2018/04/12 Planning Commission Resolution (4)PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 2018-27
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROHNERT
PARK RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A GENERAL
PLAN AMENDMENT AND REZONE FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF DOWDELL AVENUE AND BUSINESS PARK DRIVE
(APN: 143-040-135) FROM A LAND USE AND ZONING DESIGNATION OF
INDUSTRIAL TO A DESIGNATION OF HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
WHEREAS, the applicant, Chris Scerri of Advanced Building Solutions, Inc., has filed
Planning Application No. PLGP2016-0001 with the permission of the property owner, Sonoma
Media Investments, requesting a General Plan Amendment ("GPA") and rezoning to allow for the
construction of an apartment complex on the southeast corner of Dowdell Avenue and Business
Park Drive, assessor parcel number 143-040-135 ("Subject Parcel"); and
WHEREAS, the applicant has requested a change in the land use designation of the
Subject Parcel from a current General Plan designation of "Industrial" to "High Density
Residential" and rezoning from Industrial (I -L) to High Density Residential (R -H); and
WHEREAS, amendments to the General Plan and zoning map must be processed
according to Section 17.25.070 to .075 of the Rohnert Park Municipal Code and the Planning
Commission is required to conduct a hearing, make a recommendation and findings to the City
Council based on the merits of the proposal; and
WHEREAS, the requested amendment would apply to the General Plan Diagram (General
Plan Figure 2.2-1) and change the 6.3 -acre site from its current designation of Industrial to High
Density Residential (see Exhibit A) and to the City zoning map which would change the
designation from Industrial (I -L) to High Density Residential (R -H); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to California State Law and the RPMC, public hearing notices were
mailed to all property owners within a three hundred foot radius of the subject property and a
public hearing notice was published in the Community Voice prior to the first public hearing; and
WHEREAS, on April 12, 2018, the Planning Commission held a public hearing at which
time interested persons had an opportunity to testify either in support of or opposition to the
proposal; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the information
contained in the application and the analysis contained in the Staff Report for the proposal.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of
Rohnert Park makes the following findings, determinations and recommendations with respect to
the proposed General Plan Amendment and rezoning, based on all evidence in the record,
including the oral and written staff reports and all oral and written testimony presented at the
hearing:
Section 1. The above recitations are true and correct.
Section 2. Environmental Clearance. A Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was
prepared for the project in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act and the
Planning Commission has recommended that it be approved and adopted.
Section 3. The Planning Commission finds that the GPA as proposed is consistent with
the remainder General Plan and not detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and
recommends that the City Council approve the General Plan Amendment for the Subject Parcel as
provided in Exhibit A.
Section 4. Factors. The Planning Commission makes the following findings and
recommendations with regard to the rezone, as required under Section 17.23.073 of the Municipal
Code..
1. That the proposed zoning and/or amendment is consistent with the general plan.
The proposed rezone classification would change the General Plan land use designation
of the 6.3 acre site at the southeast corner of Dowdell Avenue and Business Park Drive
from Industrial to High Density Residential and the zoning classification from
Industrial (I -L) to High Density Residential (R -H), consistent with the proposed GPA.
The General Plan can support the change to High Density Residential in this location
due to the need for residential development within the larger community and applying
the following land use policies and housing goals:
LU -6: Locate new Medium and High Density Residential development adjacent to
parks, creekways or other open space, in order to maximize residents access to
recreational uses, or adjacent to a Mixed Use or Neighborhood Commercial Center, to
maximize access to services.
HO -1.1: The City shall continue to provide an adequate supply of residentially zoned
land at sufficient densities to accommodate its fair share of the existing and future
housing needs.
HO -2.1: The City shall promote a diversity of housing types, including single-family
detached and attached residences, mobile homes, multifamily rental and ownership
units, second units, and units combined with non-residential uses.
HO -3.8: The City shall encourage the development of market -rate housing types that
are affordable to low and moderate -income, first-time homebuyers.
2. That the proposed zoning and/or amendment will be beneficial to and not detrimental
to the public health, safety, or welfare.
The development of this parcel will require careful adherence to the mitigation
measures within the MND and performance measures contained with the City zoning
ordinance to avoid detrimental impacts on the community. The health, safety and
welfare of any potential residents of the proposed residential use, the development
potential of adjacent industrial parcels; and the community as a whole can be protected.
This parcel is immediately adjacent to industrial parcels and will need to be carefully
designed due to the potential negative impacts from adjacent industrial facilities,
including: noise, air quality, lighting, odor and other negative impacts typically
associated with industrial uses. With the residential development of this parcel
adjacent, industrial properties will be subject to Municipal Code (Section 17.12.030 to
.050) which impose land use restrictions on industrial uses when residential dwellings
are nearby. These performance standards such as limits on noise, lighting and odors
would place restrictions on the type of industrial tenants that could locate adjacent to a
residential zone.
3. That with the proposed zoning and/or amendment adequate and available sites remain
to mitigate the loss of residential density on the subject property to accommodate the
city's 'fair share " regional housing need used by the State Department of Housing and
Redevelopment in determining compliance with Housing Element Law pursuant to
Government Code Section 65863(b).
This factor is not applicable since the proposed rezoning does not remove land for
residential development, but in fact adds 6.3 acres to the residential land supply. This
will make the construction of new residential units more likely.
Section 5. Following consideration of the rezoning request and the relevant factors
contained in Section 17.25.073 of the Municipal Code, the Planning Commission finds that the
rezoning as proposed is consistent with the General Plan and not detrimental to the public health,
safety and welfare and recommends that the City Council approve the rezoning request for the
Subject Parcel as provided in Exhibit B.
DULY AND REGULARLY ADOPTED on this 12th day of April, 2018 by the City
of Rohnert Park Planning Commission by the following vote:
AYES: NOE ABSENT: ABSTAIN:_
ADAM$A BL QU fq t BORBGIUDICE HAYDON -(i
Susan Add -ns. -Chairperson, Rohnert Park Plann
Attest: If
Susan Arz vedo, ecording Secretary
Commission
MMU(
PARA]
E
EXHIBIT A
GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DIAGRAM
IPA
�A
Medium Density Residential
pp High Density Residential
Industrial
_ Commercial - N
® Commercial - R
Mixed Use
Office
I Public/Institutional
r Parks/Recreation
EXHIBIT B
REZONING REQUEST
Casino
Area
- -I
!� R
� i A
W
4 Current: I -L
Change: R -E
m
J ■ ■ ■ IN
PD1
Districts
R -E: Estate Residential
R -R: Rural Residential
R -L Low Density Residential
R -M Medium Density Residential
■P -H: High Density Residential
■ C-R: Regional Commercial
C -O: Office Commercial
■ 1-L Industrial
I -L/C -R : IndustriaL/CommerciaL Overlay
® 1-L/O: industrial/Office Overlay
P-1: Public Institutional
OS -EC Open Space -
® SP: Specific Plan
PD: Planned Development
■ ■
101