SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 96-4

ZONE CHANGE 96-3

LOCATION: 64 10TH STREET

APPLICANT: Mike Roth

61 20th St.

Hermosa Beach

Request: To consider a General Plan redesignation from General Commercial to Medium Density Residential and a Zone Change from C-2 to R-2

Staff Recommendation

Adopt the attached Resolution amending the General Plan to Medium Density and changing the Zoning Map from C-2 to R-2, including the other half of lot 16 to the south of the applicant's parcel.

Planning Commission Recommendation

The Planning Commission recommends that only the applicant's property be amended and rezoned as noted above.

Alternative

Allow the southern half of lot 16 to remain Commercial if the property owner is willing to voluntarily merge this half lot with the remaining commercial lot to the east which is under the same ownership (owner has opted not to do so at this time).

Background

The Planning Commission at their meeting of December 3, 1991, previously denied this request.

On appeal, the City Council sustained the Planning Commission's denial on January 28, 1992.

At their meeting of November 7, 1996, the Staff Environmental Review Committee recommended an Environmental Negative Declaration.

At the January 21, 1997 meeting the Planning Commission continued the Public Hearing so that the south portion of lot 16 could also be consider for amendment.

The Planning Commission at their March 4, 1997 meeting, recommended that only the applicant's property be changed from commercial to residential zoning.

Analysis

The subject lot is the second lot west of Hermosa Avenue on the south side of Tenth Street. It is located a depth of 42.4 feet from Hermosa Avenue. The lot is a "half lot" with a depth of 57 feet from 10th Street.

The subject parcel is currently developed with a single family residence (built in 1920) as is the south half of the lot under different ownership. The corner lot which sides on Hermosa Avenue is also currently developed with a single family dwelling.

Along Hermosa Avenue to the north, south and east of the subject lot, the properties are developed commercially (See the attached existing land use map). The depth of the commercial uses are 86 feet on the south and 53 feet on the north. The historic zoning maps (1922, 1930, 1943, 1956, 1978) indicates that the zoning for the subject lot was commercial. In all cases, except for 1943, the subject lot represented the westerly extent of commercial zoning from Hermosa Avenue. In 1943, the entire south side of 10th Street was designated C-3.

The 1965 General Plan designates this lot, along with the entire block, "Motels, Commercial, Recreation," and in 1979 the current General Commercial designation was established.

The applicant's request is based on a desire to have the residential use of his half of the property recognized, and to remove the nonconforming use status. In staff's judgment the only logical way to view this request would be in conjunction with the other half of the lot. However since Lot 17 abutting on the east is owned by the same person as the south half of Lot 16, there may be benefit in maintaining the south half commercial if it were merged with Lot 17, and developed as one lot with commercial frontage on Hermosa Ave. Staff has contacted the owner, Mr. Shoemaker, and he has indicated he has no plans whatsoever for the property at this time. He therefore had no real concern as to whether the the property remained commercially zoned, or was rezoned residential. He further was not interested in merging the property.

It may be desirable to maintain the commercial designation to a depth of 72 feet (the existing condition) in the hope that this lot depth will encourage a quality commercial project. However, since the applicant's property is owned separately from the Hermosa Avenue frontage, these properties would need to be assembled for efficient development. Furthermore, it would be undesirable to have a commercial use with frontage only on tenth Street or 10th Court which are primarily residential streets. Given these considerations, it is reasonable to set the commercial lot depth immediately east of lots fronting on Hermosa Avenue.

The viability of the subject lot or adjacent lot(s) for commercial development is related to future parking exemptions for downtown projects as the provision of parking on-site has generally precluded most downtown commercial development. The City and the California Coastal Commission would need to reinitiate relaxed parking standards for downtown to resolve the potential of future commercial development on these lots.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE 97-

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING MAP FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 64 10TH ST. AND 69 10TH COURT, LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS HERMOSA BEACH TRACT, BLOCK 10, NORTH HALF AND SOUTH HALF OF LOT 16, FROM GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND FROM C-2, DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL TO R-2 (TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL) ZONE AND ADOPTION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL NEGATIVE DECLARATION.

WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on March 28, 1997, to receive oral and written testimony regarding an application for the subject General Plan Amendment and Zone Change and made the following findings:

A. The General Plan Amendment and Zone Change is consistent with existing use of the property -- residential.

B.. The subject properties are appropriate for residential use as it is surrounded by primarily residential uses and located in an area which is predominantly residential in character.

C. The Planning Commission concurs with the 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.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach does hereby amend the General Plan and Zoning Maps as follows:

Section 1. Change the General Plan Map from General Commercial to Medium Density Residential and the Zoning Map from C-2, Downtown Commercial to R-2, Two-Family Residential for the property legally described as all of lot 16, Block 10, of Hermosa Beach Tract.

Section 2. 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 3. 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 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance of said city, and shall make minutes of the proceedings of the City Council at which the same is passed and adopted.

(ALTERNATIVE)

PROPOSED ORDINANCE 97-

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HERMOSA BEACH CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING MAP FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 64 10TH ST. LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS HERMOSA BEACH TRACT, BLOCK 10, NORTH HALF OF LOT 16, FROM GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND FROM C-2, DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL TO R-2 (TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL) ZONE AND ADOPTION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL NEGATIVE DECLARATION.

WHEREAS, the City Council held a public hearing on March 28, 1997, to receive oral and written testimony regarding an application for the subject General Plan Amendment and Zone Change and made the following findings:

A. The General Plan Amendment and Zone Change is consistent with existing use of the property -- residential.

B.. The subject property is appropriate for residential use as it is surrounded by primarily residential uses and located in an area which is predominantly residential in character.

C. The Planning Commission concurs with the 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.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach does hereby amend the General Plan and Zoning Maps as follows:

Section 1. Change the General Plan Map from General Commercial to Medium Density Residential and the Zoning Map from C-2, Downtown Commercial to R-2, Two-Family Residential for the property legally described as north half of lot 16, Block 10, of Hermosa Beach Tract.

Section 2. 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 3 . 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 4 . The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this ordinance of said city, and shall make minutes of the proceedings of the City Council at which the same is passed and adopted.

PASSED APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of , 1997