SUBJECT: PRECISE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

• DEVELOPMENT OF A 71 ROOM HOTEL HAMPTON INN
• LOCATION: 1530 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY
• APPLICANT: DIXIT PATEL – 18743 PIONEER BLVD., ARTESIA, CA 90701

 

Recommendation:

To approve the Precise Development Plan subject to the conditions in the attached Resolution.

 

Background:

On April 18, 2000 the Planning Commission received testimony and continued the project hearing in order for the applicant to study design issues related to parking, queing and loading. On May 16, 2000 the Planning Commission unanimously approved the project Precise Development Plan subject to the conditions in the attached Resolution.

 

Analysis:

The project is a proposed three story, 71 room Hampton Inn hotel with surface and basement level parking for 66 cars. Short term passenger loading for registration and employee parking is also provided. The project includes hotel suites ranging from 337 to 400 square feet and contains a two story central lobby with fireplace and a central laundry. The building occupies approximately 1/2 of the lot and includes stepped setbacks ranging from 7’ to 21’at the northwesterly corner of the site. The majority of the building is setback approximately 80’ from Pacific Coast Highway.

The site is zoned S.P.A. 8 which permits hotel uses. The hotel project requires a Precise Development Plan pursuant to Section 17.38.330. The zone establishes two "tiers" for review. Tier One projects constructed to 25 feet in height, with a floor area ratio of less than 1 times the buildable area of the lot and less than 10,000 square feet are not subject to discretionary review and only obtain a building permit. Tier Two projects which exceed these limits must obtain approval for a Precise Development Plan.

Based upon direction from the Planning Commission, the applicant made the following revisions to the project:

• Clearly defined entry and exit lanes and new reconfigured parking south of the entry to eliminate back-up conflict with traffic entering the project.
• Two signed spaces for passenger loading and registration, designated employee parking, red-curbing and new entry signing to prohibit parking.
• Additional parking space and reduction of one room increasing net parking supply.
• Tree planting to screen the hotel from residences to the east.

• Additional 19’ building line setback from the westerly property line consistent with residential setbacks along 15th Street.

Traffic Study and Environmental Initial Study

The developer was required to prepare a traffic study as part of the initial environmental review for the project. The traffic study was prepared by the traffic engineering firm of Katz, Okitzu and Associates. Pursuant to the study, the project is expected to generate minor and less than significant impacts to the area. The proposed project is not a significant traffic generator and relative to most other uses which could be located in the zone, it is one of the lowest traffic generators. The traffic study indicates that the project will not adversely impact traffic by decreasing the level of service at any of the seven surveyed intersections at PCH/Pier Avenue, 14 ^th , 15 ^th , 16 ^th and 21 ^st Streets and Artesia/Gould Avenue. On street parking along PCH will be retained with the exception of two spaces (lost with red-curbing along the driveway entry to permit a clear line-of-sight for on-coming traffic). Based upon the less than significant impacts described in the technical studies, a mitigated negative declaration is recommended for the project.

Building Height

The project is a 35 foot three story building at the lowest southwesterly portion of the lot and decreases in building height to approximately 17’ at the northeasterly portion of the site.

Regarding the method of measuring the project building height, the City measures building height based upon the corner point elevations of the property. A survey by a licensed civil engineer is prepared to evaluate the building’s height. In this case, the irregularly shaped lot was divided into three areas for calculating height shown as A,B and C in the staff report height calculations. Each of these areas has a corresponding corner point and critical point used in calculating the building height. Where a retaining wall separates adjacent property, staff used "bottom of wall" measurements. This method allows a more conservative approach to calculating the height of the project along the property lines consistent with the Zone Code.

At the northeasterly corner point elevation (the highest part of the property), the project corner point elevation is contiguous with the properties to the east and north. Overall the project could have increased in height at this portion of the lot by up to 17’ based upon zoning requirements, but because the project terraces the hillside and has below grade parking, the project is lower than the maximum height. A new clearer survey indicating property corner points and contour elevations has been supplied by the owner. The developer also provided an indication of the northeasterly roof line elevation which has been photographed at grade and from higher elevations along 15 ^th Street. The northeasterly portion of the project is close to the height of the adjacent one story veterinarian hospital as can be seen on the attached photos.

Approval of the Precise Development Plan

The Commission approved the Precise Development Plan based upon overall consistency with Tier Two guidelines for project review under Section 17.38.400 of the Zone Code. (Please see attachment.) The Commission felt that the project met the general guidelines for PDP approval and added special conditions to ensure conformance as discussed below:

Limit Lot Coverage - The project is setback up to 80 feet from PCH frontage and does not cover a major portion of the lot. Approximately 50% of the lot is landscaped area or surface parking with a significant portion of the building less than the maximum allowable height.

Flat Roofs and Flat Tall Vertical Walls Avoided - The project contains stepped and sloping roofs along PCH frontage where setbacks step from floor to floor and the overall setback ranges from 7’ to 21’. The project has an L-shaped building footprint and a majority of the project is setback 80’ from PCH street frontage.

Greater Setbacks for Upper Levels - The project incorporates greater setbacks along PCH frontage progressing from the ground floor to the upper stories creating tiered levels as viewed from the front of the project. At the rear of the property, the project is required to provide an 8’ setback at the ground level and 2’ of additional setback for floors above and provides a 9’ setback at the ground level with 2 additional feet of setback per floor above.

Bulk - The project incorporates features to minimize bulk including building tiered setbacks, angled balconies and a building line setback of up to 80 feet from street frontage. The Commission added a special condition to further reduce bulk by setting the building back an additional 19 feet along 15 ^th Street.

Avoid Box-Like Structures - The project incorporates angled balconies and tiered building levels to avoid flat unarticulated box –like design.

Building Step Backs - The project contains sufficient setbacks and projections to break up bulky appearance and create interesting building massing.

Variable Heights . The project contains a roofline varying in height and tiered from floor level to floor level along PCH frontage.

Overall, the Commission found that the project is consistent with the requirements of the zone and the General Plan and consistent with the neighborhood in terms of design, scale and use relative to granting a Precise Development Plan. The Commission further noted that the project will not have adverse environmental impacts relative to parking or traffic circulation and that any project developed on the site would have potential impacts upon views to some extent for the neighboring properties to the east, however, the proposed project as conditioned would provide the best project with least adverse impacts for the adjacent residential neighborhood.

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