SUBJECT: SPECIAL STUDY 97- 2 General Plan/ Zoning Inconsistencies

INITIATED BY CITY COUNCIL

PURPOSE TO EXAMINE THE STATUS OF THE EXISTING LAND USES LOCATED ON VARIOUS LOTS ZONED M-1 INCONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION

Recommendation: Direct staff as deemed appropriate

Background

At the March 11, 1997 City Council meeting, the City Council directed staff to review all property which was zoned for manufacturing and had an inconsistent General Plan designation in the City.

Analysis

There are currently 14 lots zoned for Manufacturing with a designation in the General Plan of Medium Density Residential. These lots are all located along Ardmore between First Place and Fifth Street. The lots are comprised of the following uses:

• 6 Residential uses (single and multiple dwelling units).
• 5 Manufacturing type uses (2 cabinet shops, 1 heating/AC duct maker, 1 inventor/ prototypes / cabinet shop, and 1 miscellaneous custom parts maker/ auto storage).
• 3 Commercial uses (2 auto repair shops, and 1 office).

The 1989 General Plan revision andthe 1994 General Plan Land Use Element revision included a Medium Density designation for the planned development of these properties. The General Plan Land Use Element1 generally provides the following reasons for rezoning of the subject properties to be consistent with the Medium Density Residential designation:

1. The railroad lines which originally served these properties to facilitate delivery and shipping of materials, products and equipment have been eliminated.
2. The properties are served by narrow local streets which cannot accomodate larger industrial users.
3. The surrounding uses are generally residential.
4. The existing uses of the subject properties is generally residential and other uses nonconforming to a manufacturing designation.
5. Large scale industrial uses are unlikely to locate in the area.
6. The individual lot sizes cannot accommodate typical larger or medium sized industrial users2 and ownership is spread over multiple property owners which makes it difficult to assemble land for larger scale industrial development.
7. Redevelopment of the existing properties will generally occur more quickly if there is a market for their redevelopment and there are higher real estate values for Multiple-Family Residential properties, than industrial in the area.3

Clearly certain very small industrial uses or commercial uses could locate in the subject areas and maintain existing non-conforming buildings. (However, many of these uses could also locate in a General Commercial zone.) Redevelopment of the sites for any new small scale industrial use would require compliance with current development standards for parking which would be difficult to accomodate on small lots which range in size from 2000 to 3000 square feet.4

If the subject properties were zoned R-2 Residential, consistent with the General Plan Medium Density designation, the 7 residential uses would be conforming, the 4 manufacturing uses would become nonconforming, and the commercial uses would stay nonconforming. Under the Zoning Ordinance, the nonconforming uses would be allowed to remain indefinitely (including doing necessary repair, e.g. new roof) or until the structures were demolished. Any new development would need to comply with the existing zoning and General Plan designation.

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Notes

1. General Plan Land Use Element, Pages 14 & 15
2. Urban Land Institute - ULI Office/Business/Industrial Parks - Project Reference File Report 1991. Traditional industrial uses consume significantly more land and required building area then these individual sites offer. Very small industrial users typically utilize 1,500- 2000 sq. ft., typical small single story industrial buildings range in size from 10,000 to 30,000 sq. ft.
3. Comparative land values --Typical Area Medium Family Residential $48.00sq. ft.vs.typical industrial land value of $21.84sq. ft. (NOTE: M-1 zone land value in 1960 was $58.88 per sq. ft.)
4. Industrial parking standards are: General Industrial - 1 space/ea vehicle used in conjunction with the use, plus 1 space p/300 sq. ft. GFA, Warehousing 1 sp/100 sq. ft. for first 20,000 sq.ft plus 1 space for each 4,000 sq. ft. above 40,000 sq. ft, plus 1 sp for each vehicle operate from the property.