Study, that this project will result in a less than significant impact on the environment, and therefore qualifies for a Negative Declaration.

Section 6. Based on the foregoing, the City Council hereby ordains that the Land Use Map of the General Plan, and the City's Official Zoning Map be amended as follows:

1. Amend the Land Use Map of the General Plan by changing the property described below, and shown on the attached map, from Commercial Corridor to Medium Density Residential, and amend the Zoning Map by changing the properties, as described below and shown on the attached map, from S.P.A. 7 to R-2 Two-Family Residential:

731 Pacific Coast Highway, legally described as lot 5, W.F. Thornes Hillside Tract #2

Section 7. This ordinance shall become effective and be in full force and effect from and after thirty (30) days of its final passage and adoption.

Section 8. Prior to the expiration of fifteen (15) days after the date of its adoption, the City Clerk shall cause this ordinance to be published in the Easy Reader, a weekly newspaper of general circulation published and circulated, in the City of Hermosa Beach in the manner provided by law.

Section 9. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance, shall enter the same in the book of original ordinances of said city, and shall make minutes of the passage and adoption thereof in the records of the proceedings of the City Council at which the same is passed and adopted.

PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 24th day of November, 1998, by the following vote:

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